Weston Golson remembers it like it was yesterday.
After all, the injury cost him irreplaceable time playing the sport he loves.
The senior planted his foot and turned upfield to gain some additional yardage after making a catch against Clinton, but during that process, a defender forced his leg into an uncomfortable position.
Golson thought it was just a routine play at first, but it didn’t take him long to realize something wasn’t right.
“When I got up, I didn’t feel the pain until two or three plays after,” Golson said. “I started to stretch and thought, ‘There’s something wrong with my knee, there’s something wrong with my knee.’ I told coach (Mike Garza) in the second quarter, and I didn’t play the rest of the first half, but after stretching, I played the rest of the game on it.”
However, Golson’s hunch was right, and the damage was significant — a torn meniscus and a sprained ACL.
The news was a devastating blow to both Golson’s psyching and his senior season. He’d have to miss at least five weeks of action.
“I had a lot of hurt in the heart because I’m in love with the game,” Golson said. “I was thinking, ‘This is my senior year, this is my time.’ Getting hurt, it’s hard to fight it because you’re not able to get the full potential you thought you had.
“You just have to push to get back, and the Lord has a plan, so I’m just going with the flow.”
Golson returned last week against Duncan, and he picked up where he left off before the injury, recording four receptions for 36 yards.
For the season, Golson has 17 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
This wasn’t the first time Golson had dealt with an injury, though. He suffered two hip injuries last year, forcing him to miss six weeks of the regular season and nine weeks total.
The first came against Bishop Mc-Guinness during a preseason scrimmage on Aug. 17, 2017.
McGuinness star running back Dominic Richardson quickly showed why he’s one of the best in the state, juking past Mac defenders for a 59-yard touchdown run on only the second play of the exhibition. Golson was in hot pursuit when he suddenly pulled up.
“The running back broke a play, and as I’m chasing after him, I hurdle someone, and my right hip just popped,” Golson said. “I didn’t know what it was, and it was obviously a big injury to me. When it happened, the pain was a six or a seven (out of 10), and I still wanted to play. But I knew it was a bad injury, and it was throbbing.”
However, Golson wasn’t down for long, returning three weeks later for the Lawton High game.
It was a short-live comeback, though. Only minutes into the game, Golson left the field with another hip injury, this time on his left side.
“Something just popped — the same injury — as I was chasing someone down,” Golson said. “He ran an out route and turned up field, and as I’m chasing after him, it goes Boom! Pop!”
Needless to say, the game of football hasn’t been kind to Golson.
Despite that, he is set on maintaining a positive attitude, especially as his final season comes to a close.
MacArthur’s 2018 campaign could be over as soon as Friday night if the Highlanders fall to El Reno, so Golson is making sure he doesn’t dwell on his past misfortunes.
He’d rather focus on cherishing the time he has left on the gridiron with his teammates.
“I’m just enjoying it with my teammates and enjoying it with my brothers,” Golson said. “It’s going to be the last time we’re all on the field together, and I just want to enjoy it before it’s over. It’s already Week 10, and I remember offseason workouts when it was freezing cold outside and we were up here at 6:30 in the morning.
“It’s important to enjoy my time on the field with my teammates because I’m not going to get it back.”