Second Kuna Football Player Hospitalized

The Kuna community has experienced another difficult situation; Elijah Minnick is a junior at Kuna High School, and plays on the same team as Bartlome. Minnick who suffered serious spinal cord injuries last year, spent New Year's Eve hospitalized with a strep infection and was still in a Boise hospital Thursday night. Kuna varsity football coach, Lee Leslie says " it's a little bit of a slug in the gut," describing the impact of both player's conditions on both the community and himself. Doctors aren't sure how he got the strep infection but officials belive an earlier surgery weakened his immune system, contributing to the severity of the strep infection. While it's not clear how long Minnick will be under intensive care, Leslie said it could be upwards of 30 days. Minnick and his brother, Jonah, played right next to each other during Leslie’s coaching career in Kuna. Elijah plays left tackle, and Jonah left guard.
Family members for Boone Bartlome say he's expected to be back home in February.