Game of the Week: Barstow visits Victor Valley for the historic 100th Axe Game
Ninety years, 99 games, 50 wins for Barstow, 45 wins for Victor Valley and four ties.
That’s how one of the oldest rivalry games in California has played out since 1932.
For 48 thrill-packed minutes, the two oldest schools in the High Desert will battle for the Axe, which has seen various coats of white and green paint for the last three years.
Victor Valley rides its three-game winning streak over Barstow in the annual rivalry game, looking to make it four in a row — a feat that hasn't been done since Barstow's stretch of six straight from 1990-95.
This year, the Axe Game represents the start of Desert Sky League action for the Jackrabbits, while Barstow is looking to improve to 2-0 in league play, coming off a 13-12 victory over Adelanto last week.
Here’s a look at this 100th edition of the Axe Game, followed by a brief look at the rest of the local action in Week 8, including three other Thursday night games.
More: Vote for the Victorville Chevrolet High School Athlete of the Week
What to know
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. at Ray Moore Stadium.
Records: Barstow 5-2, 1-0 DSL; Victor Valley 5-1, 0-0 DSL
Series record: Barstow leads the series 50-45-4.
CalPreps.com ratings: Barstow 5.2, Victor Valley -15.6
CalPreps.com projection: Barstow 38-10
What happened last year
Victor Valley rallied to beat Barstow 26-21 at Langworthy Field. Barstow held a 14-0 lead at halftime, and then Victor Valley's Hezekiah Jenkins took the opening kickoff in the second half for an 82-yard touchdown for a much-needed spark. Jenkins later picked off a pass midway through the fourth quarter and ran it back for a touchdown to give the Jackrabbits a five-point lead.
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The math doesn’t add up
While this is the 100th edition of the Axe Game, that doesn’t quite mean the rivalry began back in 1923.
This storied rivalry began on Oct. 7, 1932, when the Jackrabbits beat Barstow 20-0. Victor Valley won the first three games of the series.
The programs met twice a year until 1941. Then, there was a two-year break amid World War II, and when action resumed in 1944, the teams played twice for two more seasons. The rivalry shifted to once a year from 1947 until 1960 and 1961, when two games were held in those seasons.
The rivalry was put on hold from 1977 to 1979 due to enrollment figures decreasing for Barstow while Victor Valley gained more students.
History of the Axe
According to previous reports, Keith Gunn, former Victor Valley principal and coach, is credited with coming up with the idea of the schools playing for the traveling trophy.
But there are different versions of where exactly the Axe comes from.
Some have said that Gunn was looking out his kitchen window one day when he saw a fireman's Axe stuck in a log in his backyard. Then he wondered if he refurbished the Axe and if it could be turned into a trophy to be played for.
Another version of the story is that a custodian at Victor Valley named Horine found the Axe while cleaning up and took it to Gunn’s office.
It’s unknown when the Axe even became the game’s prized possession.
“I don’t recall anything about it. When we played, I don’t remember it being over an Axe on display,” Peter Clentzos told the Desert Dispatch in 2001.
Clentzos was Barstow's head coach from 1936-41 when he left coaching to join the Army during World War II in 1942.
“If we did, it would have been exchanged after the game was played. I don’t think I would have started an exchange with an Axe. I don't know where it started,” Clentzos added.
Sometime in the 1940s, the game was referred to as the Axe Game. The Daily Press referred to the game as the “game of the axe” in the newspaper's Nov. 15, 1946 edition.
The longest winning streak
Barstow owns the longest winning streak, nine games from 1949-57. The Aztecs also held a six-game winning streak from 1990-95.
The Jackrabbits currently hold a three-game winning streak, a feat the team accomplished from 2009-11.
Victor Valley has won the last two meetings by a combined score of 91-35.
Defensive showcases
There have been 36 shutouts in Axe Game history. Barstow holds an 18-15-3 edge in shutout games. Three ties in the rivalry ended with a score of 0-0 (1945, 1947, and 1955), while the teams played to a 20-20 tie in 1951.
Victor Valley owns the last shutout, a 30-0 victory during the abbreviated 2020-21 season.
In the early days of the rivalry, the team to score points usually won by default because 21 of the first 28 matchups were shutouts for at least one group.
Victor Valley shut out Barstow in the first three Axe Games, while Barstow didn’t score its first points until 1933, a 12-0 victory.
