Banning fullback is OK

For those at the homecoming game last Friday...

From DailyBreeze.com
Article Launched: 10/13/2008 11:30:48 PM PDT

The initial reports on injured Banning fullback Joel Panteau appear positive after a major scare on Friday night, when he was injured on the final play of Banning's 42-7 nonleague loss at Orange Lutheran and was taken by paramedics to a local hospital.

Banning coach Chris Ferragamo said Saturday that an MRI revealed only a pinched nerve in his neck and that Panteau was released from Hoag Memorial Hospital in Newport Beach at around 3 a.m. on Saturday.

"It's a very positive thing," Ferragamo said. "His shoulder is fine and he's recuperating well. They didn't keep him at the hospital overnight. His MRI proved well. It looks like he's going to be OK."

Ferragamo said Panteau will miss at least two weeks, but the coach was thankful the injury was not more serious. Panteau was given the ball on a draw foron the final play of the game. He was brought down by his shoulders, and his head was pulled back in what Ferragamo called a "freaky-type thing."

"I've had players with dislocations on shoulders and fingers. I've had broken legs, but not a serious neck injury," Ferragamo said. "You get players with stingers all the time, but that goes away pretty quick. It's like hitting your crazy bone.

"We do a lot of work on our necks at practice to try and prevent this kind of thing."