South Medford Panthers vs North Medford Black Tornado
Featured in Great American Rivalry Series
Southern Oregon’s Historic “Black and Blue Bowl” to Receive National Attention
The Great American Rivalry Series is proud to announce it will feature the “Black and Blue Bowl” between the South Medford Panthers and the North Medford Black Tornado in the Series’ tenth weekend of games for 2015. This 30 year rivalry game will be presented by the United States Army and will be played on Friday,October 23 at Medford’s Spiegelberg Stadium. Tablerock Sports will webcast the game live with Joe Camarlinghi, Demi DeSoto, and Christopher Janisch on the call.
Highlighting Some of the longest running rivalries in high school football, the 2015 Great American Rivalry Series will feature 100showdowns nationwide. All of these games come with great football, hard earned sweat and a heavy dose of hometown pride.
For the 12th year, the Great American Rivalry Series has selected an exclusive collection of top-notch rivalries across the country, covering 40 states and over 100 cities throughout the country. Wrapped in tradition, these annual battles excite entire communities, while celebrating the schools, their teams, and their fans. We Know Friday NightsTM
Series founder Rick Ford notes that, “With all the traditions of these games including bonfires, pep rallies, and parades, high school football has brought communities together to watch their teams compete in these classic battles for more than onehundred years.”
This year marks the 30th game between these crosstown rivals and is typically one of the biggest events held each year at Spiegelberg Stadium. Since both teams share the stadium, there is no home field advantage. Currently, the Black Tornado hold the lead 16-13 and have won the past two years in a row, though the Panthers had a six game win streak between 2007 and 2012, which is the longest win streak in the series.
An in-school Rivalry Fitness Challenge will also take place between the two schools during the week leading up to the game. The school that proves to be the fittest will be awarded a crystal trophy at halftime of the game. The winning team on the field earns year-long bragging rights with the Great American Rivalry Series Champions trophy, presented by the Army. The game’s Most Valuable Player and the top student-athlete from each school are also recognized as part of the Series.
“The Great American Rivalry Series and the Rivalry Series Fitness Challenge offers both academic and physical challenges, which reflect key elements of life as a soldier,” said Kelli Bland, U.S. Army Recruiting Command’s public affairs officer. “In the Army, we build our Soldiers physically, morally and academically; we build them to be qualified for life, not just the Army. We appreciate the opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of these students.”
You can find more information at GreatAmericanRivalry.comor through the Series’ Twitter (@AmericanRivalry), Facebook, YouTube and Instagram accounts. Previews and past results will be posted throughout the season with details of the teams and the history of the rivalries, and after the game. Fans can relive the excitement with photo galleries and game recaps.SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can add to the intensity of the rivalry via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram using #GreatAmericanRivalry, @tablerocksports, #tablerocksports. The Rivalry can also be found on Pinterest (AmericanRivalry) and YouTube. Fan photos posted with this hashtag may be featured on the Great American Rivalry Series website’s new Fan Photo Gallery, Pinterest Page and promoted via our other social media outlets.
ABOUT THE GREAT AMERICAN RIVALRY SERIES
In 2004, the Great American Rivalry Series began to celebrate this uniquely American sport and the cultural phenomenon of “Friday Night in America.” In its first 11 years,the Series has gone to more than 500 games in 40 states and continues to shine the spotlight on top high school football rivalries across the nation, where long-standing traditions are valued, expectations are sky-high, and fans are committed.
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