St. Thomas Aquinas standout Chase Young released from hospital after collapsing on field; father says he’s “doing well”

St. Thomas Aquinas star runningback Chase Young has been released from the hospital after he collapsed suddenly on the field Friday night late in the third quarter of the Trojans’ game at Elizabeth’s Williams Field.

Aquinas Athletic Director Jerry Smith told Central Jersey Sports Radio Saturday morning that Young was “home resting.”

His father, Chris Young, who also is an Aquinas coach, told CJSR Saturday that his son is home and “doing well.”

“All his test results were good,” Young’s father said, adding that his son had no head, neck or spine injuries, nor dehydration and has been medically cleared by doctors.

“[The] only thing I could think of is that maybe he got overheated and fainted. They said all of his levels were perfect from his blood work and tests,” Young added.

Just before 1:30 Saturday morning, through the Trojans’ Twitter account, head coach Tarig Holman told everyone “Chase is doing OK” and thanked them for their prayers and well-wishes, in particular thanking the Elizabeth players who reached out with their concern.

Friday night, Smith said Young seemed fine at halftime, and noted he’d been talking to him during the break and that trainers were stretching him out with no apparent issues before the second half began.

But as seen on the Hudl livestream of the game, as Young was standing around after a running play where he was tackled by several Elizabeth players on the field late in the third quarter – a routine football play. He got up, walked back to the area around the line of scrimmage, and was standing when he collapsed onto the field out of nowhere.

Smith says trainers had to revive Young as he was without a pulse for about 15 to 20 seconds. But he said Young was awake, conscious and responsive as he was put into an ambulance. 

In comments to NJ.com, Holman said he couldn’t speculate on a cause, and that doctors were running tests Friday night.

Smith says both teams were visibly distraught, the athletic directors met, and decided to suspend the game with the Trojans winning 25-8.  Smith said Friday night that would be the final score, and that the rest of the game would not be continued, however NJ.com reported that Elizabeth AD Ben Candelino said an official decision would be made Saturday.

The Aquinas football program sadly has been no stranger to tragedy.  In March 2022, head football coach Brian Meeney died of an apparent heart attack on his way to school at the age of 46. Young, a senior, was a freshman at the time, having played limited varsity snaps in the fall of 2021.

The following season, two Big Central Conference football players died during the 2022 season just weeks apart. Xavier McClain died nearly two weeks after being injured in a game against Woodbridge on September 9th of that year, while Rahway senior Ali Muhammad passed away in his sleep the day before McClain got hurt, on September 8th.

Smith says counselors will be on hand in school, even as Young recovers, to assist all students – not just the football team – in any way they need.