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Ross looks to break through against Badin

Battle of Rams has fallen on team with green in all 11 previous meetings in what is a big rivalry.

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By Rick Cassano, Staff Writer 12:33 AM Thursday, September 9, 2010

Is this the year Ross High School’s football team ends its winless ways against Badin?

Ross coach Brian Butts can’t say for sure, but his squad is unbeaten, healthy and feeling confident about its prospects this time around.

“If you want to be a hero in Ross, beat Badin,” Butts said. “That’s what the people here want. This is a neighborhood rivalry. This is kids you go to church with, kids you play pickup basketball against. It’s as much bragging rights as you’re going to get.”

A packed house is expected at Robinson Field on Friday night, Sept. 10, when Badin (1-1) heads to Ross Twp. to face Ross (2-0).

Badin is still digesting a 26-25 loss to Taft last weekend, but when it comes to the Battle of the Rams, green is the only color that’s ever represented victory. Badin is 11-0 in the series, which began with a 58-8 Hamilton Catholic triumph in 1959.

“No matter how we feel, we’ll be the underdogs until we beat them,” Butts said.

The series resumed in 2009 after a 19-year hiatus (the schools did meet in a 1995 playoff game), a break fueled by some persistently crude behavior by fans on both sides. Badin came away with a 14-7 win last year at Virgil Schwarm Stadium.

“You don’t want to lose to Ross in anything,” said Badin senior quarterback Jeff Smith, who returned an interception for a touchdown in that contest. “Badin’s got so much tradition. We don’t want to be the first team that loses to Ross.”

Butts said he was pleased to see some fan civility return to the rivalry last year and hopes it continues.

“I think all the nonsense that went on in the past is gone,” Butts said. “It’s nice to see that you can renew the rivalry and nothing happens to make it go away. Now it’s just play hard, see who wins and brag about it. That’s the way it should be.”

Badin coach Bill Tenore hasn’t been on Ross’ field since he was a senior playing for Terry Malone in 1987. The visiting Rams were 66-21 winners that year.

As emotional as this rivalry is, Tenore said it doesn’t have the feel of the old Badin-Fairfield series to him.

“When I think rivalry, I think of Fairfield,” Tenore said. “It will be a long time before we have another rivalry like that.”