Our community, out of necessity, built a shiny new high school 5 years ago. The new one started with just freshmen and sophomores and steadily grew until last year when they graduated their first 4-year class.

Pretty normal stuff, except that high school football is a measuring stick of worth here in Texas, and the shiny new high school spent much of that time getting beat in most of their sports because they were younger and smaller.

It really didn't seem to matter that the shiny new high school was doing well in the standardized tests and drama and band and parental support and basketball & baseball playoff berths and a myriad of other educational successes. They hadn't beat the cross-town rival in football.

Anyway, things looked bleak for the shiny new high school in the game against the old high school on Friday night. After taking an early lead, they were behind by two touchdowns...but they came back and won the game (the first time in four tries) and it was all very exciting.

The students from the shiny new high school actually rushed on the field to join the football players in a post-game celebration and the band repeatedly played the fight song and the celebration was spontaneous and fun and loud all that jazz...I love teenage enthusiasm, even though I was sitting among those with the exact opposite emotions.

I was happy for them, too (my beloved college football team suffers from perennial underclass syndrome to the uberpower across the state) and related to their enthusiasm. So, shouts out to the Jaguars of Flower Mound High for feeling like you've arrived in our community. You already had...but I guess now it's official: 30-27.

And, good old Marcus High, don't begrudge them their win. You were in their shoes not so long ago trying to get your first "Battle of the Axe" win and know what it feels like to finally "arrive."

I think the rivalry is officially "on" now...which makes it more fun everybody.