In the early nineties, Wooster football could have lost every other game, but if they beat the McQueen Varsity, their season was redeemed. Coach Sellers and Coach Dalton ruled the Reno prep world back then. Now Reed and Damonte go at it in football or Bishop Manogue versus Reed (ex-coach issues) or Damonte (Did you recruit our student-athlete?) gets people talking and blood boiling. These are games and rivalries that people want to see even if they don’t support either school.
Down south of Reno, there’s a rivalry too! Carson versus Douglas, and it’s a great rivalry. It doesn’t matter if it’s basketball, lacrosse, baseball, track & field, softball, soccer or football. Blue & White versus Black & Orange, even the color schemes are ready to fight each other. Rivalry just makes the sports landscape better!
Last night on Randy Green court in the Douglas gym, the freshmen girls volleyball teams from Carson High School and Douglas High School went at it. These young ladies turned up the intensity to eleven as they battled for points. They might be only 14 years old and typically worried about who is asking them out to the Homecoming dance Saturday night, but they put away hair concerns and homework to fight fiercely for their school’s pride.
Anela Mitchell and Morgan Spohr are friends and they even attend the same church & youth group. They learn about Jesus’ love on Sundays but stared each other down like each other was the devil last night. As Anela, from Carson, played amazing defense digging up shots and Morgan, of Douglas, identified where to place her ace-inducing serves. The court was a battleground of relentless aggression as the teams split the first two sets. The Tigers finally got the advantage late in the third set to win the match.
Rivalries, it’s truly what makes sports fun! Friendships, it’s definitely part of what makes life worth living. Friendly rivalries are therefore the best combinations of these two things. Congrats ladies, on having some fun and great competition!
Scott Riley has a Senior daughter playing for Douglas High Ladies Varsity Lacrosse and a Freshmen son on the 9th grade Football team. He is married and has a 5th grade son who plays almost everything through Douglas County Recreation. Scott roots also for the Carson High Senators & the Sierra Lutheran Falcons as the Student Pastor of LifePoint Church in Minden.