Painter Carries on Snider Tradition

Fort Wayne Snider defensive back Dillon Painter is one of the best players in Indiana who doesn't always get the pub. A heady, speedy center fielder, Painter is hearing from several schools and getting advice from past Snider recruits.

If Dillon Painter has to play as a freshman in college next season, he should be prepared. He started his varsity career at Fort Wayne Snider being thrown into the fire.

"I started the end of my freshman year," he reported, "we had kid get suspended and they put me in the lineup as a freshman for the playoffs."

On a team that was one of the favorites, a lot was expected of young Painter at the time, but he responded, with a little help from some friends.

"That was unbelievable experience because our secondary was amazing. We had Artis Chambers who is at Michigan and Jakeem Gregory who plays for Ball State. They sat me down and I took what they had to say."

It was in the game that Painter established himself as a force to be reckoned with.

"I actually ended up getting my first interception in that game. I ran it back 30-35 yards too. I was an unbelievable feeling becase I never thought I'd even play varsity that year."

Although Snider would lose in the regional championships, Painter would never look back, starting every game since that faithful playoff game.

Last season, as a junior, he made all-state. Off the field, he is a 3.8 student who has a number of schools interested in him for both his football and academic prowess.

"Toledo, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Ball State and Miami-Ohio are recruiting me," he reported, "because of my grades I talked to the Harvard coach and some Ivy League schools too."

Also a track participant, Painter says he plays to go into architecture or pharmacy in college. He is still awaiting his first offer and trying to learn more about each of the schools recruiting him and he is continuing to get help from his older teammates turned alumni.

"Artis was at our school on Friday and I got a chance to talk to him and caught up with him. Malcolm Riley, who is going to play ball at Toledo I talk to him as well. They both told me to keep my options open and the places I'm interested in, definitely go to their camp."