Return of the rivalry

The parade no longer floats down D Street and the schools aren't the same size anymore, but bragging rights and city pride will be on the line tonight when Marysville High welcomes Yuba City into War Memorial Stadium in a revival of the Big-Little Game.

The series began way back in the days of leather helmets — 1923 to be exact — and ran continuously for more than 50 years until the Marysville-Lindhurst split in 1975 gave Yuba City the advantage in numbers. During the '50s and '60s, the game often decided the Sierra Foothill League championship.

The rivalry returned briefly in the mid-'80s, but the games proved to be lopsided and the series was scrapped in 1986.

However, with the development of River Valley High in 2005 the playing field has leveled some and the two schools decided to rekindle the rivalry in the newest chapter of the Big-Little Game.

"We knew there weren't going to be any problems, just good old-fashioned football between two communities that have been basically partners in this Yuba-Sutter area." said Yuba City coach John Ithurburn, who starred as a junior linebacker for the Honkers when the teams last met in 1986. "Bring the parents out, bring the people out and let them cheer on their kids."

The two teams enter the game on familiar terms after participating in summer camps together and competing in 7-on-7 drills during the offseason.

"We know they run that veer and they're going to do what they do," said Marysville coach Cullen Meyer, who is looking forward to having his team play in front of a large crowd in their home opener. "We've got to get their fullback on the ground and prevent (Durrel Buchanan) from running that fade route into the end zone."

While Meyer is concerned with stopping the Honkers' option attack, Ithurburn is seaching for ways to exploit the Indians' aggressive defense.

"They're physical. He brings a defense that's going to bring bodies at you," Ithurburn said. "You have to pick them up. They're going to go 100-miles an hour."

After coaching for a season together at Pierce High, both coaches enter the game with mutual respect for one another.

"I'm good friends with John Ithurburn," Meyer said. "He's helped me out a lot in my coaching career. I know how motivated he gets his kids to play for him, so we're just going to have to match that intensity."

"I wish him the best of luck," Ithurburn said. "Except Friday night."

Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

River Valley at Lindhurst

A new rivalry will kick off when the Falcons make the trip to Dean Miller Stadium to clash with the defending two-time Sac-Joaquin Section Div. VI champion Blazers.

Lindhurst looked impressive in its 55-12 dismantling of Live Oak last week in its opener. Leading the charge for the Blazers were senior running back Lurrell Johnson, who rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries and quarterback Rick Davis, who passed for 336 yards and four scores.

The schedule doesn't get any easier for River Valley, which enters the game 0-1 following a 35-6 loss to defending Northern Section champion Sutter last week.

Pierce at Williams

Bragging rights will be on the line when the Bears travel up I-5 to take on the Yellowjackets in the annual Rice Bowl.

Williams (1-1) enters the game after a bye and has had a full week to prepare for the Bears, who fell to 0-3 on the year after a 49-14 loss to Clearlake last week.

The Yellowjackets are led by the three-headed rushing attack of Josafat Jiminez, Ema Martinez and Jesus Camarena, who have each rushed for more than 100 yards on the year.

Gridley at Live Oak

Something has to give when the Lions welcome the Bulldogs into town for the annual border-battle between Sutter and Butte County neighbors.

The Lions enter the contest 0-3, but two of those losses have come at the hands of defending Section champions Sutter and Lindhurst, both larger schools.

The Bulldogs (0-2) are still looking for their first points of the year following a 44-0 loss to Willows and a 38-0 loss to Durham.

Wheatland at Lincoln

The Pirates will look to continue their hot start when they travel down Highway 65 to take on the Fighting Zebras.

Wheatland (2-0) is ranked just outside the top ten in the Northern California Div. III Cal-Hi Sports poll following a 15-14 win over Oroville in its opener and a 21-7 victory over Marysville last week.

Quarterback Malcolm Webb has rushed for 190 yards and a touchdown and has passed for two scores, while fullback Clint Johnson has rumbled for 214 yards on the ground and a touchdown to lead the Pirates' offense.

Lincoln enters the game 0-1 after a 17-0 loss to Woodland last week.

Chester at Biggs

The Wolverines look to improve to 3-0 when they host the Volcanoes.

Biggs comes in after beating Los Molinos, 24-14, last week and rolling North Lake Tahoe, 48-16, in week one.

Billy Jackson has run for 181 yards and five touchdowns over the first two games, while backfield mate Kyle Bisell has produced an additional 180 yards on the ground and two scores.

Chester enters the contest 0-2 on the year following blowout loses to Quincy and Portola.

Maxwell at Fall River

The Panthers will look to avoid an 0-4 start when they travel to McArthur to meet the defending Northern Section Div. V champion Bulldogs (1-1) in a rematch of last year's title game.

Maxwell (0-3) is led by running back Eddie Hernandez, whose 261 yards rushing and two touchdowns lead the team.

The Panthers fell to the Bulldogs, 14-13, in last season's title tilt.