COEUR d'ALENE — The rivalry between two opposing teams was set aside at the beginning of their game Saturday morning as each player on the field celebrated a special moment for one of the team’s captains.

Seventh-grade Coeur d’Alene Junior Tackle football players of the Junior Vikings and Lakeland Gold boogied at the goal line on Person Field when Karsten Fagan scored a touchdown. The teams united in friendship to honor their pal Karsten, who always inspires his buddies to be kind to each other.

“What a magical thing,” said Junior Vikings coach Tony Prka. “Karsten scored a touchdown for him, his family, for Canfield Middle School, for all of Coeur d’Alene. It’s so amazing when you have the community just bond together for something like that.”

And Karsten must have been the Vikings’ lucky charm, because the very next play, 12-year-old Roddy Romero raced down the field to score another touchdown.

“It was really special, Prka said. “That was our first kickoff return for a touchdown all year.”

Karsten, 13, has been living with a brain tumor since infancy. He has undergone more than 50 surgeries already in his young life, as well as endured chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The tumor has caused long-term damage that has affected him physically. His classmates have taken him under their wing for several years and have developed a deep affection for him.

“He’s been in a good mood all week because of this,” said his mom, Angie. “These young men are amazing young men.

“As a mother, your first worry with having a child with special needs is, ‘Will he be accepted?’ and these boys have gone over and beyond to make him feel wanted and loved.”

“It’s awesome to see my son so excited, but the real joy is to see the boys and how they react to him and how they interact with him,” said Karsten’s dad, Will. “You can tell that Karsten’s situation is really uplifting to them. It’s really not about Karsten, it’s about all that they do to make sure everyone’s included.”

The sidelines were packed with parents, siblings, grandparents and a multitude of teachers and friends who came out to see the game and Karsten’s big moment. His older sister, Jacqueline, 18, traveled from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she is studying special education, to see her little brother in action.

“I’m just feeling very grateful for these boys and how they go out of their way to include my brother in so many of their events and their football games and they make sure to say hi to him at school,” she said. “It’s amazing.”

Karsten led the Vikings onto the field, bursting through a giant paper banner just like the pros do before a big game. After the touchdown and the celebration, Karsten mingled with the crowd, taking selfies with the fans and enjoying nonstop hugs.

Makaila Hay, 12, Rylie Patton, 12, and Abby Garcia, 13, all attended the game to cheer for Karsten. They sit with him at lunch and hang out with him between classes. Superfan and peer tutor Makaila wore a bright bow in her hair and had the words “Go Karsten” written on her face.

“He’s never unhappy,” Makaila said.

“He’s always happy, even though he has a worse situation that everyone else,” Rylie said.

“I think Karsten is a really good example for how people should treat people,” Abby said. “He’s never rude to anyone, he’s never mean, he never did anything wrong and he’s just really sweet.”

Karsten’s art teacher, Alli Robitaille, said Karsten and five other boys made the banner.

“Every person who knows Karsten, I mean, there is just a bond he makes with everybody, there’s this amazing connection he makes with people,” she said. “They celebrate him all the time. Every day is a celebration with him, and he is so thankful and so appreciative of everybody. It’s just awesome.”