By Andre Brown | Staff writer
Xavier Ciardo is putting on a show. The 6-foot-3-inch 220-pound defensive end has been an offensive tackle destroyer, but him playing this year for Indian Trail High School & Academy’s varsity football team almost didn’t happen.
Before last year’s first game, he fractured two vertebrates in his neck that cost him the whole season and almost didn’t let him play this season. He had to watch his team from the sideline last year post a mediocre 2-7 record.
“It was horrible. I put in a lot of work last year and for that to be taken away from me was detrimental,” said Ciardo.
His large frame is a testament to the hours he has put in the weight room. He is often found there every day before school and after school lifting, becoming one of the best players in the conference, but after the injury it was in question if he would even play this year. After five months in a neck brace, doctors recommended that he shouldn’t play this year.
“Doctors recommended that I didn’t play this year because my injury was in a critical area in my spine,” he said.
His parents decided to leave it up to him to decide and he almost decided not to play.
“I was pretty close to not playing this year. There were a lot of times in the recovery process when I thought, ‘forget it’,” said Ciardo.
As the season came around, Ciardo decided to strap on the shoulder pads and give his senior year a go. His drive to play overwhelmed him and he couldn’t leave high school without playing one more game.
“We (the coaching staff) knew he missed it. He used all of his fuel from last year to drive him to come back,” said Kevin Aronin, Indian Trail’s defensive line coach.
But coming back from the injury was not easy. He had to regain strength in his neck as well as work twice as hard in the weight room because of missing so much time healing the injury.
“I think the most impressive part about Xavier coming back from his injury is his work ethic and determination,” said Aronin
With that work ethic and determination, Ciardo leads by example. He is usally the first
one to practice and the last one to leave and is always helping the younger defensive linemen on their technique.
Off the field he is a fan favorite. He is easily noticed in the hallways because of his size, and everyone has nothing but good things to say about him. Academically, he isn’t afraid to challenge himself either, lifting a schedule loaded with four advanced placement classes including AP-Statistics, AP-Psychology, AP-Chinese, and AP-Government & Politics, along with honors English and honors personal finance classes.
“He is a great role model for a young man. He is very respectful and is just a fun great guy,” said Aronin, “He just loves playing the game.”
Ciardo has started the first five games of the season with 20 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He and his defensive end counter part Michael Roach have been giving quarterbacks nightmares and are usually the focal point of opposing teams.
“I have always been looked at as one of the better players and I have to live up to the expectations of that and I think I have been doing well so far,” said Ciardo.
The team at press time was 6-0 and ranked fifth in the state of Wisconsin. The Hawks defeated Plymouth who was undefeated last year during the regular season, Stevenson High School (IL) which was a class AA qualifier last year (Illinois largest class), conference champs Oak Creek, and both cross town rivals Tremper and Bradford high schools.
“We want to try to get a Conference Championship and then hopefully take it game by game to state,” Ciardo said.