SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–For the first time in over eight seasons, GMC Hoops went to Frank R. Jost Memorial Field, the home of South Plainfield Tiger Football on this Thanksgiving Day to take in the annual clash between the Tigers and the Canucks of North Plainfield. For this trip, I travelled to the game by foot. I figured to give the car a break for this short trip. I entered the field just as the National Anthem was being played by the South Plainfield Marching Band, which has sadly shrunk in its ranks the last couple of times I’ve seen them in action (the previous time was last year in the state playoffs against Scotch Plains-Fanwood).
After pausing for the Star-Spangled Banner, I briefly stopped and said hello to a few former classmates. My 20th class reunion is coming up this weekend. I then headed to the bleachers to get a seat, and watch some of the game as well as videotape it for the site. The highlights that are going to be posted on the site are all from the second quarter, since that was probably the last time the contest was truly close. The first quarter ended with a scoreless tie, and then North Plainfield went ahead for good in the second quarter with a touchdown run at the 9:16 mark. Neither team scored the rest of the way although the Tigers had the ball deep in North Plainfield territory after about a 30 yard run by senior Kenny Lucky. Unfortunately, the Tigers could not punch it in as quarterback Mike Burton and wide receiver Darren Campbell just missing hooking up on a pass into the left corner of the end zone. Then, moments later, Lucky was stopped short on fourth down.
North Plainfield could do what it wanted to do against the Tigers largely because they had way more size than South Plainfield did. Something is always in the water in Tigerland. I can identify with that since I had trouble putting on weight throughout high school. For example, my senior year, I was 6’1″ and 138 pounds. Today, I stand at 6’4″ and 210 pounds. I could have used that size back in high school. Not only could it have done me some good in basketball, but perhaps I would have been more inclined to play football. Well, no time to lament about the past since that is long gone. I marveled at the size the Canucks had along with a few of my former classmates, who I met up again at the half, and sat with the rest of the game. The Canucks were the only team to defeat Somerville in Raritan Division play of the Skyland Conference. The Pioneers, a former opening day rival of South Plainfield’s, went 4-1 in divisional play, but 5-5 overall after playing the likes of Immaculata, Ridge, Rahway, and Johnson on their crossover and non-conference schedule.
It was the first time I saw the traditional North Plainfield and South Plainfield was in 1982 when I was in seventh grade. At that time, the rivalry was much different. The Tigers were in the midst of their magical season that ended up at 8-3 with a loss to Wall Township in the Central Jersey Group III Championship Game (21-0), and won that year 24-6 I believe. The 1982 Tigers, who had a senior class that was actually undefeated as freshmen was made up of the likes of Chris Politi, Chris Walker (a former assistant hoops coach at St. Peter’s and South Plainfield, and recently was head coach at Hackettstown and Warren Hills), Rocco Lubischer, Robbie Ford, Ray Jazikoff, Julian Locket Hill, and Steve Hennelly. The last game that the two schools played before 2002 was in 1983, and it ended in a 7-7 tie. SPHS had won the Turkey Day game in 1981 (23-8) and 1982, and was gaining ground in the rivalry. Since the rivalry resumed in 2002, South Plainfield has yet to win. Their best chance was probably last year when it made its most recent tournament run, but they fell victim to the Canucks big time last Thanksgiving.
Returning to the action, North Plainfield broke the game open with a touchdown early on in the third, and then in the enusing South Plainfield drive, the Canucks picked up a fumble that set up another score for a 21-0 lead. The Tigers resorted to a bit of trickery with a half back option pass to Mike Burton for a long touchdown that closed the gap to 21-6 as the third quarter ended. The Canucks scored on a touchdown pass early in the fourth before Burton answered with another touchdown to close the gap to 27-12. At that point, the elements, and the likely outcome forced me to leave early to get ready for the family Turkey Day feast.