By the Press Enterprise staff
Southern Columbia halfback Gaige Garcia, the team’s leading rusher, will miss Saturday’s PIAA Class 2A state championship with a broken ankle.

Garcia, who owns the state record for single-season rushing yards for a freshman with 1,938 and also has 31 touchdowns, suffered the injury in Friday’s state semifinal win over Ligonier Valley.

Garcia learned the news Monday morning. He expects to have surgery later this week. Garcia, a standout junior high wrestler, also expects to be healthy in time for the wrestling postseason in February.

He will be replaced by Thomas Manley, a starting linebacker, who has 190 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries this year. Another freshman, Julian Fleming, will occasionally touch the ball on outside runs.

Read the full story in Tuesday’s Press Enterprise.