The GUSD football season’s most awaited game kicked off with everyone standing and screaming, waiting for the first team to score. Students from all across Glendale came together for one of the biggest rivalries in the district’s sports.
For Hoover, the day of the game is called BGD, Beat Glendale Day; for Glendale, it’s the opposite: Beat Hoover Day. Each sport has its own rival day, however, football games draw the largest crowds, with basketball being a close second.
The game on November 1st started with everyone’s hopes up. People were pushing and shoving all while cheering restlessly at every victory, whether big or small. The synchronized clapping, stomping, and chanting added to the energy and excitement in the air.
Students on Hoover’s side had their hair, faces, and even backs painted fully purple, displaying their school spirit. In addition to the enthusiastic student section, family members also showed up and cheered on their respective sides. One student’s grandma danced energetically with purple pom poms, as the student section cheered her on.
As the game commenced, the points kept piling up for Hoover, bringing the score to 13-0. Glendale’s side remained hopeful as the game continued. Despite the large point difference, the team, the students, and the cheerleaders all remained optimistic and continued to give the game their all.
During the third quarter, a player from Glendale’s football team got severely injured and needed medical assistance. This not only took time out of the game but also led to a loss of engagement, as the crowd already assumed Hoover was going to win. Although the crowd size was reduced when the game resumed, spirits were still high. When the game finally came to an end, Hoover won 35-0, beating Glendale for the second year in a row.
“It was really exciting to see the team come together and win against Glendale, keeping the bell for a second year,” senior Hoover dance captain Nelly Nikogosova said. The bell is part of a tradition between the two schools, in which the winning team gets to ring and paint it the school’s colors: purple for Hoover and red for Glendale. It adds to the competitive nature of the rivalry and gives the schools even more of an incentive to win.
Even after the tough season for both schools, this year’s football game was a great setup for the one next year, and students are already looking forward to it. These kinds of events help unify students more as they create a sense of school pride.
At Clark, students are not as privy to the same school spirit as other schools due to the lack of sports, however, it can be made up for by attending games at other schools. Though they spark strong feelings and sometimes animosity, rival games will always bring people together rather than not. “Despite the game being uncompetitive, everyone was still having fun with their friends,” junior Elin Asatourian said. Clark students similar to Elin typically find out about games like these because they play for the schools, or have friends who do.
Regardless of who won or lost this game, Hoover, GHS, and Clark students alike had a great time with their friends and cheering for their peers.
