2,400 sign petition to name Warren Hills football field after Evan Murray

As of mid-day Monday, 2,400 people had signed a petition to name Warren Hills Regional High School's football field after Evan Murray, who died Friday after taking several hits during a game against Summit there.

It's still not clear what caused Murray's death. The Warren County Prosecutor's Office referred calls to the medical examiner's office in Morris County, which conducted Murray's autopsy. A representative of the MEs office couldn't say if more information would be released Monday.

"Evan lost his life playing the game he loved," the petition's founder, Melissa Smith, wrote. "We want Warren Hills to honor this young man and change the name of the field to Evan Murray memorial field."

It was one of several efforts to honor Murray. By 1:45 p.m. Monday, nearly $50,000 had been raised for his family through a GoFundMe.com page. Friend Ethan Wimmer had sold more then 1,000 T-Shirts in Murray's honor, collecting more than another $12,000 for the family. The shirts feature Murray's name and number on the back. On the front, "Forever a Blue Streak. Forever in our Hearts. Fly High."

Throughout Warren County and the rest of the state, students and members of several scholastic and recreational football programs pledged to wear blue or Murray's number, 18. Tributes online called for friends to remain "#18strong"

Friends and classmates reportedly left flowers, candles and mementos at his parking space at Warren Hills Regional High School Monday as class resumed.

LehighValleyLive.com reports Monday that on Sunday, players from the town's Washington Redskins youth football program wore No. 18 decals on their helmets in Murray's honor, and that on Saturday, volunteers from the Washington Fire Department donated proceeds from a beer garden to the Murray family.

Murray, a three-sport athlete and standout student, had left the field after taking a hit shortly before halftime — one of several during the game. Friends say he lost and regained consciousness before being taken away in an ambulance, and died later that night at Morristown Medical Center. One teammate said that after an earlier hit, it looked like Murray may have hurt his side.

The school has a team physician and a certified trainer at its games, Bowen said. Two EMS services are on call at the stadium as well, he said.

“While we don’t yet have specific details related to this tragic incident, initial reports indicated that both a physician and trainer were present on the Warren Hills sideline," Steve Timko, executive director of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association said in a statement released Monday.

He also said 97 percent of New Jersey's high schools have trainers on their sidelines, and coaches are required to take a series of health-related courses, including those focused on basic first-aid, CPR, concussions, and heat acclimation.

The NJSIAA requires its member schools to submit reports following catastrophic injuries, which is in turn submitted to its medical advisory board and to the National Federation of State High School Associations as part of its National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research.

Funeral arrangements are being made by the Warren Hills Memorial Home in Washington Township, Warren County. Visitation is from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Faith Discovery Church in Washington Township. The funeral will be 11 a.m. at the church Thursday.

Murray's family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to a scholarship in his name — Evan Murray Scholarship Fund in care of the funeral home, 234 W. Washington Ave., Washington, NJ 07882.