Ref injured severely in HS football game

[Okanagan]

Odd serious injury to a ref Friday night at a game in Port Townsend WA where my wife and I watched a grandson play while grandsons Code and Jon told us about their deer hunt the day before.

A 325 lb offensive lineman was blocking a 250 lb. defensive player in a running play up the middle which simply ran over the ref who was standing in the defensive backfield.   The ref must have had his feet pinned because he slammed into the ground like a doll swung by its feet to hammer its head.   His head bounced hard, players fell on him and he never moved again for the 16 minutes it took to get him stabilized on a spine board and into an ambulance.  They were shining flashlights into his eyes, maybe tubing his airway, could not tell for sure.  Found out after the game that he was airlifted to the big hospital in Seattle.  Bad.  So far we have not been able to find a single trace about it in any news. 

While the medics worked on the ref two deer fed just past the goalposts on that end and wandered a few feet behind the visitor bleachers where we sat.

My wife and I had arrived early and were sitting in our car reading when the refs arrived and walked past us into the stadium.  My wife remarked at how frail and elderly one of them appeared and expressed concerned that he might get hurt.  He did. 

[pitw]

It's kinda/sorta amazing more ref's ain't maimed.  They are in a corral with a buncha bulls and one can never trust bulls.
Hope he recovers.

[Okanagan]

The ref is awake and alert and sounds like he is out of ICU after two days in there.  Long time HS ref who loves doing it. 

[bambam]

Hope he is OK. Football is a brutal sport. I played 4 years in High school, mostly just to impress the girls. Played offense and defense. Dam lucky I never got hurt. Saw lots if bad injuries. Glad I wasn't good enough to play college.

[FinsnFur]

They stand in some pretty sketchy places

[HaMeR]

I'm glad he's doing well for sure!! I bet those players feel bad even tho it was more than likely out of their control.

I seen a ref get damn near ran over like that during an NFL preseason game the other evening. He got spun around & somehow landed on top of the pile of extra large manhood!! He was very lucky as well!!

[Dave]

Wow that sounds bad.  Glad he seems to be doing well.
Saw the title and was thinking if it was deliberate like the two players last year lowering the boom on a ref who they thought made some bad calls.  Glad it wasn't!
Still waiting to hear the particulars on Cody's hunt

[Okanagan]

Still waiting to hear the particulars on Cody's hunt

I posted more detail on Code's hunt in the Big Game forum.  He is a busy and distracted young man, full of energy and not sitting still much.  I suspected that we would not get more story unless I posted.  It is that phase of life, for both of us!

[Dave]

It is that phase of life, for both of us!

[/quote]

Haha - I hear you!