Published: Wednesday, Oct. 07, 2009 / Updated: Wednesday, Oct. 07, 2009 07:12 AM

Chester QB McNeal's status uncertain after ACL injury

CHESTER -- Chester's Tony McNeal could be lost for the remainder of the season, but that decision has not yet been made.

McNeal tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee late in the first quarter of the Cyclones' 28-24 loss to Fairfield Central last Friday.

Chester coach Maurice Flowers said it was a non-contact injury, one that came out of nowhere.

“Tony went down and kneeled on his left knee on the field,” Flowers said. “He waved for me to come out. He stood up and limped, but I told him to be still.

“Tony said he could feel something moving in his knee. He wanted to walk off the field under his own power, and we were thinking maybe he'd just bruised his knee.”

Dr. Sam Stone, the team's doctor, surmised the injury could be bruised cartilage, but set up an MRI for the highly regarded quarterback on Monday.

“He was begging to go back in Friday night, said it didn't hurt,” Flowers said. “I told him no, that we weren't going to risk further injury and that we were fine with Tevin Worthy running the team.

“Tony came in Saturday. He iced the knee down and lifted weights. On Sunday, we took the team to church and he was with us. We felt it might be minor.”

That was until Stone called Flowers and told him the MRI had revealed a torn ACL. McNeal was taken to Clemson to be examined. Same diagnosis.

Flowers said the team is preparing to play without McNeal, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound junior considered one of the top underclassman quarterbacks in the nation. But that doesn't mean McNeal is finished for the year, and he might be back.

McNeal told Flowers that being out three or four months after surgery wasn't an option at this time.

“We are going to get him fitted with a brace,” Flowers said. “That's what Tony and his family want, and he might be able to play. We'll see after he breaks in the brace, but we won't rush it. We'll support him every way we can.

“He could do it. Taj Boyd, a redshirt quarterback at Clemson, played his senior season in a brace and was a dual-threat All-America. Tony is not a mobile quarterback. He's a passer.”

When McNeal went down, he had completed 86 of 132 passes for 1,226 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was 244-for-426 last season, with 3,544 yards and 37 TDs. He led his team to a second straight appearance in the class AAA state championship game.