It seemed like Nansemond River High School football fans may have seen the last of DeShon Saunders on the gridiron, but presently, the Warriors are benefiting from his talents more than ever.

The senior quarterback completed four passes for a total of 100 yards and two touchdowns during Nansemond River’s 21-17 victory over visiting Hickory High School on Oct. 24.

Saunders’ lobbying of coach David Coccoli to let him play defense also paid off during the contest against the Hawks, as Coccoli gave him some snaps at outside linebacker and strong safety. He ended up with eight tackles, three for a loss.

His combined performance led to his being the Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week.

“Overall, I played a good game on both sides of the ball,” Saunders said. “I wish I could have gotten more scores and a little bit more tackles, but for the most part, I feel like I played a good game.”

Coaches often avoid having their starting quarterbacks also play a defensive position, but Saunders explained why he had been asking Coccoli to make him a two-way player.

“I only get to play this high school football once,” he said, adding he just wants to enjoy it and see what he can do out there. “It could also help me to put some extra stuff on my highlight tape.”

Saunders’ father, James Harrell, who helped get him into the sport, was proud of his son for his Oct. 24 performance.

“I think he had a phenomenal game,” he said. “This is his comeback year to me.”

It was a year that Saunders was considering forgoing at one point.

His junior football season was cut short three games in when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament, the medial collateral ligament and meniscus. The rehabilitation period was extensive, running eight to nine months.

With this being his second major football injury after suffering a broken femur playing Pop Warner, Saunders’ confidence was shaken and he considered skipping his senior season and just focusing on his favorite sport — basketball.

But his parents and several of his coaches encouraged him to finish what he started and make good on his college potential in football.

“A lot of people were in my corner,” he said.

Harrell was the first to spot his son’s potential when observing his son watching games as an elementary school student.

“He would notice stuff that the kids were doing wrong, and I recognized talent of him being able to see what’s supposed to happen,” he said.

The prospect of hitting in football was initially terrifying to young Saunders, but Harrell helped him build up his strength and courage.

“Once he learned that he could be in control on either side of the ball, he really got into it,” Harrell said.