Acorns beat Bulldogs 41-20 in first cross-town rivalry game since 2016

Sobrato and Live Oak high school players congratulate each other after the 2022 El Toro Bowl. Photo courtesy Jonathan Natividad

By Savannah Brito

Savannah Brito

The last time high school gridiron gladiators met to play the El Toro Bowl was six years ago. The cross-town rivalry between the Sobrato Bulldogs and the Live Oak Acorns still showed a fiery spark and passion at the 2022 game as the hometown tradition returned.

The long hours of practice the players had put in under the hot summer sun were at last coming to a faceoff Friday, Sept. 23. The Acorns in their gold and green football jerseys and the Bulldogs in their black and maroon jerseys psyched themselves up to fight for victory and glory under the bright field lights towering above. Under the guidance of their coaches, they stretched and warmed up and practiced throwing the “pigskin” to one another. The adrenaline rose.

Photo courtesy Jonathan Natividad

Smiles showed on faces as excited people gathered for the night’s game ahead at the Live Oak High School football field. The stands began to rapidly fill up with spectators as dusk hovered over the western horizon.

From the snack shack drifted the barbeque aroma of hot dogs and burgers sizzling on the grill. Kids of various ages lined up to indulge in their game-time meal before kickoff.

More than 2,000 spectators were ready to watch the two teams prepare to battle head-to-head. The bleachers on the west of the field facing the Diablo range grew crowded with ardent Live Oak students dressed in construction-themed clothes. They held signs and chanted “Bulldoze the Bulldogs!” On the east side facing the sunset sat the determined Bulldogs students, wearing Sobrato’s colors and chanting “Let’s Go Bulldogs! Let Go!” and “I Believe That We Will Win!” to rally their side up.

The referees in their striped uniforms made sure they had all their yellow flags. They huddled up to discuss the game as the clock ticked down to kickoff time. In costumes were the schools’ mascots on their respective sides on the track. The Live Oak mascot is a walking angry acorn named “Archie” shouting “Go Nuts!” and other encouragements. Sobrato’s mascot is a bulldog named “Benny” who just barked like a dog.

Cheerleaders in their colorful uniforms waved pompoms up in the air and shook them vigorously to get the crowd excited about the game. As the Live Oak players got ready to kick off to Sobrato, shouts and chants commenced between the two rival schools that lasted throughout the entire game. “Let’s go Bulldogs, let’s go!” and “Who are we? Live Oak! What do we do? Bring the smoke!” The competitive tension grew intense as students from both sides felt the excitement build as each team fought with vigor to win.

Live Oak’s band with their color guard performed during the half-time show for the spectators’ enjoyment. Both schools’ cheerleader squads also did stunts to entertain during half-time.

Photo courtesy Savannah Brito

This year’s return of Morgan Hill’s cross-town rivalry between Sobrato and Live Oak helped to build a spirit of unity in the community as the pandemic winds down, said Grace Quadrini, a senior at Live Oak who is involved in ASB. Serving as a student-section leader at the game, she helped select the chants and threw T-shirts and candy to the crowd to raise their thrill.

“This was the first time that I felt the excitement and competitive tension since before COVID,” she said. “So many people were there. Sobrato families and Live Oak families, all cheering for the same purpose. This game is so special since we are the only two high schools in this small town that go head to head — so it’s a big deal and everyone wants to come to support the town.”

Other students at the game believe in the same sentiment of a unifying spirit arising from the athletic competition. Among them is Taylor Pereira, a senior at Sobrato and president of the student-section club, The Dawgpound. “Although I was supporting Sobrato, I was also supporting Morgan Hill itself,” she said.

The El Toro Bowl connects the people of Morgan Hill in a camaraderie that shares the same passion, love, and support for the student-athletes. After six years without the big game, students and other spectators joined together around the field to watch the players push themselves in the sport they love and create long-lasting memories for the spectators who enjoyed the game.

At the end of two hours of hard fighting by the gridiron gladiators, the scoreboard showed Live Oak taking the victory, beating Sobrato 41 to 20. Players from each side lined up and shook hands with each other in respect of the spirit of the sport, showing a harmony for the community of Morgan Hill.

Savannah Brito is a senior at Sobrato High School. She plans to study journalism, hopefully at Cal Poly. Morgan Hill Life Publisher Marty Cheek helped her write this story.