A high school football player from Georgia was found dead one day before he was set to play in the state championship game with his team. The Meriwether County School System announced that Brandon Smith, a 17-year-old football player from Manchester High School was found dead on Sunday, and foul play is suspected in his death.
“We are heartbroken to hear the news of the tragic and untimely death of one of our student-athletes, Brandon Smith,” the Meriwether County School System said in a statement, per USA Today. “Manchester High School’s celebration of playing for the Georgia 1-A State Football Championship has unfortunately turned into something none of us could have fathomed.”
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Smith was reported missing before his death. Manchester Police Chief Gracy Couch told USA Today officers received a 991 career reporting “what they beleive to be a deceased person” behind a residence in the city. Officers discovered a Black male “with no signs of life behind a residence in a thick wooded area. “Because foul play is suspected, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called and is taking the lead in the investigation,” Couch said.
Manchester took on Bowdon in the Class A Divison II championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday night. Bowdon won the game 28-27, and coach Steven Holmes spoke about the emotions his players were feeling before and after the game. “Our kids right now are the most important thing,” Holmes told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’ve got 48 of them in there right now and they’re hurting. The big message to them is don’t ever cry about results. It’s over. It matters. There’s people watching at home and they’re looking for us for strength tonight. We got to see what was on the inside of them tonight.”
On Monday, Manchester High School wrote a message about the football team. “In the face of unimaginable tragedy, the Blue Devils emerged as a beacon of resilience and unity, proving that the power of sports extends far beyond the field,” the school wrote on Facebook. “Faced with adversity, they chose to channel their grief and anguish into something positive, using the game they loved to bring solace to our grieving community. As they stepped onto the field, each player carried the weight of sorrow on their shoulders, transforming it into a source of strength. While the result was not what anyone wanted we couldn’t be more proud of the incredible team effort witnessed last night!”
