Carson-Douglas 100: The rivalry, decade by decade

The 100 years of the Carson-Douglas football rivalry have not always played out as a predictable, steady progression of annual football games.

The series — now played annually since 1979 — got off to a slow start and had numerous lengthy gaps before settling into its now-familiar rhythm. The early days of the rivalry also saw the teams often play twice per year — the 10 seasons from 1934 to 1943 included 18 Carson-Douglas games (and a 19^th snowed out on game day).

Following is a look at how the rivalry has progressed, broken down by decades.

1920s

Games: 3

Results: Carson 3 wins

Average score: 36-2

Highlights: What turned into a 100-year rivalry got off to a slow start with a 70-point Carson win in 1923 in the first season of football for “Gardnerville.” The game eventually had three final scores listed that fall, a product of the often-sketchy reporting of the time. The teams also played on consecutive weekends in 1924.

1930s

Games: 11

Results: Carson 8 wins; Douglas 2 wins; 1 tie

Average score: 15-2

Highlights: The series went on a 10-year pause after 1924, but came roaring back in the ’30s with 11 games in six years. The teams generally played once at the Douglas County Fair and then later in the season as part of Carson City’s “Admission Day” celebrations. Douglas swept the 1938 games with two shutouts, its first wins in the series.

1940s

Games: 13

Results: Carson 9 wins; Douglas 2 wins; 2 ties

Average score: 19-6

Highlights: The ’40s turned out to be the busiest period for the Carson-Douglas rivalry, probably not a huge surprise given that there was a war on and limiting travel was a priority. The teams played in every year of the decade, with two games held in 1940, 1942 and 1943. The 1947 game at Douglas was billed as the first evening sports event to be held in Northern Nevada. Defense ruled the era, with 10 of the 13 losing scores coming in at either six or zero points.

1950s

Games: 8

Results: Carson 6 wins; Douglas 2 wins

Average score: 35-9

Highlights: Douglas won the first two games of the decade, but then it was all Carson. That includes wins of 39-12 in 1955 and 70-0 in 1956 — tied for the biggest margin in series history — with both seasons ending in state 1A titles for the Senators.

1960s

Games: 5

Results: Carson 4 wins; one tie

Average score: 18-4

Highlights: Despite their proximity, the schools entered what was to become the least-active period of the rivalry. The 1963 game featured the series’ last tie — and it was 0-0, to boot — and the following year finished with a 21-0 win for Carson. The Senators went on to claim the state 2A title, which remains their most recent state championship in the sport.

1970s

Games: 1

Results: Carson 1 win

Score: 35-18

Highlights: The 1979 game ended a 13-year gap in the series — the longest ever — and also set the stage for Douglas to join Carson at the state’s large-school level. The teams have played every year since (not counting the COVID-canceled 2020 season). During the rivalry’s dead period, Douglas broke through to win the state 2A title in 1974.

1980s

Games: 10

Results: Carson 7 wins; Douglas 3 wins

Average score: 20-9

Highlights: With both schools now permanent fixtures in Nevada’s large-school level, the Carson-Douglas game was back on the map as an annual affair. The Tigers’ win in 1980 was its first in the series in 29 years, but Carson went on to own most of the rest of the decade. It was the first time since the 1940s that the teams met at least once per season.

1990s

Games: 10

Results: Carson 5 wins, Douglas 5 wins

Average score: 23-10

Highlights: The teams split the decade, showing that Douglas — historically the smaller of the two — was catching up, both in terms of enrollment and on the field. The Tigers’ 40-7 win in 1992 and 35-3 win four years later remain two of their biggest in the series. The schedule-makers finally caught on, too, shifting the rivalry game to a late-October date — six of the 10 meetings came on Oct. 20 or later.

2000s

Games: 10

Results: Douglas 7 wins; Carson 3 wins

Average score: 38-13

Highlights: For the first time, the Tigers began to dominate the rivalry. Douglas won seven straight in the series from 2002 to 2008 — more than a quarter of its total wins in the series — including consecutive blowout in 2003 (37-7), 2004 (41-0) and 2005 (53-19). The games continued to be played late in the season, including the first November dates since 1980.

2010s

Games: 10

Results: Carson 6 wins; Douglas 4 wins

Average score: 33-18

Highlights: One of the best periods of the rivalry came from 2010 to 2013, with all four games going down to the wire and being decided by six or fewer points. Carson won three of the four (by three, two and six points) to end Douglas’ dominant run from the decade before. The Senators won the 2017 game, 59-28, with the teams combining for the most points scored in a single game.

2020s

Games: 3

Results: Carson 2 wins; Douglas 1 win

Average score: 22-12

Highlights: The decade got off to a slow start, with the 2020 season completely wiped out by COVID-19 restrictions. It was the first year since 1978 that a Carson-Douglas game was not played. The teams met twice in 2021 — the first time since 1943 that the series had two games in one calendar year — with Douglas winning in the spring and Carson in the fall.