Egan Throws Out the Junk

A smorgasbord of notes, quotes and opinions from across Southern California:

Quarterback Jeremy Egan of Canoga Park High deserves to be the comeback player of the month for overcoming a mysterious stomach ailment that caused him to miss more than 50 days of school last year.

He started having stomach cramps last October. He went from 150 pounds to 135. After dozens of blood tests, X-rays and examinations, he still doesn’t know the exact cause of his ailment.

He remembers playing a game against Sun Valley Poly with severe stomach cramps last season. On the way to a playoff game against Fremont, Coach Rudy Lugo had to stop the team bus at a gas station so Egan could use a bathroom.

He tried herbs and acupuncture. He removed dairy products from his diet.

“Nobody could figure out anything,” he said. “It seemed like nothing worked.”

For 10 months, Egan was in agony. Then, at the end of July, the cramps dissipated.

“It’s not cured all the way, but it’s under control and I feel a lot better,” he said.

It was finally diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome.

Returning to football was Egan’s main priority so he could play with his younger brother, Jason.

Two weeks ago, a healthy Egan completed 13 of 15 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over Eagle Rock. He has led the Hunters to a 2-1 record.

He’s a 17-year-old senior who has been told not to eat hamburgers, pizza or hot dogs, but the sacrifice of junk food is worth it if it means he can play football without pain....

David Lammers from Ridgecrest Burroughs is the most sure-handed running back in Southern California. In 370 carries, he has never fumbled. This season, he has rushed for 522 yards and scored six touchdowns....

Colin Carey of Valencia looks more and more like a future Ivy League quarterback. He has rushed for 330 yards and passed for 618 yards. He has a 4.6 grade-point average and scored 1260 on the SAT. He’s interested in Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth and Brown. He was a strong safety last season who has made a surprisingly quick transition to quarterback. And he’s tough ....

Valencia (3-1), with three consecutive victories over solid opponents, is emerging as the prime challenger to Newhall Hart in the Foothill League. The Vikings have been strengthened by a last-minute transfer, 6-foot-6 tight end Jason Lance from Mission Hills Alemany. It’s his third school in four years....

Chatsworth and West Hills Chaminade, expected to be the top two baseball teams in the San Fernando Valley, have agreed to play in the opening game of the Westside tournament in March. It sets up a left-handed pitchers’ duel matching USC-bound Bobby Paschal of Chaminade and Joe Guntz, who’s 25-0 in high school.

Chatsworth has begun negotiations to play La Puente Bishop Amat, expected to be the No. 1 baseball team in California....

Van Nuys Birmingham has accused Canoga Park of recruiting three boys’ basketball players. The Hunters’ basketball program was put on probation for playing the same three players in a spring league game when they were enrolled at Birmingham ....

The CaliFlorida Bowl III has been scheduled for Jan. 2 at 1:30 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton. Choosing the California quarterbacks could be difficult from among Ben Olson of Thousand Oaks, Matt Moore of Newhall Hart, Matt Gutierrez of Concord De La Salle, Trent Edwards of Los Gatos and Drew Olson of Piedmont....

Wes Wardrop, a 6-3 guard who used to attend Anaheim Loara, has committed to Loyola Marymount. He’s attending a prep school in Massachusetts....

The Marmonte League had better be ready for an Aussie import this winter. P.J. Isaacson, a 6-3 junior guard from Australia, has enrolled at Westlake. He’s a three-point scoring threat....

How well defensive tackle Manuel Wright of Long Beach Poly plays could determine who wins the titanic football matchup between De La Salle and Poly on Saturday. Wright has six sacks in three games.

Final score: Poly 10, De La Salle 7.

*

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.