Welcome to Veterans Memorial Stadium, where the Lawrence Central Bears and Lawrence North Wildcats will battle to hoist the Dwayne C. Bell Trophy. This in-town rivalry dates back to 2004 and is a highly anticipated matchup in the 21st season of the Great American Rivalry Series. 

The two teams have matched up 28 times in total, and the Lawrence Central Bears currently hold a narrow 17-11 lead in the all-time series. However, the Wildcats of Lawrence North took a step forward last season when they swept the Bears, including a dominant 38-16 victory in their final matchup of the season. This rivalry has been a battle of runs, with both teams having stretches of brilliance. Lawrence North has won 7 out of the last 8 matchups, but prior to that, Lawrence Central held a 15-game winning streak over the Wildcats from 2008 to 2019.  

Mark your calendars for August 23, when 5,000 fans will pile into the stadium eager to see who will leave with the Dwayne C. Bell Trophy. 

We Know Friday Nights

MVP

Tanner Aspelet
Lawrence North

SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Jack Jordan

Lawrence Central

Jack is a model student both in the classroom and on the football field. He has maintained an impressive 4.06 GPA during his academic career while participating in numerous extra-curricular activities. As an established receiver on the varsity squad, Jack is a top contributor to the Bears offense. After graduating, he plans to pursue a higher education.
Anthony Ludington

Lawrence North

Anthony has done an outstanding job building himself academically and athletically. He is a talented dual-sport athlete as a fixture on both the football and baseball teams. In the classroom, Anthony has distinguished himself by earning an impressive grade point average every year of school. He has committed to play football at Miami of Ohio after graduation.

GAME SUMMARY

The stadium was brimming with excitement as the Bears and Wildcats stormed the field for the inaugural game of the season. Lawrence North started off the scoring with a short passing touchdown at the end of the first, setting the stage for a high-octane second quarter. Both squads subsequently found their momentum and traded touchdowns back and forth throughout the second. Lawrence North pulled away with a strong passing game and closed out the half up 26-14. In the second half, the Bears slowly clawed their way back into the game and never let the Wildcats get too far ahead, holding their rival to just one score in the half as they posted a pair of touchdowns. Down by just one score in the fourth quarter, Lawrence Central attempted a spirited comeback but was ultimately unable to recover from their initial deficit. The Lawrence North Wildcats narrowly escaped from the rival’s home turf, winning 33-26.