Great rivalries, true teammates

Every sport has feuds and rivalries between teams.

Whether it is the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys, or New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, it fuels the passion for the game and helps electrify the atmosphere. For high school sports, it doesn't get more heated than Warden versus Royal.

"Warden and Royal have been rivals for the longest time and back then, Royal always beat Warden. But now, Warden is starting to be competition with Royal," said Warden catcher and Junior River Dog infielder Edward Rodriguez.

This time, Warden and Royal have taken a neutral stance in the name of the 16-year-old Babe Ruth World Series. With Rodriguez, Andrew Moron and Jorge Reyes representing Warden and Jeff Jack and Ray Valle for Royal, feuds and rivalries have been hushed, but the existence is ever present.

Every fall, Royal and Warden is guaranteed a game against each other on the football field and the last couple of years, Royal has come out on top. Then comes wrestling and Warden gets revenge. Of course, during the baseball season, Warden, who has emerged from the SCAC as district champions the last three years, takes the upper hand.

"We got back in baseball since Royal beat us pretty hard in football," Reyes said. "We put 10 runs on the board and the coach said we aren't stopping here, we are going to keep going."

But the school sports hasn't come into play during the summer baseball season. Jack catches Reyes on the mound and Rodriguez bats before Jack in the line up.

"When it comes to playing guys, it doesn't matter where they are from and what they look like as long as they can hit the ball. If they can do that, I want them on my team," Jack said.

It is always intense between the two teams and towns as both sides prepare for the game of the week. Especially when families are brought into the match. Both towns are an agricultural based communities and each has ties in the other's borders.

For Valle and Moron, both of which have family in each other's towns, the rivalry takes on new meaning.

"They talk a lot of trash and we just try to take it in and see what happens," Valle said.

"I don't really look at it as a rivalry, I think it is more fun because I know most people in Royal City," Moron added.

In the present, Warden and Royal have kept their mouths shut, but it doesn't mean Valle will take it easy on Warden as he tosses a ball to Jack for a touchdown, or Reyes will pitch soft to Royal next baseball season. For now, keeping on each other's good sides has been crucial in a pursuit for a World Series title.

There will be plenty of time for trash talking in the future.

"When we talk trash to each other, it is just for fun and don't get in each other's faces," Reyes added.