Considering Antioch and Lakes Community High School are in the same district and only a few minutes away from each other, the two are very similar. The two schools have an intense rivalry regarding essentially everything: be that athletics, academics or which is the overall better school; the students are constantly competing with each other. According to the Illinois Report Card, the enrollment and class sizes are virtually the same, only Lakes has a slightly larger number of students. Along with the slightly larger enrollment number, Lakes also has two percent more graduates and college-ready students than Antioch. The classes and teaching requirements are the same for both high schools because they are in the same district. Even though Lakes and Antioch are so similar statistically, the two schools still think of each other as opposites.The most common stereotype seen is Lakes being viewed as the wealthier preppy kids, but Antioch is considered the less privileged farmers.

“It was around two years ago at a basketball game that we lost to Lakes and their crowd screams ‘start your tractors,’ that’s just the biggest stereotype I’ve seen for the 11 years I’ve been here,” Antioch Community High School football coach and teacher Bryan Glashagel said.

At any game between Antioch and Lakes the conflict between the two is prevalent. The students are constantly chanting from either side, eager to see what team will win. The clash between the two schools is something that pushes both sides to do their best and improve every year, making them extremely close in skill level.

“When you go to a game against Westosha or Grant nobody shows up, but with Lakes the entire school is always there and people have to sit on the stairs,” senior and Cardinal Crazy leader Connor Flatley said. “Everyone likes the competition and the drama so they go and it makes the game even better.”

The competitive drive from both schools is what fuels the rivalry between Antioch and Lakes, but the school spirit from the Sequoits overwhelms the Eagles. The one thing Antioch has on Lakes is their sense of history. ACHS has been open for over a century, and thousands of Sequoits walk the same halls that alumni did before them. Many alumni are also relatives of current students, which has kept the Sequoit traditions alive. The community of Antioch itself also keeps students close, as there is a downtown with parades for every occasion and various spots in town where residents go.

“I think there is definitely more of a community feel and Antioch has that downtown mainstreet that really gives it a sense of identity,” Glashagel said. “If you don’t live around here you might not know where Antioch is, but you know that Antioch High School is in Antioch. Their high school isn’t named after a town like ours is, so when someone asks where Lakes is you don’t exactly know.”

Although Lakes and Antioch may not have the nicest attitudes towards each other, the closeness that Antioch Community High School has is something that the Eagles notice.

“As a Royal Rusher, in terms of spirit, we always know that their spirit is so much higher than ours,” Royal Rush member and Lakes senior Danielle Fuller said. “[Antioch] has been around for longer so there is a big sense of hometown pride and we always know anytime there is a game against Antioch the fan section is going to come to play and there will be everyone cheering.”

The competitive nature of district rivals is something that will never go away and both schools will always think they are superior.