Sports
Football: McLain's Toughness a Good Sign For Evergreen Park
Despite taking several big hits and wincing in pain on the sideline, senior QB Jesse McLain had his best series in the fourth quarter of Friday night's game against Eisenhower.
After on Friday night, Jesse McLain was the last Mustang off the field. Kneeling down with helmet in hand, the senior quarterback looked beaten and exhausted.
McLain started to walk off when a couple of Eisenhower parents approached him and said, “Are you OK, Jesse? We were worried for you.”
That was the kind of night it was for McLain. Even opposing fans were concerned about the well-being of the Evergreen Park quarterback.
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Despite the plethora of hits that McLain took—especially in the second half—he finished the game and refused to sit on the sideline, even when Eisenhower had pretty much secured a victory.
“I was really proud of him. The last few series there he was taking shots on every play,” Evergreen Park coach Dan Hartman said. “He kept on getting up, shaking it off and getting ready to play next play.”
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McLain attempted only one pass in the first half, but was forced to carry the offensive load when Evergreen Park fell behind by double digits late. Eisenhower’s defense recognized the situation and was relentless in its pressure of McLain.
Yet that’s when McLain’s played his best.
Late in the fourth quarter, McLain stood in and fired a strike to Da Qua Gatewood for an 87-yard touchdown. McLain didn’t get to see Gatewood cross the goal line because a defensive lineman put a vicious hit on the 5-foot-8 quarterback just after he released the football. McLain was on the ground for a solid minute, but as he did several times during Friday night’s game, he got up.
“Being a quarterback you have to stay strong no matter what happens. You have to fight through it,” McLain said. “You just have to push through and show your team what you’re made of.”
That’s exactly the mentality Evergreen Park (2-1) is going to need after the Mustangs suffered their first knockdown of the season. In a nine-game season, there is no time to mope and go through a lull. If the Mustangs still have playoff aspirations, they should look to their quarterback for a bit of inspiration.
“He came out tonight and played like a warrior,” Hartman said. “He wasn’t getting the best protection, but he was hanging in there making plays for us.
“I think it’s a bit of a character test to see if we can bounce back from a loss.”
