Anson-Haskell high school football game ended early following serious injury

By admin — In News — September 19, 2026

   ​HASKELL, Texas – The Anson Tigers and Haskell Indians played 47 minutes of physical, hard-hitting high school football Friday night.With time winding down late in the fourth quarter of a back-and-forth, one-score game, Haskell forced a pivotal turnover on downs with 63 seconds remaining.The stadium went wild and the Indians’ sideline erupted in applause.Moments later, though, spectators could hear a pin drop as the crowd at Indian Field went silent.The energy was sucked out of the stadium when supporters on both sides realized Haskell sophomore Matthew Williams was down on the field and slow to get up. Haskell was taken to a local hospital via medflight, but his condition is improving.According to an update post from the Haskell Athletic Boosters Facebook page, Williams is reportedly awake, aware and regaining feeling throughout his body.”Matthew is upright and moving around, his scans are clear, and doctors are continuing to monitor him for a spine concussion. There is still a road ahead, so please don’t stop praying. We believe God is not finished yet. We love you Bear. Your army is behind you,” read the post.“I mean, I don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with. I hope it’s better than what we may expect, but I don’t know,” Haskell head football coach Creighton Henderson said moments after the injury.“Bear (Williams) was up there working his butt off, you know. He caused a fourth-down stop, gave us a chance to win the football game and put it all on the line.”Athletic trainers and medical staff rushed onto the field to check on Williams, who was injured on the game-changing play.Facing fourth-and-23 at their own 35-yard line, the Tigers elected to roll the dice with a 48-44 lead and faked a punt to try to pick up a victory-clinching first down on the trick play.Anson sophomore Grayson Feagan fielded a deep snap, faked a punt and then took off running toward the sideline and the first-down marker.More: Week 4 Big Country-area high school football schedule, scores (Sept. 17-19)More: Photos from Graham High School football’s Week 4 matchup with BrownwoodMore: In photos, Hawley falls to Early in Big Country football showdownA swarm of Indians defenders collided with Feagan along the sideline, formed a pile and pushed the Tigers’ quarterback out of bounds near midfield a few yards shy of a first down.Williams ended up at the bottom of the dogpile along the Indians’ sideline, where he was unable to stand up after the play.“It’s fourth down and their quarterback was running down the sideline trying to get a first down,” Henderson said. “Bear met him about a few yards short and made a head-to-head hard tackle on the sideline. That’s about all I can say.”Both teams returned to their respective sidelines while athletic trainers from both schools attended to Williams on the field where he had been injured.A Haskell County ambulance, which had been stationed behind the end zone, pulled onto the field as Williams was initially sec  

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