Andrew Talbert, a star pitcher and star quarterback for the Byron Tigers, hurt his throwing elbow at the end of this most recent baseball season, and the way things finished up, there was some doubt in fans’ minds about whether Talbert would be ready for the start of his senior football season.
Byron head baseball and football coach Jeff Boyer recently put those doubts to rest.
“He’s good, and he should be cleared to go in the next couple of weeks,” Boyer said last week. “He got everything checked out, and it was a sprain… He’ll be ready.”
Talbert was a star hitter and pitcher throughout the baseball season, just as he was the two seasons before. But after the elbow injury, which occurred during a May 19 battle against Sterling Newman, Talbert was relegated to a pinch-runner.
But, according to Boyer, it was just a sprain, and Talbert is nearing a return to action in both sports. Byron doesn’t hold any football activities until July, but Talbert could suit up in travel baseball games even before then.
“Everything is business as usual right now,” Boyer said. “He’ll be OK. I think everybody will be ready to go.”
Talbert hit .500 with six homers, 33 RBIs and 16 stolen bases during Byron’s stretch of 16 wins in 17 games this past baseball season. And he had an ERA of 0.00 with 42 Ks in three games on the mound during that time.
But his injury left the Tigers searching for a postseason ace, and for more help at the plate. Byron hauled in 27 wins, but the Tigers bowed out with a loss to Port Byron Riverdale in the regional finals ― just the second round of the playoffs.
Talbert stayed healthy and was able to help the Tigers finish the job this past football season, however.
The first-team all-state defensive back had four interceptions for the undefeated state-champion football team, and he also had 534 yards rushing while averaging over seven yards per carry with 10 TDs, and the star QB also threw for 434 yards and nine touchdowns. Talbert had 98 yards passing and two TDs through the air in their 56-50 Class 3A state championship title game, and he rushed for 48 yards and another two TDs, and also had three tackles and a pass breakup on defense.
“This was 100 percent a shootout,” Talbert said after the state-title game. “We just had to keep responding. What a game.”
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and sign up for the Rockford High School Sports Newsletter here at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Byron’s Andrew Talbert nearly healed, ready for summer baseball, football
Reporting by Jay Taft, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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By Jay Taft, Rockford Register Star | USA TODAY Network
