Funeral services scheduled for Saturday for Drake athlete...

Funeral services scheduled for Saturday for Drake athlete

(RETRANSMITTING to CORRECT headline; moving on news and sports
lines)

DRAKE, N.D. (AP) Funeral services are scheduled Saturday
morning at the Drake High School for a 17-year-old star athlete and
honor student who died at football practice this week.

Michael Mack was an all-state wide receiver, a standout in
baseball, and he was crowned homecoming king.

He collapsed during sprints at football practice Monday
afternoon and died shortly afterward.

Superintendent Brent Engebretson said this morning he had no
more information on the cause of death. But he said the Roman
Catholic church in Drake was packed for a special mass for friends
and relatives.

Velva baseball coach Mike Thingstad coached Mack. He says Mack
had heart surgery when he was in seventh grade.

Thingstad says Mack was in his words "the kind of kid you
want your daughter to bring home or the kind of kid you hope your
son grows up to be."

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP 09-13-06 1123CDT