By Michael Letendre
The Bristol Eastern football program had tremendous luck against Bristol Central during the first decade or so of its Thanksgiving Day battles.
But all of that would change drastically as the Rams ran off a large number of wins – starting in 1975 (the year after Pete Losey left the Eastern program…).
And that included a player who transferred schools to wreak havoc against the other.
Man, the 70s were nutty years between the two outstanding teams.
Let’s review all the BC/BE games from 1970-1979:
Year – Winner, Score
1970 – Bristol Eastern, 32-22: Dennis Schermerhorn went 16-of-28 for 308 yards – the most ever compiled on Thanksgiving – throwing three touchdowns for the victory. Overall, Eastern posted 463 yards of total offense as the Lancers’ Rick Schmaltz (eight catches, 160 yards – both records) helped hold off Central. The Rams, playing a clean game, were penalized just five yards that day.
1971 – Bristol Central, 34-0: Central took back the series as several turnovers by the Lancers helped force the shutout. The Rams’ Jeff Castolene rushed in four rushing touchdowns (45, 7, 1, 4 yards – 153 yards overall) over the winning effort. Castolene’s 43 carries remains a Thanksgiving Day record. The game was delayed between the schools.
1972 – Bristol Central, 16-12: The Rams collected over 400 yards in total offense as the Lancers allowed Central two quick scores to ice the contest. Central’s 7-2 record that year was then the best single season ledger in program history. Central’s twenty first downs remain a T-Day standard while Rich Godbout ended the affair with 182 yards on 42 carries to lead his team to the win. Eastern’s Tim McHugh tallied 135 yards on 20 carries.
1973 – Bristol Eastern, 7-0: Eastern’s Frank Sanders zipped in the only score of the day, an 84-yard touchdown kickoff return, as Eastern came away with the shutout win. Central’s Dennis Hernandez played well in defeat, scooping up 116 yards on 26 carries.
1974 – Bristol Eastern, 7-6: Central tallied over 250 yards in offense while Eastern barely had 100. However, the win went to the Kingstreeters. Eastern’s Dan Jenkins caught a punt, handed it off to Francis Richardson and his 55-yard touchdown dash was the ultimate difference in the showdown, leading the Lancers to the Colonial Conference championship over a thrilling one-point triumph.
1975 – Bristol Central, 19-0: Central started to dominate the city series showdown after 1974, putting together a remarkable stretch of Thanksgiving Day success.
The Rams won the first of 10 straight games against Eastern that carried into Central Connecticut Conference play. In this one, Brian Godbout rushed for two touchdowns (nine and two-yard touchdown rushes) to propel Central to its first Colonial Conference Championship and a 19-point shutout victory over the Lancers.
1976 – Bristol Central, 20-6: Central’s Jeff Thomas ran in a two-yard touchdown while also adding a 30-yard TD interception for six points as the Rams defeated Eastern once again. Garry Pearson scored on a two-yard rush for Eastern over the fourth quarter of play. It would be the final game for Pearson, then a sophomore, in an Eastern uniform. Central’s Ralph Milano led the offense with 114 yards on 29 carries.
1977 – Bristol Central, 24-21: Gaining its third consecutive Colonial Conference championship, the Rams took the Turkey Day game as quarterback Joe DeFillippi scooped in the winning touchdown for Central. His one-yard score opened the final period of play to propel the Rams to the victory. Pearson, who transferred over to Central (Central tried to send math teacher Dave Greenleaf in return…), made a 95-yard kickoff return – a Thanksgiving Day record. He also collected 230 yards on 36 carries to lead the Rams.
1978 – Bristol Central, 22-6: Pearson scored all three of Central’s touchdowns (17, 12 and five yards) at the Thanksgiving Day game, taking advantage of eight Eastern turnovers. Pearson collected 185 yards on 42 carries to seize the win. After attending both public high schools in the city, Pearson tallied over 2,000 rushing yards on the season and 5,054 for his career – a city record before Eastern’s Reinaldo Soto and Central’s Timmy Washington broke his Mum city standard many years later.
1979 – Bristol Central, 8-6: Billy Parks’ one yard touchdown jaunt, along with a two-point conversion on a Karl Hall offering to Dean Varano with 3:04 remaining in the contest, propelled the Rams to another hard-fought victory. The Lancers gave up just 42 points all season long, the second-best defense in the state that year in terms of points allowed per game.
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