MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- USA TODAY High School Sports has crowned the winners in each state and the District of Columbia in its search for the best high school football rivalry in the country, and now those 51 rivalries are headed to the regional round to narrow the competition even further.

The USA TODAY High School Sports search to determine the nation's best high school football rivalry began on Nov. 19 and will continue through Dec. 19. The two teams ultimately determined by online voting to be America's best high school football rivalry will earn $10,000 ($5,000 to each school) in athletic department funding, as well as national coverage of the game in USA TODAY Sports in 2013 and a specially-designed trophy to be held by the rivalry's winner each year going forward.

Three rivalries had been chosen for each state and Washington D.C., by the editorial staff of USA TODAY High School Sports, with fans voting in the state round for two weeks. The state voting closed on Monday, Dec. 3, and the regional round—dividing the 51 winning rivalries among North, South, Midwest and West regions—will open today at 11 a.m. EST and end next Wednesday, Dec. 12.

The four regional winners will advance to the national round, and the winner of the national round will be named the nation's top high school football rivalry at 11 a.m. EST on Dec. 19.

Fans can vote for their favorite high school football rivalry at http://contest.usatodayhss.com/.

The state winners advancing to the regional round include the following:

NORTH

Connecticut - Norwich Free Academy (Norwich) vs. New London (New London);Delaware - Dover (Dover) vs. Caesar Rodney (Camden); Maine - Thornton Academy (Saco) vs. Biddeford (Biddeford); Maryland - City (Baltimore) vs. Poly (Baltimore); Massachusetts - Wellesley (Wellesley Hills) vs. Needham (Needham); New Hampshire - Pinkerton (Derry) vs. Londonderry (Londonderry); New Jersey - Peddie School (Highstown) vs. Blair Academy (Blairstown); New York - Fordham Prep (Bronx) vs. Xavier (New York); Pennsylvania - William Penn Charter (Philadelphia) vs. Germantown Academy (Fort Washington); Rhode Island - West Warwick (West Wrack) vs. Coventry (Coventry); Vermont - St. Johnsbury Academy (St. Johnsbury) vs. Lyndon Institute (Lyndon Center); Washington DC - St. John's College vs. Gonzaga; West Virginia - Parkersburg (Parkersburg) vs. Parkersburg South (Parkersburg).

SOUTH

Alabama - T.R. Miller (Brewton) vs. W's. Neal (Brewton); Arkansas - Springdale (Springdale) vs. Fayetteville (Fayetteville); Florida - Manatee (Bradenton) vs. Southeast (Bradenton); Georgia - Lowndes (Valdosta) vs. Valdosta (Valdosta); Kentucky - St. Xavier (Louisville) vs. Trinity (Louisville); Louisiana - Jesuit (New Orleans) vs. Holy Cross (New Orleans); Mississippi - Olive Branch (Olive Branch) vs. South Panola (Batesville); North Carolina - Pigsah (Canton) vs. Tuscola Senior (Waynesville); Oklahoma - Jenks (Jenks) vs. Union (Tulsa); South Carolina - Rock Hill (Rock Hill) vs. Northwestern (Rock Hill); Tennessee - Baylor School (Chattanooga) vs. McCallie School (Chattanooga); Texas - Sherman (Sherman) vs. Denison (Denison); Virginia - Woodberry Forest (Woodberry Forest) vs. Episcopal (Alexandria).

MIDWEST

Illinois - Mount Carmel (Chicago) vs. St. Rita of Cascia (Chicago); Indiana - Ben Davis (Indianapolis) vs. Warren Central (Indianapolis); Iowa - Valley (West Des Moines) vs. Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines); Kansas - Dodge City (Dodge City) vs. Garden City (Garden City); Michigan - Negaunee (Negaunee) vs. Marquette Senior (Marquette); Minnesota - Eden Prairie (Eden Prairie) vs. Wayzata (Wayzata); Missouri - Brookfield (Brookfield) vs. Marceline (Marceline); Nebraska - Norfolk Catholic (Norfolk.) vs. Pierce (Pierce); North Dakota - Bismarck (Bismarck) vs. Century (Bismarck); Ohio - Washington (Massillon) vs. McKinley (Canton); South Dakota - Groton (Groton) vs. Roncalli (Aberdeen); Wisconsin - Green Bay East (Green Bay) vs. Green Bay West (Green Bay).

WEST

Alaska - Bartlett (Anchorage) vs. East (Anchorage); Arizona - Douglas (Douglas) vs. Bisbee (Bisbee); California - Lincoln (San Jose) vs. San Jose Academy (San Jose); Colorado - Centennial (Pueblo) vs. Central (Pueblo); Hawaii - Kahuku (Kahuku) vs. Farrington (Honolulu); Idaho - Highland (Pocatello) vs. Pocatello (Pocatello); Montana - Drummond (Drummond) vs. Wibaux County (Wibaux); Nevada - Carson (Carson City) vs. Douglas (Minden); New Mexico - Las Cruces (Las Cruces) vs. Mayfield (Las Cruces); Oregon - Oregon City (Oregon City) vs. West Linn (West Linn); Utah - Olympus (Salt Lake City) vs. Skyline (Salt Lake City); Washington - Enumclaw (Enumclaw) vs. White River (Buckley); Wyoming - Sheridan (Sheridan) vs. Campbell County (Gillette).

For more information, visit USA TODAY High School Sports.

The USA TODAY Sports Media Group encompasses all sports initiatives across USA TODAY Sports and Gannett's more than 100 well-known local media brands. It also includes the sports photography service USA TODAY Sports Images, USA TODAY High School Sports and the hundreds of sites within USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties such as thebiglead.com and mixed martial arts site MMAjunkie.com, among others.  USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

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SOURCE USA TODAY Sports Media Group