ROSELLE PARK, NJ — The 2025 Union County high school football season will come to a close on Thursday morning, Nov. 27, on Thanksgiving.
For the last time, in a series that began 110 years ago in 1915, neighboring towns Roselle and Roselle Park will clash on the holiday.
It will also be the final Thanksgiving football played in Union County, period.
Beginning next year, according to Roselle Park Assistant Principal of Athletics Peter Kane, the Rams and Panthers will begin playing each other on Week 8.
For this year it will be the Abraham Clark Rams (2-8) at the Roselle Park Panthers (5-4) on Thursday, Nov. 27, at 10 a.m., at Roselle Park High School’s Herm Shaw Field.
Both teams are seeking to snap brief, two-game losing streaks. Roselle Park, with a victory, will clinch a second winning season in the last three years.
Since Roselle Park won the 100th game in the series in 2017, Roselle has gone on to win four of the last five games, including three in a row in 2019, 2021 and 2022. There was no game in 2018, because Roselle Park fielded only a junior varsity team that year, and in 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The only other years Roselle and Roselle Park did not face each other were in 1916, 1917 and 1918, because of World War 1.
Roselle Park leads the series 52-45-8.
Roselle Rams (2-8)
Sept. 5 (A) Spotswood 31, Roselle 8
Sept. 13 (A) Roselle 18, Metuchen 12
Sept. 19 (H) Arthur L. Johnson 34, Roselle 8
Sept. 26 (A) New Providence 41, Roselle 6
Oct. 4 (H) Hillside 20, Roselle 18
Oct. 11 (A) Newark Collegiate 32, Roselle 8
Oct. 17 (A) Delaware Valley 21, Roselle 18
Oct. 24 (A) Roselle 40, John P. Stevens 6
Oct. 29 (A) Millburn 51, Roselle 14
Nov. 13 (H) Henry Snyder 28, Roselle 16
Nov. 27 (A) Roselle Park
Roselle Park Panthers (5-4)
Sept. 5 (H) Roselle Park 45, Middlesex 13
Sept. 12 (H) Roselle Park 42, South River 0
Sept. 19 (A) Jonathan Dayton 37, Roselle Park 20
Sept. 26 (A) David Brearley 17, Roselle Park 7
Oct. 3 (H) Roselle Park 50, Dunellen 8
Oct. 10 (A) Roselle Park 35, Highland Park 12
Oct. 17 (H) Roselle Park 52, John P. Sevens 6
Oct. 24 (A) Spotswood 26, Roselle Park 16
Nov. 5 (H) Boonton 29, Roselle Park 12
Nov. 27 (H) Roselle
Roselle played two consolation games following its eight-game schedule. The Rams were defeated at Millburn High School, 51-14, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, and then at home against Henry Snyder High School of Jersey City 28-16 on Nov. 13.
Roselle’s wins came at Metuchen High School, 18-12, on Saturday, Sept. 13, and at John P. Stevens High School of Edison, 40-6, on Friday, Oct. 24.
Roselle’s last win at home and against a Union County opponent took place the night before Thanksgiving last year when the Rams defeated Roselle Park, 46-14, at their Arminio Field on Nov. 27, 2024.
Roselle Park played one consolation game following its eight-game schedule. The Panthers were defeated at home by Morris County foe Boonton High School, 29-12, on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
Roselle Park began 2-0 with wins over Middlesex and South River by a combined score of 87-13. Then after losses at fellow Union County schools Jonathan Dayton and David Brearley, the Panthers bounced back to defeat Middlesex County schools Dunellen, Highland Park and J.P. Stevens.
Roselle Park then lost at Group 2 Spotswood High School, 26-16, on the playoff cutoff date weekend, Friday, Oct. 24, before falling at home to Boonton in a consolation game.
Roselle finished third in the Big Central Conference’s four-schools Patriot Silver Division with a 1-2 record, its division win coming against Metuchen.
Roselle Park finished fourth in the Freedom Gold’s six-schools division with a 2-3 record, its division wins coming against South River and then Highland Park.
There plans to be pre-game festivities honoring the final time Roselle and Roselle Park battle on Thanksgiving.
