Kyle McCartney is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mountain View football this semester.

During Mountain View’s game against the Williams Field Blackhawks on Oct. 14th, junior quarterback Jack Germaine went down with a torn ACL. This is the third time he has had this injury. He will be out for the remainder of the season. 

Germaine missed his eighth grade year with his first ACL injury, and then missed his freshman year with the same injury to the other knee. The most recent tear is the second one to his left knee.

“We’ve had four or five guys go down with season-ending injuries, and each of them hurt to lose,” coach Joe Germaine said. “But we still have a game on Friday, and we’re excited to support the guys that are stepping up for us." 

Jack Germaine was a bright spot for a struggling Toros team. Prior to his injury, he had 1,503 passing yards and 10 touchdown passes with a completion percentage of 63.5. The star quarterback will now direct his efforts to rehabbing for a third time to prepare for his senior season in 2023. 

“I’ve just been trying to look for the positives,” Germaine said. “There’s ups and downs in recovery, and this one will be no different. But this team has been adopting that ‘next man up’ mentality all year.”

The next man up at quarterback is Nico Fitzgerald, a sophomore who has been starting on the junior varsity. He is 6-foot, 180 pounds, and has been suiting up with the varsity as a backup to Germaine. Fitzgerald's first game as a varsity starter ended in a 49-6 loss to Chandler High. 

“I’ve always looked up to Jack, he’s someone who I can go to for help when I need it,” Fitzgerald said. 

Fitzgerald has a game and a half of experience under his belt, with one of them being against Chandler, who is undefeated and ranked second in the state.

“I feel a lot more comfortable with the offense now,” Fitzgerald said. “I got Coach Germaine and Jack helping me. The guys on the team really came to me and expressed their trust in me and my game, and that helps me play better knowing they got my back.”

Mountain View has three games left on its schedule, which will all be led by the sophomore Fitzgerald. The team looks to end the season on a high note after dealing with injuries and close losses. Fitzgerald will have the chance to prove himself now, which is a big opportunity considering he will be entering his junior season next year.