Hill on track

South Jersey’s second-leading rusher ahead of schedule in his recovery from off-season knee injury; could be cleared next week

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The prospect of Woodstown running back James Hill returning to the field sooner than later gets better each day camp gets closer.

Hill tore an ACL in the midst of an undefeated wrestling season last winter. His recovery and rehab were expected to be long and arduous and expected to delay the start of his senior year. The injury to such a dynamic player left a cloud over the Wolverines’ viability as a contender in the SEC West of Group One football.

But word out of off-season workouts is better than encouraging. The latest reports indicate Hill’s repaired knee is percentage points as strong as his non-injured knee. When he goes to the orthopedist after returning from vacation this week he is expected to get the all-clear.

“You can’t replace a guy like James,” Wolverines head coach John Adams said. “He’s a phenomenal athlete. Obviously, since his freshman year he’s been doing special things for us on both sides of the ball, so to see him recover the way he is, I’m ecstatic for him.”

The old best-case scenario was for a return sometime during the season. Now, Hill likely will be back when the Wolverines open camp in early August and available when the regular season opens.

Now, he won’t return to drills to Aug. 21, won’t play in preseason scrimmages and when he does return the plan is to take it slow. Adams said they’ll probably just start him out on defense so he can deliver the blow as opposed to taking one early on. The Wolverines’ regular-season opener is Aug. 31 against Haddon Heights.

Of course, the Wolverines can afford that luxury because they are deep in the skill positions this season. Getting the second-leading rusher in South Jersey back sooner than later keeps the Wolverines on track to contend for a state championship that has eluded them in heartbreaking fashion each of the last two years, but this isn’t a race against the clock.

“I told him we’re not going to rush anything,” Adams said. “If he’s not 100 percent by the first game we have other guys who can step up like that core group of seniors who will go out there and battle and get the job done.

“I told him it’s his family’s timeline, his timeline, don’t worry about us. I worry about you and your future and stuff like that. We don’t need to rush anything. He’s been on board with that. I told the coaches when we get him back we’ll be glad to welcome him back but we’re not in a rush for anything.”

Hill’s recovery is almost Bryce Harper/Rhys Hoskins like. Both Phillies went through injuries that were major blows to the team and expected to keep them out a long time, but Harper is back in the lineup and Hoskins, who had the same ACL injury as Hill, already is throwing and might be a week away from swinging a bat.

Hill was an active participant in his recovery. He’d go three times a week to different rehabs and then show up to his own team’s workouts to do what he could. He attended the team’s recent camp with Kingsway as an observer.

“He does everything he possibly can,” Adams said. “I hope when we do get him back he’s able to work hard through it and get back to his normal self.”

That normal self is a game-changer. Hill rushed for 1,636 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. He’s had 3,010 yards and 31 touchdowns over the last two years.

Wolverines’ quarterback Max Webb remembers the day he learned Hill hurt his knee. The four-year starter was nursing a thigh contusion from basketball himself when his running back walked into the room showing no sign of an issue and said he felt “something weird” happen to his knee.

“The trainer told me what happened and I was completely shocked,” Webb said. “Then I started thinking about the season because most guys don’t recover in six, seven months, so I was trying to think of ways to get around it.”

Count him among those impressed by his teammate’s commitment to getting back on the field.

“Crazy recovery,” Webb said. “There’s not too many guys, even at the professional level, who are recovering in six (months), which is awesome. Hopefully he doesn’t hurt himself again. He’s got bigger goals than just high school. Hopefully he doesn’t hurt himself here, but it’s awesome he’s coming back for his team.”

Photo: Woodstown coach John Adams watches his team go through conditioning drills during off-season workouts.