Sterling's Heffelfinger headed to ISU as preferred walk-on

There will be football in Ryan Heffelfinger’s future, one way or another.

The Sterling High School senior made a commitment, via Twitter, to attend Illinois State University next year. He will be a preferred walk-on for the Redbirds.

“It just felt like home,” said Heffelfinger, who played for Newman his first two years of high school. “I’ve got a lot of family there, and my sister [Kassidy] currently goes there. Everyone seems to love it. It’s a good football program. It’s everything I wanted in a college.”

The regular high school fall football season was put on hold because of COVID-19 and is not slated to begin for more than two months. With no fresh tape to send to schools, Heffelfinger pieced together a highlight tape from 2019, when he was the starting right guard for the Golden Warriors.

It was enough for the 5-foot-11, 270-pound Heffelfinger to catch the attention of ISU offensive line coach Harold Etheridge.

“I sent their offensive line coach my highlights from last year,” Heffelfinger said. “He liked them. We’ve been talking a little bit and recently they offered me a preferred walk-on, and I decided to commit to them.”

Heffelfinger hits the weight room each day before school. Normally a wrestler in the winter, he has joined the swim team to stay active and in shape. In March, he hopes to be leading the way for Sterling ballcarriers on the football field.

“You’ve got to stay motivated,” Heffelfinger said. “I’ve got some things I’d like to accomplish if we have a season this year. Whether we have it or not, I’m going to continue to work like we are going to have it.”

An honor roll student, Heffelfinger plans to major in physical education. His goal is to become a strength coach at a Power 5 conference school.