Respectful Rivalry: Examining the Relationship Between MVHS and VVHS

By GANNON HANEVOLD

Moapa Valley Progress

“Sports don’t build character, but they most certainly reveal it,” says longtime MVHS teacher and coach Jeff Keel.

Rivalry is one of the most prominent and thrilling aspects of athletics, and there is none more apparent than the rivalry between Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley. The competitive relationship between the Bulldogs and Pirates has played a large role in the two communities for nearly a century.

“In 1974, there was quite a lot of animosity between the two schools. They really didn’t like us, and we felt the same,” explained Keel.

Over the years, the ongoing pendulum of athletic superiority has swung between blue and green. Countless championships between the two schools make for a remarkable legacy. For years, that legacy has been channeled into one tangible symbol: the Hammer.

The Hammer is far from just a tool, and it’s utterance can jar memories of heartbreak and triumph in the eyes of Bulldog and Pirate alumni alike. Decorated in blue, gold, and green tassels, the Hammer is traded between the two valleys based on the victor in the annual varsity football game. Keel says the souvenir was around long before his arrival at MVHS in 1974.

Although it disappeared for decades, the hammer returned in 2007, where the Pirates claimed it with a 35-14 state championship victory. Keel said, “When they finally pulled the hammer out of storage, we had something more to play for.”

Moapa went on to hold the hammer until 2016, when it went to Mesquite for two seasons. They then brought it back home with an October 2018 shutout win.

The two valleys remain just as antagonistic as they have always been on the playing field. Off the court, however, they are often cooperative and sympathetic to one another.

“Even though we are rivals, I believe that we should be there for each other during difficult times,” said VVHS Student Body President Ariana Martinez.

Martinez and the VVHS Student Council set a precedent for how the relationship can be one of respect, despite the rivalry. Following the passing of 2018 MVHS graduate Zane Lamping in December, many Bulldog students chose to wear blue for a day as a sign of unity and condolences. Martinez said, “We just wanted to pay our respects and show that no one is alone.”

A rivalry can break the limits of hatred and hostility. A rare hybrid of veneration and antipathy, Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley continue to demonstrate what a relationship between two similar communities should represent. Showing pride in one’s community and showing compassion for another are not mutually exclusive.