John Bolton prefers to spend the fall on the football field.
But with football postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Grant senior made the best of the situation by turning to golf.
And after earning All-Northern Lake County Conference honors in football during his sophomore and junior seasons, Bolton kept his all-conference run going in golf.
On the course, Bolton said he experienced a different side of sports by relying more on himself than his teammates.
“I started playing golf a lot because of the time off from football,” Bolton said. “I was able to join our team and was just as surprised as everyone else after having the best round of my life on the day it mattered the most. Golf is one of my favorite hobbies right now, and I’m super glad that I found it. … It was a great experience.”
Bolton will turn his attention back to football full time soon enough. He has committed to Augustana College, a Division III program in Rock Island, Illinois, where the 5-foot-8, 175-pounder will play a variety of positions. At Grant, Bolton has played quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback and safety and on special teams.
Bolton said he chose Augustana over Illinois Wesleyan and St. Xavier because of his relationship with running backs coach Keegan Jones.
“Coach Jones was a big part of my decision,” Bolton said. “Augustana was the first school to offer me a spot, and coach Jones contacted me every other week. When I saw the team practice, it just felt like a good place to be, and I saw myself fitting in very nicely.”
Bolton said his commitment was a special moment for his family, especially since he hasn’t played since recovering from a serious injury. He tore the labrum in his right shoulder in summer 2019, elected to play his entire junior season with the pain and then had surgery that November.
“By Week 10, I was barely able to throw the ball 10 yards,” Bolton said. “Luckily, our offense was super run-heavy. … Overall, it didn’t really affect me playing besides giving me a little bit of discomfort.
“For me, it’s great to make a decision and to know that I’ll be able to play football for four more years. Knowing that I’ll be able to play again made not having a season this past fall a lot easier for me.”
Warren soccer update: Several Warren boys soccer players could finalize their college choices this winter or in the spring.
Warren coach Jason Ahonen said four seniors — Nic Diana, Ishaan Shah, Alex Senko and Edward Luna — are on the radars of colleges in the region.
Ahonen said Diana and Shah recently made visits to Division III Carthage in Wisconsin; Senko has drawn interest from a number of Division II colleges; and Luna has received interest from NAIA’s Trinity International, Division III Ripon in Wisconsin and Division III North Central, Ahonen said.
“Ish is a four-year varsity player who will make any school better once he walks onto campus,” Ahonen said. “His work ethic and effort is always at the highest level. He does not take days off, is always looking to improve.
“Senko is one of the most underrated players on our team. He does a lot of the little things that allow other players on our team to shine. He’s vital to our success.
“Nic really came into his own last year as a keeper. He has tremendous foot skills, and his best soccer is ahead of him.
“Edward is a high-level lefty who can play multiple positions and has a high soccer IQ.”
Filippone moving on: Antioch graduate Dan Filippone placed his name in the transfer portal on Tuesday. The sophomore guard did not play last season and had seen action in four games this season. He played 13 minutes and missed both of his shots.
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
