Quayvon Skanes (9) of Phillips strikes a pose after running for a touchdown against Marengo in the first quarter of the Class 4A semifinal game at Gately Stadium Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Things in life are not supposed to come easy. Every successful person needs to overcome an obstacle. Sometimes you need to experience an almost, in order to capture your dream.

In the case of Quayvon Skanes, an outstanding wide receiver from Chicago and his Wendell Phillips Academy teammates, the goal at hand was a high school championship, a feat that had never been accomplished in the history of Illinois high school football by a public school from the City of Chicago.

A year ago, Phillips Academy was once again featured by Sports Illustrated in their annual online production of ‘Underdogs,’ which captures high school football stories from around the nation. Phillips had made it all the way to the championship game in 2014, only the second city public school to make it that far, however they fell one win short of the title.

This year, they believed things would be different and were they ever, especially for the senior wide receiver. During the summer, Skanes was moved to quarterback and the team never looked back. .

“It means a lot to know that we did everything we were supposed to,” Skanes said over the phone on Monday. “We got the job done this season and that job was to win the state championship. It took awhile to adapt to the new position [quarterback], but as the season went on, I got used to it. I would do anything to help our team”

Playing quarterback can only help a wide receiver and when the 5’10” Skanes arrives at UConn, he will be back at his natural position.

“Hopefully on the next level, it will help me know not just my role on a play, but everyone else’s assignments,” Skanes added. “On the next stage at UConn, it will help me do my job, in order to help the team win.”

Skanes has grown up on the south side of Chicago, which isn’t the easiest place to be a teenager. Friends are lost due to violence, much more so than anywhere in the nation. Football and academics have been an outlet for Skanes, one that allows him to escape the every day realities in his neighborhood, which he touched on during our interview.

“Playing football helped me grow a lot, it kept me out of trouble,” he said. “Every time we have practice, it kept me from screwing around outside. It made me a better person, kept me out of doing those types of things that others were involved with. Football definitely kept me humble.”

Football is also bringing him from Chicago to Connecticut. Despite receiving scholarship offers from Illinois and Northwestern, two Big Ten schools in his own backyard, Skanes will be coming to Storrs this coming summer. Why UConn? Well, it may have a familiar ring to what we’ve been hearing from current players and coaches over the last two years.

“Family,” Skanes said matter of factly. “The school is really a great atmosphere. Everything I saw would be great for me. The coaching staff is very similar to the staff that I have now. Overall, I just had a very good feeling there and I think it was the best choice for me.”

UConn is getting a playmaker, which Skanes put on display throughout not just his senior year, but in Friday’s championship game on this 36-yard TD run, one of four runs to the house on the night.

“My game is more of an open field type of game,” Skanes described. “If I can get the ball in space, I’ll make plays. You may not see it standing next to me, but on the field, I’ve really got everything, strength or toughness, it allows me to go out and make big plays.”

Then there is his own family, where he gets support from both his mom and dad.

“My pops comes to most of my games ” Skanes said. “My mom doesn’t like being involved in football, but it’s helped me in school and kept my grades up.”

Quayvon had one final message for his parents. “I just want to make my family proud.”