The high school football teams based in Jefferson and Perry are used to playing each other on an annual basis. In fact, only a handful of times have there been interruptions in the series dating back to 1898 when the Perry YMCA team defeated Jefferson High School.

It’s among the oldest series in Iowa, and the website High School Football America (HSFA) lists just 35 high school football rivalries in the United States that started before 1898 that are still going today.

The Cowbell was introduced in 1928 by the Rotary Clubs from Jefferson and Perry with the winning team keeping the bell until the game the following year. Greene County teams have won the last five meetings and the Rams hold a 62-29-2 advantage since the Cowbell has been played for.