Injured Player

During this past Saturday's Interleague High School game between the Wai‘anae Seariders and Saint Louis Crusaders, Seariders wide receiver Niko Camacho (#87, on the stretcher) was knocked unconscious by a member of the Crusaders return team while Camacho was chasing down the Crusaders punt returner. The replay showed helmet to helmet contact to the side of Camacho's head, and he crumpled to the ground after the hit. No penalty was called.

From my field camera angle, I did not see the collision, since I was focussed on the returner. The game, only in the opening few minutes, was delayed almost 30 minutes as an ambulance was called to take Camacho to a hospital. Fortunately, he did show movement in his legs and hands, while the firefighters, paramedics, and Wai‘anae training staff secured him to a backboard. They also cut away his jersey, and removed the face mask from his helmet. Camacho's condition was not known after both games were finished. To make things worse, the Crusaders trounced the Seariders, 42-3.

In my seven seasons on the Aloha Stadium video crew, this was the fourth time I've witnessed a football player carted off in an ambulance. Hopefully, Camacho will make a full recovery, and return to playing football.