By DAVID BALLARD and JUSTIN KANE
In the 59th edition of the oldest rivalry in Central Florida, Boone takes its 4-5 record to Eagle Stadium to face the 6-3 Edgewater Eagles.
Though the district championship is no longer at stake when the teams play, the intensity of the rivalry is still fierce.
After the Eagles dropped to class 4A and Boone remained in 6A, the football metro conference disintegrated, and only the rivalry is left. Though Edgewater has a decisive lead in the series 41-15-2, the games have been split the past four years, two games a piece.
“[The game] is a tradition that every senior football player looks forward to,” defensive lineman Rayce Foskett said.
The Eagles are currently 5-3 (4-0 in 4A district 7). The wins came against Apopka, St. Cloud, Liberty, Harmony and Poinciana. They have out-scored their opponents 178-50 in the wins. The losses came against Dr. Phillips, Olympia and Winter Park as they were outscored 26-118 in those games. Edgewater and Boone have both played three of the same three teams, both losing by a combined 70-232.
Freshman kicker Austin Jones gets his first taste of the rivalry this year.
“Being a freshman, I’m not really aware of the rivalry,” Jones said. “All I’ve heard is that it’s a big game and we need to win.”
Though the records don’t suggest a meaningful matchup, both teams have improved over the course of the season.
“The game is all about school pride,” Principal Dr. Margaret McMillen said. “It’s like Florida v. Florida State; it’s about Orlando bragging rights.”
So far, the boys earned four wins against Gateway (42-0), University (41-14), Freedom (24-10) and Cypress Creek (35-7) equaling a point total of 142 scored and 31 scored against.
On Nov. 8, the boys traveled to Freedom to face the Oak Ridge Pioneers in a three-way playoff for the second spot in the district. Oak Ridge stopped sophomore runningback Aaron Turman at the one-yard line with 11 seconds remaining to end the nine year playoff streak.
On Nov. 5 the team defeated the Cypress Creek Bears in the last home game of the year. The win secured an above .500 district record. Turman lead the way with 201 yards and three touchdowns and needs only 32 yards to eclipse 1,500 yards on the ground. He set a new school single season record.
The previous game was a defeat to the rival Oak Ridge Pioneers. The back and forth game between the two district contenders ended as Oak Ridge drove down the field for the winning score with 40 seconds left, winning 32-33.
The biggest win came on Oct. 22 against the undefeated Freedom Patriots. A loss in the homecoming matchup in Norton Baker Stadium would have eliminated Boone from the playoffs.
The Patriots (7-0, 2-0 in the district) were ranked 11th in the Orlando Sentinel Super 16 before losing 24-10.
Turman lead the team with 246 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. The defense kept the Patriots off balance by holding junior quarterback Derik Abbott to 153 passing yards and forcing three interceptions.
The week before, the boys earned their second victory defeating the University Cougars, 41-14. Turman again led the team with 165 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Junior Marvin Bracy also contributed 128 yards and two touchdowns. The victory extended the winning streak against the Cougars to 11 years.
The first win of the season came against district foe Gateway as the boys’ turnaround began.
The nationally recognized rivalry against Edgewater is renowned for it’s half century long tradition, making it among the best rivalries in the history of high school football, according to Rivals.com. This fact is not lost on the players.
“[The players realize] the tradition and carrying on the tradition is important,” head coach Phil Ziglar said.
Throughout the week the traditions like player Mohawks, the beating of the drum and war paint on students’ faces continued to create an atmosphere unique to the campus.
“Traditions are what we’re made of. We should follow the traditions, even when there is a bad season,” Ziglar said.