WINNEBAGO COUNTY (NBC 26) — One of Wisconsin’s oldest high school football rivalries will reach triple digits later this week as Neenah and Menasha are set to play their 100th game Thursday night.
- Neenah leads the all-time league with a 54-40-5 record; the Rockets have won three straight over Menasha, including a 40-0 victory last season.
- After this game, there will be no more Neenah-Menasha games on the future schedule. The Menasha coach said he made the decision to schedule different non-conference games in the “best interest of this program.”
- The series has been on extended hiatuses before, including from 2014 to 2020 when the Bluejays left the Fox Valley Association; the rivalry resumed in 2021.
“We’ve been playing for a long time,” said Jon Joch, a Neenah graduate who has been attending Neenah-Menasha football games since the early 1980s. “Hopefully we can score a few more points than we did in our first game in 1896.”
The series dates back to 128 years ago, when the two schools battled to a scoreless tie. The two football fields are just five miles apart.
“He’s our natural rival,” Joch continued. “You’re so close. Just two schools that want to beat each other, but at the same time respect each other and know that this is your main rival.”
Players from both teams said they know the other team well; they often see each other in neighboring cities.
“It’s right up the road,” Neenah center Alex Alatorre said. “We go there on Wednesday to get the wide receivers and we see them there and we know we’ll play them in Week 2.”
“Sometimes it can make it more competitive because when you see someone in public, you’re like, ‘Oh, we beat you in that game,’” added Menasha senior linebacker/tight end Nathan Messman. “It just gives you an advantage.”
The head coaches have good ties to the franchise: both played for the franchise and both currently coach at their alma maters.
“When I was playing high school football, the coaches didn’t even talk to each other, they didn’t like each other,” Menasha coach Jeramie Korth said. “(Neenah) Coach (Steve) Jung is one of my best friends.”
“I think it’s one of our biggest games on the schedule,” Jung said. “And I really want our kids to play well, and I really like this fight. I think it’s great for our community.”
From proximity to familiarity to history, all of these elements come together to create a unique rivalry.
However, for now, this is the last Neenah-Menasha game on the schedule.
“It’s not something we’ll do in the near future,” Korth said. “But we’ll see more of that.”
Jung said Neenah would like to continue her education, while Korth noted concerns about the difference in enrollment between the two schools.
Last year, Neenah High School had 1,979 students enrolled, while Menasha had 966 students enrolled.
Korth added that football attendance in Neenah is higher than in Menasha, adding that Neenah has “75 to 100 kids at each high school level,” while Menasha has “25 to 30 kids.”
“I have to look at what’s best for this program,” Korth said. “It’s something we’ll consider in the future, but we have two different non-conference opponents next year.”
The franchise has been on hiatuses before, including from 2014 to 2020 when Menasha moved from the Fox Valley Association to the Bay Conference. The Bluejays currently play in the South Division of the Fox River Classic Conference.
The two sides resumed their rivalry in 2021, but this year’s meeting marks the end of a four-season agreement. Neenah has won all three meetings since the resumption, including a 40-0 victory last year.
Jung said it’s part of a larger problem for FVA teams, which have had trouble scheduling non-conference games in recent years. Interestingly, Kimberly has had Week 1 games canceled in each of the last two seasons after an opponent withdrew.
“As teams get bigger, there are always different scenarios,” Jung said. “For us — I think FVA and Classic Eight in the southern part of the state — it’s starting to be tough to get games.”
Jung said the FVA may be interested in “partnering” with the Classic Eight, which includes several powerhouses such as Arrowhead, Muskego, Mukwonago and Kettle Moraine.
“That’s something we’d like to have,” Jung said. “Crossover games with a conference like ours.”
That would require the two conferences to join forces to play each other in non-conference games. However, the Classic Eight currently has only seven teams compared to eight in the FVA, which Jung said would make scheduling complex.
As for the Neenah-Menasha rivalry, Thursday’s game could be the final whistle in this series. 100 points might be a good score to end with, but many hope both sides can find a way to keep the rivalry alive.
“I’ll just say I hope the coaches and the administration work to keep this rivalry going,” Joch said. “And I think it’s great for our kids, it’s great for our communities and it’s a win-win.”
Neenah leads the series 54-40-5. Game 100 will begin Thursday at 7 p.m. at Neenah High School.
