WEST BEND, Wis. — West Bend West won the final football game against West Bend East on Friday, Oct. 9, bringing a 56-year rivalry to a close as the schools prepare to merge next fall because of declining enrollment. The homecoming matchup drew an estimated 7,000 fans. The result was a West Bend West victory, though no score was reported. The game carried memories for generations of fans and former players. Todd Tennis, who played for West Bend West, recalled a rivalry that brought competition and lasting friendships. Steve Hopp remembered West’s 1978 Little 10 championship, which he described as a singular achievement for the school. For students, the rivalry has been intense but brief: one student said classmates might root against one another for a week, then return to being friends. The schools’ students still attend classes in the same building, and Friday’s game offered one last chance to meet on the field before the planned merger ends the separate-school matchup.