As with all sports leagues there are a number of significant rivalries that have made history. Rivalries are typically created there is a significant event that causes bad blood between two, teams. In the Hawk’s case the rivalry is against Fallston and goes back as far as 23 plus years

The head of the athletic department for the Hawks, Tim Larrimore, has been aware of the rivalry for as long as he has been a part of the community. He believes that the bad blood between the two teams is mostly from the Hawk’s since Fallston considers its strongest rivalries to be both Bel Air and Patterson Mill.

“These three schools all believe that students from Fallston think that they are superior to them,” said Larrimore.

Football coach, and weight training teacher of 14 years, Ken Brinkman, really noticed the rivalry in the year 1999 at the county championship. Over 5,000 fans came to support the teams and the Hawks beat out the Cougars, and since then it has been a battle back and forth. It seems to be a pattern that all games are a nail biter for the fans. In 2010 the Hawks were able to beat the Cougars by going for two points with 47 seconds left, and then they won by one last year by blocking a possible two pointer.

Brinkman said that the players are really prepared on how to get themselves ready for the game. When it seems to be getting out of hand, Brinkman tells the players that it is really important to not get distracted and stay away from social media.

“It is really easy for the boys to get ready because they know it will always be a good, but tough game,” said Brinkman.

It is common for the players to play together when they participated in rec football. Hawks quarterback, senior Nic Hammer, was one of the boys who grew up playing with kids from Fallston. Hammer believes that it is a friendly rivalry and that it has never gotten too out of hand. There was an issue his freshman year with vandalism but he was not one that participated in it.

To prepare for the game the coaches scout the offense and the defense and reflect on past games in order to fix what was problematic last time.

“It is always a good game, and this year it will be no exception, it is going to be a hard year,” said Hammer.