If the Cape Elizabeth football team is going to make a run at the Western Class C title, it will have to do it without standout quarterback/defensive back Noah Wolfinger, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Friday’s 32-29 win over Poland.

Wolfinger, a senior, will have surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. He said an MRI also showed he suffered a torn meniscus.

“I expected to hear the worst and it turned out to be as bad as it could be,” he said.

“I’m not getting too down about it. There’s nothing I can do about it. You have to roll with the punches.”

Wolfinger injured his knee while running with the ball during the first half. The play started on a handoff to Cape running back Jack Drinan, who was hit by a defender behind the line of scrimmage. Before Drinan’s knees touched the ground, Wolfinger grabbed the ball from Drinan and started to cut around the left end.

“I was kind of surprised the play wasn’t blown dead,” Wolfinger said. “There was no whistle, but everyone kind of stopped playing. My survival mode took over and I started running with the ball.”

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Wolfinger said his right knee got hit, but his left knee wasn’t touched.

“I heard three pops. My knee seized up. It wasn’t painful until the day after.”

Of the play, Wolfinger said: “I’ve made that same cut a thousand times before.”

Wolfinger was a dual threat at quarterback with his passing and running ability, and he made an impact on both sides of the ball in the Capers’ first two games this season.

He accounted for the first two touchdowns against the Knights, throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Christian Lavallee on the opening drive and then stripping the ball away from a Poland runner and returning it 66 yards for a TD.

In the season opener against defending Class C state champion Leavitt, Wolfinger threw a 61-yard scoring pass for the tying touchdown with 7 seconds left in the fourth quarter, threw a touchdown in overtime and intercepted Leavitt’s 2-point conversion pass to end the Hornets’ bid to win in OT. In addition, he had a 1-yard touchdown run and a 90-yard interception return for another score.

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“Noah was off to having a Fitzpatrick Trophy-like season,” said Coach Aaron Filieo.

“In two games, he already had five takeaways on defense. He’s a tremendous ballhawk. As valuable as he is as a quarterback, he might be more valuable as a defensive back.”

Wolfinger is the third brother to play football for the Capers, joining Ezra and Cyrus.

Sophomore Jeb Boeschenstein will take Wolfinger’s place at quarterback. After Wolfinger got injured, Boeschenstein came in and threw a 32-yard touchdown pass on his first play. During the second half, Wolfinger, on crutches, was seen talking to Boeschenstein on the sideline.

“I’ve turned into Jed’s mentor,” said Wolfinger. “I’m one of the captains so my role doesn’t change as far as that is concerned.”

Cape will miss Wolfinger’s on-field leadership, but Wolfinger will be there on the sideline, almost like another coach. Of the team’s 2-0 start, Wolfinger said: “The team is really playing well. Now the team has to step up and fill the void.”

On defense, Drinan will likely take Wolfinger’s place at strong safety.

Soon after his surgery, Wolfinger will start a lengthy rehabilitation. His goal is to play lacrosse next spring.


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