Battista doesn’t want battle for Milk Jug to end

Thursday, December 3, 2009

By PAUL FEELY

Correspondent

AMHERST – Will the 13th incarnation of the Battle of the Milk Jug be the unluckiest one for the future of this, currently the longest-running Thanksgiving Day high school football rivalry in Greater Nashua?

Not if Merrimack head football coach Joe Battista has anything to say about it.

Heading into Thursday’s game, Souhegan head coach Mike Beliveau spoke openly about the possibility that the game may not continue. He feels the New Hampshire Turkey Day games could be more popular, the way they are in neighboring Massachusetts for instance, if more importance were placed on them. He recently floated the idea of having all six state champions play at UNH on the turf field, with the D-I champion playing D-II, D-III vs. D-IV, and D-V vs. D-VI, staggered throughout the day. Each team would keep their titles, but it may generate more interest among fans.

The Sabers have dominated this particular rivalry over the last 13 years, and now own a seven-game win streak on Turkey Day over their Division II opponents after Thursday’s 35-21 win at Souhegan High School.

But should the game be discontinued? Coach Battista couldn’t have made his views on the matter any more clear post-game.

“I want this to continue,” Battista said. “We don’t want to stop this tradition. Tomahawk football does want to continue this. This isn’t about championships. It’s not about wins and losses. This is about football players playing the game they love on Thanksgiving, which is a holiday for football and tradition. We want this to continue, and if needed we’ll go in Beliveau’s backyard and play the game. I don’t want out of it.”

A decent crowd did attend Thursday’s game, on both sides of the field, and for his part Beliveau seemed to enjoy the fact that his Sabers were once again hoisting the Milk Jug high overhead at game’s end.

“It was a beautiful day,” Beliveau said. “Overall it was a really fun game that was played with a lot of good spirit. For all the seniors this was a great way to cap off a championship season. I’m very proud of the senior and the underclassmen for sticking it out all the way through Thanksgiving.”