Student's collapse apparently not sports-related, officials say

Ledyard - It does not appear that sports-related trauma is to blame in the collapse of 16-year-old Matthew Buriak, a junior at Ledyard High School who has been hospitalized in critical condition since a football game Saturday.

"It would appear it had nothing to do with a traumatic sports injury," Ledyard Superintendent of Schools Michael Graner said Monday. "But until we get a chance to speak to the medical officials, we don't know," added Graner, who said he had spoken with the Buriak family.

Graner said school officials will soon begin a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding Buriak's collapse.

"Once that information is available, we will take a look back at everything that happened," he said.

Buriak, a wide receiver for the Colonels' junior varsity squad, was in a huddle between plays on Saturday when he collapsed. He was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich and on Sunday was transferred to Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, where a hospital spokesman said late Monday he was in critical condition.

All student athletes in Ledyard are required to undergo a physical exam before playing sports, Graner said, adding that Buriak had had such an exam at the start of the year. The high school athletics staff does not believe Buriak had been injured in games or practices over the course of the season, he said.

Buriak is an honor-roll student, artist and a three-season athlete. Through Graner, Buriak's parents said they were grateful for the community's outpouring of support.

On Monday morning, school officials shared with students as much information about Buriak's condition as they knew, but then tried to run the day as normally as possible. The football team, preparing for its Thanksgiving Day game against Fitch, practiced as scheduled.

"One of the things that we've tried to do is try to provide a stable environment, or at least as stable an environment as we can," Graner said. "Classes proceeded as normal and, frankly, I believe that's what needed to be done."

Several dozen of Buriak's teammates and friends, as well as Principal Louis Gabordi, went to Hartford on Monday to be at the hospital.

"It was and continues to be tough for everyone here," Graner said.

The annual induction dinner for the school's National Honor Society chapter, scheduled for Monday night, was postponed until Dec. 7. Though Buriak was not scheduled to be honored at this year's dinner, the selection committee had its eyes on the promising student.

"We sort of line up the candidates early," Graner said, "and everybody knows he would probably be there."