Bruce
08-31-2010, 01:37 PM
Small town football rivalries are the best
Sorry Chandler and Hamilton and Brophy and St. Mary's, but there is nothing better than a couple of small neighboring towns clashing for bragging rights in football.
This Friday, two of the state's oldest high school rivalries will resume:
Eagar Round Valley plays at St. Johns in a rivarly that began in 1904, and Globe goes to Miami in the 94th meeting for the Copper Kettle.
The score of every meeting is engraved on the 100-pound Copper Kettle, which has been with Globe since 2005.
Round Valley and St. Johns used to play for a trophy that had the design of a cow pie on it, long-time St. Johns coach Mike Morgan said. They discontinued the trophy in the early 2000s. St. Johns, which possesses the last one, lost last year to Round Valley in the final six seconds.
"They used to call it the Cow Pie Bowl," Morgan said. "This is cowboy country here (in the White Mountains). A lot of cows. There are ranchers here and ranchers there."
Morgan said pranks are common during rivalry week with Round Valley Elk hoof prints on the St. Johns High sidewalks and a sign reading, 'Elk Country.'
"We've candy-striped their goal posts," Morgan said. "Just kids pranks. It's good fun. I heard they used to get together and they'd have fist fights, and see who had the toughest boys."
More than 20 miles separate Eagar and St. Johns.
Less than three miles separate the mining towns of Globe and Miami.
Miami, which hasn't beaten Globe since 2004, started seven freshmen last season when Globe beat the Vandals 40-8.
This week the 'M' on the Miami mountain slope was painted orange (Globe's primary school color), and the G on Globe's mountain was painted Miami green. But both bands will perform together during halftime Friday.
Miami coach George Medrano said he is good friends with Globe coach Eric Hjalmarson.
But he calls the game a heated rivalry.
"I know their kids, they know me; I know their coaches," Medrano said. "It is nuts."
Medrano, Miami's athletic director, is from the East Valley, but he and his wife are surrounded by family in Miami. And with an 18-month-old, it's easy to find help.
"Everybody looks out for each other," Medrano said.
Sorry Chandler and Hamilton and Brophy and St. Mary's, but there is nothing better than a couple of small neighboring towns clashing for bragging rights in football.
This Friday, two of the state's oldest high school rivalries will resume:
Eagar Round Valley plays at St. Johns in a rivarly that began in 1904, and Globe goes to Miami in the 94th meeting for the Copper Kettle.
The score of every meeting is engraved on the 100-pound Copper Kettle, which has been with Globe since 2005.
Round Valley and St. Johns used to play for a trophy that had the design of a cow pie on it, long-time St. Johns coach Mike Morgan said. They discontinued the trophy in the early 2000s. St. Johns, which possesses the last one, lost last year to Round Valley in the final six seconds.
"They used to call it the Cow Pie Bowl," Morgan said. "This is cowboy country here (in the White Mountains). A lot of cows. There are ranchers here and ranchers there."
Morgan said pranks are common during rivalry week with Round Valley Elk hoof prints on the St. Johns High sidewalks and a sign reading, 'Elk Country.'
"We've candy-striped their goal posts," Morgan said. "Just kids pranks. It's good fun. I heard they used to get together and they'd have fist fights, and see who had the toughest boys."
More than 20 miles separate Eagar and St. Johns.
Less than three miles separate the mining towns of Globe and Miami.
Miami, which hasn't beaten Globe since 2004, started seven freshmen last season when Globe beat the Vandals 40-8.
This week the 'M' on the Miami mountain slope was painted orange (Globe's primary school color), and the G on Globe's mountain was painted Miami green. But both bands will perform together during halftime Friday.
Miami coach George Medrano said he is good friends with Globe coach Eric Hjalmarson.
But he calls the game a heated rivalry.
"I know their kids, they know me; I know their coaches," Medrano said. "It is nuts."
Medrano, Miami's athletic director, is from the East Valley, but he and his wife are surrounded by family in Miami. And with an 18-month-old, it's easy to find help.
"Everybody looks out for each other," Medrano said.