Marist takes on Brother Rice in football Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Red and White Stadium in one of Chicago’s greatest rivalries: The Battle of Pulaski.

The storied matchup takes place yearly and showcases two of the top private schools on the South Side, both connected by Pulaski Road. The rivalry dates back to 1975, which saw Brother Rice winning the first six matchups, and Marist finally getting their first win over Brother Rice in 1981. Recently, however, Marist has taken victory in the past three meetings, winning last year in an overtime thriller at Brother Rice. 

This year looks to be different however, as Brother Rice is currently ranked 7th in Illinois, while Marist is ranked 17th according to MaxPreps, the largest national database for high school athletics. Brother Rice is coming off of a 43-19 win vs Valparaiso while Marist last week suffered a close loss to the hands of 6th ranked St. Rita, losing 28-21 on the road.

Despite the loss, the RedHawks are determined to fly their way to victory on Friday night. The game takes place at Marist with the RedHawk Rowdies ready to support and show out for the team.

“The numbers were great last week. The student section filled up the whole section,” said Coach Rob Topps, co-moderator of Student Council. “We just gotta be louder.”