Thanksgiving Day Football

[gchs_uk9]

This article ran in the Wednesday edition of USA Today. Phillipsburg High School (New Jersey) and Easton High School (Pennsylvania) play annually on Thanksgiving Day, a 9am start at Lafayette University. This year marks the 100th year of the rivalry. Both teams are also currently playing in the postseason; Easton plays their next playoff game on Saturday night, just two days after the Thanksgiving game! Both coaches say they are preparing harder for their rivalry game than for the playoffs! Very good read.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/football/2006-11-21-1a-cover-centenary-game_x.htm

[gchs_uk9]

I know Male and Manual always played on Thanksgiving, even up into the 1980s, if I'm not mistaken. Are there any other Kentucky rivalries that used to be played on Thanksgiving?

 

And no, Danville-Mayfield doesn't count, although its starting to become a Thanksgiving Friday tradition!

[thegeneral]

I would guess most of those games faded away once the playoff format took hold. I read where Danville hosted the "first" Youth Bowl vs. Lynch on Thanksgiving Day 1951, which was probably meant to be the start of some sort of tradition, but the first one was apparently the only one. Danville also appeared to have some Thanksgiving games in the '20s and '30s and might have had a mini-rivalry with Richmond during that time.

[MJK3490]

Wow and I thought thier were traditions in KY.

[Mayfieldsportsfan]

I know Male and Manual always played on Thanksgiving, even up into the 1980s, if I'm not mistaken. Are there any other Kentucky rivalries that used to be played on Thanksgiving?

 

And no, Danville-Mayfield doesn't count, although its starting to become a Thanksgiving Friday tradition!

 

Mayfield and Paducah Tilghman played on Thanksgiving Day many years ago.

[Toothpick]

The annual battle between the Blue Tornado of Paducah Tilghman and the Cardinals of Mayfield is considered THE outstanding game in Western Kentucky and the second longest and one of the best rivalries in the state. There is and always will be a keen, sometimes bitter, rivalry between the towns of Mayfield and Paducah when it comes to their football.

 

The Mayfield-Paducah Tilghman series began in 1911, with the first game being a 0-0 tie according to Tilghman records and Mayfield's records show a 22-0 Mayfield win. In 1921 the game became a Thanksgiving affair, and "Turkey Day" became the most important football day of the year for the two schools. The game remained on Turkey Day until 1959 when the Kentucky State High School Playoffs began. In 1925 one player accounted for all five points scored in Mayfield's 3-2 win. Weldon "Nappy" Yates booted a field goal and took a safety to preserve Mayfield's win. Mayfield won by the most lopsided margin in 1919 85-6. There was no game in 1920 because Paducah suggested the teams not play since there was no doubt as to the result. The longest winning streak by either team is 6.

 

I got this from "For The Record" The stats of Mayfield High School Football put together in the mid 1990's by long time MHS statistician Lanny Lancaster

[Goliath]

So if the two teams are too not make the playoffs, do they still play the game.

[gchs_uk9]

So if the two teams are too not make the playoffs, do they still play the game.

 

Yes. Its a scheduled regular season game. If they are in the playoffs, they work around it. If no playoffs, they spend a couple weeks preparing for the game.

[reddevil38]

My grandparents both went to Easton High back in the late 30's. He also played at Lehigh, they called me at 9 am to tell me the game was on. I couldnt imagine playing football at 9am.

[Roadstar]

was a good game Easton won out--Did he also play at Easton?-

[EKU_05]

Bell County and Highalnds had soem Thanksgiving drama before....

 

Sidenote: I watched the game this morning, and for these schools to eb as large as they were, and for Phillipsurg to be a defending state champion about to play for another... I really wasn't impressed with either team compared to some 4A teams from Kentucky.

[gchs_uk9]

Bell County and Highalnds had soem Thanksgiving drama before....

 

Sidenote: I watched the game this morning, and for these schools to eb as large as they were, and for Phillipsurg to be a defending state champion about to play for another... I really wasn't impressed with either team compared to some 4A teams from Kentucky.

 

Calling a team in New Jersey a "state champion" doesn't necessarily mean what it does in Kentucky. The state of New Jersey crowns twenty "state champions," sixteen public and four private. It results into something roughly similar to a regional championship in Kentucky. The following is a link to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Click on 2006 Football Brackets.

 

http://www.njsiaa.org/

[EKU_05]

Calling a team in New Jersey a "state champion" doesn't necessarily mean what it does in Kentucky. The state of New Jersey crowns twenty "state champions," sixteen public and four private. It results into something roughly similar to a regional championship in Kentucky. The following is a link to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Click on 2006 Football Brackets.

 

http://www.njsiaa.org/

:scared: And people here in kentucky complain about 6 classes watering down the state title..it seems up there a state championship is the equivalent of a college bowl game, you get 6 wins and you're in HAHA

[h.s.sportsrbest]

Calling a team in New Jersey a "state champion" doesn't necessarily mean what it does in Kentucky. The state of New Jersey crowns twenty "state champions," sixteen public and four private. It results into something roughly similar to a regional championship in Kentucky. The following is a link to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Click on 2006 Football Brackets.

 

http://www.njsiaa.org/

Congrats to St. Mary's Rutherford for winning 2 playoff games and being crowned Non-Public, Group 1, State Champion. :bunny: