Marist and Brother Rice have been rivals for a long time.  “It’s such a rivalry, I have to remind them that it’s just a football game”  Ron Dawczak, coach of the football team said “Sometimes the kids get so hyped up that I have to kind of rein them in a little bit. And just tell them to remember that it’s just a football game.”

During practice, the team is often watching films of past games from their opponents and developing an understanding of certain tendencies the other teams have.  While also working on the things they have been working on all season to make sure the team is ready when it’s game time.

Although the boys may get a little more adrenaline than usual Coach Dawczak said, “the schools are so close that kids know each other, you know, they grew up together. So the desire to beat the other team is really, really high.”

Some boys on the team know the guys on the other team and whether they were good friends or not, the fact that they knew each other a while back or even played football with each other just adds another level of competitiveness to a player.

Coach Dawczak says  “as long as they give their all that’s the best that you know, that’s what I asked them to hope for. And usually, when they do that, the score works out in our favor.”

The football game between Marist and Brother Rice is Friday, October 21st at Brother Rice.