High school football player dies after suffering head injury during game in Texas

It was the last quarter of the game when Yahir Cancino went down.

The Texas teen and Dalhart High School football player lost consciousness during a junior varsity game against Sundown High School on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Yahir suffered a head injury, outlets report.

Trainers and first responders couldn’t revive the teen, and he was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Lubbock, Dalhart Independent School District superintendent Jeff Byrd said in a statement.

Dalhart Golden Wolves and Sundown Roughnecks huddled together in the middle of the field as the boy was taken away, praying he would be okay, hopeful he would recover.

Yahir died at the hospital, family announced Sept. 3.

“Thank you to the community of Dalhart and the Texas panhandle for all the prayers, the calls, text and messages but unfortunately Yahir passed from his injuries,” family said in a Facebook post. “We ask for prayers for peace and healing not only for us but for all the people Yahir touched in his life.”

The family added that his organs will be donated, to honor his memory and because “Yahir was always about helping people.”

Dalhart school officials canceled all extracurricular activities for the weekend and will have crisis counselors on hand during the coming school week to speak with students and staff.

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Yahir’s family,” Byrd said in a statement. “The Dalhart Community will continue to surround and support them.”

The high school is holding a candlelight vigil for Yahir at 8:30 p.m., Sept. 4, at Memorial Stadium in Dalhart.

This story was originally published September 4, 2022 at 12:06 PM with the headline "High school football player dies after suffering head injury during game in Texas."