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Ford City, Kittanning Play Final Armstrong Co. Backyard Brawl

KITTANNING (KDKA) -- It was the last Armstrong County Backyard Brawl.

After 100 years of rivalry, Friday night was the final football game between the Ford City Sabers and Kittanning Wildcats.

KDKA's David Highfield Reports:

Next year, the two schools will merge and become Armstrong Junior-Senior High. The new team will be called the Riverhawks.

"There's a lot of history here tonight. It all ends tonight. It's bittersweet," said Sherry Hankey, the mother of a Ford City player.

No one is sure where the Riverhawks will play next year. That's because a new athletic field at the new school site isn't in the budget.

A private group called Armstrong School District Community Foundation is trying to raise millions of dollars for an athletic complex at the new school.

Foundation President Kirk Lorigan says it would be for more than just football, with fields for other outdoor sports. Lorigan says he's hoping to work out some kind of joint effort between the school board and the foundation to make it a reality.

As it stands now, the football team next year would have to play at either the old Kittanning or Ford City football fields, both of which are in need of improvements.

As for the final game on Friday, Kittanning was the winner with a score of 43 to 6.

Watch The Game Highlights:

However, if you add up all the games in which the two teams have played over the years, the series ends in a tie.

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