Make sure to support our Bulldogs tonight at our annual Battle for the Bone game!

The stadium lights shone bright, illuminating the football field, as the two football teams huddled on the sidelines, discussing various strategies and plays. Crowds went wild, filled with spirit and decked out in their team’s colors. They were anticipating the biggest game of the season, a game that many students of both Ayala and Chino Hills look forward to. 

The starting lineup for both teams ran to the middle of the field and fans roared in excitement, ready to watch this year’s game.

This leads to the question, how did this particular rivalry between our Bulldogs and their Huskies start?

Ever since 2003, our Bulldogs and Chino Hills’ Huskies have been going head to head in the most anticipated game of the season,  Battle For the Bone. 

According to CHHS’s website, Ayala has won in the years ‘03, ‘07, ‘08, and ‘18–’22, dominating with a 5 year streak, while Chino Hills has won in the years  ‘04–’06, ‘09–’13, and ‘15–’17. 

The rivalry started in 2003 when there had become two high schools in Chino Hills and parents split their kids up to either school. At the time, Ayala did not want to play in the Battle For the Bone for just football despite Chino Hills wanting a game. However, in 2016, Ayala put more emphasis into the game. Ms. Debbie Weiss, the old activities director, called it Battle For the Bone for the first time and that was a sign that she, and Ayala, was on board. This created a friendly competition between them as many kids that were on the same teams growing up went head to head.

“I think in the beginning there was a different sense and I think because there was a time where Chino Hills was kind of dominating the series, I think it got a little nasty and it kind of created a negative feeling, at least on the part of Ayala,” said Coach A.J. Gracia, the head varsity football coach. “But since [they’ve] been such close, competitive games over the last seven years, I think the rivalry has been healthy, and there hasn’t been any major issues between the coaches, the players. It’s been fun, and we want to keep it that way.”

This friendly competition is showcased all throughout the Battle for the Bone game ever since 2003. However, only in recent years has the competition been friendly and healthy. This shift in attitude has helped the two schools keep that friendly fire.

“You may not be friends while you actually compete, but then afterwards you shake hands and say ‘good game’ and you move on. That makes it healthy and makes it fun,” Ayala’s athletic director Mr. Warren Reed said. “And quite a few years now, this has brought out the best in both schools and campuses.”

This change in history has been positively reflected in the past Battle For the Bone games and will hopefully continue to be as the years come and go. Every single year, the excitement and anticipation is expressed through the spirit week leading up to and all throughout the game.

Since last year’s Battle For the Bone game was strikingly close with an ending score of 20-19 in Ayala’s favor, spirits and tensions were high as many students wonder whether Ayala will keep up the streak for the 6th year in a row or whether Chino Hills will gain the win. 

“I think we’ll win,” junior quarterback Alex Way said. “We’re a…disciplined team [and] we all care for each other a lot, so we support each other and I think that’s a good thing.”

Battle For the Bone isn’t just about winning, but the game itself. The wonderful highs and lows that each team has gone through, the support and cheers from the fans, and the excitement in the air all showcase what the game is really about.

“At the end of the day, the team that plays mentally focused and stays within themselves is going to be fine,” said Gracia. 

In the time leading up to the infamous battle, it’s the talk of the town. Who will win Battle For the Bone ‘23: our Bulldogs or Chino Hills’ Huskies?