Winners From Thanksgiving Day Games

Playing on Thanksgiving Day has always been special for teams and players. And while this year’s schedule didn’t have all of the rivalry games or the games we’re used to, a handful of teams kept the tradition of competing on the holiday going. Let’s take a look at the winners from this year’s Thanksgiving Day games. <strong>Devin Lee, Holy Spirit:</strong> Lee filled in for a limited [player_tooltip player_id="27903" first="Patrick" last="Smith"] and led third-ranked Holy Spirit to a 39-0 shutout of Atlantic City on Thanksgiving morning. Smith, needing 292 yards to reach the 2,000-yard milestone in this shortened season, only carried twice for 11 yards due to an ankle injury he suffered last week. Lee picked up the slack, and he finished with 258 yards and three touchdown runs on 32 carries, as Holy Spirit finished the season perfect at 8-0. Smith, a Division I prospect that will play at the FBS level, decided it was time for other guys to get the spotlight, and Lee took full advantage. He found the end zone on runs of 2, 7 and 59 yards. Lee, normally in a backup role behind Smith, was coming off a pair of strong showings in Holy Spirit’s wins over Winslow and Lenape, finishing with over 70 yards rushing and TDs in both games. Lee has also been active on the defensive end with a pair of interceptions this season. Holy Spirit quarterback Sean Burns threw for three touchdowns in the shutout win over Atlantic City on Thursday in the 92nd meeting between the teams. <strong>Kevin Boswell, Hamilton West: </strong>Boswell ran for 169 yards and scored on a 33-yard run in Hamilton West’s 22-6 win over Steinert on Thanksgiving. It was a strong finish for a Hamilton West team that had been troubled by the pandemic this season, playing in just the fourth game of the year. Boswell ran in a two-point conversion and the Hamilton West defense didn’t allow a Steinert offensive score. <strong>Highland: </strong>Highland defeated Triton by a 28-0 score in a game that was ended in the fourth quarter following a melee on the field between the teams. It was all Highland up to that point, however. Mohammad Lightsey ran 17 times for 114 yards and scored on runs of 2 and 4 yards, Mike D’amico added 10 carries for 84 yards, scoring twice, and the team finished with five sacks. Winston Jordan had two sacks and recovered two fumbles, Freddy Alford had two sacks and D’amico finished with one. <strong>Brayden Yordy, Pitman: </strong>Yordy made the game-clinching play in Pitman’s 13-12 victory over Clayton in West Jersey Football League action on Thanksgiving. The sophomore linebacker stopped Clayton running back Justin Pessoa at the 1-yard line on the final play of the game. It was Pitman’s first win over Clayton in nine years, and the team came back from a 12-0 fourth-quarter deficit in this one. Pitman quarterback Charlie Spaeth threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns, while Dominic Hainsworth caught seven balls for 108 yards and a score. Eric Elliott also caught a TD and Armando Keifner chipped in 75 yards on the ground. Pitman finished the year at 5-2. Clayton started its last drive at midfield with a little over five minutes remaining. It got to Pitman’s 2-yard line in the final minute, and Yordy’s stop on Pessoa gave Pitman the thrilling victory. <strong>Justin Pessoa, Clayton: </strong>Despite coming up short against Pitman, Pessoa had a strong day for Clayton, running for 94 yards and a 13-yard TD and taking an interception 75 yards for a score. <strong>Bobby Arnold, Salem: </strong>Arnold ran for 101 yards on 13 carries and also caught a 42-yard TD pass on the way to four receptions for 103 yards in Salem’s 14-10 victory over Woodstown in the 110th meeting between these teams. Salem (6-1) successfully rebounded from a tough loss to Paulsboro a week ago. Arnold closed out his career in style, as his score set the tone in the first quarter. <strong>Bryan Johnson, Woodbury: </strong>Johnson had a game to remember for Woodbury in its 37-10 victory over Gateway on Thanksgiving. He caught three TD passes, including one of 30 yards, and he also found the end zone on a 12-yard run.