WOODBURY — The Nonnewaug-Shepaug rivalry has been the talk of the Berkshire League since the conference’s inception decades ago; however, how does it change as the sports seasons advance? 

According to the athletes involved, the rivalry never simmers — it only intensifies. 

The Spartans’ and Chiefs’ prominent sports rivalry in the fall is fought on the soccer pitch. Both teams are consistently competitive and always go at each other with all they’ve got. According Nonnewaug senior striker Rai Costa, it’s a good time to play for the Chiefs amid a rivalry that continues to spark. 

“It’s exciting because they are good schools and we’ve always had drama with [Shepaug],” said Costa. “So it’s pretty competitive when we play them.” 

The sport to watch in the winter months is basketball. Both basketball teams are usually around the same skill level. During the matchup at Nonnewaug, it’s usually a red-out theme meant to raise funds for leukemia and lymphoma research. The games are always well-attended by both schools, according to NHS senior basketball player Ben Roden. 

“I think it brings a lot of energy because of the packed gym,” said Roden. “It’s good for both schools to compete.” 

One caveat with the Nonnewaug-Shepaug rivalry is that they share a football team; this makes it hard for the players on both teams to have any athletic animosity — especially for athletes like Roden, the Northwest United quarterback who has to face some football teammates during basketball season.

According to Shepaug junior Reed Woerner, who plays wide receiver for Northwest United, he has been accepted into the Chiefs’ house just fine. 

“It’s definitely pretty weird being on both sides of our intense rivalry,” said Woerner. “At the start I didn’t know anybody, but as it goes on you start to make friendships. This leads to the rivalry, being even more fun when we play. Surprisingly I was pretty accepted by the Nonnewaug Tribe nicely despite being a star of the football team and also a star in the rivalry against them.”