Anthony Starego, the autistic placekicker who won a New Jersey court battle to play an extra season of high-school football, is going out a champ.
His team, the Brick HS Green Dragons, won the Central Group IV title last week. Anthony contributed two extra points in the 26-15 victory.
It’s the first time a student with autism has played on a championship team.
“I’m going to celebrate with my mom and dad for the rest of my life!” Anthony said.
Manhattan civil-rights lawyer Gary Mayerson led the fight to grant Anthony a fifth season. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association at first barred him from the team when he turned 19 and had played four seasons.
The NJSIAA finally agreed to let Anthony play to inspire other student-athletes with disabilities.
“We never set out to make history,” Mayerson said. “We set out to give a kid with the love of the game an opportunity to play.”
“It shows anything is possible,” said Anthony’s dad, Ray Starego. “The message is don’t’ set any limits on your kids — they will do more than what you ever thought.”