On Thanksgiving morning, the 27th of November, the Harbormen of the Hingham Football program will take the field once more against the rivaling Scituate Sailors. This rivalry proves to be one of the best annual matchups in all of the South Shore. The all-time series record between the teams on Thanksgiving is split between 15 wins for the Harbormen and 14 for the Sailors, dating back to 1994.
Prior to the 1994 season, Hingham played Randolph on Thanksgiving. Hingham has not walked off victorious on Thanksgiving day since 2021, allowing the Sailors to narrow down the Harbormen’s margin of all-time victories. With the series score differing by only one game, the Harbormen look to stay on the winning side of the series in this year’s matchup. All the history and town pride unanimously motivate Hinghammites all around. However, one key aspect makes the game so special for senior football players: It’s one last opportunity to be on the gridiron with long time friends and teammates.
The annual Thanksgiving football game is not simply a final game to be played at the end of a long season, but an opportunity for seniors to go out knowing it will be their last high school football performance. Unlike other high school sports within the MIAA, football has a unique opportunity for players to play one final game after losing in the postseason (unless a Superbowl appearance occurs in the first week of December). In this year’s matchup, the Scituate Sailors have one more guaranteed game after Thanksgiving, due to their Superbowl appearance on Saturday, December 6th.
Leading up to Thanksgiving, Hingham seniors have numerous opportunities to write a passage at the end of their high school football careers. Annually, seniors have the task to complete a letter that will be passed on down to future players that wear the number that they represented during their senior year. Within this message, one may find a solemn senior’s advice, expectations, and reflections to be passed down to numerous generations. Uniquely, each letter typically conveys different messages due to different experiences along the way. Senior captain Chase Beighley commented on his letter, saying, “I changed to the number 9 this year after previously wearing 16 for two seasons, but within my letter I stressed the importance for future players to appreciate each day within a long season as it goes by quickly. It is important to stop and smell the roses sometimes.”
To add on to the festivities for seniors as they near the end of a football journey, there is an annual team dinner at the Hingham Community Center. At this dinner, each senior stands up to address the coaches and team to share what playing football means to them. For some players, this is an opportunity to reflect on their journey of playing football since the second grade. Senior captain Jack Germain talked about what he expects to say when he addresses the team, noting, “I haven’t really written anything down as I want my speech to be authentic, but overall I know what I am going to say. This team was so tightly knit, so I want to thank them for that and giving me a season to remember.”
High school football has brought countless relationships that last a lifetime to former players. The experiences shared on the turf mean more than wins and losses, as they are moments shared competing with friends, teammates, and brothers. The Harbormen have one final dance to experience these special moments together.
