Dominguez’s Simmons is on the mend

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Dominguez senior linebacker/tight end Maurice Simmons, pictured closest left with brother Marquis, came home from the hospital Tuesday and is on the mend from a broken left fibula he suffered Friday in the Dons’ 49-0 victory over Gahr.

The 6-1, 215-pound Simmons, who has committed to USC and still plans to play his freshman year, underwent surgery Saturday afternoon to repair a clean break of the leg.

Instead of wearing a cast he will sport a leg brace for four to six weeks and then undergo eight to 12 weeks of rehabilitation.

‘That’s what I’m looking forward to,’ Simmons said. ‘I feel pretty good. I feel blessed that it wasn’t anything worse and that I’ll be able to get back out and play.’

Simmons, 17, was injured when he took a hit while on defense after the Dons (4-2, 1-0), ranked No. 16 in the Southland by The Times, had scored on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead on the Gladiators (4-2, 0-1) in a San Gabriel Valley League opener at Dominguez. He is ranked No. 35 among senior outside linebackers in the country, according to Rivals.com.

‘It was sort of a shock at first because I was running,’ he said, ‘and I felt my leg go the other way, and all I could do was fall down.’

Simmons’ parents, Melvin and Kathleen, spent most of the weekend with him at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Bellflower. They are confident Maurice will make a full recovery and are looking forward to seeing their son on the field for the Trojans, even if his season with the Dons is over.

‘My feeling is, once something happens, then it was meant to happen,’ Melvin Simmons said. ‘I really believe he will be back, stronger and better than ever.’

That should give USC something to look forward to.

- Lauren Peterson

-- Image by Karen Tapia-Andersen/Los Angeles Times