Scott City's Modglin excels one year after serious injury

The first thing that stands out about Ryan Modglin is his muscular, well-defined arms.

But upon closer inspection, there are two marks, scars really, on his forehead that serve as a reminder.

A reminder of how close he came to death one year ago.

"They told us just be thankful to the Lord that he lived and it's very possible he could of been paralyzed from the neck down," said Randy Modglin, Ryan's father.

On Saturday, the junior right-hander struck out 17 batters in a seven-inning game, arguably his best game of the season. It was the one-year anniversary of the accident that nearly took his life.

One year and two days ago today, Ryan Modglin was participating in a wrestling drill during gym class at Scott City High School. A classmate had him in a headlock and Modglin picked him up. He went to set down his wrestling partner, but the classmate curled his legs and Modglin crashed to the floor, head first.

"I got knocked out for like 4 or 5 seconds," Modglin said. "I came to and my head just hurt. I walked around, then I went and called my mom because my neck started to get stiff."

Modglin's mother took him straight to the hospital. That's where they got the horrible news. Modglin had broken his C-1 vertebrae, which connects the skull and spine. Doctors were preparing to operate on Modglin, until Dr. Joel Ray at Saint Francis Medical Center offered another solution, Randy Modglin said.

"Dr. Ray said it's a miracle he didn't die instantly and he wasn't paralyzed," Randy Modglin said. "... They were looking at surgery at that time, and then Dr. Ray came in and looked at him and diagnosed him and said he felt he could stabilize him with a halo."

Modglin spent the next three months in a halo device, which immobilized his neck. The halo consists of a vest that looks similar to shoulder pads and then four support bars that connect to a ring that goes around the head. The four scars on Modglin's head -- two in the front and two in the back -- are where the brace was screwed tightly to his skull.

"I didn't do anything," Modglin said of the three months. "I just laid there."

He stayed with his grandparents and his father took off nine weeks from work to help care for his son.

There wasn't much Modglin could do as he recovered. He spent most of his time playing video game and hanging out with friends who came to visit. He never changed his clothes out of caution, which means he wore his baseball jersey for three straight months because that's what he was wearing when he got hurt.

"A 15-year-old kid as strong as a bull was reduced to an infant," Randy Modglin said.

After three excruciating months, Modglin finally earned his release from the halo. It didn't take him long to begin preparing to return to sports.

"I remember when we came home, it seemed right after he was released from his halo, he asked Dr. Ray if he could start doing exercises, pushups and stuff," Randy Modglin said. "He couldn't wait to get home and start doing pushups."

Modglin skipped the basketball season, instead making his return to athletic competition this spring with baseball. Lance Amick is Scott City's basketball and baseball coach. Despite missing Modglin during the basketball season, he's thankful to have the junior back for baseball.

"To me, it's just a miracle," Amick said. "Not many people come back from injuries like that. To watch Ryan now, it's just like watching him a year ago, to be honest with you."

Modglin, who is a pitcher and outfielder, struggled with his control early in the season. He admits it took a while to get the feel back for his offspeed pitches, but says he's 100 percent now. Scott City catcher Cody Carlyle isn't so sure.

"There's a little difference," Carlyle said. "He's not throwing as hard as he used to, but he's still throwing pretty hard."

Modglin improved to 2-3 on the mound this season with Saturday's 17-strikeout performance.

"He loves pitching," Amick said. "He wants to be out there. He wants to have the ball. Obviously his velocity doesn't hurt him."

Modglin throws four pitches -- a fastball, curveball, changeup and forkball. He says he isn't afraid to blow a fastball past a hitter, but doesn't mind going to the forkball for the strikeout either.

"I can use any one as an out pitch," Modglin said. "I kind of mix it in there. Sometimes it's fastball to see what he's like."

He's no slouch at the plate, either. Modglin bats in the middle of the Rams' order and offers plenty of power. He added a homer in Saturday's game against Shawnee.

"He's got great reflexes and great hand-eye coordination," Amick said. "He has such quick hands. It's hard to get a fastball by him and he adjusts to a curveball really well."

Scott City stands at 7-5 this season, and Modglin will play a pivotal role in the team's continued success as the playoffs draw near. Whether he's striking out the side or bashing home runs, his father doesn't care. It's been a year since the accident and he still worries, but he has a new attitude when he watches his son run around and realize some of his talent for sports.

"I still get choked up when I talk about it," Randy Modglin said. "You see a young man with a pretty decent future in baseball and then you have this, and you're just thankful he's alive."