Loudon, Lenoir City may end long-standing football rivalry


The "Battle of the Bridge" between Loudon and Lenoir City last Friday may have been the last between the rival high schools.

Football coaches for each team confirmed that the teams are considering ending the series.

Loudon's Jeff Harig, whose team won 21-20, said that last week "the game was built as the last chapter (in the rivalry)."

Lenoir City coach Nick White didn't comment on the situation except to say "over the next week, a decision should be made."

If Friday was the finale between the Panthers and Redskins, what a punctuation mark it was.

Loudon's Tyler Campbell blocked a 23-yard field-goal attempt by Lenoir City with 11 seconds left to preserve the win for Loudon (3-0).

And the Redskins' Ben Everett made 28 tackles.

"After we watched the film, (we saw that) Lenoir City ran 86 plays against us," Harig said. "They just kept getting third-and-2s and third-and-1s and fourth-down conversions. He (Everett) was all over the field, and I guess somebody had to make plays when they run 86 plays against you. Somebody had to make a tackle."

After what Harig witnessed, he wouldn't mind seeing the teams play again.

"It was a great game," Harig said. "Just the way Lenoir City played so hard and really should have won the game."

"But I really feel that after Friday, we will play again."

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