Cary-Grove's Tyler Pennington is the 2017 Northwest Herald Male Athlete of the Year

When a group of Cary-Grove athletes got together in the fall to re-enact a photo from the movie “The Sandlot” it only seemed fitting that Tyler Pennington got to be Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez.

Pennington’s exploits on the football and baseball fields grew to legendary status and he graduated this year as one of the Trojans’ best in school history.

In football, he is C-G’s career rushing leader with 5,161 yards, which puts him 17th on the IHSA career list. He was a three-time All-Area first-team selection in football and twice for baseball, where he was catcher and brought a powerful left-handed bat for the Trojans.

This spring, he hit .449, with six homers and 36 RBIs, while amassing an OPS of 1.336. His prowess in both sports landed Pennington the Northwest Herald Male Athlete of the Year honor for the second consecutive year.

Dr. Steven Rochell will donate $2,500 to C-G’s athletic programs in Pennington’s name for winning the award. Rochell has been doing that for the Male and Female Athletes of the Years’ schools since 1993.

Pennington left shortly after graduation to attend summer school at Arkansas, where he is walking on to play football. Pennington tackles these questions from sports writer Joe Stevenson in between summer classes and workouts in Fayetteville.

What’s your best go-to dance move?

Pennington: Cat Daddy.

Who’s the most famous person you’ve taken a picture with?

Pennington: I've never really taken a picture with anyone famous, but I saw Roger Clemens at Disney World one time. I didn't want to take a picture because he was eating with his family and we didn't want to bother him.

What are three movies you can watch over and over?

Pennington: "Step Brothers," "The Dark Knight" and "Superbad."

What was your most memorable sports moment this year?

Pennington: When I hit two home runs in a game against Prairie Ridge. I've never done that before and I thought it was pretty cool.

You wore No. 2 in baseball and No. 39 in football, was there significance to either of those numbers?

Pennington: I started wearing No. 2 when I was younger. At first, I chose No. 1 because at football games they announced us in numerical order and I wanted to break the paper when we ran through the banner. The next season someone took No. 1 so I settled with No. 2 and it stuck with me. I was assigned No. 39 my freshman season and made our Ring of Honor, that's in the C-G alumni building which honors players who receive All-Conference, All-Area, etc. I was the first player to be up there with 39 and I figured I had to keep it.

How long did it take you and your friends to set up that wonderful photo like the kids in “The Sandlot” you have as your Twitter cover photo?

Pennington: It was kind of a few years in the making. I saw the picture of all of them and thought it would be cool to recreate it, so I brought it up to my friends. At homecoming this year was the first time we had a chance to pull it off, so we went for it.

Was it a consensus that you got to be Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez in the picture?

Pennington: The photo was my idea, so I kind of claimed Benny before anyone else and nobody really questioned it, so I guess so.

What are some of your favorite lines from “The Sandlot”?

Pennington: "You're killing me, Smalls" obviously is a classic. The back and forth between Phillips and Hamilton Porter is great, too. My favorite part is when Squints Palledorous pulls his smooth move on Wendy Peffercorn though.

If you were a soap opera character, what would your name be (your middle name and street you live on)?

Pennington: Shell Foxford.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you in competition?

Pennington: During an eighth-grade football game, Collin Walsh was our nose guard and after a play he jumped on the top of the pile as the whistle was blowing. The referees were pretty strict that game and the head referee yelled at Collin pretty loudly about it. I jokingly told Collin to go apologize to the ref and after the next play, he went up to him and said he was sorry. The ref then yelled at Collin a lot more and even threatened to kick him out of the game. If you knew Collin and saw the scared look on his face you would laugh as hard as the rest of our defense was.

Have you learned Arkansas’ fight song?

Pennington: No, I haven't, but it would probably be a good idea to start learning it.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Fayetteville?

Pennington: We go to quite a few different places, but so far the best has been a place called The Flying Burrito.

Richmond-Burton lineman Dalton Wagner and you are there, and Crystal Lake South’s Trevor Keegan just received an offer. Are the Razorbacks invading McHenry County?

Pennington: It certainly looks like it. It's good to see people realizing we have some talent up in McHenry County. It's also a bonus because now I have people to travel back home with.

If you could spend a day with anyone from history, who would it be?

Pennington: LeBron James.

What is one of your biggest pet peeves?

Pennington: People looking at my phone. I have nothing to hide, but it still bothers me for some reason.

What sport that you don’t play would you be good at?

Pennington: I always thought I'd be a good goalie in hockey or soccer. I have no reason to base on why I'd be good at it, but I just think I would.

What’s a song on your iPod people would not think was there?

Pennington: "Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado.

Did you get your dad Doug one of those plastic Hog hats for Father’s Day?

Pennington: No, I did not, but I know Doug would look absolutely stunning in his very own Hog hat.

What moment in sports was so huge that you’ll always remember where you were when it happened?

Pennington: The Cubs winning the World Series will always be something I'll remember. I watched it with my dad in our living room and we both went crazy on the final out.

What are some good words to live by?

Pennington: "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."