'Heartbroken': Georgia high school football player dies ahead of championship game
MANCHESTER, Ga. - A Meriwether County football player was found dead one day before his team was scheduled to play in the state championship.
Meriwether County School System officials confirmed the "tragic and untimely death" of Brandon Smith in a letter to parents on Sunday. He was 17 years old.
Authorities have not released the cause of Smith's death. He was a student at Manchester High School and played on the defensive line of the school's football team.
In the letter, Meriwether Schools Superintendent Robert Griffin and Manchester High School Principal Suzie Neal said that they were "heartbroken" by the news.
"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," Griffin and Neal wrote.
Smith is remembered as a "loyal teammate and friend who excelled on and off the field."
The cause of Smith's death has not been announced.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed with FOX 5 that they are assisting the Manchester Police Department in its investigation.
The school will have grief counselors on campus to help the community with the loss.