Sometimes you just feel someone else’s pain.

Walking off the field with Moniteau football coach Jeff Campbell last weekend at West Middlesex was one of those times for me.

The Warriors had just dropped a 27-8 decision on the field, ending a seven-quarter scoreless drought with a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Campbell had to watch his determined group of players eventually wear down in the second half. He was playing a number of underclassmen due to a roster struggling to find depth.

But none of that bothered him.

That’s all part of high school football, especially the season after a senior-laden team led Moniteau to a perfect regular season and the program’s first District 9 championship.

What bothered him was having to deal with the off-field turmoil caused by the reported hazing incident involving members of his team.

That’s not supposed to be part of high school football, but it tested the mettle of Campbell and his coaches.

And they passed with flying colors.

With the prospect of forfeiting its next two games and coming off a humbling 35-0 season-opening loss at Sharpsville, Moniteau showed up at West Middlesex and gamely slugged it out in a defensive battle against one of the top teams in District 10.

Campbell and his staff were among those investigated by the school to determine who knew what about the hazing situation.

To even suggest that this man would not act upon any knowledge he might have had about a situation like this is ludicrous.

Jeff Campbell has kids of his own. Like many in his profession, he coaches because he cares about kids and he loves the game.

He doesn’t tolerate seemingly harmless pranks among his players, let alone the seriousness of a hazing incident.

Walking off that field with him last Saturday night, Campbell couldn’t help but smile despite his team’s loss.

We were talking about football.

Not hazing, suspensions, forfeitures, perpetrators or victims.

Football.

Campbell pointed to the field and said: “This is what I want to get back to.”

Finally, Friday night, Moniteau was able to do just that.

For the record, Campbell and his staff were cleared of any suspicions of involvement or knowledge of the hazing.

For anyone who knows these guys, that’s not a shock.

Through all of the board meetings, proposed forfeitures, then no forfeitures, who’s available to play and who’s not, Campbell held his football team together.

The man should be more than cleared.

He should be commended.