The inaugural Kenosha Bowl was a spectacle to behold.

After 44 previous meetings, two fierce rivals squared off in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association football playoffs for the first time.

It seemed as if half of the city’s population showed up on a made-for-football afternoon at Ameche Field.

That rabid, throaty crowd was then treated to a competitive battle that wasn’t decided until the final second ticked off the scoreboard.

The undefeated team saw its season come to an abrupt end.

The underdog winner celebrated like it was New Year’s Eve, the Fourth of July and Mardi Gras all rolled into one.

Kenosha Bowl II, you have your work cut out for you.

For the second time in three years, Bradford (10-0) and Tremper (6-4) will meet in the second round of the WIAA Division-1 playoffs 1 p.m. today at Ameche Field.

The winner of the 48th meeting between the schools moves on to the quarterfinals and one step closer to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.

The loser turns in the equipment on Monday.

Tremper will be looking to dish out a double-dose of payback today.

In the postseason matchup two years ago, the Trojans entered with a 10-0 record, but the Red Devils prevailed 21-13.

In the regular-season finale 10 days ago, Bradford capped an undefeated regular season — its first since 1959 — with a convincing 35-6 victory over Tremper. It was the largest margin of victory ever for the Red Devils over the Trojans.

Despite losing by a lopsided margin in the last go-round, Tremper showed it could move the ball against the Southeast Conference champions. The Trojans finished with 21 first downs and 372 total yards (247 passing).

“We’ve been on them about it — getting the ball in the end zone,” Tremper coach Frank Matrise Jr. said. “When we get in the red zone, we have to score. That’s one of the areas we have to improve on. We just can’t have mental mistakes. We have to make sure that we come out and play composed and just take care of what we can take care of.”

Defeating the same team twice in one season is never easy, so don’t expect the Red Devils to be overlooking the opposition.

“Tremper had opportunities to make that game a lot closer than what it was,” Bradford coach Jed Kennedy said about the Oct. 21 matchup. “We need to make sure that we understand that. We certainly know that they’re not going to lay down and let us walk into the quarterfinals.

“I have a hunch it’s going to be a very, very good game.”

Andrew Horschak is in his 15th year of covering high school football at the News. Contact him at ahorschak@kenoshanews.com

** For more on the matchup, pick up Saturday’s Kenosha News **