53-year rivalry: Amarillo High vs. Tascosa
Even the colors clashed as crosstown rivals Amarillo High and Tascosa squared off in their annual football showdown Friday night at Dick Bivins Stadium.
On the east side, the stands overflowed in red as Rebels fans packed in close to watch the game. On the west side, Sandies fans were draped in gold and black to show their school spirit. A fan on either side not clad in school colors was a visual surprise.
Debbie Sutterfield, Tascosa Class of 1974, was seated comfortably well before 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The special-needs teacher wore a solid red dress to complement her bright red hair.
"I like football, but playing against Amarillo High is the best thing in the world," she said. "The rivalry - it seems like Amarillo High gets everything they want and need, and Tascosa has been the stepchild, so it's important to beat them every time we play them."
Sutterfield teaches her students to be proud of their school.
"It's more like being patriotic, being a part of a group, working together and playing together," she said.
Alexius Dawn, 15, is delighted to be a Sandie. Dressed in a gold shirt with black beads, she said the sight of students and parents whose offspring had graduated inspired her to cheer harder.
"Rivalry games are pretty fun," she said.
As the crowd roared at kick off, one man's voice stood out: "I love high school football!"
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By the numbers
# 2,111: Students at Amarillo High
# 2,166: Students at Tascosa High
# 50: Number of Amarillo football players
# 60: Number of Tascosa football players
# 11,000: Average number of fans who attend the rivalry
# $9,000: Anticipated revenue from sale of soft drinks
# 1,000: Hot dogs ordered for concession sales
# 1948: Amarillo school board, with A.R. "Dick" Bivins as its president, selected the site for a new football stadium at 800 South Marrs St.
# 1958: Bivins dies; school board changes name of complex to Dick Bivins Stadium.
# Sept. 11, 1959: Stadium rededicated in Bivins' name. Bivins, a longtime businessman