The Warriors have had a long-held rivalry with soccer powerhouse and 14th-ranked team in the state of Michigan, Edsel Ford.

 Despite the large gap in the two teams’ rankings, with Woodhaven being ranked 119th, the Warriors and Thunderbirds clash head and head when they battle, and Woodhaven gives the EF soccer squad quite a run for their money.

 This rivalry has stretched over 3 years now and games are always filled with the unmatched energy and intensity coming from both teams, making their matchups a must-watch. The spark that gave birth to this rivalry was their intense match-up in 2020. The Warriors triumphed in a 3-0 victory, and carried the same energy throughout their back and forth rivalry over the years. 

When asked about the future of the rivalry, senior Dominic Duey said, “I think eventually the rivalry will change and evolve and maybe become one-sided, but right now it’s very fun and challenging to play them.” 

The Warriors and the Thunderbirds are both very skilled in their own respective fields, as Edsel Ford is a very fast-paced team with minimal touches, which is why they are a challenging team to face.

We asked Woodhaven senior Nolan Smith about where Woodhaven as a team could improve to become the better team between the two evenly matched teams. Smith suggested that they play better defense to cut down the amount of time Edsel has the ball, match the fast-paced play of Edsel Ford, and minimize the amount of ball touches they have on offense. 

The rivalry between these two has always been an intense one, but under all the blood, sweat, and tears, there is good sportsmanship. 

Woodhaven now has an overall record of 9-6-2 and a league record of 5-1-1, ranking them 3rd in Downriver. Edsel Ford has a record of 11-1-5 and a league record of 6-0-3, with their team coming in at 2nd in Downriver. 

On Wednesday, September 8 Woodhaven and Edsel clashed head-on, with the end result being a 2-2 draw. The Warriors and the Thunderbirds meet again Monday October 9 on EF’s turf, and Warrior soccer fans are sure to get an exciting game as this rivalry continues.