Johnson, injured, could only watch from the sidelines

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANTON -- Seconds after the biggest game of his high school career, a Cardinal Mooney student, wearing a pair of khaki pants, a white-hooded sweatshirt and a black overcoat, limped onto the field at Fawcett Stadium and made his way through the postgame handshakes.
Cardinals senior Derrell Johnson waited his whole life for this day.
And there was nothing he could do but watch.
"We've just got to keep our heads up and move on," said Johnson, the first-team all-Ohio quarterback who tore three ligaments in his ankle in last week's state semifinal victory. "We all face problems every day. You've just got to do your best to overcome them."
Rumors swirled around Johnson's availability in the week leading up to Saturday's Division IV state final and Coldwater coach John Reed prepared as if Johnson would play.
Coldwater expected him
"We thought for sure he would play," said Reed, whose team defeated Mooney 33-9 for its first state title. "Even when they came out for the kickoff [and he wasn't suited up], we still thought he'd probably play.
"I'm sure they're very disappointed he didn't get to play and I'm sure it was hard for him that he didn't get to play."
Johnson had more than 1,200 yards rushing this season and close to 500 yards passing. He missed four games earlier in the season with a fractured leg but recovered in time for the playoffs. Last week's injury was originally diagnosed as a severe shin bruise but it turned out to be much worse.
"As the tests were run, there was more damage than we thought," said Mooney coach P.J. Fecko, who found out Tuesday night Johnson would not play. "Obviously, we had to make some adjustments and do some different things."
Would the game have been different had Johnson played?
"Oh, I don't know," Fecko said. "It's an impossible question to answer. You can't play it that way."
Brunetti replaced him
Junior Tony Brunetti started in place of Johnson and completed 4-of-8 passes for 29 yards. He was sacked three times and finished with minus-44 yards rushing. Brunetti filled in for Johnson during the regular season and in the second half of last week's game.
"Tony's stepped in there before and we definitely had confidence in him," Fecko said. "He put together a few good drives."
But without Johnson, the Coldwater defense was able to key on running back Nate Burney, holding the Cardinals' offense to just 97 rushing yards and 126 total.
"We just came up short in this one," Johnson said. "But we've got a lot of memories we can share along the way.
"Cardinal Mooney always rises to the top and I'm sure they'll be back."
scalzo@vindy.com