People love sports. There are a million reasons why, and one of them is the element of rivalries. Duke-North Carolina, Yankees-Red Sox, Manning-Brady, Ohio St.-Michigan, Evert-Navratilova, Browns-Steelers, USA-USSR, these two guys…
The list can go on and on.
Rivalries on the high school level don’t get the ESPN Sportscenter hype, but the personal investment and connection of players, students, and fans elevate it above the college and professional level in my book.
My two brothers and I were fortunate to grow up and eventually play for Louisville, a school and town with a proud football tradition. We got to experience the thrill & passion of some big-game, big-crowd match-ups, especially when facing the hated Hoover Vikings.
And being native to Stark County, I quickly became acquainted with arguably the biggest high school rivalry in the nation: Massillon vs. McKinley. These two storied programs face off for the 125th time this weekend. I can remember spending many Saturday afternoons glued to the TV watching Chris Spielman and his fellow Tigers through the years knock helmets with Percy Snow, Mike Doss, and the Bulldogs. I got to spend 5 years with coaching high school football along a couple Bulldog alumni, and their bitterness at even the mention of Massillon, two-plus decades after they graduated, always gave me goosebumps.
But for me, the most impressive rivalry in sports is one county south on the Ohio map. The Dover Tornadoes and New Philadelphia Quakers have clashed on the gridiron 110 times. It is not the oldest rivalry (#3 in the state). And it’s far from being the most decorated. Both schools have storied, successful programs, but neither has ever even made it to a state championship game. But do you know what elevates some rivalries to greatness: HATE!!!
And that is what makes this rivalry so special. If the Yankees-Red Sox rates an 8 on the hate scale, and Auburn-Alabama scores a 9, the hatred that permeates the Dover-Phila feud would rate up there with…
or maybe…
or how about…
Sorry for the overkill, but my daughter started helping me google ‘hugging’ images!
More importantly, I need to issue a huge S-O-R-R-Y to all of you Dover and Phila fans that want to show me first hand with a fist how their rivalry is anything but a hug-fest. I better stay out of any dark alleys!
Let me try to clarify. I better do it quick, because my wonderful wife, the most beautiful cheerleader in Dover history, is about to toss me like she tossed these things…
after Tornado touchdowns back in 1990. (I just asked her if she was one of those ‘throw it underhand to the 3rd row’ cheerleaders. She didn’t like that. I am at two strikes now. I better shut up).
Any guy that played in a Quaker-Tornado meeting would likely tell you and me that the intensity of those battles are second to none. And I would not be one to disagree. The competitiveness and passion of the last three nail-biting classics–a missed 2-point try in the last minute in 2011, a 40 yard field goal to end the game in 2012, and last year’s triple overtime epic– would rank as some of the best high school games I have ever seen.
But what makes this rivalry so special between these two communities is their proximity. These cities share a border, and it’s not a border that has some farm land in between. The border cuts right through many heavily populated neighborhoods. Quaker Stadium and Crater Stadium sit three miles apart.
That extreme closeness can heighten the hatred of some rivalries. I am guessing that there are a few old-school Tornadoes that won’t go to a New Phila mechanic, and some cagey Quakers that refuse to buy gas in Dover. But overall, the trash-talking and insults are usually in the (somewhat) spirit of fun.
Why? Because Dover and Phila people know each other–VERY WELL. When they were kids, they played together, often on the same teams. As they got older, they roamed the malls, parks, and roller rinks together. They date each other. They work together. They marry each other. They go to church together. They help each other. They attend each other’s funerals.
I have been a resident of Dover for almost 20 years now, and in those two decades, I have come to greatly appreciate the warmth, kindness, and generosity of the people of the Tuscarawas Valley. People often reflect back to an America where you could leave your doors unlocked and feel safe letting your kids roam the neighborhood. T-County epitomizes those values. It’s not perfect. I got my radio stolen from my car my first year here. Maybe it was my Northern accent. But this place is pretty darn special.
So at 7 pm tomorrow night at the north end of Tuscora Park, there will be a collision of black, red, and gray. Young men will play their hearts out, and one side of stadium will have their hearts broken. But after the game, there will be handshakes and hugs, both on the field, and in the stands.
Play your hearts out young men, and savor every moment!
ROY JONES JR. POUND FOR POUND TOP 10 HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS (how Tusc./Stark/Carroll County football teams measure up in relation to teams it’s own size as well as their play-off run potential)
10. 6-3 Perry (last week #10): Gutsy 36-35 last minute win over Jackson sets up a Federal League Title & play-off qualifier match-up with 6-3 GlenOak.
9. 6-3 Aquinas (last week #8): Tough 49-42 loss at St. Joe’s put the Knights in unfortunate #9 play-off slot heading into finale vs. 2-7 Warren JFK.
8. 6-3 Massillon (last week #6): Tigers need to follow up their tough loss to St. V’s with a big win over rival McKinley.
7. 7-2 Tuscarawas Central Catholic (last week #8): Impressive 21-2 win over Newcomerstown puts Saints in good play-off position.
6. 6-2 New Philadelphia (last week #7): last year’s streak-busting win should provide the Quakers with a big confidence going into this year’s rivalry match-up
5. 7-2 Dover (last week #5): ECOL title on the line in their trip to Quaker Stadium
4. 7-2 Indian Valley (last week #4): This impressive Braves’ team is unfortunately on the bubble to return to the play-offs after last year’s memorable run to the regional finals. 0-9 Tusky Valley won’t provide much of a boost.
3. 8-1 Louisville (last week #3): Leopards’ margins of victory in NBC play: 43, 15, 51, 23, 40, 42. Now comes 1-8 Canton South.
2. 9-0 Garaway (last week #2): only 1-8 Strasburg stands in the way of their their 2nd 10-0 season in three years.
1. 9-0 Canton Central Catholic (last week #1): In their illustrious football history, the Crusaders have amazingly never gone 10-0. A win over 5-4 Akron East gets that, and more importantly, a great chance to win their first Mac Snacks Poll Championship