Pahl Cleared to Play

Injury to Shik's Pahl Not as Serious as Initially Thought, Cleared to Play Football in 1999

SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – The injury to Susquehanna University sophomore free safety Josh Pahl of Northumberland (Shikellamy High School) which was supposed to force him to miss the 1999 Crusader football season is not as serious as initially believed and he has been cleared to play this fall.

The 6-0, 200-pound Pahl missed the final 13 games of last spring's Crusader baseball season with what was initially believed to be a serious tear in his right posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The injury would have required reconstructive surgery, forcing him to miss the entire 1999 football season.

The injury has now been diagnosed as a badly sprained PCL, which does not require surgery and will allow him to participate in football this upcoming fall. Pahl appeared in all nine varsity contests last season – primarily on special teams, although he did start at free safety vs. Juniata on October 24. He had nine tackles (five solo) in varsity games. He also started for the junior varsity team in its two games, making a team high 10 stops (two solo) in the 33-12 home loss to Lycoming on October 5.

Pahl helped the Crusader football team win a share the school's first Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League title last season, finishing 4-1 in the league and 6-3 overall for head coach Steve Briggs, who will be in his 10th year in 1999.

"We thought Josh's injury was a heck of a lot more serious than what it was. Fortunately, our specialist has cleared him to play, giving us another experienced guy back in the secondary at a position where we need him," says Briggs. "He's a great athlete who can really help us."

Pahl had a .395 on-base percentage and had been the baseball team's primary starter in left field prior to his injury last spring. He is a corporate communications major and the son of Steve and Crystal Reed of Northumberland.

Briggs will welcome 13 returning starters and 24 letterwinners to preseason camp on Tuesday, August 17. The Crusaders will open their 1999 campaign by hosting new MAC foe FDU-Madison on Saturday, September 4 at 1:30 p.m.

	The James W. Garrett Sports Complex, Publications, and Sports Information
	is located in the lower level of Selinsgrove Hall.
	Hours: 8:15 - 4:30 M-F (Academic year) 8:00 - 4:00 (Summer)
	Phone: 717-372-4119 Fax: 717-372-4048 E-mail: supubrel@susqu.edu