They might be friends. They might hang out all the time.

“But not this week,” said Clifton Sims, a serious tone coming to his voice.

Sims, a varsity football player at Lawrence High School, has stayed away most of this week from longtime friend Chucky Hunter, a varsity player at crosstown foe Free State High School.

“The last time we talked was last Friday,” Hunter said, equally serious.

Like other players at the city’s two high schools, Sims and Hunter – who last played together at Central Junior High School – will find themselves as competitors in what’s arguably the most serious game of the season tonight: the 10th annual football battle between LHS and Free State.

The game, which starts at 7:30 p.m. at Haskell Stadium, fosters a tremendous crosstown rivalry, the students said.

And it’s most challenging for those who went to Central or Southwest junior highs, where a boundary split at 15th Street/Bob Billings Parkway sends many longtime pals to rival high schools.

“This is probably the only time of the season where we’re not friends,” said Christian Ballard, a Free State tight end and defensive end who will face several former Southwest teammates tonight. “We talk a little smack at each other, but it’s all friendly.”

Teasing

Abby Vestal, a senior kicker for LHS, said she likes to taunt her former Central classmates who now attend Free State.

“It’s fun. We always try to tease each other or pick on each other,” Vestal said. “They definitely are the enemy. : All week we have been giving each other trouble about the game.”

The principals at each high school said they did their best not to let things get out of hand.

“We try to make sure that we continue what I call the ordinary activities. Kids try to gear up like they do for any special game,” said Joe Snyder, Free State’s principal.

“Because of the success that our football team has had this year, they have more expectations of themselves,” Snyder said. “And I think that carries over to the rest of the kids, too.”

Steve Nilhas, LHS principal, said he tries to make sure students, staff and parents put the game into perspective.

“Our schedule says we’re playing Free State this week, and I don’t like to take it much beyond that,” Nilhas said. “I know it’s a big deal and I don’t want to downplay it, but it needs to be a healthy rivalry.”

Nilhas said there actually are two rivalries going tonight: The one between former teammates at Central and Southwest, and the longtime rivalry between students who went to West or South junior high schools.

West sends all its students to FSHS, while all South students move on to LHS.

“I think there are elements of that that make the rivalry a little more intense, perhaps,” Nilhas said.

Mature approach

If the football game isn’t enough, students and faculty from both schools can join in the competitive spirit with some pregame kickball contests, sponsored by the Lawrence Parents Network. Three kickball games are scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Haskell Stadium.

During tonight’s activities, fans need to take a mature approach and not let their emotions get the best of them, said Adriane Gill, who is with the Lawrence Parents Network.

Her recommendation: “Don’t do anything you’ll regret the next day – parents either,” Gill said. “In the heat of battle, we sometimes think it’s more than a high school football game.”

It might be just a game. But it’s also a chance to show off in front of old friends, several of the players from Central and Southwest said.

Kyle Weinmaster, a Free State senior, plays center and defensive end for the Firebirds. Weinmaster went to Southwest with a couple of former teammates who now play for LHS: Nick DeBiasse and Chance Riley.

“I don’t have a problem with them except during football, you know, when you’ve got to be their enemy,” Weinmaster said. “Then, they’re not my friends. They’re the enemy.”

Riley, a senior quarterback for LHS, said he knows how good Weinmaster and his other former teammates from Southwest are, which makes the game more interesting.

“It kind of sucks, when we played together for so long, that we can’t play with each other and we have to play against each other,” Riley said. “We’ll be friends after 10:30. But on the field, you’ll do anything to win.”

DeBiasse, an LHS senior linebacker and tight end, admitted the rivalry creates some animosity.

“We’re still on friendly relations through most of the year,” DeBiasse said. “But when it comes time to play them, it’s definitely a little hostile.”

DeBiasse said splitting from his former teammates at Southwest three years ago was disappointing because they had played so well together in junior high.

“The friendship kind of dies a little bit, especially during football season,” DeBiasse said.

Mikel Ruder, a Free State senior who plays nose guard, said he knows a few of the LHS linemen from his days at Central and they’re always talking about how each thinks they’re the best.

“And now it’s just a blast to finally prove it,” Ruder said.

Jimmy Bruce, a middle linebacker for Free State, said he still has quite a few friends from playing at Central.

“I talk to them every now and then,” he said. “We’re only enemies on the football field. : We can still hang out. But on the football field, it’s different.”

Biggest thing

Brian Murphy, a Free State senior who plays running back and cornerback, said he could hardly wait to get on the field to play against his former Southwest friends.

“It’s the biggest thing in Lawrence. Growing up as a kid, it’s the one thing you look forward to every year,” Brian Murphy said. “It’s one thing to be in the stands watching it. But playing in it, it’s the biggest thing of the year.”

Brian Murphy said his goal is to outplay former teammate DeBiasse and Nathan Padia, who’s now an LHS wide receiver and defensive back.

“Nathan has had a pretty good year, and I want to stick it to him,” Brian Murphy said.

Ryan Murphy, Free State’s quarterback and Bryan’s brother, said he always circles the game against LHS on the calendar.

“On the football field, we set the friendship aside,” Ryan Murphy said. “We go out and compete and play hard. But off the field, we’re cool and there’s no problems.”

Sims and Hunter both said the Central split was difficult, but they still remain close friends. Sims’ brother Malcom also plays for LHS and has stayed friends with Hunter.

“We’ve been friends since Little League playing ball, dreaming of how we were going to make the (high school) team,” Hunter said.

In retrospect, Sims said the split probably makes games like tonight’s city showdown all the better: “It brings the best out of each of us.”