Stephen’s Story

Some of the greatest conflicts in rural America occur between rival high schools during football season.  In my hometown, as five high schools vie for playoff positions in the state tournament, it is easy to see how rivalries form and how heated they can become.

This past year, Hurricane High School Tigers played perennial powerhouse and local rival Pine View High School Panthers to overtime, losing a heartbreaker.  At the conclusion of the game, it was readily apparent that emotions were raw on both sides.  The Pine View players and their supporters were raucous and overjoyed, having pulled out the narrowest of victories, while the Hurricane crowd was nothing short of devastated and hurt from the loss.  As one might expect following a close contest between rivals, there were some jeers and insults hurled back and forth between the two camps as they made their way out of the stadium, but before the night was over, the drama and passion of the game had dissipated, and thoughts on both sides were directed to the following week’s opponents.  In the coming weeks, both teams continued to do well and qualified for the state playoffs, though in different classes.

This is where the story begins.  The Pine View Panthers traveled north to the University of Utah Stadium to play in the semifinals against Cottonwood High School, an urban force that from the start of the season was expected to play in the 4A state final.  The game was close, and were it not for a pass interference call on 4^th and goal in the end zone against the free safety, who also happened to be the Pine View Student Body President, the Panthers may well have won the game.  As it was, Pine View was knocked out of the tournament.  On the long, subdued bus ride home, the Student Body President penned the following letter to his rival cross-town high school.   The next morning, he faxed it to the Hurricane High School main office.

November 17, 2008

Dear Hurricane High School,

Southern Utah has been represented well with two of the best high school football teams making it to the state playoffs.  Sorry to say, we left the tournament a little early when we lost a close one to Cottonwood High School.  That leaves the Hurricane Tigers as the sole representative from Southern Utah.  We would like to wish you good luck, letting you know that Panther Pride is now behind the Hurricane Tigers.  Go Tigers!  Make Southern Utah proud and ground the Soaring Eagles!  This is your year!

Best of luck,

Pine View High School

The unexpected fax from archrival Pine View High School created quite a commotion in the Hurricane principal’s office.  “What is this?  Is it a joke?”  When it was finally deemed legitimate, the feeling and mood changed, and there was genuine heartfelt appreciation, so much so that it was read over the intercom to the Hurricane student body.

The next morning at Pine View High School, when the student body president was reading the routine daily announcements, the door to the office opened, and three Hurricane student body officers and their advisors, having driven across the county, walked in and personally thanked Pine View for their gesture of confidence and support for the Hurricane Tigers as the latter prepared to play in the state championship football game.

On that day—and, perhaps, until they meet again as rivals in next year’s big game—the bitterest of rivals came together in the realization that what they had in common, namely the pride they both felt in the local heritage they shared, was infinitely more important than any arbitrary school boundaries or temporary high school loyalties.  For just a few moments during that weekend’s championship game, the high school world seemed to stand still as all from Southern Utah including Panthers were pulling for the Hurricane Tigers.