Four high school teams stole Holt Arena from Idaho State University on Friday.

Or so it seemed.

No college game could match the atmosphere of what Highland and Pocatello gave some 10,000 fans who watched the back half of the doubleheader, and the undercard - Century 20, Preston 7 - provided the perfect appetizer.

It is the magic of the Black and Blue Bowl, a rivalry that is for good reason labeled one of the best in the nation.

Simply, this is how a football game is supposed to feel.

At first, I was skeptical about the teams playing the rivalry game as the back half of a doubleheader, but it turned out to be a brilliant turn of scheduling.

Century's victory over Preston - which could itself turn into quite a rivalry - had the feel of an undercard fight or an opening act at a concert. For the few thousand who watched it, and for those Highland and Pocatello fans who trickled in during the second half, it whetted their palates for football - and it did so with a game that was intriguing in its own right.

When the fans were properly revved up and barely after Century and Preston had cleared the turf, Highland and Pocatello players flooded the field while music boomed from the speakers.

The energy on the field and in the stands only increased during warmups and stretches, as fans filled their hands with hot dogs and sodas and as players basked in what would undoubtedly be an unforgettable atmosphere.

With this rivalry, hyperbole works.

Fans remained on their feet the entire contest, and only sparingly did a hush come over them.

Yet - and here's what really makes this game work - there's never a silent moment in the Black and Blue Bowl, because one side always has reason for celebration.

It's as if the game were being played on a massive pirate ship caught in a storm, with the Rams fans on one half and the Indians fans on the other, their alternating cheers serving as the waves on the sea below.

When Highland achieved a first down on a long third-down play, the Rams' stands exploded in hoots and whistles. When Pocatello stuffed Rams quarterback Taysom Hill on a third-and-short, the other side of the field erupted in equal measure.

It was only the first quarter, but both halves of the crowd were already reaching an emotional peak from which they had no apparent intention of falling.

That Idaho State doesn't command a similar crowd for its home games, such as tonight's against Northern Arizona, is not the fault of the program. I don't believe the 10-game losing streak is the issue, either.

When two in-city foes meet on a football field, especially two with such a complicated history as Pocatello and Highland, the split allegiances only enhance the fervor with which they are held.

It's a unique feeling. Only storied rivalries can create it, and I doubt it would matter if the two teams were 6-0 or if they were 0-6. The electric aura surrounding the the Black and Blue Bowl wouldn't fade, and the neutral field inside Holt Arena is the perfect place to stage it.

So cheer on, fans. This is a rivalry worth celebrating.

Dan Thompson's column normally appears Thursdays. With comments or story ideas, call him at 239-3122 or e-mail dthompson@journalnet.com.