Jeff Bennett's Blog

We have always watched the Detroit and Dallas football games on Thanksgiving Day. But this always followed the real football match up on Thanksgiving morning, Fitchburg-Leominster. The Red Raiders of Fitchburg defeated the Blue Devils of Leominster 20-17 in a hard fought game played at muddy Doyle Field. The “pride” and “bragging rights” of the Twin Cities was on the line as usual on Thanksgiving Day. The winner of this game would also advance to the Playoffs with seven wins.

Today marked the 125th meeting of the Fitchburg-Leominster football rivalry, one of the oldest in the country.

The 2008 game was the second contest in the epic Fitchburg-Leominster series to be decided in an Overtime period. I remember very well the 1978 match up that ended tied in regulation at Crocker Field. Fitchburg was headed to the Super Bowl, but Leominster played the spoiler kicking a field goal in Overtime to win 3-0.

With today’s win Fitchburg has now won 59 games to Leominster’s 57, with nine ties over the years. Fitchburg avenged a four year losing streak with their win. Way to go Red Raiders!