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Two Illinois High School Basketball Players Die In Sledding Crash

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated21 Mar 2023

Two Illinois High School Basketball Players Die In Sledding Crash Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr

Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr, two high school basketball players for Prairie Central High School in Fairbury, Illinois, passed away over the weekend after a tragic sledding accident during spring break at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Frisco, Colorado.

According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred at 8:35 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 19. Bazzell and Fehr’s sled flew off a snowbank at the bottom of a half-pike. The senior athletes landed on the thick ice below at a high speed.

“The two individuals came down hard on the hard ice below causing blunt force trauma,” said a police official. “Individuals should always practice safe on-snow activity habits and to be aware of the risks associated with these activities.”

First responders attempted to aid Bazzell and Fehr, but the two were pronounced dead on the scene. Bazzell, 18, played varsity basketball and football for Prairie Central High School. The young prospect appeared in only one game his senior year.

Dylan Bazzell was selected Associated Press First-Team All-State. In his junior year, the athlete averaged 15.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 29.4 minutes in 17 games.

Prairie Central High School offers prayers and support to the families of Dylan Bazell, Drew Fehr

Drew Fehr, 17, also played basketball and football at the varsity level. Last year in his junior season, Fehr averaged 3.8 points, 3.7 boards, and 18.5 minutes per game through 15 appearances.

“As we know, ‘it takes a village’ to raise a child,” Prairie Central school district officials said in a statement. “And it will take all of us working together to comfort and support our children through this tragic event.
“For those of you who read our earlier memo, you know that we withheld the names of our beloved students who passed last night until family granted us permission to release them. With this permission, we would
like to ask that you keep the families of Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr in your prayers.”https://twitter.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1638166764293967873On Twitter, the official Prairie Central High School account sent out a message to the local community on Monday. The district is offering its services to any students who need counseling, prayer, and support.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to help our students and staff with the grieving and healing process,” tweeted Prairie Central High School. “To that end, we have teamed with the Baptist Church in Fairbury to offer counseling, prayer, and a place for students to gather today. These services will be available starting at 10:00 a.m. and will continue throughout the day.”

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