“It has a strong reputation as one of the fiercest rivalries on the peninsula,” said Sequoia senior Antonio Arellano.
The ‘it’ is, of course, the Bay Area’s own traditional rivalry between two schools, Carlmont High School and Sequoia High School, with concentrated momentum in the athletics department.
According to the Cherokees’ commentators, Sequoia started playing American Football in 1919, followed by Carlmont in 1954. In 1982, their two leagues, Mid-Peninsula League (MPL) and South Atlantic League (SAL), merged, and Carlmont and Sequoia have been facing off in the last game of the season ever since.
On Friday, Nov. 14, the 61st meeting of the battle for the Terremere trophy, the prize for the winner of the annual match up, was held on Cherokee territory. With Sequoia taking the trophy home this year, the score is tied at 30 wins for each team and one tie over the course of the past 33 years.
No one has ventured a guess as to when or why the feud began. And yet, it’s existence is more than just a legacy.
“We’ve lost and won against Sequoia, and after four years that builds up a lot of competition,” commented senior Sabrina Miller, member of the varsity volleyball team.
“In all sports, we think highly of beating them,” added Miller.
And what about the annual football game? Her sentiments were clear.
“I want to crush them,” said Miller.
The rivalry is taken more lightly by others.
For example, former Carlmont Assistant Vice Principle (AVP) Robert Fishtrom was spotted at the game wearing neutral colors.
“Having taught at Seqouia and having been the AVP at Carlmont, I will say that being at Carlmont for 6 years was the very best part of my career. But as for the rivalry, I just wanna see a good game,” said Fishtrom.
In terms of football, Fishtrom sees the feud as healthy competition.
“We always value the Terremere trophy, and I think its a great tradition to pass on,” said Fishtrom.
After 33 years of facing off, the intensity has diminished for some Carlmont students.
“I think it’s just an excuse to get everyone hyped up for the game,” said senior Mireya Maciel.
As for the athletics community, the conflict is still very much alive. Many athletes on Carlmont’s campus have concrete opinions about their rival.
Speaking for the varsity volleyball team, Miller said, “We have strong dislikes against them.”
Sequoia students also hold their own ideas about Carlmont.
“I think Carlmont has a beautiful campus, but in general, I like sequoia better because its more diverse. At Carlmont, I only see white people,” said Sequoia freshman Kayla Burr.
However, off the field, relationships remain in tact between students of the two schools.
At Friday’s game, friends from separate schools were eager to reconnect, and were unconcerned with any stigma of fraternizing with the enemy. Rival couples were not afraid to walk through the stands holding hands, and renegades were seen switching allegiances in the bleachers by crossing colors to support loved ones.
“A lot of my friends go to Sequoia. It’s kind of fun to be involved [in the rivalry] even if you don’t have the winning football team,” said senior Veronica Pontis.
Keeping the conflict congenial is a popular trend across both schools.
Arellano, the starting defensive lineman for the Cherokees, said, “I like the rivalry because although it is a pretty fierce one, it still stays friendly enough to keep the main thing the main thing. It hasn’t affected my relationships, but bragging rights are a fun thing to have.”
“I consider Carlmont a rival because they bring it every year, and they don’t give up when sometimes it seems that the should. Every year is interesting. And every year, we look forward to playing Carlmont,” Arellano said.
Whether you bleed blue or purple is of little consequence to most people — unless you’re on the field or in the stands. With Friday’s Cherokee win tying up the score in the battle for the Terremere Trophy, next year one is likely to witness a true fight to determine who will come out ahead in the decade old feud — the Scots, or the Cherokees.
