Students test strength — and appetites — at Sports Night

For the 88th year, the freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior classes put their brains and brawn to the test at Rock Rivalry.

The annual event started on Feb. 8 with a Quiz Bowl and then a week later, students went head to head in a series of volleyball matches. Last Wednesday was Sports Night where parents and fellow students watched all four classes compete in different games. By the end of the night, the seniors were victorious, beating the other classes.

“Sports Night is a competition amongst all four classes from grades 9 to 12,” Alycia Fahrenkrug, East Rockaway Jr./Sr. High School alumni and co-host of Rock Rivalry. “And it consists of relay races, cage volleyball, pie eating contest, relay sack race, scooter race, a marble puzzle relay, and it was about an hour and a half.”

By around 7:30 p.m., Sports Night was over and from first to fourth place was the seniors, juniors, freshmen, and sophomores. Fahrenkrug noted that the freshman won tug-of-war and the pie-eating contest.

“The freshmen actually usually don’t win this many events,” Fahrenkrug said. “And everyone was perfect at the event. We had no issues with sportsmanship and it was just a really good night.”

Hugh Howard, East Rockaway Jr./Sr. High School alumni and co-host of Rock Rivalry, explained that after the competitions, the skills and achievement students participated in a relay with the classes.

Howard and Fahrenkrug both participated in Rock Rivalry when they were students. Howard is from the class of 1983 and Fahrenkrug is from the class of 2011. In 2020, Fahrenkrug took over hosting the event and then in 2023, Howard joined her.

“In 1936 when Rock Rivalry started, it was a fundraiser specifically for girls to raise money for girls sports,” Fahrenkrug said.

Now, 88 years later, the event showcases the talent of about 150-200 students in East Rockaway. The event is split up into four parts, which are the Quiz Bowl, volleyball, Sports Night, and Entrance Night which is a 30 minute play that each class puts on.

“Friday night (Entrance Night) is broken up into four parts also,” Howard said. “So first is the 30 minute skit, then they make a refreshment stand which could go about 16 feet high, they also paint a 12 foot by 15 foot mural, which relates to the theme of each class and then they also put together four art pieces from sculptures, to paintings, to carvings.”

The theme for the senior class is Rock and Roll, the theme for the juniors is Candyland, the theme for the sophomores is Egypt, and the theme for the freshman class is the Gold Rush in the 1850s.

“I think the important part about this event is that it brings the classes together,” Howard said. “And kids that normally don’t participate in clubs or sports, it gives them a chance to come out and do something with their class. Whether it’s the Quiz Bowl, whether it’s volleyball, whether it’s the paintings, it gives all kids a chance to participate and do something.”

Fahrenkrug mentioned that students’ careers were shaped by Rock Rivalry. She had alumnus talk to her about how they went into the world of makeup or construction because of the event.

“I have friends from high school that if it wasn’t for Rock Rivalry, I would have never known them,” Fahrenkrug said. “There’s such a camaraderie and there’s so much history with this event and traditions like these are not easy to come by anymore.”

The final event of Rock Rivalry will take place at the East Rockaway Jr./Sr. High School on March 8 at 7 p.m. with alumnus judging the various activities that will be taking place.