Before the main event on the gridiron, two high schools offered an appetizer of the rivalry, pitting the stomachs of coaches and administrators in the ultimate battle of Buffalo wings.
Wild Wing Cafe in South Asheville hosted a fundraising wing challenge Wednesday night between A.C. Reynolds and T.C. Roberson high schools, leading up to Friday’s football game. Roberson Assistant Principal Bekah Calloway set the pace for the Rams and her teammates, coaches Kevin Keen and Austin Cook. She was the first to finish her plate of 20 wings, closely followed by her teammates. The three then started working on their second plates, with Mrs. Calloway and her 27 wings leading Roberson to victory.
“I was a D1 athlete so I don’t like to lose,” said Mrs. Calloway, who played softball at WCU. “Everyone was behind us cheering, I could hear the crowd chanting my name, and that fueled the fire in my belly to pick up the pace.”
The Reynolds team, which included Assistant Principal Steve Bowlin and coaches Chandler Greer and Michael Staircar, put up a good fight without timeouts for Wet-Naps, but they could not catch up.
“Many in the crowd may have been surprised, but not my husband,” Mrs. Calloway shared. “He says I eat like an offensive lineman.”
Wild Wing Cafe donated a portion of the proceeds during the special school spirit night to both schools’ athletic boosters programs, and shared an additional $100 with the Rams for winning.
“The real winners are all the students, who came together as a community to support their schools,” Mrs. Calloway shared. “We’re grateful to Wild Wing for hosting the event and supporting student athletes at both Roberson and Reynolds.”
We’ll soon know if the wing victory is an omen of things to come. The Rams host the Rockets Friday night at 7.