Distant rivals: Panguitch, Rich frequent foes for championships

Great rivalries are born for many reasons. Sometimes it's a cross-town competition with bragging rights on the line, and other times it's just repeated meetings with a long history of great competition.

To have a great rivalry there has to be a healthy respect, in spite of an intense dislike. After all, you can't feel too good about a team that has broken your heart — ever. There has to be enough in common to form a bond and enough of a difference to sustain some animosity.

Rich and Panguitch have an interesting rivalry going because it features two 1A schools at opposite ends of the state. Rich in the state's upper east corner, and Panguitch down south in the heart of Canyon Country.

The two schools may be very different in many ways, but they have two things in common — great athletes and the desire to win.

"I think it's really been the last seven years," said Rich basketball coach Scott Ferguson. "I think it's because we've always gotten them in volleyball and they've always gotten us in basketball."

Ferguson doesn't know Panguitch volleyball coach Troy Norris personally, but he feels his pain.

"I know how he feels," Ferguson said with a laugh.

Panguitch basketball coach Curtis Barney said the rivalry is born because the same athletes compete in both sports for both schools.

"I get them mad and frothing at the bit," he said. "They're kind of angry and fired up from losing in volleyball, and that might be a good thing for me."

There is one sure thing when these two teams get together, both coaches agree, it will be a great ball game.

"I don't think there is anything mean about it," Barney said. "It's a good, fun rivalry; a fun tradition and always a great, close, competitive game."

Barney said the communities are similar in that they are small, relatively isolated and the community supports wholeheartedly the high school sports programs.

"Both are really well supported by their communities and the main thing to do in the winter is be inside the gym where it's warm," he said. "I think the success of both schools has a lot to do with the work ethic that comes from the towns they live in . . . If there is any team in the state that kind of mirrors what we are, it's probably Rich. We just have similar athletes."

Coaches voted Panguitch the top team in 1A, a wise choice as the Bobcats have earned six of the last seven state titles.

"I think somebody's got to beat Panguitch to earn the title," Ferguson said. "It's definitely theirs to lose."