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We all know about football’s great rivalries.
For us locals, there's Toledo and Bowling Green, down South there's Auburn and Alabama, and, of course, we certainly know about the greatest rivalry of all, Michigan and Ohio State.
And then there are other rivalries where competition is staged for a trophy or an object of some sort. Wisconsin and Minnesota have the Paul Bunyan Axe, Miami (Ohio) and Cincinnati have the Victory Bell and Indiana and Purdue have the Old Oaken Bucket, to name a few.
As for Clay and Waite High School, these two East Side schools have the Oil Barrel Trophy.
It may not sound overly glamorous, but to these schools and their players, it is symbolic of the rivalry that exists between the two and the bragging rights that come with winning the annual football game. And in a rivalry like this, records can usually be thrown out the window. Regardless of the success or lack thereof a team is experience during a season, there is a special kind of motivation that exists when competing against a rival.
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Waite senior back DeVonte Hughes tries to outmaneuver Maumee
senior linebacker, Evan Karchner(53) in the Indian's Seas opening
37-14 loss at Kazmaier Stadium. (Press photo by John Pollock/
www.pollock.smugmug.com) |
These two schools, which are separated by less than seven miles and will engage in their 44th meeting on Friday, Sept. 9th, competed against one another in the City League from 2003-11.
Over the summer, however, Clay followed six former City League schools and joined, as a charter member, with Findlay, Fremont Ross and Lima Senior to form the 10-team Three Rivers Athletic Conference (TRAC). Waite remains in the City League with Bowsher, Rogers, Scott, Start and Woodward. This could prove to be a good thing for the Indians, seeing as the likes of Central Catholic, St. John’s and St. Francis are no longer in the conference.
In Week 1, Clay got off to a good start by defeating Sylvania Northview, 20-15, on the road. Waite, on the other hand, lost at Maumee, falling to the Panthers, 37-14.
In the Eagles' opening-week victory, they ran all over the Wildcats, rushing for 239 yards on 24 carries, good for nearly 10 yards per carry. Should they be able to maintain that kind of a ground game, good things could be in store for them as the season progresses.
In Waite's loss to Maumee, DeVonte Hughes led the Indians with 83 yards rushing on six carries, including a 9-yard touchdown. Aside from that, the Indians weren't able to do much else.
Since taking over the reigns two years ago, Waite head coach Gardner Howard has a combined record of 7-13. While nothing to get overly excited about, it was a drastic improvement from the two years before that when Waite finished 1-9 and 0-10, in ’08 and ’07, respectively.
This game is vital for both teams in that it
It is imperative that Clay, who was picked to finish last by the coaches in the TRAC, get off to a good start in non-conference play because of the challenging league schedule that awaits them.
As for Waite, with the City League now far from being the star-studded conference it used to be now that many of its powerhouse programs have left, an easier schedule could mean that better days are in store for the Indians. That being said, the Indians know there is plenty of work left to be done.
The game will feature contrasting styles of play, as the Indians run a spread offense, while the Eagles have an option-based offense. Defensively, Waite is known for playing aggressively, which could prove to be a blessing or a curse going up against a team that runs the option.
Clay head coach Mike Donnelly, now in his fifth season coaching at his alma mater, talked about what his team plans to do offensively and what he expects from the Indians.
“We base our options (offensively) off the look we get from the defense,” he said. “As for Waite, they're definitely physical. Their defense is good because of the aggressive play-calling and they put pressure on the quarterback and are skilled enough not to give you the big play. (Offensively), they always have a mobile quarterback.”
In last year’s matchup, the Indians won, 13-0, despite the fact that the Eagles were able to drive within Waite's 30-yard-line five times. A number of miscues and penalties ultimately cost Clay any chance of winning the game.
Before that, Waite hadn't defeated Clay since 2005. Overall, the Eagles hold a 30-10-3 all-time record in the series.
“We will be in for a battle,” said Donnelly. “It’s a rivalry -- it’s always going to be a tough game.”
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