The Fairfield Warde Mustangs tackle their arch-rivals, the Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons, on the gridiron this Thursday morning, Thanksgiving Day, at the Falcons home field on Unquowa Road. Game time is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.The Mustangs enter the contest with a 3-6 record, while the Falcons have only won one of nine games thus far. Warde is the favorite to win its second "Battle of Fairfield" since the rivalry was resurrected two years ago.
The host Mustangs captured last year's contest in a driving rainstorm, 21-12, to claim the Gallagher/Baryas trophy for the first time since the rivalry was re-established. Nearly two inches of rain and strong, gusty winds affected the players. That game featured the Warde field dedication ceremony and the observance of the 50th anniversary of the opening of Andrew Warde High School.
Two years ago, Ludlowe won the Thanksgiving Day affair, 20-14, after jumping out to a 20-0 lead at the intermission. It was the first time the two schools met since Thanksgiving Day, 1984, when the Eagles played the Flying Tigers for the last time.
The rivalry between Fairfield's two public high schools has always been intense. This corner researched the sports battles between Warde and Ludlowe during our senior year of high school in 1975-76. Here's a look at how Warde fared in each of the sports:Football: Coach Bill Davis' Crimson Eagles defeated Ludlowe twice on the gridiron. Warde won the regular season meeting, 27-13, and the Thanksgiving Day affair, 28-6.
The victory on Turkey Day, November 27, 1975, came on a wet and mild day with nearly a half-inch of rain and temperatures in the upper 50s. It marked the only time in the long and storied history of the rivalry that one school "swept" the other in football in the same season.
Soccer: Although Warde tied Ludlowe twice by identical 1-1 scores, the Tigers won the coveted Swedish Cup over Constantine "Dino" Vanghele's squad by virtue of their better overall record.
Baseball: The Crimson Eagles, coached by Bob Jackson, posted a dramatic 4-2 come-from-behind victory at Ludlowe by scoring all their runs in the final inning.
Volleyball: Coach Ed Bengermino's FCIAC runner-up Eagles beat Ludlowe two games to one.
Field Hockey: Coach Pat Jennings squad lost a heartbreaking 1-0 decision to the Lady Tigers.
Basketball: Bengermino's cagers dropped a one-sided affair to the Tigers, 80-47.
Ice Hockey: The skaters tied Ludlowe, but the highlight of the season was defeating Wilbur Cross at the New Haven Coliseum.
Wrestling: Although Coach Frank Bent's grapplers finished with a winless record in 13 matches, they lost a narrow decision to Ludlowe, 32-24.
Boys' Track: The team defeated Ludlowe, 84-61, and placed seventh out of 16 teams at the FCIAC championships.
So, will today's rivalry between Warde and Ludlowe be as intense or as exciting as it was during our years at Andrew Warde High School? Please take part in our latest online poll by accessing the drop-down menu below. I'd like to know what you think.
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