David Fong - Ohios Troy vs. Piqua Football Rivalry: The Battle on the Miami

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2015 by David Fong

All rights reserved

Front cover, top right: Courtesy of Troy High School.

All other cover images courtesy of Lee Woolery/Speedshot Photo.

First published 2015

e-book edition 2015

ISBN 978.1.62585.321.9

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015943182

print edition ISBN 978.1.62619.782.4

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

Ill never forget the first time I fell in love.

It was a night that began much like most other nights for me in high schoolwith my best friend, Eric Hughes, picking me up at my house in his parents metallic green Buick. Since I didnt have a car, I was reliant on him to get me wherever I needed to go.

This night, however, was special.

As we hurtled up County Road 25-AHughes was known for driving at a high rate of speed wherever we needed to gotoward Piquas old Wertz Stadium (which once housed some of the most powerful teams in Piqua High School football history but has since become a soccer facility), we had no idea what was about to transpire.

It was a warm September night in 1991, and I was a senior at Troy High School. The Troy and Piqua football teamsboth undefeated at the timewere about to play for the 106th time. Although we got to the stadium several hours before kickoff, the stands on both sides of the field were near capacity. By the time the game finally started at 7:30 p.m.nearly two hours after we had arrivedfans from both sides were in full throat. The two teams battled back and forth, with Piqua eventually pulling out a 246 victory.

Something special happened that night. I went to the game hoping for a Troy victory, figuring it might be the last time I saw a Troy-Piqua game before I left for college. Surrounded by my classmatesand somewhere in the neighborhood of eight thousand other screaming fansI realized this was more than just a football game.

Piquas captains line up for the coin toss in 2011. Courtesy of Lee Woolery/Speedshot Photo.

That night, I fell in love with the rivalry. Growing up in Troy, I had attended other matchups between the Trojans and Indians before, but this night was special. I knew, deep down, that I would never miss another Troy-Piqua game. And to this day, more than two decades later, I have not.

That night, Ohios most-played high school football rivalry game became my passion. Actually, the word passion may not be enough. To those who know me best, the word obsession would probably be more fitting. I have spent my entire adult life following the rivalry, studying both sides, learning about the great players, coaches and moments. When the opportunity to write a book about the Troy-Piqua rivalry arose, I knew it was a chance to fulfill a yearning I had carried with me for decades.

This book would not have been possible without the help of so many people along the way.

Right around the same time I was discovering my love for the rivalry, I discovered my passion for writing. For that, I thank my high school English teachers, Mrs. Barbara Wannemacher, Mr. Chris Davis and Mrs. Diane Grimes-Bogner. They taught me how to find my voice through writing.

That same year I started writing in earnest, I also started working part time for the Troy Daily News, answering phones in the sports department. If my high school English teachers taught me how to find my voice, the Troy Daily News gave me the platform to use it. I would work at the TDN all though my final year in high school and my four-plus years at The Ohio State University. I began working full time at the TDN immediately following my graduation from Ohio State in 1996. Thank you to Bill Begley, Kevin Aprile, Steve Jacoby, David Lindeman, Nancy Bowman and Joel Walker for taking a chance on me and giving me a daily platform from which to write. Thank you to my current TDN family for all of their help and support.

The Battle on the Miami trophy, awarded to the winner of the Troy-Piqua game. Courtesy of Lee Woolery/Speedshot Photo.

Thank you to everyone at The Ohio State Universityand all my Lantern co-workersfor encouraging me and giving me the strength to continue writing when I was still a confused kid trying to find my place in this world.

Thank you to the people who helped me put together the nuts and bolts of the book you hold in your hand. Thank you to the dozens of former players and coaches for letting me be a part of your lives for the past two decades. Thank you for taking the time to let me pester you with interviews during the biggest, most important week of the football season. A special thanks to former Troy coaches Steve Nolan and Scot Brewer and current Piqua coach Bill Nees, the men who never once squelched an overzealous reporter looking for a new angle on the rivalry. Thank you for letting me tell your stories.

Troy quarterback Matt Barr looks for an open receiver during the 2014 meeting between the two teams. Courtesy of Lee Woolery/Speedshot Photo.

The Great American Rivalry Series Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Troy-Piqua game. Courtesy of Lee Woolery/Speedshot Photo.

Thanks to Troy historian Patrick Kennedy for his constant help with factchecking and perspective. Thank you to Lee Woolery and Paul Delwiche for providing the beautiful photos you find in this book. Thank you to former Trojan and current Troy attorney John Fulker for guiding me through the contract process.

Thank you to my parents and brothers and sisters for helping an unathletic, nerdy kid be a part of an athletic family and helping me realize just how important sports can be.

And, most of all, thank you to my wife, Michelle, and our two children, Sophie and Max. Thank you for being my constant source of inspiration and strength. Without the three of you, I wouldnt have gotten this far in lifeand realizing my dream of writing a book about the greatest rivalry in high school sports would never have happened.

INTRODUCTION

All Benson McGillvary was looking for was salvation. For himself. For his team. For the season. For a town.

And when the Troy junior cradled the 2-point conversion pass from quarterback Tyler Wright in his armsgiving the Troy football team an improbable 3635 win over rival Piqua at Troy Memorial Stadium that October 19, 2007 nighthe found it.