CRETE - The black-and-white ink drawings on the wall are in stark contrast to the splash of color elsewhere in the room that documents the athletic accomplishments of John Levorson.

But the drawings help to complete the picture of the Crete senior.

An outstanding athlete, it's no surprise that when Levorson chose subjects to draw this year in school, he included a soccer player and a basketball player driving to the hoop.

But two others reveal more about Levorson. You can practically hear the wolf howling, and he captured the desperation and loneliness of Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

"Sometimes, it's relaxing to draw. Sometimes, I just can't make it work," said Levorson.

That drive for perfection is also clear in Levorson's athletic life. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder was an honorary captain of the Super-State football team this year after leading Crete to back-to-back Class B state titles. He was honored as an athlete for all his contributions and was the Class B all-state quarterback. For the second straight year, he was second-team Super-State in basketball. This spring, he cleared a state-best 6-71/4 in the high jump before an injury kept him out of the state meet.

And now he is honored as the Journal Star boys' Prep Athlete of the Year.

"Playing sports has helped make me the kind of person I am. I learned things from sports that I can use my entire life," said Levorson, who is a Nebraska football scholarship recruit. "There are a lot of life lessons you learn from sports.

"It never crossed my mind living a life without playing sports."

He didn't choose football over all the other sports until he got to high school.

"Originally, basketball was my thing. I quit playing baseball so I could devote my summers to basketball," he said. "I was planning on playing basketball in college until I started playing varsity football.

"Nothing matches experiencing Friday nights, playing football. There's nothing better than Friday night football games."

His presence was a factor for three years for the Cardinal football team.

"John led by example. The kids expected him to make plays, and he did," said coach Chuck McGinnis. "You could explain a play to him, and with just one repetition, he seemed to have it down. He understands the game."

He also appreciates his teammates.

"There are 11 people on the field and you need every one doing their part to be successful. I might be the one running the ball into the end zone, but not without 10 other guys doing their job. The guy who makes the block deserves credit for allowing me to score."

Both McGinnis and Levorson said a switch to the wishbone offense wasn't a problem.

"John knows that Cody (Wockenfuss) and Marcus (Smith) and Trevor (Florendo) and the offensive line made him better," said McGinnis.

"With the wishbone, we'd get Cody and Trevor and me on the field at the same time," said Levorson. "It wasn't that hard to adapt to it. We ran a lot of the same plays."

Levorson's stats more than support that. He rushed for 1,158 yards (10.1 per carry) and completed 55 percent of his passes for 738 yards. The previous year, he had 753 rushing and 1,312 passing.

And on defense, which he said is likely where he'll end up with the Huskers, Levorson had just as big an impact. He had 92 tackles, 41 of them unassisted, six interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

In basketball, he averaged 16.6 points and 7.6 rebounds a game, moving from the swing position he was accustomed to playing to point guard. He also averaged 4.1 assists and 3.2 steals per game.

Levorson said sports can be humbling.

"You have to be prepared for failure before you step on the football field. You can fail every play," he said. "That's something you have to know, that bad things are going to happen.

"But I have a really short memory when it comes to sports. I forget the play we just had. Once it's over, I'm back to the huddle to think about the next play. You have time to think about mistakes in football. In basketball, it's all a lot quicker and you're already on the other end of the floor."

So is there anything John Levorson can't do?

"I'm a terrible bowler. That's probably the worst. I'm also a terrible golfer," he said. "I don't have the patience to practice and get better."

In addition to his drawing, Levorson also plays acoustic guitar (he'd like to get an electric one) and occasionally tinkers on the piano.

"I didn't suffer taking piano lessons. I enjoy playing some," he said. "I started playing guitar two years ago. I think wanting to be in a band comes for anybody who plays guitar. Maybe after college, I'll start a band."

Levorson, who will take summer school classes at Nebraska, said he plans on a math or science-oriented major, perhaps engineering or architecture.

"I would have picked Nebraska over any school in the world," he said

Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.