Cancer Sidelines Vandal Recruit

It didn’t seem like anything serious at the time. West Valley standout football player Jace Malek felt some pain in his right hip in a game in late September. Then in the Eagles’ next-to-last game, Malek took a hit from a helmet. The pain came back. Early in the wrestling season, the pain began to nag again. He went to a chiropractor and he couldn’t alleviate the discomfort. The chiropractor recommended a physical therapist who recommended getting an MRI. And there it was plain as can be and as big as a cantaloupe – a tumor attached to both sides of the hip. Malek, who turns 18 in two weeks, is just learning the specific names and spellings of the cancer. A biopsy last week revealed it’s bone cancer. And because of its size, he can’t have it removed yet. … As soon as Malek saw the tumor, he called University of Idaho coach Paul Petrino. Malek had given Idaho an oral commitment last fall/ Greg Lee , SR. More here . (West Valley High courtesy photo: West Valley fullback Jace Malek displays his just-signed letter of intent to play football at the University of Idaho)