Friday, October 22, 1999
Ryle vs. Boone County: More than just a rivalry
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Big Brother will be antsy tonight. Boone County High School, long its county's football power, has lost to little brother Ryle three consecutive seasons. Last year, the margin was stunning: 33-0.
Ryle opened in 1992, draw ing students from Boone and starting an instant football rivalry. Now that rivalry cranks up a notch, as the schools share a Class AAAA district for the first time and will battle tonight at Boone with playoff berths at stake.
“It (the rivalry) may be bigger than ever,” Boone coach Rick Thompson said. “The kids seem pretty excited about it.”
Said Ryle coach Kyle Hockman: “The thing we're trying to tell the players is, "Yeah, it's Boone-Ryle, but there's a lot more riding on it than pride or the county championship.' It's obviously much more with the playoffs and the district.”
Boone is 3-5 (2-2 district) and Ryle 5-3 (1-3). If either wins its last two games, it can finish as high as third in the district. Boone could lose and still make the playoffs by beating Simon Kenton next week; Ryle's fate is more uncertain if it loses here.
The weekend's other highlight is Bellevue (8-0, 3-0 Class A) trying to clinch a district title Saturday night at Newport against Newport Central Catholic (3-5, 3-0).
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