[Bernini]

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C.J. Fiedorowicz experienced quite an eventful week.

The Johnsburg junior, who is considered one of the top football recruits in Illinois, had visits at school from Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema and an assistant from Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz?s staff.

He also injured his right knee in Wednesday?s 54-42 basketball loss to Prairie Ridge, although further examination by his doctor revealed a muscle bruise and no ligament or cartilage damage.

Fiedorowicz got more good news Thursday when he learned he had scored 25 on the ACT.

?It definitely opens some options for me,? said Fiedorowicz, a 6-foot-7, 235-pounder who projects at tight end in college. With his freakish athletic ability, the only thing Fiedorowicz needed to satisfy big-time NCAA Division I programs was to score well on the ACT, which he did by blowing away his original target score of 21.

Lee Ann Fiedorowicz, C.J.?s mother, called recruiting guru Tom Lemming with the news and said Lemming told her, ?He can buy his ticket anywhere with a 25.?

Lee Ann said C.J. was not a good test-taker. Neither was his brother, Kyle, or sister, Paige, both of whom play sports in college.

C.J. received his first scholarship offer in August (from Notre Dame) and made a pre-emptive academic strike.

Lee Ann?s grandfather, Douglas Rose Sr., founded Paint Brush Corp. in Vermillion, S.D., and was quite wealthy. He created funds for his 10 great-grandchildren?s educations. Because C.J. knew a football scholarship could pay his way through college, he used some of his college fund and enrolled at Sylvan Learning Center.

The program costs about $4,000, a sum Lee Ann admits she could not have afforded. C.J. also attended an ACT preparatory course, which cost him about $800. The investments proved well worth it.

?It was long, hard days,? said C.J., who started the classes before school opened. ?It got boring some times. I?d go to football after school, then I?d go right to [Sylvan].?

Douglas Rose Sr. still worked at his corporation from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, but contracted pneumonia just before Thanksgiving. He died about a week later at age 95. He knew his great-grandson?s athletic future was bright but never got to see C.J.?s success on the ACT.

Fiedorowicz is considering offers to play football from Notre Dame, Arizona, Duke, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State and Wisconsin. He has visited Notre Dame and Iowa and has visits set up for Wisconsin (March 1) and Ohio State (March 28).

He led the area in receiving yards (809) and touchdowns (11) last season and has been a Northwest Herald All-Area first-team selection the past two years.