Football: Lockport’s Billy Reed picks Southern Illinois

Updated: December 5, 2011 4:45PM

Billy Reed will be heading south – to Southern Illinois University to be exact.

Reed, who was starting quarterback for the Lockport football team the last two seasons, announced that he has committed to continue to play football at Southern Illinois.

“I had offers from Illinois State, Southern Illinois and the University of Pennsylvania,” Reed said. “I choose Southern because I thought they recruited me the most. It’s just a great environment. I liked the players, coaches, facilities, everything.”

Reed quarterbacked the Porters to back-to-back playoff appearances the past two seasons, including a 7-4 record and a second-round playoff appearance this year. He was recruited as a wide receiver by the Salukis.

“(Oswego quarterback) Ryan West just committed there, too,” Reed said. “So we can be a quarterback/wide receiver combo. I was open to playing any position, but schools were mostly recruiting me as a wide receiver or defensive back. Southern saw me over the summer and thought I had good speed.”

Reed, who engineered a late fourth-quarter, 80-yard touchdown drive in an 18-15 first-round upset of Simeon this fall, has been a three-sport athlete for the Porters. He hasn’t played for the basketball team yet, but plans on being back in the lineup within a week.

He has also been a starting outfielder for the Porters baseball team the past two seasons.

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