'Cats, 'Rocks recall matchups
By SCOTT HENNEN ThisWeek Community NewspapersWednesday October 12, 2011 7:25 PM
Grass vs. Gas.
That might be one of the best ways to describe one of central Ohio’s most storied high school football rivalries.
The ground attack of Hilliard Davidson, driving across the Wildcats’ natural surface. The air attack of Dublin Coffman, with quick passes to receivers blazing down the artificial surface at Coffman Stadium.
One school secluded in the shadow of medical and information technology. The other saddled beside the county fairgrounds. It seems the only thing the schools have in common is victories.
Coffman and Davidson are both undefeated as they prepare to battle Friday, Oct. 14, on Davidson’s rut-ridden field.
It’s a setting that the teams’ coaches know well. Three Coffman coaches and six from Davidson have played in the rivalry; the nine either have worn blue or green and never the opposing uniform.
“I have blue shirts, but not Davidson blue,” Dan Warren, who graduated in 2007 from Coffman, said jokingly. “There are a few North Carolina (blue) shirts, but it’s mostly green.”
Warren is a coach on the Coffman freshman team with 2009 Coffman graduates Nick Friedman and Isaac Rhodes.
Davidson defensive coordinator Ryan Aleshire graduated in 1993, when Hilliard had only one high school.
Other assistants include Don Curtis (2005 graduate), Thom Hausler (2002), Charlie Kattenhorn (2001) and Kyle Yant (2007). Tyler Backstrom, a 2009 graduate, helped the team during the summer before returning to play baseball at Ohio University.
In Aleshire’s senior season of 1992, the Wildcats finished 5-5 but won their division of the OCC by winning three of their last four games. They lost 22-21 to Dublin, when that district also had one high school.
“It wasn’t nearly as big back then as it is now,” Aleshire said of the rivalry. “It’s kind of grown from the success both teams have had over the past 10 or 15 years, and that’s made it more of a rivalry.
“It also started because of the proximity of the new (Davidson) high school as opposed to where the old high school was located. Before that, we were closer to Westland than Dublin. Now with Coffman being a great team and both being in the same league (the OCC-Central Division), that game kind of stands out.”
When the schools were Dublin and Hilliard, the teams split 3-3 against each other. Davidson has a 12-6 edge since Coffman opened.
One of those Coffman losses always will stick with Warren.
“They knocked us out of the (2006 Division I) playoffs,” he said. “That was really tough because it was the last game I ever played. We were up 20-7 and they came back to beat us 28-20 (in a regional final) and went on to win state (with a 36-35 win in double overtime over Mentor).”
Curtis played quarterback on the 2005 Davidson team that lost to eventual state champion Cincinnati St. Xavier 17-10 in a state semifinal. But his Coffman memory comes from special teams.
“Dublin isn’t too far away and I had played with and against their players in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades, especially in basketball and baseball,” Curtis said. “It certainly means a lot more than just playing a football game because you’re playing for yourself and your city.
“In my senior year, Sam Stough, a buddy of mine from AAU basketball and baseball, played for Coffman. I was the long snapper, and we punted with Sam back returning. I was able to tackle him on the return, which was something that was pretty great.”
Rhodes started at linebacker for Coffman as a junior and senior. He said the game had a life of its own in his senior season of 2008.
Both teams were undefeated entering the game and state-ranked, much like this season as the Wildcats are ranked fifth in the Division I state poll and the Shamrocks are eighth.
Davidson won 14-10 in 2008. Coffman then lost its next two games, 30-20 to Worthington Kilbourne and 7-6 to Upper Arlington. All three of the losses came against eventual playoff teams.
“That (Davidson) game was the most-anticipated, most-hyped game and it was definitely as big as any postseason game I ever played,” Rhodes said. “You have to come out and be physical because Davidson will always try to come out and out-discipline and out-physical you.
“It really gets you ready as far as physicality when you play that caliber of a team. A lot of times, the teams end up playing again in the playoffs. It truly is a prequel to the postseason every year.”
The teams are 2-2 in playoff meetings.
