When the swelling settled it was revealed she sustained a third degree high ankle sprain unstable. With at least a three month recovery ahead of her, Sandon's season was apparently over before it truly began.
"Of course you had to keep playing the game," Sandon said of that Nov. 4 loss to Lincoln where fellow center midfielder Mary Hughes was also lost for the season. "We were battling. We played through the game. We thought we were hurt for a week or so. It turns out we had to have major surgery."
Since that Thursday back in November, Sandon has become someone head coach Paul Dickson said was instrumental in the Marauders winning a sixth straight district championship.
"She could have checked out and decided she was busy with other things her senior year," Dickson said. "She has been involved every single day. She's a captain and she's virtually one of our assistant coaches."
Thursday, the Marauders host Gainesville's P.K. Yonge in the Class 2A regional quarterfinals.
Sandon, who still can't put weight on her right leg, will be there on the touchline in a scooter helping the younger Marauders with their positioning on the field. Her absence may be all the more noted, because when these two teams met last year in the same round, Sandon's early goal helped Maclay relax as it comfortably won 5-1.
Throughout her varsity career Sandon has been an underrated player for Dickson and Maclay. After the program graduated 10 seniors from the squad that qualified for the state semifinals, this was supposed to be Sandon's year. Dickson said he was looking forward to watching her in the midfield pushing her team through some big matches.
"Catherine is as tough as nails," Dickson said. "I don't think she missed a game since she became a varsity player. "She is not one for drama. She's tough and her work rate is exceptional."
Her injury did not stop her from committing to Birmingham-Southern College earlier this month. In truth the only thing it did was delay the verbal commitment, because Sandon was scheduled to visit the campus on Nov. 5 but having a screw put in her ankle was more pressing at that time.
Sandon thanked Dickson for helping her keep it together after her season-ending injury.
"This year we laid it all out on the table," Sandon said of her relationship with Dickson. "We say what we think when we are thinking it and we don't stop to think about what we like and what we don't like. He stepped up and pulled it together and not only motivated me, but my parents. He motivated me to help the team out."