Hanford to battle Richland in cross-town rivalry on SWX - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

RICHLAND, Wash. -- Our SWX game of the week in the Tri-Cities/Yakima region brings us a great cross-town match-up. The Hanford Falcons will take on the Richland Bombers at Fran Rish Stadium. 

This Hanford-Richland game is as important as they have had against each other. Playoff contention is on the line. That only adds fuel to this cross-town rivalry. The players on the field have childhood history with players on the opposite side.

"Any time you have an opportunity to play another school in your town it's special because the kids grew up playing against each other and with each other, in Little League, in Grid Kids. Richland has a D line kid, Matt Chalmers. He and my son, Jake, played together on the Cowboys and went to school together at Jason Lee. So I think that's what makes the inner-city rivalry game so special," Hanford head coach Rob Oram said.

"How much the kids get into it at both high schools, just to be a part of something like a Richland-Hanford game, they call it the Atomic Bowl, Atomic Cup. There's a helmet they pass around. The community gets involved. To be a part of this is pretty special," Richland head coach Mike Neidhold added.

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