Prep Notebook | Lindbergh senior undergoes three hours of surgery after hit to helmet

Lindbergh High School football player Robert Wilson was released from intensive care at Harborview Medical Center and was in stable condition there Monday after undergoing brain surgery following a helmet-to-helmet hit.

The 17-year-old Wilson, a defensive and offensive tackle, suffered the injury when making a tackle for a loss in the second quarter of the Eagles' 33-3 win over Highline Friday night at Highline Stadium.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior was in good spirits Monday despite having his dreams of playing college football dashed. Doctors advised against the risk of playing football again, according to his uncle, George Colello Jr.

"That was pretty hard for him to hear, because his dream was to play college football for his mom," said Colello, referring to his sister, Shanna Matthews, a single parent raising Wilson and his sisters, Brittney and Amanda. "It's been 72 hours, and my nephew is doing pretty darn good despite everything.

"He asked if I could take him to every [Lindbergh] game, and I said, 'You better believe it.' "

Friday's game was stopped for 45 minutes while Wilson lay on the Highline turf. Wilson was taken to Harborview, where he underwent three hours of surgery to relieve pressure to his brain and repair a clot, according to Colello.

Colello, who was taking pictures of his nephew at the game, was one of the first people Wilson approached on the sideline, complaining that his head hurt.

"He came to me and said, 'My head, my head, my head,' " Colello said.

This scare came almost three years to the day after Tyee football player DeShawn Smith, 15, died three days after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Sept. 3, 2004.

Wilson got a surprise visit from Washington football coach Tyrone Willingham Saturday night at Harborview. The Huskies coach was visiting UW safety Darin Harris after he suffered a head injury in Saturday's game against BYU, and Colello asked him to see Wilson.

"Coach Ty spent about 30 minutes with my nephew," Colello said. "That was pretty cool. That made the weekend better for [Wilson]."

Wilson was an All-Seamount League honorable-mention pick at defensive end as a junior.

UW gets Federal Way's Pulu

Andru Pulu, a senior linebacker from Federal Way High School, didn't hesitate when Washington offered him a football scholarship Saturday after the BYU game. He gave his oral commitment to Chris Tormey, the Huskies' recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach.

"I've been interested in U-dub so I could stay close to home," said Pulu (6-3, 250 pounds), a preseason all-state selection. "It felt right. I was really excited and happy, and so was my father."

Pulu said he also had offers from WSU, UNLV and Eastern Washington. He believes Washington has a bright future.

"I think the U-dub is going to be better," he said. "They do have a young team."

Pulu, who runs a 4.7 40-yard dash and also starts at offensive tackle for Federal Way, is a three-year starter.

Carter headed to Pacific

Sterling Carter, a 5-11 senior basketball guard for Franklin High School, has committed to play for the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. Carter averaged 13.1 points, 2.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals last season for the KingCo 4A champions, who placed fifth at state.

Times staff reporters Craig Smith

and Sandy Ringer contributed to this report.