FOOTBALL: Injuries mounting up for 4-1 Dragons

It’s been a busy football season for Jefferson’s training staff.
The Dragons (4-1, 1-0) have been hamstrung by a host of injuries this fall with one of the team’s best players, Kade McNally, being the latest casualty.
“We certainly have made good usage out of our training facility, unfortunately,” coach Gene Cathcart said.
Jefferson lost McNally, a fullback and linebacker, to a knee injury in this past Friday’s game with East Jackson. While there was no official word on the scope of McNally’s injury at press time, the Dragons, who play at Franklin County this Friday, are moving on without him.
“It’s just a huge loss, not just offensively, defensively and in special teams but in our locker room as well because he’s such an awesome leader, and he’s such a great practice player,” Cathcart said. “He’s one that everybody on the team and staff look up to and admire.”
The loss of McNally means Paxton Corkery and Jacob Thompson will have to step into bigger roles at fullback. Quarterback Colby Clark will also be asked to play more snaps on defense, as will Rem Maxwell — one of the team’s biggest surprises, according to Cathcart — and freshman Spencer Neese.
“It’s certainly going to be a challenge,” Cathcart said, “and probably his roles won’t be filled by any one person but a group of people.”
McNally is one of at least five Dragons that have suffered significant injuries in 2018. Others have dealt with ailments. Jefferson had to reshuffle its offensive line through the first three weeks of the season with multiple injuries, including those to returning starters J.T. Middleton and Logan Whidby. Meanwhile, tight end/defensive end Garmon Randolph is playing with an injured wrist.
“It’s been a year, unfortunately, that we’ve had a lot of injuries … I don’t think we’ve had them in the number or the severity that we have this year,” said Cathcart, who complimented the work done by the team’s doctors and training staff with the injured Dragon players.
For the rest of this story, see the Sept. 26 edition of The Jackson Herald.