Middle Creek coach Sean Crocker was surprised last season when he found out that some of his top players were using their weekends to hang out with best friends - and other top players - from Fuquay-Varina High School.

But such is the rivalry between Middle Creek and Fuquay-Varina. Several of the players on either side know one another from middle schools that feed into both high schools. And there are plenty of top players in a rivalry that has had a large say in who wins the Tri-Nine Conference.

Since 2005, both teams have advanced to the state playoffs each season and have held at least a share of seven conference titles.

"We've shared a lot of neighborhoods and still share a lot of neighborhoods," Fuquay-Varina coach Ryan Habich said.

"(But) it makes (the rivalry) a lot bigger when both teams have successful years."

Also in 2005, both head coaches were first introduced to the rivalry which has ramped up over recent years. Crocker (34-20 in his fifth season) was in his first season as an assistant coach of the Mustangs, while Habich (35-7 in his fourth season) was in his first year as an assistant coach at Fuquay-Varina.

"It's been a pretty big rivalry ever since I've been at Middle Creek," Crocker said.

"It seems like every time we play it's for conference championship implications. That builds the intensity of the rivalry, and it's always a good game."

The familiarity and rivalry isn't limited to the students on the field.

Going into the 2009 meeting at Middle Creek, Fuquay-Varina's student section - the "Orange Crush" - was getting a lot of publicity in the area. The Mustangs student section - known as the "Creek Crazies" - made a shirt to show their disdain for their Bengal counterparts.

Using the same font and style of Fuquay's Orange Crush T-shirts, Middle Creek students wore red shirts that had one letter change in them.

They read: "Orange Hush."

Middle Creek won that night with just a week left in the season, thereby clinching their first outright conference title. It was the only time in six seasons Fuquay-Varina was denied at least a share of conference title.

"Nobody wants to lose to somebody they know," Crocker said.

The bragging rights were taken back by the Bengals last year in a game that came down to the final drive.

The game looms large in many ways for each side - neither wants to take a loss heading into the next section of games.

Fuquay-Varina (2-0) must play three of last season's playoff teams over the next three weeks, including at Cary.

Middle Creek (1-1) has an even tougher stretch, playing at Garner, at Lee County, home with Cary and at Panther Creek in succession.

"I don't know if it's a must-win or anything like that because we've got a lot of football left to play," Crocker said.

"But it's definitely one that is going to make a difference in our conference."