Michael Burch shines in return to field for Saint Stephen’s

Michael Burch made it until Out-of-Door Academy cracked the end zone for the final time during Saint Stephen’s 41-18 win Saturday before he crumpled to the ground on the sideline. After Out-of-Door’s conversion attempt failed, Burch lumbered to the sideline, plopped down next to the trainer and groaned as she stretched his right calf.

It was the sort of pain impossible for him to feel for the past two years when a heart condition kept him from any sort of physical activity.

He couldn’t lift.

He couldn’t run.

He was advised to not so much as break a sweat.

Most importantly, he couldn’t play football.

So he expected there to be a moment when live game action would overwhelm his muscles and pull him to the ground in a fit of cramps and spasms.

“I knew that was going to be a problem,” Burch said. “I’m going to have to keep working at my conditioning.”

Burch’s return to the field went as well as the Falcons could have hoped. He played almost 30 snaps. He made it through the 48 minutes without setbacks. Saint Stephen’s won the Headmaster’s Cup, and Burch recorded multiple tackles for a loss. The only thing missing was a chance for Burch to carry the ball. That plan was derailed by two Falcons turnovers in the fourth quarter that kept ODA within striking distance at Thunder Stadium.

Burch, who had been sidelined for more than two years when hypertropic cardiomyopathy was diagnosed during the summer before his sophomore year, was still one of Saint Stephen’s most productive defensive players despite a lack of conditioning and limited practice time.

“It’s like being in a time machine,” Falcons head coach Tod Creneti said. “Seeing Michael fill, and make the play and be such an energetic, and enthusiastic and physical player, that’s so exciting for our team, but more exciting for him.”

Burch was one of the first 11 players on the field for the Saint Stephen’s, as he jogged down the field as part of the Falcons’ kickoff team. During Out-of-Door’s second offensive series, Burch received his first action on defense.

Out-of-Door had a first down near midfield after converting a fake punt when Creneti stuck Burch into his old spot at middle linebacker. He prowled just past the line of scrimmage and rushed through the middle of the lines to hit ODA’s Ethan Marino in the backfield. He was credited with half of a tackle for a loss.

As a freshman at Saint Stephen’s, Burch had a penchant for blowing up plays. He recorded 27 tackles for loss that season — a single-season record and one behind the career mark. In the 12th game of his career, he broke the record held by Jake Wood. He picked up Saturday right where he left off.

“What I liked, was that as soon as he had a chance he licked someone,” Falcons quarterback Fred Billy said.

On the first play of the Thunder’s next series, Burch did the same thing, bursting through the offensive line to blow up Marino himself. He turned back toward his teammates, shouted and raised his fists, drawing a taunting penalty in the process.

Burch finished the game with four total tackles and two tackles for loss. He knows he’ll get better.

“I could see what I was supposed to do in my mind,” Burch said, “but my body was a little slow.”

As Burch left the visiting locker room after the game, he stopped at a van to drop off his pads before boarding the bus back to Saint Stephen’s. He hobbled as he turned away from the van and back toward the bus.

“You’re going to be sore tomorrow,” Creneti shouted to him, prompting Burch to turn his head and smile.

“You’re going to love it.”

This story was originally published October 9, 2016 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Michael Burch shines in return to field for Saint Stephen’s."