Down. Set. Hike. For two years one football game has decided which school in District 38 was best. The annual football game between Lewis-Palmer and in-town rivals, Palmer Ridge determined which school had the better team.

This year will be the first year since Palmer Ridge was opened that the two schools will not be competing in football.

After a meeting the coaches from both schools, athletic directors, and the administrators collectively decided that having the rivalry game would not be a good decision.

Russ McKinstry, the athletic director at Lewis-Palmer High School, believes the majority of the negativity towards the game has come from the parents of the players.

“The students from both schools have handled the game very well; the parents on the other hand have been causing some problems. I’m greatly disappointed in the way parents have handled the rivalry,” McKinstry said.

Senior Isaac Vasquez, a ranger football player; agrees with the decision made by the administration. Isaac has been a player on the football team for three years and thinks this year will go smoother without the rivalry.

“It’s a good thing we aren’t having the game because everything was really heated and things were being blown out of proportion. We need a break to let things simmer down,” Vasquez said.

In the future, District 38 is willing to bring the game back. McKinstry commented by saying year or two break is what was discussed. Once the tension between the two schools has settled the game will be allowed to return.