Roselle Park–Roselle Thanksgiving traditions:
The Signorello Family Bonfire
Roselle Park dad’s club-sponsored sausage and peppers at Frenchy’s Restaurant on Wednesday night
The UNICO-sponsored Thursday morning breakfast including Roselle Park and Roselle dignitaries and captains of both teams
The scores:
2025: Roselle vs. Roselle Park – Thursday, Nov. 27 at 10 a.m. at Roselle Park’s Herm Shaw Field
2024: Roselle 46, Roselle Park 14 – at Roselle (Friday night before Thanksgiving)
2023: Roselle Park 20, Roselle 14 – at Roselle Park
2022: Roselle 44, Roselle Park 2 – at Roselle (Friday night before Thanksgiving)
2021: Roselle 32, Roselle Park 14 – at Roselle Park
2020: No game because of COVID-19 pandemic.
2019: Roselle 50, Roselle Park 36 at Roselle (last game played at Roselle on Thanksgiving)
2018: No game because Roselle Park fielded only a junior varsity team.
2017: Roselle Park 7, Roselle 6 – at Roselle Park
2016: Roselle 42, Roselle Park 20 – at Roselle Park
2015: Roselle 41, Roselle Park 33 – at Roselle
2014: Roselle Park 29, Roselle 14 – at Roselle Park
2013: Roselle Park 24, Roselle 12 – at Roselle
2012: Roselle Park 28, Roselle 14 – at Roselle Park
2011: Roselle 27, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
2010: Roselle 35, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
2009: Roselle 35, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
2008: Roselle 28, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
2007: Roselle Park 28, Roselle 14 – at Roselle
2006: Roselle Park 16, Roselle 12 – at Roselle Park
2005: Roselle Park 21, Roselle 14 – at Roselle
2004: Roselle Park 35, Roselle 6 – at Roselle Park
2003: Roselle Park 13, Roselle 12 – at Roselle
2002: Roselle 14, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
2001: Roselle 48, Roselle Park 22 – at Roselle
2000: Roselle Park 19, Roselle 0 – at Roselle Park
1999: Roselle Park 20, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1998: Roselle 28, Roselle Park 13 – at Roselle Park
1997: Roselle Park 26, Roselle 16 – at Roselle
1996: Roselle Park 29, Roselle 7 – at Roselle Park
1995: Roselle Park 12, Roselle 6 – at Roselle
1994: Roselle Park 7, Roselle 6 – at Roselle Park
1993: Roselle Park 26, Roselle 12 – at Roselle
1992: Roselle Park 28, Roselle 6 – at Roselle Park
1991: Roselle 26, Roselle Park 7 – at Roselle
1990: Roselle Park 17, Roselle 8 – at Roselle Park
1989: Roselle 6, Roselle Park 3 – at Roselle
1988: Roselle 22, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
1987: Roselle 28, Roselle Park 14 – at Roselle
1986: Roselle Park 17, Roselle 7 – at Roselle Park
1985: Roselle Park 0, Roselle 0 (tie) – at Roselle
1984: Roselle Park 14, Roselle 12 – at Roselle Park
1983: Roselle 26, Roselle Park 2 – at Roselle
1982: Roselle 18, Roselle Park 6 – at Roselle Park
1981: Roselle 6, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
1980: Roselle 22, Roselle Park 20 – at Roselle Park
1979: Roselle Park 29, Roselle 12 – at Roselle
1978: Roselle Park 22, Roselle 16 – at Roselle Park
1977: Roselle Park 14, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1976: Roselle 14, Roselle Park 2 – at Roselle Park
1975: Roselle Park 0, Roselle 0 (tie) – at Roselle
1974: Roselle Park 10, Roselle 7 – at Roselle Park
1973: Roselle 26, Roselle Park 10 – at Roselle Park
1972: Roselle 19, Roselle Park 6 – at Roselle Park
1971: Roselle Park 40, Roselle Park 14 – at Roselle
1970: Roselle Park 21, Roselle 14 – at Roselle Park
1969: Roselle Park 40, Roselle 6 – at Roselle
1968: Roselle Park 39, Roselle 12 – at Roselle Park
1967: Roselle Park 15, Roselle 14 – at Roselle
1966: Roselle 14, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
1965: Roselle 21, Roselle Park 6 – at Roselle
1964: Roselle 16, Roselle Park 13 – at Roselle Park
1963: Roselle Park 13, Roselle 7 – at Roselle
1962: Roselle Park 7, Roselle 6 – at Roselle Park
1961: Roselle Park 19, Roselle 13 – at Roselle
1960: Roselle 26, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
1959: Roselle 28, Roselle Park 7 – at Roselle
1958: Roselle Park 32, Roselle 7 – at Roselle Park
1957: Roselle 13, Roselle Park 7 – at Roselle
1956: Roselle 14, Roselle Park 6 – at Roselle Park
