Friday Night Ouch

Walnut High's #88 Aubrey Coleman turns Rowland High's #3 Michael Ball's head backward with a facemask (snapping his collarbone) during Friday night's varsity football game between the Walnut Mustangs and the Rowland Raiders in Walnut. Oct. 16, 2009. SGVN Staff Photographer/Eric Reed

Breaking News: Rowland's all-everything Michael Ball out six weeks with a broken collarbone
By Fred Robledo on October 19, 2009

Rowland coach Craig Snyder informed us this morning that junior quarterback Michael Ball is out at least six weeks with a broken collarbone suffered in Friday's 27-7 victory over Walnut. Ball helped lead the Raiders to a perfect 6-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the Southeast Division. Walnut's Aubrey Coleman, shown in this picture below, almost spun Ball's head around by the facemask and was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and later in the game drew another unsportsmanlike call, though was never ejected from the game. "It was a blatant cheap shot," Snyder said. "He (Coleman) tackled all night going for the head. When you watch him tackle, his arms are always going above the pads. I know that (Walnut coach) Mike O'Shields doesn't teach that, he's a great coach, but that kid should have been thrown out of the game. For a 15-yard penalty we lose one of the best players in the Valley for probably the whole season, it's heartbreaking. Michael's obviously crushed, he was having a great season and it's over in the snap of a finger."
More: Walnut coach Mike O'Shields phoned Snyder on Monday to offer his condolences for Ball's injuries, and also felt that Coleman, who is 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, did not intentionally try and hurt Ball. "It was an obvious facemask and it's tragic when something like this happens because Michael's a great kid and he's having a great year," O'Shieds said. "Because Aubrey's so big, he struggles getting low on anything. I don't think there was any malice or intent on hurting Michael on Aubrey's part. I understand Craig's frustration, but If I thought any of our players were out to intentionally hurt someone, I would have handled it. That player won't be in the game."

Fred's Blog - http://www.insidesocal.com/tribpreps/2009/10/breaking-news-r-1.html


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