The Bowie News sports editor, yours truly, has seen some incredible things throughout covering sports – state championships, tales of personal triumph and those sobering stories.
Well, on Tuesday evening, I witnessed a first in my professional journalism career.
It was a prayer circle.
People from opposing high schools – hand in hand – formed a large prayer circle around the basketball court at Bellevue School in extreme eastern Clay County.
See, Tuesday’s District 1A-21 game was stopped late in the third quarter when emergency personnel provided medical attention to Prairie Valley senior post Amber Wood.
The game was delayed for nearly 30 minutes, but that certainly didn’t matter to anyone.
Wood had waited for her chance to play this season for Prairie Valley, and she’s made positive contributions all season long for the Lady Bulldogs.
Wood was visibly shaking as members from the Bellevue Volunteer Fire Department and other officials from Bellevue and Prairie Valley attended to her.
Bellevue Fire Chief Mark Hanson was first on the scene.
Thankfully, Bellevue is equipped with the latest medical gear possible – including an automated external defibrillator (AED), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) mask and an oxygen tank. Read more in the weekend Bowie News.

Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.

People from Bellevue and Prairie Valley joined hands and formed a prayer circle for Prairie Valley girls’ basketball player Amber Wood on Tuesday night. Wood was “resting comfortably” on Friday, Prairie Valley officials reported. Click on the image itself for the complete photo. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)