On the morning of Sept. 28, the Red Devil community woke up to something completely unexpected: graffiti scrawled over the Halftime House, next to the concessions area at Dickinson Field. Authorities discovered that students from Lyons Township High School took part in the vandalizing in anticipation for the rivalry football game on Oct. 3.

“There was graffiti, and I’m not allowed to say what the graffiti was,” said George Kiernan, senior. “Before the week even started, there was vandalism and property being damaged by LT kids.”

In response to the actions of the LT students, the two schools held a conference on Monday with the leaders of the Red Devil student section and the Lyons Township student section, to discuss supporting their respective schools without destructive actions.

“We went to LT to sit down with the leaders of their student section to discuss ways we could stop the derogatory chants toward each other during games,” Kiernan said. “We’re going to try to do as much as we can, but in the heat of the moment there is not a whole lot you can do. We’re going to get rowdy.”

The vandalism done by the LT students wasn’t the beginning of the rivalry. According to Grant Hutcherson, senior, the rivalry started long before on social media.

“Comments on social media happened in the past,” Hutcherson said. “Some colleagues and I went over to LT on Monday to take care of business with Dr. Kolkman, Mr. Jones, and the one and only Ms. Phillip.”

Despite LT’s first strike, social media has continued to play its roll on the rivalry yet again. Weston Berger, senior, released a promo video for the Lyons Township game and it got leaked to the Lyons’ fan base.

“Currently, my hero, Wes, is being ripped to shreds [for the video],” Hutcherson said. “They’re hitting social media, talking smack to him. It’s comical that LT has nothing else to laugh at or chew on, so they decide to be mean to Wes.”

According to Kiernan, there is no place for the actions that LT has shown.

“We obviously want the game to be safe for the players, but for the students too,” Kiernan said. “Like always, we’re going to show out and come home with a victory on the field but also in the stands.”

Regardless of the talent of either football team, school pride plays a major factor in the rivalry between Central and LT.

“The rivalry is so heated because there’s a lot of pride,” Kiernan said. “That pride comes from not only our sports teams, but at Central we’re a really competitive school, and there’s a pride from being part of that.”

Many students believe Hinsdale Central has and will continue to keep its integrity on and off the field, despite LT’s antics.

“Here, we are dominating on the field while letting them talk off the field,” Hutcherson said. “Our state banners speak humbly.”