Saturday's Bruce-Mahoney rivalry football game is about far more than two City teams seeking their first WCAL victory.
The showdown between Sacred Heart Cathedral and host St. Ignatius (2 p.m. kickoff) is a rivalry contest dating back 120 years with a capacity crowd expected and emotion smoldering on both sides.
Just ask former St. Ignatius running back Kerry Crowley, who represents the third generation of Crowleys to play in the game.
"My grandfather played for SI and beat Sacred Heart, my dad played for SI and beat Sacred Heart and I played against and beat Sacred Heart," Crowley said. "When I have kids, I want them to grow up as Wildcats and become a part of the winning legacy."
Much has transpired since Crowley's grandfather first laced 'em up to play for the red-and-blue clad Wildcats. Both schools are co-ed now (they used to be all boys) and Crowley's old rival, the Fightin' Irish, goes by "Sacred Heart Cathedral" after merging with the girls' school across the street.
No matter the semantics, this rivalry sizzles -- even with San Francisco already abuzz about the San Francisco Giants World Series appearance against the Kansas City Royals.
"Growing up, I didn't dream about playing the World Series or the Super Bowl, I thought about winning the Bruce-Mahoney football game," he said.
The game is being played on SI's home field for the first time in 25 years due to a new running track being installed at the contest's usual site, historic Kezar Stadium. SI normally only holds 2,000 fans, but temporary bleachers have already been installed to handle 2,000 more fans, SI athletic director John Mulkerrins said. Each school has been allotted 2,000 pre-sale tickets, with no ducats being sold the day of the game.
Free parking is available at AP Giannini Middle School (37th Ave. and Ortega St.) which should ease the burden felt by the neighborhood.
"People are really excited," Mulkerrins said. "The temporary bleachers are going to add to the stadium-like atmosphere."
SI is led by senior quarterback Ryan Hagfeldt who has passed for 980 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions. The Irish are paced by junior running back Jamar Williams-Sheppard (979 yards rushing, 13 TDs).
This tradition is one of the oldest Catholic school rivalries in the West and one of the oldest in the country; it dates to St. Patrick's Day 1893 when the schools met in rugby on a now-defunct field at 8th and Market streets. Admission was 5 cents. Fittingly, the Irish prevailed 14-4 on that green-hued day.
The first Irish football team was assembled by Father Cornelius P. Kennedy, a pastor at St. Paul's Parish. He read a book by football innovator Amos Alonzo Stagg, took a liking to the sport and an obsession was born.
Since the 1945-46 school year, the Wildcats and Irish have played for the trophy memorializing two grads -- SI's Bill Bruce and SHC's Jerry Mahoney -- who were star athletes at their schools who died during World War II. The hardware goes to the school that wins at least two of the three games between the schools in football, basketball and baseball -- with just the first league game in basketball and baseball counting.
SI has won the Bruce-Mahoney series more than twice as often as SHC and holds a 47-20-2 edge in football during that time. That includes capturing 13 of the 15 football games since 2,000. The Wildcats have also owned the trophy for 14 of the last 16 years, with SHC winning the football game and the trophy in 2011-2012.
St. Ignatius won last season's football showdown 49-14.
But little of that will matter Saturday when the ancient rivals with identical records (3-3 overall, 0-3 WCAL) butt heads for "The Bruce" at J.B. Murphy Field. The stadium is named after the longtime, late teacher known as "Mr. SI."
Said Crowley: "I think that playing at SI gives the schools the chance to see what home-field advantage looks and feels like. Though Kezar is SHC's home field (when not being renovated) the Wildcats have always managed to turn Kezar into a neutral site and now we can see the rivalry through a different lens."
It's a lens tinted green or red, depending on a fan's allegiance.
John Murphy is the Web Content Manager of Prep2Prep. He may be reached at jmurphy@prep2prep.com.
