A New Jersey high school football player who was captured on video apparently hitting an opposing player with that player’s own helmet was removed from the team on Wednesday while police investigate the incident.

Neither player was ejected from the game. According to the player’s supporters, it was an act of frustration in the heat of battle where racial epithets were being hurled at the time.

NJSIAA Executive Director Steve Timko said “school leaders have been working cooperatively, communicating nearly daily” and that his association plans in the near future to bring “the varsity captains of these two schools together to help ensure the tradition of sportsmanship between these longtime rival schools continues”.

This doesn’t sit right with his mother, Anita McDuffy, who says that the other player was “spearing” her son and besides, his hand just got caught in the helmet and it was an accident.

“He really is apologetic about this. And my thing is he said he got his hand stuck in the helmet, and I believe my child”. “I’m not saying he’s right for what happened, I’m not saying he’s wrong”.

‘If it was so bad, which it was a bad incident, they should have taken him out of the game. Both players did finish the game. (See the video below).

The family of a Linden High School player seen swinging a helmet and hitting an opponent during a game last week has begun pushing back at criticism.

Salaam Ismial, director of the Elizabeth-based United Youth Council, called the news conference Thursday so that Moncion’s side of the story could be told.

Ismial called Immaculata a “powerful” and “prestigious” school and said the school used its prominent position to encourage Linden officials, the NJSIAA and police to pursue the case. He said the decision to kick the player off the team was final. The official also said the district was using the incident as a “teaching moment” to stress that violence would not be tolerated.

The turbulent game ended with Immaculate defeating Linden 26-6.

The student’s name was not released because of his age. “It has not come up in our conversation with the young man”, Robertozzi said.

However, the board said it can not lawfully comment on the specific disciplinary action taken. “Accordingly, the Board asks that the Public respect the legal restraints that limit the Board’s ability to more fully discuss this incident”.

The Immaculata player’s family also issued a statement Thursday. Our history with them has been stellar for many years now. The player hit in the head received 10 stitches. Our main concern is for the safety of all student-athletes in high school athletics. “Some believe that the power of the (upper) middle class private (school) is able to generate this kind of outrage on the Internet, in the media and including law enforcement”.

The Linden superintendent said the video prompted a full-blown criminal investigation and Fritz’s removal from the team.