I am presently working on a project with the Frazier Museum that will be opening later in the year. They have ask me to help them with a list of the biggest rivalries in high school sports in Kentucky....like Male vs Manual. The history of the "good old fashion, down to earth clean hate" is important. New rivalries are also important. As a long time follower of high school sports, I have given them a few names but we would like to expand our list.

It is my understanding that they will interview people and possibly display uniforms from those schools. Please list those teams that just "make you sick" when you lose. Please give some history of this rivalry.

 

(I presently have an exhibit at the Frazier Museum featuring my ABA Kentucky Colonels items)

Are we talking basketball-specific rivalries here? Or all sports?

If basketball specific, the local ones from Region 4 would be the intra-county rivalries.  Bowling Green/Warren Central and Barren County/Glasgow would be the best of our region - Greenwood/Bowling Green has a little bit more of true hate but this century, very little competitive balance. 

I don't know how those would compare to other areas, but the Bowling Green/Warren Central one in particular is intense, particularly on a competitive level.  These are two teams that have combined to win 35 region titles, including 20 of the last 21 4th Region titles.  They've met in 11 region title games in the last 20 seasons.  Neither is particularly fond of the other, though there is always at least some level of respect since they know they are truly peers in the sport. 

PRP-Butler or PRP-Fairdale.

 

Hazard and Perry Central has gotten so intense over the years that a few times it’s been canceled. Both schools located in the same city and just a few miles apart. It was MC Napier vs Hazard in earlier years but in the late 1990’s MC Napier and Dilce Combs consolidated into Perry County Central. As far as enrollments the county school has about 600 more students but Hazard has held their own. The Bulldogs have won more regional titles by far than any other school in the 14th. 

8 hours ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Are we talking basketball-specific rivalries here? Or all sports?

Any sport.

1 minute ago, King of the Bluegrass said:

Any sport.

Then a big new blood one is South Warren and Bowling Green in football. Those two teams hate each other. The two have combined for three of the last four titles in 5A.

In NKY, CovCath and Highlands is the premier one.

Also have Bracken - Augusta, Campbell - Brossart, and Dayton - Bellevue.

 

Central Kentucky you have East and West Jessamine and Danville - Boyle. You also have the historical rivalries of Mercer - Harrodsburg and Monticello - Wayne that ended when consolidation occurred.

50 minutes ago, se7ens said:

In NKY, CovCath and Highlands is the premier one.

Also have Bracken - Augusta, Campbell - Brossart, and Dayton - Bellevue.

 

Central Kentucky you have East and West Jessamine and Danville - Boyle. You also have the historical rivalries of Mercer - Harrodsburg and Monticello - Wayne that ended when consolidation occurred.

This one is one of my favorites.  Not always the most talented teams, but man when they get together everyone give it 100%.

CCH vs Holmes battles were so fun in hoop. Us as spectators can only hope Holmes can ever get back to what they are supposed to be. 

The atmosphere at the first Oldham County v. South Oldham basketball game in January is tough to beat.  Guaranteed to be a packed gym whether its in Buckner or Crestwood.

Pulaski County vs Southwestern is a good one in football. Teams on each side of the city and they absolutely hate each other. A lot of bad blood. 

12 hours ago, The Raven said:

This one is one of my favorites.  Not always the most talented teams, but man when they get together everyone give it 100%.

The Paddle football games are epic and in basketball they are in district and conference together so it really heightens every game. And I will tell you what, it doesn’t matter the talent differential any given year between the two; they will always compete against each other.

Adair County and Taylor County. Most specifically in basketball.

16 hours ago, se7ens said:

In NKY, CovCath and Highlands is the premier one.

Also have Bracken - Augusta, Campbell - Brossart, and Dayton - Bellevue.

15 hours ago, The Raven said:

This one is one of my favorites.  Not always the most talented teams, but man when they get together everyone give it 100%.

3 hours ago, se7ens said:

The Paddle football games are epic and in basketball they are in district and conference together so it really heightens every game. And I will tell you what, it doesn’t matter the talent differential any given year between the two; they will always compete against each other.

Bellevue vs. Dayton Football

"The Battle For The Paddle"

Two small schools on the Ohio River in Northern Kentucky, as well as 1A district foes. O.W. Davis Field in Dayton and Gilligan Stadium in Bellevue are separated by less than a mile, as the crow flies. Most years the teams schedule one another twice during the regular season, and historically there have also been occasional years where they've had a playoff meeting as well, making for a third meeting between the teams in a single season.

In years where they play each other more than once, the date for the "Paddle Game" agreed upon before the start of the season, and is usually the second contest between the two for the given season.

Their rivalry dates back to the mid-1920s, and the Bellevue vs. Dayton football game has been played more times (147) than any other two football teams in the state have played one another - including Male vs. Manual (139), Mayfield vs. Paducah-Tilghman (108), St. Xavier vs. Trinity (89), or Cov Cath vs. Highlands (75).

Current record is 98-46-3 in Bellevue's favor. Dayton has been in possession of The Paddle since Oct 9, 2020.