You can't have a rivalry after one meeting.
But if the Helias Crusaders and Blair Oaks Falcons continue to have wrestling duals like they had Tuesday night at Rackers Fieldhouse, you can pencil in the annual matchup as one to watch.
"I certainly hope so, if this is the way it's going to be, we are all for it," Helias coach Jacob Wadley said after the Crusaders edged the Falcons 40-36. "It was a lot of fun. It brings a great environment."
And brings to mind another annual meeting with a local foe.
"I haven't heard it as loud in here since we wrestled the Jays last year," Wadley said.
For the defending Class 1 state champion Falcons, it was a another step in the growth of the program.
"One of our goals when we got started was to be good enough to wrestle Helias and we've gotten there," Blair Oaks coach Tim Karsten said. "We're about ready to jump up to Class 2 and it worked out for both of us."
Blair Oaks began the dual in fine fashion. After the Crusaders got a forfeit at 120 pounds to start the dual, the Falcons rattled off four straight wins to take a 21-6 lead.
At 126, London Gaydos of the Falcons jumped out to a 4-0 lead midway through the second period against Nick Gaines. Gaines got a late escape to make it 4-1 heading into the third period, then got a pair of back points, but Gaydos held on for a 4-3 victory.
Bo Thomas then won by a first-period fall at 132 before Frankie Falotico dominated his match at 138. Falotico led 16-6 after one period before picking up a pin 34 seconds into the second.
"We don't have enough adjectives to describe how exciting (Falotico) is to watch," Karsten said.
Alex Gaydos won by forfeit at 145 to give the Falcons the 15-point advantage.
"We needed to start winning some matches," Wadley said.
Helias did just that, taking the next two by fall. Jacob Schulte won his match at 152 in 46 seconds before Logan Distler won in 2:23 at 160.
Distler gave up an early takedown, but tied it at the end of the first period before getting the win in the second.
"If that happened last year, Logan may not have had the confidence to come back," Wadley said. "But he's really improving and getting more confident."
Tanner Lueckenhoff was a first-period winner by fall for Blair Oaks at 170 before Nick Feely of Helias won by forfeit at 182.
At 195, Mason Field of Helias used a big third period to win by a 13-2 major decision that pulled the Crusaders into a 28-27 lead with four matches remaining.
Chance Cumpton of Blair Oaks then gave the Falcons the lead back with a 4-2 overtime win against Cole Czarnecki. Cumpton got a takedown with 13 second left to take a 2-1 lead before Czarnecki sent the match to an extra period with a takedown with five seconds remaining.
Cumpton then got a takedown in overtime for the victory.
"That was a tough one to lose, Cole has really been working hard," Wadley said.
In Tuesday night's first dual against Fatima, Cumpton got a takedown with a second left in the match for a 2-1 victory.
"I'm glad he's good at takedowns," Karsten said.
Lane Rose put Helias back on top with a win by fall in the first period at 285. Zach Wieberg won by forfeit at 106 to give the Falcons a 36-34 lead with one match remaining.
Zack Carr then gave the Crusaders the win with a first-period fall at 113.
"We're getting past the inexperienced stage," Wadley said. "Last year in a lot of these matches, we probably would have just gotten pinned. Now we're fighting and we we're winning some of them."
Helias is back in action Friday and Saturday in the Capital City Invitational at Fleming Fieldhouse. Blair Oaks will wrestle Fulton and Centralia on Thursday in Fulton.
"It was good start to what I hope will be a good rivarly like this every year," Karsten said. "They wrestled well, we wrestled well, it was an exciting night."
Helias and Blair Oaks also wrestled Fatima on Tuesday night. The Crusaders defeated the Comets 68-12, while the Falcons were 58-12 winners.
Caleb Schroeder of Fatima went 2-0 on the night. Fatima had just six wrestlers in its lineup.