Looking at the Proctor offensive line, nothing seems out of the ordinary. Included in that unit, Daniel Santiago is lined up.

"I’ve come too long during the offseason and the previous years to stop right there,” said Santiago. “It’s going to be a good year for us; we got a lot of good things coming. I don't know. I got to do it."

It would've been easy for him to stop. Santiago broke his hand in the second week of the season against Carthage.

"I told them there was something wrong and it was moving around like a joystick,” said Santiago. “I just told them to tape it like across my palm. I just finished the game and we went to the urgent care after that."

Santiago has been through two surgeries since then. Doctors inserted a screw to hold his thumb in place.

Coach Steve Strife says he's one of the toughest kids to play for the Raiders.

"You know, just a real selfless kid,” said Strife. “He was upset he wasn't going to be able to play in the Fayetteville-Manlius game. You know, we were just more worried about his well-being than anything else and he was more worried about the team."

When Santiago suits up, it raises the expectations for the rest of the team.  Just a sophomore, teammates say he's a motivating leader for everyone in red.

"That's actually an amazing feeling,” said Utica Proctor senior Tasean Cooper. “You know that your teammate is very good and he can still play. He brings a great atmosphere and to everybody else. He helps everybody get up during games and practices."

Santiago's cast protects not only his broken thumb, but the ball carrier as well. He believes his cast intimidates the opponent.

"Yeah I think it does. I use every part of it to my advantage," said Santiago.

Luckily for the Raiders, Santiago was never pushed past his breaking point.