EAST PROVIDENCE — For the first time in the 86-year history of the LaSalle Academy and East Providence High School Thanksgiving Day football rivalry the holiday contest will be a non-league game.
Adding to the story line, the Rams have won the last seven holiday meetings between the sides and with a win over Cranston East late last week in the Division I playoff semifinals, LaSalle plays in the Division I Super Bowl on Dec. 6.
So with the Rams still eyeing a bigger prize, East Providence head coach Jay Monteiro will play all of his starters as his Townies end their season Thursday morning.
“This is going to be our deniors’ last game. Every game is a game to me and we are going to play like it is a real game,” he said. “We are going to play our best players and play hard. We are going to play to win.”
If LaSalle plays all of its starters, the Rams will feature the same group of players who beat the Townies earlier in the year, Oct. 10, by a final score of 28-13 despite E.P. leading 13-8 at the half. Coach Monteiro knows his team will have a lot to handle if the Rams do play the same starters.
“They do everything well,” Coach Monteiro said of the Rams. “They run the ball really well and they run the ball hard. Their quarterback is good and they throw the ball. ”
While this will be a tough game to close out the Townies’ season, they’re still focused on needing to play their best football if they want to beat an undefeated LaSalle team.
“My expectation is to play fast, physical, and fearless,” Coach Monteiro said. “That is what we have been trying to preach all year. In our last game (a victory over Cranston West on Nov. 7) I thought I saw that and I am hoping to see more in this game.”
The change in the postseason format this fall means tradition-rich game has lost some significance. LaSalle is placed in the position of having to decide whether or not to play is regulars at length or rest them in preparation for the championship game the following week. Coach Monteiro isn’t a fan of the changes, especially having a non-league game in between playoff games.
“I really don’t like the alignment,” he said. “What do you do? I am not sure. I don’t know what I would do. Do you hold your starters back (in between playoff games)? I don’t know.”
The 86th East Providence-LaSalle Thanksgiving football game kicks off at 10 a.m., November 27, at Pierce Memorial Stadium.
— Story by Nick Friend