15-year old HS player dies from 'normal football blow'

8:07 AM, Aug 22, 2012   |    comments
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By Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY

A 15-year old high school football player in Tennessee died Tuesday after being injured in practice, The Commercial Appeal of Memphis reported.

Dana Payne, a 5-11, 143-pound sophomore wide receiver for Millington Central High School, was pronounced dead at LeBonheur Children's Hospital.

Family friend Frank Sharp, who drove Payne to practice today and watched practice, told The Commercial Appeal that Payne suffered a "normal football blow."

"I had my back turned, but I heard the click," Sharp said. "He stopped breathing. They did CPR and they got him back in the ambulance. But about two minutes before they got to the hospital is when they lost him."

This is at least the third death involving a high school football player this season.