Joe Waters
didn’t know whether he would play
football again.

Now he is on the ride of a lifetime.

After a year of rehabilitation and hard work, the Dunmore senior defensive end will try to lead his team to another victory Saturday afternoon against District 3 champion Wyomissing at 1 at Northern Lehigh High School in the PIAA Class AA semifinals.

“This has just been awesome seeing everybody coming together,” Waters said. “It’s been amazing. Everybody is really enjoying it and seeing all of our hard work pay off.”

This fall could have been much different for the Lackawanna Football Conference Division II first-team all-star.

During a noncontact drill in the summer of his junior year, he fell to the ground in pain. He had landed awkwardly on his right foot and twisted his knee.

Teammates nearby heard a pop.

But, Waters never feared the worst as the knee never became swollen and he had some pain-free movements.

After an MRI, though, he heard the tough diagnosis: Waters had torn his ACL.

“I was devastated,” Waters said. “For the first week, it was really hard. I didn’t pout about it and I wouldn’t let myself get down, that’s for sure.”

A surgery followed and he would spend the season on the bench, unable to help as the Bucks won the LFC Division II title and reached the District 2 Class A final.

During his recovery, which he couldn’t believe would take six to nine months, Waters even contemplated giving up on football in his senior year.

“For a while, that’s how I felt,” Waters said. “The first week was really tough. You know, you can’t walk, you can’t run. But coach (Jack) Henzes’ daughter, Missy, and the therapists at Sprint really got me through.”

As he started to gain more strength and speed, he changed his mind.

Once back on the field with his friends and teammates, Waters knew he had made the right choice. He couldn’t wait to be a part of this season.

“It felt amazing just to get back,” Waters, 17, said. “I know people say that football practice stinks. I definitely missed working with the team.”

Waters shows no sign of having endured the ACL procedure. He is a tenacious pass rusher and physical against the run.

“Joe is a terrific athlete and he keeps guys in the pocket,” Dunmore defensive lineman Tim Drewes said. “He also does a good job handling the tight end and making things tough on him.”

On offense, he comes in and adds more bulk to an already powerful line that is paving the way for a productive running game.

“He’s quick and he really built up his body to be back at full strength this year,” teammate Dan Drewes said. “He has helped the team a lot.”

For the second time in his three seasons, Waters and his senior classmates are on the cusp of a trip to Hershey and the state final. In their sophomore season, they were a big part of the team that reached the PIAA Class A final against Clairton. That year, they spent a lot of time preparing the starters as members of the scout team.

They also began starting their own quest.

“You know, when we were sophomores we looked up to those seniors and were amazed at how good they were,” Waters said. “Now it is us, trying to be as great as they were.

“It’s been a great time for all of us.”

Contact the writer:

jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com @JobyFawcett26 on Twitter