Enthusiasm to the edge

Down by two touchdowns in the first half, Falcons' fan Gunner Moore wanted nothing more than an opportunity to crush a soda can against his forehead.

The symbolic gesture would not have been one of frustration but celebration. The River Valley High School senior has been smashing aluminum with his face all season whenever his team scores a touchdown.

On Friday night, he kept an empty 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew at the ready but only had one chance to use it. The Yuba City Honkers won, 35-6.

"If it doesn't help us win, at least it helps the fans," he said. "'We lost, but we got to see him crush a can.'"

The 14-0 score by halftime was no surprise to Honkers' fans, whose Brown Mob was keeping their support loud and proud in the stands. Pounding their yellow and white thundersticks practically nonstop, the enthusiastic teens said their cheering was a key part of Yuba City's success.

"We defeated Sutter because of us," said senior Donnie Triphan, referring to the 13-7 win in October.

"We're the energy. We give them an adrenaline rush," added junior Aaron Heir. "We guarantee victory."

Senior Jasmine Visla also likes the atmosphere of the games.

"Everyone is so crazy into it," she said. "It's super intense."

But the Falcon-Honker rivalry is a friendly one, said junior Neel Thiara.

"Our friends and our enemies are River Valley," she said.

Cheering is what the game is all about, said River Valley senior Zach Cross, who was wearing a bag on his head that read: "0-5 TCC Champs. We're about akademics anyway."

River Valley's varsity team has never beaten Yuba City High School in football, but that did not discourage fans from taking their enthusiasm to the edge.

"I yell and scream as loud as I can." Cross said. "I have faith in my team but I think they need to have the same intensity I do. Then we'd be 40-0 right now."

The Mayor's Cup is the best game in Yuba-Sutter, he said.

"It should be on TV, that's how big it is," Cross said.

School spirit and the enjoyment of the Mayor's Cup begins with spring practice and lingers for some students, such as Yuba City High School graduate Corey Roberts, for years. He scored the final touchdown of the inaugural game in 2006 and wore his letterman jacket to this year's game.

"We win every year," Roberts said. "It's tradition now."

A Honker alumnus himself, Yuba City Mayor Kash Gill was just hoping "may the best team win."

"It does not matter if you are a Honker or a Falcon," he said. "You're all a part of Yuba City."

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Ashley Gebb at 749-4724 or agebb@appealdemocrat.com.