Merrill Fire Chief wins “War on 64” wager for second straight year

For the third consecutive year, Merrill Fire Chief Josh Klug and Antigo Fire Chief Corey Smith placed a friendly wager on the outcome of the “War on 64” football game between their respective schools. This year, the Merrill Bluejays Varsity Football Team emerged victorious over the Antigo Red Robins, sending Chief Smith to Merrill to fulfill his end of the bet.
The tradition, now in its third year, has become a fixture of the annual rivalry game. The stakes vary from year to year, with the fire chief from the losing team performing some task for the winning department. The first year, Merrill lost, sending Klug to Antigo to pony up his services and bring breakfast for the Antigo crew. Last year, Smith cleaned the floor at the Merrill Fire Station after a Bluejay victory and brought lunch. This year, Smith had to wash a Merrill fire truck of Klug’s choosing. Klug went easy on him and had him wash the department’s command car, and after Smith finished scrubbing, Klug stepped up to help by rinsing the vehicle. This year Smith also brought lunch for the department.
“Chief Smith did a great job washing our command car and brought us some delicious BBJacks Pizza from Antigo,” Klug said in his Facebook post after the Antigo Fire Chief’s visit on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025.
The wager began three years ago as a way to build excitement around the storied high school football rivalry. Klug and Smith are friends, having forged a friendship out of the fire, so to speak. But more seriously, their friendship was built on common backgrounds and interests. Both were raised in central Wisconsin, are involved with union activities, have a passion for firefighting and apparently football (at least as fans), and were promoted to fire chief in their respective departments.
And while Merrill has won back-to-back games, leaving Smith on the losing end for two consecutive years, the bet is serving both communities in a variety of ways, regardless of who wins the game, and the guys are having fun doing it.

“Chief Smith and I find that this friendly wager promotes community and school pride,” Klug said. “Additionally it’s a platform to talk about the similarities between sports/football and the fire service. We hope that some of the kids playing in those games consider the fire service in the future as they look into different professions.”
The chiefs see their annual bet as more than just good-natured fun between rival towns. They view it as an opportunity to connect with young athletes and introduce them to careers in emergency services. By tying their profession to the competitive spirit and teamwork displayed on the football field, they hope to inspire future firefighters.
With Merrill holding a 2-1 advantage in the wager series after two straight wins, both communities continue to benefit from the camaraderie and school spirit generated by the bet. The tradition has clearly become a meaningful part of the “War on 64” rivalry.