Beloved Manchester High School star Brandon Smith, 17, found dead just hours before championship gam

Publish date: 2024-05-08

A HIGH school football player has tragically died one day before his team was set to compete for the Georgia state championship title.

On Sunday, the body of 17-year-old Brandon Smith was discovered one day after he was reported missing, but his cause of death hasn't been revealed yet.

His death was confirmed by Manchester Schools superintendent Robert Griffin and Manchester High School principal Suze Neal who said they were heartbroken by the news.

“Manchester High School’s celebration of playing for the Georgia 1-A State Football Championship has unfortunately turned into something none of us could have fathomed," they said in a joint statement.

Smith was a sophomore at the school in Manchester, Georgia, about an hour and a half south of Atlanta.

He played as an offensive and defensive lineman with the team, which was set to travel to Atlanta for the big game on Monday night.

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But on Saturday, Smith was reported missing, and a large police presence was seen looking for him the day after.

On Sunday, his body was discovered somewhere on a residential street in Meriwether County, according to reporters who were at the scene, CBS affiliate WRBL reported.

The Manchester Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed they were processing a crime scene at the time.

Families have started to pay tribute to Smith as they send their love and prayers to the football team.

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"He was a sweet, loving, compassionate and all-around amazing kid who should have been playing a state championship football game," said one woman on Facebook.

"To know him was to love him and when he smiled you knew he loved you back."

Smith has been remembered as a loyal teammate and friend who was a valuable member of the Manchester Blue Devils.

His team is still scheduled to play Bowdon High School on Monday night in its first state championship since 1997, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Grief counselors have been made available to students in the wake of the tragic news.

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