Thanksgiving football has been an American Tradition since November of 1869. Be it the NFL, College Football, or even high school rivalries, the Thanksgiving games have always brought us joy.
Last year, the Stoneham Spartans beat our Rockets 42-14 at Fenway Park. This year, RMHS seeks redemption, as they travel to Stoneham High School to hopefully get their 72nd Thanksgiving game victory against the Spartans.
The Rockets have been a force on the offensive side of the ball. Led by quarterback Will Chute (‘26), the Rockets are posting an average of 30 points per game. Chute has completed 105 of his 178 passing attempts this season. He has 1375 passing yards and 17 touchdown passes. In the backfield, running back Dominic Pate (‘27) is extremely dangerous for any defense. He has put up an astonishing 908 yards on 123 carries and 13 touchdowns. Our leading receiver, Ryan Pulpi (‘26), has 32 receptions for 510 yards and 5 touchdowns. Pate can also be a viable option at receiver for Chute. He has had 25 receptions for 430 yards. He also has 6 touchdowns on the year from passes.
Our defense has also put up good numbers, especially because of they have played outstanding in the second half of the season. They have accumulated 7 fumble recoveries, 6 interceptions, and 9 sacks. They also have only allowed 23.9 points per game this season, their numbers mirroring the likes of a few NFL teams so far this year. Overall, the Stoneham offense should not have a good time scoring points in this game.
In their one and only playoff game this year, the Rockets lost to the Milton Wildcats 42-14. The Rockets entered that contest as the 14th ranked team, qualifying them as one of the 16 playoff teams from the field of 29 MIAA D3 squads, overall. In that game Pate was the light in the darkness. He racked up 144 total yards–114 yards in the air and 34 on the ground–as well as a rushing touchdown. He also had a good defensive performance with 9 tackles and 2 defended passes.
Regarding his team’s upcoming game, Coach Fiore said, “Our team has worked hard and really came together in the second half of the season. We hope to send our seniors off on a high note. Stoneham is an excellent team, and it should be a very hard-fought contest.” He believes that Reading can pull off the win if they work hard and earn it.
Throughout a 111 game history, the Reading Rockets and Stoneham Spartans have met on Thanksgiving annually since November 29th, 1923. Even though RMHS could not play the 2020 Thanksgiving game due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rockets hold the top position in the overall series with Stoneham, with a total of 71 wins, 34 losses, and seven tied contests.
Hopefully, the Reading Rockets can add another victory to the winning column against the historic rival. The game will be played at 10:15 AM at Stoneham High School.
