An Ankeny assistant football coach collapsed on the sideline during Friday night's Class 5A quarterfinal against Iowa City Liberty and was tended to by medical personnel before being taken away in an ambulance. The scare came with Ankeny leading 44-29 and about five minutes remaining in a game the Hawks would go on to win 51-29.
The coach has been identified as Greg Schoon, whose profile appears on the Ankeny Hawk Football coaches page. KCCI identifies Schoon as a defensive line coach. According to that page, Schoon was a three-year starter at defensive tackle at Iowa State. Per a CISN live stream cited by the Des Moines Register, Schoon was responsive before he was taken away in the ambulance.
Game Paused, Then Resumed
During a delay, Schoon was attended to, and the Des Moines Register's live tracker told readers the contest would resume in about five minutes, with Ankeny holding its 44-29 edge at the time. The game did pick back up after the delay, and Ankeny closed it out comfortably, extending the lead to 51-29 with 2:30 left on the clock before the final whistle, per the same live account.
KCCI reports that the incident occurred shortly after 9:30 p.m. Friday at Ankeny Stadium, and that Schoon left the game in an ambulance. The station cited Chris Meglio of the Times of Ankeny in reporting Schoon's identity, coaching role and Iowa State background. KCCI also reported that a police officer performed CPR on Schoon and that a defibrillator was used during the medical emergency.
What Remains Unknown
His condition and treatment after leaving the field in the ambulance remain unknown. No statement has been released from Schoon, his family, Ankeny schools, or any medical provider.
Despite the frightening scene on the sideline, Ankeny finished the night with the 51-29 victory and advanced to the semifinals at the UNI-Dome the following week.
