New London – New London High School and Norwich Free Academy have won the category for Connecticut’s best high school football rivalry in a contest sponsored by USA TODAY, the New London school district announced today.

New London and NFA will face off as a pair in a national competition of high school football team rivalries sponsored by USA TODAY High School sports.

On the table is a grand prize of $10,000, which will be split evenly between the two schools if they emerge as the winner in the national category.

As the oldest high school football rivalry in the country, the Whalers and the Wildcats have met on the football field since 1875.

After being selected by USA TODAY as one of the three best Connecticut football rivalries, New London and NFA were entered into a pool of 153 high school football team rivalries throughout the country. Last month, after three rounds of voting, the local rivalry pushed ahead to win the best high school rivalry in Connecticut.

Now, New London and NFA are one of 51 winners in the regional category competing to become one of four rivalries that will advance to the national round.

The current regional round ends at 11 a.m. Eastern Time Dec. 12, with the four winners advancing to the national competition. That final round will conclude with the crowning of the nation’s top high school football rivalry at 11 a.m. on Dec. 19.

To vote for the Whalers as the best high school football rivalry in the country, visit contest.usatodayhss.com/vote/north.

Voting is open to all individuals who are residents of the U.S. or District of Columbia and who are 13 years or older at time of voting.