A Football Feast: 2014 Thanksgiving Day Game Match-ups

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There is nothing quite like Thanksgiving Day on Cape Cod and it would not be the same without its high school football rivalries, both new and old. Here’s a quick glimpse at the games on tap for Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014:

Falmouth High Clippers (4-5) at Barnstable High Red Raiders (2-8)
Coaches: Chris Whidden (Barnstable), Derek Almeida (Falmouth)
Known as: “The Game”
Trophy:  The Selectmen’s Cup
88th Thanksgiving Day Game
129th Overall Game between both teams
First game played between both schools: November 2, 1895
Overall Series Record: Barnstable, 60-59-8
Kickoff: 10:00 am
Where: W. Leo Shields Memorial Field, Hyannis
Last year’s score: Barnstable 47 – Falmouth 0
Most lopsided score: Falmouth 53 – Barnstable 0 (1969)
Links: http://redraiderpride.com/bhs/barnstable-falmouth.html
Notes: 1993 Barnstable captain Kevin Houston, a US Navy SEAL killed in action August 6, 2011 in Afghanistan, will have his jersey # 46 retired prior to kickoff at midfield. Editor’s note: researching the Barnstable-Falmouth game history in 2003, I discovered two Falmouth-Barnstable games that had not previously been added to local lists. The late Paul Anderson, who for decades covered the Falmouth Clippers for the Cape Cod Standard Times, was considered the Falmouth “expert” on Clipper football lore and the Barnstable-Falmouth Thanksgiving Day game rivalry. He did not have the two games I discovered on his list. Both games were from the late 19th century and have been listed at www.redraiderpride.com. Contrary to other published reports, Thursday’s game between Barnstable and Falmouth is the 129th time the two teams have played against each other. Both games were written about in local newspapers from the late 1890s.

Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High Dolphins (6-5) at Nauset Regional High Warriors (3-7)
Coaches: Paul Funk (D-Y), Keith Kenyon (Nauset)
Known as: “The Chowdah Bowl”
19th Thanksgiving Day Game
First game played between both schools on Thanksgiving: November 28, 1996
Overall series record: D-Y, 13-5
Kickoff: 10:00 am
Where: Nauset High, Cable Road, Eastham
Last year’s score: D-Y 13 – Nauset 0
Most lopsided score: D-Y 39 – Nauset 0 (2005)
Notes: The D-Y Dolphins, a program rebuilt into a powerhouse by athletic director and head football coach Paul Funk, have won 11 straight Chowdah Bowls.

Sandwich High Blue Knights (3-7) at Mashpee High Falcons (8-2)
Coaches: Bill O’Connell (Sandwich), Matt Triveri (Mashpee)
Known as: Cranberry Friendship Thanksgiving Game
5th Thanksgiving Day Game
First game played between both schools: September 18, 2010
Overall Series Record: Mashpee, 3-1
Kickoff: 10:00 am
Where: Mashpee High School
Last year’s score: Sandwich 41 – Mashpee 6
Most lopsided score: Sandwich 41 – Mashpee 6
Links: http://www.sandwichgridiron.com/
Notes: Sandwich was red-hot to begin the 2014 season at 3-1 but has been mired in a six-game skid, while Mashpee headed into the MIAA playoffs with considerable steam and lost in the opener on Halloween to Millis-Hopedale. The Falcons recovered with two straight non-league wins to finish at 8-2 heading into Turkey Day. Still, this game is anyone’s bet as Sandwich headed into last year’s Turkey Day game the underdog and turned in a powerhouse performance for its first series win.

Bourne High Canalmen (1-9) at Wareham High Vikings (1-9)
Coaches: John McIntyre (Bourne), Dan Nault (Wareham)
74th Thanksgiving Day Game
First game played between both schools: 1931
Overall series record: Wareham, 51-31-1
Kickoff: 10:00 am
Where: Clem Spillane Field, Wareham
Last year’s score: Bourne 22 – Wareham 12
Most lopsided score: Wareham 52 – Bourne 12 (2012)
Notes: From 2004 through 2008, the Upper Cape Tech Rams were allowed to combine with the Bourne High Canalmen. While Bourne and Wareham first clashed in 1931, it was not until 1934 that annual Thanksgiving Day games were played but there does remain some discrepancy about precisely how many Turkey Day game clashes have been between the “Purple Tide” and the Vikings from across the bridge. The overall series record represents all games played between both teams.

Cape Cod Regional Voc. Technical High Crusaders (2-8) at Upper Cape Cod Regional Voc. High Rams (4-6)
Coaches: Mike Hernon (UCT), Chris Leonard (CCT)
4th Thanksgiving Day Game
First Game Played Between both schools: November 22, 2010 at Mass. Maritime
Overall series record: Tied at 2-2
Kickoff: 10:00 am
Where: Upper Cape Tech, Bourne
Last year’s score: Upper Cape Tech 55 – CC Tech 14
Most lopsided score: Upper Cape Tech 55 – CC Tech 14
Notes: Once a program threatened with becoming non-existent and forced to combine with nearby Bourne High, Upper Cape Tech has been rebuilt and reinvigorated by coach Mike Hernon while CC Tech continues to be a perennial force.

Pope John Paul II High Lions (8-2) at Bishop Connolly/Westport (7-3)
Coaches: John Muldoon (PJP II), Frank Sherman (Bishop Connolly/Wesport)
2nd Thanksgiving Day Game
First game played between both schools: November 22, 2012
Overall series record: PJP II, 2-0
Kickoff: 10:00 am
Where: Bishop Connolly/Westport, Fall River
Last year’s score: Pope John Paul II 44 – Bishop Connolly/Westport 33
Most lopsided score: Pope John Paul II 44 – Bishop Connolly/Westport 33
Notes: Coming off its first-ever postseason victory on Halloween, Bishop Connolly then fell to powerhouse Cohasset and then, ironically, was matched up by the MIAA with its Thanksgiving Day opponent, Pope John Paul II of Hyannis. Bishop Connolly won that match-up last Saturday (Nov. 15) to the tune of a 26-14 win leaving Thanksgiving Day as an all-important comeback win for the Lions.

By Sean Walsh/CCBM Sports Editor
Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm or email him at [email protected]

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