This year marks the 31th game in the Central-North rivalry. The first meeting was in 1975, when Central won 45-0–definitely not a sign of the exciting games to come.
Central dominated the early years, winning seven of the first nine games by an average margin of 17 points. North reeled of the rivalry’s longest winning streak, taking five straight beginning with a playoff victory in 1987 through a 7-6 squeaker in 1991. Overall, North has a 15-14 edge, including a 3-2 advantage in playoff meetings.
Ten games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Here’s a look at the year-by-year results of this rivalry:
1975: Central 45, North 0
Redskins (they didn’t become the Redhawks until 1992) drew first blood with the series’ most lopsided win.
1976: Central 26, North 0
Central recorded only back-to-back shutouts in series history.
1977: North 14, Central 8
Brian White scored from 64 yards out just before halftime, while Gary Kubera passed 61 yards to Dan Norenburg to pace North to its first series win.
1978: Central 7, North 0
Third shutout in four seasons for Redskins.
1979: Central 7, North 6
Central took the first of three one-point decisions in series.
1980: North 6, Central 0
The Huskies’ only shutout in the series.
1981: Central 26, North 20
Steve Bogdalek scored on TD runs of 2 and 26 yards as Central overcame a 12-7 second-quarter deficit.
1982: Central 23, North 0
Quarterback Craig Helwig tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Last and added a 3-yard run of his own to lead Central. Joe Smith scored Central’s other TD on a 9-yard run.
1983: Central 19, North 8
In the early years it wasn’t much of a rivalry–this marked the Redskins’ seventh win in nine meetings.
1984: North 6, Central 2
Rob Korosec’s 80-yard fumble return was the difference.
1985: North 14, Central 6
Andy Marquard tossed two touchdown passes–one to Rob Korosec and the other to Sam Macrain–to pace North. Korosec added 91 yards rushing in 14 carries.
1986: North 21, Central 6
The Huskies’ defense scored a pair of touchdowns. Linebacker Eric Liesemer scored on a 7-yard interception return while lineman Robb Schlenbecker went 33 yards after a fumble recovery.
1987: Central 17, North 0
The Huskies committed seven turnovers as a downpour drenched the field in the second half. Redskins defensive end Tom Hale recovered three North fumbles.
6A playoffs, 2nd round:
North 24, Central 7
Huskies quarterback Tom Pasko completed 16 of 26 passes for 147 yards in the first of five playoff meetings. Rob Schmidgall recorded four sacks for North.
1988: North 13, Central 12
Quarterback Craig Eihl scored from 4 yards out with just under six minutes remaining to save North in its first home night game.
1989: North 26, Central 23
A 26-yard field goal by Scott Obermeier with 15 seconds left gave North a 9-0 regular season–its first unbeaten season since 1982. North’s Kevin Garnett rushed for 144 yards in 11 carries.
1990: North 33, Central 21
Bill Korosec scored two touchdowns, including an 85-yard run late in the fourth quarter that broke open a typically close game.
1991: North 7, Central 6
A blocked PAT and a failed 20-yard field goal with nine seconds left doomed the Redskins. Charles Davenport scored North’s touchdown on a 2-yard run.
1992: Central 28, North 23
In the year that Central’s nickname was changed to Redhawks, North fumbled the second-half kickoff to set up a 13-yard Jason Jones-to-Adam Pembroke touchdown as Central pulled away from a 14-14 halftime tie.
6A playoffs, quarterfinals:
North 31, Central 28
A late rally by Central fell short as North exacted revenge for the regular-season defeat. The win jump-started a playoff run that ended with a state title for North.
1993: North 36, Central 19
Conrad Gacki, Mike Rutcosky, Chris Cassidy, Jeff Grzeskowiak and Levell Brown each scored for North. Huskies quarterback Ryan Furstenau completed five passes for 99 yards.
1994: Central 32, North 16
Jim Tumilty accounted for 26 points with three touchdowns, three extra points, a two-point conversion and a 30-yard field goal to lead Central.
6A playoffs, semifinals:
North 21, Central 11
A battle of No. 2 Central and No. 3 North in the state semifinals attracted a crowd of more than 12,000. An 8-yard keeper by quarterback Scott Kavanagh with 45 seconds left lifted North.
1995: Central 47, North 14
No. 1 vs. No. 2 turned out to be a dud as the top-ranked Redhawks won with the largest margin of victory in the ’90s.
6A playoffs, quarterfinals:
Central 35, North 12
Central’s Jim Tumilty rushed for 163 yards in the rain to send the Redhawks into the state semifinals.
1996: Central 49, North 29
D.J. Johnson ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns and linebacker Jason Nolda returned an interception 43 yards for a score to pace Central.
1997: North 28, Central 14
Huskies ended Central’s 21-game conference winning streak. North quarterback Kevin Kobe passed for one touchdown and ran for another.
6A playoffs, quarterfinals:
Central 16, North 12
With under five minutes to play, Central quarterback Christian Pearson found Blake Allen for a 55-yard game-winning pass.
1998: North 41, Central 38
Chris Brown’s 29-yard catch from J.P. Felmet as time expired saved the Huskies.
1999: Central 34, North 19
Central running back Ryan Clifford led the way rushing for 144 yards in 27 carries and scoring two touchdowns while also throwing a 22-yard halfback-option TD pass to Pat Hinsberger.
