http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/sports/long-island-high-school-player-dies-after-football-collision-officials-say.html 2014-10-02 17:09:26 Long Island High School Player Dies After Football Collision The student, Tom Cutinella of Shoreham-Wading River High School, died soon after being transported to a hospital, the police said. === A high school junior from Long Island died after he collided with an opponent in a football game on Wednesday night. The student, Tom Cutinella, played on the varsity team at Shoreham-Wading River High School, which was playing John H. Glenn High School of Elwood, N.Y. Cutinella died soon after being transported to a hospital, the Suffolk County police said. “Our school community is truly devastated by this awful news and we extend our deepest condolences to Tom’s family and friends during this difficult time,” Steven R. Cohen, the superintendent of Shoreham-Wading River schools, said in a statement. Cutinella’s death comes at a time when the safety of high school and prep football players has drawn increasing scrutiny amid increasing concerns about injuries and brain damage. Those concerns cover all levels of the sport, from youth leagues and school teams to college and professional football. More than a million boys participate in football, according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Cutinella made the varsity team at Shoreham-Wading River this year and had played football since ninth grade, the superintendent said. He also played lacrosse and was a good student with a sense of humor, he said. “He was well liked among students and staff, and he will truly be missed,” Cohen wrote. Grief counselors were to be available for students, he said. A news conference was planned at the school for Thursday morning.