Valentine's Day breakup

I was heartbroken this Valentine’s Day.
Two great loves of mine got together one final time. Purple and Orange. It may never be the same again. Breakups are hard, man.
A rivalry that spans generations, deeply rooted in family trees. Schools separated by 21 miles and an unwavering desire to be the best. It’s one of those rivalries where one side gets upset if you mention the other’s name first. 
Giltner welcomed Hampton to town -- or...Hampton visited Giltner Friday night in what very well could be the final time for a basketball double-header as both schools sit at a crossroads.
The Hawks are set for a new chapter in sports, joining a cooperative agreement with Heartland to form what we will soon know as H & H.  
The Hornets will enter a cooperative agreement with Harvard for basketball only next year with conversations continuing about other sports. 
It flat out bums me out, man.
I’m not upset about what Hampton or Giltner are doing in terms of sports cooperatives. Quite the opposite, actually.
Whatever it takes for these schools to be more competitive, I’m all for it. Give these kids every opportunity to be successful, away from situations where just practicing is the most difficult chore. 
My head knows going down this path is the right answer. My heart hates everything about it. 
Few things have been better through my years on the local sidelines than waking up on Hampton-Giltner game day.  
I’ve adapted by wardrobe in the decade since starting this job. I’ve got red, blue, purple and orange T-shirts. But, planning ahead is crucial to survival.
Don’t be caught wearing that orange shirt over to Hampton. You’ll never hear the end of it showing up to Giltner in purple. 
On a Giltner-Hampton game day? That grey shirt never looked so nice. 
Just think of the names throughout this rivalry. Eickhoff. Eastman. Dose. Ott. Bamesberger. Hinrichs. Torson. Root. Klute. Consbruck. LaBrie. Lockmon. 
You could go on forever. Hall of fame coaches and players throughout the years. None of that mattered when it was time to play. 
Records don’t matter, either, when these types of rivalry games play out. Friday night was more evidence of that. 
Hampton activities director and former Hawk athlete Carson Klute doesn’t miss many games and nothing would have kept him away Friday.
“It’s only fitting that as Hampton begins a new future with Heartland and Giltner explores a future with Harvard that this game would be the last regular season game,” Klute said. “There’s been countless memories and rivalries and great games throughout the years between Hampton and Giltner.”
Like any former athlete, Klute had a cheeky grin reminiscing about some of his favorite memories against the Hornets.
He quickly boasted about the Hawks beating Giltner 38-35 in the CRC final in 2010, finishing a tournament three-peat for Hampton. 
The rivalry has also had plenty of its heart-wrenching and uplifting moments, too. 
The 2022 regular season finale may have been the most difficult as Hampton took the floor just days after its coach, Kyle Ediger, was tragically killed in an accident. 
Ultimately, it was a great sign of respect between the two communities who came together in Hampton that Friday night to remember, honor and for just a couple hours, play basketball. 
But, it’s still a rivalry. That made it all the more difficult for the Hampton faithful as Cooper Reeson ripped the Hawks’ collective hearts out on a last-second three-point shot win it.
Klute, who stepped in the enormously large shoes to coach the rest of that season for Hampton, joked now, years later, Reeson’s shot ruined his basketball coaching win percentage. 
We can laugh about it now. 
Cooper’s Dad, Kevan, was Giltner’s acting girls coach Friday night as the Hornets fell to the Hawks, 47-39.
“It was fun, you know?” Reeson said. “It’s a great crowd with a close game. It’s just so much fun to play in those games.”
On the other side, the “experience” on the Hampton bench Friday night is unmatched. Between Margo LaBrie, Diane Torson and Holly Herzberg, that’s over 100 years combined “experience.”
Also, a ton of Hampton-Giltner games. 
“I don’t want to think about that,” LaBrie said following Friday’s win possibly being the last Hampton-Giltner matchup. “It makes myself, Holly (Herzberg) and Diane (Torson) emotional.”
LaBrie mentioned trying not to think too much about last week’s home game against Dorchester, being the last one as just, “Hampton.”
Similarly on Friday night, being the last Hampton versus Giltner game was difficult for LaBrie, a 30-year veteran coach for the Hawks.
“It makes us old ladies with experience who have a lot of time bleeding purple emotional,” LaBrie said, trying to not cry. 
Both of us needed a minute. 
The boys game featured a 60-44 win for Hampton and those in purple went home thrilled about a Hawks sweep. 
Both Hampton and Giltner coaches Andrew Johnson and Michael Reinsch are new to the rivalry and weren’t born into it like most of their fans and players, but understood it just the same. 
“I’ve heard a lot about this rivalry and I’m glad I could come out here tonight and watch these young men get a victory,” Johnson said. 
“It’s pretty sad, actually,” Reinsch said. “I’m happy to be part of the last one. I wish we would have come out on top, but it is what it is. I am happy with how things are turning out and no better way to be part of it.”
I don’t feel qualified at all to be the voice of Hawks versus Hornets. Most of you reading this have forgotten more Giltner-Hampton games than I’ve attended. 
But, there are few days on the calendar that get the blood pumping like a Hampton-Giltner rivalry game day. 
Hopefully, this isn’t the end. Surely we can keep the passion going with the addition of a couple other communities, right? 
“I have nothing but respect for Giltner but that being said, go Hawks,” Klute finished. 
A rivalry built on respect, tradition and passion. Hopefully, this is not the end, but a new chapter. 
Signed, a forever Hawks and Hornets fanatic. 
RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.