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Gators QB to have surgery today
By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
LAND O'LAKES -- The most important knee in Pasco County will undergo surgery today. Junior quarterback Drew Weatherford, who guided Land O'Lakes to a 12-1 record, conference and district titles, the first region final appearance in school history and the first in Pasco County in a decade, undergoes long-awaited knee surgery today at noon. "I just want to get it over with," Weatherford said. Weatherford, who will be a top recruit next season, injured the medial collateral ligament in his left knee early in the season and played with a knee brace during the Gators' remarkable playoff run. Though the injury hindered him, he still broke county passing records for a season and career, throwing for more than 2,500 yards and leading the state with 39 touchdown passes. Weatherford threw six touchdown passes and four interceptions in the playoffs and proved his toughness and elusiveness on the injured knee on numerous quarterback draws. He was practicing with the basketball team right up until today's surgery, though he sat out Tuesday's game against Zephyrhills. Weatherford faces two options today, depending on what the surgeon, Dr. Steve Mirabello, finds inside the knee. If the MCL ligament is repairable, Weatherford will face a three-month rehabilitation period, which would end his basketball season. If the ligament must be removed, he will be out three weeks and said he will play basketball. But, most of all, he just wants to get back to full strength. "It's hard having to play at just (three-quarter) speed this year," Weatherford said. Mirabello, of the Florida Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine Center, is the Toronto Blue Jays' consulting orthopedic surgeon in spring training.
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From today's Pasco Times |
