Injury to starter puts sophomore at QB for Cats

Bransen Ireland's heart is broken.

So is the Blue Springs High School senior quarterback's left fibula (the outer and thinner of the two bones of the leg, extending from the knee to the ankle).

Ireland was hit on the tail end of a 39-yard touchdown run Friday at the Blue Springs Jamboree and suffered the broken bone, which will likely cause him to miss the first five games of the season.

"It's the toughest thing I have ever had to go through," Ireland said Monday afternoon. "I'm having surgery at noon (today). They are going to put a plate and some screws in the break - which is just above the ankle - and the doctors think I'll be ready to go the sixth week of the season.

"That's our homecoming game against Lee's Summit. I'm hoping to take some snaps in that game and then be ready to start the following week at Lee's Summit North."

The starting quarterback duties now belong to sophomore Jared Lanpher.

The last sophomore to start at quarterback for the Wildcats was record-setting standout Jeff Handy (1987), who went on to play Division I ball at Missouri.

"I've dreamed about starting; it's just happening a lot sooner than I thought," Lanpher said before Wednesday night's evening practice session. "It was like, 'Wow! I don't believe it,' when I heard that Bransen was hurt. I really feel sorry for him. We spent a lot of time together over the weekend.

"I'm going to work hard and do my best until he can come back."

Wildcats coach Kelly Donohoe watched game film as he discussed the team's quarterback situation.

"First of all, I'm just sick about what happened to Bransen," Donohoe said. "He's a great team leader. He proved that during all the practice sessions, and he proved he's a real man when he came to practice Saturday morning and told his teammates that he was going to have to have surgery and miss the first five weeks or so.

"The good news is that it's not a weight-bearing bone and that we can get him back for that sixth game of the season."

Overhearing Donohoe's remark, assistant coach John Garrison snorted, "Just cancel the season. We're just going to be practicing punting the rest of the season."

The comments were drenched with sarcasm.

"I know how down Bransen is," said his friend, senior running back Carlos Anderson, "but we're going to rally behind Jared until he gets back. It's going to be tough because Bransen is a great running quarterback. We're going to have to take some of our running plays out for Jared.

"Jared is just a sophomore, but he's got a great arm and a lot of talent. And he knows that every guy on the team is backing him, supporting him. We're just going to have to get the offense rolling, and I'm going to do everything I can to help (Jared) feel comfortable back there."

Ireland's injury happened just eight plays into the jamboree.

"It was a running play for me," Ireland said, "and I cut back and got past the linebackers and was on my way to the end zone when one of their secondary guys hit me when I dove and extended to get the ball in the end zone. I knew something happened to my ankle, but I never thought it was broken.

"The mental part of this is going to be tougher than the physical part. I can work my way back into shape, but when you dream about playing quarterback and it's taken away from you, that's tough."

While he won't be on the playing field, Ireland will do anything he can to support his young understudy.

"Jared will get the job done," Ireland said. "I feel better knowing we have a great young quarterback like him backing me up. He's going to be a great quarterback at Blue Springs, it's just all happening his sophomore year instead of his junior year."

Donohoe said he will make some changes in the offense to help make Lanpher's life a bit easier.

"Everyone knows about Bransen's injury, so you know Park Hill knows about it," Donohoe said, referring to the Wildcats season-opening opponent Thursday at Peve Stadium.

"We'll make some adjustments, tailor some things to Jared. But we'll be all right. This is a team game, and Jared has a great group of teammates around him."

Source: http://www.examiner.net/stories/082807/spo_174092013.shtml