The Bettendorf versus Pleasant Valley rivalry will always be the talk of the town. Specifically to athletes, this rivalry means so much more than just another game.
The rivalry includes two schools that have very talented, passionate, and committed students that want to show who is really the best. Bettendorf versus PV is a highly anticipated game for many athletes and at Pleasant Valley is taken very seriously.
Everytime it is finally Dog Day -used to describe game day versus Bettendorf- there is so much hype around it. A lot of the students are going to twitter to trash talk each other using a barstool account and start fights on social media. The student section leaders do a good job at trying to have everyone go to those games to support the Spartans.
However for some of the athletes Dog Day is more important than any other game. “I think playing Bettendorf is the most exciting game of the year because of the atmosphere,” Senior Carter Cline who is a member of the Boys Basketball team says, “Everytime we play Bettendorf we get a great crowd who is always loud and supportive for us, making the game so much more fun.”
Cline has played against a lot of the boys on the Bettendorf Boys Basketball team in previous years. “I know almost everyone on their team, so it makes playing them more fun and beating them even better every time it happens.”
The rivalry isn’t just big on the boys side of athletics, many of the girls that participate have a drive to beat Bettendorf as well. The 2019 Volleyball team had the opportunity to go head to head with Bettendorf for the regional final game.This game would either end their season or send them to the State tournament.
Luckily, it worked out in PV’s favor. Emily Wood, a junior who was a key factor to that big win against Bettendorf, was already excited and confident about the game. “Not only had we beaten them multiple times before but also that it is our town rival,” Wood says, “We knew that it was going to be a really good game because of how competitive both teams are.”
Beating Bettendorf is a huge accomplishment for all PV athletes. Wood thought back to that final point, “it was both relief and excitement,” She said, “I was just super excited to finally make it to state especially with the whole student section behind us.”
Both schools understand it takes two great competitors to have a great rivalry. They also understand that great programs win and lose with their performance and character. The rivalry will continue to be a big event for the town and will still be a highly anticipated game.
