Dover sophomore hospitalized after collapsing during a game

A Dover High School student was still in stable condition as of Friday morning after collapsing during a basketball game late Thursday morning.

Randy Vitales was taken by paramedics from Mulhall-Orlando High School to Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City after an apparent cardiac arrest on the basketball court caused his collapse.

According to reports, Vitales remained sedated and on a ventilator, but his blood pressure was stabilized.

Dover was taking part in the Mulhall-Orlando Invitational and was playing Life Christian Academy in the quarterfinal round.

Vitales, a sophomore, had just scored a basket for the Longhorns and made his way to the other end of the court to play defense when he collapsed, according to reports.

Multiple Dover coaches - including Pete Voth, Danny Green and Matt Peck - quickly rushed to Vitales’ aid. It was determined Vitales wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse.

Those coaches were soon joined by Magnus Miller, a senior on the Life Christian team that Dover was playing, who is a lifeguard certified in multiple areas, including CPR.

An on-site automated external defibrillator (AED) was used to restore Vitales’ heartbeat.

CPR was administred on Vitales for 20 to 30 minutes, according to reports, until paramedics arrived.

Vitales was admitted in stable condition, which had not changed Friday morning.

According to school personnel, doctors told family members that the quick actions of the coaches and others who assisted - including a Mulhall-Orlando student who retrieved the AED - likely saved Vitales’ life.

School staff receive CPR training each year.

Public schools are also required to have AEDs on site.

Doctors ran multiple tests on Vitales Thursday before moving him into ICU.

The game itself was called off after Vitales was taken to the hospital. Eventually, the entirety of the tournament was canceled due to weather conditions.

Counselors and area pastors were at Dover school when the teams arrived back on campus to talk with and pray with students.

Dover also let parents know that Counselor Lori Burns would be available to any students who might need her assistance.

The school also posted a link on its Facebook page where t-shirts can be ordered. The shirts say “Dover Strong” and have the number “24” on them, which is Vitales’ jersey number. All proceeds from the shirt order will go to Vitales’ family.

Thursday’s incident received a lot of local and statewide attention, which was acknowledged by the Dover staff in a Facebook post on Thursday that read: “We thank you for your prayers and ask our Dover community to continue to pray for Randy, his family and the Dover students and staff.”