The New Orleans Saints are optimistic that the foot injury that forced veteran center Max Unger to undergo surgery will be healed in time for the regular season, contrary to the national reports that first broke news of the injury,
The New Orleans Saints are optimistic that the foot injury that forced veteran center Max Unger to undergo surgery will be healed in time for the regular season, contrary to the national reports that first broke news of the injury, Tribune News Service reported earlier in the week.
Unger’s condition came as no surprise to the Saints.
When the 2016 season ended, Unger, a Hawaii Prep graduate from Kailua-Kona, underwent an x-ray to determine the extent of the injury that forced him to miss one game last season.
“He had a little bit of a space there, where you would call the Lisfranc,” Saints coach Sean Payton said last Saturday at the team’s rookie minicamp. “Dr. (Robert) Anderson, who we think is one of the best foot guys in football, felt like, ‘Hey, let’s rest it. No need for a procedure.’ And then when we got back started in the offseason program, it had increased a little bit.”
Anderson then decided it was time to insert a screw to allow the injury to heal properly.
Undergoing surgery this summer ensures that Unger will be available for the 2017 season.
“We anticipate probably early August,” Payton said. “I see him possibly being able to get into the preseason. Our goal would be Week 3.”
Steering collects another honor
The accolades continue to roll in for UH-Hilo junior first baseman Phillip Steering, who on Thursday was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association All-West Region team as an honorable mention selection.
Steering led the PacWest in hitting this year with a school-record .421 average. That mark is the highest average in the PacWest since 2012, when Grand Canyon’s Michael Pomeroy hit .422.
Vuls 12th in cup standings
UH-Hilo finished 12th in the 2017 PacWest Commissioner’s Cup, which is based on average finish in each sport during the 2016-17 school year.
Chaminade and Notre Dame de Namur were two schools to finish below the Vulcans, who last won the cup in 2007-08.
California Baptist won the award for the fourth consecutive season.
