By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
The renewed Canal Winchester Indians vs. Groveport Madison Cruisers football rivalry will see the Cruisers trying to avenge last year’s 28-19 loss to the Indians.
“These kind of neighborhood rivalries are fun because of proximity,” said Groveport Madison High School Athletic Director Steve Petros. “The kids see each other and there is always the fun of having bragging rights for a year. There is something about traveling a few miles to a familiar place to play versus traveling to the other side of I-270 to a place you aren’t as familiar with that makes it more personal and meaningful.”
This year’s game will be played at Canal Winchester’s Mike Locke Stadium at Canal Winchester High School, 300 Washington St., on Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Canal Winchester Mayor Mike Ebert and Groveport Mayor Lance Westcamp have, like last year, placed a friendly wager on the game’s outcome. Westcamp bet a case of apple butter that the Cruisers will win and Ebert bet a case of Mayor Mike’s Bar-B-Que Sauce that the Indians will prevail.
After last year’s loss, Westcamp had to pay up with a case of apple butter.
“I tell you it felt bad to lose,” said Westcamp. “You had to be there to see how close the game really was. I think this rivalry is great for both schools and both communities. It brings the two communities together. It rekindles the historic rivalry of the past.”
Ebert said it was nice to win last year.
“It was great,” said Ebert. “The game brings back the camaraderie between the two towns. The towns are so close to each other. We’re friendly neighbors. This is good for the whole area.”
Though both schools starting playing football more than 100 years ago, the two teams have only played 26 times with Groveport leading the all time series 15-11. Part of the reason for this low number of games is that Canal Winchester did not field a football team in 1919, 1924-27 and from 1929-46 due to lack of interest or proper equipment, according to R. Scott Stiteler in his book, “A History of Canal Winchester High School Football, 1909-2001.”
Canal Winchester dominated the rivalry from 1909 to 1954 winning 10 of 15 games. Included in this era was an 80-0 Indian victory in 1912, which is the most points the Indians ever scored in a game. However, from 1955 to 1964, the Cruisers won 10 straight games, mostly by wide margins, and shutting out the Indians in six of those games. After the 1964 game the teams did not play each other again in football until 2014, mainly because of Groveport Madison’s larger student enrollment during that time, though they did face off occasionally in other sports during that football lull.
Next year the two schools will both be in the Capital Division of the Ohio Capital Conference, ensuring the rivalry will continue in all sports for years to come.
The CW-Groveport football rivalry
Groveport Madison leads the all-time football series with Canal Winchester 15-11. Year-by-year game scores:
1909 – Groveport 19 CW 0; 1910 – Groveport 26 CW 5 and Groveport 40 CW 0 (teams played twice); 1911 – CW 12 Groveport 6 and CW 10 Groveport 2 (teams played twice); 1912 – CW 80 Groveport 0; 1913 – CW 8 Groveport 7 and CW 13 Groveport 7 (teams played twice); 1948 – CW 25 Groveport 24; 1949 – Groveport 14 CW 6; 1950 – CW 18 Groveport 3; 1951 – CW 12 Groveport 0; 1952 – CW 25 Groveport 12; 1953 – Groveport 32 CW 0; 1954 – CW 12 Groveport 7; 1955 – Groveport 28 CW 12; 1956 – Groveport 26 CW 0; 1957 – Groveport 27 CW 0; 1958 – Groveport 18 CW 0; 1959 – Groveport 42 CW 20; 1960 – Groveport 31 CW 0; 1961 – Groveport 14 CW 12; 1962 – Groveport 26 CW 0; 1963 – Groveport 42 CW 0; 1964 – Groveport 36 CW 6; 2014 – CW 28 Groveport 19.
Information from the book, “A History of Canal Winchester High School Football, 1909-2001” by R. Scott Stiteler. To purchase the book, call (614) 419-5913.
