by Rick O’Brien
Jason Pane appreciates high school football – and all that comes with it – as much as anyone.
The school pep rallies, the pregame excitement, Friday night lights, the teamwork involved, the drama of a closely played game and the sense of community the sport creates.
So it was with reluctance that Pane, the athletic director at Springfield (Montgomery County), announced on Aug. 30 that the school was cancelling its varsity season due to a lack of numbers and overall experience.
In South Jersey, coaches and players at small schools such as Wildwood and Clayton can empathize. Clayton had to curtail its season in 2009 due to a lack of players, and Wildwood is fielding a team of about 25 this season.
