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Princeton/Kewanee to meet for the 125th time

Game will likely decide the Three Rivers Mississippi (East) title

Princeton and Kewanee will meet for the 125th time tonight in their storied rivalry dating back to the 1800s.

The Route 34 rivals first met on the gridiron in 1897, with the Tigers winning 34-4. Presumably, the Boilermakers scored two safeties in reaching their tally of 4.

The Tigers and Boilers met continuously from 1919 through 2009 (90 years) before taking three years off when Kewanee left the NCIC. In 2013, the series renewed when the Tigers joined the Boilermakers in the Three Rivers.

Matt Taylor, who played for the Boilermakers against Princeton, graduating in 1991, looks forward to his first experience as the Boilermakers head coach.

“I played against some tremendous Princeton teams. This game is a battle and everyone remembers their feeling of playing in a great traditional match-up. I hope everyone involved enjoys a spirited game tonight,” he said.

Princeton holds a 63-57-4 series edge and the traveling trophy from the spoils of their 56-8 victory at Bryant Field last year.

The Tigers have dominated the series of late, winning four of the last four meetings, seven of the last nine and 16 of the last 20 meetings since the turn of the century.

Here’s a rundown of all the scores:

1897 - Princeton 34, Kewanee 4

1898 - Princeton 15, Kewanee 0

1902 - Princeton 33, Kewanee 5

1903 - Kewanee 11, Princeton 6

1905 - Princeton 5, Kewanee 0

1906 - Kewanee 10, Princeton 0

Princeton 6, Kewanee 4

1907 - Kewanee 30, Princeton 0

1908 - Princeton 10, Kewanee 0

Princeton 5, Kewanee 0

1909 - Kewanee 6, Princeton 2

1910 - Princeton 6, Kewanee 3

Princeton 34, Kewanee 3

1911 - Kewanee 9, Princeton 0

1912 - Kewanee 10, Princeton 0

1913 - Princeton 40, Kewanee 0

1914 - Kewanee 14, Princeton 0

1915 - Kewanee 21, Princeton 0

Kewanee 22, Princeton 7

1916 - Kewanee 13, Princeton 0

Kewanee 14, Princeton 7

1917 - Princeton 41, Kewanee 13

Princeton 21, Kewanee 20

1919 - Princeton 48, Kewanee 0

1920 - Kewanee 20, Princeton 0

1921 - Princeton 20, Kewanee 0

1922 - Kewanee 6, Princeton 0

1923 - Princeton 19, Kewanee 0

1924 - Kewanee 23, Princeton 20

1925 - Princeton 34, Kewanee 6

1926 - Kewanee 51, Princeton 0

1927 - Princeton 18, Kewanee 13

1928 - Princeton 0, Kewanee 0 (tie)

1929 - Princeton 7, Kewanee 6

1930 - Kewanee 27, Princeton 0

1931 - Kewanee 21, Princeton 0

1932 - Kewanee 19, Princeton 0

1933 - Princeton 6, Kewanee 0

1934 - Kewanee 18, Princeton 0

1935 - Princeton 14, Kewanee 14 (tie)

1936 - Kewanee 13, Princeton 7

1937 - Kewanee 20, Princeton 7

1938 - Kewanee 7, Princeton 6

1939 - Princeton 12, Kewanee 7

1940 - Kewanee 28, Princeton 6

1941 - Kewanee 28, Princeton 0

1942 - Kewanee 34, Princeton 0

1943 - Kewanee 14, Princeton 6

1944 - Kewanee 6, Princeton 0

1945 - Kewanee 33, Princeton 0

1946 - Kewanee 42, Princeton 0

1947 - Princeton 7, Kewanee 0

1948 - Princeton 7, Kewanee 7 (tie)

1949 - Princeton 9, Kewanee 7

1950 - Kewanee 32, Princeton 12

1951 - Kewanee 41, Princeton 6

1952 - Kewanee 28, Princeton 20

1953 - Kewanee 13, Princeton 7

1954 - Princeton 28, Kewanee 6

1955 - Princeton 21, Kewanee 0

1956 - Princeton 13, Kewanee 12

1957 - Kewanee 7, Princeton 6

1958 - Princeton 20, Kewanee 7

1959 - Princeton 12, Kewanee 12 (tie)

1960 - Kewanee 32, Princeton 12

1961 - Kewanee 13, Princeton 0

1962 - Kewanee 6, Princeton 0

1963 - Kewanee 14, Princeton 12

1964 - Kewanee 27, Princeton 0

1965 - Kewanee 19, Princeton 0

1966 - Princeton 26, Kewanee 0

1967 - Princeton 34, Kewanee 14

1968 - Princeton 14, Kewanee 12

1969 - Princeton 6, Kewanee 0

1970 - Kewanee 22, Princeton 13

1971 - Kewanee 30, Princeton 14

1972 - Princeton 42, Kewanee 28

1973 - Kewanee 32, Princeton 0

1974 - Kewanee 64, Princeton 28

1975 - Princeton 22, Kewanee 6

1976 - Princeton 22, Kewanee 20

1977 - Kewanee 28, Princeton 0

1978 - Kewanee 27, Princeton 20

1979 - Princeton 55, Kewanee 20

1980 - Princeton 35, Kewanee 8

1981 - Princeton 7, Kewanee 0

1982 - Princeton 23, Kewanee 22 (OT)

1983 - Kewanee 28, Princeton 20

1984 - Princeton 10, Kewanee 7

1985 - Kewanee 28, Princeton 8

1986 - Princeton 28, Kewanee 14

1987 - Kewanee 26, Princeton 8

1988 - Princeton 27, Kewanee 20

1989 - Princeton 29, Kewanee 0

1990 - Princeton 22, Kewanee 7

1991 - Princeton 28, Kewanee 14

1992 - Kewanee 21, Princeton 19

1993 - Kewanee 20, Princeton 9

1994 - Princeton 24, Kewanee 13

1995 - Kewanee 22, Princeton 21

1996 - Princeton 33, Kewanee 6

1997 - Princeton 34, Kewanee 12

1998 - Princeton 8, Kewanee 0

1999 - Kewanee 47, Princeton 0

2000 - Princeton 42, Kewanee 6

2001 - Princeton 23, Kewanee 14

2002 - Princeton 50, Kewanee 7

2003 - Princeton 21, Kewanee 12

2004 - Kewanee 19, Princeton 7

2005 - Princeton 42, Kewanee 14

2006 - Princeton 42, Kewanee 18

2007 - Princeton 26, Kewanee 12

2008 - Princeton 33, Kewanee 20

2009 - Princeton 23, Kewanee 0

2013 - Kewanee 36, Princeton 0

2014 - Princeton 17, Kewanee 7

2015 - Princeton 31, Kewanee 0

2016 - Princeton 28, Kewanee 20

2017 - Kewanee 23, Princeton 21

2018 - Princeton 49, Kewanee 3

2019 - Princeton 49, Kewanee 7

2021 - Princeton 43, Kewanee 7

2021 - Kewanee 49, Princeton 21

2022 - Princeton 56, Kewanee 7

All-time series: Princeton 63-57-4

Kevin Hieronymus

Kevin Hieronymus

Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986, covering Bureau County and IL Valley Sports. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a regular contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals Magazine. He is a member of the IBCA and Illinois Valley Hall of Fames. He is one of 4 sportswriters from his tiny hometown Atlanta, IL