Bishop Amat’s Austin Lacy returns to action

Every heartbeat is precious.

So understand the life-threatening trauma Austin Lacy from La Puente Bishop Amat experienced in March when his heart stopped for nearly four minutes.

A scheduled 15-minute procedure to drain fluid from his chest because of a rare ECHO virus turned into a 3 1/2-hour operation to save his life, followed by 30 days in intensive care, then weeks of physical therapy.

“It was a terrible experience, especially for a 17-year-old kid,” Lacy said. “It was a lot to handle.”

But teenagers are resilient, and Lacy was back on the football field in August, determined to regain his status as one of the top linebackers from the Serra League.

He was out of shape, having missed summer workouts while making up classes and continuing physical therapy.

“The first day was pretty hard,” he said. “But I felt right. I felt good being out there with my team.”

On Friday night at East Los Angeles College, the senior who had his chest slit open just months before and his heart massaged back to life by courageous doctors, entered his team’s season opener against Los Angeles Garfield with three minutes left in the first quarter. Bishop Amat came away with a 23-0 victory.

His coach, Steve Hagerty, put in perspective what it means to have Lacy back on the field.

“It’s a miracle where he’s at, whether he’s all-league or all-nothing,” he said.

Lacy is slowly getting his quickness and swagger back. He has already come a long way considering he endured muscle atrophy that forced him to re-learn how to walk.

“It was like I was starting over, like a baby,” he said. “I couldn’t walk. My legs weren’t able to hold my weight at all.”

His father, Darryl, was in the crowd Friday and couldn’t be prouder of his son’s response.

“It’s a sign of success,” he said. “He battled a virus that could have cost his life. The biggest part is that he didn’t give up, and that’s a testament to Austin’s will.”

Lacy understands the coaches aren’t going to return him to the starting lineup until he earns his spot, and that will come as his strength and stamina returns.

One of the best parts about attending a private school is that you’re part of a large family, and an entire community rallied around Lacy.

“I just felt loved,” Lacy said. “Everybody from the school to my family to my friends, they supported me throughout the whole situation. It helped my recovery a lot.”

And every game he plays, he adds to the comeback story of the year.

Shay to the rescue

When Bishop Amat’s top running back, Jay Anderson, decided not to play this season to focus on baseball, it left the Lancers scrambling for a replacement.

Enter Zachary Shay, a junior. He made his presence felt Friday, returning punts 55 and 65 yards and sprinting 68 yards for a touchdown on an inside screen pass.

Another standout for the Lancers was defensive lineman Julian Gener, who had one sack, contributed a six-yard tackle for a loss and pressured Garfield quarterback Leonardo Vaal constantly.

It was a bit of a struggle for Bishop Amat’s new quarterback, Rio Ruiz. He seemed most comfortable when he could maneuver out of the pocket, and he finished with two touchdown passes. He’ll get better.

The right way

No one tells Garfield Coach Lorenzo Hernandez to play in Division I in the City Section or schedule Southern Section powers such as Bishop Amat.

But he does it because he wants to challenge his players to be the best, and each season, the Bulldogs seemingly take a little step forward.

It’s the right way to build a program. Some coaches think winning a championship in a lower division is better. Yes, you’ll get to put up a banner, but the truth is the only way to become a Division I champion is to face the best.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com