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Cary lineman recovering after collapsing at scrimmage

By HighSchoolOT.com

Aug 16, 2009

RALEIGH — A Cary High School football player was hospitalized after collapsing at the Wakefield Football Jamboree in Raleigh Friday night.

The clinical administrator at WakeMed said early Saturday afternoon that 15-year-old Michael White was listed in fair condition. Cary Athletic Director Kurt Glendenning said doctors continued to monitor White, but his condition had stabilized.

"Overall he is doing well and his family is with him," Cary High principal Doug Thilman said.

White had been in critical condition overnight.

The sophomore lineman collapsed on the sidelines near the end of the third scrimmage of the night at Wakefield High School, Glendenning said.

"He was actually standing on the sidelines joking with a couple of other players, then (he) collapsed," Thilman said.

An on-site doctor administered CPR. When paramedics arrived they used an automatic defibrillator.

"Something with his heart had definitely gone wrong that required them to use the A.D. machine," Thilman said.

The nature of White's medical condition has not been disclosed.

White had played a couple plays earlier in the night, but was not playing when he collapsed, Glendenning said.

Thilman said White "had no visible signs of injury as a result of football."

People at the Jamboree told HighSchoolOT.com that school officials ended the scrimmage after the incident. Nash Central and East Wake high schools were also playing at the Jamboree.

It was the Imps' second scrimmage of the year. Cary hosted Northwood in a scrimmage on Wednesday evening.

White attended Panther Creek High School last year but did not play football. He was reassigned to Cary High School this school year. He had been practicing training and conditioning with the football team all summer.