MADISON TOWNSHIP — Christine DiLillo remembers reading her son’s journal one day when he was in the fourth grade.

“He wrote in it that he dreamed of playing in the NFL someday,” she said. “I think Nic has always known what he wanted to do.”

For the time being at least, it might seem Nic DiLillo’s dreams are a little premature, but Madison High School’s two-time Division II All-Ohio tight end took a big step Wednesday morning when he signed his national letter of intent to attend Ohio State University on a football scholarship. It was part of a big Signing Day ceremony in the school’s chorus room, which DiLillo shared with offensive line teammate Kyle Glass, who signed his letter of intent with the new Division II program at Painesville’s Lake Erie College.

Christine and Tony DiLillo said their son has displayed a firm grasp of where his future might lie for quite some time.

“For a long time, back when he was starting in basketball as a freshman, Nic had the idea that his future might be in playing basketball,” Christine said. “But after one game during his sophomore year, Nic came home and said that he realized he wasn’t big enough (at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds) to play in the NBA. From that point forward, he told us he was going to put his energy into making it in football. He’s been working very hard at that ever since.”

It all reached its payoff at shortly after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, with DiLillo flanked by his beaming parents and his younger sister, Ashley. Madison head football coach Tim Willis, who had double knee replacement surgery Jan. 17 and was brought into the room in a wheelchair and later stood propped on crutches, wore an equally large smile at the signing of one of his athletes at one of the elite programs in all of college football.

“This is such a great day for all of us,” Tony DiLillo said. “We’re so happy that Nic has chosen Ohio State. We’re so comfortable with the fact he’s signing on with such a fine coach as Jim Tressel and such a fine group of coaches at Ohio State.”

Young DiLillo admitted sealing the deal was the fulfillment of a dream that he hopes will only grow from there.

“I think every kid has a dream like this, and my dream has come true,” he said. “I’m excited about my opportunity.

“I want to thank my parents, my sister and my grandparents for all their support, along with my extended family here at Madison. I also want to thank Coach Willis and (assistant) Coach (Mike) Martin for helping me get here.”

It was a dream occasion for a school such as Madison, where such events are rare indeed. DiLillo is believed to be the first Blue Streak to play on scholarship at Ohio State since the late Steve Ruzich was recruited there by Wes Fesler and eventually lettered during the 1950-51 seasons, the latter for the legendary Woody Hayes. Ruzich, who was a teammate of eventual Buckeye coach Earle Bruce and of Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame members Jim Hietikko of Conneaut and Jim Merrell of Geneva, eventually went on to play several seasons for the Green Bay Packers.

It is also believed DiLillo is the first Madison product to sign at one of college football’s elite powers since the late Bob Zubek attended Notre Dame nearly 45 years ago. He is the first Star Beacon area player to sign at one of those traditional powers in more than 20 years, following the path of Ashtabula graduate Jarrod Bunch at Michigan and Grand Valley product Mick Shoaf at Ohio State.

Those factors are a source of pride to Willis, who holds out hopes that DiLillo is only the first Blue Streak to earn such a commitment.

“I think this says a lot about our program and the coaches in our program,” he said. “A lot of getting to Ohio State has been done by Nic on his own, which shows his work ethic and his ability. It’s also great genetics. We’re all very proud of what Nic has accomplished.

“I think this shows that we have a program where a kid can get to such a level if he wants to work hard and has the ability. I hope Nic is going to be a role model to some of our other kids, showing them that all this is possible. This school can produce those kinds of athletes. People shouldn’t shy away from a program like this. These things can happen.”

DiLillo hopes he might be able to follow in Ruzich’s steps some day.

“I would like to go pro some day,” he said. “I have a lot of work ahead of me at Ohio State first.”

That will begin right away once he arrives in Columbus to play for the Buckeyes, who will have most of their players back from two straight Big Ten championships and Bowl Champion Series National Championship Games. That includes tight ends Rory Nicol and Jake Ballard. That might augur a redshirt year his first year, but DiLillo said he will do his utmost to earn playing time in 2008.

“I’m going to work as hard as I can,” he said. “I was told to come in ready to play.”

DiLillo will be working largely with offensive coordinator and line coach Jim Bollman, a Harbor graduate, and John Peterson, tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. He was on his cell phone to Peterson and Tressel moments after he signed his official paperwork.

He was already at work helping in OSU recruiting efforts after the ceremony, calling prized Buckeye recruit Terrelle Pryor of Jeannette, Pa. High School, who was expected to announce his college choice later Wednesday. Pryor later announced he was not making an immediate decision.