Lower Merion Gridders Hampered By Injuries

It rarely happens at any level of football—but it does happen: Injuries on consecutive plays that take out a team’s best weapon. It happened to in its 42-21 setback to last Friday night.  

The Aces were tied at 14-14 with high-powered Harriton, when the Rams scored 14-straight unanswered points to take a 28-14 halftime lead. Just when the Aces began moving the ball in the third quarter, senior Max Golden was lost for the game with severe cramps. The very next play, star tailback Ernest Pendleton was also lost for the game, leaving due to a sprained ankle.

“We just began moving the ball, and then it was one play followed by the next of bad luck,” Aces coach Jon Rothberg said. “Golden came out with cramps and then the very next play Pendleton sprained his ankle. You see the scoring, you might think we got blown out, but it was a good game.

“Max and Ernest are also our starting cornerbacks, so it hurt us two ways. By the time they scored their last touchdown, it was like a junior varsity team out there. We’re in the 30s for players right now, and when we get past our first unit, we have a bunch of players who don’t have much experience.”