Valley High School football player released from hospital after sustaining concussion Friday

A Valley High School football player was released from a Pittsburgh hospital Saturday morning after being treated for a severe concussion he suffered in the team’s game Friday night, the player’s mother said.

Josh Dunlap, a senior defensive back, was sore but not experiencing any concussion symptoms Saturday morning, said his mother, Jeannie Dunlap, in a text message. Dunlap had been flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

“He will have to follow-up with the concussion clinic, but he’s eager to get back to football because it’s his senior year,” Jeannie Dunlap stated.

Dunlap was injured in the last play of the game against Southmoreland, which Valley lost on its home field.

“He was very emotional because he loves football and he has dreams to go to college to play,” Jeannie Dunlap wrote.

The concussion apparently did not diminish his appetite, because he ate a dozen tacos at a Taco Bell upon his release from the hospital, his mother shared in her text.

Valley football coach Mark Adams had declined to comment earlier Saturday on Dunlap’s condition, citing confidentiality requirements.

A second player was injured prior to halftime. New Kensington-Arnold School District athletic director Joe Skura said he could not release information on the player’s status and that he was unable to contact them Saturday.

There were two other medical emergencies after the game, Skura said.

One man was struggling to get to his vehicle and another person suffered what was possibly a panic or anxiety attack. Both were treated by medical personnel at the scene. It was unclear if they were taken to a hospital.

Skura commended the coaches, first responders and other officials on how they responded to the emergencies.

“I’m very proud of the way our staff handled the entire situation,” the athletic director said.

“We have a great group of people that work at those games who are prepared for every situation we faced tonight.

“Our coaches were phenomenal with the emergency situations. … I greatly appreciate the first responders who help cover our games. They handled the situation with professionalism and seriousness.”

Dunlap had just been named the Vikings’ Player of the Game.

The track field just beyond the Valley football field was used as the landing zone to airlift Dunlap to the hospital.