New trophy adds fuel to Oakwood-Salt Fork rivalry

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — There’s always bragging rights up for grabs when VVC foes Oakwood and Salt Fork meet on the gridirion, and there’s even more on the line this season.

Both teams enter with 5-2 records with a chance to lock down playoff spots with a crucial sixth win.

The records and rivalry, paired with the introduction of the Salt Kettle Classic trophy going to the winning team, makes this a can’t-miss matchup.

Oakwood has seen steady progress under fourth-year head coach Cameron Lee, averaging just under 38 points per game.

“Throw out a rivalry, throw out a trophy, it was just going to be a big game between two teams,” Lee said. “5-2 two teams that are both I think at a point where they’re trying to prove that they’re in the upper echelon of the conference.”

“It’s always been like us against Salt Fork since like youth, and it’s always been a rival which I’m excited for, and now they have a trophy, so I’m like really pumped for that,” Oakwood senior Tyler Huchel said.

“I just want to beat them,” Oakwood senior Layne Frischkorn said. “Having the trophy on the line too, you get bragging rights.” “I see those guys at my gym all the time, so you best believe all offseason they’re talking.”

Salt Fork enters this game confident as winners of two straight, getting a boost from underclassmen to help them reach postseason eligibility.

“Our young kids have progressed a lot quicker than we’d expected to,” Storm head coach Les Siefert said. “We’ve thrown some kids to the fire, if you will.” “We’ve had some injuries, but our young kids have stepped up.” “I feel like our running game has probably been our strength this year, we’ve been able to run the ball well.”

“We have two freshmen that have been starting both ways lately and even on special teams, we’ve had some sophomores and freshmen that have really impacted a lot and really, in past few games, changed our direction,” Salt Fork senior Kade Smith said.

“We play those guys in every sport, and we co-op with them [in other sports], so I mean, we know a lot of those guys, but it’s a big game, and you’ve got to put the friendship aside and you got to just go play football,” Salt Fork senior Maddax Stine said.

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