ROCKLIN VS. DEL ORO - My High School Journalism

12February 2007 rhs_flash@yahoo.com
Features
Thunder Vs. Eagles
Casey Cutts
an up close and personal look at the legendary rivalry
Staff writer
Just six miles separate one of the biggest rivalries in
the San Joaquin Section. Whether it’s football, tennis,
basketball; even API scores are a source of tension
between Rocklin and Del Oro.
Del Oro comes from a rich history of sports dating
back to the 50’s. Meanwhile Rocklin is a relatively new
school that recently has challenged the prestige and
history of the Golden Eagles.
Every great rivalry shares several main trends;
location, history, and one main meeting or event that
sets in stone a heated rivalry. For example, the trading
of Babe Ruth from Boston to New York back in the
early part of the 20 th century set the stage for ‘the
curse’ and the hatred of the two cities. It never seems
to matter what kind of year either team is having. If it’s
a rivalry game, the intensity, passion, and tension are
always there.
The feud first began back when Rocklin first had
varsity sports, 1997. There wasn’t balance to the
rivalry then. In ‘98 Rocklin and Del Oro met three
times during the boy’s basketball season. The first two
in the usual SFL fashion, with the third at ARCO Arena
for the Division III section championship. The stage, as
well as the stakes, made that one of the most intense
games the rivalry has seen. The Eagles
took down the Thunder, and were crowned
champions.
More recently, the Thunder and Golden
Eagles faced each other in another section
championship. The 2005 regular season
football match up drew an estimated 6,000
people, and the Eagles took the game and
eventually the SFL title. Soon after, the two
met for yet another section championship
game, this time in football. After the Thunder
seemingly had taken control of the game
in the first half, a determined Eagle squad
eventually took the game late in the fourth
quarter. Yet again Thunder fans were sent
home, let down and disappointed at the
hands of the Golden Eagles.
Perhaps the most interesting part of this
rivalry is the amount of crossover there is
between schools. Current Del Oro head
varsity football Coach Casey Taylor coached
football at Rocklin prior to his acceptance of
the Del Oro job. Rocklin loses students to
Rocklin boys
basketball
@ Del Oro
Feb. 14
7 p.m.
Del Oro all the time, as well as the other way around,
adding to the fuel on the fire.
Last year the ‘Thunderdome’ was filled to capacity and
turned away some 200 people who were waiting to see the
rivalry go to the hardwood as the boy’s basketball teams
battled for first place in the SFL. The gym was abuzz of
anticipation as the D.O football team brought along they’re
section title banner, while Andrew Dean set up camp in
the middle of the D.O. cheering section. A clash of ‘Stick
Rocklin’ and ‘Stick With Rocklin’ shirts didn’t help to ease
the tensions created by the rivalry.
Prior to last year the rivalry had almost been forgotten
as Rocklin had been down in football and D.O had been
down in basketball, two of the main sports featured in
the heart of the rivalry. But, with both school competing
for league titles in both sports the rivalry was back in full
force.
While the rivalry was still present, and both schools
always had extra motivation every time they met, there
was never that added enthusiasm from the students and
fans like there was back in 1998 when it all began; the
same enthusiasm that was rekindled last year.
Now once again basketball season has brought one of
the last great rivalries in Northern California back to the
fore front of high school sports, and we are all witnesses
to the drama that will soon ensue.