Isaac Choi
Editor-in-Chief
“There are some things in life that you can’t control, that make you want to punch a hole in the wall.
Coach Conner White said.
This season, injuries are that thing for the football team.
The biggest injury came on Sept. 11, during the Affton game. Webster Groves was leading in the third quarter, but quarterback Henry Rycenga was in pain on the sideline; he was not the first player to be hurt nor the last.
Following the Affton game, the Webster team was forced to adjust to a new system with a different quarterback, as Rycenga was diagnosed with an ACL tear, a rearranged offensive line, and several other position changes.
“It’s had a big impact, and we’ve had to switch people around, and we’ve grown comfortable with that,” junior Myles Terri said.
Throughout the season, the motto in the locker room has been “the price of success is always going up.” Hung on the wall is a ticking clock showing the weekly price tag for the hours the team has to put in order to get the next win.
With these new injury challenges, the team has to put in even more work to be at its best. Coaches and players have used the injuries as a motivation.
“The injuries have led the team to grow tighter and closer as a team and will propel us through our season,” Terri said.
The game against Parkway South, however, showed how injuries took a toll on Webster as they were unable to come away with the win that game. Sophomore Bear Robinson expressed disappointment in his performance, but the team rallied around him in support, with Coach White complimenting him for his courage for “stepping up to the plate.”
The following week, Webster prepared for a home game against Mehlville, now with Senior Asa Franklin at quarterback. Before, he was part of special teams and the receiving core.
Terri said, “When Henry was quarterback, we had a more prominent pass game, and now we tend to run the ball more.”
Several seniors have been unable to play, such as Evertett Zemper and Kareem Saffafa.
Saffaf, who suffered an ACL tear just before the start of the season, said, “ It has definitely thrown a wrench in things. I was super excited to be able to compete this year, and it is definitely frustrating not being able to.”
Despite his absence from the field, Saffaf has still been a big help to the team and was voted captain for several weeks in a row.
“I always make sure to try to bring a lot of energy to the practices and games to hype the guys up, and try to help coach up my replacements,” Saffaf said.
Saffaf even started an Instagram page, ” Road to Recovery, ” which shows his journey and growth through the injury.
