An unusually high number of players were injured during Friday night’s home football game. One injury halted play for 45 minutes.

Two Vashon players experienced minor injuries, requiring them to sit out for part of the game, and two Cascade Christian players were transported via ferry to Harborview for their injuries.

According to Deanna Johnson, athletic assistant at Cascade Christian, the first Cascade player to be transported suffered two broken bones in his leg. He was held at Harborview for at least three nights and was expected to be released Monday.

When another Cascade player was injured during the third quarter, suffering what seemed to be a neck injury, three Vashon ambulances were already off the Island.

While emergency responders were at the field in about five minutes, an ambulance crew wasn’t available to transport the player for 45 minutes, during which time responders tended to him as he lay stabilized on the field.

Mark Brownell, battalion chief of EMS Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR), said VIFR experienced an unusually high number of calls Friday evening, requiring five off-Island transports in 90 minutes. He said the spurt of transports was very rare.

“That’s the first time that that’s occurred in my six years working for VIFR,” he said.

Brownell, who responded to the incident, said the player’s injury required VIFR responders to keep him immobile until an ambulance arrived.

While the response time to the second injury was longer than normal, Brownell said the player’s condition improved as they waited. VIFR can always transport patients via helicopter if necessary, Brownell noted.

“If I thought his condition was worsening. … I wouldn’t have batted an eye for a second to call a helicopter,” he said.

Johnson said the player suffered a neck strain, was released from Harborview that night and is reported to be in good condition.