It was touted as 'the game of the century' in a rivalry locals are comparing to that of Michigan and Ohio State. But in reality, this one has a much smaller feel.

Watervliet and Coloma hit the century mark Friday night, squaring off on the gridiron as they have for 100 years now.

The milestone generated a lot of excitement in Northern Berrien County with local legends from as far back as the 1930's pouring in from across the country to mark the occasion.

And in the end, the game lived up to the hype. Coloma came from behind to beat Watervliet 21-12 to win its10th straight game in the rivalry series.

And when it comes to rivalries, memories seem to stick.

“We had no face masks that's how I got my nose busted [during the Watervliet game],” said George Vollrath, a 1947 Coloma graduate. “If you didn't win another game all year, if you won that game, you won everything."

Vollrath's son played for Coloma as well and his grandson, Dan, was on the field Friday night as the captain for the Comets.

"It's beautiful," Vollroth said of seeing his grandson player in the 100 year celebration game.

“We’d have to fight to get on the field there were so many people not even on the stands the entire field,” said Jerry Barchett, who coached with Watervliet Panthers from 1962-1982, and took them to a state championship game.

“[A player] from Coloma came around on a reverse and I was the only one; if I didn't get him he was going to go for a touchdown, but luckily I made the tackle,” said Gerald Rosenbaum, who graduated from Watervliet in 1954.

While the highlights are likely remembered a little faster, a little stronger, one thing is clear.

“The rivalry was intense and you lived or died for that game,” said Al Shrosbree, a 1945 Watervliet graduate.

Shrosbree came all the way from Detroit to reminisce about his time on the gridiron.

“[After a long run], Turns out I'd been forced out of bounds at the 6 inch line. Went into the huddle and the quarterback said, ‘you want to try to carry it in, Al?’ I said, ‘I used all my adrenaline I may drop it,’” Shrosbree said, laughing.

So after 100 years of memories of glory and defeat…

“We lost all the time to Coloma that’s how I remember it,” Rosenbaum said.

The process continued Friday, for yet another generation.

“I knew the guys I was playing with at Coloma I knew them personally,” Shrosbree said.

“It’s a beautiful thing, after the games are all over you're all friends,” Vollrath said.

The two schools are only about two and a half miles apart.

The rivalry game used to be the last game of the year until Coloma switched conferences, so now it's the first of the year.

Coloma has won 62 of their meetings, and Watervliet has only won 34. There have also been six ties. There were some years since 1909 when the teams played more than once a season, and some years when they didn’t play at all.

Watervliet hasn't beaten Coloma since 1999, but they only lost by 2 last year.