Americans are known to love tradition. Many celebrate Thanksgiving with a turkey and pie, have morning routines before work or school, and visit with their relatives on holidays. Traditions can be exciting or just routine, but they are important to everyone who has them. At Palos Verdes High School, the annual PV vs. Pen football game is one of the most sacred traditions.

Every November, as the last game of the year, Palos Verdes and Peninsula High Schools battle it out on the field to see who has the superior football team. For the past ( ) years, Palos Verdes has been victorious. The games are filled with excitement, as each teams’ student sections yell competitive remarks from either side of the field. On this day, students can cheer for their own team, while supporting a friendly rivalry that has been around since the reopening of Palos Verdes High School.

“I think the PV vs. Pen rivalry is amazing.” Jordan Mickel, ASB president, said, “Honestly without rivalry there is no sports. Sports are competitive and when you have a whole school supporting you it gets intense and having rivalries makes it better.”

Palos Verdes and Peninsula switch off each year hosting the game at their stadiums. This year, the game will be at PV.

“I am so excited that it’s a home game because I just love the hype that comes with it,” Sage Vetterlein, a PVHS Senior stated. “I’m excited to cheer at the game with my cheer team but I also wish I was part of the action in red tide.”

Last year, the PV vs. Pen game that was scheduled was cancelled due to Peninsula’s lack of healthy players.

“I was devastated when there wasn’t a game last year,” Mickel said. “I was honestly more sad for the seniors because I know how disappointed they were that their last year wouldn’t have the most climactic game of the season in it.”

This was not the only change to the tradition that happened last year, however. A few beloved members of the PVHS football team left PV and went to work at Pen.

“At first I was mad at our coaches, Young, French, and Troy, and felt betrayed. Now, I use them as a way to get excited for our game against Pen,” Anthony Messori, a senior football player, stated.

While almost everyone was upset about the game being cancelled last year, many people are just satisfied that it’s back.

“I was super upset about the game being cancelled last year, but at least we get to have the best game of the season, and my last regular season football game, at home,” Vetterlein stated. “I seriously can’t wait for my first PV Pen game as a varsity cheerleader.”

“Getting to play our rivals for the first time in two years is really exciting,” Messori said.

Many people love this rivalry, and that will never change. It has been a part of both schools’ identities for so long, and is one of the most anticipated events of the school year.

“I love this game because it brings the community together,” Julianna Bidondo-Yore, a PVHS senior, said. “There are always so many people in the stands and the crowd is always very excited.”

With the game only weeks away, everybody is anxious to be part of the action and make up for the lost time of last year. Students from PVHS and PVPHS will pour into the stands to cheer on their teams to victory.