KMAX: News of the West

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) An Antioch High School football player remains in critical condition after collapsing following a hard hit in a game during the weekend.

Chris Hurd, a senior running back for Antioch, collapsed and lost consciousness Friday night after being hit from the side and slamming against the artificial surface on a kickoff return during a game against Ygnacio Valley. School officials said Hurd lost consciousness but did not stop breathing.

Hurd transferred to Antioch High School this fall after three years at Clayton Valley High School. He played football at Clayton Valley as a freshman, but skipped his sophomore and junior seasons while concentrating on baseball.

Frank Wasskey, nursing supervisor for John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, said Sunday that Hurd remained in critical condition but would not say if Hurd had regained consciousness.

``Chris is an outstanding kid. He makes friends with everybody,'' Antioch coach Ferris Anthony said Sunday in a phone interview. ``He's a great kid. He's really, really a hard worker.''

Clayton Valley coach Herc Pardi told the Contra Costa Times that Hurd was not given medical clearance to play football in his sophomore and junior years because of a previous head injury.

But Fredric L. Webster, a lawyer representing the Hurd family, said Monday that Hurd never failed to get medical clearance and that the family decided he would not play football those two years. Webster also said Hurd transferred to Antioch to be closer to home.

Pardi, who could not be contacted Monday, told the Times that Hurd played junior varsity baseball at Clayton Valley this past spring.

``You could tell he loved football,'' Pardi said. ``He followed our program and he wanted to be a part of it. I was surprised to see that he was playing football but also excited. A lot of our players were very close to him. We're just praying for the best.''

Antioch athletic director Bob Fisher told the Times that Hurd received medical clearance to play football this season.

Anthony said Hurd came off the field on his own after hitting the field, but returned to the game shortly afterward. After about six plays, Hurd again came off the field complaining his head hurt, Anthony said.

Hurd started vomiting on the sideline and was treated by the school's trainers, then fell to the ground and began going into convulsions, Anthony said.

But Hurd told the trainers he felt good enough to participate in postgame handshakes and went back on to the field. During that ceremony, Hurd collapsed and lost consciousness. He was treated by firemen and ambulance workers at the scene, then taken to the hospital.