by Susan Slater
In East Pasco County, few high school football games carry the weight, history, and hometown pride of the “9-Mile War.” The annual rivalry between the Zephyrhills Bulldogs and the Pasco Pirates is more than a game on the schedule. It is a community tradition that stretches back to 1941, linking generations of players, coaches, students, parents, and alumni from two towns separated by roughly nine miles. The name comes from the distance between Zephyrhills High School and Pasco High School in Dade City, but over the decades it has come to mean much more than geography.
The game is traditionally played at either Bulldog Stadium in Zephyrhills or W.F. Edwards Stadium in Dade City, and whichever side hosts, expect a charged atmosphere. The stands fill with fans wearing school colors, former players return to relive old memories, and families with ties to both schools often find themselves split across the rivalry line. For many who have played in it, the 9-Mile War is the game they remember most. Seasons may rise or fall, records may favor one team or the other, but the rivalry has long carried its own emotional stakes. Players have often described the matchup as the one they most want to win, even in difficult seasons.
The outcome brings bragging rights that last long after the final whistle, echoing through classrooms, local businesses, family gatherings, and city conversations. Pasco historically held the upper hand in the series, with the Pirates building a strong advantage through many of the rivalry’s early and middle years. Their dominance included a seven-game winning streak from 2008 through 2014. That streak ended in 2015, when Zephyrhills delivered a decisive 50-16 victory, signaling a shift in momentum. Since then, the Bulldogs have frequently controlled the matchup, including a 49-12 win over Pasco in 2025, extending a recent run of success for Zephyrhills.
The rivalry’s intensity has occasionally spilled beyond the field in memorable ways. In 2013, the mayors of Zephyrhills and Dade City made a friendly wager on the outcome. Whoever’s team lost, the Mayor had to wear the winning team’s mascot costume to a council or commissioners meeting. Mayor Danny Burgess told the cheerleaders to work their mascot extra hard. That way the suit would be extra dirty for the Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez. When Pasco beat Zephyrhills 24-16 before a packed crowd of about 5,000 fans, Zephyrhills Mayor Danny Burgess had to wear a Pirates mascot costume at a city council meeting. Moments like that show how deeply the 9-Mile War is woven into local civic life, where school spirit and city pride often overlap.
After more than eight decades, the 9-Mile War remains one of Tampa Bay’s most recognizable high school football rivalries. It is fierce, familiar, and deeply local—a Friday night tradition built on distance, pride, competition, and community. ♥
