MANCHESTER, Ga. — At a state championship football game, the Manchester High School Blue Devils played with heavy hearts, paying tribute to their fallen teammate, Brandon Smith, who was shot and killed on Sunday.
"He was a very important part of us getting here," Stephen Holmes, Blue Devils Head Coach, said. "You know (I'm) just all numb right now."
The 1-A Division 2 State Championship game against Bowdon High School became more than a quest for victory; it became a moment to honor the memory of 17-year-old Smith, who was shot and killed, his body discovered just a day before the championship showdown.
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Team captains solemnly held Smith's jersey, walking it to the 50-yard line as a powerful symbol of remembrance, and the opposing team, the Bowden Red Devils, also showed their support, carrying a 52 jersey onto the field as well. 11Alive spoke with Smith's family on Monday about the 17-year-old and his love for the sport, and more.
"He was respected, he loved football, and they took his life from him for what? I don't know what he did to deserve this," Maxine Smith, his grandmother, said.
As the Blue Devils battled on the field, they faced not only the pressure of the championship but also the weight of grief and unanswered questions surrounding Smith's tragic fate.
"He matters and we want to make sure our players remembered that," Holmes said.
The team lost the championship game 28 to 27, but despite the defeat, both teams demonstrated their sportsmanship and resilience.
At this time, the Meriwether County Coroner did not confirm Brandon Smith's cause of death, stating that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) will be conducting an autopsy on Smith.