3 Games, 9 Days

by Jeff Fisher
Pennsylvania High School Football Huddle

In my research, Easton, and in some years Phillipsburg (New Jersey), are the only teams in America that play three high school football games in just eight days.

Yes, think about that; 3 in 9!!

First, the reason for the plethora of games in nine days.

It simple, Easton and their across the Delaware River rival Phillipsburg, play a Thanksgiving Day rivalry game that will NEVER be moved.  Couple that with the fact that Easton's second round district playoff game is played on the Friday before the Turkey Day match-up that annually attracts 14,000 fans to Lafayette College.

If Easton wins the second round district game, the Red Rovers know they'll be playing for a district championship the following Saturday; two days after playing P'burg on Thanksgiving morning.

So you may think that there's  enough moving parts that Easton wouldn't have to worry about the 3 in 9 equation very much.

Think again!

Last night's Easton played Nazareth, it's third game in nine days for the District 11 championship.  And, yes, second in three.

It was also the third straight year that Easton has played 3 in 9.

One other point, Easton head coach Steve Shiffert NEVER rests his starters against Phillipsburg; the game is too big!

One thing the Rovers have never been able to pull-off the sweep, meaning a perfect 3-0.  Last year, the Rovers were upset 3-0 in overtime in the snow on Thanksgiving Day, but bounced back to beat Whitehall two days later to win the district championship.

Last night, Easton, fresh of a Thanksgiving Day win over Phillipsburg, the Rovers were going after a perfect three games in nine days.  A win would give them a third straight district title, plus a berth in next week's Class AAAA state quarterfinals.

At the start, it looked like Easton would finally end the nine day stretch with a trio of wins.

The Red Rover jumped-out to a 14-point lead against Nazareth, but couldn't hold-on.  In the end, Nazareth won its first district crown with a 28-21 win on its home field.

Some say, Easton's quest for a state title will always be hampered by its desire not to move the Thanksgiving Day.

Having witnessed Easton's 3 in 9 several times, I'm here to tell you there isn't a bigger feat on the high school gridiron.  What the Easton kids and coaches go through during this stretch is magical.

Did Easton get its third straight gold Saturday?   No, but, I will tell you that I think they deserve a gold medal for choosing to keep its tradition alive with Phillipsburg over playing only two games in eight or nine days.

I salute you Rover Nation!!

Congrats on an 11-3 season and upholding the true tradition and spirit of high school athletic competition!

Easton vs. Phillipsburg (NJ)...Turning Back The Clock

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

In about 48-hours, the communities of Easton (PA) and Phillipsburg (NJ) will turn back the clock and replay the 1993 Thanksgiving Day high school football game that ended in a 7-7 tie. The event, sponsored by Gatorade, has captured the two communities that are separated by the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey.

About 60-players from the 1993 squads have been training for a couple of months for this game that is sold-out to the tune of 13,000 tickets.

The process of getting in-shape has been documented with episodes on the Gatorade Mission G website, and today they released the third installment of the documentary.

I really like this one!! It focuses on the relationship between Easton's Tim Gadwell and Phillipsburg's Tyrone Randolph.

Check it out & enjoy!!



By the way, the game itself can be seen on Service Electric Cable at 8 P.M. Sunday night.

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

Easton (PA) and Phillipsburg (NJ) 1993 Part Deux

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Gatorade is hoping to break a 15-year old tie between Easton (PA) and Phillipsburg (NJ). According to a report in the Express-Times, Gatorade has asked the schools if they can find 25-to-30 alumni players each from the November 25, 1993 game that ended in a 7-7 tie. According to the report, Gatorade wants the two schools to put the 30-something players on the field to "play it again Sam" and break the tie as part of Gatorade's program highlighting great American high school rivalries.

The Easton-Phillipsburg rivalry is one of the best in the country. The two schools are separated by the Delaware River, and this past year played their 102nd game on Thanksgiving morning at Lafayette College. Phillipsburg is New Jersey's winningest high school football program, while Easton is #2 in Pennsylvania.

The game is big enough that it's been aired live on ESPN twice.

Click here for the story from the Express-Times.

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.

Highlights Easton/Phillipsburg from Service Electric


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

Highlights Northampton-Catasauqua from Service Electric

Turkey Day Previews

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

As I mentioned earlier, it's hard for me to not put eastern Pennsylvania Turkey Day football at the top of my list when it comes to tradition. Some of the games, like Wilson-Nazareth and Emmaus-Whitehall have either disappeared or been move to the regular season because of the longer state playoffs.

Below you will find links to some of the backyard brawls that still exist.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Boyertown-Upper Perk
Catasauqua-Northampton Northampton leads series 51-30-4
Easton-Phillipsburg Easton leads series 56-40-5
East Stroudsburg South-Stroudsburg 64th Meeting for The Little Brown Jug
Pennridge-Quakertown Series began in 1930

Serving-Up A Turkey and High School Football Feast

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