Plant’s Ely day-to-day with a lower leg strain

Posted Sep 6, 2010 by Katherine Smith

Updated Sep 6, 2010 at 07:54 PM

Plant High football players ran onto their new field for the first time Monday evening. One player hobbled onto the field with the aid of crutches.

Senior starting quarterback Phillip Ely did not practice Monday and likely won’t practice all week, Coach Robert Weiner said. Sporting an air cast and needing the help of crutches, Ely is day-to-day with a lower right leg strain after reaggravating an injury he initially sustained in the Aug. 27 Kickoff Classic loss to Bradenton Manatee.

Ely was limited at practice last week during preparation for the Tampa Bay Tech game, but started against the Titans last Friday night and was hurt again in the first half of Panthers 10-0 victory. Back-up Nick Sanders, who relieved Ely in both games, took snaps with the first team during Monday’s practice and would start against Hillsborough Friday night if Ely is unable to go. Ely said he will try walking without crutches Tuesday.

The rest of the team looked like kids on Christmas morning as they took to their new field for the first time.

Before practice began, some of the running backs held races. Other players rolled around on the synthetic surface. Offensive line coach Sean Love ran a few sprints from sideline to sideline before the players emerged.

Plant is the first public school in the county with a synthetic surface field.