Is it a Nightmare or Knightmare? Plant High school and Robinson High school have been rivals since 1959 but most of all… the football is the center of the rivalry. As of the 2023 Plant vs. Robinson game, Plant took home the 18th win in a row versus Robinson football since 2005.
Coaching football is a difficult job when rivalries approach, but Plant High Head Football Coach, Hank Brown explains the excitement he’s experienced from these rival games. “The history of this game speaks for itself,” Brown said. “It has everything you want in a high school football rivalry — history, passion, star power, neighborhood bragging rights and alumni who care deeply about the outcome. But this year there was another intriguing factor former alumni and Plant Star Mike Williams is now the Head Coach at Robinson.”
Over the years, Plant and Robinson have made their biggest efforts to encourage their football team on; the alumni make sure to show up to the game and cheer on their team. But something was different about the rivalry this year that made it engaging: Robinson High Head Football Coach Mike Williams, Williams being a former star player at Plant stirred up the rivalry.
Williams gave his side about the rivalry and his experience, stating “This was my first game in the rivalry and was a great atmosphere for football,” Williams said. “As a Plant alum, there are always mixed emotions when you play them. Coach Brown does a heck of a job with the program, and they played well early and held on to get the Win. I look forward to more tough battles in South Tampa.” Since Williams used to play in this rivalry, he knows how to further educate and coach his new team. Robinson plans to come back next year even stronger and better than ever. Will Plant lose their winning streak for 2024 or take home the 19th win?
Every year, Robinson has a traditional burial of the Panther. Students make a coffin to put the Panther “to rest” and stomp on the coffin as their band plays. Yet again, the 2023 game resulted in the Panthers rising from the dead. Robinson High School calls itself the “Knightmare” due to their school mascot, a knight. While during these yearly games, Plant students dress up with fake blood and costumes to be Robinson’s “worst nightmare.” What goes through these players’ heads when on the field? How do they stay focused to beat their rival? In the game, Plant focuses on each play at a time, to never let 2 players beat them in a row.
Star player Senior Trey O’Malley states “What goes through my head is having to win at all costs.” Players on both sides of the rivalry try their hardest, but they feel they must win so they do not let their school down.
On the other hand, Junior Star Waltez Clark has a different opinion, Clark claims “I go into the game every year knowing we are going to beat them.” Plant high school being the rival winner for 18 years in a row, players of this generation have never experienced a loss and strive to continue to win.
In 2004, the last year Plant lost to Robinson, it was a score of 19-10 but coming back even stronger for the first streak of Plants wins being 45-34. Throughout the years, Plant continued to dominate Robinson such as in 2011 winning 51-9. Below is a list of the scores since the last Plant loss, who will win the 2024 rival game?
