Ponchatoula High junior football player Bryce McKinney continues to recover in the critical care unit at Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge after suffering a spinal cord injury in a junior varsity game nearly a month ago.

Courtesy Photo / Ponchatoula High School

Ponchatoula junior Bryce McKinney continues to recover from a spinal cord injury suffered during a junior varsity game in September

McKinney, who turned 17 on Oct. 2, had a second surgery Monday afternoon in an effort to further stabilize his spinal cord, his aunt Dianna Rogers said in a telephone interview.

“They haven’t given us a final diagnosis yet,” Rogers said. “They have to get through these surgeries. This will probably be the last major surgery he’ll have, but they haven’t given us a final diagnosis.”

Rogers said McKinney has some upper body movement, but the family and doctors are hoping for even more once all the surgeries are finished.

To date, response from the Ponchatoula community has been “overwhelming,” Ponchatoula High principal Cynthia Foster said.

“This is a very caring and generous community and school,” Foster said. “The outpouring for him has just been phenomenal. Continual fundraisers at school and community. Outside people donating money. Other schools sending money.

“Several schools in district have had fundraisers at the gate. Another school we have nothing to do with called and said they had raised money. Booster clubs (have raised money). The Saints organization. It’s just been phenomenal. We’ll open the mail with a check for $100 from somebody we don’t even know.”

Rogers said McKinney has yet to start the intense therapy he will eventually need, but that the hospital is providing some therapy.

“They do therapy here in the hospital in the critical care unit,” Rogers said. “He’s not as sedated as he was. The more he comes out, the more we’re able to find out for him.”

The school has set up a Web page, occasionally updating McKinney’s condition, while also updating the latest on fundraisers and donations.

A bank account has been set up at First Guaranty Bank in Ponchatoula for donations that will assist the McKinney family. Donations can be mailed to the Bryce McKinney Fund, P.O. Box 398, Ponchatoula, LA, 70454, Attention: Vickie Jenkins. Phone numbers for the bank are (985) 386-2000 or toll free at (888) 375-3093.

Virgets out at Grace King?

King head football coach Mike Virgets didn’t coach the Fighting Irish’s Friday night game against Bonnabel, having been suspended, according to the Times-Picayune.

When contacted Monday afternoon by HSGametime.com, Athletics Director Jeryl Fischtziur said Virgets’ status had “not been determined” yet and referred further questions to principal Alfred Johnson Jr.

Attempts to contact Johnson were unsuccessful.

Clark picks up emotional win

Clark High has been down on its luck in football lately. The school didn’t field a team in the two years following Hurricane Katrina, so when the Bulldogs suited up in August, it was the first time in a long time.

Friday, against De La Salle, the good news went a step further. After an 0-5 start against teams with a combined 17-13 record, Clark picked up its first win in the post-Katrina era, an 18-6 victory.

“It was good for me to look at those kids’ faces,” Clark head coach Byron Addison said. “After the game, I was so proud. Before we spoke to them, I just let them celebrate. They needed that. I’m usually one of the first ones to say that it’s not over, you don’t get excited. But I felt like they needed that and they deserved it.”

It started with defense for the Bulldogs (1-5, 1-0 District 11, 3A). Clark stuffed De La Salle time and again, and finished the night by allowing fewer than 175 total yards.

“We knew De La Salle had a real talented quarterback,” Addison said. “We stressed to the kids he was a game breaker. The kids actually got tired of me talking about this guy. They heard about him so much.”

Addison said Ryan Ferdinand and Cherrick Williams stepped up to keep De La Salle contained. “They just went out and just played an outstanding game,” Addison said. “They played a big part in keeping him under control.”

Just another lesson for Destrehan

Destrehan head coach Stephen Robicheaux certainly didn’t want the Wildcats’ district opener against Hahnville to come down to the wire. But in coming back from 10 points down late in the fourth quarter, his team definitely learned a lesson, he said.

“It tells our kids that even though you’re down, you have a chance to win,” Robicheaux said. “The kids continued to play that way. It was along row to hoe down 17-7 in fourth. They believed in themselves, believed in coaches, and made the plays they had to win the football game.”

Destrehan (6-0, 1-0 District 6, 5A) won despite giving up more than 200 yards passing to Hahnville (5-1, 0-1). But don’t think that worries Robicheaux.

“We’re a Cover-3 football team. We’re going to give up yardage,” Robicheaux said. “Bend but don’t break philosophy. They did a great job taking the things we give and had a few yards.”

Of course, Destrehan wouldn’t be in the driver’s seat in district if not for kicker Ryan Rome, who bounced back from a missed 52-yarder to nail the game-tying field goal at the end of regulation.

“He has done a great job all season,” Robicheaux said. “We have got all confidence in the world (in him). He lines the kick up, we have a penalty and he goes right back in and knocks it through.”

Barking up the wrong tree

Heading into Friday night’s District 8-4A opener for Belle Chasse and Vandebilt, all signs pointed to a close game between two undefeated teams.

By the time halftime rolled around, there was no doubt the Terriers of Vandebilt (6-0, 1-0) were the better team. Heck, they owned a 28-6 lead at the break. The 30-point victory was more than anyone could have expected before 7 o’clock.

“I’m probably surprised at margin of victory,” Vandebilt head coach Mark King said. “I knew we could win the ballgame if we played well. I did not expect that margin of victory in that ballgame. So, that surprised me, yeah.”

The Terriers rolled up 523 total yards on the Cardinals (5-1, 0-1), including 411 on the ground.

Curtis Welch rushed for a game-high 155 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, Dexter Smith added 140 yards on 16 carries, quarterback Evan Mistich had three touchdowns and 68 yards, and Alex Mitchell finished with 48 yards.

“That’s what we try to do here,” King said. “The guys we have here coaching off have coached a long time together. No matter where we’ve been, we’ve always been a run.”

King isn’t exactly worried that teams are going to load up the box with defenders in an attempt to stop the run. He already knows it’s coming, and is game-planning accordingly.

“I’m not extremely concerned because of the way we run, we run it out of multiple sets, with multiple threats,” King said. “We have four guys in our backfield at certain times that can touch the ball and run it.”

Bradley Handwerger can be reached at bhandwerger@wwltv.com or (504) 529-6439.