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The sun begins to slip, the inflatable eagle is up, the lights bare down on the field, the flag runners take their positions, the cheerleaders set up their stunts and the crowd stands ready as the players take the field. There is nothing quite like the beauty of football season and, according to students and players, the only thing that amplifies Friday night lights is when they’re spent playing rivals.

The Trinity League is one of the toughest leagues in the nation, with top teams going against each other every week. The players and the Nest have many opinions on which of these games is the most fun, but both groups agree that rival games are some of the best to be a part of.

As for those on the field, senior tight end and defensive end Jake Peters feels that JSerra is the biggest rival.

“Playing our rivals gets me all pumped up,” Peters said. “From practice all week to game day, you just feel the energy turn up.”

Peters also agrees that the Nest’s involvement increases the team’s spirit and helps them to play with a different intensity.

“Competing against the kids I grew up playing with is insane,” Peters said. “We have a lot of history with the JSerra students and bragging rights is nice to have.”

For those who fill the stands, rivalry games bring another level of spirit to the student section. Senior Dani Spensiero agrees that JSerra is the biggest rival SMCHS faces and she knows what it’s like to be packed in the Nest.

“I will always be at a rivalry game because adding a loud sideline to any game will affect the opposition. I always try my best to cheer on my classmates and hype them up to play their best” Spensiero said.

Spensiero, who can always be found covered in blue or white in the front row of the bleachers, also feels that rivalry games are exciting because they often affect not only players, but the student section as well.

“It brings every student at the school to have a universal competitiveness against the other school,” Spensiero said. “The Nest feels way more united during these intense games.”

Shouts of “Defense!” and “I believe that we will win!” can always be heard from the stands as the student body comes together to support the Eagles, and the Nest shows that this amount of spirit only gets better at rival games.

“The student section is so important at rival games because it proves our school spirit to the other school,” Spensiero said.