Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
GARLAND — The longest uninterrupted high school football rivalry in the state kicks off Friday when Bear River and Box Elder battle for the golden spike.
The game started in 1923, and the 96th meeting is just as fierce as the first.
“They know each other,” Box Elder coach Robbie Gunter said. “They’re a great football team. Those kids compete, and they come out and throw people around at the line of scrimmage. They are a solid football team, and so aggressive. I can see all 11 of their guys running to the ball, and that’s what has us worried.”
The Bees have won the golden spike for the past five years — but the Bears want it back, and they’ll try to claim it on KSL Game Night Live’s game of the week.
"It’s just a small trophy, but it means so much,” Bear River coach Chris Wise said. “It’s one of those iconic things … You can throw out school size, throw out records; when this game comes to town it’s a bloody-knuckle battle.
“The boys are excited to play for it, and excited about what they can do. This group doesn’t want to be compared to anyone else. They are their own team.”
Box Elder opened with a 23-10 win over Logan, then lost to Idaho’s Sky View in Week 2.
“We’ve been blessed this year to play at Utah State and at Idaho State, but there is nothing like a Box Elder-Bear River game with the fans and everybody involved,” Gunter said. “We know the people cheering on both teams. It’s on, and you live with the outcome.
“This is special. It’s rural football, and our communities are intertwined. It’s big-time, and kids grow up either bleeding purple or bleeding red.”
