Milton to Host Braintree in 82nd Thanksgiving Day Football Showdown

While over 40 states are currently in the midst of their high school football playoffs, Massachusetts has a unique tradition like no other place in the country: Thanksgiving Day football.

Tomorrow morning in Milton, Braintree and Schools will face each other on Thanksgiving for the 82^nd time. Milton holds the all-time lead in the series at 42-37-1; however, Braintree has won the last three years, including last year when sophomore Steve Lee kicked a field goal as time expired to give the Wamps a 20-19 victory.

“It was a true heartbreaker,” Milton senior captain Terrence Walsh said of last year’s game. “The last drive stuck a dagger in my heart; in our team’s heart.”

Both teams have struggled at times this season. Braintree began the year at 3-3, but has lost four straight to fall to 3-7. First-year head coach Brian Chamberlain said that installing a new, pretty complicated offensive and defensive system has taken the players some time to adapt to, but that he thinks they’ve made some strides since the start of the season.

“Coming in we really didn’t know what the guys could do,” Chamberlain said. “Now, we’re starting to see it.”

Defensively, the Wamps will play mostly a 4-4. Earlier in the season they used other sets, but the coaching staff feels this one fits their team the best. On the offensive side of the ball, Braintree runs the Double Wing. Chamberlain describes it as an offense where “you look at what the defense is trying to do.”

The Wamps like to run the ball, both inside and out. They also run the option, something Chamberlain thinks they’re getting better at. The Wamps have run for about 2,000 yards on the season. Also, while it’s not quite to that point yet, ultimately he’d like to be able to throw the ball 10-12 times per game.

“We’re close,” Chamberlain said. “It’s going to happen. Hopefully on Thanksgiving it’s the day it clicks.”

Milton is 2-8 on the season. While they do have some youngsters on their roster, they get good senior leadership. They like to run the ball a lot, and although they don’t pass a ton, their passing game can be very efficient. They’re also very athletic.

"[This game] means more than anything to me,” Walsh said. “It’s our last time suiting up in the Wildcats uniform.”

On the Braintree side of things, Chamberlain may be new to the Wamps sideline, but he certainly understands the significance of this game for his team.

“You win on Thanksgiving and a lot of those heartbreaking games… you forget all about them,” he said. “A win on Thanksgiving really puts the cherry on top of the dessert.”