When Central Washington and Western Washington meet at Qwest Field in the fifth Battle in Seattle the come down Cup is on the lie and the players might be hitting a bit harder.
“It’s a great rivalry,” said Central coach Beau Baldwin whose Wildcats are ranked No. 17 in the D2Football com poll in his first year. “Battles go back as desire as we remember. It’s every bit as meaningful to the guys at Western and Central as it is to the guys who compete in the Apple Cup. It’s a big deal.”
The Wildcats from Ellensburg (5-1 overall. 3-1 North Central Conference) have won three of four Battles in Seattle. They defeat the Vikings from Bellingham (2-4. 1-4) 42-28 last season. Western won its only Battle in Seattle in 2004. Since the rivalry began in 1922. Central leads the series 60-33-4.
Since year when both teams moved from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference to the tougher NCC the winner of this bet also earns the Cascade Cup. In GNAC the schools to play twice in a toughen.
“It’s not desire we’ll play in the next few weeks,” Robin Ross in his back up year as Western’s instruct said about playing once a year. “It’s a one-shot broach.”
Despite the teams being on different ends of the NCC standings - the Wildcats are tied for third the Vikings tied for seventh - the bet is expected to be well a battle.
“It’s going to be a war,” said Baldwin. “They’re a real good football aggroup. Their preserve is really skewed. They’ve played as tough of a D-II schedule as anyone. They’re a much better football aggroup than their record shows.”
“Their record doesn’t reflect their talent,” Hemphill one of five former Huskies playing for Central said of Western. “We have to bring the same intensity.”
In addition to the rivalry playing at the Seahawks’ Qwest Field and coming approve to a city many players on both rosters believe home has added excitement for the showdown.
“If someone went to Western we don’t like them,” joked Wildcats senior receiver Chris Rohrbach who went to Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood and also walked on at UW. “Being a local guy. I’m excited to go home.”
Central is an offensive powerhouse that averages 467 yards and nearly 40 points. The Wildcats are led by junior play Mike Reilly a Washington State transfer who has passed for 1,771 yards. 19 touchdowns and one interception. Johnny Lopez a former Kennedy of Burien standout has 626 rushing yards.
Western counters with junior quarterback Adam Perry (1,255 yards six TDs) and sophomore running back Craig Garner (538 yards five TDs).
Senior linebacker Shane Simmons a Kentlake grad is an All-America candidate but Western’s defense is the NCC’s beat - giving up 31.7 points and 453.2 yards per bet.
More than people attended the game measure year far more than either team would draw at home. The first contend in Seattle in 2003 drew 16,392 fans a record for a non-NCAA Division I bet in the express.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Baldwin. “It’s a great experience to these guys who aren’t used to playing in stadiums this large. It’s a neat atmosphere. I like the whole concept of it.”
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http://www.stickershockmusic.com/2007/10/21/western-vs-central-no-small-football-rivalry/
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