Haddonfield's Rollo did not let injury keep him down

Things were going so well for Haddonfield senior Nick Rollo. A starting offensive lineman since his sophomore season, Rollo was the starting center on the 2013 South Jersey Group 2 championship football team and was a captain on this year's squad.

Then in the fourth game of the season, Rollo suddenly saw his high school career end on the final play of the third quarter of an eventual 28-25 overtime win over West Deptford.

He was blocking on a fourth-and-1 play, and immediately knew what he felt was serious.

"The ligament in my left foot snapped," he said.

It was a Lisfranc ligament tear and required surgery.

"My adrenaline was rushing and I was able to walk off the field, but it really hurt," he recalled.

What hurt even more was when Rollo was told his high school career was over.

He had so looked forward to his senior year, relished each chance he got to represent his school on the football field, and suddenly it was gone.

"When the doctor told me I would be done, I was devastated," Rollo said.

As bad as he felt, Rollo also realized that he had a role on the team as a senior captain, and that meant his season was only over on the field, not off it.

So he went to all the practices and meetings, did his best to mentor the young Haddonfield linemen, and was proud to be on the sideline when Haddonfield capped a 12-0 season with a 27-0 win over West Deptford in the South Jersey Group 2 final.

"After he got injured his character was clearly revealed," Haddonfield coach Frank DeLano said. "He responded like a champion, being there every day, trying to help his teammates, help us, and I am hopeful he knows how much we appreciated not only what he did this year but during his time in the program."

Rollo says he won't be able to begin working out until around May, but the next phase of his career has been decided and it will include football.

He just made a commitment to Division III Gettysburg. The 6-foot, 240-pound Rollo was recruited as either a center or guard. At Haddonfield he was a starting tackle as a sophomore and moved to center during his junior year.

As soon as Rollo was told his senior season was over, his first question was whether he could play in college. The doctor told Rollo he could continue playing as long as he had surgery.

Rollo's immediate response?

"I said, 'Doctor, sign me for surgery,' " he said.

He suffered his injury Oct. 2 and had the surgery Oct. 12.

Despite his injury, Rollo had nothing but good thoughts about playing high school football. It meant the world to him.

"It was really fun, we had great guys, and I lived for going to practice every day," he said. "The games were so exciting and it was great to be part of it."

He is hoping to duplicate that feeling at Gettysburg, where Rollo says he is planning to major in business.

"The coaches at Gettysburg stuck with me through the injury," he said. "I went to a game there and you could feel the excitement on campus."

It was the same excitement he usually felt on Friday nights while competing for Haddonfield. No doubt Rollo experienced the frustration of ending his high school career on the sidelines, but he made the most of the situation.

And after all the trials and tribulations, he's glad to have a chance to again step on the field, where this time he hopes to walk off on his own terms.