The Coldwater-Sturgis Rivalry

The Coldwater-Sturgis Football Rivalry

The first recorded Coldwater-Sturgis football game that we have knowledge of was played in 1916, with Coldwater winning 70-0. The two teams played each other every year from 1919 until 2013. The original series ended only when the two schools moved to separate athletic conferences (Sturgis to the Wolverine Conference, Coldwater to the Interstate 8). In 2020, the teams faced each other in the MHSAA Football Playoffs for the first time ever, with the Cardinals coming out on top 40-14. Sturgis now leads the all-time series 49-47, with 2 ties. The two historic rivals went head-to-head to open the 2023 season.

  • 2023: Sturgis 34, Coldwater 12

  • 2020: Coldwater 40, Sturgis 14 (MHSAA Division 3 District First Round)

  • 2013: Coldwater 34, Sturgis 14

  • 2012: Sturgis 42, Coldwater 22

  • 2011: Sturgis 14, Coldwater 0

  • 2010: Sturgis 41, Coldwater 14

  • 2009: Coldwater 30, Sturgis 9

  • 2008: Coldwater 48, Sturgis 14

  • 2007: Coldwater 14, Sturgis 7

  • 2006: Sturgis 40, Coldwater 9

  • 2005: Coldwater 26, Sturgis 25

  • 2004: Sturgis 48, Coldwater 13

  • 2003: Sturgis 51, Coldwater 14

  • 2002: Sturgis 39, Coldwater 20

  • 2001: Sturgis 45, Coldwater 30

  • 2000: Sturgis 41, Coldwater 24

  • 1999: Sturgis 49, Coldwater 28

  • 1998: Sturgis 35, Coldwater 16

  • 1997: Sturgis 35, Coldwater 0

  • 1996: Sturgis 56, Coldwater 27

  • 1995: Coldwater 13, Sturgis 7

  • 1994: Coldwater 34, Sturgis 20

  • 1993: Sturgis 42, Coldwater 6

  • 1992: Sturgis 28, Coldwater 26

  • 1991: Sturgis 35, Coldwater 6

  • 1990: Sturgis 15, Coldwater 14

  • 1989: Coldwater 16, Sturgis 2

  • 1988: Coldwater 34, Sturgis 0

  • 1987: Coldwater 22, Sturgis 20

  • 1986: Coldwater 24, Sturgis 7

  • 1985: Coldwater 15, Sturgis 14

  • 1984: Sturgis 14, Coldwater 2

  • 1983: Coldwater 31, Sturgis 3

  • 1982: Coldwater 39, Sturgis 15

  • 1981: Sturgis 40, Coldwater 8

  • 1980: Coldwater 15, Sturgis 13

  • 1979: Coldwater 28, Sturgis 0

  • 1978: Sturgis 7, Coldwater 6

  • 1977: Coldwater 39, Sturgis 6

  • 1976: Coldwater 27, Sturgis 14

  • 1975: Sturgis 22, Coldwater 7

  • 1974: Sturgis 48, Coldwater 3

  • 1973: Coldwater 19, Sturgis 7

  • 1972: Coldwater 26, Sturgis 0

  • 1971: Coldwater 32, Sturgis 30

  • 1970: Sturgis 24, Coldwater 6

  • 1969: Sturgis 28, Coldwater 14

  • 1968: Sturgis 27, Coldwater 14

  • 1967: Coldwater 6, Sturgis 0

  • 1966: Sturgis 61, Coldwater 0

  • 1965: Sturgis 34, Coldwater 20

  • 1964: Coldwater 13, Sturgis 7

  • 1963: Coldwater 27, Sturgis 6

  • 1962: Sturgis 6, Coldwater 0

  • 1961: Coldwater 18, Sturgis 7

  • 1960: Sturgis 34, Coldwater 15

  • 1959: Sturgis 13, Coldwater 12

  • 1958: Sturgis 6, Coldwater 0

  • 1957: Coldwater 21, Sturgis 12

  • 1956: Coldwater 19, Sturgis 0

  • 1955: Sturgis 12, Coldwater 0

  • 1954: Sturgis 19, Coldwater 13

  • 1953: Coldwater 14, Sturgis 3

  • 1952: Sturgis 26, Coldwater 14

  • 1951: Sturgis 25, Coldwater 7

  • 1950: Sturgis 13, Coldwater 6

  • 1949: Coldwater 12, Sturgis 6

  • 1948: Coldwater 27, Sturgis 24

  • 1947: Coldwater 14, Sturgis 13

  • 1946: Coldwater 13, Sturgis 0

  • 1945: Sturgis 21, Coldwater 0

  • 1944: Sturgis 30, Coldwater 6

  • 1943: Sturgis 26, Coldwater 20

  • 1942: Sturgis 19, Coldwater 6

  • 1941: Coldwater 18, Sturgis 7

  • 1940: Sturgis 7, Coldwater 6

  • 1939: Coldwater 6, Sturgis 0

  • 1938: Sturgis 7, Coldwater 0

  • 1937: Coldwater 12, Sturgis 6

  • 1936: Sturgis 20, Coldwater 0

  • 1935: Sturgis 26, Coldwater 0

  • 1934: Sturgis 6, Coldwater 0

  • 1933: Coldwater 6, Sturgis 0

  • 1932: Sturgis 19, Coldwater 0

  • 1931: Coldwater 13, Sturgis 0

  • 1930: Coldwater 20, Sturgis 0

  • 1929: Coldwater 13, Sturgis 0

  • 1928: Coldwater 30, Sturgis 0

  • 1927: Coldwater 13, Sturgis 0

  • 1926: Coldwater 17, Sturgis 0

  • 1925: Sturgis 13, Coldwater 0

  • 1924: Coldwater 0, Sturgis 0

  • 1923: Coldwater 6, Sturgis 6

  • 1922: Sturgis 7, Coldwater 0

  • 1921: Coldwater 27, Sturgis 7

  • 1920: Coldwater 39, Sturgis 13

  • 1919: Coldwater 79, Sturgis 0

  • 1918: NO GAME

  • 1917: NO GAME

  • 1916: Coldwater 70, Sturgis 0

Research was provided by Mark Adams, retired Sturgis High School Athletic Director, and Tom Duke, Coldwater resident and longtime radio voice of the Sturgis Trojans.