High School Football: Badin-Ross Part Of Crosstown Showdown

The renewal of the Ross-Badin prep football rivalry will have an extra flair in the upcoming season.

The Butler County Ram units haven’t played since 2010, but they’ll square off in the 20th edition of the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown.

Tom Gamble of In-Game Sports, which owns and manages the event, announced the 21-game schedule Thursday afternoon.

Hamilton (vs. Moeller), Lakota East (vs. Walnut Hills) and Lakota West (vs. Elder) will also represent Butler County in Showdown games at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium, while Fairfield is set to host Centerville.

“My first thought is that I’m more than excited that the game between Badin and Ross is once again back on the schedule,” Ross coach Kenyon Commins said. “I think it just makes sense for this rivalry to exist.

“That is just as exciting as anything that can possibly have happened to me in my first year. The fact that it’s going to be in the Showdown makes it all the more exciting.”

It will be a matchup of good friends and first-year head coaches with programs coming off 2-8 seasons. The game is slated for Friday, Aug. 25, at Hamilton’s Virgil Schwarm Stadium.

“Being in the Showdown just kind of builds up the magnitude of it,” Badin coach Nick Yordy said. “It’s really great for both schools to be on the same page and in agreement. Kenyon and I want to do whatever we can to keep this game going as long as we can.”

Commins credited the administrations of both schools for allowing the programs to get reacquainted on the field.

Ross will be seeking its first win in the series. The Rams were 0-4 against Hamilton Catholic between 1959 and 1964 and 0-8 against Badin between 1980 and 2010.

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“It really is a cool event,” said Yordy, a Showdown participant multiple times while coaching at Mount Healthy. “A lot of teams don’t get a chance to be a part of something like that. We’re going to make the most of the experience.”

“We’re going to do some charity stuff leading up to the game and try to raise awareness for a few things,” Commins said. “I think it’s going to be good for both communities.”

Yordy has been on both sides of Badin vs. Ross. As a player, he was part of a BHS squad that beat the maroon-and-gold 28-0 in the 1995 playoffs. He also coached at Ross in 2009 and was involved in a 14-7 loss to Badin.

“We’re going to play all the levels and try to build this game up a little bit,” said Yordy, who has two other county schools (Edgewood and Talawanda) on his nonleague slate. “It’s going to be a good thing for both schools.

“I’m happy with the way our kids have responded to me and our coaching staff. They’re buying in. There’s only 99 days left before we play. Every day is important now.”

Commins is also having a positive experience at Ross.

“Our numbers are a little bit higher than I expected them to be,” he said. “I think the new staff and everything we’ve done has reinvigorated things a little bit and woke some people up, but there’s a huge gap between where we need to be and where we are right now.

“Right now, the kids just need to learn to love the process. They have to learn how to win the day each and every day. I think this senior group is ecstatic to get on the field and try to change a few things.”

Tickets for all Showdown games will be available in advance at participating schools and at the sites on event days. Pricing will vary based on venue and number of games being played. Each ticket will be good for all games listed on that day.