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Superintendents put school, system pride on the line
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Hall County Schools Superintendent Will Schofield and Gainesville Schools Superintendent Merrianne Dyer have placed a wager on the outcome of tonight’s game. The losing superintendent has to wear the jersey of the winner’s high school all day Monday. - photo by SARA GUEVARA

As the Gainesville High School Red Elephants and the Flowery Branch High School Falcons prepare to square off for the Class AAA state semifinal game tonight, the superintendents of the respective school systems are making a wager on who will win.

Hall County Superintendent Will Schofield challenged Gainesville Superintendent Merrianne Dyer in a bet on tonight’s game that will leave the losing superintendent wearing the garb of the rival school. The losing school’s superintendent will have to wear the other school’s T-shirt on Monday.

“At work, for a whole day,” Schofield said.

Dyer said the community’s great anticipation of the Flowery Branch-Gainesville faceoff is a testament to the community’s support for local schools and their athletic programs.

“It’s a bigger reflection of the quality of the community that people support the schools,” Dyer said. “It’s not a thing that many high schools get to do — go to the playoffs. But to have two schools get to go, it’s amazing.”

Schofield expects the game will be close, but he said he’s glad the community can revel in the cross-town competition.

“The real opportunity for learning is that you can have two rival schools celebrate an event like this,” he said. “This is an opportunity to show that we are really one community.”