Jaquan Waller, 16, of Greenville's Rose High School, was one of three high school football players in North Carolina who have died of football-related activities in the past seven weeks.

Matt Gfeller, 15, of Reynolds High in Winston-Salem, died Aug. 24 after suffering a brain injury in a game, and Atlas Fraley, 17, of Chapel Hill High died Aug. 14. The cause of Fraley's death has not yet been determined.

Gfeller was taken off life support the day after he was injured.

Gfeller, a linebacker who also played on the Reynolds' offensive line, was hit in the upper chest. He collapsed and was taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center where he underwent surgery.

After being taken off life support Aug. 23, Gfeller died the next morning. Patrick Lantz, who performed the autopsy, said Gfeller died of "a traumatic brain injury that tore a small blood vessel."

Several doctors were on site when the injury occurred, including Lee Kirsch, the team physician, Reynolds athletic director Jim Spivey said.

Spivey said Kirsch attends all football practices and games at Reynolds. Kirsch did not return phone calls for this story.

Fraley's death followed a football scrimmage against Middle Creek High near Apex. During the scrimmage, Fraley complained of a headache, and coaches took him out of play until he felt better. When the headache returned, the coaches removed him from the scrimmage. Chapel Hill High's Ben Reed is a licensed athletic trainer.

Later that day, around 1:45 p.m., Fraley called the Orange County Emergency Services Department from his home and complained of "full body cramps."

An EMS crew went to the football player's house but did not take Fraley to the hospital.

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