Doug Scancarella

Gridiron Grit Doug Scancarella

High school football fervor splits a town philosophically when emphasis on education collides with emphasis on victory at all costs. Friendships, sportsmanship and pride of accomplishment are put to the test when it is discovered that West High is holding its student-athletes back a year in school. The scheme, known as redshirting, is utilized to help the football team gain a physical advantage over the competition.

The news is met with outrage by fans of East High, which never employed the same tactic. Many think it is hypocritical of parents and coaches to hold a good student back purportedly for academic reasons, when in reality they are held back for athletic reasons.

Emotions run high and spill over into the community. Will the antagonism continue to divide the town of Mountainside or will differences be settled on the gridiron?