KALAMAZOO, Mich -- Battle Creek Central and Kalamazoo Central first met way back in 1893, a 0-0 tie on Thanksgiving Day. Friday night they will meet for 115th time.
"When these two teams play everybody brings their A game" Kalamazoo Central senior running back Jadakiss Lewis said. "Last year we got them, so I think they are going to be coming ready to play this year."
The Bearcats lead the series 61-49-4, but the Maroon Giants won last season's game in Battle Creek.
"It's big. It's Battle Creek versus Kalamazoo," said Lorin Granger, in his seventh year as Battle Creek Central head coach. "Even when it didn't matter to anybody else, it mattered to us. We always told the story about the first year in 1893 loading up on the buckboard wagons, and we still talk about that every year. So for us, it's big, even if it doesn't have any kind of conference implications or playoff implications. That's just a bonus."
The winner of this game will get no worse than a share of the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East Division title.
Battle Creek Central (2-0, 4-1) has been very consistent on offense, scoring at least 27 points in each game this season, while Kalamazoo Central (2-0, 3-2) has not allowed more than 14 points in any of its last four games.
More Blitz
This week's Blitz Battle is Grand Rapids Christian (2-0, 4-1) at Thornapple Kellogg (3-0, 5-0) in the OK Gold. The Trojans beat the Eagles, 24-20, last season in week 9 and lead the overall series 2-1 thanks to a playoff win over GR Christian back in 2004.
Here are the other games that we are sending cameras to on Friday:
- Constantine (5-0) at Schoolcraft (4-1)
- Kalamazoo United (5-0) at Coloma (3-2)
- Grandville (2-3) at Hudsonville (4-1)
- East Kentwood (4-1) at Grand Haven (2-3)
- Wyoming (1-4) at West Ottawa (4-1)
- South Christian (3-2) at East Grand Rapids (3-2)
- Newaygo (3-2) at Tri County (2-3)
- Fremont (1-4) at Grant (3-2)
- Jenison (4-1) at Muskegon (5-0)
- Cedar Springs (4-1) at Forest Hills Central (2-3)
- Northview (3-2) at Forest Hills Northern (3-2)
- Centreville (5-0) at Mendon (3-2)
- Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4-1) at Allendale (3-2)
- Spring Lake (5-0) at West Catholic (2-3)
- Godwin Heights (2-3) at Kelloggsville (3-2)
- Belding (4-1) vs. NorthPointe Christian (3-2) at Grand Rapids Christian
- Zeeland West (4-1) vs. Unity Christian (5-0) at Jenison
- Holland (2-3) at Zeeland East (4-1)
- Muskegon Heights (0-5) at Muskegon Catholic Central (2-3)
