SAVANNA – He tried to fight back the emotion, but the tears welled up and his voice got shaky. Nick Hughes almost had to stop playing the sport he loves.

Hughes, a West Carroll senior quarterback/defensive back, nearly had concussions cut short his high school football career and his time playing for his dad, Andy, the Thunder’s offensive coordinator who also serves as the team’s quarterbacks and defensive backs coach.

His first and most serious concussion came when he was an eighth-grader. He was playing quarterback at the time.