ALMA CENTER, Wis. — A 17-year-old Alma Center Lincoln High School senior has died after suffering an injury during a football game Thursday night, according to district Superintendent Drew Semingson.
Adam Massman was injured during the game and received emergency medical treatment on the field before being taken to a hospital, Semingson said. The school district was informed Saturday afternoon that Massman had died from the injury.
“This loss touches our Lincoln family in many ways,” Semingson said.
Massman was a well-known student-athlete in the Lincoln school community. He played quarterback and defensive back for the football team and also competed in basketball and baseball. He was involved in several school clubs, activities and other community events.
A standout student-athlete
During the 2025 football season, Massman recorded 858 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in six games, according to MaxPreps statistics entered by his coach.
He also rushed for 280 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 1,138 total yards for the season.
His accomplishments extended beyond football. Massman was named to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association’s 2025 Boys Basketball Academic All-State list.
Friends and teammates remember Adam
Friends and teammates have been remembering Massman as someone who brought the same determination to his relationships that he showed in competition.
His friend Megan Steussel described him as a friend and a fierce competitor who stayed committed to the things he cared about.
At Lincoln High School, teammates created a tribute in his school parking spot. The space was painted in his honor with “LLA,” short for “Long Live Adam.”
The tribute also includes images connected to the Massman family’s cattle business, along with tire tracks made using Adam’s truck.
Massman’s connection to Lincoln schools also extended through his family. His mother works as an elementary school counselor, one sibling attends the junior high school, and other relatives work for the district or serve on the school board.
Remembering a life that touched the community
Semingson said Massman’s involvement in school and his family’s longstanding connections to the district have made the loss particularly difficult for the Lincoln community.
Steussel said Massman’s death is a reminder for families to express their appreciation and love while they have the opportunity.
“Tell your kids you love them. Tell your kids’ friends you love them. Tell them that you appreciate them being friends to your kids,” she said.
Massman’s family and friends have ties throughout Alma Center and Jackson County, Steussel said.
For those who knew him, the phrase painted across his school parking spot has become a simple way to remember him: Long Live Adam.
