This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
And can you feel the hate tonight...
When Highland embarks on the 2.5-mile trip on Wednesday to play archrival East for the 58th time — it could not be further from the famous song in the "Lion King." The tension is palpable when the two meet, and this time, as they square off for the Region 5 championship — that animosity will be intensified.
It's arguably the most intense rivalry in the state, with disdain circulating throughout the veins of coaches, players and fans of each school, and they have no desire to hide that fact.
They despise each other. Deal with it.
The rivalry dates back to 1957, and after snapping a three-game slide with its 10-3 victory last season — Highland leads the series with an overall tally of 33-24 against the Leopards.
We want to know: Is Highland-East the best rivalry in the state? Let us know in the comment section if you agree or feel otherwise.
Here are some other hostile matchups to mull over:
Olympus-Skyline
American Fork-Lone Peak
Bountiful-Woods Cross
Ben Lomond-Ogden
Provo-Timpview
Mountain Crest-Sky View
Beaver-Kanab
Herriman-Riverton
Davis-Layton
Cedar-Dixie
North Summit-South Summit
Murray-Taylorsville
Note: When will East and West and Juan Diego and Judge Memorial end the nonsense and start playing each other again? Two of the best rivalries in the state are positive for the state and for fans of high school football. Make it happen.
— Trevor Phibbs
Twitter: @trevorphibbs