Former longtime Northampton athletic director Mike Schneider has some find memories about the Northampton-Whitehall rivalry.

“Back in the early 1970s, there were some fights off the field,” recalled Schneider. “It was pretty intense. Northampton had some pretty good teams back them, and they had the upper hand for a while.

“But the series always has been a tight one. With the past few years, Whitehall had the upper hand. Northampton has been better lately. There still is a good rivalry between the teams.

“Northampton, Whitehall, and Catty kids are basically from the same mold. They usually all know each other.”

Northampton and Whitehall will unofficially meet for the 90th time in their series Friday at Al Erdosy Field. The Konkrete Kids have a slim 43-41-6 lead in the series, which dates back to 1925. The teams have not played every year, mainly due to new league alignments.

With Catasauqua in the near vicinity, the Konkrete Kids-Zephyrs battle often falls in the shadows of the annual Thanksgiving Day tilt. This is the regular-season finale for both teams.

Yet, this Friday’s meeting has more ramifications for the Zephyrs than the Kids. Whitehall is in a battle for a playoff spot with Pleasant Valley and Pocono Mountain West, as all three teams have 5-4 records in the District 11 Class 5A bracket. However, Whitehall will begin the night as the No. 2 seed in the six-team bracket that will likely take three teams.

Northampton has won eight straight (9-1), and the last two games in the series. They have clinched the East Penn Conference (EPC) North title, but the Kids still have the tag of not being able to beat EPC South teams, as they lost a 17-16 heartbreaker to Allentown Central Catholic in their season opener when they choose a two-point conversion to win the game.

Today, the players are anxious for the upcoming clash, but they have kept their comments close to the vest.

Back in the day, life was different, and the tensions and tempers flared. There is a cavalcade of memories about the game, and Schneider recounted a then historic matchup at Baden Field in 1949.

“It was a different time and a different game,” Schneider said. “I don’t think the rivalries are the same today. There were some guys who coached at both schools, and some guys who made their mark through the series.”

John Bendekovits coached at both schools, and a Northampton grad. Whitehall recently named their weight room in his honors, as Bendekovits was one of the pioneers of weight training in the Lehigh Valley, notably at Whitehall.

Bendekovits, who had stints at Whitehall and Northampton and complied an overall 60-40-1 record, didn’t hesitate to cite the intensity behind the game.

“It always was a rivalry game,” he stated. “There were so many close games and good games. There are so many memorable games. When I played, they were intense games. There are a lot of many memories for many people.”

Bendekovits’ noted when he coached Whitehall and his son Matthew played for Northampton. His son, who was a center, separated his shoulder on the first play, but he continued to play the rest of the game.

“We’ll always remember that,” said Bendekovits. “But the game was about hard-nosed kids from both teams. My son just wanted to keep on playing.”

Bendekovits also pointed out the former Whitehall-Emmaus Thanksgiving Day tussle that apparently had more significance for Emmaus than Whitehall.

“It never really meant that much to the Whitehall people,” said Bendekovits. “Emmaus made a big deal out of it with the bonfires, events, and the parties. I remember one time it snowed on Thanksgiving, and we had to play on the next day.

“But it wasn’t that important to Whitehall.”

When they do play Friday, there will be plenty on both sides who recognize the present, but also some who will remember the past.

“It was special,” added Schneider. “And it still is.”