West, Normal Community ready to renew football rivalry Friday

NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — The rivalry is hot and the weather will be anything but chilly on Friday night when Normal West travels to Normal Community.

The winner of the annual Chili Bowl football game will be 2-0 in the Big 12 and, of course, have city bragging rights for a year.

“It means a lot. It’s the chili bowl, crosstown rivals, it’s a fun game to play in,” said Ironmen senir Kyle Beaty. “It’s another big school in the Big 12. They are a good team and it’s always fun to play them and see who will win the game.”

Beaty and the Ironmen have owned the rivalry game in recent years although West won in 2022 and Community won last year on the way to an unbeaten regular season.

“There are a lot of friends on the opposite team but when we step on the field we are enemies, I guess,” said West junior Maliq Gray with a grin.

Indeed, many of these players were youth sports teammates and the men on the coaching staffs are friends.

West senior linebacker Cooper Temples has an interesting perspective on the annual rivalry game. His father Wes coached at Normal Community for years and Cooper went to games as a youngster and rooted for the Ironmen.

But Wes temples stepped down from coaching at Normal Community and took the job as the athletics director at West. His soon followed him to that high school.

“It’s definitely different. Growing up I was on the Community side.,” said Cooper Temples. “Now in high school, I transferred over here and there’s definitely a change of scenery. I’m just excited to compete.”

Both teams won their season openers. Normal Community won at Richwoods last Friday while West rallied to beat Peoria Notre Dame at home.

“It’s a fun game, for sure,” said Ironmen senior Mar’Quan Gray of the rivalry match-up. “We need to come out and play well on our senior night at home. First home game, of course, and it’s against our rival. It’s going to be fun.”

kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Normal Community.”

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