Head Injury Sends Hopatcong Football Player to Hospital

A football player was taken to Saint Clare's Hospital in Dover after sustaining a head injury Tuesday afternoon, Athletic Director Tom Vara said.

The athlete was injured during football practice and taken to the high school trainer's office, Vara said. Hopatcong's emergency medical service then tested the athlete, who they first determined would need to be helicoptered to a nearby hospital for further examination. But EMS called off the medivac as the player appeared to show progress, and he was transported to the hospital via ambulance, Vara said.

"They checked him out, and he was giving them the wrong answers, so to speak," Vara said. "I guess at that time they thought it was necessary to call a chopper. But as they tested further, I guess he started giving the right answers so they canceled the helicopter."

Vara said the athlete walked under his own power from the football field to the high school.