California high school football player seriously injured, hospitalized after tackle

A South East High School student was seriously injured Friday night after tackling another player during a junior varsity football game against Maywood Center for Enriched Studies.

After a player was tackled on the sideline in the second half of the game at South East High School in South Gate, the student who made the tackle immediately required medical assistance, said a member of the Los Angeles Football Officials' Assn. who was not authorized to speak publicly about the incident. The student was taken to a hospital by ambulance and the game was ended.

An official report was filed, the person said, but was not available to the public because a minor was involved.

"I was kneeling down and praying that this kid can get healthy and get back up," said Cesar Trillo, varsity coach for Maywood.

South East High School Principal Eric Jaimes sent a message to families about the incident, saying, "Our student received medical attention and is currently being treated at a medical facility. Our thoughts are with the student and his family during this extremely difficult time."

The student's name had not been released as of Wednesday afternoon, nor was any information disclosed about the student's condition.

As of last year, there were eight athletic trainers employed at Los Angeles Unified schools — South East did not have one. L.A. Unified requires the home team to supply an EMT or athletic trainer before the game starts. It suggests the visiting team have one as well.

"At the time of the incident in question," a district spokesperson said Wednesday night, "there were two medical staff on site; both immediately provided medical attention to the injured student."

The spokesperson said L.A. Unified "requires and ensures that at least one medical personnel be at all football games. Games cannot be played without qualified medical personnel in place."

This month, two Alabama high school football players died within two weeks of each other, NPR reported . Quarterback Caden Tellier, 16, died after suffering a head injury in the first half of the opening game for John T. Morgan Academy in Selma. Semaj Wilkins, 14, died after collapsing during practice at New Brockton High School, on a day when the thermometer hit 96 degrees.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .