Senior Cody Gray feels about Pinkerton how some people feel about taxes.
Especially during the Mack Plaque game in September. It came down to one play, one snap of the football, and one step that ultimately ended up with Gray being sidelined in one of the biggest games of the year for the varsity football team.
After taking a hit to the side of his knee, Gray suffered from a dislocated kneecap. Gray was doing better, getting stronger, and then he re-injured it after a drill during an after-school practice.
“I just took a step, and I collapsed.” Gray said. “It kinda just gave out of me. It didn’t dislocate itself again though. This time the quad muscle and the other surrounding muscles were just weak and kinda just gave out.”
Situations like these were frustrating, but Gray wasn’t going to let them hold him back.
“I’m not the type of person who likes to give up,” Gray said. “I took it as a challenge, like, okay, you want to try and give me a set back? I’m just gonna come back better than before.”
He out worked his tired leg muscles, trying hard to battle back to hopefully get back on the field to help his team win.
“I went to an orthopedics specialist, and visited him four or five times,” Gray said. “I did a bunch of extra stretches and heat packs, you know, just stuff to take care of it.”
These extra stretches and heat packs proved to be helpful. After four weeks of absence, Gray is now back on the field.
Head football coach Jimmy Lauzon said Gray had done a lot of work during the off-season to prepare himself for the opportunity of playing center at the varsity level
With Gray on the bench the team “lost some experience and leadership,” according to Lauzon.
However, even while Gray was sidelined, that didn’t stop him from being a great leader.
“He’s been tremendous here ,” Lauzon said. ”Pushing guys–younger guys–to pay attention to practice. Explaining things to younger guys when he has the opportunity, looking at the iPad during the game on the sideline. Kind of just recognizing things and helping prepare his backup.”
Gray had to get clearance from his doctor since it was such a serious injury.
“When he got cleared by his doctor, we followed the doctors orders,” Lauzon. “But Michelle also helped him with a plan to strengthen the area in which he hurt.”
Now that Gray is back on the field, the team is now stronger than ever, with more roster depth to their availability.
“It’s another guy that we know is going to prepare and do everything he can to make the right calls,” Lauzon said. “It adds some depth to the defensive line, because [Gray] is able to go in and play for us there.”
Coming back from a serious injury like this is a long, excruciating process. But Gray was up to the challenge, and wanted to be back out on the field as soon as possible.
“It feels great to be back, it feels like a missing part of me was restored.” Gray said.
After a week nine loss to undefeated Exeter, Gray looks for revenge in the semi-final matchup on Saturday at 1:00pm, at Exeter High School.
“I’m looking for revenge.” Gray said, “They are trying to end our season, and for most of us seniors, our football career, so it’s a very big deal and we are all looking forward to taking revenge.”
