The last time the W.F. West and Centralia high school football teams didn’t face off, the United States was engaged in World War I and a gallon of milk cost around 35 cents.
The year was 1918.
This fall, for the first time in over a century, the Bearcats and Tigers won’t be battling on the gridiron.
W.F. West and Centralia athletic directors Tommy Elder and Tim Ahern issued a joint statement Friday morning addressing the historic decision to put the area rivalry on pause.
“For more than a century, the Swamp Cup has stood as one of our region‘s most treasured traditions — a spirited rivalry, a celebration of community pride, and a yearly reminder of the history that binds Chehalis and Centralia together,” the release states. “Because of this deep significance, it is with genuine care and careful consideration that we share an important update.”
Elder and Ahern cited “recent league adjustments” that “created unavoidable scheduling challenges.”
“After extensive discussion and review, both schools and athletic departments have agreed that pausing the event is the most responsible decision at this time,” the ADs said.
The Twin Cities rivalry game, officially named The Battle of the Swamp by The Chronicle in 2007, has been played a total of 155 times.
The teams first met in 1907, an 11-0 Tigers victory.
Centralia leads the all-time series 77-72-6, despite a near 20-year losing streak. The Tigers haven’t won since 2008.
The Bearcats, meanwhile, have won 17 games in a row, including a 70-0 drubbing last fall, the second-biggest win in the rivalry’s history, topped only by a 83-0 Chehalis win in 1917.
Though the game is set to go on hiatus, both Elder and Ahern assured the community that this is not the end of the Swamp Cup.
“Both communities and both schools remain fully committed to reviving this historic tradition as soon as the opportunity arises,” the release states. “We will continue working actively with league officials, coaches, and schedulers to restore the matchup in a way that honors its legacy and ensures its long-term stability.”
The ADs said they understood the disappointment the news may bring, and added they hope the decision will ultimately “protect the tradition for future students, athletes and families.”
“Thank you for your understanding, your passion, and your continued support of our student-athletes,” the ADs said. “We look forward to the day when our communities will once again come together on opposite sides of the gridiron to celebrate the Swamp Cup tradition.”
Until then, the Swampman trophy will remain on a shelf.
