Serra quarterback Daylin McLemore suffers season-ending injury
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SAN MATEO — The Serra football team suffered a big loss while remaining undefeated Saturday.
Dual-threat quarterback Daylin McLemore went down with a season-ending injury in the opening quarter of a 35-7 victory at home over Sacred Heart Cathedral.
A three-star recruit who opted not to transfer and wait his turn, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior broke the collarbone on his non-throwing shoulder.
“Every human being in this organization needs to get incrementally better, little by little, and shoulder the burden of losing Daylin,” Serra coach Patrick Walsh said.
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The Padres (8-0) must now turn to sophomore Dominique Lampkin, another dual-threat QB, heading into a highly anticipated showdown next Saturday against Valley Christian (8-0). Both teams are tied atop the West Catholic Athletic League standings.
“It’s going to change a lot of the way we do things,” Walsh said. “Most good coaches build their offense around their quarterback, so we have a new quarterback.”
Valley is ranked No. 2 by Bay Area Preps HQ. Serra is No. 3.
Daylin, the son of ex-49ers Super Bowl champion Dana McLemore, led the Padres to routs of No. 5 Pittsburg, No. 15 Menlo-Atherton and St. Mary’s-Stockton, throwing for eight touchdowns and rushing for another prior to WCAL play.
He has offers to play at San Jose State and University of San Diego.
“That’s just the nature of the game and we’re very sad for Daylin,” Walsh said. “Thankfully it’s not an injury that will affect his college playing career, or anything like that. He’s going to heal up and go play college ball now.
“In the meantime, we take the lessons that we learned from him and his humility and just what a great kid he is, that whole Kawhi factor. Everyone’s got to get better now.”
Lampkin (5-11, 170) had thrown one pass on varsity this fall.
In emergency duty against SHC, he ran for touchdowns of 45 and 25 yards, while also finding slot receiver Nate Sanchez for a 45-yard TD throw as Serra jumped out to a 35-0 lead at the half.
“Very talented kid who can run and throw the ball,” Walsh said. “Another dual-threat quarterback in the lineage of Padre quarterbacks now. It’s next-man-up time, and it’s Dominique’s time to go.”
Thrust into the limelight, Lampkin will rely on weapons such as Sanchez and wide receiver Terence Loville, while defensive end Nusi Malani helps anchor the defense.
“It’s not a one-man show,” Walsh said. “It’s not like Dominique has to pick up the flag and carry it up the mountain. It needs to be a collective effort to replace Daylin, and that goes for offense, defense and special teams.”