SAN MARCOS - Injured Mission Hills High School linebacker Scott "Scotty" Eveland's condition has improved from "serious" to "fair" and the teen is showing minor signs of improvement, authorities said Wednesday.

The 17-year-old senior, who underwent surgery for severe head trauma after collapsing on the football field in a prep football game against Santee's West Hills High on Sept. 14, is "very stable," according to Andy Hoang, spokesman for Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where Eveland is hospitalized.

"He's out of a coma now and he seems to be more alert," said Hoang. "He's breathing on his own."

Hoang stressed, however, that while Eveland's condition is no longer classified as serious, that doesn't mean he is in good condition.

"This continues to be a very, very slow recovery process," he said. "It's hard to tell with these types of injuries. It could be months, a year, a couple of years."

Eveland remains in the hospital's Acute Rehabilitation Unit, where doctors and therapists are working with him on posture and helping him sit up on his own, Hoang said. He declined to comment, however, on whether Eveland has been able to communicate.

"The good news is that he's not regressing," said Hoang, who added that Eveland is moving in the right direction, but declined to offer examples. "That's the big positive in this type of situation. He's continuing to show very small signs of improvement each week."

Though Pomerado Hospital and Villa Pomerado skilled nursing center in Poway evacuated about 200 patients during last week's firestorm, Eveland and other patients at the Palomar Medical Center were safe, Hoang said.

"There was no evacuation and the fires didn't affect air quality inside the building," he said.

Neighbors and friends have organized a golf tournament to help defray the cost of Eveland's medical expenses, with proceeds going directly to his family. Scheduled for Monday, the Scott Eveland Golf Tournament kicks off shotgun-style at noon at the Escondido Country Club, 1800 Country Club Lane.

The golfing event is the latest in a series of fundraisers held on Eveland's behalf, including efforts by Dream Dinners, Carino's Italian Grill, the Carlsbad Fire Department, various high schools and others.

The tournament, which has been sold out for about three weeks, will be followed by cocktails and a silent auction at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a live auction at 7:15 p.m, said Bruce Minnery, event organizer and neighbor of the Eveland family. Dinner tickets are still available for $50 a person.

"The family needs help, the family needs community support," said Minnery. "It just seemed like there was something we could do to help."

A private box at the Del Mar Racetrack and a private flown tour on Mayor Jim Desmond's Cessna airplane are among the items up for auction.

To buy tickets, visit pray4scotty.org. Monetary donations also are being accepted. Mail to pray4scotty.org, c/o Bruce and Cyndy Minnery, 1733 Birchwood Drive, San Marcos, CA 92069. For more information, call (760) 752-1600.

- Contact staff writer Noelle Ibrahim at (760) 740-3517 or nibrahim@nctimes.com.