From where he was standing last Friday, surrounded by friends and other Marion County fans near midfield on the visitors’ sideline, Dewayne Walters began cheering the familiar sight of his son Logan breaking loose for a big gain.
On the next-to-last play of the third quarter, the younger Walters – who was having an all-state caliber season as quarterback for the Warriors – picked up a first down to begin a drive toward a potential tying score against Boyd-Buchanan in a battle of the state’s two top-ranked Class 2A teams.
But after a Boyd-Buchanan defender’s helmet collided with his, Logan tried to stand but went back down to one knee and then fell face-first into the mud. Like the thousands who had filled the stands on both sides, Dewayne fell silent and felt a lump in his throat as what had been a swirl of noise and energetic atmosphere that makes high school football special suddenly was overtaken by expressions of concern and eerie silence.
Players, fans and coaches on both sides bowed their heads, and even the crew of officials gathered on the field, removed their caps and prayed for Logan, who continued to lie prone and motionless as trainers and paramedics attended to him.
Dewayne eventually made his way onto the field for a scene that is every parent’s worst nightmare. The next half hour would feel like the longest of his life.