PITTSFIELD, Maine — A rash of late-season injuries diminished the playoff prospects for Maine Central Institute’s football team last fall.
The undefeated Huskies hope history isn’t repeating itself this year.
MCI lost its top two rushers to knee injuries during last Friday night’s 49-14 victory at John Bapst of Bangor, and when seniors Jonathan Santiago — the LTC’s leading ground-gainer this year and in 2013, when he gained nearly 1,500 yards — and Eric Hathaway will return is uncertain.
Santiago rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 13 first-half carries against John Bapst before sitting out the final two periods.
MCI coach Tom Bertrand said Santiago’s status is a lingering effect of a more serious knee injury suffered during basketball season last winter, with the situation being monitored day by day. The halfback and defensive back’s availability for Friday night’s home game against 1-3 Washington Academy of East Machias has yet to be determined.
The explosive Santiago has rushed for a league-leading 687 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 60 carries during the LTC Class D-leading Huskies’ 4-0 start this fall.
Hathaway’s injury may be the more serious of the two. He left the John Bapst game on crutches after scoring two touchdowns against the Crusaders, one on a 5-yard run and the second on a 45-yard pass from quarterback Greg Vigue.
Bertrand said Hathaway — who also starts at nose guard and is the team’s place-kicker — is expected to have an MRI in the coming days to determine the extent of his injury, with his future availability based on the results.
“When you lose two senior running backs with the ability of those guys, it’s a shot,” Bertrand said. “But it’s not any different than what other teams experience, so we’ll have to make the best of the situation.”
MCI’s roster numbers approximately 32 players, but the Huskies are fairly deep at running back. Bertrand’s son, junior tri-captain Alex Bertrand, remains the starting fullback, while another son, Adam, will team with sophomore Willie Moss and junior Eli Bussell to help pick up the rushing responsibilities in the absence of Santiago and Hathaway.
After hosting Washington Academy, MCI visits 2-1 Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln in an Oct. 10 rematch of last year’s LTC semifinal won by the Lynx, then hosts 3-1 Orono and visits 1-3 Houlton before concluding its regular season Oct. 31 with an exhibition game against Medomak Valley of Waldoboro.
