Football season is a time for student bodies to come together for the sole purpose of supporting their teams. It is only natural that students want to root on their school’s teams, hoping to end the night with another victory. This happened with the Alliance Bulldogs and the Gering Bulldogs who played each other on the dreaded Friday the 13th. Gering has recently broken their losing streak, making this game one to remember.

Alliance and Gering are both small towns in the Nebraska panhandle, but any onlooker could see the determination of both teams to be the winner. The rivalry between the teams is one any student at Alliance or Gering High School could confirm, but why is the competition level at an all time high between the two specific schools who rarely play each other?

It could be the effect of living only an hour away from one another and the feeling that one needs to dominate all of the opposing teams who live in a close vicinity, or could the rivalry be based on an unspoken hatred? It is hard to find the correct reason, if there even is one. Could the cause of this rivalry actually be that there is not enough room in the panhandle for two Bulldog teams?

The game was posted on every form of social media as students and even parents were hyping the game up just to show who has the better community.

Connor Twogood, a senior who can commonly be seen walking the Alliance hallways hyping up football games, is actually a Gering transfer. He moved to Alliance over a year ago after attending Gering High School.

“Being involved in Alliance Football was one of the best things to ever happen to me. I made new friends and hopefully formed unbreakable bonds. Being from Gering and suiting up against them on the opposite side of the field was never rocking and all the players for Gering had a huge target on my head. This year unfortunately, I am no longer apart of the team. Gering was our chance for victory. So that is why I believe the rivalry is so great and that’s why I love my Alliance brothers, “ Conner stated.

When asked why he feels the way he does, he answered, “Because Alliance Bulldogs are the better Bulldogs.”

Gering took the competition a step farther when their student section, the GHS Blue Crew, tweeted, “We’re taking a spirit bus to the football game Friday @ Alliance! $5 per student and sign up at the office! Come cheer on your bulldogs.”

The tweet circled around until the seniors of Alliance High School decided to fire back when one of their own, Sophia Collett, took the liberty to post on the senior’s group page on facebook. She encouraged all seniors to show up to the game, bring their underclassmen friends, and show their support.

On Friday afternoon, Gering students loaded onto the bus and showed up to the Bulldog Stadium in Alliance with their student section and cheerleaders. While Alliance’s away stands were flooded by blue and yellow representing the Gering Bulldogs, the home stands were flooded by royal blue and white, and if they were in the student section, black to match the blackout theme.

This year, Alliance has not had the best season due to the majority of last season’s starting line graduating, but the community still has that bulldog spirit to keep them going. They are only finding their rhythm after losing some fantastic players from last year, it can only be expected that they need to make some adjustments. After a long and hard fight for the victory, the Alliance Bulldogs lost the game, but won the adoration of their fans.

The current players are trying to fill the shoes of the players from years before who have gone off to play college football, but if they work hard enough and stay motivated, they will succeed in the future.