Tuscola–Pisgah rivalry

The Tuscola–Pisgah rivalry, also referred to as the Pisgah–Tuscola rivalry, the Haywood County Championship Game, the Iron Bowl, the Battle for Haywood, the Paper Bowl, and the County Clash is one of the best known and fiercest high school football rivalries in the state of North Carolina^[1]. It typically draws between 10,000 and 15,000 fans per year^[2]. The intensity of the rivalry is caused by the fact that these are the only two high school football teams in Haywood County, North Carolina and are located less than 9 miles apart^[3]. Tuscola High School is located on a hill in Waynesville, NC that houses students from the western part of the county, primarily Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Crabtree, Fines Creek, Jonathan Creek, and western portions of Clyde ^[4]. Pisgah High School is located on the banks of the Pigeon River in Canton, NC and houses students from the eastern part of the county, primarily Canton, Beaverdam, Bethel, Cruso, and eastern Clyde^[5].

History of the rivalry

The rivalry started prior to 1966 when the now defunct Waynesville Township High School Mountaineers and Canton High School Black Bears would meet in an intense battle. The intensity only grew when the county consolidated all of Haywood County's high schools into two in 1966^[4]. The first "Haywood County Championship" game between the new schools took place on September 23, 1966. Pisgah got off to an impressive start in the series, winning the first seven meetings. The rivalry was reborn on November 17, 1972 when the Tuscola Mountaineers got revenge on the Black Bears in the NCHSAA State Playoffs and went on to take the 1972 State Championship title^[2]. Tuscola would win the next two meetings before a 1974 playoff meeting ended in a tie. Since overtime was not yet included in NCHSAA rules, Pisgah was allowed to advance based on total yardage in the game. Following the 1974 tie, Pisgah went on to answer Tuscola's 3 game winning streak with 3 wins of their own. Tuscola was not content with their 3–10–1 series record and defeated the Bears every year for an entire decade, a winning streak which still holds the record as the longest in series history. By the time Tuscola finished its 10 year winning streak, the Mountaineers held the series lead 13–10–1. Tuscola has not trailed in the series since their 20–6 win over Pisgah in 1985, though the series has been tied a number of times^[6]. As the rivalry game moved into the 1990s, the series became more balanced with Tuscola winning the 1990 meeting, Pisgah winning 1991–1993, Tuscola winning 1994–1995, Pisgah winning 1996, Tuscola winning 1997, and Pisgah winning 1998–1999. Since the turn of the millennium in 2000, the series has been the most balanced it has ever been^[7]. In a Friday the 13th match up that Tuscola fans dubbed "Nightmare on Pisgah Street", Tuscola won the first meeting of the new millennium 23–21 on October 13, 2000.^[2] From 2001–2008, the series went in pairs with Pisgah winning 2001 and 2002, Tuscola winning 2003 and 2004, Pisgah winning 2005 and 2006, and Tuscola winning 2007 and 2008. The 2008 game was the first to be played on an artificial turf surface, and was the first game of any kind ever played on Pisgah's artificial turf. Tuscola hung up a banner and printed shirts that read "Breaking in Your Turf- Mountaineer Style" before fulfilling their promise by defeating the Bears 28–10. In October 2009, the game returned to conference play as both teams joined the NCHSAA's 2A/3A split Appalachian Athletic Conference^[2]. The 2009 and 2010 games were given national attention by the Great American Rivalry Series which is sponsored by various divisions of the Military. An online audio broadcast was made available nationwide by iHigh and ESPN 360 and players from each team received scholarships.^[8] In 2009, Tuscola quarterback Tyler Brosius received the MVP award, and the Tuscola team received a trophy for winning the game 41–10. In 2010, Pisgah's Matthew Inman received the MVP award after returning a blocked fieldgoal 81 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the first half- swinging the game's momentum in Pisgah's favor- ultimately winning the trophy for the Bears.^[9] In 2011, the Mountaineers and Bears fought to the finish and nearly took the game into overtime when Pisgah tied the ball game with 7 seconds remaining. However, a roughing the kicker penalty against Tuscola was accepted by Pisgah, who opted to take the tying point off the board and go for a two point conversion. Pisgah's attempt to win the game in regulation was denied when Hunter Creson tackled Josh Noland at the one yard line to save the game for the Mountaineers, 28–27, the closest margin of victory by either team in series history.^[10]

Scores (1966–present)

Fan support

The Haywood County Championship game draws crowds of between 10,000 and 15,000 fans per year. Both stadiums, which have capacities that are among the top in the state are completely packed out with standing room only. Dedicated fans are known to arrive as early as 3:00 in the afternoon^[11]. Fans from both schools, often seen arriving at the games in the back of pickup trucks waving school flags, dress decked out in school colors and have become notorious for hanging the other team's mascot on nooses.^[2]

Vandalism

As is a part of many fierce rivalries, vandalism has also been a part of the Tuscola-Pisgah rivalry. Pisgah fans became notorious for spray painting the water tower and sidewalks on Tuscola hill, while Tuscola fans have bleached the grass and torn up the field at Pisgah.^[12] To counteract vandalism, security at the schools has been increased around the time of the rivalry and Tuscola's water tower that was once painted gold with a Mountaineer logo (and plenty of graffiti) has been painted hunter green in order to camouflage it. Despite these efforts, vandalism has continued to plague the rivalry- most recently in 2007 when graffiti was found spray painted on the Tuscola High School field house^[2].

References

External links

• TuscolaFootball.com
• Tuscola Football on YouTube