More Than a Game: Respect in Rivalry

Fire up the grills, line up the marching band, and pack the stands; it’s a typical Friday night in Kansas. Across the state, communities gather under the lights for a tradition that runs deep: high school football. For two schools, that tradition runs even deeper, stretching all the way back to 1892. The Dickinson County rivalry between the Abilene Cowboys and the Chapman Irish is the oldest such rivalry West of the Mississippi (ESPN, 2009). This year’s matchup lived up to its storied history.

Over the years, as a photographer, I’ve covered many rivalry games, from small-town showdowns to the Sunflower Showdown. I have often found these rivalry games to be filled with intensity. In this game, Abilene would take a 13-0 lead into halftime. A second-half comeback by the Irish fell just short, sending the Cowboys back to Abilene with a 16–12 victory. While the game itself had intensity, what really stood out to me was the sportsmanship displayed throughout the evening. From a pregame meeting between the cheerleaders to players helping their opponents off the turf, the respect between these two programs was as memorable as the game itself. No doubt, generations of players from both communities have met in this rivalry, and the two teams and their supporters honored that heritage well. Photos and story by Tanner Colvin