Two schools separated by only a few miles of country road.
Two of the traditionally stronger programs in the county.
Dating back to the 1960s, the rivalry between Hopewell-Loudon and New Riegel was known as the Battle of Bullfrog Road.
Over the years, even though the rivalry has stayed intense, the name has faded away. Tonight, when the boys basketball teams meet in Bascom, the Battle of Bullfrog Road will have a revival - with a brand new trophy to go with it.
Hopewell-Loudon coach Adam Smith came up with the idea over the summer after reading an A-T column by Al Stephenson detailing the intensity that once existed in this rivalry. He felt it would add another element, and go a long way towards bringing that intensity back.
The winning team tonight, and each winning team in the future, will get to take home the trophy, with the score engraved on the side.
"This is something I thought of over the summer after reading Al's column," Smith said. "I talked to (New Riegel coach) Todd (Aichholz) about it and he was all for it. We had someone working on putting it together, getting pieces from here, pieces from there. We just got the trophy done on Friday.
"It gives you something tangible to have after that game. It's a year-long reminder after the game is over. Every time someone walks in the building, or we walk in their building, the trophy will be there as a reminder. It adds some fun to the week. The kids have enjoyed knowing there's a trophy around."
"It all started with coach Smith giving me a call and he presented the whole idea to me and I thought it was a great idea," Aichholz said. "As soon as I heard it I knew it was a great idea. I ran it by (New Riegel Athletic Director] Steve Bouillon and he agreed that this would be something really great to do."
It didn't take long after speaking with Aichholz that Smith started putting the plan in motion to get a trophy ready for this year's game.
"Once coach Aichholz said he was all in favor of it, I ran it by our principal and athletic director and they said go for it," Smith said. "I talked to guys who make our awards and different people around the community. They were excited about the idea as I was."
Bullfrog Road was the dividing line between the two school districts for many years and a newspaper editor soon labeled the game as the "Battle of Bullfrog Road."
Pictures of the players underneath the street signs were taken to promote the games. The signs even became symbols for the rivalry.
"One night, I think some of our kids took the sign down and we kept it in our case," Bouillon said. "We passed the sign back-and-forth a few years, I think it ended up here. The game took on that identity. We had someone dressed up as a frog. People just knew it as that. The last couple years, we got away from that. Thanks to Adam, he's got it fired back up."
"For many, many years, Hopewell was our biggest rival, and it still is a big rival for us. They're five miles away, there's a lot of back-and-forth between the schools. Everyone knows each other; there are families that are on both sides."
Aichholz said the nature of the rivalry between the two schools puts a great deal of importance on winning the trophy.
"This game is unlike any other game," he said. "It's a unique rivalry where everybody seems to know everybody on each side. The kids know a lot about each other coming into the game.
"I know the kids were excited when they heard about it the first time. This is something we can take home and show the community. Hopefully we can leave it."
Some community members have stepped up and put an added emphasis on the game. Not only will there be a trophy on the line, there will be pizza.
If New Riegel gets the win tonight, P.J.'s Brickhouse in Bascom has agreed to provide pizza for the entire Blue Jacket team. Bubby's in New Riegel as agreed to reciprocate if Hopewell-Loudon should get the win.
Smith said during the offseason, when Hopewell-Loudon has the trophy, it will be displayed at the restraint for the entire community to see.
Both sides feel that the trophy is going to add another spark to an already heated rivalry.
"I think this is the start of something special between the two schools and I hope everyone will come out and fill the gym," Smith said.