1955: Roselle Park 12, Roselle 6 – at Roselle
1954: Roselle 13, Roselle Park 12 – at Roselle Park
1953: Roselle Park 20, Roselle 7 – at Roselle
1952: Roselle Park 18, Roselle 6 – at Roselle Park
1951: Roselle Park 12, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1950: Roselle 25, Roselle Park 13 – at Roselle Park
1949: Roselle Park 33, Roselle 7 – at Roselle
1948: Roselle Park 7, Roselle 0 – at Roselle Park
1947: Roselle Park 0, Roselle 0 (tie) – at Roselle
1946: Roselle Park 12, Roselle 0 – at Roselle Park
1945: Roselle Park 32, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1944: Roselle Park 26, Roselle 0 – at Roselle Park
1943: Roselle Park 25, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1942: Roselle 9, Roselle Park 2 – at Roselle Park
1941: Roselle Park 0, Roselle 0 (tie) – at Roselle
1940: Roselle Park 7, Roselle 2 – at Roselle Park
1939: Roselle 6, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
1938: Roselle 16, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
1937: Roselle Park 19, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1936: Roselle Park 6, Roselle 6 (tie) – at Roselle Park
1935: Roselle 18, Roselle Park 6 – at Roselle
1934: Roselle 19, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
1933: Roselle Park 0, Roselle 0 (tie) – at Roselle
1932: Roselle 13, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
1931: Roselle Park 0, Roselle 0 (tie) – at Roselle
1930: Roselle Park 0, Roselle 0 (tie) – at Roselle Park
1929: Roselle Park 51, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1928: Roselle Park 20, Roselle 0 – at Roselle Park
1927: Roselle 6, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
1926: Roselle Park 6, Roselle 0 – at Roselle Park
1925: Roselle Park 6, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1924: Roselle Park 21, Roselle 0 – at Roselle Park
1923: Roselle Park 41, Roselle 0 – at Roselle
1922: Roselle 19, Roselle Park 6 – at Roselle Park
1921: Roselle 29, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
1920: Roselle 28, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle Park
1919: Roselle 39, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
1915: Roselle 81, Roselle Park 0 – at Roselle
(Games were not played in 1916, 1917 and 1918 due to World War I.)
Series: Roselle Park leads 52-45-8.
Seven of the eight ties were 0-0 scores.
Longest Roselle Park win streak: (7) 1943-1949.
Roselle Park also won six straight from 1992-1997 and five straight from 2003-2007.
Longest Roselle win streak: (5) 1915-1922 (First five games).
Roselle also won four straight from 1980-1983 and 2008-2011.
At Roselle Park’s Herm Shaw Field – Roselle Park is 27-24-2.
At Roselle’s E. Ralph Arminio Field – Roselle is 21-25-6.
Roselle shutout victories: 18.
Roselle Park shutout victories: 16.
Roselle consecutive shutout victories:
4 (twice)
1915, 1919, 1920, 1921 (the first 4 games) and 2008-2011.
Roselle Park consecutive shutout victories:
4 (twice)
1923-1926 and 1943-1946.
Largest Roselle margin of victory (81):
1915: Roselle 81-0 – at Roselle.
Largest Roselle Park margin of victory (51):
1929: Roselle Park 51-0 – at Roselle.
Closest Victories:
1962 at Roselle Park – Roselle Park 7, Roselle 6
2003 at Roselle – Roselle Park 13, Roselle 12
2017 at Roselle Park – Roselle Park 7, Roselle 6
Roselle Park head coach John Wagner’s 25-season (1981-2005)
Record in game: 14-10-1
Wagner is Roselle Park Class of 1969.
Roselle head coach Lou Grasso Sr.’s 25-season (1979-2003)
Record in game: 11-13-1
Grasso Sr. is Roselle Class of 1968.
Top 10 longest Thanksgiving Day football rivalries in New Jersey:
1-Millville–Vineland, 153 years – still going
2-Westfield–Plainfield, 120 years – finished in 2024
3-Phillipsburg–Easton, Pa., 119 years – still going
4-Haddonfield–Haddon Heights, 116 years – still going
5-Barringer–East Orange Campus, 112 years – still going
6-Salem–Woodstown, 111 years – finished in 2021
7-Roselle Park–Roselle, 110 years – finishing in 2025
8-Middle Township–Lower Cape May, 104 years – finished in 2021
9-Ocean City–Pleasantville, 101 years – finished in 2022
10-Toms River South–Lakewood, 100 years – finished in 2019
Photo by JR Parachini
