CINCINNATI — One of the biggest high school football rivalries in Ohio is the subject of a new documentary that premiered in Cincinnati on Wednesday. 

“King of the Block” looks at the battle for bragging rights between Moeller High School and Princeton High School, that dominated high school football in Ohio during the 1970s and 1980s.  

It’s a story Branson Wright has wanted to tell for years.   

“It’s such a great rivalry because of the proximity of the schools,” Wright said. “A lot of these kids grew up together and once they got onto the field, friendship aside, the competition took the place.”

The former sports reporter and producer, who now lives in Cleveland, drafted lifelong-friend Tony Ralston to help.  

“I’m still taking it all in,” Ralston said. “I get nervous doing interviews, but I just take deep breaths and keep going.”

Ralston, a first-time filmmaker, helped track down some big names to appear in the film, from former Cincinnati Reds player and manager Pete Rose to former Ohio State quarterback and football analyst Kirk Herbstreit.

The filmmakers knew they also had to include a legendary coach at Moeller, Gerry Faust, whose record at Moeller was 178 wins and 23 losses. Faust then coached at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Akron.

“You can’t do a film on Moeller without talking to Gerry Faust, which we did, and we were happy he gave us the time. One of the greatest high school coaches ever.”

Faust attended the premiere and spent about a half hour talking with fans and former players and posing for photos before the premiere.

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” Faust said. He fondly remembers how the games between Moeller and Princeton would draw in thousands of fans. 

“The crowds were unbelievable,” Faust said. “In fact, we were playing one time, and the Reds were playing and we outdrew them.”

The film premiered to a sell-out crowd at the Mariemont Theatre on Cincinnati’s east side. The filmmakers are hoping to use the media coverage and positive reviews generated by the premiere to help secure a distribution deal that will bring “King of the Block” to a larger audience later this year.