COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-
A 17-year-old high school football player died shortly after collapsing during a game.
Fermin Vialpando, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound center for Harrison High School, was running down the field in the third quarter Friday night when he collapsed, The Gazette newspaper reported.
Vialpando had a heart condition, said Dawn Miller, El Paso County deputy coroner. Further tests were needed to determine the exact cause of death.
His mother, Sundae Vialpando, had told The Denver Post on Saturday that he had no known health problems.
Vialpando, a senior, tried to call a huddle just before he collapsed, Harrison cornerback Miki Eltagonde said. “He was running down the field and he just stopped and fell. He tried getting up and then fell back again and it happened again,” Eltagonde said.
A teammate yelled to coaches that Vialpando was having a seizure, and the game was halted. A doctor was on the field within a minute, athletic director Dave Hogan said.
Vialpando died at a hospital.
Chaplains were called to help grieving players and friends.
“Everybody’s in shock,” Hogan said, choking back tears. “You see what you think is a healthy young person. It’s a hard thing.”
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