Massachusetts high school football captain dies after brain hemorrhage

Marblehead High School senior Owen Coyne, a football captain and three-sport athlete in Massachusetts, died this week after a sudden brain hemorrhage, his mother said, the school superintendent announced Friday.

The school told families Friday morning that Coyne had died. Neither that message nor a separate letter from Superintendent John Robidoux gave a cause. Coyne’s mother, Angela Paradise, later said in a tribute shared by the Marblehead Current that the hemorrhage was not caused by an impact. Coyne played in the team’s game at Scituate the previous Friday, the Boston Globe reported.

Mr. Robidoux asked the community to “send positive thoughts and prayers” to Coyne’s family and friends. Counselors are available at the high school from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the team’s Saturday game at Danvers was canceled.

Coyne played wide receiver and safety for the Magicians and was one of three captains chosen by his teammates this season. He was a Northeastern Conference All-Star in baseball and ran indoor track, finishing among the top 10 sprinters in school history, according to his track coach. He had committed in July to play football at Williams College.

Track and field coach Nolan Raimo called Coyne “one of the most gifted student-athletes that I have coached,” writing to the Current that he would have been a track captain this winter. Baseball coach Mike Giardi said on social media that Coyne’s character stood out even more than his play.

Williams head football coach Mark Raymond said the college was “deeply saddened by the passing of Owen” and had been excited to add him to the team.

Coyne’s family, including his parents, Angela Paradise and Brian Coyne, and siblings Grady, Landon and Ella, thanked the community for its support. They said he “will be missed beyond words.”