Patterson's Burke signs with Lawrence University

Former Patterson standout Zachary Burke signed a national letter of intent to play football at Lawrence University of Wisconsin Wednesday at Patterson High School.
Surrounded by the Patterson football team, coaches and friends and relatives, Burke cracked the crowd up when asked what the first thing he must do before leaving for Wisconsin?
“I guess I better buy some winter clothes and a good jacket,” he said.
Burke visited the Vikings’ campus last month and realized nearly every Vikings game last season had snow.
“I think that’s the biggest adjustment I’m gonna face,” he said. “We only play in the cold if we get deep in the playoffs, so I guess I’ll just add another layer (compression wear) and play ball.”
Burke, a center at Patterson, will play guard at Lawrence University.
As a young player at Patterson, Burke started getting playing time right away because of his size and strength.
“I really looked up to the juniors and seniors when I came here,” Burke said. “And before I knew it, I was on the field with those guys, and after my sophomore season, I started to think maybe I could play in college if I worked really hard and that’s what I did.
Burke was a first-team All-District 8-3A offensive line selection in 2017, while in 2015 and 2016, he netted honorable mention all-district honors.
“Zack plays with a real good motor and has played on both sides of the ball for us,” Patterson assistant coach Shannon Craig said. “But his feet make him special on the offensive line. He runs well for a big guy, and he’s gonna hit you when he gets there.”
Lawrence University of Wisconsin is a Division III school that competes in the Midwest Conference.
In 2017, the Vikings finished 2-8 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
“It’s a young team under a new coach in his third season of rebuilding the program,” Burke said. “The coaches say they expect me to come in and compete for a starting spot, so I’m going to be working hard until I report in August.”