Ludlowe Posts First Thanksgiving Football Victory Over Warde in Six Years, 34-33

The Ludlowe Falcons staged a late rally to erase a five-point deficit and defeat the host Warde Mustangs, 34-33, in the 14th renewal of the modern-day Thanksgiving Day football series between Fairfield's two public high schools last night.

The game was moved to Wednesday evening due to the weather forecast, which called for near-record cold temperatures and strong gusty winds. As it was, temperatures plummeted throughout the game, and snow began falling at halftime.

Warde came back from a 28-21 fourth-quarter deficit to score two touchdowns in the last six minutes of the game to take a 33-28 lead. However, the Mustangs failed on both two-point conversion opportunities, allowing the guests to post the dramatic victory in the waning minutes of the contest.

It was Ludlowe's first win in the Thanksgiving Day rivalry game since 2012 and snapped Warde's five-game winning streak. The Mustangs were bidding for a record sixth-straight triumph, which would have surpassed Andrew Warde's five-game winning streak over Roger Ludlowe (1980 through 1984) to close the original series.

Here are the Thanksgiving football results between Warde and Ludlowe, including the original series (1975 through 1984) and the modern-day series (2005 through 2018):
 

Andrew Warde Crimson Eagles vs. Roger Ludlowe Flying Tigers

1975 to 1984

(Series: Warde 7 wins, Ludlowe 3 wins)

1975: Warde Eagles 28, Ludlowe Tigers 6

1976: Warde Eagles 20, Ludlowe Tigers 13

1977: Ludlowe Tigers 20, Warde Eagles 13

1978: Ludlowe Tigers 35, Warde Eagles 6

1979: Ludlowe Tigers 41, Warde Eagles 25

1980: Warde Eagles 17, Ludlowe Tigers 14

1981: Warde Eagles 14, Ludlowe Tigers 8

1982: Warde Eagles 23, Ludlowe Tigers 0

1983: Warde Eagles 26, Ludlowe Tigers 6

1984: Warde Eagles 16, Ludlowe Tigers 13

Fairfield Warde Mustangs vs. Fairfield Ludlowe Falcons

2005 to 2018

(Series: Warde 9 wins, Ludlowe 5 wins)

2005: Ludlowe Falcons 20, Warde Mustangs 14

2006: Warde Mustangs 21, Ludlowe Falcons 12

2007: Warde Mustangs 28, Ludlowe Falcons 0

2008: Ludlowe Falcons 10, Warde Mustangs 8

2009: Ludlowe Falcons 24, Warde Mustangs 14

2010: Warde Mustangs 21, Ludlowe Falcons 16

2011: Warde Mustangs 52, Ludlowe Falcons 13

2012: Ludlowe Falcons 31, Warde Mustangs 13
2013: Warde Mustangs 44, Ludlowe Falcons 21
2014: Warde Mustangs 27, Ludlowe Falcons 12
2015: Warde Mustangs 35, Ludlowe Falcons 14
2016: Warde Mustangs 41, Ludlowe Falcons 20
2017: Warde Mustangs 55, Ludlowe Falcons 22
2018: Ludlowe Falcons 34, Warde Mustangs 33

Cumulative record: Warde 16 wins, Ludlowe 8 wins

Paul