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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - As many as one thousand people will pack into the Multiplex this afternoon to watch the city's two high schools renew their rivalry when they face-off at this year's Wade Hamer Challenge Cup hockey match-ups on the Olympic ice surface.

Hockey players Kirk Sangris, left, and James Williams, right, will wage war this afternoon at the annual Wade Hamer Challenge Cup between St. Patrick and Sir John high schools held at the Multiplex. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

Separate games are scheduled between Sir John Franklin and St. Patrick high schools' girls and boys' teams, the Falcons and Irish respectively. The girls kick off the event at 1 p.m. and the boys' game follows right after.

Kirk Sangris, 16, is captain of the St. Pat's boys squad and will be playing in his third Challenge Cup.

Sangris, a Grade 11 student, said he enjoys the game, played in front of the largest and loudest crowd of the year.

"I think the fans are more pumped up than the players are," he said. "The fans are a big part of the Challenge Cup."

The bleachers will be packed by blue and gold, and green and white clad students from both schools, who have been given the afternoon off to cheer on their classmates.

"It's a pretty good deal, I guess," Sangris joked.

James Williams, a Grade 12 student at Sir John, recently moved to Yellowknife from Inuvik.

The 16-year-old was named assistant captain by coach Bill "Burly" Burlington and will be playing in his first Challenge Cup. It's not the first time he's heard of the game, though.

Williams was in the city for a couple weeks last year and the Challenge Cup just happened to be taking place. Williams said he watched it and seems to have assessed the event pretty accurately, as the first thing he mentioned about the game echoed Sangris' comments.

"The fans are so intense," he said, adding he also appreciated how the games were competitive and played at a high-level.

Williams and Sangris said while the rivalry is pretty strong during the game and at other sports tournaments, any ill-will ends after the handshakes.

"It's just during the game when it's pretty intense," said Sangris. "We're all friends and stuff, but we don't take it too seriously if we lose or not. It's just bragging rights."

Sangris said the coaches - responsible for the pre-game pep talk - may take things more seriously than the players. He said coach Fraser Oliver delivers a mighty speech before the game.

"It gets everyone focused," he said. "He gets pretty intense when it comes to game time, because it's a big deal for him."

Both Oliver and Burlington downplayed their rivalry, however. Oliver said that many years ago, people would always ask if he and Burlington were more concerned about winning or losing than the kids. He said those passions have mellowed with time.

"I think over the years, as we both get older - and he's way older than me by about three years - the rivalry is still strong, but there's a friendship and respect on both sides," he said.

Burlington said neither coach makes friendly wagers on the games and added the players take the results of the game in stride.

"When they lose it's tough, but the next few days it's not life and death," said Burlington.

Burlington did suggest he does take the game a little more serious than he was letting on, though.

"I'm kind of a life and death guy, you know what I mean?" he laughed.

St. Pat's has taken the boys title the last two years.

Williams and Sir John captain Ben Gourlay are hoping to buck the trend this year.

"Burly doesn't want to lose three years in a row," said Williams. "Nor does anyone else."

For a full recap of the girls and boys games see Yellowknifer's sports section on Friday.