GREENSBORO, NC -- Are you ready for some Friday night football?
The city of Greensboro is fired up -- buzzing over arguably the biggest game of the 2015 high school football season!
"I am very excited. Really excited for this game," said Kiandre Paige, a running back for the Page Pirates. "I have been waiting all year for this game!"
Friendships are set aside and the battle lines are drawn because on Friday night, the Page Pirates host the Grimsley Whirlies.
These two teams have battled each year for more than six decades but this year's game has even more of a special meaning.
For the first time ever in this storied rivalry, Grimsley will take the 3.4 mile drive to Page High School to play at Marion Kirby Stadium.
Even at Noon on Friday, hundreds of students at Page High School were already lined up to get their tickets early.
"The buzz is the game being at home. We are really excited about this. This is something that our community has wanted for a long time," said Page High School Principal Patrice Faison. "They've waited for it. To play at home in our biggest rivalry is just amazing."
Even the Grimsley side is excited about the new twist in an old rivalry.
"There is no question there is a buzz going around especially this year because it is the first year that the game is being played at Page," said Lewis Newman, the Athletic Director at Grimsley High School. "All of the other local schools are aware of it and they are all watching to see how it goes."
The rivalry started all the way back in 1960 but the games have always been played at Grimsley's Jamieson Staidum.
Even when Page High School finally built it's stadium in 1981, the series has stayed at Grimsley High School until this year.
However, this year, Page High School added about 400 parking spots and 1,800 seats to accommodate all the fans who want to attend.
Faison says they're expecting about 10,000 people for the game.
"This is how big this rivalry is," said Faison. "My students deserve it and we did it and we are ready!"
"This is the place to be. This is the ticket in Greensboro," said Rusty Lee, Athletic Director for Page High School. "There will be people that come watch the Page/Grimsley game tonight that never have watched a football game all year long. The fact that it's at Page for the first time, there will be people that we haven't seen in 15 to 20 years coming just to see what it's going to look like at Page."
The theme for the game is "blackout."
In addition to all the local buzz, this game is drawing national attention as well.
The Great American Rivalry Series will feature this rivalry game on it's network of radio and online broadcasting platforms.
According to their website, the winning team will take home the Great American Rivalry Series Champions trophy, presented by the Marines.
The game's Most Valuable Player and the top student-athlete from each school are also recognized as part of the Series.
Coaches say they will battle on the field but when the final whistle blows, both teams will go back to being neighbors and friends.
"The most exciting part is the game itself," said Newman. "All of the folks get together and the community comes together and they are bonding and then although on Friday nights we don't like one another but on Saturday morning we are out playing golf together and it includes the kids."
This will be the 62nd time that Page and Grimsley square off.
Page High School leads the overall series with a record of 47-11-3.
We want to hear what you think about the game. What are you looking forward to the most? What's your prediction for the outcome of the big game? What's your favorite sports rivalry?
Share your thoughts with us on social media using the hashtag, #WFMYFFF or #PageVsGrimsley.
