Rematch Of Rivals

(CBS)  A river may separate the two towns of Easton, Pa., and Phillipsburg, N.J., but there's a divide that runs much deeper - over football.

Since 1906, the annual Easton-Phillipsburg game has fired up fans, reports CBS News correspondent Seth Doane. No one can forget the 1993 game, which ended in a tie 7 to 7.

For 15 years, that unresolved game has remained unfinished business - until now. On Sunday, the very same players - even the same cheerleaders - got the chance to turn back time and replay the game.

Ten thousand tickets sold out in 90 minutes. No one wanted to miss the chance to settle the score.

One player, Bruce Lebitz, lost 57 pounds to get ready to play in the game. For eight weeks, all the players trained hard, thanks to sponsorship from Gatorade - and superstar supervision from the Manning brothers.

"Are there games you'd like to replay?" Doane asked Peyton Manning.

"Plenty, plenty, believe me," Manning said. "But you know, that's the thing about it. I play every game like it's my last."

Back then, these men played for the love of the game. This time, it's about much more. Jason Seas recently lost his mother.

"She'd be so proud right now … to be here, see me playing this, knowing that I finally got what I want," Seas said.

It's not often in life you get a "do-over."

"It happened at the right time," said Vivian Richetta, 79, the grandmother of a cheerleader.

"What do you mean by that?" Doane asked.

"Well, everything - everybody is down, so depressed, this was such a lift," Richetta said.

In the end, Phillipsburg won, 27 to 12. But it hardly mattered, because these rustbelt towns had something to cheer about for a change.

[johnnykat1]

My daughter married a young man fron Easton Pa. and he played at Easton High School.
My wife and I live in Northwest Tennessee and have been coming to this game since the 100th game. My wife was there for the replay game. It is and outstanding showing of community pride and I am proud to be a part of. Congratulations to both schools and communities.

[rational_1]

Didn't Robin Williams star in a movie about a game just like this about 20 years ago?

In any case, hope you guys had a blast and that the town's supply of aspirin and tensor bandages didn't run out!

[unitedr]

SIMPLY THE BEST

THANKS FROM ALL THE FORMER JOCKS

WHO GOT A BRIEF LOOK IN THE MIRROR

AND THANKS TO THE PLAYERS ON BOTH TEAMS

WHO SACRAFICED TO GET IN SHAPE AND NOT SIMPLY PHONE IT IN

All the Best From Manchester High School, Manchester, Connecticut