Back in the 1970s Mount Airy, North Surry, East Surry, Surry Central, East Surry, North & South Stokes were 3A along with Madison Mayodan and some others I don't remember. East Surry did not really become a big rivalry until years later when the conference became 1A and Coach Diamont left Mount Airy for East Surry. Back in the mid-1960s until they started dropping to 2A then 1A the big rivalry game was Mount Airy vs North Surry. The conference members changed several times over the years with most of this coming season members being a part of the conference seems like maybe several times. The NWC dropped to 2A and then 1A between the 1980s and around the or 90s 1A. So many years have passed it is kinda hard to remember when the dropped to 2A then 1A but this is the first time all 3 surry county schools have not been a part of the NWC. Elkin and Mount Airy are the only 1A surry county left and now back in the same conference for maybe the 3rd or 4th time since the 1960s. This may not be 100% correct but the rivalry answer is what you ask for and as long as Mount Airy and North Surry were in the same conference that was the game of the year and after NS stayed 2A and MA dropped to 1A the game remained a big rivalry but drop just a little with Mount Airy winning most of the games overall but North Surry did go through where they won maybe 8 games give or take 1 or 2 games straight and after that, it was mostly Mount Airy. If the Mount Airy Bear Historian would give us this history it would be 100% correct. The NWC members have changed many times with Mount Airy, East Surry, and North Stokes being the only members that stayed as NWC from the 1970s to the season-ending 2020-2021. If I am wrong or someone wants to add or correct me please do. It has all become somewhat of a blur over the last 60 plus years. I do know that Coaches Wally Shelton,
Alex Gibbs , Jerry Hollingsworth and Kelly Holder were Mount Airy's best from the names I remember. When they only had a Eastern & Western State Championship, Alex Gibbs won the 1968 western championship before moving on to a college and then a NFL coach.
Profile on spoke.com for Alex Gibbs, Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line, P B Sports
www.spoke.com