LEDYARD, Conn. -- A Ledyard junior varsity football player was remembered on Thursday, days after his death.

Matt Buriak, 16, died earlier this week, days after collapsing on the field.

Ledyard High School honored Buriak on the field during its Thanksgiving Day game Thursday.

Buriak was No. 23 on the team, and was a three-sport athlete and popular student.

Members of the community wore No. 23 on T-shirts at Thursday’s game and grief could clearly been seen on faces filling the stands.

Buriak’s friends called him Matty or Matty B, and said he had more nicknames because “he was just that type of guy.”

“We ate lunch sometimes and hung out together,” said Ledyard junior Jillian McCarthy. “He was friends with everyone, so it’s really hard.”