I think my players are going to get ether the football players or gardener to saftly one way or thanother.
Tips on how to use them after?
Play them as shell shocked and out of it with occasional violent episodes. Not useful in a fight, but they can probably be useful in the investigative parts of book 2. Maybe they're an 'in' to some of the groups they end up talking to.
Then have their shadow corruption advance quickly and give the PCs a preview of what will happen to them if they give in.