Rivalry isn't bout just state champions playing each other every year. Pretty sure Bradley and Mcminn has played 103-4 times and Maryville and Alcoa 91 I think? The best thing they could have done was to ban bradley and Cleveland from playing. The rival just didn't start up on Friday before the game. It started the Sunday before that was called "Bradley Cleveland week". It was so bad throughout town the whole week. There were fights after fights. Painting our bear blue, painting their field black and gold, burning fields and such. More cops out in town, swat and cops at the game than Maryville and Alcoa sees each season at theirs. Of course it has called down to be just a good crosstown rival, (which is a good thing) but back then, it was the most hatred, brutal and best rivalry in the state of Tennessee. Just wished it never got out of hand like it did. 2nd was Marion and South Pitt. Ot was also brutal.
PS: shouldn't even have been called a rivalry anyway due to the fact that Cleveland smacked us around every year. Never seen teams like that.