ODA’s Gus Mahler shakes off latest injury in crucial scoring drive

The feeling was all too familiar for Gus Mahler.

A high school football career hobbled with injuries was looking at another one to derail his senior season.

Mahler, Out-of-Door Academy’s quarterback, held his right side with his left arm stretched across, while masking the pain through a grimace that peered through his Thunder helmet.

But unlike past seasons that featured concussions, a blown-out left knee and several sprained ankles, this one wasn’t stopping Mahler from delivering on ODA’s most important drive of an eventual 7-6 victory over Bradenton Christian in Monday’s Sunshine State Athletic Conference game that was postponed last week following Hurricane Irma.

“You’ve got to put it on the line for your guys,” said Mahler after the Thunder improved to 2-0. “I know my buddy, Dakota (Dickerson), is the backup and I know he just hates it. So I didn’t want to put him in that position, so I told coach I could go.”

ODA head coach Ken Sommers had the same thought as he’s had several times during Mahler’s injury-riddled high school football career. He was nervous.

“I’m concerned for him,” Sommers said. “I want him to have a great season. He deserves a great senior season.”

Mahler, though, stood, heeded the next play call and proceeded to roll to his left to find James Larson for a pivotal 8-yard reception.

It was the 10th play of a drive that began at the end of the third quarter. But it was the key play to set up a manageable fourth-and-short conversion that later culminated in Jimmy Viard’s 6-yard touchdown run with 7:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.

And despite the frenetic final seven minutes, the score provided the decisive points and signaled Mahler’s journey to a senior year that’s warranted a clean sendoff for ODA’s multi-sport star.

Mahler’s passion for football was strong during his freshman year, where he held college football aspirations.

A concussion happened, before another one struck against Tampa Cambridge in his sophomore season.

“I got hit on maybe every play on the first 20 plays and I was just out of it,” said Mahler, whose main sport is soccer; he also plays lacrosse.

Mahler sat out the rest of his sophomore season, paving the way for former ODA quarterback Anthony Squitieri to become the Thunder’s starter.

But after Squitieri transferred to Palmetto High, before transferring again to Punta Gorda Charlotte, Mahler was driven to return to football with last year’s senior class.

This year, Mahler was driven to play with his senior class, many of which he’s played since he was 10 or 11 years old.

“One of my friends, Matthew Luhrsen, said, ‘On my bucket list is I want to college football,’” Mahler said. “I said to myself, ‘If I can help him in any way to achieve that, it’s enough for me.’ And then just for the school, I just love. This is one of my favorite places on Earth.”

A crazy sequence in the final minutes only heightened the importance of ODA’s scoring drive and Mahler’s contributions.

Following Viard’s touchdown, ODA defensive lineman Ryan Ives delivered a sack and pass breakup at the line to force a Bradenton Christian punt with the clock working against the Panthers (0-3).

A fair catch call turned into a fielded punt that was wrestled away for a 20-yard touchdown fumble return for BCS. The ensuing game-tying extra point sailed over Bathie Thiam’s head, who corralled it and launched a long two-point conversion pass that bounced off Joey Bivona’s outstretched hands.

The Thunder fumbled for their fifth turnover to give BCS some late hope. The Panthers settled for a Thiam field goal attempt that saw the holder get his knee in the way of the ball as Thiam swung his right leg through.

It never had a chance, and ODA regained possession. However, the Thunder were forced to punt, but Viard ended the game with a interception on the Panthers’ final drive.

“We had the right play call there at the end that would have won the game, but we had a bad snap,” said Bradenton Christian head coach Dan Fort, whose team was slowed to 129 total yards of offense.

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 9:49 PM with the headline "ODA’s Gus Mahler shakes off latest injury in crucial scoring drive."