The oldest high school football rivalry in the nation is back for the 114th year. The Tonawanda Warriors face off against the North Tonawanda Lumberjacks at home on Friday, October 20 at 6 p.m. at Clint Small Stadium in this year’s T-NT game.
The T-NT game began in 1905. Since then, the two teams have faced off almost every year, minus a few years they did not play due to war.
According to former Tonawanda City School District Superintendent Jay Holler, the rivalry between the two schools began even earlier.
“Years ago, when these two communities were settled, in the late 1800s, these were working-class communities, working on the canal,” Holler said. “It was really a cross-canal rivalry that adults got involved with.“
In the beginning, the game was played on Thanksgiving Day. Holler said, in those days without television or video games, it was a family affair. Kids would get up Thanksgiving morning and go watch the game with their family every year.
The Thanksgiving game ended in the early 1950s. It moved to a different date when both schools joined the Niagara Frontier League.
Though the game moved, the tradition continued.
“The T-NT tradition is something both communities took pride in,” Holler said. “It was a family game. The grandfather would play, then the kids would play.”
He said, at one time, 25,000 people would attend the game. Extra bleachers would be put in and people would line up along the sides of the field.
“It was a community event. It was a thing that would be talked about over coffee for a couple of days,” he said.
Even to this day, the game attracts big crowds. Tickets are sold in advance and both schools host events throughout the week to build excitement around the game. Events include the T-NT luncheon, where both teams and coaches get together to break bread and wish each other luck.
This year, there are various activities in the week leading up to the game for community participation:
- Tuesday, October 17, 2 p.m.: Motorcade through Tonawanda
- Wednesday, October 18, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.: Girls Flag Football Tournament, Football Field
- Thursday, October 19, 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.: Bonfire at Veterans Park (fire begins at dusk)
- Friday, October 20, 6 p.m.: TNT GAME!!!
Pre-sale tickets are on sale now in the Athletics Office and can be purchased 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Student tickets are $3 and adult tickets are $5. It is advised you buy pre-sale to avoid waiting in line for tickets on the day of the game.
Here’s how the community can get tickets in advance:
Monday, October 16, 3 pm – 4:30 pm: A drive-thru TNT ticket pre-sale at the door 1 loop.
Tuesday, October 17, 4 pm – 6 pm: A drive-thru TNT ticket pre-sale at the door 1 loop.
If you are attending the JV football game on Tuesday, you can buy tickets there as well. They will be sold through halftime.