Season over for Burlington Central's Maroder

The worst fears were realized for Burlington Central senior running back Tim Maroder Monday.

An MRI done on Maroder's left knee confirmed a torn anterior cruciate ligament as well as a torn meniscus.

Maroder injured the knee on his second carry of the game last Friday during the Rockets' 37-22 loss to Kaneland.

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Maroder is a four-year varsity player who earned special mention in the Big Northern East last year as a quarterback. He had been switched to the backfield this season.

He was also a sectional-qualifying wrestler at 189 pounds, where he came up just short of a state trip last year when he took fourth place at the Class 2A Sterling sectional.

"It's tough," Maroder said Monday night. "I just have to get past it. But it's going to be real tough because I'll miss wrestling too."

Maroder said he will return to his doctor on Wednesday to schedule surgery.

Rockets coach Aaron Wichman lamented losing a key player yet again.

"This is the third year in a row we've suffered an injury to a key player," Wichman said. "It gets old after three years."

Maroder was also a safety on defense, a punt returner, the deep man on kickoff returns and the team's punter. Wichman said Brandon Westergard, who started in the backfield last year, will replace Maroder offensively, with a host of players stepping into Maroder's other duties.

"There's not one guy who can do the things Tim can do for us," said Wichman. "Some other guys will have to step up now. We'll have to do some of this by committee."