Central/Western Rivalry becomes a family tradition

Brian Manzullo

Chippewas vs. Broncos.

LeFevour vs. Hiller.

And Finlayson vs. Pelto. For the Pelto and Finlayson families, Central/Western Weekend is an opportunity to spend some quality time together and debate whose school is superior.

Rachel Pelto is a Walled Lake junior, and her cousin Chuck Finlayson is a Central Michigan University 2008 alumnus.

Brothers Tyler and Travis Pelto, Rachel Pelto and Finlayson’s cousins, attend Western Michigan University.

“We joke around about the rivalry,” Rachel Pelto said.

Every year the cousins and their parents go to the Central/Western game together, and the parents take the kids out for breakfast at a local restaurant, Rachel Pelto said.

“We gave each other a hard time when we decided where we were going to go to college,” Rachel Pelto said. “My cousin Chuck was excited when I decided to go to Central.”

Travis Pelto is a sophomore at WMU and said even though he does not focus on the game itself, he still enjoys the weekend.

“I’m not huge into sports, but it is fun to go back and forth about the whole Central/Western thing,” he said.

Tyler Pelto said he looks forward to the Central/Western game every year.

“It’s always fun to get all of the cousins together,” the WMU junior said.

Tyler Pelto said the cousins usually spend time at each others’ apartments and go to parties together.

Finlayson is currently a law student at DePaul University in Chicago.

He is planning on taking the train from Chicago to join in the Central/Western family festivities, Rachel Pelto said.

“We’re keeping our tradition alive coming together every year for Central/Western Weekend,” Rachel Pelto said.

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