It’s rivalry week throughout Northern California.

In the East Bay, it’s San Ramon Valley against Monte Vista. In the South Bay, it’s Bellarmine Prep against St. Francis. In San Francisco, it’s Sacred Heart Cathedral against St. Ignatius. In Sacramento, it’s Del Campo against Bella Vista.

The biggest rivalry game of all may reside right here.

It’s Napa vs. Vintage in Big Game XXXVII tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium, one of the top places in the entire country to watch high school football.

The stakes will be high and the atmosphere electric when the teams collide in their annual Monticello Empire League game, which comes during Week No. 10 of the 2008 season. It will be loud as well, with the crowd showing its appreciation for a touchdown, a bone-jarring hit, or an open-field tackle.

On the East side of the field, there is first-place Napa (8-1 overall, 4-0 MEL), ranked No. 8 in the NorCalPreps.Com Coaches Poll, which will be trying to complete an undefeated league season and secure homefield advantage through the first three rounds of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs.

On the West side of the field, there is Vintage (4-5 overall, 2-2 MEL), which is tied for third place and could be playing its last game of the year.

The Crushers not only need to beat the Indians, the defending Sac-Joaquin champions, but also need Fairfield to lose in order to advance to the playoffs as one of the MEL’s three postseason teams.

The winning team takes home the KVON “Victory Bell.”

“It almost takes on a Super Bowl-type of an event for our high school kids,” said Napa High principal Barb Franco. “I have to say that it is a spectacular event.

“It’s such a showcase for both high schools and it’s such a large community event. It gets larger and larger every year. I think that’s just a real testament to our community and our community appreciating what they have here in Napa.”

All of the other activities surrounding the game are big as well. This week, there were bonfires and rallies. There were luncheons for the coaching staffs, players and school administrators.

Halftime of Big Game will be 20 minutes long.

It’s such a huge deal, in fact, that tickets — complete with each team’s helmet and school logo with the date and time of the game — went on sale a few weeks ago. The ticket is so well-illustrated that it could be saved as a souvenir.

The forecast is for an unusually warm 69 degrees at 7 p.m., with clear skies and winds at 4 mph out of the east.

He can’t remember the exact year, but former Napa Valley College softball coach Robert Maglione recalled hearing the roar of the crowd at Big Game all the way from Napa Kiwanis Park — which is a couple of miles away — the night he was running a Northern California Instructional League.

“It was inspiring to know that in a community like Napa that this event was so well-attended and meant so much,” he said. “As a coach, you always hope to be part of a event of this size. It’s good to see this game still has the same impact on the community.”

With a cap of 7,100 allowed into the stadium, it’s the single biggest sports event in town during the year. Gates open at 4 p.m., with the JV game starting at 5:15 p.m.

 “We get a chance to stop and just celebrate our high schools — that’s really what this is all about,” said John Glaser, superintendent of the Napa Valley Unified School District.

“It’s a great game, it’s about great athletes. It’s about the connections between sports and academics, which is really what we’re all about. It’s also about the community.”

Glaser and Franco were joined at Wednesday’s Rotary Club of Napa luncheon meeting at the Elks Lodge by Napa head coach Troy Mott, Vintage principal Eric Schneider, Crushers athletic director Dave Shipp, head coach Billy Smith and assistant coach Conrad Alvarez. The program was organized by Bruce McCall, the co-owner of Napa Valley Physical Therapy Center and Vintage’s trainer.

Also on hand were Napa players Tyler Hansell (wide receiver-cornerback) and Michael Ruffino (middle linebacker) and Vintage players Meto Tellez (left guard), Sean Ryan (quarterback) and Kyle Archer (center-weakside outside linebacker).

On Thursday, the Kiwanis Club of Napa put on its Big Game luncheon.

“This is a very special week at both of our schools,” said Schneider. “It’s a community event. I think it’s a reflection of a really great community, a community that cares a lot about its kids.

“One thing about Big Game week is there’s an emphasis on spirit. Kids really show their school pride. That stadium is going to be at capacity — there’s no question about that. There’s a spirit that is really, really special.”

Wednesday’s Rotary program gave Mott and Smith an opportunity to talk about their teams and their seasons.

“It’s going to be a great game, as always,” said Mott, whose team clinched at least a tie for the MEL title last week. “It will be a very intense and fun game for our kids. These are memories that they will keep with them forever.

“It’s truly a great experience. Each time out, there’s something new to be seen.”

Smith agreed with Schneider that there will be an outpouring of emotion afterward, win or lose.

“There’s going to be tears in the Big Game,” said Smith.

“Knowing the fact that it could possibly be our last game … when we get to that day, I’ll probably be sharing tears with these guys as well.”

Because of all the time and energy that coaches and athletes alike put into football in this town, the road to Big Game actually starts over the winter and continues into the spring and summer months. There are all the hours, days and weeks spent on strength and conditioning. There are 7-on-7 passing leagues. There are all the practices, meetings and film sessions.

Big Game — which lasts about two hours or so — is a culmination of all of that.

“There’s going to be a lot of hugs between the teams after the game Friday night,” said Schneider. “If you come to the game Friday night, you’re going to see kids on both sides, no matter who wins or loses — tears. You’re going to see kids lying on the field, especially the seniors, soaking in every last second of that night, because it’s magical.

“These guys love football. They know one team’s going to win, one team’s going to lose. But they’re going to give everything they have Friday night.

“I just love our kids, and I just know they are going to bring everything they’ve got Friday night — there’s no question in my mind.”

Archer was the last one to speak Wednesday. He said high school sports teaches you responsibility and commitment.

“Coach Smith gave us all advice, that in life, no matter what you do, to always put your best foot forward and focus on the little things. I know that’s definitely what I try to do.”