Michael Gross Staff Writer The rivalry between Latin and Parker is one of tenacious competition, as the two schools have been fighting on the edge for many years. When asked about how the rivalry compared to other classic sports rivalries, senior Andrew Nadler likened it to Michigan vs. Ohio State. This competition continued Saturday, September 22, at the Lincoln Park Turf.  Many of the fans showed up even earlier to support the other Latin sports teams, such as field hockey (who beat Parker 1-0). With the presence of the fans, one could not question the intensity and energy that surrounded the playing field – nasty cheers from the crowd, and the separation of the fans, with Parker students on the right and Latin students on the left. People were anxious and ready for the game to get underway, as right from the start, the intensity of the game was noticeable. Parker struck first, midway through the first half, as team forward Matthew Sharrin’s powerful strike through the net off the rebound negated freshman goalie Andrew Wiggin’s sensational save. Latin failed to score in the remainder of the first half, as the crowd had lost a bit of its energy going into halftime. During halftime, the Parker and Latin fans began to interact. The separation disappeared for a few minutes, yet once the whistle blew to start the second half, it was back to Parker on the right and Latin on the left. With a whole half to play, Latin was eager to make something happen and avoid a complete shutout of their offense. Throughout the entire second half, Latin players had many drives and shots towards the goal; however, all of them came up empty. With about three minutes to left play, the frustration of both the players and the crowd became evident. Even though they were frustrated, Latin’s fans still showed their support. They cheered the rest of the game, even when Latin’s valiant effort came up just one goal short. They had lost to Parker again. “It seems like we always lose to them,” said senior Andrew Nadler in frustration. The Latin and Parker soccer teams exchanged handshakes in the middle of the field; the Parker team with a look of satisfaction, and the Latin team with looks of disappointment and a desire for vengeance. When asked about the disappointing loss, sophomore defender Johnny Buchannan responded, “If our offense was working better today we would have won. I think we can beat them, and I look forward to getting another chance next week at their homecoming.” The competition and tension is over for now, but will be resumed next week, with Parker acting as the host. The Latin soccer team held it together, knowing that they would soon get another shot to get an edge on Parker. The Latin fans were able to forget about the loss and joke about it, especially when sophomore Brennan Besser came to the conclusion that “this sport would be a lot easier if we could use our hands.” The rivalry continues next week at Parker, with Latin hungry for revenge and Parker looking to continue their streak of victories. We’ll see who can get the edge in this legendary Clark Street battle.]]>