The upcoming football game against De Soto that will take place Friday, Nov. 15 has undoubtedly caused tensions to rise between the two schools in USD 232. The game has even caused some tension between friends at opposing schools. De Soto sophomore Kennedy Pickert and Mill Valley sophomore Maggie Smith have experienced this. 

According to Smith, the football game has caused rivalries to form. 

“I’d say the biggest [rivalry] right now is football,” Smith said. “Because De Soto and Mill Valley are in the same district, there is a lot of tension between schools about the football game Friday night.”

Pickert has noticed the rivalries as well. 

“There’s been a lot of trash talk for sure,” Pickert said. “Everyone blamed De Soto students for the vandalism right away.”

Despite the rising tensions, Smith has prioritized her friendship with Pickert and other De Soto students. 

“I have a lot of good friends that go to De Soto, but it really hasn’t affected our friendships,” Smith said. “Sometimes we ‘argue’ about how the game will turn out or who has the better team, but we know that the ‘arguments’ aren’t that serious.”

Pickert thinks the football game’s result could potentially affect their relationship “because whoever wins will get to rub it in the other’s face.”

Smith doesn’t believe the result of the football game will impact her friendships. 

“The result of the game shouldn’t really cause anything between our friendship,” Smith said. 

Both girls agree the score of the football game could be very close. 

“I feel like it could be a really close game, and either De Soto or Mill Valley could win,” Pickert said.