Turkey Day High School Football

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Copyright 2010
High School Football America

Copyright 2010
High School Football America

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving full of family and football!!

Crazy day in the kitchen for me yesterday, so I didn't have a chance to post anything about my favorite high school football day of the year.  Nothing, in my mind, beats watching a high school football game on a cool and crisp Thanksgiving morning.

Last year, in the snow, Trish Hoffman and I spent the morning creating a video on the Battle of the Delaware River game between Easton (Pennsylvania) and Phillipsburg (New Jersey).  Yesterday, Easton beat P'burg 24-8 before 14,000 fans at Lafayette College.  The Red Rovers victory in game #105 in the series, gives Easton a 59-41-5 lead in the overall series.

Yesterday, also marked the first time in three years that I wasn't able to watch a Turkey Day tradition, live and in-person.

In 2009, High School Football America visited Connecticut to watch the battle between the two schools that started it all.  Norwich Free Academy and New London (then the New London Bulkeley Tigers) played America's first-ever high school football game on May 12, 1875; yesterday was the 150th meeting between the two.

New London (9-1) won the sesquicentennial game 37-17, however, NFA still leads the series 73-66-11.





Yesterday, Stonington (Connecticut) and Westerly (Rhode Island) met for the 100th time on Thanksgiving in the country's most played rivalry. Westerly beat Stonington 15-0 before 4,400 fans in the 152nd meeting between the two.

The win prevented Stonington (6-4) from making the Connecticut state playoffs; Westerly (8-2) already won its first round game in the Rhode Island state playoffs last week.  Stonington leads the all-time series 69-66-17.

Finally, there was the grand-daddy of them all...Needham and Wellesley that played for the 124th consecutive Thanksgiving.  It's Turkey Day's oldest continuous rivalry.

Needham (8-3) closed the gap in the all-time series with a 42-18 win that also clinched a playoff berth for the Rockets.  Wellesley (2-9) still leads the series 59-56-9.

Thanksgiving Day High School Football

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

As I noted the other day, there's nothing better than high school football on Thanksgiving morning!

Yesterday, visit to the 104th renewal of the Easton (PA)/Phillipsburg (NJ) rivalry was made even better by a surprise snow storm that blanked the field turf at Lafayette's Fisher Stadium with a coating of white that made it a picture-perfect setting, but was deadly to the offensives.

The only points of the game came on the final play off the game when Phillipsburg kicked a 25-yard field goal in overtime to beat their arch-rival 3-0.

The win ends the Stateliners season on a high note, but Easton must now rebound quickly.  The Red Rovers face Whitehall Saturday night for a district championship and berth in the PIAA state quarterfinals. It will be Easton's third game in eight days.

Turkey and High School Football

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Lots of fog in Mystic, Connecticut, but warm…48 degrees!!

Energy levels are high as Trish and I get ready to travel about 25-miles to Norwich for the 148th meeting of Norwich Free Academy and New London. This IS America’s oldest high school football game!

While more schools have bigger Thanksgiving Day tradition, as we were informed last at the bar inside the Hilton hotel we’re staying at. NFA and NL only began playing on Turkey Day in 2000, but it’s hard to look past the fact that these two played the first high school football game on May 12, 1875.

The really point is…there’s nothing better than attending a Thanksgiving morning high school football game!

Yesterday’s pep rally and Powder Puff game at New London were awesome and we really can’t wait to get to the field around 9 to start sending pics and reports on Twitter, that can be checked-out at http://www.twitter.com/fishersports.

After the game, we’re heading to spend the weekend in Newport, Rhode Island and a turkey day dinner at the White Horse Tavern, which was built in 1652!

America’s oldest football game followed by dinner at America’s oldest tavern…talk about things we are thankful for!!

Have a great day everyone, let’s not forget to think of those who are homeless or without family today, plus those serving in the military .

Jeff & Trish

Gatorade's Replay...Easton (PA) vs. Phillipsburg (NJ)

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

As all of my readers know, I'm an unabashed promoter of the Easton (PA)-Phillipsburg (NJ) annual Thanksgiving Day football game. I believe it's THE BEST high school football rivalry in America.

However, even I'm amazed how the two communities are approaching next Saturday's (April 26th) made-for-the-internet game between players from the 1993 Turkey Day game that ended in a 7-7 tie. It took only 90-minutes to sell-out tickets for the Gatorade Relay game.

The fans goggled-up the $10 tickets faster than you can say, "do 13,000 people really want to watch guys 15-years past their prime, play in another high school football game?"

Bottom line...these two communities, separated by the Delaware River, love this game! So in addition to being the best rivalry in high school football, this proves that they may also be THE BEST high school football fans!

To read more about preparation for game from the Express-Times, click here.

The game itself is part of a Gatorade documentary that is being shown Gatorade's Mission G website. The trailer is below.

Enjoy,

Jeff

Pennsylvania High School Football Scoreboard - Thanksgiving Day

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

I said it all week long...throw out the records when it comes to Turkey Day high school football. Easton proved it Thursday beating arch-rival Phillipsburg (NJ) 35-14 in a game that saw the Red Rovers enter the contest with a 6-6 record and the Stateliners ready to play for a New Jersey state title next weekend.

Easton jumped out to a 35-0 halftime lead and never looked back taking a 57-40-5 lead in the all-time series. The victory was also the 131st of head coach Steve Shiffert's career, which ties him with Bob Rute for #1 on all-time victories list. Shiffert also equalled Rute's mark of 11 wins against the Liners. Shiffert is 11-4-1 all-time on Turkey Day.

Click here for game story.

