The pride in-between the North and South Side

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)-- The Northside and Southside pride, originated from Lafayette and Benton high schools, carries through today and helps give pride to the city of St. Joseph.

The third public city school, Central High School has its own kind of pride for those who wear blue.

"We didn't have that northside southside stuff," Former Central Indian, Jeff Wallace said. "Our big thing was family all in."

Wallace graduated from Central in 1986 and wound up coaching at his alma mater from 2010-2015. As a coach, he worked with many young kids coming from different areas.

"The North and the South End, you probably went to school, elementary school together, probably went to middle school together and then they went to high school together," Wallace said. "When you come on to play freshmen football at Central, chances are you didn't know many of those guys… Our job was to take all those kids from all those different background and teach them how to love and care about each other like brothers."

As a player, Wallace said he felt the bigger rivalry was Lafayette. A contributing factor, was growing up playing with some of the people who went to Lafayette. Similar to the North and South Side, the pride for each school came with the rivalries.

"Rivalries were so huge when we played each other in football," Wallace said. "Everybody wanted those bragging rights for the year."

The school was not an outcast in the City with rivalries either. Wallace shared, prior to a Lafayette vs. Central game, an effigy of the Lafayette quarterback was hung off the press box.

"That's how big of a deal the rivalry was at the time," He said. "We won 26 to nothing that game, by the way."

Although Wallace's goal to coach at Central was achieved, an opportunity arose prior to his time-served at Central. Wallace was able to interview with the St. Joseph School District to coach football at Lafayette in the 1990s.

"In the end I couldn't do it…" He said. "Just because you graduate doesn't mean you lose your color. You are who you are and that just really never goes away."

Currently, Wallace is the offensive coordinator for Atchison high school's football team.

Still in the area of St. Joseph, he continues to see the pride for red, green and blue. Similar to the North and South Side, the pride for Central trickles into the community once students graduate

"It comes to a point once your not competing against each other it becomes go St. Joe, go St. Joe," Wallace said.