A personal loss, a huge game and a red eye: Ryan Hilinski makes it to Columbia
October 27, 2018
Say this for South Carolina quarterback commit Ryan Hilinski, it took a little something extra for him to make it to Columbia this weekend.
The four-star quarterback from California had death in the family during the week and a schedule that wasn’t the most conducive to making the trip. But he’ll be in Williams-Brice Stadium to watch Gamecocks football take on the Volunteers.
Hilinski had been scheduled to visit in September, but instead went to Pullman, Wash., to honor his late brother Tyler. The family suffered another loss this week, as his mother’s father passed away.
When Ryan Hilinski picked USC, it was on a trip to Hawaii to spread Tyler’s ashes at the same spot the family spread his grandmother’s, the nana Kelly Hilinski mentioned in his message.
Friday night, Ryan Hilinski led his Orange Lutheran squad against powerhouse Mater Dei, the No. 2 team in the country that knocked off blue chip factory IMG Academy earlier this year. After the 45-7 loss, which would’ve ended past midnight on the east coast, the Hilinskis set off on the journey.
Ryan Hilinski chronicled the trip on social media. A 30-plus mile drive to the airport, a red eye flight from Los Angeles to Charlotte, and finally a morning flight into Columbia.
October 27, 2018
Say this for South Carolina quarterback commit Ryan Hilinski, it took a little something extra for him to make it to Columbia this weekend.
The four-star quarterback from California had death in the family during the week and a schedule that wasn’t the most conducive to making the trip. But he’ll be in Williams-Brice Stadium to watch Gamecocks football take on the Volunteers.
Hilinski had been scheduled to visit in September, but instead went to Pullman, Wash., to honor his late brother Tyler. The family suffered another loss this week, as his mother’s father passed away.
When Ryan Hilinski picked USC, it was on a trip to Hawaii to spread Tyler’s ashes at the same spot the family spread his grandmother’s, the nana Kelly Hilinski mentioned in his message.
Friday night, Ryan Hilinski led his Orange Lutheran squad against powerhouse Mater Dei, the No. 2 team in the country that knocked off blue chip factory IMG Academy earlier this year. After the 45-7 loss, which would’ve ended past midnight on the east coast, the Hilinskis set off on the journey.
Ryan Hilinski chronicled the trip on social media. A 30-plus mile drive to the airport, a red eye flight from Los Angeles to Charlotte, and finally a morning flight into Columbia.
