INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I covered the Fontana Summit-Riverside Patriot varsity football game for the Riverside Press-Enterprise on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 and came away thinking about injuries that happen during kickoffs — and the coverage thereof.

Twice in this game were players seriously injured during kickoffs. First it was Summit senior Westley Arnold on the game’s opening kickoff. He sustained a dislocated hip. Then it was Patriot senior Joe Broda in the second quarter. He had what looked like a pretty obvious concussion.

The violence which takes place on 1st, 2nd and 3rd down is mostly choreographed. Guys crash into each other after crouching just one, two or three yards apart. Not much jarring of bones going on. It’s only the receivers who cross the middle of the field who put themselves in such vulnerable positions and those who cover kickoffs and punts.

On kickoff and punt coverage, blocking — what little there is — often breaks down and players get scrambled. They’re pushed either left or right upon first contact and wander into the path of another player, whether that be a teammate or opponent, and there’s always collisions that are more devastating than usual.

I’ve heard players say “I hate coverage” or something to that effect numerous times this season. And it’s little wonder. Guys get hurt — sometimes severely. And then the game comes to a halt.

Coaches and trainers run out to the field. Players fall on one knee. Water girls jog out.

If players are indeed injured, like Thursday, someone calls for the ambulance. This could take anywhere from 10-20 minutes. Then the paramedic parks the ambulance on the track, walks out to the player, assesses the situation, stabilizes the injury and the player is carted off on a stretcher.

This all takes a lot of time.

Upon analysis, paramedics were slow to respond to the first injury, arriving more than 18 minutes after the play. They were a little quicker to respond the second time, arriving at Ed Hawkins Stadium at Rubidoux HS in just under 14 minutes. So it took a combined total of 32 minutes to just arrive at the stadium.

Add another 10-12 minutes in on-field scenarios in each situation and there had been 52-56 minutes in which there wasn’t football being played during the time in which a football game that began at 7 p.m. was supposedly being played.

I’ve seen entire prep football games take place in the time it took Summit and Patriot to play their first half. The third quarter didn’t start until 9:06 p.m. PST!  

Thankfully, the third quarter was worth the wait because Summit exploded for 28 points en route to a 35-12 victory.

Summit sophomore CB Donte Deayon (5-foot-7, 140 pounds) intercepted the first pass attempt of the second half from Patriot senior QB Daniel Green (6-0, 185) and returned the ball 36 yards for a touchdown.

The Skyhawks (5-5 overall, 3-2 Sunkist) forced a punt on Patriot’s next possession. In Summit’s second play, junior RB Montigo Alford (5-10, 185) caught a swing pass from junior QB Devon Blackmon (6-1, 170) and juked and jived 31 yards for another TD.

Patriot (5-5, 2-3) fell apart on its next possession, as Green fumbled a snap on the second play. Senior DB Marquis McMahan (5-8, 145) recovered the ball and scampered 25 yards for a third score.

Summit again forced Patriot to punt and the Skyhawks took over their own territory. After a false start penalty, Alford ran for a 25-yard gain and Blackmon finished off the drive with a twisting 36-yard run in which he alluded defenders from left hash mark to right hash mark on his way to the end zone for Summit’s fourth TD of the quarter.

Game over.