CLAY FOOTBALL PLAYER RECOVERING AFTER HARD HIT

(11/03/2008)
A Clay County High School football players is recovering after taking a hard hit Friday night during a football game.

Clay was playing Tyler Consolidated High School.

"He was making a tackle and made initial contact and a player came in, one of our own players, to assist in the tackle and he was hit in the head," according to Clay Principal Phillip Dobbins.

"The Coach said it didn't look like a vicious hit, but it just must have hit him in the right spot," said Dobbins.

Dobbins identified the student as Luke Kleman, the son of Head Coach Frank Kleman.

The youth was unconscious for a while on the field but regained consciousness before being taken to the hospital.

At this point it does not appear that Kleman is paralyzed, but doctors say he suffered a serious concussion.

"The prognosis is much better than it was Friday night," said the principal. The youth is being treated at Ruby Memorial Hospital.