Two rival Androscoggin County high schools faced off Wednesday night for the first time since last week's mass shooting. The well-anticipated matchup between Lewiston High School and Edward Little was postponed last Friday to Wednesday due to the shelter-in-place order.
In the sister cities, the annual Battle of the Bridge rivalry game is always a big deal. But the importance felt magnified on Wednesday. During the pregame ceremonies, Lewiston and Edward Little players gathered along the 50-yard mark, holding a banner that said "Lewiston Strong" and the word "Family."
Sandy Irish is the parent leader for Edward Little's football team. Having gone to Lewiston High herself, Irish says the ties between Lewiston and Auburn run deep.
"I'm actually a Lewiston alum. Even though my my kiddos both went to Edward Little. But yeah, we are truly one. They call us LA for a reason, they call us the Twin Cities for a reason. It's home — whether you're on one side of the river or the other," she says.
Signs hanging near the end-zone displayed blue hearts with the names of the 18 people killed last week.
Ultimately Lewiston High won the game. The final score: 34-18.
Note: The attached audio includes some of the sounds from the night, including a special pregame ceremony featuring a performance by James Taylor.
