GORHAM – Gorham High School football player Branden Denis, who celebrated his team’s victory on Friday, lost his life tragically less than 48 hours later as a passenger in a car crash that has left family, schools and the community grief-stricken.

After Gorham’s victory on Oct. 17 over the Oceanside High School Mariners, Denis was exuberant, said Jim Hager, whose son is Gorham coach Andy Hager. He said Tuesday he had talked with Denis, who was waiting for his mother to pick him up after the game.

“He was on Cloud 9,” Jim Hager said when he talked with the Gorham junior as the lights were shutting down on Gorham’s field. “His smile was so enlightening.”

Two days later, Denis, 16, was one of two people who died in a single-vehicle car crash about 5:50 p.m. on Oct. 19 on Route 302 in Bridgton. Denis was the son of David Denis of Limington and Candice Lynn Tucker of Gorham.

Bridgton police said the accident happened near the Naples town line. Police said the vehicle was traveling southbound and, attempting to overtake another vehicle, the driver lost control and struck a clump of maple trees.

Bridgton Police Chief Kevin Schofield said Tuesday that police believe excessive speed was a contributing factor in the crash. Schofield identified Denis’ mother, Candice L. Tucker, 34, as the driver. Besides Denis, Schofield identified the other passenger who died at the scene as Eric S. Morey, 35 of Gorham.

According to Schofield, Tucker was cut out of her seat belt by a passerby. Police said Tucker was transported to Bridgton Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

The Bridgton Police Department is investigating the crash, and, Schofield said, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is conducting reconstruction of the crash, looking at speeds, direction of travel, and type of skids.

“The accident is currently under investigation by law enforcement,” Tamara Getchell, spokeswoman for the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office said on Tuesday. “At the completion of the investigation, law enforcement, if a crime was committed or there is a question whether there is a crime, then they will submit it to the prosecution for a decision on charging.”

Gorham High School Principal Christopher Record said that the funeral would be held in the auditorium at the high school, 41 Morrill Ave., on Friday, Oct. 24, with visiting hours 4-7 p.m. and a funeral service, 7 p.m.

Susan Denis, Denis’ grandmother, said on Wednesday students at the school would choose music for the service.

Denis’ grandfather, Keven Denis of Steep Falls, said the family also includes a sister, Abigaile Denis, 8, a third-grade student at Narragansett School, and a brother, Austin Denis, 15, a sophomore at Gorham High School.

Record said on Tuesday that the high school was working through grief.

“To lose a classmate is shocking. We’re still in the mourning process,” he said.

Record said a crisis team was activated and met early on Monday, and Andy Hager, in his first year coaching the Gorham squad, attended the meeting.

“We’re continuing to meet with students and offer assistance,” Record said.

Outside of school, Denis spent time with his family and enjoyed hunting, fishing and kayaking. He also was a New England Patriots fan.

“He gave great hugs to everybody in the family,” his grandfather said.

Friday’s victory marked the Gorham team’s first football win in two seasons. Record said Denis was a “happy and proud” lineman.

“He was helping turn things around,” Record said.

Hager, the coach, said Denis was one of the hardest workers on the team.

“He was everything we could ask for in a football player,” he said.

Keven Denis said his grandson played center on the team this year. He described his grandson as a “gentle giant, soft spoken. He was so strong.”

Denis’ grandmother said he was about 6-feet-1-inch tall, and the coach said he weighed about 270 pounds. He wore size 13 shoes.

“His cleats were giant,” she said.

Hager said Denis was the strongest student in the school. Denis was known to teammates by his nickname, “Superman.” Record said teammates were acquiring Superman shirts. Keven Denis said his grandson had played even when he had broken bones and injuries.

“He was super smart, too, a math whiz,” Susan Denis said.

Jim Hager said Denis’ adrenalin was still flowing following Gorham’s 16-14 win.

“It was like the community had won the Super Bowl,” Hager said. “He was grinning from ear to ear.”

Despite not playing in the game because of a dental procedure, Denis still suited up and offered support to his teammates.

“He came up to all the kids playing when we came off the field (on Friday night) and helped us,” wrote teammate Noah Robbins in an email to the American Journal. “I’ve never heard him yell that much in a while in the last two minutes of the game while we were trying to hold onto our 16-14 lead. When we won, he was the first person I went up to, and we hugged it out.”

Robbins also wrote of what Denis meant to his teammates: “He will always be remembered for being our brother and the heart and soul of our team. He was our superman.”

The Gorham team plays Fryeburg Academy on Saturday, and Record said players on both teams would wear helmets with decals of No. 64, Denis’ number. Coach Hager said the team is banding together.

“Their focus is playing the game the same way Branden would have played it,” Hager said.

Record described Denis as a positive but quiet leader. “I remember him smiling coming off the field,” Record said about Friday’s victory.

Dave Kilborn, a Gorham Middle School teacher and a retired Gorham High School football coach, praised Denis.

“I believe that Branden bought into what Coach Hager visions for the Gorham football program,” Kilborn said. “Through this, he worked hard to improve not only what he could give back to the team but to improve himself personally.”

Denis grew up in Gorham and during his younger years played in the Gorham Grizzlies program sponsored by the Gorham Football Boosters. Keven Denis has his grandson’s Grizzlies helmet.

Jim Hager said his son Andy has taken the tragedy “very hard” and Record complimented Hager, a Gorham graduate, for his leadership of the grief-stricken team.

“He’s leading them through this,” Record said.

Kilborn, who has watched several Gorham practices and a game this year, described the teenager as a quiet leader on the offensive and defensive line who loved being part of a team.

“He had the ability to make those around him better by simply doing his job,” Kilborn said. “You could see how much he not only loved playing the game but had improved his abilities through work with Coach Hager’s weight program.”

The coach said Denis could squat lift 415 pounds, bench press 275 and dead lift 455, calling the numbers “incredible” for someone his age.

“He spent all summer lifting weights,” Keven Denis said.

Kilborn said the “tragic event” would define this season for the high school football team. “He is a big loss to the Gorham football program, and he will be missed,” Kilborn said. “My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, both inside and outside of school.”

Record said Denis was “definitely a leader, welcoming to all students. He made Gorham High School a better place.”

Staff writer Ezra Silk contributed to this story.

At Gorham High School Wednesday, Principal Christopher Record shows the memorial display for student Branden Denis, who died in a car crash Oct. 19. A funeral will be held Friday at the school.  Branden Denis