The rivalry between Milton High School and Roswell High School is not exactly the most subtle. At the Milton versus Roswell varsity football game, the crowds may have mixed a little, but you could still tell there was some major tension between the schools, due to the competition that has been going on for decades. Even in elementary school, one could sense the tension, especially when told somebody from the Milton district was going to be a Roswell Hornet, and vice versa. This strained relationship between the two schools certainly did not get any better in middle school; rather, it got worse. With each grade that a student surpasses, the rivalry got more and more personal, and so now that we’re in high school, it hits right at home.

When asked her opinion on Milton as a school, Roswell Freshman Sofia Garcia said nothing short of a compliment, but she also agrees with those who think the school can be arrogant at times regarding all of their programs, including: sports, academics, and arts. In relation to their sports teams, specifically, Garcia believes that “Milton has a really good sports department” and that “Roswell and Milton tend to tie or have a hard time scoring in games together because their skill levels are very similar.” A a student with friends at Milton High and other involvements, her relationships with both her friends and her acquaintances have not been affected by the Milton/Roswell rivalry. However, though she respects Milton, she thinks that Roswell is ‘obviously’ the better option of the two.

Freshman Alexis Goland’s opinion on Milton is not as sincere, however. She believes that Milton is “not very diverse,” which could make them “biased in other things, like politics.” In addition to this, according to Goland, Milton may have a great sports team, but “ours might be better.” Although, unlike with sports, Goland does not have a first-hand experience with the education at Milton High School. Milton students don’t seem to have conflict with us over our win 2 weeks ago, yet if Milton had won, Goland believes she would have been very angry with the score results. Even so, Alexis has maintained her relationships with those at Milton, all while having pride in our school, and standing against theirs. The past game did not change that for her, or any of her friends.

On a different note, Milton Freshman Jessica Albregts added in her two cents about our beloved Roswell High School, specifically reflecting how we “excel in parts of high school such as football and choir.”  She believes that the lacrosse and football teams shine in their respective fields, and when Roswell took their win at the varsity football game on Friday, September 14, she was disappointed, but respected that they had been beaten. The personal relationship between her and other Roswell students is prominent, and many of them and her are on good terms, but those friends now go to Roswell, while she is a student at Milton. Yet, the past game has not affected any of these relationships that she has, both with her Roswell friends and Milton friends.

For the students at Milton and Roswell High School, the rivalry may be important, but not important enough to have a negative impact on their friendships with those at the opposing school. Students of Elkins Pointe, Northwestern, and Crabapple Middle School have been forming strong bonds over the years. That should not go away in their upcoming years because of some imbecilic and insignificant rivalry that started long before they (and we) ever enrolled in high school.