bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Rivalry grows in coalfields Posted: Friday, Jul 22, 2005 - 01:05:22 am EDT BY BRIAN WOODSON Bluefield Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD - Mississippi and Mississippi State play for an egg. Iowa and Minnesota hope to win a bronzed pig. A rivalry as intense as Bluefield and Mount View deserves a similar momento for a win. Now it has one: a coal car. The Bluefield Kiwanis Club announced the formation of the Coal Heritage Cup at its bi-weekly meeting on Thursday. The annual regular-season winner between Bluefield and Mount View high schools will receive the trophy - a replica of an N&W coal car with a plaque denoting the score of each year's game. Suddenly, one of West Virginia's biggest rivalries just got even better. "I'm glad we're doing it. It will be nice, it will give the kids something to play for and they always like that," Bluefield football coach Fred Simon said. "Over the years we've had some tough games with them. They always get up for us, no matter what, their kids love to beat us and that's just a trademark of the series." Since a 2001 loss at the Knights, Bluefield has had the upper hand in this series, including two wins wins last year. The Beavers had to sweat out a 17-14 regular season win in Welch, and then walloped Mount View 58-0 in the playoffs on their way to a 14-0 record and an eighth AA state title since 1959. "This means a lot to our kids. Bluefield has always been a big rivalry game for us," Mount View head coach Leon Gravely said. "I think it's going to be a good thing. I think it's going to be built up as a big game and I think our kids and both communities will look forward to it and hopefully some good things come from it." While Bluefield seemingly plays a rivalry game every week with schools like Graham, Princeton and Oak Hill also on the schedule, Gravely said that the Beavers are probably his squad's biggest opponent of the season. "I can remember it from back in my playing days, it's always been a big game and you always look forward to it," said Gravely, a Mount View graduate in his ninth year as coach. "We've had some battles and we know it's going to be a big, physical hard-hitting game. You've got to come ready to play when you come and play Bluefield." Simon, currently in his 20th season at Beavers' head coach, echoed those same sentiments. "It's big, every year we know when it comes down to that game that they have athletes and we're going to have to play and their kids always play us very hard," said Simon, whose Beavers are 25-2 in the last two seasons. "There is a lot of bragging rights in this game, a lot of them talk trash to each other before the game, either through e-mail or on the phones so it is a big rivalry." The Coal Heritage Cup will first be presented at the conclusion of Bluefield and Mount View's meeting on Oct. 14 at Bluefield's Mitchell Stadium. "They've had the most success here lately, but we're hoping we can make some things change," Gravely said. "We're going against the premier AA program in West Virginia so it's a good measuring stick and you can kind of see where you are. "When you play a good team like a Bluefield, you know exactly where you are as far as a program. We know we have to be ready to play - they're a good football team." Wow, how did this game come to be, and also why? what do you all think about mt.view and bluefield playing for the coal heritage cup, which is a replica or N&W coal car with a plaque denoting the score of each years game http://www.bdtonline.com/articles/2005/07/22/sports/02fricoal.txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 On the front page of SWVAFootball.com.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Sorry about that. I dont visit the front page that much anymore.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 You should definitely start visiting the front page when the season starts. It has a lot of useful information... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 i usually does when the season starts. But the offseason is so boring. I dont figure they'd put anything on the front.. Why are these teams becoming a rivialry anyways. Cant they play like gary or big creek for a trophy like that? Im just confused about this whole thing,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaverbaseball 10 Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 I think it is pretty cool...Just like agaisnt graham..whoever wins gets the trophy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2005 Its cool and all. But im wondering why they wanted to wait until our rebuilding year to start this game. I never knew mt. view was a big rivialry for us anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefield_Rules 46 Report Share Posted July 24, 2005 The game has always meant a lot more to the people from Mount View then it has to Bluefield. Which explains why they're always so sky high and play their best against Bluefield. Anyone that has ever attended a Bluefield/MV athletic event of any type in Welch knows what I'm talking about. They treat the match up like a state title game each year over there, which makes for an interesting trip to McDowell County. Don't get me wrong, it's still a rivalry game and one you like to win, but it isn't at the top of our rivalry list. It goes without saying, Graham is Bluefield's top rival. Personally, I'd put the rivalry with Princeton ahead of the Mount View rivalry with MV third on the list. Although, I have a ton more respect for MV than I do Princeton and MV has always been more competitive with Bluefield than Princeton. It's just living in the same general area with the Princeton fans is annoying and I enjoy shutting them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footballfreak 10 Report Share Posted July 24, 2005 My guess of why Mt.View decided to do this was b/c they needed money so i would say the coal company made a pretty big donation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenegadeFan 10 Report Share Posted July 24, 2005 i believe this will really add to the rivalry that is between Bluefield/MV, i know Westside/Wyo. East play for the no. 9 Coal Shovel each yr in football....so far Westside has kept it in their possession however it doesnt mean that each yr that game it self isnt a tough game, both teams are always up and ready for the game and a week long prepairs take place for this game.... happy for ya'll!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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