Off the top of my head, I only feel comfortable listing the

1928 Carr Creek team and its 4 overtime loss in the

state finals to Ashland. I realize this is only a quasi

rivalry because the teams didn't regularly schedule

each other. Most of the early and very good teams

were, originally, coal camp teams or coal town teams.

 

Many of the coal town teams eg Hazard, Jenkins, Lynch(?)

Harlan and Middlesboro still field teams. However, their

decline can be marked with the gradual decline of their

once teeming boom town populations.

 

Teams like Wayland, Carr Creek, Hindman, Dilce Combs,

Viper, Vicco, M.C. Napier, Whitesburg and numerous

unmentioned teams from the mountains have suffered

the fate of economic consolidation.

 

I realize that I stepped out of the 14th a couple of times here.

However, since Wayland was "just over the hill" from Carr

Creek, the Wayland vs Carr Creek vs Hindman vs Hazard

rivalries were fairly intense. For sure, smaller schools

had rivalries that carried extreme passion.

 

I'm unsure of our definition of rivalry here. Are we saying teams

that regularly schedule one another, teams that might only

meet frequently in playoff elimination games, and/or ne'er

do well teams that play each other with ferocity each year?

 

My school had no football program. While I'm a fan of

h.s. football now, I had only here say knowledge of

football when I was in high school. Why? Hazard was

a one hour, hard mountain road drive for me. But

I would beg, borrow or steal to get to a Hazard bball

game. For example, I borrowed (till summer) $10.

from my Dad in order to hire someone to drive me

and my friends to the 1962 Hazard vs St. X game.

 

Sorry, I have taken a detour to memory lane.

Off the top of my head, I only feel comfortable listing the

1928 Carr Creek team and its 4 overtime loss in the

state finals to Ashland. I realize this is only a quasi

rivalry because the teams didn't regularly schedule

each other. Most of the early and very good teams

were, originally, coal camp teams or coal town teams.

 

Many of the coal town teams eg Hazard, Jenkins, Lynch(?)

Harlan and Middlesboro still field teams. However, their

decline can be marked with the gradual decline of their

once teeming boom town populations.

 

Teams like Wayland, Carr Creek, Hindman, Dilce Combs,

Viper, Vicco, M.C. Napier, Whitesburg and numerous

unmentioned teams from the mountains have suffered

the fate of economic consolidation.

 

I realize that I stepped out of the 14th a couple of times here.

However, since Wayland was "just over the hill" from Carr

Creek, the Wayland vs Carr Creek vs Hindman vs Hazard

rivalries were fairly intense. For sure, smaller schools

had rivalries that carried extreme passion.

 

I'm unsure of our definition of rivalry here. Are we saying teams

that regularly schedule one another, teams that might only

meet frequently in playoff elimination games, and/or ne'er

do well teams that play each other with ferocity each year?

 

My school had no football program. While I'm a fan of

h.s. football now, I had only here say knowledge of

football when I was in high school. Why? Hazard was

a one hour, hard mountain road drive for me. But

I would beg, borrow or steal to get to a Hazard bball

game. For example, I borrowed (till summer) $10.

from my Dad in order to hire someone to drive me

and my friends to the 1962 Hazard vs St. X game.

 

Sorry, I have taken a detour to memory lane.

 

Thank you for the detour. Your memories are a welcome addition to any topic.

 

While I think @brooksville was looking for the oldest rivalry in Kentucky in his OP, I wasn't sure if you knew of teams in EKY that went way back too. That's why I "requested" you to join us. Maybe we can find an older thread that is more specific about the BEST basketball rivalry. You bring up some good points in questioning the definition of a rivalry. I'll have to give that some thought.

 

Maybe this will help -

http://khsaa.org/records/basketball/bbk-recordbook_regionalchampions.pdf

 

Thanks again for posting. Hope to see you here again soon.

How old is Paintsville/Pikeville? Not from there so I do not know the extent of it.

Off the top of my head, I only feel comfortable listing the

1928 Carr Creek team and its 4 overtime loss in the

state finals to Ashland. I realize this is only a quasi

rivalry because the teams didn't regularly schedule

each other. Most of the early and very good teams

were, originally, coal camp teams or coal town teams.

 

Many of the coal town teams eg Hazard, Jenkins, Lynch(?)

Harlan and Middlesboro still field teams. However, their

decline can be marked with the gradual decline of their

once teeming boom town populations.

 

Teams like Wayland, Carr Creek, Hindman, Dilce Combs,

Viper, Vicco, M.C. Napier, Whitesburg and numerous

unmentioned teams from the mountains have suffered

the fate of economic consolidation.

 

I realize that I stepped out of the 14th a couple of times here.

However, since Wayland was "just over the hill" from Carr

Creek, the Wayland vs Carr Creek vs Hindman vs Hazard

rivalries were fairly intense. For sure, smaller schools

had rivalries that carried extreme passion.

 

I'm unsure of our definition of rivalry here. Are we saying teams

that regularly schedule one another, teams that might only

meet frequently in playoff elimination games, and/or ne'er

do well teams that play each other with ferocity each year?

 

My school had no football program. While I'm a fan of

h.s. football now, I had only here say knowledge of

football when I was in high school. Why? Hazard was

a one hour, hard mountain road drive for me. But

I would beg, borrow or steal to get to a Hazard bball

game. For example, I borrowed (till summer) $10.

from my Dad in order to hire someone to drive me

and my friends to the 1962 Hazard vs St. X game.

 

Sorry, I have taken a detour to memory lane.

 

Awesome info, 03S. Glad to have you here on the site!

I talked to Jeff Bridgeman today (author of Kentucky High School Basketball Encyclopedia.) He is putting together a football book...due out next fall...just like the roundball one.

 

While talking about the history of Western Kentucky teams, he mentioned that Henderson football goes back to 1895.

 

I have a note from the Madisonville Messenger in 1944 that said:

 

Longest running rivalries in the WKC (Western Kentucky Conference:)

1. Henderson vs. Owensboro...started in 1903 (O’boro won the 1944 game 39-0 and led the series 27-13-6)

2. Madisonville vs. Hopkinsville...started in 1907.

3. Paducah vs. Mayfield...started in 1911.

 

(Obviously that's a football note. Sorry I don't have anything to add to the roundball part of it.)

Edited November 15, 20178 yr by broadcaster
adding info

I was thinking about Bracken County and Augusta and the two have been rivals ever since the 1920’s So I was just wondering which one was the oldest, not the best.

 

Bracken leads the series 148-49

Bracken leads the series 148-49

 

Has there ever been a year when they didn't play?

Actual unretouched photo of Irish Cat:

 

 

This actually looks like an old guy who used to frequent 15th Region teams in the 90's and called himself "Doc". He was allegedly a trainer at some point.

Has there ever been a year when they didn't play?

1933-34 and 2016-17 season to my knowledge. Don’t have records before that

Bracken County/Brooksville was founded in 1920 officially. But Brokksville has been there since late 1800.

Edited November 15, 20178 yr by brooksville

Has there ever been a year when they didn't play?

 

last year...and this year. All over the seed/draw debate. Before that? I highly doubt it. Usually played at least twice, and once the All A started, 3-4 times.

1933-34 and 2016-17 season to my knowledge. Don’t have records before that

Bracken County/Brooksville was founded in 1920 officially. But Brokksville has been there since late 1800.

 

Wonder why they didn't play in 33-34?