CRETE | His name has been misspelled even by his own high school.
That doesn't bother Crete-Monee's Laquon Treadwell. He is so humble -- or polite -- that he never told anybody his name was spelled wrong.
"It's not that big of a deal," Treadwell said, "but the 'q' is small."
Even his good friend and quarterback Marcus Terrell was stunned.
"I thought it was a big 'Q,'" Terrell said. "Hey, 'Quon, how come you never said anything?"
Treadwell, an Under Armour All-American, just smiled and shrugged. The major college football programs can spell his name and one of them would love his signature on a letter of intent. If that happens, he would follow in the footsteps of his uncle, Ricky Young, who was an All-American running back at Oklahoma State and starred at Bloom Trail. Treadwell is the top uncommitted wide receiver in the country. His concern is not the accolades he is getting, but what the Warriors would like to accomplish.
The Warriors (12-0) play at Lemont (11-1) at 6 p.m. today in one Class 6A semifinal. It is the biggest game in Crete-Monee football history.
"We have a goal and we know Lemont is a very good team," Treadwell said. "We have to play our best. They are big and they are fast, too. We know what is at stake."
Despite all the hype he has received from colleges, fans and glad-handers, Treadwell has focused on the season and his teammates.
"My mom (Tami) told me to always be humble," Treadwell said. "It all started with her. She said, 'Quon, remember where you came from,' and I have."
He has come a long way and certainly the future is bright, but the only future he cares about is Saturday. It is not being short-sighted, but looking at what is important for the Crete program.
Warriors coach Jerry Verde said Treadwell has matured over his three years as a varsity starter.
"He is a player who could basically play any position on the field, and do it as well or better than anybody else," Verde said. "He has been an excellent leader for us this year, his work ethic shows our younger guys that it's just not enough to be good, you need to work to be great."
Treadwell showed his greatness when he took over against Peoria Richwoods in a second-round game. The Warriors let a lead get away and trailed 32-21 with a few minutes left. Treadwell returned an interception for a score, then playing quarterback, snuck in for the winning score.
"It's what you have to do to win," Treadwell said. "I am a leader and you have to show it on the field. It is not all vocal. It is by example."
Treadwell has caught 68 passes for 1,219 yards and 14 touchdowns. Last year, he was The Times Offensive Player of the Year and caught a school-record 75 passes for 1,391 yards and 13 TDs. This year, Treadwell has also rushed for 161 yards and on defense has 26 solo tackles, 12 assists, five tackles-for-loss and four interceptions. He also kicks PATs.
"We have a great team and we have great receivers in Lance (Lenoir) who has 50 catches, Kyle Tilley has about 30 (28) and Darius Thomas (22)," Treadwell said. "We have a lot of great players. Marcus is a great quarterback.
"I am not afraid to make a play when I have to, but I am not the only player on this team."
Treadwell said when he was a sophomore, he was more statistics-oriented.
"The whole team wanted the stats, recognition," Treadwell said. "I was like that, too. I guess you realize it is about the team and doing what it takes to win."
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