WILDOMAR, Calif. -- For those who have never visited the campus of Cornerstone Christian (Wildomar, Calif.) before, you are not alone. The small private high school located out in relatively obscure Riverside County is off the beaten path for most individuals.
After setting foot on the grounds, however, you get the sense the surroundings are similar to what one might find at many Southern California prep institutions. Students appear to have the same style as most kids their age. Nothing different about the teachers, they play the part of run-of-the-mill educators. Administrators go about business in a workman-like manner as well.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, it hits you.
McGregor came over from Elsinore Highand quickly earned the admirationof the Cornerstone Christian community.
Photo courtesy of Cary Anderson
Things are not normal. Far from it, in fact.
Stickers with No. 7 and the phrase "Pray for Dax" are everywhere. On lockers in the halls. On bumpers of cars in the parking lot.
The well wishes are for Ryan "Dax" McGregor, a 17-year-old standout senior for the Crusaders' football team who suffered a traumatic brain injury during a game on Sept. 21 and remains hospitalized at UCLA-Harbor Medical Center.
"Dax is on everyone's mind around here, a day does not pass without us thinking about him and praying for his recovery,'' Cornerstone Christian coach Bill Jarvis said. "He wore No. 7 on his jersey, and as most can see, there are a bunch of reminders about that fact.''
The unfortunate incident occurred during the third quarter of the Crusaders' 64-33 CIF Southern Section nonleague victory over Avalon (Calif.) in an 8-man encounter, a tad bit different from the traditional 11-man game. Due to the enrollment size of both schools from the Golden State, the programs compete on a considerably smaller 80-yard field with fewer players.
According to Jarvis, the 6-foot and 175-pound two-way starter was playing on the defensive side of the ball at his middle linebacker position, and right around the seven-minute mark, McGregor walked off the field under his own power and indicated something was amiss.
"When Dax lined up, things appeared to be fine,'' Jarvis said. "The ball was snapped, he took on a couple of blockers, filled his gaps and then made a tackle, similar to how he's done so many times in the past for us. Seconds later, he came over to the coaches and told us he felt funny. Dax talked about how he felt some numbness. At that point, we realized he wasn't himself.
"We called 911, paramedics attended to him, he was still conscious, and apparently, physically stable. Then things took a turn for the worse, his condition manifested. I was concerned, we all were concerned, but we also knew to stay back and let the professionals do their jobs."
Cornerstone Christian players wearMcGregor's number on the back of theirhelmets and signs can be seen all aroundthe Southern California campus.
Photo courtesy of Cary Anderson
After those professionals did their jobs, McGregor was rushed to the hospital in Torrance, by helicopter. They had no other choice - Avalon is the flagship town on Catalina Island, located 39 miles from Long Beach.
As McGregor recovers in the intensive care unit, Cornerstone Christian (4-3) is preparing this week for Friday's Majestic League game against Calvary Chapel (Moreno Valley, Calif.) with heavy hearts. Ranked No. 22 in the state by MaxPreps among 8-man teams, the Crusaders have dedicated the season to McGregor.
His teammates, as well as the Cornerstone Christian community, can take some consolation in the fact that McGregor has taken steps on the road to his potential recovery.
"I was told by doctors that Dax was lucky to be alive. But he is a fighter, a strong kid, he's improving and making progress every day, thankfully,'' said his mother, Shannon McGregor. "His coordination is limited right now, but that was expected. Good thing is, he's alert and can write and talk. This whole situation has been surreal for everyone, me and his father, our whole family.
"The support we've had has been amazing. Dax knew so many people through football and school. He was able to touch a lot of people's lives and it seems like each one of them has reached out to him during this time of need. I can't thank my family and friends, the community, and people from Wildomar enough for all of the help that‘s been sent our way. People I don't even know, from all over the United States, have said that they were willing to do whatever it takes to support Dax. Even if that's saying a couple of prayers for him, it means so much. Words can't describe how we feel."
The Dax McGregor Fund was recently launched online and Internet updates about his condition are frequent. The goal was to raise $25,000 for medical expenses. Remarkably, the total has reached $20,000 in less than a month and showed little, or no, signs of slowing down.
"Dax is my best friend, and while he might not be with our team physically, he is with us spiritually,'' said senior running back and defensive back Joe Cody, one of 15 players on the roster for the Crusaders. "The first week without him at school was weird, too quiet. Things are getting back to a normal pace. Everyone wants him to get better, even people who are not from around here.
"This team wears the No. 7 sticker on the back of our helmets in honor of Dax. I have his football gloves with me at every game. He loved the sport and played it with all of his heart. Our goal is to do the same, leave it all out on the field, with no regrets. We want to win for him.''
McGregor transferred to Cornerstone Christian after playing at nearby Elsinore for the last three years. He made a seamless transition to the Crusaders, emerged as a leader this season on both sides of the ball and was tops on the team in a number of different statistical categories after five games. And don't forget his many contributions as a member of the special teams unit as well.
As the starting quarterback, McGregor threw for 497 yards and four touchdowns. Equally effective running the ball on the ground, he averaged more than 6 yards per carry.
Defensively, McGregor averaged more than five tackles per game. He had a season-high nine stops, six of them solo, in a 26-19 season-opening loss to Lancaster Baptist (Calif.), ranked No. 8 in the state by MaxPreps. Before the injury against Avalon, McGregor was well on his way to setting a benchmark considering he had eight tackles in less than four quarters of work.
A factor in the kicking game, McGregor averaged close to 40 yards per punt. He booted the ball 50 yards or more three times, including a 56-yarder. McGregor amassed 414 yards on 25 kickoffs with 14 touchbacks. His 11 successful point-after attempts were noteworthy as well.
"Dax is our captain, he is the best player on this team, but more importantly, he's a very good friend to me and everyone at our school,'' said Crusaders senior linebacker, fullback and receiver Jake Anderson. "We were scared for him when the injury happened. I think about Dax all of the time now. We all do. We're going to stand by his side every step of the way as he gets better.''
McGregor was known as a star on the gridiron, yes. His impact at Cornerstone Christian, however, extended beyond his versatility and upside while on the field of play. He also excelled in the classroom and carried a 3.1 GPA.
McGregor was indeed thought of as a big man on campus.
"Ryan, or Dax as some people call him, is a great young man, and I can speak to his character after having him in my first period class. He was a pleasure to be around and is sorely missed," Cornerstone Christian principal Sharon Privett said. "He is in our thoughts and we have stayed in touch with his family. We hope and pray for a speedy recovery. Nothing would be better than to see him back on his feet at some point in the future. The throngs of people who care about him is amazing.''
The prognosis for recovery is unclear, according to family members. One thing is certain: The community has rallied around McGregor. His spirit is alive and well.
The No. 7 stickers plastered all over campus are proof he still plays a role in everyday life at Cornerstone Christian.
Sean Ceglinsky has covered preps and college sports in Southern
California for the better part of the past 15-plus years. Follow him on
twitter: @SeanCeglinsky
