Last Updated: Friday, October 5, 2007 2:01 PM CDT
The rivalry of all rivalries
by Greg Bates - Daily News Sports Editor - gbates@rhinelanderdailynews.com
Rhinelander-Antigo football teams prepare for another memorable game
As far as football rivalries go, none get bigger than Rhinelander vs. Antigo. At stake are bragging rights for the winning school throughout the year and, of course, a coveted piece of shiny hardware -- Gene Shepard's Bell Trophy.
The Hodags and Red Robins renew their deep rivalry tonight at Mike Webster Stadium at 7 p.m.
“It's kind of the rivalry game of all rivalry games,” Rhinelander activities director Justin Szews said. “You'd be hard-pressed to find that sort of rivalry anywhere in high school sports.”
Said fourth-year Rhinelander head coach Jim Moore, “It's nice to have a game you get fired up for, but you should be getting fired up every week. It's just a great thing to be able to play this game.
“Those are fun games as long as you keep it in perspective -- it's a football game. It's not life and death. It's not war.”
Over the years, the Hodags and Red Robins have battled in the trenches and etched in stone some memorable games.
The Hodags are 27-43-2 since the Bell Trophy started trading hands way back in 1935. Rhinelander won last year's game 22-18 to avenge three consecutive losses. With the loss last season, Antigo's out to bring the Bell Trophy back home Friday night.
“Any time you beat a team the year before, it gives them incentive to beat you,” Moore said. “If I was the (Antigo) coach, I'd be using it.”
Because it's such a bitter rivalry, neither team wants to be in hostile enemy territory too long -- before or after the game. This year, Antigo's mixing things up prior to the game.
“Antigo is dressing and getting ready for the game in Antigo and driving here fully dressed,” said Szews, who during the week leading up to the Bell Game trades off friendly ribbing with Antigo activities director Todd Langseth. “That usually doesn't happen. They don't want to come here and spend anymore time than they have to.”
“It's kind of not real friendly,” Moore said. “It is pretty mean.”
For the first time in recent history, and maybe the first time ever, Rhinelander will host Antigo for its homecoming game.
Moore is hoping his players don't get distracted and they can “stay focused.”
According to Szews, scheduling the Bell Game during homecoming week was a coincidence.
Two similar teams
Both teams come into this year's Bell Game with a lot of similarities.
Antigo and Rhinelander are teams with 24 to 25 guys on the roster who play on both sides of the ball. After an entertaining game last year, both schools lost solid senior classes and are struggling this season.
Also, both teams come into the game with 1-4 records. Both teams lost to Lakeland -- Rhinelander fell 41-7 and Antigo was downed 38-20. However, Rhinelander's lone victory of the season came at Marshfield, 23-13, who Antigo fell to 34-30.
When Rhinelander and Antigo square off, records are always discarded.
“Both teams have hope that they can win the game,” said Moore. “I'll tell you what, I don't care if one's undefeated and the other one's winless, it's always going to be intense.”
The Rhinelander-Antigo game each season is always the benchmark to how well each team does, regardless of their records at the end of the season.
“A lot times, if you're 1-8 and you beat Antigo, it's a successful season,” Moore said. “I've had kids who have been suspended for games and they want to do the suspension any time but the Antigo game.”
“There's been a number of years in the past where Hodag football wasn't doing all that great and legend has it that if as long as they beat Antigo or had a good game in the Bell Game, we're OK for the season,” Szews said.
It's reasonable to say everything is riding on this game.
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