( CNN ) -- A varsity football player from suburban New York high school died after colliding with an opponent during a game , a school official said . Tom Cutinella , a 16-year-old student at Shoreham-Wading River High School , suffered a serious head injury during Wednesday night 's game against Elwood-John H. Glenn High School , according to Suffolk County Police spokeswoman Joan Jesinger . Cutinella was transported to Long Island 's Huntington Hospital , where he died later , Jesinger said . He was the third high school football player to die in the last week , according to published reports . Jesinger said police were investigating Cutinella 's death . `` It was the result of a typical football play , '' Superintendent Steven Cohen told reporters Thursday . `` It was just a freak accident . '' Cutinella stood up after the collision and then collapsed , Cohen said . The player had been blocking for a teammate , Newsday reported . `` Right now , our focus is really on the suffering that Tom 's family and this community is going through , '' Cohen said , adding that the issue of a possible concussion was a matter for later discussion . Cohen said Cutinella was `` beloved by everyone who knew him '' and his death `` touched everyone in this community very deeply . '' Cutinella excelled academically , had a great sense of humor and was a member of a peer-to-peer assistance program , Cohen said . Shoreham-Wading River High School Principal Dan Holtzman said that a crisis team was assembled . `` We 've worked very hard to make the high school a very comfortable and family-like environment and the support that students are showing for each other today really demonstrates that , '' Holtzman said . In Alabama , Demario Harris Jr. , 17 , of Charles Henderson High School in Alabama died Sunday -- two days after making a tackle in a football game , according to AL.com . The official cause of death was not immediately known . His father , Harris Sr. , wrote on Facebook : `` My family and me are dealing with a rough situation and we really appreciate everyone well wishes and prayers . And contrary to various media reports my son had a brain hemorrhage , not an aneurysm , that was caused by a hit he took during Fridays game . He may have had a pre existing condition but there is no way to tell now . '' On September 26 , Isaiah Langston , a 17-year-old student at Rolesville High School in North Carolina , collapsed on the field before a game , according to CNN affiliate WTVD . On Monday , his family confirmed he had died . The official cause of death is not known but his older brother told WTVD that his collapse on the field `` had something to do with a blood clot in his brain . '' 2013 : High school football player dies after tackle .
A varsity football player dies after suffering game injury . Score: 6 Police in New York say he suffered a serious head injury .