Rivalry will not go to sleep

The Miners run onto the field as they beat the Golden Arrows 40-20 Friday.

I have to say, I was not too excited about Friday’s rivalry game coming in between Linton and Sullivan. It appeared the century old tango between the two schools was clearly in Linton’s favor as Sullivan would not be a match to the No. 1 Miners.

When Linton led 20-0 in the first quarter I thought that was affirmation the rivalry was taking a nap. I mistakenly thought the passion between the Arrows and the Miners needed a breather.

That thought did not last long. Sullivan fought Linton in everything Friday night. Players were fighting through injuries, cramps and sheer exhaustion.

Linton senior Hunter Johns rushed for a 52-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and came up hobbling. Johns is one of many Linton players who sacrifices his body playing offense and defense and did exactly that Friday night.

“I’m pretty sore but it’s part of it,” Johns said.

Instead of a game with a running clock in the second half we had a game where Linton’s No. 1 ranking in Class 2A was on the line. Where rival Sullivan could be the team that put Linton’s plans of an undefeated regular season in the trash can.

Despite losing 40-20, I heard some of the postgame speech where Sullivan coaches told their players how they could have and should have won the game. They were not wrong.

Sullivan turned the ball over on downs twice from inside the Linton 10. The Miners had two pick sixes in the contest. All things that indicate the score was far closer than it appeared.

Friday’s game was the beginning of a new chapter in this rivalry. Playing each other once a year is one thing. Now that the two schools are in the same sectional, playing each other twice is carnage.

For Sullivan, it was not, “We’ll get them next year.” It was more of, “We’ll get them in sectionals.”

Linton and Sullivan have played 108 times but this iteration showed how an old rivalry can change. At the very least, revive itself when I thought it was about to take a respite.