The Battle of the River

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: September 6, 2016

The Coolest Trophy in the Cool Name Games

The winner keeps the sign at their school until next season.

Only in Texas could a TXDoT sign be considered a trophy worth fighting over. This Navasota River sign is the grand prize in the Battle of the River between Mexia and Groesbeck as each time they play, one of them crosses the river alone Highway 14 into enemy territory.

There is no historical record showing when the game got name The Battle of the River, but old-timers have said it started being called that in the 1980s. There is also no word about whether the sign was just nabbed off the side of the road and turned into this coveted sign of football superiority or someone ordered one from the Texas Department of Transportation. You know what - if it was originally lifted by some spirited fans, that make it that much more awesome! Texas forever!

Mexia won the first meeting 10-0 and leads the series with an all-time record of 53-21-3. It is a rivalry marked by blowouts as the game is rarely close. In fact, there have been 31 shutouts. Groesbeck held the largest margin of victory, a 53-0 shutout in 1915, until Mexia broke it 2000 when they beat the Goats 55-0.

This week marks the 78th contest between the Mexia Blackcats and Groesbeck Goats. Mexia has won the last three games and has a better record so far this season but records go out the window when these two meet.

#14 4A DII Mexia (2-0) at #44 3A DI Groesbeck (0-2)

by Chris Doelle

Rivalry Results

Year	Winner	Score
2015	Mexia	26-0
2014	Mexia	45-15
2013	Mexia	42-28
2012	Groesbeck	43-6
2011	Mexia	32-20
2010	Mexia	64-28
2009	Mexia	60-28
2008	Mexia	49-35
2007	Mexia	11-8
2006	Mexia	63-48
2005	Mexia	35-18
2004	Mexia	26-20
2003	Mexia	19-10
2002	Mexia	35-34
2001	Mexia	21-19
2000	Mexia	55-0
1999	Mexia	34-15
1998	Groesbeck	40-21
1997	Mexia	17-3
1996	Mexia	27-14
1995	Mexia	23-22
1994	Groesbeck	17-7
1993	Mexia	20-19
1992	Groesbeck	27-8
1991	Groesbeck	38-0
1990	Mexia	35-16
1989	Mexia	10-9
1988	Mexia	34-3
1987	Mexia	42-14
1986	Groesbeck	17-8
1985	Mexia	33-12
1984	Mexia	13-0
1983	Tie	7-7
1982	Mexia	38-7
1981	Mexia	14-12
1980	Mexia	14-6
1979	Groesbeck	9-0
1978	Mexia	28-21
1977	Groesbeck	7-0
1976	Mexia	19-6
1967	Mexia	47-0
1966	Mexia	33-7
1965	Mexia	12-0
1964	Mexia	6-0
1963	Groesbeck	8-6
1962	Groesbeck	15-0
1961	Groesbeck	8-0
1960	Mexia	42-0
1959	Mexia	29-6
1953	Mexia	54-6
1952	Mexia	41-0
1951	Mexia	14-0
1950	Mexia	45-7
1949	Mexia	20-7
1948	Mexia	21-0
1947	Groesbeck	20-3
1946	Groesbeck	20-13
1945	Mexia	48-0
1944	Mexia	45-0
1943	Mexia	44-0
1942	Groesbeck	19-0
1941	Groesbeck	19-0
1940	Mexia	14-0
1936	Mexia	12-0
1935	Mexia	40-6
1934	Mexia	14-7
1933	Mexia	14-6
1932	Groesbeck	19-0
1931	Mexia	13-0
1928	Tie	0-0
1927	Groesbeck	12-0
1926	Groesbeck	9-0
1925	Groesbeck	14-0
1919	Groesbeck	10-0
1915	Groesbeck	53-0
1902	Tie	0-0
1901	Mexia	10-0