Thursday night games
Apple Valley (3-2, 1-0 MRL) at Hesperia (5-1, 0-1 MRL), 7 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Apple Valley 22, Hesperia 15.4
CalPreps projection: Apple Valley 22-19
Game notes: The Sun Devils have not lost a game to Hesperia since 2014 (28-24) and have allowed just seven points over the last four meetings. Apple Valley won last year’s meeting 37-7 and the previous four games by a combined score of 165-7. In last year’s victory, Noah Celie completed 12 passes for 110 yards and three touchdowns. Apple Valley took 20 carries for 165 yards, with Xavier Salazar leading the way with six carries for 87 yards and a touchdown. Apple Valley's defense held Hesperia to 14 passing yards and 62 yards on 25 carries.
Adelanto (2-4, 0-1 DSL) at Granite Hills (5-2, 1-0 DSL), 7 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Adelanto -3.7, Granite Hills 2.2
CalPreps projection: Granite Hills 28-22
Game notes: In last year's meeting, the Saints pulled off a 60-38 victory over the Cougars. Adelanto ran wild for 517 yards and seven touchdowns on 40 carries. Granite Hills threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns, with Jordan Dalton completing ten passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. Kameron Smith ran for 184 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. The Saints are coming off a 13-12 loss to Barstow last week, while Granite Hills beat Silverado 30-20.
More: High Desert Sports Highlights: Hesperia Christian routs ACE in Agape League opener
Burroughs (0-6, 0-1 MRL) at Sultana (2-4, 0-1 MRL), 7 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Sultana -6.5, Burroughs -30.5
CalPreps projection: Sultana 46-13
Game notes: The Sultans are coming off a 28-14 loss to Apple Valley last week, while Burroughs was shut 46-0 by Serrano. Sultana beat Burroughs 55-13 last season and 56-0 the year before. In last year’s victory, Jake Higgs completed 16 passes for 274 yards and five touchdowns while taking four carries for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Friday night games
Oak Hills (5-1, 1-0 MRL) at Serrano (3-3, 1-0 MRL), 7 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Oak Hills 35.2, Serrano -0.5
CalPreps projection: Oak Hills 41-6
Game notes: The Bulldogs ride a two-game winning streak over the Diamondbacks, but the teams have split the last four meetings. Oak Hills won last year’s meeting 37-14. Diego Lopez threw for 175 yards and three touchdowns. The Bulldogs ran for 329 yards, with Karson Cox leading the way with 191 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. For Serrano, JJ Kavanaugh completed three passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns against Oak Hills last season, while the team ran for 138 yards on 40 carries. Serrano is coming off a 46-0 victory over Burroughs, while Oak Hills beat Hesperia 42-3. Quarterback Diego Lopez didn’t play in the game against Hesperia, sitting out due to a knee injury. Oak Hills head coach Robert Metzger on Lopez’s status, “We are evaluating him this week. So far, so good. If Diego can go without limitations, he will be the starter.”
Silver Valley (5-1, 3-0 ML) at California Military Institute (2-3), 3:30 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Silver Valley -34.6, California Military Institute -73.5
CalPreps projection: Silver Valley 42-0
Game notes: Led by Bryan Mitchell, the Trojans are coming off a 48-0 victory over San Jacinto Valley Academy last week. Mitchell threw for 161 yards and four touchdowns and led the ground game with four scrambles for 87 yards and a touchdown. The Trojans ran for 299 yards on 21 carries.
Lucerne Valley (1-3) at PAL Academy (1-4), 3 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Lucerne Valley -45.1, PAL Academy -44.4
Game notes: Isaiah Navarro took 29 carries for 236 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 36-12 loss to Malibu. The Mustangs lost 52-22 to PAL Academy in last season’s meeting.
Hesperia Christian (5-1, 1-0 AL) at UCSA (2-1), 7 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Hesperia Christian 37.6, UCSA -31.2
Game notes: The Patriots kicked off Agape League action with a 57-0 victory over ACE. Quarterback Arlan Koester led the offense with 133 passing yards and two touchdowns and tallied eight tackles on defense.
ACE (2-3, 0-1 AL) at Desert Christian (1-4), 7 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: ACE -15.8, Desert Christian -18.9
Saturday’s game
Trinity Classical Academy (2-4) at Riverside Prep (2-4, 0-1 ML), 7 p.m.
CalPreps.com ratings: Riverside Prep -64.2, Trinity Classical Academy -49.7
CalPreps projection: Trinity Classical Academy 35-24
Daily Press reporter Jose Quintero may be reached at 760-951-6274 or JQuintero@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @J0seQuintero and on Instagram at @VVDailyPress_Sports.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Game of the Week: Barstow and Victor Valley set for 100th Axe Game
