By Kristina Goetz
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Two cheerleaders at the annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout had their own rivalry of sorts Saturday during the 70th meeting between Xavier University and University of Cincinnati.

UC cheerleader Megan Darland and Xavier cheerleader Tiffany Geiser, meeting before the start of the Crosstown Shootout, were teammates at Lakota West. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Tiffany Geiser and Megan Darland - former teammates at Lakota West High School - were on opposite sidelines for the basketball game.

Ms. Geiser must have shouted a little louder or clapped a little harder, because No. 16-ranked Xavier grabbed the win 50-44 before a sellout crowd of 13,176. UC's Shoemaker Center was filled with red and black, with fans roaring as ESPN cameras panned the nationally televised event.

"I'm so proud of my school," Ms. Geiser said after the game. "In the end, the right school won. I'm happy we got to cheer together. No matter what, I know she had fun. I'm going to tell her good job, but I'm still going to rub it in a little."

Xavier president Rev. Michael Graham sat in a luxury box and watched as his team was up by five points at the half.

"I haven't been over here for a Crosstown Shootout in a number of years," he said. "I had forgotten how intense it is. There's no game that's as emotional for either team. My heart is thumping a mile a minute.

"It's a great thing for this city."

Campus security officers said there were no arrests and that traffic snarls were not a problem.

"Except for the fact that we lost, everything went fine," said dispatcher Hugh Young of UC campus police.

But the crowd was as intense at times as the players, as one Xavier fan unexpectedly discovered.

Rob Niehaus sat in the front row of the UC student section, donning a long-sleeve black T-shirt when he arrived.

But soon after, he took it off to reveal his true team with Xavier plastered in large letters on the front of another T-shirt.

After some heated words from a group of UC students and a visit from security, the 21-year-old junior put the other shirt back on - but only for a while until the Bearcat fans calmed down.

He was a little nervous near the half, he said, when the paper wads starting flying.

"I made it home alive," he said later. "It was so worth it. I anticipated the win, but with the Crosstown Shootout anything can happen."

As for the two cheerleaders, there were no sour faces after the game.

"I'm disappointed," Ms. Darland said. "But I'm happy for her. It was a close game the entire time."

As close as the two best friends and rivals.

E-mail kgoetz@enquirer.com

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