CINCINNATI — A La Salle High School football player remains in the hospital after the team said he was seriously injured during the Lancers' game against Elder Friday night.
Coach Pat McLaughlin said junior linebacker Tyrese Price was down on the field in severe pain after a collision on a kickoff return. The team's trainers and Green Township EMS stabilized Price and got him to the hospital.
"He was down for probably 15 to 20 minutes," McLaughlin said. "At that point, both teams were kneeling. We all knew it was pretty serious."
Price was taken to Cincinnati Children's, where McLaughlin said he underwent surgery. While it went well, the school said he is still looking at a long road to recovery. McLaughlin said he would likely be in the hospital for "a couple weeks."
McLaughlin applauded the team's trainers and first responders for doing everything they could to keep Price safe.
"If they would've done anything different the outcome could've been a lot different, but because of their expertise and training and how they approached things that particular night, Tyrese is doing well," McLaughlin said. "He's had surgery and he's gonna probably have a very good quality of life."
Price's uncle, Joe Hendrix, said the family was blessed that his condition wasn't worse.
"With this type of injury, they say you don't just get up and walk away from it," Hendrix said. "So, we're blessed that Tyrese is up, still moving."
He said Price sat up and had been moving his arms and legs Monday.
"Our family was brought up with love so he's going to be surrounded with a lot of love," Hendrix said.
The coach said he's visited Price multiple times in the hospital, and Price was able to FaceTime into their team meeting on Monday.
"When our kids saw his face, and he saw our kids and gave them a thumbs up, the room just lit up," McLaughlin said. "It's almost like a sense of relief for our kids knowing that he's gonna be OK."
McLaughlin said Price has always been a "ball of energy."
"He's a great kid — he was having a great season," McLaughlin said. "Really, to see him evolve over the last three years just coming into La Salle and growing into a man and developing on and off the field has been really special. He was a big part of our team, he still is a big part of our team."
Price's family, McLaughlin said, is asking for continued prayers and for the Lancers to beat Winton Woods Friday night.
"We took him a helmet down there today, I'll take him his No. 39 jersey so he can watch it in his hospital room on Friday night," said McLaughlin. "We'll all be emotional. We'll be playing for him Friday night, no doubt."
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