MOORHEAD – Adam Jiskra is hoping for the best, but the Minnesota State Moorhead senior wide receiver could have a season-ending knee injury.
Jiskra hurt his left knee late in the first quarter of the Dragons' 48-9 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference football loss at Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday in Marshall, Minn.
"I'm hoping that it's not a tear," Jiskra said on Monday. "I have never been through this."
The initial diagnosis is that Jiskra likely has a torn ACL, but that hasn't been confirmed, Jiskra said. Jiskra was on crutches Monday and his knee was still stiff and swollen.
Jiskra said he's scheduled to see a doctor today, and will likely get an MRI scan within the next week.
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"It will be a couple weeks for sure if it is not a tear," said Jiskra, who is from Grafton, N.D. "I want to figure out what's wrong and I'm hoping that it's not a tear."
The Dragons (3-1, 3-1 NSIC) were off to their best start since 1987 before losing at Southwest Minnesota State, which remained unbeaten. Jiskra has 201 receptions, 2,925 yards and 31 touchdowns in his Dragons career. He is the MSUM record holder for receiving yards and touchdowns in a career, and second in career receptions.
Jiskra was nearing the NSIC record for career receptions before his injury. Former Northern State wide receiver Brian Jark (2006-09) holds the conference record with 210 receptions.
"It certainly changes the dynamics of the wide receiver position," Dragons head coach Steve Laqua said of not having a healthy Jiskra. "He has been our go-to guy at our go-to (receiving) position."
Jiskra leads the team with 19 catches for 255 yards and five touchdowns through four games. He had two catches for 14 yards before he left the Southwest Minnesota State game. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Jiskra was injured trying to catch a deep ball down the sideline with less than two minutes to play in the first quarter.
"I think my leg kind of gave out and I landed on it weird," Jiskra said. "I was definitely twisting looking for the ball."
Dragons sophomore wide receiver Damon Gibson missed most of the second half Saturday with a hip pointer, Laqua said. Laqua is hopeful that Gibson will be ready for Saturday's home game against Minnesota-Duluth. MSUM senior quarterback Jake Hodge is questionable for Saturday, Laqua added. Hodge has sat out the past two games with various ailments.
The Dragons have also had to limit the carries for senior running back Zayne Medhaug, who has been battling a knee issue since fall camp. Medhaug had 8 yards on eight carries last Saturday. MSUM freshman running back Herman Gray, from Las Vegas, was a bright spot against the Mustangs, rushing for 73 yards on 12 attempts.
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"It puts us in a place where definitely adversity has struck and we're going to need a number of guys to step up," Laqua said.
