OSG High: SC Teen Dies During HS Workout

((HT: WMBF-TV Florence, Myrtle Beach))

Authorities are investigating the death of a 14-year-old South Carolina high school football player who collapsed following a weekend morning practice. Darlington County Coroner J. Todd Hardee said Tyquan Xavier Brantley, a freshman at Lamar High School, died at hospital late Saturday.

Hardee says tests are being conducted to determine if the death was heat related or from another cause. The heat Saturday afternoon rose to 101 degrees, a near-record, according to the National Weather Service.

"We are heartbroken at this terrible tragedy," Dr. Rainey Knight, superintendent of the school district, said, according to the Florence Morning News.

Darlington County School District spokeswoman Audrey Childers said it was the team's second day of light practice in helmets but no pads. Brantley was walking off the field when he started to complain about cramps and then collapsed. Childers said players were on the field about an hour and got a five-minute water break every 20 minutes.

She said the team resumes practice Monday night after taking Sunday off.

Here's the report from Darlington...

SC Teen Dies On Football Field

((HT: WBTV Charlotte))

Lewisville High ((SC)) School senior Brian Colvin was playing in the Chester High School ((SC)) Football Jamboree when he collapsed after a running play back on Friday night.

EMS workers transported Colvin to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving in the emergency room.

Teammates say their coach told them Colvin died of a heart attack.

One teammate, Quentin McKnight, says the team knew Colvin was hurt when he collapsed, but they thought they were going to be okay. Instead, they were told he had died.

"We didn't think nothing about it," McKnight said. [We thought], 'oh that's Brian, he's going to be alright.' So when we heard it, the whole team just fell apart."

WBTV's Tom Roussey tries to put the pieces together...


The HQ is holding its collective idea on the cause of death until after the autopsy results are in, but we have an idea. We'll just hang on to it for a while...

Roussey also alerts us to the fact that Brian Colvin's parents cannot afford a funeral. They set up a funeral fund and will be collecting money at the Country Omelet restaurant in Richburg, South Carolina where his mother works. The number to call for those who want to help is 803-789-5840.

Marcus Lattimore To South Carolina

Marcus Lattimore ((pictured, thanks Gwinn Davis/greenvilleonline.com)) just made his college choice known at Silver Hill Memorial United Methodist Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Lattimore, South Carolina's 2009 Mr. Football award winner, rushed for 1,898 yards and 31 touchdowns and caught 53 passes for 753 yards and five touchdowns in his senior season.

He finished his career as the Rebels’ all-time leading rusher, having rushed for 6,375 yards and 93 touchdowns. Lattimore set the school’s single-season mark with 2,303 yards as a junior.

After a processional of individuals that recalled his youth almost turned the announcement into a roast, Lattimore said:

"I just want to thank all 30 schools that recruited me. Personally, after all the in-home visits, and campus visits, I found the place that's best for me..."

Lattimore had an Auburn hat in a knapsack. One of Lattimore's friends pulled the Tigers hat away and a South Carolina hat was underneath. That was the hat placed on his head at Silver Hill...

Lattimore now heads to Columbia where expectations will be huge...
And Auburn fans can't wait to take his head off... especially TBH after the whole "hat thing" as she described it...

Willie T. Smith III's coverage from GreenvileOnline is here...

Here's some of what the Gamecocks think they're getting in Lattimore...
((HT: Youtube/VernonSmith28))