Lead with the left shoulder, Russell.

The left!

Don't be surprised if you catch the St. Michael's High School senior mumbling those words to himself at some point during the 2010 prep football season.

Disch fractured the clavicle — or collarbone to those of us not in tune with medical jargon — under his right shoulder during a preseason practice last month.

Since there's really not much that can be done with a broken clavicle other than good, old-fashioned rest, Disch was forced to assume the role of partisan spectator during the Horsemen's season-opening win against Bloomfield two weeks ago.

He remained on the shelf until earlier this week when doctors finally cleared him for full-contact drills. He is expected to see limited duty at running back and linebacker in tonight's intracity rivalry game at Capital.

Kickoff is slated for 7 on Santa Fe's south side. The Horsemen (1-0) are considered healthy favorites as the Jaguars (0-2) appear headed for a long season.

For Disch, the end to his time on the disabled list couldn't come soon enough.

"Oh, I'm ready," he said after a recent practice. "I wouldn't say I'm 100 percent yet. Maybe 90. At least I'm good to play."

"He's 120 percent ready in his mind, though," interjected Horsemen teammate Michael Lamb. "He was ready even when he first got hurt, I think."

Lamb's part in this little story is that of the pain-inducer. During that aforementioned preseason workout, the 6-foot-1, 213-pound all-state linebacker went head-to-head with the 5-10, 185-pound Disch in a tackling drill.

Disch lowered his head while trying to run through his longtime friend.

Lamb got even lower. His helmet shot into Disch's upper chest, putting the bulk of the impact squarely on Disch's collarbone.

One snapped clavicle later, Disch was spending time at the doctor's office. When he suits up tonight, he'll be wearing additional padding under his already bulky shoulder pads.

"He'd kind of had a thing going on with his shoulder before that," Lamb said. "This just made it worse."

Disch agreed.

"I guess I tend to lead with my right a little too much," he said. "I never really thought of it until this last (injury) happened."

Before getting the go-ahead from the medical staff, Disch first had to demonstrate the kind of range of motion that indicated the fracture was fused. After that, an X-ray confirmed that it had.

Disch's first taste of full-contact drills came Wednesday. Aside from the usual bumps and bruises, he said it was all systems go for Capital.

"I'm not sure how much they'll use me, but at least I know I'll play," he said. "I'll definitely be out there. I mean, this isn't a real important game. It's not district yet, but it's a city game and I want to play."

Horsemen head coach Joey Fernandez wasn't sure about Disch's playing time, either. One thing the Fernandez is sure of, however, is St. Michael's is a much better team with its projected starting lineup at full strength.

"I don't know how far we can go, but I like what we have right now," Disch said.

In the background, Lamb nodded in agreement.

"I guess all I have to do now is remind myself about protecting my shoulder," Disch said. "I have to change the way I think."

In other words, Russell, next time lead with the left.

Contact WIll Webber at 986-3030 or wwebber@sfnewmexican.com.