Reavis’ Parker Zasada suffered an Achilles tendon injury playing baseball in Florida.

On April 1, of all days.

But the doctors were serious when they told the catcher, a sophomore at the time for the Rams, that he would be sidelined for six to 12 months. He missed almost all of the high school season.

Zasada was back in a little more than six months. Only it wasn’t on a baseball field.

The Andrew transfer returned and played limited snaps in football in an Oct. 4 game against Oak Lawn and then again Thursday night against Evergreen Park as a defensive lineman.

“I wanted to play football with these guys,” Zasada said. “I transferred in last semester. These guys were counting on me. I was really ticked off when I got injured and I wanted to come back.

“Every day I would get a little better and now I’m healthy to play.”

Reavis trainer Lionell Siert marveled at how quickly Zasada returned to sports.

“It’s nice to be 16 or 17 years old,” Siert said of Zasada’s expedited recovery. “You can come back a lot quicker. He definitely has a long way to go, but he’s doing a lot better.”

“I’m young, so I heal faster,” Zasada said. “I busted my butt every time to get back to this point.”

Now, the big question.

Is it a good idea to allow an athlete with such a strong future in baseball to be battling in a tough, contact sport such as football?

His father and his football coach — both the same man — wrestled with that question as well. In the end, Reavis coach Tim Zasada agreed to let Parker play 8-12 plays a game for now.

“While we want to be cautious with the injury, there is a mental side to it,” Zasada said of the decision. “He’s been out of competition. He hates not being able to help his teammates out.

“If I can give him 12 plays, he’s happy. He’s doing what he can to help his teammates. We’re very cautious because he’s a heck of a baseball player, too. We want him to come back strong and have a big junior season in baseball.”

In Thursday’s 21-13 South Suburban Red loss to Evergreen Park in Burbank, Parker used one of his few plays on the field to force a fumble in the fourth quarter.

He said he’s happy to play football for his father.

“It’s awesome,” Parker said. “It’s pretty cool. He pushes me. It’s fun to play with him. It’s always been a dream of mine. It came true. He knows this is what I love.

“He told me, ‘If you’re not good, don’t play.’ But I pushed through it.”

After beginning the baseball season by hitting a home run against Nazareth, Parker injured the Achilles running to first base during the opening game of the Florida trip.

“I was running, and I stepped on the bag and felt it,” he said. “I didn’t go to the doctor until a week later when we got home. I was hoping for the best, but it wasn’t good news.”

Zasada missed one of the best seasons in program history as Reavis finished 29-5.

In football, he wants to help the Rams (4-3) try to secure a playoff spot as they wrap up the regular season with Friday’s home game against Shepard, followed by a short road trip to Richards.

There’s work to be done for the team to reach the postseason, and there’s work to be done for Zasada to be back to where he would like to be.

“I feel fine, but I’m not 100%,” he said. “I still have to get stronger, but it feels good to be back.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.