East Texas football player collapses during game, dies

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

Alto High School junior Cam'ron Matthews collapsed Friday night during a home game against Price-Carlisle after reaching the bench from a kickoff return seconds before halftime, the Jacksonville Daily Progress reported. 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. Matthews 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.

Matthews' death is the latest tragedy to have occurred during high school games this season.

Kenney Bui, 17, died earlier this month in Seattle as a result of severe head trauma. Another 17-year-old, Evan Murray, died in New Jersey in September as a result of massive internal bleeding caused by a lacerated spleen. In early September, Tyrell Cameron, 16, died after suffering a spinal cord injury during punt coverage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.