WARREN, Ark. — Union Bank & Trust helped kick off Union Bank Saline River Shootout week by hosting the coaching staffs of the Warren Lumberjacks and Monticello Billies for a meal and an evening celebrating the history of the longtime football rivalry.
Coaches from both programs gathered with Union Bank representatives as the two schools prepare to meet once again in a game that has become an important tradition for both communities.
Union Bank President Dave Dickson welcomed the coaches and opened the evening by discussing the Union Bank Saline River Shootout Traveling Trophy and what it represents. Dickson spoke about the importance of the rivalry to Warren and Monticello and the generations of players, coaches, students and fans who have been part of the game.
Dickson then introduced Union Bank Vice President Randy Rawls, who provided a look back at the history of the Warren-Monticello rivalry and some of the people who have participated in the matchup through the years.
The annual meeting between Warren and Monticello has long been about more than what happens on the football field. For generations, the game has brought together two neighboring communities with proud football traditions and strong ties throughout South Arkansas.
Union Bank expressed its appreciation to the Warren School District and Monticello School District for allowing the bank to conceive and establish the Union Bank Saline River Shootout Traveling Trophy.
The trophy was created as a way to recognize the history of the rivalry and provide a lasting symbol of what the annual game means to both communities. Each year, the winning school earns the opportunity to display the traveling trophy until the teams meet again.
“We are grateful to both school districts for allowing Union Bank to be part of recognizing the history of this game,” Rawls said. “So many players, coaches and families from both communities have been part of this rivalry over the years. We wanted the trophy to be something that honors those who came before while giving today’s players something special to compete for.”
Although Warren and Monticello will be on opposite sidelines when the teams take the field, Monday’s gathering provided an opportunity to recognize the mutual respect and shared history behind the rivalry.
For Union Bank, hosting the two coaching staffs was a fitting way to begin a week that will culminate with another chapter in one of South Arkansas’ longstanding high school football traditions — the Union Bank Saline River Shootout.
Submitted by: Union Bank
This article was submitted by an SRN reader.
