The All-American 1969 Entrance of Rock Rivalry.

Courtesy John McGovern

Tickets to the 50th anniversary Rock Rivalry celebration.

Courtesy Richard Meagher

Richard Meagher, at microphone, class of 1956, performed at the 50th anniversary celebration.

Courtesy Richard Meagher

Courtesy Richard Meagher

Bill Jensen, class of 1973, took the victory cup to a silversmith in Rockville Centre to have inscriptions that were made by a few pranksters on it buffed out.

Courtesy Bill Jensen

The senior class of 2012 performed their Entrance skit finale.

Susan Grieco/Herald

The program for the 50th anniversary celebration of Rock Rivalry.

Courtesy Richard Meagher

Members of the senior class proudly displayed the Silver Cup after last year’s win.

Tim Baker/Herald

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• ERHS built an expansion that created a “new gym,” in 1951, which changed the location of the entrance for the competition.
• The class of 1972 became the first sophomores to ever win the victory cup.
• In 1981, Rock Rivalry was on probation due to student behavioral problems.
• In 1996, Nick Cimorelli took over for Martin Severino as Rock Rivalry adviser.

Alumni memories

Eighty years of Rock Rivalry yielded 80 years of memories from its participants. The competition is as old as the high school itself, and often draws out-of- state residents to return to the village to witness the spectacle. East Rockaway High School alumni shared their best stories from years past:

Bill Jensen, class of 1973: Jensen was caught holding the victory cup at the Rock Rivalry party by two chaperones (one of whom was his mother) after someone else had inscribed it with his initials. He took the cup to a silversmith in Rockville Centre and had the markings buffed out, as per his mother’s wishes.

Jay Rieder, class of 1977: “Not only did we paint the first and only nude mural in the 75 years of Rock Rivalry, we fought to get it displayed and went on to win first in mural that year, along with the cup!”

Naomi Lerner Tussin, class of 1973: “Quite simply, Rock Rivalry made me the businessperson I am today. The skills to collaborate, create and communicate that I acquired during those glory years enabled me to build 2 successful businesses. I am who I am and have done what I do because Rock Rivalry gave me an early opportunity to explore the creative process…”

Deborah Lerner, class of 1969: “There is probably very little I’ve done professionally that doesn’t have its roots in my experience as Rock Rivalry Entrance chairman.”

Pat (Wiggins) Bartholomew, class of 1968: “Rock Rivalry” — those words will always hold the connotation of what it means to dig in and work together as hard as you possibly can to win.”

Martin Severino, former Rock Rivalry adviser: Rock Rivalry has been and still is a very important part of my life — and its 80th year is very close to what my year is also. I have seen similar activities at other schools, but nothing beats Rock Rivalry!”

Tickets to Rock Rivalry 2016