Eight Years Later, the Oilers Have Their “Knight” Some rivalries need a trophy. Some need a traveling cup. And some simply need a little history, a little pride and a scoreboard that everyone remembers. Central Plains and Victoria have never really needed a name for theirs. It has always been there — an unspoken rivalry that needs no introduction when the two teams line up across from one another. Friday night in Victoria, the Oilers finally had something to say about the recent history. Central Plains defeated Victoria 28-18, earning its first victory over the Knights since 2018. Eight years is a long time to wait for a win. But if you’re going to break a streak, you might as well do it on opening night. And the Oilers wasted little time making it clear they weren’t interested in letting history repeat itself. Within the first 10 minutes, Victoria had marched deep into Central Plains territory and found itself knocking on the door, just 10 yards or so from the end zone. That’s when Richard Hayes delivered a momentum-changing hit. Hayes came up with a big tackle that jarred the ball loose, and Broc Klima was there to recover the fumble. Just like that, what looked like a potential Knights touchdown became an Oiler opportunity. Central Plains made the most of it. Brodie Crites connected with Teagan Schepmann for an Oiler touchdown, turning a huge defensive stand into points on the other end of the field. But the night was far from settled. With just two seconds left on the clock before halftime, Crites scrambled into the end zone for another touchdown. The Oilers then converted the two-point attempt, taking the lead into the locker room at the break. Talk about making every second count. While Crites provided the arm and the legs, Keeton Robison provided plenty of headaches for the Knights’ defense. Robison found the small openings during the evening when they appeared and made Victoria pay for missed tackles, slipping through the cracks and sliding past defenders on his way to two touchdowns. It wasn’t necessarily about finding a giant hole. Sometimes, all an Oiler needs is a little daylight. Robison found it. The matchup was already filled with enough familiar connections to make it interesting before the first whistle. Victoria Athletic Director Devin Ryan is a Claflin native and former Oiler, while Knights head coach Doug Oberle is also a Claflin graduate. Oberle, a 1989 graduate, has gone on to establish an impressive coaching legacy at Victoria, making the sight of him on the opposite sideline one that has become familiar to local football fans. Friday’s game added another chapter to that story. The heat even had a say in how the night unfolded, pushing kickoff back an hour from 7 to 8 p.m. The later start gave players and fans a little relief from the brutal Kansas temperatures — although once the game began, nobody seemed particularly interested in taking it easy. The contest had plenty of intensity, and at times perhaps a little more than anyone ordered. Penalties and a few unsportsmanlike moments made for a chippy evening, but underneath it all was exactly what you would expect when two competitive programs meet with plenty of pride on the line. And this time, the scoreboard belonged to the Oilers. For Central Plains, the 28-18 victory wasn’t just the first win of a new season. It was the end of a streak, the beginning of a new chapter and perhaps a reminder that past results don’t get to play the game for you. Victoria had won the previous seven meetings, including last year’s heartbreaking 22-20 victory. But Friday night belonged to Central Plains. There is something particularly satisfying about opening a season by knocking down a team that has had your number. And while there is no state championship matchup waiting at the end of the road between these two programs — the Oilers and Knights compete in different divisions — there’s still plenty of room for both teams to dream big. In fact, that’s the best part. Here’s hoping both programs have healthy, successful seasons. Here’s hoping both are still playing meaningful football when the calendar turns to November. Here’s hoping the players make memories that last a whole lot longer than a Friday night scoreboard. And maybe, just maybe, both teams can make it far enough that their communities spend a few weeks wishing the divisions worked differently. For now, though, Central Plains gets to enjoy something it hasn’t been able to say since 2018: The Oilers beat the Knights. Twenty-eight to eighteen. The rivalry may still be unspoken. But after Friday night, the Oilers have officially had their say. This fun story is from the "Unofficial Oiler".  She will be covering the Claflin games this season.  Stay tuned for more.