Stockton- The Trojan versus Ram rivalry has stood the test of time with many thrilling moments throughout the years. Every year, each sport has their annual rivalry games of the season which are always full of school spirit, especially when it comes to football and basketball. With the establishment of St. Marys in 1876 and Lincoln in 1954, both schools have made a name for themselves with lots of amazing athletes coming from these schools. Throughout the years, the famous Stockton rivalry has had its ups and downs, and with such close proximity, the schools have always been spirited when it comes to playing against each other. To talk about their stories and life at school are different generations of trojans and rams students.
In the years 1988 to 1991, John Ellis, a St. Mary’s was a four sport athlete playing a sport or maybe even 2 each season. He was a part of the soccer, football, badminton, and basketball teams while he was there. While attending, Ellis felt there was a family type of feeling due to how small the school was compared to Lincoln, and how close you were to the student sections at all of the games. During Ellis’ time, Lincoln always blew St. Mary’s out in football, so the real highlights came from the basketball scene. One of his favorite moments was their 1989 Section Semifinal, which St. Mary’s won in overtime. On the topic of his favorite memories, he states, “The memories are great when I think about the Saint Mary’s vs Lincoln rivalry. The best part for me is remembering how disappointed I was in losing games against Lincoln, but also, how happy I was when we beat them.” When it came to the social aspect of these rival schools he said that everything was kept civil and that even though his friend group had been split up when it came to which school they decided to attend, everyone still kept in touch with each other. While St. Marys was not the first choice for Ellis as he had wanted to attend Lincoln, he said he wouldn’t change a thing as his years of being a ram made him the person he is today.
With the schools being so close to each other, many kids grew up going to elementary or middle school together. But, when it comes to choosing either the Trojan or the Ram, close friendships always keep the spark of the rivalry alive. While St. Marys holds their intimate family feeling, as Ellis explained, Lincoln is a very large school with over 2,500 students. To speak about the culture at Lincoln high back in 1977-1981 is alumni Scott Oliver. During his time St. Mary’s was known as the rich kids high school while Lincoln was known as the middle class high school. Oliver had no choice but to attend Lincoln, but was very happy with this decision as all of his close friends went there and it was the school he wanted to attend. Recalling the games and the atmosphere at school, he stated, “Football games were like going to a college game nowadays. It was also much more wholesome; entire families came to the games, even when they didn’t have a son playing. The stadium was near full every game, and Lincoln was never more than an average football team during my time there. Basketball at Lincoln was much more successful and had a huge rivalry with St. Mary’s, especially my junior year. St. Mary’s had Lawrence Held and Kevin Simmons, who both went on to play D1 college basketball. Both gyms were packed when we played, and the kids were rowdy.” During his time at Lincoln, Oliver played soccer, baseball, and golf. While he participated in many sports, one thing Oliver wishes he could change was his amount of school participation outside of sports. While he may not have been wildly involved in the spirit side of things, Oliver shared good moments with his friends in sports and other areas of school, such as his intrusion on the annual “Senior Walk” as an underclassmen which he will never forget. Lincoln was the perfect school for him, and he felt that even though the campus may be unrecognizable to him now with the expansions of the school, it still holds a dear place in his heart with many lasting memories.
Nowadays, much hasn’t changed with how competitive Lincoln and St. Mary’s are. Both schools go full out with spirit at the games, one side coming out victorious, putting the L’s up or down. To speak about their current days at St. Mary’s is Junior Ava Miller. When asked how her high school experience has been so far in all aspects, she states, “my high school experience has been enjoyable throughout all aspects. My classes this year are more difficult considering I am in advanced placement and honors classes, but still enjoyable. This past volleyball season has been an amazing experience being able to bond with all of my teammates. The social aspect of it has been amazing as well. Getting to spend time with my friends outside of school, like at football games, has been great fun.” Her favorite moment so far from St. Mary’s vs Lincoln rivalry was playing against Lincoln in volleyball, the game going back and forth but eventually ending in a 30-28 win for the rams. “Definitely a core memory I will hold with me forever,” Miller said. Coming to this school, she had no clue about Lincoln vs St. Mary’s rivalry, but now believes it is one of the best around, especially during the football season, which is some of the best weeks out of the whole school year.
After hearing about the present time and the way of life at St. Mary’s, it’s time to hear from Dilan Fanucchi who will speak about his current life at Lincoln. Fanucchi is a Junior at Lincoln right now and is currently in the middle of his varsity basketball season. So far, his time at Lincoln has been enjoyable, and while classes have definitely gotten harder since his freshman and sophomore year, he is having a great time making new friends and getting better at basketball. When asked about his personal experience with Lincoln High School sports he felt that, “sports at Lincoln are some of the best in San Joaquin County, especially our varsity basketball team which I am grateful to be a part of. In my time at Lincoln I played freshman baseball which was a lot of fun due to being on the team with friends, JV volleyball which has been my favorite favorite experience so far, and varsity basketball since my freshman year which is challenging but definitely worth it because I get to be apart of a team that is ranked top 10 in the state as of right now.” One of Fanucchi’s most memorable moments was Freshman year at the St. Mary’s vs Lincoln basketball game at St. Mary’s because the court was so small that you could hear and see every fan, which makes the game’s atmosphere captivating. On the subject of which games get the biggest crowd and what it is like to be a student at the game, Fanucchi felt that “football gets the most attendance because the stadium is much bigger but basketball is always jam packed and not far behind. It is always loud when it comes to both games, and they are fun and enjoyable to be at and play in. I enjoy the big crowd for basketball, but it is also nerve-racking seeing all the people there. On the other hand, I get really excited and want to perform well with that many people there.” With the jam-packed season of basketball upon us, Dilan is looking forward to the sold out gymnasium during the Lincoln vs St. Mary’s game at home and at St. Mary’s.
While much has changed since Oliver and Ellis attended Lincoln and St. Mary’s, the old school rivalry is never ending. Fanucchi and Miller explain to us that the school spirit is still extremely lively and the Trojan and Ram pride is still present. While the season of Friday night lights may be over, you can catch these two schools alive with action during the basketball game on Friday, January 17th at Lincoln High School for the first crosstown rivalry game of the season, the gym sure to be flooded with red and green.
