MANCHESTER - Bruising linebacker Dan Pasqual wants to pursue a career in physical therapy and currently has limited function of his right hand. So, yeah, Monday's surgery is kind of a big deal.

The Manchester Central senior captain wonders if Friday night's football game against Nashua North — a 13-10 victory at Gill Stadium — was the final NHIAA event of his high school career. He doesn't play other sports, not since suffering a knee injury during Babe Ruth baseball following his sophomore year.

Pasqual gave everything to football and has good grades (3.3 GPA), but he'll be sidelined for several weeks following surgery to repair a ruptured flexor tendon. Here's the plan: If all goes well, Dr. Jinsong Wang will repair the tendon, and the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Pasqual will return to game action in time for the Division I postseason or annual Thanksgiving Day game between the city's top teams.

Now let's not get too dramatic. Chances are the kid will return to play — even if he's tackling with one hand as he did against Nashua North Friday night. Pasqual didn't catch any passes or play tight end, his usual position on offense, but he did lower the boom at inside linebacker.

Pasqual suffered the injury last weekend against Exeter, jamming his right ring finger at the line of scrimmage during an extra-point kick. It's not life or death. But it's not the type of senior season Pasqual envisioned while spending countless hours in the weight room along with linemen Cormac Doherty and Geoff Nye. Over the summer, Pasqual could bench press 260 pounds for eight repetitions. Friday night he couldn't have held a jug of milk with his Transformer-like club of a right hand.

“For a senior captain to be possibly playing his last game four weeks into the season, that's got to be tough,” Central coach Ryan Ray said. “You hate to see anyone get injured, but you certainly hate to see someone who's put so much time and effort into Central football. He's one of those guys who never missed a day in the weight room.”

Pasqual initially was scheduled for surgery earlier this week. The procedure was postponed until Monday at Bedford Ambulatory Surgical Center, giving the Little Green leader one more regular-season game. You can imagine he's a little nervous about the surgery. At least he could hit someone Friday night.

“Everyone thought I would be pretty bummed out, but I'm happy just to be playing this game. I thought I wouldn't have a chance,” he said. “And I know the harder I work (on rehabilitation), the sooner I'll be back on the field.”

Dr. Wang, known as a top hand specialist, plans to drill a pair of holes through the tip of Pasqual's ring finger and re-anchor the tendon to bone. The tendon will stay affixed to an actual button on Pasqual's fingernail until bonding to bone.

“It's pretty important surgery. I want to stay involved in sports through physical therapy, and I'll be needing full use of that hand,” said Pasqual, uncertain if he'll play football in college.

Athletic trainer David Moreton created a custom pad and mummified the fist 90 minutes before the game. A Michelangelo sculpture it wasn't. Pasqual looked more like a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot (Moreton's joke), but he was ready for Friday night lights.

“As long as the finger isn't exposed to further injury, he's all set. Have at it,” Moreton said.

Pasqual tested “The Hammer” in pregame warmups and got his first action at linebacker following opening kickoff. Central's defense didn't allow a first down for four straight Nashua North possessions, and Pasqual was the first to knock down Titans quarterback Colby Gunter.

“Feels fine,” he said in the second quarter.

The Central defense, which gave up 49 points against Exeter last week, played its best game of the season.

Save the padding for Pasqual's green club. Here's guessing it won't be the last time he plays a key role in a win for the Little Green.

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Kevin Gray may be reached at kgray@unionleader.com.