By Staff
The Battle of Murder Creek is a pretty big rivalry in this area. The rivalry game between W.S. Neal and T.R. Miller has been played annually since 1946. T.R. Miller currently holds a 45-19 lead in the series with the Blue Eagles earning a dramatic come from behind win last year at T.R. Miller after being down 21-0 at halftime to take their first win in the series since 1996.
This Friday will be three weeks until the game this year, and as usual, this year's game will be as heated as ever with both teams battling for playoff spots and just the fact that they could boast a win over their heated rival.
I got to thinking about the rivalry the other day and other high school and college games. As great as our rivalry is, it lacks one thing in my opinion - a trophy or some kind of celebration for the winner.
For instance, the other big rivalries in the state of Alabama in college football is the Iron Bowl with Alabama and Auburn. The winner of that game gets the James E. Foy - ODK Sportsmanship Trophy. Not only does the winner get the trophy, but they get it at their home team's basketball game against the loser. The loser's SGA president has to sing the opposing team's fight song. I am not saying that is what the Battle of Murder Creek needs, but that is a fun way for the winner to celebrate a rivalry game victory.
Other college rivalries include the Apple Cup with Washington and Washington State, Battle for the Golden Egg with Ole Miss and Mississippi State, the Battle for the Boot with Arkansas and LSU and the Governor's Cup with Georgia and Georgia Tech and Florida and Florida State.
Two years ago, the Mobile Register put out the top-10 rivalries in their prep football section. They listed the Battle of Murder Creek as the No. 2 rivalry in the state behind the Clay County-Lineville rivalry. A win in that series means in Ashland, if the home team wins, it means toilet paper hanging from the trees in the courthouse square.
I am not encouraging any mischief or anything or change the rivalry, but I thought this might be fun. With the close proximity of the two communities and the just the heated rivalry itself, I thought that the winner should deserve something.
I am asking that fans please e-mail any ideas for a trophy or something to me at sports@brewtonstandard.com and maybe, depending on how many suggestions, maybe we could have a poll set up to get a winner.
Good luck to all area teams this week and until Sunday, God Bless!