FOTOBALL: Classic City Championship

There is a venomous high school rivalry that has spawned legendary tales in just about every town. In Athens it is between the Clarke Central Gladiators and Cedar Shoals Jaguars and is called the Classic City Championship. There are exaggerations of epic fights breaking out amongst the fans during the game including the most famous story about a stabbing. Clarke Central has the longer history of the two schools. One version of the story recounts that Cedar Shoals was once the inferior to Clarke Central in every way except for when it came to football. The Championship series began in 1974 and Cedar has dominated with a 26-14 record. I shot the game in 2007.






Cedar Shoals' Bubba Freeman runs deep into Gladiator territory as Clarke Central's Reggie Battle pushes him out of bounds in the first quarter Friday September 7, 2007.


Beau Evans looks for an open receiver in the Gladiators' game against Cedar Shoals Friday September 7, 2007.




Clarke Central's Darreion Robinson dives for a touchdown in the first quarter of the Gladiators games against the Cedar Shoals Jaguars Friday Sept. 7, 2007.


Clarke Central's Darreion Robinson makes a first down in the first quarter Friday night.


Clarke Central's Ryan Faust takes down Cedar Shoals' Trent McGuire in the first quarter Friday night, Sept. 7, 2007.


Cedar Shoals Hykeem Hall and TaBrian Resby celebrate as the clock runs down in their win over Clarke Central Friday Sept. 7, 2007 in the Classic City Championship.