Conlin is Westlake's leading man

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers COMEBACK KID—Westlake High quarterback Ben Conlin suffered a concussion and was diagnosed with diabetes as a junior. Junior year was tough on Westlake High quarterback Ben Conlin. Senior year has started out much better.

For the first three games of the 2007 season, Conlin was splitting reps with then-senior quarterback Nick Owens. During a Week 3 loss to Hart, however, Conlin suffered a brutal hit while dropping back to pass, and from that point forward, things went pretty much downhill.

"It was a cheap shot, and I got absolutely nailed," Conlin said.

"It was a bad hit. I was completely out."

For a few weeks afterward, a concussed Conlin said it hurt to put his helmet on. When he was eventually cleared to practice, things still weren't right physically.

"I lost 27 pounds in the span of two weeks," he said.

"It was right in the middle of the season. I lost the weight and had no energy. My deep throws kept coming up short, and I didn't know why."

Ben Conlin Conlin was checked out by doctors once again after playing sparingly against Agoura six weeks after his concussion, a game in which he completed his only two pass attempts.

The diagnosis this time was Type 1 diabetes, which had caused him to lose weight and feel fatigued.

"I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what it was," the soon-to-be 18-year-old said.

Conlin said he started feeling 100 percent healthy during baseball season in the spring, when he worked as the varsity catcher, hitting .242 with three home runs and 19 RBI.

The road to recovery was extensive, but Conlin remained positive.

"I feel like everything happened for a reason," he said. "It was meant to happen, and it'll make me come back and have a stronger year this year."

Conlin now gives himself a half-dozen insulin shots per day. It's a process he wasn't too fond of at first.

"I had a complete fear of needles," he said. "It was tough to get used to."

What Conlin is used to is success on the gridiron.

He was offensive MVP of the Westlake freshman team in 2005, and, the following season, Conlin earned team MVP honors on the junior varsity squad.

During practice this week, head coach Jim Benkert praised Conlin for his hard work and dedication to those around him.

"Ben has all the characteristics of a leader," Benkert said. "He's the first guy out at practice, and he'll be throwing to receivers when everything is done. . . .

"He's one of those guys who, if I was writing a resume for, I would put down that he's the best society has to offer. He's one of those kids who not only makes good decisions on the field, but off the field as well. I couldn't be more proud of him."

Conlin has the respect of his teammates, too, and was voted a team captain during the offseason.

Senior center Spencer Christiansen, a three-year starter who was an All-League first-team selection last year, said Conlin's difficult junior campaign and the way he handled himself during the process endeared him to the rest of the players even more.

"It's very tough to bounce back from something like diabetes," Christiansen said.

"A lot of fans may have doubted him, but he has responded well. He's proved everyone wrong, everyone who doubted him. I never had doubts, though. I always knew he was a great player and that he would come back."

In the Warriors' first game of the season, the 6-foot, 195-pound quarterback proved he was all the way back.

Conlin completed 28 of a school-record 50 pass attempts for 283 yards and three touchdowns as Westlake rolled Paso Robles, 39-14. Conlin also ran for a score in the ballgame.

"It was about the sorest I've ever been after a game," Conlin said, "and it was so nice because that feeling was something I'd missed for a long time.

"When you're sore, you know you did something to help the team. It was an awesome feeling."

This Friday, Conlin and the Warriors (1-0) host Saugus. Westlake was ranked second in the latest CIF-Southern Section Northern Division coaches' poll. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.