Eastside Ghosts win 100th matchup against Kennedy in rainy matchup
PATERSON, N.J. (PIX11) -- On a cold and rainy Thanksgiving morning in Paterson, Kennedy and Eastside High Schools battle it out in their centennial matchup at Hinchliffe Stadium.
"We played in the rain and the snow, everything," said Jesse Briggs, "and I would like to suit up one more time."
Briggs, an Eastside alumnus, now lives in South Carolina. But he came back home to watch his Ghosts take on the Knights.
"Never missed a game since 1975, the last year I played," said Briggs.
It's a rivalry that dates back generations.
"My dad played in this game and all my uncles, all eight of them," said Briggs.
"100 years - it means so much to the city, the rivalry continues," said Vincent Freeman, a state champion quarterback for Kennedy.
"When I tell you we never missed a game, we could not miss a game," said fellow Kennedy alumna Wanda Baugh.
Before gathering with their families at the table, many in Paterson gather here, thankful for football, rivalry and comradery.
"It feels good to be a part of something that has sustained so long," said Kennedy alumnus Dwayne Thomas.
The Eastside Ghosts took the rivalry's 100th chapter in a thrilling 28-20 win.