The history of the rivalry

Although most high schools have a rivalry, the competition between South Pasadena High School and San Marino High School goes deeper then average opposition. This infamous rivalry between the two school dates back almost a century. This rivalry has culminated into a deep-burning hatred towards each other.

In 1907, the South Pasadena Unified School District was formed, just a year after SPHS was founded. At that time, the city of San Marino did not have their own high school or middle school. About 13 years after SPUSD was created, San Marino decided to merge with SPHS, creating the South Pasadena-San Marino High School. Since students in San Marino lived farther away from South Pasadena, they traveled via the Red Cars on Huntington Drive.

The relationship between the two cities strengthened, but that only lasted for about 30 years. In 1952, San Marino decided to split from SPHS, thus creating South Pasadena High School. San Marino then formed its own high school, San Marino High School. SMHS broke off from SPHS because of unagreeable construction bonds in the city of South Pasadena. The first graduating class of SMHS was the class of 1956. This separation sparked the rivalry since San Marino was the one who decided to join South Pasadena High School. That resentment and hatred from both schools continues today. Some students see the rivalry as a mere dislike for one another, but others take it more seriously.

SPHS Alum, Sharine Xuan, said, “[The rivalry between SPHS and SMHS] gives the athletes [of each school] an extra shot of team spirit and brings the school together. It [gave] the student body [from each school] something to think about on boring Saturday afternoons and [the rivalry] is an excellent source of amusement…We [SPHS and SMHS] are actually a perfect match for each other. [But] I have always regarded [the] school rivalry as silly, immature, and for people who have nothing better to think about. ”

The first football game between the Tigers and the Titans was played in 1955. The Titans came out clean with a 27-0 victory. There was a turnout of about 6,000 people in the crowd and San Marino went on to have an undefeated season of football that year. These two teams vie for The Plaque, which carries the scores of all the football games played between both schools, and the Crowley Cup. This cup was established in 2010 in honor of Paul Crowley, a fan of both schools who graduated South Pasadena-San Marino High School in 1945. Crowley came to watch every game from 1955 to 2010, an uninterrupted streak of 58 games in total.

Students of both schools generally excel academically and athletically and are both from the same social class. Although the two schools are similar, and could seem like a perfect match for each other, students still have a rivalry with the other high school.

Traditional pranks between the two high schools have dated back since the late 1990s, such as South Pasadena High School spray painting San Marino High School’s football field logo in 2000 and San Marino High School returning the favor by dyeing the South Pasadena High School pool with red dye. Cheerleaders of SMHS also made posters containing vulgar language about SPHS in Oct. of 2016 for a football game.

Students of South Pasadena High School have an all-consuming hatred for San Marino High School. The tension between these two schools is a longstanding tradition that is not expected to be resolved any time soon.

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Carrying on annual traditions

Football and basketball are two of the main sports rivalries between SPHS and SMHS that have remained integral in both schools’ histories. The two high schools face off throughout the year in drawing large crowds to their football and basketball match-ups.

“For the school, and players, and the program, it’s a pride thing. It’s something they could talk about for the rest of their lives, saying that we didn’t lose… The energy is high, the focus is there, the intensity is there, and I think everyone wants to win on both sides of the ball. It can get very intense,” SPHS football coach Jeff Chi said.

Unlike most other sports, football only has one opportunity to defeat SMHS every year, resulting in a culmination of pressure on both sides. Athletes from both schools train in preparation for their respective seasons, but the SMHS vs. SPHS games reserve a special place for both programs.

Students at SPHS prepare for the occassion by decking out in orange and black for the school’s annual Color Day. The SPHS vs. SMHS football game has become a schoolwide tradition for all individuals on campus, ranging from staff, students, and athletes. From department-specific costumes to students that coordinate group outfits, Color Day signals the beginning of the day for the SPHS vs. SMHS game.

Supporters of the Titans and the Tigers fill the stands, with both schools’ cheer squad adding another layer of raucous, competitive shouting from the sidelines. On both ends of the field, high expectations are raised about bringing the victory home. This past season, however, the Tigers fell short to the Titans 23-21.

Last season, the SPHS boys basketball defeated San Marino at home and away, kicking the Titans away from automatically making the playoffs.Both teams were tied for third place in their league when they played one another. These crucial games decided which team would have an automatic bid to the playoffs.

“At the away game a few weeks ago the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. As a coach, I enjoy that kind of atmosphere because it’s the chance to see how your players do under pressure. This is the first year we beat them there and we beat them here. So it was a really good rivalry this year,” SPHS Boys Basketball coach Ernest Baskerville said.

The SPHS vs SMHS are one of the highlights of each student athletes’ high school career. Despite a strong roster in SPHS basketball, multiple injuries led to a close defeat even after making the playoffs.

Whether the second game is home or away can decide if the teams flounder or thrive. Leering posters declaring victory at both homecourts are a common sight. While the rivalry games hold the highest stakes in a season for either team, the opposition remains respectful, despite high tension and competitiveness.

“I enjoy [the rivalry]. They boo our team, they boo me. When we play them [on their court] they play the Star Wars [Imperial March] theme. When they come here, we play the theme from Halloween. It is a rivalry, but it is a respectful rivalry. We have a long history of trying to [knock] each other [out] the playoffs, [every year for each sport].” Baskerville said.

Pride or not, the longstanding rivalry has stood the test of time. The rivalry is expanded to all SPHS sports, not just football or basketball. No matter the sport, SPHS versus SMHS games remain an obligatory spectacle for supporters of the Tigers and Titans.

The next season will bring elevated pressures for football to succeed and a maintained expectation for the Tigers to show the Titans that if only one team can win, SPHS will dominate.