By Michael Letendre

The 1990s didn’t start in the grandest fashion for the Bristol Eastern football team in terms of its rivalry against Bristol Central on Thanksgiving.

But the play of Eastern’s all-time leading rusher – Reinaldo Soto – changed that halfway through the decade.

However, that success was just as fleeting for the Kingstreeters as Central’s Tim Washington stated to rewrite the Connecticut scholastic records books to open the 21st Century.

Here’s how the Thanksgiving Day battles went down between Central and Eastern over the 1990s:

1990 – Bristol Central, 34-14: Central’s defense limited Eastern to only 24 yards on the ground during the 20-point victory. In fact, the Rams held the Lancers to just 148 total yards of offense on the day. 

1991 – Bristol Central, 20-14: The Lancers, going a credible 4-6-1 on the campaign, dropped a hard fought six-point game to their crosstown rival. Central’s Dave Moore scooped up 82 yards on 17 carries but the Rams had to hold on for dear life to seize the win. Eastern quarterback, sophomore Jude Hinrichs, was sacked a half dozen times in the game but battled to the end. 

1992 – Bristol Central, 24-0: Winless Eastern was no match for Central as Micah Zabel nabbed 237 yards on 25 carries, scoring three touchdowns. In all, the Rams totaled 375 yards of offense. Over the next three Central victories against Eastern, those contests would all come via shutout. 

1993 – Bristol Central, 18-0: The Rams, again, took the T-Day game as Gregg Lynt, Dana Thurston and John Gagliardi combined for over 200 yards on 49 carries to lead Central to the win. 

1994 – Bristol Eastern, 22-6: For the first time since 1988, Eastern defeated Central as Rich Musumano made 18 carries for 141 yards to lead the Lancers. Central’s John Gagliardi (26 carries, 202 yards) sparked the offense for the Rams. The squads combined for five passing yards in what turned into a real ground battle. 

1995 – Bristol Central, 12-0: Central’s Doug Boelter netted both touchdowns in the game (76 yards on 17 carries) to lead his squad to the win. Freshman Reinaldo Soto scooped in an interception for Eastern – a sign of things to come for the Eastern program. 

1996 – Bristol Eastern, 29-14: With Soto in the fold, he smashed Central for 183 yards on 32 carries while adding three touchdowns in the winning effort as Eastern earned a share of the CCC South Championship. The Rams lost six fumbles – the most ever on Thanksgiving. 

1997 – Bristol Eastern, 33-7: It was more Soto, along with quarterback Pat Brookman, as the duo rushed for a combined 30 times for 215 yards in another Eastern romp. Central’s Craig Capurso scooped in 115 yards on 25 carries. 

1998 – Bristol Eastern, 35-7: This time, Brookman blitzed Central for 134 yards on seven carries and a touchdown while Soto went for 137 yards on 20 rushes in a third straight Lancers’ blowout on Thanksgiving. Eastern’s Ryan Forcier added nearly 100 yards on six tough carries. Lost in the effort was the rushing of Capurso with 29 carries for 183 yards. 

1999 – Bristol Central, 28-6: Central won the next seven Thanksgiving Day games but in this one, bulldog Timmy Washington rang up 41 carries for 165 yards and three TDs to lead the winners. He rushed for nearly 2,000 yards on the season.