It doesn’t matter in what sport or on what level, whenever Amador Valley High and crosstown rival Foothill compete against each other, it’s a big deal.
But as far as the community is concerned, the annual football game is as big as it gets.
“I remember the first (Amador-Foothill) game I saw, back in 1986,” said Amador coach Rick Sira. “I had coached in Fremont, and I thought I knew what a rivalry was, but nothing is like this game.”
It’s a football game and a Pleasanton social event rolled into one.
Amador (8-1, 5-1 East Bay Athletic League), which is ranked No.”‰20 in the state by CalHiSports.com, carries a four-year losing streak into today’s game (7 p.m.) and tries for its second win against Foothill this decade.
“Any time you play against your friends it gets even more competitive, and these kids all grew up going to school and playing sports together,” Sira said.
Since losing to De La Salle in their EBAL opener, the Dons have rolled off five straight wins and likely will be a top-four seed in the North Coast Section playoffs regardless of the outcome against Foothill.
The rivalry game also will serve as senior night for Foothill (5-4, 2-4), which will be especially important for quarterback Sean Mannion.
Mannion served as a Foothill ball boy in elementary school and has been going to games at the school for nearly as long as he can remember.
“I’ve had so much fun playing football at Foothill,” the Oregon State-bound Mannion said. “It’s going to be weird not playing another game (at Foothill).”
Mannion has thrown for 2,296 yards and 18 touchdowns this year and expects as tough a game as the Falcons have played all year.
“All we can do is play as hard as we can and the rest will sort itself out,” he said. “It’s a very important game, but we’ll move forward with a short memory win or lose.”
