REPORT RATTLES TEAMS, FAMILIES.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer Daily News Staff Writer

Dante Clay, an All-City running back from North Hollywood High School, walked off the football field at Grant High on Friday afternoon looking exhausted. He had rushed for 109 yards but had been hit hard throughout - in the ribs, on his shoulders, at his helmet.

Then he was told about a coroner's report released Friday which said that a blow to the head during a Sept. 12 game could have been the cause of a fatal brain hemorrhage suffered last month by Reseda High football player Eric Michael Hoggatt. Clay paused for a moment, perhaps reflecting about the dangers of the sport he loves.

``That's hard to take,'' he said. ``My condolences to Reseda. I feel their pain. That's freak. That's scary. It's part of the sport, though. It can happen to anyone, even me.''

Coaches, parents, players - they all felt a chilling feeling Friday as word spread that a football injury could be the reason for Hoggatt's death.

At Reseda, longtime varsity coach Joel Schaeffer looked visibly shaken both by his body language and his facial expressions as he tried to prepare his team for a game against Sylmar. Players were informed of the coroner's report early in the afternoon. Schaeffer declined comment on the advice of school officials concerned about a potential lawsuit from the Hoggatt family.

``He's taking it tough,'' said Reseda Principal Robert Kladifko. ``I'm worried about him.''

Sylmar coach Jeff Engilman also expressed concern for Schaeffer and the Reseda players.

``This is a brutal sport,'' he said. ``It's going to scare a few coaches. It scares me. And nobody teaches a more hitting style than Sylmar. My heart goes out to Joel. It's unfortunate because usually the game is played very clean.''

Several Reseda parents approached in the stands said they were concerned about safety for their children but weren't about to prevent them from playing football.

``He loves the sport. I'm concerned for the young men, but there's no way you can pull him out,'' said Glenda Luben, the mother of Reseda freshman linebacker Gerard Jones. ``What can you do to prevent it? There's nothing the coach can do. The coaches, teachers and counselors have all been very supportive.''

The coroner's findings are almost certain to cause a re-evaluation of medical needs and procedures by area doctors and nurses volunteering their services during games.

Dr. Jerome Bornstein, the team doctor for Grant High School in Van Nuys and an orthopedic surgeon who has been taking care of San Fernando Valley high school football players for 35 years, vowed to keep helping players - but also admitted apprehension.

``I think those of us who are committed and have been committed for a long time, we've understood the risks,'' he said. ``I can handle the broken bones, but the head injuries are frightening. I'm sad the whole thing happened, but I'm going to continue to do my work.''

Already, the ramifications from Hoggatt's death are directly affecting the way coaches deal with injuries. After a North Hollywood player collapsed Friday afternoon from apparent heat exhaustion, Coach Gary Gray said he would make sure he informed the player's mother so she could watch over him.

``It (injuries) makes it even scarier for us,'' Gray said. ``We're under the gun as coaches. I'm sure Joel Schaeffer did everything he could. That's disturbing news. I'm hoping this makes the kids more responsible on reporting injuries to us.''