Matt Gfeller, a football player gravely injured in Friday night's game against Greensboro Page, died at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center early yesterday. He was 15 and would have started his sophomore year at Reynolds High School today.
Coach Mike Propst of Reynolds said that Gfeller was taken off life support at the medical center about 9 p.m. Saturday and died about 2:15 a.m. yesterday.
Propst said he was awakened by a phone call from Garrett Hedrick, a senior offensive lineman who told him about Gfeller's death.
Propst, Principal Art Paschal and Athletics Director Jim Spivey met at the high school yesterday afternoon to make the announcement at a press conference.
Paschal summarized the death as a freak accident. Assistant coach James Alexander said that Gfeller was hit on the first play of Friday's game in nearly the same fashion as the hit on which he was injured.
"It's the type of hit that occurs once or twice a year around the world," Paschal said.
Propst, school administrators and two pastors from local churches met with the 33 varsity players yesterday afternoon to deal with the tragedy.
"I have guys I have to take care of right now," Propst said. "We have to take care of the Gfeller family and their wishes, too, but we have a football team I have to take care of and seven other coaches, and we have to get ourselves back together and be able to get through this.
"There are 33 boys there, and for every one of them, there has been a different way to handle it. Like anything in grief, there is a process, but each one of them is handling it (in) their own way, and we will have to just help them through that."
The funeral will be in Clemmons at Holy Family Catholic Church at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Alexander said he has tried to review the game film from Friday night but it did little good because he found himself watching every move made by Gfeller -- a starter on the offensive line and a linebacker.
Propst said that the keys to the next few days will be dealing with the grief and moving forward.
"Obviously, there is apprehension," he said. "But you fall off the horse and you have to get back on it, and that's what we will try to do. And at the same time, we will honor the Gfeller family's wishes and keep the memory of Matt alive in our minds and hearts."
Propst said that no decision had been made about whether Reynolds will play East Forsyth on Friday night as scheduled. Coach Todd Willert of East was with Propst, one his closest friends, at the school yesterday.
■ Mason Linker can be reached at 727-7324 or at mlinker@wsjournal.com.
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