Print
E-Mail
tool name
closeHuddle up: Community loves its Fish Bowl rivalry
Marques Hunter
of the Gateway
I’ve always believed events are the biggest way to define a community. And the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula communities feel very strongly about football.
There was standing room only Friday night for the 31st annual Fish Bowl rivalry game between the Tides and Seahawks.
It’s been that way for a long time.
The support both programs receive from the local communities is simply amazing. It’s more than just a game. Fish Bowl has deeper meaning than just a crosstown rivalry.
Any community can express itself. But it’s how they do it that gives it true character. You understand why football is the area’s most popular sport when you attend the Fish Bowl.
There are so many pieces that make the night a one-of-a-kind event. I could feel the different levels of emotion on both sidelines.
As for the game, Peninsula never trailed. The Seahawks fans really felt as if it was a very good opportunity to strike — and they did — in a 38-7 margin of victory.
A double-digit deficit shouldn’t have been too concerning for Gig Harbor, knowing its offense has several weapons. But after the Tides went three-and-out on the first series of the second half, and when Tides senior quarterback Barrett Schmidtke left due to a sprained ankle, you could see the direction the game was headed.
The crowd was not a factor for the Tides — this year’s home team — because they kept shooting themselves in the foot.
Despite the outcome, let’s take a step back and appreciate and congratulate the community for making this yet another memorable Fish Bowl.
From the pregame salmon bake to friendly tailgating, it’s the community that makes this event so special.
It speaks volumes when Roy Anderson Field is packed with people in support of a single, non-league football game.
It shows how passionate this area is about football.
You can’t replicate an event like the Fish Bowl. It’s a football game that is rooted deep in tradition. It influences our younger generation to participate in sports and creates a sense of football culture.
It was my second year of covering the annual game, and I already understand its significance to the community.
You don’t question who is going to the Fish Bowl. You may question, however, whether or not you’re going to see them among the thousands of people there.
And when the game ends, players from both teams meet somewhere on the field to converse and sneak in a few brags about the victory.
It doesn’t get any better than the Fish Bowl. It’s an event that will continue to define the love this community has for football.