On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the Lincoln East varsity football team faced off against the Lincoln Southwest team. East and Southwest are largely known to have a very passionate rivalry, ranging through athletics, music, and academics. The game was held at Seacrest field, where both teams were amped up for the highly anticipated game.

The first quarter started off slow, with Southwest gaining three points by a field goal at the 7:39 mark. Fans of both sides were riled up, especially when East got the first touchdown during the second quarter, with 5:13 minutes remaining until halftime.

As East and Southwest are large rival teams, the players had a lot of stress put on them due to the rowdy cheering in the bleachers and the goal of not letting Southwest gain their first win of the season. There were many different points in the game that left the players feeling determined to come out on top.

“We just had to battle through it all,” wide receiver and safety Landen Lingenfelter said. “Especially with the fans. It was a close game throughout. We had some big plays in the end and we made it happen.”

In the second half of the game, both teams pushed on. East scored one touchdown during the third quarter, with Southwest scoring a touchdown less than a minute later. By the end of the game, the Spartans came out on top with a score of 21-10.

“Winning a game always leaves you feeling great,” coach Brice Tyrrell said. “When you beat an in-town rival, that feeling is multiplied by ten.”

With this win, Spartans have now beaten Southwest consecutively for two years. The infamous rivalry continues strong in other sports, with this being another chance for the Spartans to come out on top.