Texas game finishes in tie after player collapses in 4th quarter
A key early season high school football game in Texas was suspended on Friday night because of a scary injury for a highly touted offensive lineman. The game was eventually declared a 14-14 tie, as the final five minutes of the deadlock won't be made up at a future date.
As reported by Bryan-College Station area website KTBX.com, Rudder (Texas) High's game against Leander (Texas) Rouse High was halted in the middle of the fourth quarter after Rudder offensive lineman David Wilganowski collapsed on the field and had to be transported to the nearest hospital via ambulance. He was later airlifted to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, where he is currently listed in stable condition.
"All of a sudden Wigs goes down and you know we just kind of looked like what happened, nobody knew, nobody had any idea," Rudder defensive tackle Dezmun Williams told KTBX.com "Then we all the team just got together in a huddle and coach came over and talked to us and told us everything's going to be all right."
So far, everything has been all right for Wilganowski, though doctors have yet to come to any conclusion on what caused the senior lineman, who has committed to play at Rice, to collapse suddenly with just more than five minutes remaining in the contest.
In the meantime, Rudder High School established a fund at the local branch of Citi Bank to help pay for the Wilganowski family's stay in Houston while he is hospitalized, with other students and friends helping raise money for the family's needs on Facebook.
For his teammates, the most important thing is that Wilganowski is back at school -- and hopefully the football field -- as soon as possible.
"He's always positive so that's a good thing to have on the team," Rudder wide receiver Jared Cohan told KTBX.com.
"Keep Wigs in your prayers and his family and we hope to have him back soon," Williams told the website.
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