Athlete of the Week: Luke Allen returns to the diamond after battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma

It has been a rough four years for senior varsity spring athletes in the area as their careers started with two seasons of the COVID-19 pandemic. One positive for those athletes is they got to have a full junior season last year. However, that wasn't the case for Lincoln High's Luke Allen. Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma on Feb. 2, 2022, a type of blood cancer that affects white blood cells in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system helps fight infections and other diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, Hodgkin's Lymphoma is the most common cancer diagnosed for ages 15 to 19 and there were more than 8,800 cases last year in the United States. While Allen wasn't diagnosed until last February, he started feeling chest pain in November and had various scans and tests with infectious disease doctors. It couldn't come at a worse time as tryouts for baseball started on Jan. 31, two days prior to his diagnosis. The team's coach is Mike Allen, Allen's father. Coach Allen informed the team in a team meeting the day of the diagnosis, telling them he would need their help in getting behind his son. "My wife and I tried to figure out how someone gets this but it's just something that happens," Mike Allen said. "After it happened to us real time, I remember my cousin had battled the same disease and even went through four cycles of chemotherapy but eventually passed away from it. The craziest part was getting the diagnosis and they handed us two binders with different treatment plans with trial results. We had to choose which treatment plan we wanted and make plans to start treatment within the week. From November to February, we were upset because we didn't know what was going on. After the diagnosis, he had a port put in over the next couple days and the treatment started that afternoon." For Mike Allen, it was a very difficult time trying to manage everything between being a parent, a coach and having a job at Cisco. He got help from his coaching staff and promoted Patrick Winters to assistant head coach to have someone in charge in case he couldn't make it out to the field. During the last two days of baseball tryouts, the father was in the ICU with Luke Allen when he was receiving chemotherapy. "Everything just worked and I wouldn't have been able to do it without coaches," Mike Allen said. "Jennifer Hladun and Chris Bombard from the school were so supportive. Donna Tofft heard about what happened because Luke was in her weight training class. At the end of a practice, she came up and gave me a big hug and said, 'You guys are going to get through this.'" Tofft is an athletic director at Lincoln High School, Hladun is the principal and Bombard was an assistant principal at the time. Luke Allen underwent various symptoms such as headaches, back pain, night sweats and lost 10 pounds. During treatment, he would go through a week of chemotherapy and would go from being nauseous to dealing with neutropenia from cancer treatments. "When I was first diagnosed, I didn't know how to react and was in shock," Luke Allen said. "I dealt with it and accepted it and it made me think about the little things in life like being around things you love to do." Allen's treatment ended in June after scans showed he was cancer- free and he began playing fall ball shortly thereafter. Before the first game against Del Oro High began, their coach, JR Ziegelmann, told fans that Allen had been fighting cancer. When Allen stepped into the box in the first inning, everyone gave him a standing ovation. In his second at bat in the 5th, Allen hit a two-run home run to give the Zebras the lead and eventual win in his first game back. "It felt really good, I didn't really know how to react or what to say. I had no idea it was coming," Allen said. Allen is now helping lead the Fighting Zebras as he went four for four this past weekend in a 10-4 win against Las Plumas High. Allen drove home three runs in the contest and also had a hit in the Zebras' first game earlier this month against Whitney High. The Lincoln News Messenger asked Allen some questions and his answers follow. What is the best part about playing baseball at Lincoln High School? Allen: "My teammates, they have always been very supportive. The community at our high school is pretty cool. There's nowhere else I'd like to play baseball." How long have you been playing baseball competitively and who/what is your biggest motivation? Allen: "I've been playing since I was around 8 years old competitively. I don't know if I have a biggest influence but my favorite players are Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Trout." You went 4/4 with three runs batted in (RBI's) in a 10-4 win over Las Plumas on Saturday. What has been working well with your approach at the plate so far this season? Allen: "In the prior game, I felt like I was very tensed up and not comfortable at the plate, so I eased up and got more relaxed and quit overthinking. It just kind of happened and I was seeing the ball a lot better. Little things like that helped me change.: What do you feel are some of your biggest strengths? Allen: "One of my biggest strengths is length, being a taller guy and picking balls that are difficult to pick." This is your first full season back after suffering through Hodgkin's Lymphoma. How exciting has it been to get back out on the field consistently this season? Allen: "It has been very exciting because the past three years, I haven't been able to be back playing so it feels great." What did you learn about yourself while dealing with that level of adversity? Allen: "In a way, it changed my work ethic and I feel like I'm working a lot harder than I used to." What are some of your biggest goals for your senior season? Allen: "Hopefully, break the home run record and bat above .350. Maybe have a couple of stolen bases. My goals for the team are to win the league. Oakmont and Ponderosa will probably be our toughest competition. I also hope we go somewhere in the playoffs." Did any of your family members play sports and if so, who and at what levels? Allen: "My dad played baseball at St. Louis Community College and my cousin played Division I basketball for Illinois and then overseas basketball for a few seasons." What have been your favorite classes in high school? Allen: "The top three would be geography, government and forensics." What are your favorite music genres to listen to? Allen: "Rap, hip-hop and a little bit of country are my favorite genres." Favorite restaurant and favorite food? Allen: "Favorite restaurant right now would be Kobe Teppanyaki & Sushi and favorite food would be ribeye steak and sushi." Outside of school and playing baseball, what do you like to do in your free time? Allen: "I like to golf as that is pretty fun. I also like to drive a lot and hang out with friends." Is there a particular job you'd like to have someday? Allen: "I would like to play in the Major League Baseball (MLB). If not that, then work in sales somewhere or in the medical field. I haven't really decided yet." If you had a piece of advice for other local athletes, what would you tell them? Allen: "Just remember why you started and what got you interested in doing what you're doing."