It was inspiring. The level of decorum that each side’s students held throughout the game was flawless. All you heard from either side were chants of encouragement for their respective teams or an applause for a beautiful play. There were no boos, no spiteful shouts at the opposing fans – for the overwhelming majority of the game’s 80 minutes, simply people together a game to cheer on their school. 

After the events that occurred at YULA boys High School around Purim – one must believe this had something to do with it – about 215 people were present Saturday night March 19, 100 of them being Shalhevet fans, as the YULA Boys Panthers defeated the Shalhevet Firehawks 2-1 in a game that seemed like it had more meaning than a regular rivalry game. A normal Saturday night soccer game would not have generated that much interest, on either side. 

It felt like the Panthers were playing for something more than bragging rights – they were playing like they needed a win, and they got it – but not right away. For the Firehawks, freshman phenom Joe Edry was first on the scoreboard, after a magnificent cross into the middle of the goalie box by sophomore Maor Shaham, putting the Firehawks in the lead 1-0 midway through the first half. 

Shortly after, the Panthers struck back with a beautiful goal to the bottom left corner by YULA senior Hillel Valenci, tying the game 1-1. 

The parents didn’t behave as well as the students. Minutes into the second half, a verbal skirmish broke out between two fathers, one from each team, after a questionable call made by the ref. Rabbi Joseph Schreiber, Judaic Principal of YULA, and Dr. Jonny Ravanshenas, Dean of Student Life at Shalhevet, quickly ran over to break up the fight, while some Shalhevet alumni who were at the game came down the bleachers all the way from the top row, ready to defend the Shalhevet parent in case something escalated.