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A player who was present when Bowie High School junior Jonathan Nolon collapsed during a football team conditioning workout Thursday said there was little warning something was wrong. Nolon was later pronounced dead.

"We had just finished stretching," said sophomore Deon Johnson, who did not play on the football team last year but is hoping to make the varsity squad next fall.

Johnson said there were 20 players and head coach Lionel Macklin in the gym when Nolon collapsed.

"It was only about 15 minutes into the workout," Johnson said. "We were doing a drill called four corners where you basically run around the four corners of the gym. It wasn't anything too hard and we had just started. Jon was leaning up against the wall like everyone else, waiting for his turn. He didn't say anything and he just fell over. We all started yelling for the coach to come over. He came over and gave him CPR, but it was too late."

Students at the school expressed shock and disbelief at the news that one of their fellow students had died Thursday during an offseason football workout at the school.

"I don't believe it, I didn't think it was him," junior David Williams said during a Friday lunch break. "He was my friend, he paid for me when we went to football games."

According to a Bowie Police Department report, a 16-year-old student collapsed Thursday while jogging several laps around the basketball court after school. Prince George's County Public Schools officials would not confirm reports the student was junior Jonathan Nolon, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound tight end on the Bulldogs' football team. The spelling of Nolon's name is taken from his Facebook page and a tribute page set up by his friends. Contact information for his family could not immediately be obtained.

Nolon was transported to Bowie Health Center by county rescue personnel, but was pronounced dead at 3:54 p.m.

On Friday, regular classes were held at the high school, but the mood in the hallways was different, according to students.

"It was pretty quiet," said one student whose mother had come to pick her up in a gray Acura. The student declined to give her name.

Williams said members of the school's football team looked particularly affected. The football coach could not be reached for comment.

"You can see it on their faces, they're depressed," Williams said.

Darrell Pressley, a spokesman for Prince George's County Public Schools, said a crisis intervention team and several grief counselors from throughout the county were present at the school on Friday.

"It's definitely a sad day for our students and Bowie High School family," Pressley said. "What we're trying to do now is bring about a sense of normalcy."

Pressley said Bowie school officials made an announcement in the morning to students, and that a letter was also being sent home to parents to alert them a student had died and counselors were available for their children.

"Obviously, a day where there's been such a loss is going to be an emotional time for students, faculty and staff," Pressley said.

Like many students, junior Ike Emeruwa did not know Nolon, but did go on Nolon's Facebook page when he heard through friends what had happened.

"It's kinda weird; you see him one day in the hallway, and then you're not going to see him again," Emeruwa said on his lunch break.

By Friday afternoon, numerous students had posted tributes to Nolon on his Facebook page.

Williams described Nolon as tall, skinny and funny, and well-liked.

"He could play some ball," Williams said.

Travis Thomas, a senior and former teammate of Nolon's, said the athletes were not doing anything unusual at the workout, although Thomas was not present when Nolon collapsed.

"All I can tell you is it was a routine winter workout, with guys just trying to get into shape," Thomas said.

Thomas said he was in shock and had a "rough night" Thursday. He said the football team, which he described as close-knit, was in mourning.

"I'm kinda numb, I don't really want to say too much," Thomas said. "We just saw him in school, everything was fine."

E-mail Sarah Richards at srichards@gazette.net.

Gazette sports editor Seth Elkin and freelance reporter Robert Klemko contributed to this report.