CLINTON, Iowa - When Zach Freudenberg steps up to the line of scrimmage, he's thinking one thing - good snap and step.

His mother's mind is wrapped around something entirely different.

A couple of weeks back, a hit took the wind out of Freudenberg and Freudenberg out of Clinton's football game. The senior center wanted back in the lineup. Lori Freudenberg just wanted him to breathe.

Overprotective mothers are as much a part of high school football as false starts and fumbles, but Lori has reason to expect the wildly improbable.

Eight years ago, a 10-year-old Zach Freudenberg was rushed to the hospital after having a seizure. His heart stopped three times before doctors stabilized him and found a tumor on his brain.

Today, Freudenberg is a healthy 18-year-old, thinking more about getting the River Kings' first postseason win in 34 years.

He doesn't recall the specifics of his grade-school scare, but Freudenberg appreciates how close he came to never playing a down.

Trouble emerges

Like most fourth-graders, Freudenberg cherished recess.

On Sept. 27, 2001, though, he was feeling a little off and headed to the school office. Not long after, he went into convulsions.

At Mercy Medical Center, Freudenberg's heart quit beating. Three times, Dr. Juergen Holl revived his patient before an MRI could be scheduled.

The scan of Freudenberg's brain revealed a golf ball-sized tumor, and his next stop was University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.

As it happened, Freudenberg's parents, Lori and Gerry, were on their way back from Iowa City with their daughter Anne, who had an appointment at the same hospital. The Freudenbergs got a call and turned around on Interstate 80.

"Of course your mind races to all sorts of things," Lori said. "He was unconscious when we got there, and they told us they found this mass on his brain."

That news in itself was scary.

Each year in Iowa, there are between 40 and 50 pediatric brain tumors diagnosed. No. 2 to leukemia in prevalence of childhood cancers, brain tumors hold a much lower the survival rate at 50-60 percent.

There's also a concern the tumor could spread to the optic nerve or spinal column.

With that sense of urgency, neurosurgeon Arnold Menezes postponed his trip to a conference in Egypt, electing instead to operate on Freudenberg.

The entirety of the tumor, which turned out to be benign, was removed four days after being discovered.

"It's a little scary, yeah," Freudenberg said. "But all my family was there to support me. Everyone in town was amazing. I got so many letters from people praying for me."

Return to routine

The tumor was gone, and the odds of a full recovery for Freudenberg were strong.

But he couldn't exactly bolt out of his hospital bed back to the playground. Initially, he couldn't even walk.

Through a host of therapists - physical, occupational and speech - he relearned to read, write and feed himself.

Freudenberg stayed in the hospital for 10 days, and his memories aren't all filled with anguish.

Already a budding sports fan and athlete, he was thrilled with a visit from Iowa athletes, including Luke Recker and Tim Dodge.

Even after he was discharged, Freudenberg's daily activities weren't too routine.

He fought through double vision for several months, learning to get by with a constant wink.

When he returned to school two months later, his activity was monitored and limited.

"It was very frustrating," Freudenberg said. "I'd have to go out at recess and just stand there watching everybody else do everything.

"It got to the point where I wanted to give up, but you know you can't."

Freudenberg got help from another therapist to get through his depressive state, and not long after, he returned to sports.

Final clearance

A youth-league baseball player before the tumor interrupted, Freudenberg soon developed a fondness for football - much to his mother's chagrin.

"I asked him to just play baseball," Lori said. "Swimming I thought would be a really wonderful thing.

"As a mother, you want him to do what he loves, but I still cringe whenever I see him get hit."

The hits nearly ended just after they'd begun.

At a checkup shortly after joining his first tackle football team, a teen Freudenberg couldn't accept Menezes' directive to give up the sport.

"It almost brought me to tears," Freudenberg said.

Ultimately, Menezes gave his consent after a lengthy discussion.

Five years later, Freudenberg is as appreciative as ever.

"I love football," he said. "It's what I do. This team, this year - it's just all worth it now."

Savoring success

For the second straight year, Freudenberg has been Clinton's varsity snapper.

It's an often thankless job that requires substantial awareness in addition to blocking duties.

Under Freudenberg's front-line guidance, the River Kings are 9-0 and in the postseason for the first time since 1996.

"We want a kid at center that is going to be able to understand what's happening with the defensive line so we can give some calls out to our offensive line," coach Lee Camp said. "Zach has done a great job."

Freudenberg hopes to continue his playing career at St. Ambrose. That remains to be seen, but if nothing else, football has helped him overcome an earlier fear of doing anything that could cause him to hit his head.

"Just looking back on it and seeing how lucky I am to get out of it," Freudenberg said. "That's crazy."