When you think rivalries in Butler County area sports, a few come to mind.

Seneca Valley vs. Butler, Mars vs. Knoch, Slippery Rock vs. Grove City.

Those are all great and cover many sports.

The Raiders and Golden Tornado have had a few memorable clashes in volleyball, softball, boys and girls hoops, track and field, golf and, yes, football ... well, you get the idea.

The same can be said when Mars and Knoch get together athletically.

Slippery Rock and Grove City is also an intriguing rivalry in virtually every sport.

But there is something extra special about the Karns City-Moniteau rivalry.

When it is at its best, nothing can compare to it.

It has had juice in baseball, boys and girls basketball and track and field.

But it's on the football field where this clash has had arguably the most legs, particularly in the last 20 years.

It will be renewed tonight when the two school's undefeated football teams square off at Moniteau.

The football rivarly dates back to 1957 and has seen some pretty spectacular games.

Here are some of the watershed contests between the two schools:

Moniteau 33, Karns City 26 (Oct. 27, 1995) — It was the first season of the high school overtime rule. If not for that, this game would have ended in a 14-14 draw.

Instead, Moniteau's Jason Minnear scored on a 6-yard run and the game ended on a controversial Karns City fumble at the goal line on its final possession of the third overtime.

The win snapped a five-game Gremlins' winning streak in the series.

It's OK, Karns City. The Gremlins went on to win seven straight after that, including the last ...

Karns City 69, Moniteau 23 (Nov. 1, 2002) — In the first of what would be six (and counting) playoff meetings between the two schools, the Gremlins jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and rolled up 437 yards of offense on the way to the rout.

Moniteau got a measure of revenge in the regular season in 2003, edging the Gremlins 22-20.

Moniteau 10, Karns City 7 (Nov. 11, 2005) — The regular-season clash between these two teams was a defensive battle with KC winning 10-0.

Moniteau turned the tables in the playoffs.

David Rumbaugh returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown and Adam Cousins booted a game-winning 24-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

Karns City 28, Moniteau 26 (Sept. 3, 2010) — Dylan Hipple orchestrated a 90-yard drive in the final two minutes, capping it with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Brian Best with 17 seconds left.

Here are some other interesting facts about this rivalry: Of the 64 meetings, 14 have been decided by two points or less. ... There have been 15 shutouts (Karns City with eight, Moniteau with six and one 0-0 tie). ... Karns City has averaged 24 points per game in the series; Moniteau 14.5.

Mike Kilroy is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.