On top of being one of the best rivalries of the city the Bowie Bears now take the Jefferson Silver Foxes to try and clinch a spot in the playoffs .

“It’s exciting, it’s a playoff game, winner gets in, and we got to be ready for it,” wide receiver Johnny Villegas said.

This game is very important for both teams as they each find themselves with identical 2-3 records, and are each one win away from the final playoff spot. This year will be the 69th annual matchup, with the Bears leading the all-time series 37-29 with two ties. 

For the past few years the game has been played at the Sun Bowl with Bowie winning five of the last seven match ups. This game is also important as the Bears have not made it to playoffs ever since they won district in 2016.

“Its fun, the turf there is nice more people tend to show up and the Jumbotron you can see yourself all around its just better and funner,” running back William Carrasco said.

For seniors, there are a lot of emotions and circumstances riding on one game, because a loss to their rivals would also mean the end of their high school career.

“(I feel) sad and happy, the reason why is because it our last game and happy because if we win we go to the playoffs this season,” Carrasco said.

Overall this game is significant to both teams because there is a mutual, rivalry hate against each other and the game is usually filled more than usual from other games. A lot of family members of Bowie students graduated from the school and were raised to dislike Jefferson. Carrasco, who has family that graduated from Bowie, said he hates the Silver Foxes so this game me means more to him.

“I means it pretty cool it’s the rivalry game, knowing that it’s been going on for years, and playing against them is pretty fun,” Carrasco said

A win for Bowie would not only clinch a playoff spot, but it would stop a three-game losing streak.

This past friday the Bears lost to Andress 56-0 at home. The week before, they lost to Burges 42-18 and Austin 35-21.