Texas high school football player dies after collapsing on sidelines

ALTO, Texas - An East Texas high school football player has died after collapsing on the sidelines during a game.

Cam'ron Matthews KYTX-TV

The Jacksonville Daily Progress reports that Alto High School junior Cam'ron Matthews collapsed Friday night during an Alto home game against Price-Carlisle after reaching the bench from a kickoff return seconds before halftime. He suffered a seizure and doctors, nurses, coaches and trainers worked to keep him breathing.

The rural community is 11 miles from the nearest town, so after a 20-minute wait for an ambulance officials summoned a medical helicopter from Tyler, about 50 miles to the north. He remained in critical condition until dying Saturday night. No official cause of death has been determined.

Alto High School has an enrollment of almost 200 students. CBS affiliate KYTX in Tyler, Texas, reports the game was suspended after the incident.

At least six high school football player have died since September, reports USA Today.

Alarm over football-related injuries and deaths is growing in school districts across the country, and many are debating whether to keep their football teams.

Two weeks ago, a Seattle high school football player died from a traumatic brain injury making a tackle, his family said. In early September, 17-year-old Evan Murray in New Jersey collapsed after taking a hit during a game and later died from massive internal bleeding caused by a lacerated spleen.

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