St. Clair County High (Odenville, Ala.) junior Jeremy Bryant Ragsdale collapsed after attempting a tackle while on special teams on the opening kickoff of Friday night's (Sept. 22) game at Springville, and was later pronounced dead at nearby Medical Center East. According to St. Clair County coroner Dennis Russell, Ragsdale died of a heart attack.

Most recently, Blackfoot High (Iowa) senior running back Mark Earley past away on Sept. 17 after collapsing on the field following a tackle. Varina High (Richmond, Va.) senior two-way lineman Anthony Craig Lobrano, a 17-year-old returning All-State honoree, died on Sept. 5 due to complications from heat stroke, which caused him to collapse during a practice. In August, Saline High (Ann Arbor, Mich.) junior lineman Jeremy Tarlea, 15, died one week after suffering heat stroke in practice. Monsignor Pace High (Opa Locka, Fla.) strong safety and senior Brian Bell, 17, died suddenly of a congenital arterial defect in his heart during practice earlier in the month.

Ragsdale, 16, is survived by his identical twin brother and teammate, Jeffrey, his mother, Shirley, and elder sister, Tara. He was treated on the field for 30 minutes by attending medical personnel before being transported to the hospital. News of the death reached the stadium at halftime. Both teams agreed to end the game at that point, with Springville leading, 34-0.

As detailed in a SchoolSports report on sudden cardiac death in teen athletes last month, a University of North Carolina study chronicled 17 deaths among high school-age football players from across the country last year. Researchers found 10 of those deaths, like Bell's and possibly Ragsdale's, were caused by heart failure or other conditions related to exertion. Two others died from heat stroke, as in the case of Tarlea and Lobrano, while the remaining five fatalities were attributed to on-the-field head injuries.

According to Russell, an autopsy performed on Saturday (Sept. 23) showed no neck injuries, head injuries or spinal injuries. Russell did indicate the death appeared to be heart-related, but additional tests were required on the deceased teen's heart to pinpoint the cause of death.

Ragsdale, a 5-foot-10, 140-pound three-sport athlete at St. Clair, was in the midst of coping with another family tragedy at the time of his death. His father, Jeffrey Sr., died of brain cancer at age 38 on April 14 of this year.

According to an Associated Press report, Ragsdale's mother confirmed her son had been hearing-impaired since he was a young boy and wore a hearing aid, but had no previous heart problems. There were no details about the origins of Ragsdale's hearing deficiency. Some pediatric viral and bacterial infections that destroy hearing can also damage the heart.

Saints' head coach Alan Lee reviewed game tapes of the fateful play before speaking to the AP.

"Jeremy and Jeffrey lined up side by side on the kickoff team," Lee explained. "Jeffrey was blocked, and Jeremy got down field and tried to make the tackle, but he missed. He (Jeremy) fell on top of one of his teammates. The film then shows him coming back into the picture a few seconds later, apparently trying to still make the play. He then fell down away from the play. When the players began running off the field, Jeremy took a step and fell. He didn't get up."

Grief counselors were made available for students beginning this morning (Sept. 25) at St. Clair County High. State officials have agreed to postpone all graduation exit-exam tests in county schools for a week. The tests were originally scheduled for today and tomorrow, Sept. 25 and 26.

Ragsdale's funeral service is planned for 2 p.m. today (Sept. 25) at Bethel Baptist Church in Moody. The entire Saints' squad is expected to appear in full uniform, as Jeremy's casket is carried to the burial site at First Baptist Church of Odenville. Jeremy will be buried beside his father.