A RIVALRY OF NATIONAL PROPORTIONS

A Rivalry

of National Proportions

STORY BY BREANNA MANLEY & PHOTO BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

The Battle of the Tallapoosa stretches far beyond the Reeltown Rebels and the Tallassee Tigers. The longstanding rivalry has been featured in newspapers, has been the subject of many YouTube videos, and most recently, has drawn the attention of social media star AJ Greene who attended this year’s contest to see exactly why the game is so heavily anticipated each year. This year, the Tallassee Tigers hosted the Battle of the Tallapoosa on Aug. 18 and came out with a win against the Reeltown Rebels 37 to 13.

School rivalries are a common development among schools close to one another, but most aren’t widely known and appreciated quite like this one. This rivalry is special because of how seriously it’s taken. From the time the two teams face each other to the next time they face each other 365 days later, they’re preparing. As soon as they meet each other on the field, their passion fueled by the rivalry grows, and they give their all.

The Battle of the Tallapoosa was first played in 1984, spanning more than two decades. Following its debut in ’84, the two teams met on the field until ’91; and then, the game was revived in ’96, lasting until 2003. The game ceased in 2003, and the communities were unsure if they would ever get the chance to see the two teams back at it again, but the 2020 season brought back the Battle of the Tallapoosa.

Every year the game has been played, it has produced a huge crowd. This year, the crowd was even bigger because of the appearance of Greene who was drawn to the Thursday night game for the level of passion for the rivalry. Greene was so invested in the game he traveled to Alabama with his team to cover the game for his show on social media’s Snapchat, as well as his other social media platforms.

Fans and community members have taken to social media themselves to share their excitement and support for their team. Videos featuring key community members and fans can be found scattered on YouTube, Facebook and other social media platforms.

The rivalry has been an ongoing one for a couple of decades now and has proven to still bring an infectious excitement each year. The name of the battle stems from the Tallapoosa River, which divides the two towns. With a win comes bragging rights for the winning team; for the losing team, it means working even harder to try to win the next go around. Even the coaches, Reeltown’s Matt Johnson and Tallassee’s Mike Battles, feel the sting whenever their team loses.

“The teams have always been fine playing against each other,” Battles said.

From Battles’ point of view, getting the communities pumped up about the game doesn’t take a huge effort; it’s commonly understood that this game is looked forward to year-round and brings two groups of great players together for a bout of friendly competition.

“Just like Reeltown, we have a pep rally that day and all week, but that’s one of those games that’s kind of like Alabama and Auburn,” Battles explained. “You don’t have to fire folks up when it comes to Alabama and Auburn week. Same thing over here with Tallassee and Reeltown. We have a lot of cousins playing against each other, a lot of family members. I mean, we’re so intertwined. You really don’t have to get anybody fired up for this one.”

Along with bragging rights for the next year, the winning team gets presented with the King of the Tallapoosa trophy, which adds to the thrill of winning.

“It is presented each year. We have it now, but next year when the game’s played, we’ll carry the trophy to the game, and whichever team wins will be presented with the trophy. That makes it like one of the bowl games. It’s just something you can put up in the office and remind everybody that you got it for 365 days, but you’re going to have to go do it again when the time comes to keep it,” Battles explained.

The close proximity has been noted by those within the community because the rivalry stands out amongst others around, and Battles believes this, too.

“They’re right up the road from us, and besides that, I think the close proximity and the fact that it has been so competitive throughout, we’ve played them 19 times now, and the win-loss is 10 to 9. We’ve got an advantage this

year, so the same team doesn’t win every time. It’s very competitive, and I think that’s what makes it a rivalry. It’s not a rivalry if one team wins all the time,” Battles said.

Even though rivalries are oftentimes frowned upon and seen as negative, these two teams have repeatedly shown that a hometown rivalry can be a driving force to further develop passion, determination and hard work.

Students from Reeltown and Tallassee know each other. They’ve formed friendships over the years and typically see each other on multiple occasions, on and off the field. One thing’s certain though; friendships between the students are halted for the night of the game. Nothing is more important to the players than showing off the hard work that has been happening over the past year in preparation for the game.

Another beautiful aspect of the rivalry is the dedication to each hometown. When fans file into whatever stadium the teams are playing in, they’re not there simply to watch their team; they’re there to support their hometown. They cheer on not only the team but also their school system, loved ones and community. The sense of community is thick in the air, and it’s appreciated by the kids Riveting Rivalry on the field. Tallassee's Tigers edged Both schools and their students look forward to this game year-round, and the excitement around the game out the Reeltown Rebels for the King of the Tallapoosa trophy, as well as the 10-9 win-loss record for is something the surrounding the passionate rivalry communities get to experience that drew national right along with them. It’s more attention this year. than a rivalry. It’s a way for two communities to come together against a competitive opponent and share a love for the game. If you happened to miss the game this year, make sure to check the one happening next season. You just might be amazed at the dedication and appreciation both teams show for the game.