The “Battle of 370” is carried from the football field and right into the basketball court. The tension of this rivalry helps fill the gym. No matter where you stand the sounds of the game surround you. The screams of the coaches could blow out an eardrum, the squeaking of the matching green shoes the Gretna Dragons are wearing and the pounding of the ball are heard with the teams try to beat each other’s impossible presses. The refs are yet again calling another foul on the Dragons’ Maggie Miller plowing through the team with a charge and GEHS’s Hailey Levinson fouling Gretna with the attempt to get ahold of the ball.
These sounds were typical to follow when fans entered the gym on game day. The atmosphere was different within the GHS gym, on Dec. 13 when the Gretna girls’ basketball teams played Gretna East. These schools are only a total of eight minutes away from each other. Not only close in distance, these girls are close personally. Two years ago, the seniors and juniors of each team were teammates and, within a blink of an eye, they were the players they had to compete against for the most awaited game of the season.
“It kind of gave me flashbacks to our freshman year when we used to be one town,” junior Kelsey Van Waart said. One town and a bunch of best friends is what it used to be. Now, GHS vs. GEHS is one of the most anticipated games of the season in each sport.
“I look forward to the rivalry games because they are always fun and it could be a great game despite each other’s record because each team has lots of confidence,” Gretna East junior Alexa Pine said.
Gretna East warmed up on Dec. 13. with the confidence of having a higher-ranked team but has there was the uneasiness of who they were playing against and where they were playing. The Dragons were ready to give it their all and fight mentally and physically for the win despite having a lower ranking.
“I’ve played with them since we were in second grade,” senior Addison Armitage said. “So now that I don’t get to play with them anymore, it was fun to at least be with them. But it was also kind of weird because you’re, like, competing against them.”
Despite the hard work by both teams, Gretna East’s brutal press came out, and they won 50-26. Great things are given second chances and that is exactly the opportunity GHS was given. On Dec. 21, Gretna and Gretna East played against each other. The same jitters overshadow the girls.
“It’s tough to have a lot of animosity when you have a familiar face on the other side,” assistant varsity coach Jon Swanson said.
The familiarity did not fully stop the teams. Gretna fought even harder than the last game and kept a close score for the first half. Gretna East continued to get more and more points. Eventually, they won the close game, especially after Megan Marshall took a tumble and struggled to play with her full strength. Additionally, Miller fouled out in the fourth quarter. Gretna East came out with the second victory over Gretna this season, winning 45-22.
“We are definitely going to get better and grow as a team,” Van Waart said. “We have a lot of young players, and I think just getting together and working on the small things will really help us improve.”
Both teams will make improvements and reach success within this month. The third time could be the charm for the Gretna Dragons when both teams play each other once again on Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m. in the GHS gym.
“Win or lose you always have another chance to play them and it’s never the last,” Pine said.
