The winner of Friday’s Tustin-Foothill game will get to keep the Crosstown Football Rivalry Trophy for a year. (Photo courtesy Tustin Unified School District)
The stands won’t be packed Friday night but there will be plenty on the line when the Foothill and Tustin football teams square off in the annual battle for the Crosstown Football Rivalry Trophy at Northrup Field.
The non-league game will be the season opener for both teams. The game is usually played in August but the football season was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Foothill, coached by Doug Case, finished strong in the last game between the two teams in 2019, defeating Coach Anthony Lopez’s Tustin team 28-14 in the 57th edition of the annual battle before a capacity crowd at Northrup Field.
Tustin is the home team for this year’s game and attendance will be limited due to coronavirus safety protocol. Each player, cheerleader and band member will be allowed to have two spectators in attendance, according to Mark Eliot, director of communications and public information officer for the Tustin Unified School District.
There have been no pre-sale tickets to this year’s game.
Foothill is coming off an 11-1 season in 2019 while Tustin was 5-6.
“The athletic directors, high school administrators and coaches, supported by Educational Services and Student Services, are doing an outstanding job of restarting the district’s athletic programs,” TUSD Superintendent Dr. Gregory Franklin said in a statement.
“They have scheduled competitions, prepared parent consent forms, arranged for weekly athlete and coach COVID-19 testing, implemented safety protocols, and the kids are ready to play.”
The Tustin High band and cheerleaders will also be participating in the game, the first game since 2019, Eliot added.
TUSD football schedule
Thursday, March 11, Beckman vs. Laguna Hills (scrimmage)
Friday, March 12 Foothill at Tustin
Thursday, March 18, Tustin vs. Crean Lutheran
Friday, March 19, Foothill vs. Canyon
Thursday, March 25, Beckman vs. Portola
Friday, March 26, Foothill vs. Pacifica
Thursday, April 8, Tustin vs. Kennedy
Friday, April 9, Foothill vs. Villa Park
Friday, April 16, Beckman vs. Woodbridge
—-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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