School soccer rivalries are stuffed with pettiness, and the Japanese Kentucky Colonels are placing on a clinic forward of their recreation in opposition to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Saturday. Japanese Kentucky has chosen to dam its in-state rival from carrying white for its personal “white out” recreation.
Again in July, the Hilltoppers introduced their home-opener in opposition to the Colonels can be a white out recreation. The plan was for Western Kentucky to put on its white uniforms whereas followers stuffed the stands with the identical shade.
It sounds easy sufficient, however Japanese Kentucky wished to make issues troublesome on its long-time rival. On Wednesday, Western Kentucky introduced the Colonels have exercised their proper because the visiting group to put on white uniforms, and so they will not be altering their minds.
Meaning Western Kentucky will now must put on crimson for its personal white out recreation. Regardless of that uniform change, the varsity continues to be encouraging followers to put on white to Houchens Industries L. T. Smith Stadium on Saturday.
Hilltoppers coach Tyson Helton wasn’t requested straight in regards to the uniform pettiness, however he did say he expects an awesome ambiance with the group internet hosting a bitter rival in its house opener.
“I hope we’ve a very good crowd. It needs to be a very good ambiance,” Helton mentioned. “I feel with the white out and all these issues — first (house) recreation of the season and the long-time rivalry recreation over time right here. There’s numerous historical past there, so I might prefer to assume we’ve a very good crowd and a very good ambiance.”
The rivalry between the Hilltoppers and Colonels stretches all the way in which again to 1914, when Japanese Kentucky defeated Western Kentucky, 36-6. Since then, the Hilltoppers have managed the rivalry and personal a 48-35-3 file in opposition to EKU.
The final time these two groups met was in 2017, and the Hilltoppers got here away with a 31-17 win. The Colonels’ final victory within the collection got here again in 2006.