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NEDERLAND — Nederland kick returner Isiah Hernandez remembers the play that got him carted off the field. He remembers catching the kickoff and running a few yards before a West Orange Stark player picked him up and slung him to the ground.

“I ran it towards the middle and the guy picked me up,” Hernandez said. “I saw the night sky and then boom, just the turf like that. I was on the floor. Teammates tried to get me up. I couldn’t move my body at all.”

The injury came in the third quarter of the Bulldogs’ 32-0 loss to the Mustangs.

After the game, Nederland Head Coach Monte Barrow said his players kept Hernandez in their thoughts as they continued to play the game.

Hernandez said his mom came onto the field and was holding his hand when they rolled him over.

For the next several minutes, the training staff evaluated Hernandez on the field before putting him on a stretcher and sending him in an ambulance to St. Elizabeth for testing.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen or what was going on,” he said. “On the way in the ambulance, started getting more of a feel for what was going on and got more movement.”

After hours of tests, doctors determined Hernandez suffered a concussion and was released from the hospital at approximately 1 a.m. Saturday.

“Once I heard I was only going to be out a week or two, I was happy,” he said.

A few days after the incident, Hernandez said he is still a bit woozy, but eager to get back on the field.

“That was the first time on the field,” he said. “It was a great experience and learning what is what. I think there are some big things to come.”

Barrow was happy to see Hernandez back at school Monday.

“It is good to see him here,” Barrow said. “We hope he can get back and be ready to go in two weeks. He will be out this week, obviously. All tests and everything they did come back — I don’t want to say it was just a concussion, what with what it could’ve been, but it was a concussion and that was it.”

Hernandez could return for the team’s Sept. 9 game against Silsbee at Bulldog Stadium.