Messwood

Situated a mile apart, along the same stretch of road, two Milwaukee, WI, communities — and their anchoring high schools—may as well exist a world away. Shorewood High, a largely white campus, boasting the highest median income level in the state, contrasts starkly to the predominantly Black Messmer High School, which struggles to graduate its students. Nearly 20 years ago, when both schools needed more players to form a team, Shorewood’s coaches sought to bridge these worlds, recruiting Messmer students to bolster their football program. The merged team, dubbed “Messwood,” is praised as a model of racial harmony. For its Coach, Antoine Davis, football isn’t simply a contest. He works to help each of his players become a well-rounded adult. MESSWOOD follows the team as they navigate a critical football season unlike any other. Set against the backdrop of a nation’s racial reckoning, these teammates defy their circumstances, vividly exemplifying what it means to pull together to attain a common goal.