High school football: Gridiron action served up annually for Thanksgiving rivalries

After COVID shut down most of the traditional Thanksgiving Day football games, the 2021 season finds many of the old rivals renewing their annual series.

In honor of the traditional Thanksgiving Day football rivalry games, MaxPreps takes a look at the teams with the most wins on Turkey Day. Sort of. While the vast majority of the wins on the list below occurred on Thanksgiving Day, there are a few that took place on days other than the national holiday. Some were playoff games, some occurred last spring when COVID caused some states to move football games from the fall season and some occurred when old rivals just decided to play each other twice in a season or on a day other than Thanksgiving.

We start the list with Boston Latin, the oldest high school in the nation founded in 1635. The Wolfies have played Boston English since 1887 and they will meet for the 134th time on Thursday. Boston Latin holds an 83-37-13 advantage in the series and the 83 wins is the most for any school that plays its traditional rival on Thanksgiving.

Read on for the top 25 teams with the most wins on Thanksgiving Day
1. Boston Latin (Boston)
Wins: 83
Opponent: English
Overall Series: 83-37-13

2. Norwich Free Academy (Norwich, Conn.)
Wins: 79
Opponent: New London
Overall Series: 79-68-11

3. New Bedford (Mass.)
Wins: 76
Opponent: Durfee
Overall Series: 76-41-10

4. Ansonia (Conn.)
Wins: 76
Opponent: Naugatuck
Overall Series: 76-34-10

5. Marlborough (Mass.)
Wins: 70
Opponent: Hudson
Overall Series: 70-43-5

6. Malden (Mass.)
Wins: 68
Opponent: Medford
Overall Series: 68-54-10

7. Leominster (Mass.)
Wins: 68
Opponent: Fitchburg
Overall Series: 68-61-9

8. New London (Conn.)
Wins: 68
Opponent: Norwich
Overall Series: 68-79-11

9. Vineland (N.J.)
Wins: 67
Opponent: Millville
Overall Series: 67-62-19

10. Easton Area (Pa.)
Wins: 66
Opponent: Phillipsburg
Overall Series: 66-42-5

11. City College (Baltimore)
Wins: 65
Opponent: Baltimore Poly
Overall Series: 65-62-6

12. Barnstable (Hyannis, Mass.)
Wins: 64
Opponent: Falmouth
Overall Series: 64-63-8

13. Salem (N.J.)
Wins: 64
Opponent: Woodstown
Overall Series: 64-36-10

14. Falmouth (Mass.)
Wins: 63
Opponent: Barnstable
Overall Series: 63-64-8

15. Wellesley (Mass.)
Wins: 63
Opponent: Needham
Overall Series: 63-60-9

16. Westfield (N.J.)
Wins: 63
Opponent: Plainfield
Overall Series: 63-45-7

17. Beverly (Mass.)
Wins: 63
Opponent: Salem
Overall Series: 63-52-7

18. Reading Memorial (Mass.)
Wins: 63
Opponent: Stoneham
Overall Series: 63-18-4

19. Poly (Baltimore)
Wins: 62
Opponent: City College (Baltimore)
Overall Series: 62-65-6

20. Long Branch (N.J.)
Wins: 62
Opponent: Red Bank Regional
Overall Series: 62-32-3

21. Millville (N.J.)
Wins: 62
Opponent: Vineland
Overall Series: 62-67-19

22. Fitchburg (Mass.)
Wins: 61
Opponent: Leominster
Overall Series: 61-68-9

23. Haddonfield (N.J.)
Wins: 61
Opponent: Haddon Heights
Overall Series: 61-43-6

24. Needham (Mass.)
Wins: 60
Opponent: Wellesley
Overall Series: 60-63-9

25. Pitman (N.J.)
Wins: 60
Opponent: Clayton
Overall Series: 60-30-4