“Everyone is always asking me how the (Coffman) varsity game went, but that (Davidson) game is different,” Warren said. “That’s the game everyone comes back to watch.”
Grass vs. Gas.
That might be one of the best ways to describe one of central Ohio’s most storied high school football rivalries.
The ground attack of Hilliard Davidson, driving across the Wildcats’ natural surface. The air attack of Dublin Coffman, with quick passes to receivers blazing down the artificial surface at Coffman Stadium.
One school secluded in the shadow of medical and information technology. The other saddled beside the county fairgrounds. It seems the only thing the schools have in common is victories.
Coffman and Davidson are both undefeated as they prepare to battle Friday, Oct. 14, on Davidson’s rut-ridden field.
It’s a setting that the teams’ coaches know well. Three Coffman coaches and six from Davidson have played in the rivalry; the nine either have worn blue or green and never the opposing uniform.
“I have blue shirts, but not Davidson blue,” Dan Warren, who graduated in 2007 from Coffman, said jokingly. “There are a few North Carolina (blue) shirts, but it’s mostly green.”
Warren is a coach on the Coffman freshman team with 2009 Coffman graduates Nick Friedman and Isaac Rhodes.
Davidson defensive coordinator Ryan Aleshire graduated in 1993, when Hilliard had only one high school.
Other assistants include Don Curtis (2005 graduate), Thom Hausler (2002), Charlie Kattenhorn (2001) and Kyle Yant (2007). Tyler Backstrom, a 2009 graduate, helped the team during the summer before returning to play baseball at Ohio University.
In Aleshire’s senior season of 1992, the Wildcats finished 5-5 but won their division of the OCC by winning three of their last four games. They lost 22-21 to Dublin, when that district also had one high school.
“It wasn’t nearly as big back then as it is now,” Aleshire said of the rivalry. “It’s kind of grown from the success both teams have had over the past 10 or 15 years, and that’s made it more of a rivalry.
“It also started because of the proximity of the new (Davidson) high school as opposed to where the old high school was located. Before that, we were closer to Westland than Dublin. Now with Coffman being a great team and both being in the same league (the OCC-Central Division), that game kind of stands out.”
When the schools were Dublin and Hilliard, the teams split 3-3 against each other. Davidson has a 12-6 edge since Coffman opened.
One of those Coffman losses always will stick with Warren.
“They knocked us out of the (2006 Division I) playoffs,” he said. “That was really tough because it was the last game I ever played. We were up 20-7 and they came back to beat us 28-20 (in a regional final) and went on to win state (with a 36-35 win in double overtime over Mentor).”
Curtis played quarterback on the 2005 Davidson team that lost to eventual state champion Cincinnati St. Xavier 17-10 in a state semifinal. But his Coffman memory comes from special teams.
“Dublin isn’t too far away and I had played with and against their players in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades, especially in basketball and baseball,” Curtis said. “It certainly means a lot more than just playing a football game because you’re playing for yourself and your city.
“In my senior year, Sam Stough, a buddy of mine from AAU basketball and baseball, played for Coffman. I was the long snapper, and we punted with Sam back returning. I was able to tackle him on the return, which was something that was pretty great.”
Rhodes started at linebacker for Coffman as a junior and senior. He said the game had a life of its own in his senior season of 2008.
Both teams were undefeated entering the game and state-ranked, much like this season as the Wildcats are ranked fifth in the Division I state poll and the Shamrocks are eighth.
Davidson won 14-10 in 2008. Coffman then lost its next two games, 30-20 to Worthington Kilbourne and 7-6 to Upper Arlington. All three of the losses came against eventual playoff teams.
“That (Davidson) game was the most-anticipated, most-hyped game and it was definitely as big as any postseason game I ever played,” Rhodes said. “You have to come out and be physical because Davidson will always try to come out and out-discipline and out-physical you.
“It really gets you ready as far as physicality when you play that caliber of a team. A lot of times, the teams end up playing again in the playoffs. It truly is a prequel to the postseason every year.”
The teams are 2-2 in playoff meetings.
“Everyone is always asking me how the (Coffman) varsity game went, but that (Davidson) game is different,” Warren said. “That’s the game everyone comes back to watch.”