Kenton, Ohio ? It was intended to be a prank: steal a decoy deer, place it on a country road and watch as motorists swerved to avoid it.

It ended with two teenagers suffering serious injuries when their car hit the decoy and rolled into a ditch.

When a judge ruled this week that two boys – both high school football players – can complete the football season before they serve 60-day sentences at a juvenile detention center, it caused a division in this northwest Ohio city.

On one side are those who say allowing Dailyn Campbell, a 16-year-old quarterback, and 17-year-old teammate Jesse Howard to play shows that football players get preferential treatment.

On the other are those who say either the boys deserve another chance or that they will stay out of trouble if they’re part of the team.

Robert Roby Jr., one of the injured teens, said he believes Campbell and Howard received special treatment because they’re football players.

The Kenton High Wildcats, which won state championships in 2001 and 2002, draw about 4,000 fans for games in this city of about 8,000.