The high school football season that just ended was unlike any other due to the pandemic.

But it was something else made it unusual for Valhalla's quarterback Michael Dawson.

After an impressive start to his high school career the past two seasons, Valhalla junior QB Michael Dawson was looking to continue his quest to play in college with another standout year under center. But after just one half, his season looked like it had come to an end.

"So, first week, we were playing Bronxville, and it was like a blitz from the right-hand side, and as I was throwing to my friend, I came down on someone's helmet and it snapped the top of my thumb off," says Dawson.

Dawson couldn't throw anymore, but he was desperate to contribute, so he approached his coach about playing other positions.

"He approached me right away that he wanted to be back, and he wanted to play. So, he wanted to come back and play defense, but we lost our right guard and our right tackle jn the last three games, so we were short a guy and he stepped right in," says Art Troilo Jr., Valhalla's head football coach.

For Dawson it wasn't just about getting on the field for himself, it was about being out there with the team, a team he had been through everything with.

"I was more disappointed about not being able to play with the seniors this year 'cause I have been playing with them since my freshman year. So the only thing I can think of was to come back and then that's why I clubbed it up and started playing defense and offensive line," said Dawson.

And that selflessness is what makes this story such a memorable one for his coach.

"I have some great, great men that I have coached and he's up there with the top of them. And he just impresses me and something I will talk about for the rest of my life. How someone who is that unselfish that he would put the teams needs in front of his own needs," says Troilo.

Over the next couple weeks, Dawson is set to get his cast off and start throwing again as he prepares to play quarterback again in his senior season.