End of a rivalry: Narragansett and Murdock Thanksgiving high school football rivalry ends

Superintendent Christopher Casavant of the Narragansett Regional School District announced via a press release that the football team will not play Murdock in the annual Thanksgiving football game.

Instead, the Warriors will play North Middlesex and host the first meeting on Thanksgiving. Narragansett Regional defeated Murdock, 40-8, in last year's meeting but Murdock won in 2022. The teams played in 50 Thanksgiving games with the Warriors holding a 39-11 edge in the series. Narragansett-Murdock was the Gardner area's lone game actually played on Thursday.

"The decision to change our long-time Thanksgiving opponent was not easy," said Casavant in a release. "Although Murdock prevailed 29-28 in one of the most thrilling games in this storied rivalry only two years ago, concerns that they will have an adequate number of varsity players moving forward have made this difficult decision necessary."

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Narragansett finished 7-4 last season, while Murdock went 0-10. Murdock's last win was the aforementioned Thanksgiving triumph in 2022.

"While Murdock has been a formidable opponent and a respected rival, we believe that playing North Middlesex on Thanksgiving will inject in new perspective and energy into our football tradition," said Casavant. "Our games with Murdock have always brought out the best in our players, win or lose, and we anticipate the same outcome with North Middlesex."

Murdock's football schedule on Arbiter Live does not currently list a Thanksgiving opponent.

North Middlesex is coming off an 8-3 season in 2023 and hails from Midland Wachusett League's C Division. The Patriots played Manchester Essex on Thanksgiving in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Narragansett, Murdock end 51-year Thanksgiving football matchup