How a Crosstown Rivalry Affects Athletes
By Rahim Hara and Omar Johnson
Rivalries are a huge part of sports, and for Albany, the Saint Mary’s Panthers are our biggest rival. Three sports where it gets particularly intense are boys’ basketball, girls volleyball, and boys soccer.
This year was an extra special year for the boys’ soccer team when it came to playing Saint Mary’s. They won the league championship with a last-minute goal against the Panthers. When asked about experiences within the rivalry, Jeremy Banks, senior, says, “It’s always a good game cause they’re kind of like our league rivals, so sometimes it gets a little chippy, but it’s cool because I kind of know everyone on the team.” One thing that every player says when asked about the rivalry is just how intense the environment is. Salva Romero, sophomore, describes, “It’s really loud. A lot of the time, there are a lot of fans coming from both sides. So, it’s just really loud, and it gets hectic.”
Boys’ basketball had a different outcome when faced against Saint Mary’s. Despite the 0-3 record, there was still quite a lot of tension between the two teams. The Cougars faced up against the Panthers in both the regular and postseason, a product of which was a devastating two-point loss. These games aren’t the only ones that create this tension; when asked about what fuels the rivalry, Pasha Azar, senior, says, “They’re our crosstown rivals, and we’ve been playing them for the last few years.” The close proximity allows for an even showing for each team’s supporters. The big crowd from both sides creates a lot of pressure on the players, Mateo Almaguar, sophomore, says, “It’s loud, it’s intense, and it usually results in a good game.”
Not only does the close proximity cause a lot of buzz between both crowds, but for the girls’ volleyball team, it grows a lot of familiarity between the two teams, though this familiarity isn’t always positive. Alex Parker, junior, talked about the relationship between the Albany and Saint Mary volleyball teams, saying, “I think that there are some girls on the other team that are kind of rude, so it makes all of us want to work harder to beat them.” With the rivalry being alive today, it was very much prominent dating back, when asked about memorable moments from the rivalry, Maia Lieu, sophomore, recalls, “A couple years ago, when they played them, they went to five sets at St. Mary’s, and they won. It was really cool to watch.”
Despite each sport being different and each team having its own record against Saint Mary’s, it is clear that everyone is eager to face the Panthers once more.