Pennsylvania High School Football Scores
Thursday, November 27, 2008

Bartram Charter 42, Del-Val Charter 0
Boyertown 16, Upper Perkiomen 14
Bristol 44, Morrisville 7 Click here for game story
Conestoga 11, Great Valley 8
Conwell-Egan 35, Truman 28 Click here for game story
Dobbins 14, Ben Franklin 0
Easton 35 Phillipsburg (NJ) 14
East Stroudsburg South 34 Stroudsburg 0 Click here for game story
Father Judge 42, Lincoln 6
Germantown 20, Martin Luther King 0
Imhotep Charter 20, Edison 6
Malvern Prep 34, St. Joseph's Prep 27
Northampton 19 Catasauqua 0 Click here for game story
Northeast 38, Central 0
Olney 23, Fels 16
Overbrook 18, West Philadelphia 7
Owen J. Roberts 34, Pottstown 13
Penn Wood 21, William Penn 6
Phoenixville 18, Spring-Ford 10
Pottsgrove 49, St. Pius X 14
Quakertown 34, Pennridge 29
Ridley 14, Interboro 7
Roman Catholic 48, Roxborough 0
Sun Valley 39, Chichester 20
Upper Darby 17, Haverford High 10
Upper Moreland 27, Hatboro-Horsham 13

Turkey Day Football in the Land of the Pilgrims

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Since I spent the last two days talking about Thanksgiving high school football tradition in eastern Pennsylvania, I now want to let everyone in on a little secret. Massachusetts may have every state beat hands down!

Why? Hey, the Pilgrims invented the day!

So with that in mind, he are some fun facts about Turkey Day football in the Bay State.

Boston Latin and Boston English are meeting for the 122nd time, which makes it the oldest continuous high school match-up in the country. It's been a lopsided series with Latin bringing a ten game win streak into the game and it's won 42 of the last 44. Boston Latin leads the all-time series 72-36-13.

The oldest rivalry between public schools belongs to Wellesley and Needham, who are meeting for 121st time today. Wellesley leads the series 58-53-9.

Right behind is Barnstable and Falmouth. They're hooking up for the 119th game and it's the oldest game on Cape Code. It's a close series with Barnstable leading 56-54-8.

Later today The High School Football Huddle will have all of the scores from today's Thanksgiving clashes.

Click here to go to The Massachusetts High School Football Huddle.

Easton (PA) vs. Phillipsburg (NJ) Round 102

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

As most readers of The High School Football Huddle know, I'm partial to eastern Pennsylvania football. Year-in and year out it produces great teams. It may not put a lot of blue chippers on Rivals.com and Scout.com lists, but as far as team play goes, most of the top teams would be able to hold their own against competition from around the country.

Now on to what I believe is the best Thanksgiving Day football game...Easton (PA) vs. Phillipsburg, who will meet for the 102nd time on Thursday to grab bragging rights along the Delaware River, which is all that separates the two schools.

Plenty of tradition to go around as Phillipsburg is New Jersey's winningest program, while Easton is #2 in Pennsy.

Below you will find links to lots of stories from the Express-Times, which is the local paper that has covered this series which began on December 3, 1905 and has been played on every Thanksgiving since 1916. How big is the game...ESPN has aired it live twice.

Click here for a game preview story.

Serving-Up a Turkey and High School Football Feast

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle


Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the year when tradition reigns supreme in high school football. Yes, it truly is a day when records are thrown out the window and two teams battle for pride and bragging rights.

Some 40-years ago I attended my first-ever high school game, and can remember it like it was yesterday. The game was between my alma mater Wilson and it's hated Turkey Day rival Nazareth. The game then was played around 10 in the morning at Lehigh University's Taylor Stadium, which was a big treat for not only the players, but the fans. Kinda made you feel that you were in the big leagues.

Wilson and Nazareth no longer play each other, which saddens me, but there is talk of renewing the rivalry next year. Click here for that story from the Express-Times.

After freezing my butt off at Wilson and Nazareth, my parents then took me back to Lafayette College in Easton where I watched Easton battle Phillipsburg in the Battle of the Delaware. Two years ago, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey rivals played their 100th game in front of a national TV audience on ESPN.

Ahhh, the memories of watching two games within a six hour period! Helped build-up healthy appetite for the Thanksgiving meal!

Over the next couple of days, I'm going to be posting stories from around the country about the best Turkey Day high school football traditions.

Enjoy and don't eat too much!!

Jeff

Easton (PA) Beats Phillipsburg (NJ) In 101st Turkey Day Game

What I consider the granddaddy of all Turkey Day high school football games was renewed for the 101st time on Thursday at Lafayette College when Easton (PA) and Phillipsburg (NJ) played their annual border war.

Easton behind senior blue-chipper Jarred Holley beat Phillipsburg 17-6, which for the first time in several seasons marked the last game for both teams. Holley, who has played in four Easton/P'burg games, picked-off three passes and accounted for 134 yards in total offense and one touchdown.

Easton finishes the season with an 8-4 mark, while Phillipsburg ended 5-5.

Over the past couple of seasons, both schools had to play this one and then turn around two days later and play a state playoff game. This year both teams lost early in their respective state tournamaments.

To read a game recap, click here.

Turkey and Football

There's nothing better than high school football on Thanksgiving Day. Thanks to longer post-seasons involving more teams, some of these traditions have taken a hit, but there's still a lot of great tradition...like my favorite backyard brawl that I've written about a lot here in The Huddle...Easton (PA) against Phillipsburg (NJ), which reaches 101 today.

Click here for a great story from ESPN that focuses on some of the other top match-ups.

Happy Thanksgiving!!