Rivalry Renewed

A century old rivalry will be rekindled this week. No, the Yankees aren't in town to play the Red Sox.

Milton Academy will meet its long time rival Nobles in a number of spring sports today. It's a tradition of the two schools to tackle one another on the season's final game, and the rivalry is sure to stir up some good times.

"It's awesome," said Mustangs varsity lacrosse coach Corey Simonson. "Anytime you have a rival no matter what kind of season you've had players get so fired up and so psyched up.

"Really anything can happen. It's true with any sport. It's nice because it's hard to get high school kids ready to play for every game, and when you have a rivalry that helps you out a little bit as a coach."

Just like the Michigan vs. Ohio State football rivalry, a win against the other team can make or break a season, even if one of the teams is already eliminated from winning the ISL crown. That is the case this year for the boy's lacrosse team, but they get a chance to be a spoiler against the more successful Nobles team this season.

The longest game running has been the football game, according to Nobles athletic director Bob Moore, which he estimated has been going on for a little over 100 years.

"It's just a fun way to end the season," he said. "We enjoy having it."

Moore, who has held his position for 10 years, said "Milton Day" — which it is referred to at Nobles — is a great event because so many different generations can enjoy in the competition.

"Graduates come back and they always talk about the Milton game(s)," he said. "Especially the older players."

For Matt Petherick, Mustangs varsity baseball coach, the rivalry is "electric." He remembered being at the hockey game between the schools over the winter and "the emotion in the building was electric."

"It's a genuine rivalry," said Petherick, whose team will square off with Nobles at 4 p.m. "There is a strong dislike between each school and that adds to the atmosphere of the game."

The boys baseball team is in the middle of the pack of the ISL, and Nobles is a couple of games behind them. The game will not be a make-or-break game in the standings, but for school pride it will mean everything.

Petherick said it is hard to make sure his team isn't too hyped up because of the history that comes with the rivalry.

"Being a part of it you try to just focus on it that much," he said. "You want to look at it as being just another game, because you don't want your guys to get too psyched up and psyche themselves out of it."

It may not be on the Richter  Scale of a Yankees vs. Red Sox series or Michigan vs. Ohio State game, but there will be some heated moments on Friday in every sport.

"It's up there," said Petherick. "It's a genuine rivalry."