What makes the Upstate 8 Conference so competitive is the intense rivalries between all of the schools. The biggest rivalry in the Upstate 8 is Glenbard South and Glenbard East, with both schools hosting a “Pack the Place” each season. Normally consisting of the boys and girls basketball teams playing, one held at South and the other at East. As the rivalry continues to grow, “Pack the Place” remains a tradition that unites the schools and encourages competition.
On February 6, Glenbard East hosted “Pack the Place,” which solidified if the girls’ basketball team would split conference champions and put the boys into conference ranking. The girls played at 5:30 p.m., where they started down in the first quarter but built a 26-13 lead by halftime. After halftime, Glenbard South girls picked up their pace and allowed Glenbard East to score only 11 points in the second half, making the final score of the game to be a 47-24 victory . Which allowed for Glenbard South girls to be conference champions four years in a row and a win over East at both of the “Pack the Place” games. Senior Rheayanna Ferguson, four-year varsity starter, said this about her final “Pack the Place”: “Pack the Place is always such a crazy, electric environment to be in, and knowing that it was my last one made it emotional. To be able to finish conference champions made it even more special. We’ve learned to trust each other, lean on one another, and stay confident in what we bring to the table as a team.”
The boys’ variety team played at 7:30 p.m., after previously losing to East at the South “Pack the Place”, this game was an opportunity for redemption . The team fought hard to keep up with the East team going into the second half but fell behind as the game continued. Both schools filled their student sections to show their support, especially during the boys’ game, demonstrating how much students enjoy this rivalry event. Unfortunately the boys’ team fell short and lost 43-72 to Glenbard East. Both teams competed with determination until the final buzzer.
“Pack the Place” continues to be an important event that highlights this amazing rivalry between Glenbard South and East, allowing the competition to continue. The Feb. 6 “Pack the Place”solidified Glenbard South varsity girls’ first place position in conference and allowed for a good student participation during the boys’ game where they worked hard to keep up with East.
