Incoming Zip Shot but 'OK'

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Former Latrobe star Simkovich 'OK' after shooting accidentBy Bill Beckner Jr.VALLEY NEWS DISPATCHThursday, June 21, 2007 Former Latrobe standout Paul Simkovich says he will make a complete recovery after he was accidentally shot in the shoulder while skeet shooting two hours before his high school graduation. "I'll be OK," Simkovich said. "I'm going to get the stitches out Friday, and I'll be running in two weeks." Simkovich, a 6-foot-4, 310 pound tackle, is headed to Akron on a football scholarship. He says he will be ready for the start of training camp. Simkovich said he was shooting skeet in Fairfield Township with his father and a friend when the accident occurred June 1. "I asked my friend for some shells, and he picked them up and dropped one," Simkovich said. "He tripped and caught the trigger of the gun. It was a complete accident. "It didn't hurt, actually, until they cut my shirt away." The wound required 20 stitches, and Simkovich was unable to attend graduation that night. He received his diploma three days later in a special ceremony with members of the Latrobe boys volleyball team, who were in State College for the PIAA tournament. Simkovich won't play in the Foothills Football Classic all-star game Saturday at Norwin High School, but he plans to be on the sideline with his teammates. "He called me and said he couldn't make the game," said Valley's Troy Hill, who's coaching the all-star game's North team. "You never want to see something like that happen. We still want him at the game. We'll have a spot for him. "It's a big loss for us." The North team already was short on players when Hill found out about Simkovich. Three players from Plum pulled out for personal reasons. In addition, Hill said, Greensburg Central Catholic players were moved to the South roster. "It's sort of an unfair advantage by the numbers," Hill said. "But we'll do what we can." Bill Beckner Jr. can be reached at bbeckner@tribweb.com or 724-224-2696. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburgh...l/s_513615.html

[ZachTheZip]

Wow. That's crazy. I hope he recovers soon. That could have turned out much worse than it did.

[blueandgold]

He's lucky. That could have been tragic. Hopefully it's just a flesh wound and no damage to his muscles, bones or tendons.

[johnnyzip84]

Peyton Manniing says "rub a little dirt in it and get back out on the field!"