Intense competition
The word rivalry means both the act of competing and the act of emulating. The boy’s soccer teams at Northwest Christian and St. George’s High Schools fit both aspects of that description.
“We’ve been rivals for four years, and they’re my favorite team to play against,” said St. George’s senior co-captain Sam Hill. “I know all of them, and we know each other’s names just because we’ve played each other so much. There’s rivalry, and it’s intense.”
The two teams have played twice this season, settling for a 1-1 tie in their initial meeting, before the Crusaders knocked off St. George’s on the Dragons home field 2-0 in their last matchup.
“That game has always been a mental block for us, especially at St. George’s,” said Northwest Christian senior co-captain Joe Grewe. “We just have trouble putting the ball away, and we just don’t play our game. We kind of struggled through the first half a little, and then the second half we picked it up. We just got motivated, got out there and finally got the job done.”
The victory also put the Crusaders firmly in control of the top of the Northeast 1A/B standings and the top seed in the district tournament. St. George’s is in second, and hopes for another shot at Northwest Christian in the postseason playoffs, as both seek a berth in the state tournament.
“Every year that I’ve played soccer, it’s either been a loss in the semifinals to go to state or the championship to go,” said Grewe, who moved from defender to midfield this season. “This year as a senior, all of us seniors, have been pushing the guys in practice. I’ve felt we’ve stepped it up this year, having more intense practices and just really working to build team chemistry.”
“It’s going to be tough,” said Hill, who plays striker for the Dragons. “We went to state two years ago and ever since then, the older kids on the team who were there are desperately wanting to get back. We’re trying to inspire the younger players to let them know what they’re missing, because once you get there, it is one of the most amazing experiences.”
Neither team will lack for leadership as Hill and Grewe will be leaned on heavily come playoff time.
“He’s great for our team,” said St. George’s Head Coach Toraj Farzana of Hill. “He’s played multiple positions for us. He’ll play pretty much wherever we put him. He’s a great team guy. He sets a good example for the younger players. He’s very coachable, very knowledgeable of the game and works hard.”
Grewe got a similar review from Northwest Christian coach Rick Clark: “He’s constantly pushing the rest of the team in a positive way. He’s not one who’s in the back of the pack, he’s definitely in the front. Guys see that, and it’s his example that leads them. He’s very vocal and very encouraging especially this year.”
Both Grewe and Hill have played each other numerous times in their careers, but they would love nothing more than to face each other one last time with a state title on the line.
“I think our last victory gave us the confidence to see that we can play with and beat these guys,” said Grewe. “It’s just another soccer game where we have to play our game and get the job done. We have the confidence to beat St. George’s now. It was just always a question of playing our game and playing to our level.”