Wolves-Rams rivalry kicks off with T-shirt unveiling
The Lakeside Rams and Lake Hamilton Wolves kicked off the second year of their renewed high school football rivalry Tuesday with the unveiling of this year’s football game T-shirts.
2018 marked the two schools’ first senior high football game since
1999 to a crowd of more than 8,000 and massive hype. In an intense game, the Wolves took the win, with a final score of 31-27. This year’s game promises to create the same spirited atmosphere.
To kick off the anticipation leading up to the game, representatives, including team mascots, from both schools met at the Big Red Valero,
3544 Airport Road, near the Lake Hamilton campus to reveal this year’s shirt design and film a promotional video.
The shirts, offered in either blue or maroon, feature both teams’ helmets on the front with “Wolves vs. Rams” text. Depending on which school the purchaser is supporting, the shirts either say “Friends don’t let friends wear blue,” or “Friends don’t let friends wear maroon.”
Brian Bridges, Lake Hamilton communications coordinator, drew inspiration for the design from a similar Alabama State University shirt that read “Friends don’t let friends wear orange.”
“Obviously, 364 days a year, we’re friends. But one day a year, on that rivalry football game, you’ve got to choose whether you’re wearing maroon or you’re wearing blue,” he said.
The Gear Factory of Hot Springs created the shirts, and Big Red Convenience Stores are the only places to purchase them. The 2975 Malvern Ave. location near Lakeside Schools will exclusively sell blue shirts, while the 3544 Airport Road location near Lake Hamilton Schools will only sell maroon shirts.
Bridges said Big Red Stores were an eager partner in the shirt sales in anticipation of the rivalry game.
“When I reached out to Danielle with Big Red with this idea, there was absolutely no hesitation. She immediately said, ‘We’re all about partnering with the school districts. It’s for scholarship and teacher recognition: we want to do this.’ Big Red is making no profit on these shirts. They’re giving everything to the schools. So it is very, very nice
that they’re doing that and handling the sales for us, and we appreciate them for doing that.”
“The rivalry game is a big deal for our community, and having our local businesses, like Big Red, to support both districts really adds to the hype of the rivalry and brings our community together,” Lakeside communications coordinator Tara Adams said.
“We are local, and we know how important schools are, and we’re not just some big brand that came into your town. We’re your neighbor. So we know the work that the teachers do, and we know the importance of good schools for the kids. And these are both great schools. So we’re so proud to be a part of it. It’s work that we are proud of and don’t see as a hassle. And it’s just a way to get to know our community and our schools better, the people in the community. And who doesn’t like a friendly competition?,” Danielle Mitchell, manager of the Airport Road Big Red, said.
Shirt sales begin today in limited quantities and sizes. Youth sizes to adult XL cost $16, while XXL up to 4XL cost $20.
“If they want one of those shirts, get them while they’re hot,” Bridges said.
Last year, Lake Hamilton sold nearly 700 shirts, in addition to Lakeside’s shirt sales.
All sales proceeds will directly support scholarship funds at both schools. Last year, in part through shirt sales funds, Lake Hamilton High School awarded four $500 scholarships to seniors based off academic excellence, school and community involvement and an essay. The funds also go toward monetary prizes for teacher recognition at Lake Hamilton. This will be Lakeside’s first year to use shirt sales for scholarship funds.
“We just want to try and raise as much funding as we can to help in providing scholarship opportunities for our students,” Adams said.
Both school are also considering working in conjunction with each other to hold a competition to raise the most money for Circle of Friends for Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Adams said.
This year’s game will be Thursday, Sept. 5 at Wolf Stadium, and will be the featured Game of the Week. As such, it will be broadcast on cable television. Bridges said the school relishes the opportunity to host the event.
“At Lake Hamilton, we’re excited to host it. Lakeside was a great host last year. We couldn’t have said enough compliments about their hospitality and their fans welcoming us, and we’re looking forward to being able to do that this year: Welcome them as well and provide that hospitality that we received last year in the fun rivalry environment,” he said.
“It’ll be just as exciting for our district and community as it was last year. Even though last year was a big year since it had been 19 years since the two teams met on the gridiron, this year will be just as great bringing our community together,” Adams said.