By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com

A new league has already spawned a new rivalry and a new trophy to be won on the football field even before a game has been played.

The introduction of the N-10 Athletic Conference next year marks the first time that close neighbors Buckeye Central and Seneca East will compete as league rivals. These two schools, less than 10 miles apart, have often taken to the field against each other over the years, but never as members of the same conference. In honor of the new significance that will be added to their future clashes, the two schools have created a college football style “rivalry game.”

For those unfamiliar with this concept, many college football matchups compete yearly for a specific trophy. To use a local example, each year Bucyrus and Wynford battle to see who takes home the Copper Kettle. The Bucks and the Tigers will be contesting the Honeycreek Paddle.

The idea for the rivalry game has been a joint effort of the two schools involved. Buckeye Central Principal Jay Zeiter, Seneca East athletic director Frank Speziale, and former BC AD Jan Bates had a meeting about a year ago where the idea for such a game was kicked around. Then, after it was decided to make this thing official, in December of 2013 both schools held a contest for trophy ideas. A panel of administrators and coaches from both schools did the judging and two winners were chosen.

Sarah Heydinger and Aleesha Siesel, both of Buckeye Central, had their ideas of an oar and using the name of the Honeycreek combined into one. After finalizing the idea the art teachers from both schools made the concept into a tangible trophy. Each side of the paddle is dedicated to one of the schools and wins will be scored on the appropriate side. The paddle will be contested next fall and the winner will have a “2014” etched on their side.

Sarah Heydinger said she got her idea because the Honeycreek, “runs from here to Seneca East.” She is indeed correct as the mighty creek rises near Tiro and runs to Bloomville, passing Attica along the way. Its geography makes it a fitting marker for this new rivalry.

“This is going to be a nice rivalry,” Zeiter said, “two schools that are right by each other.”