SAN MARCOS, Calif. -- About 500 people donated more than $16,000 Wednesday to help defray medical expenses for injured Mission Hills High School football player Scott Eveland, who has been hospitalized since he collapsed during a game in September.

The pancake breakfast at the San Marcos Community Center was sponsored by the city of San Marcos, the San Marcos Unified School District and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department's Community Policing Unit.

The turnout "made us ecstatic," said sheriff's Deputy Denese Deal, who helped organize the event.

Eveland, a senior linebacker, stumbled off the field during a game against West Hills High School on Sept. 14 and was rushed to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. He suffered a subdural hematoma, which causes blood to collect around the surface of the brain, swelling of the brain and was in a coma when he arrived at the hospital.

The 18-year-old is now listed in good condition, said Andy Hoang of Palomar-Pomerado Health.

"He is doing very well," Hoang said.

Eveland is able to kiss and hug his mother, is "tracking better with his eyes" and interacting with people and his environment, Hoang said.

These and other physical gains by Eveland are being made daily with no signs of regression, he said.

The past couple of weeks have been "very encouraging," according to Hoang.

Eveland, who is in the hospital's Acute Rehabilitation Unit, had been scheduled to move to a skilled nursing facility at the end of last month, but his insurer, Blue Cross of California, reversed it's decision.

His condition is to be re-evaluated by the firm on Dec. 23, according to the North County Times.