The Butler Eagle Quad A Traveling Trophy has been around since 1993 — and may have never been more significant than it is right now.

The trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual Seneca Valley-Butler football game. Its original intent was to enhance the rivalry of the two biggest high schools in Butler County.

For years, it did exactly that. Winning that trophy was high on the preseason check-list of both schools and the SV-Butler game was one of the most anticipated contests on the local football schedule.

But this rivalry has gone the way of the Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry in recent years.

As Butler coach Eric Christy said earlier in the week: “It’s not much of a rivalry when the same team wins all the time.”

The Golden Tornado last won the Eagle trophy in 2006, shutting out the Raiders, 14-0. It marked Butler’s fourth straight win over Seneca Valley under coach Garry Cathell.

The tide has certainly turned since.

Friday night’s Seneca Valley victory marked the 12th straight year in which the Raiders have taken the trophy home. That means this year’s Butler seniors, from the time they were in first grade, have never seen the Tornado grasp that award on the field in celebration after the game.

That’s why the Eagle trophy is so significant today.

As first-year coach Christy and his staff work on turning the Butler program around, the first significant sign that such a reversal is happening will be when the Tornado end that losing streak and snare the trophy.

No one is aware of that more than Christy himself.

When Butler wins the trophy, it wins back the rivalry, rejuvenates its program and puts a lot of juice back into Golden Tornado football.

We don’t know when that night is coming.

But with the time, work and dedication being shown by this young coach and his staff, be confident.

That night will get here.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle