Thanksgiving is all about the three ‘F’s: family, feasting, and football. Nowhere in the country is this more prevalent than in Massachusetts, one of the oldest states in the union and the birthplace of Thanksgiving. Kudos to you, early colonial settlers. And as the Bay State continues to age gracefully, so too does its deep-rooted high school football traditions.

Sure, high school football reigns supreme in other areas of the country more so than the Commonwealth (Friday Night Lights anyone?), but on Thanksgiving, we own it. So to help you celebrate Turkey Day, here are five fun facts about high school Thanksgiving football in Massachusetts.

1. We boasts the oldest private and public school rivalries in the country

As old as Massachusetts is, so too are its educational institutions. So ripe, in fact, are Mass. high schools that we boast the distinction of the oldest public and private school rivalries anywhere else in the good ol’ U.S of A. Phillips Academy of Andover, MA has beaten New Hampshire’s Phillips Exeter 67 times to 51 times (ten ties sprinkled in), since 1878. Eat it, New Hampshire.

For public schools, Wellesley High School has played Needham High school since 1882, with 59 wins in favor of Wellesley, 56 in favor of Needham, and nine ties between them.

2. We also boast the oldest continuous rivalry in the country

While the aforementioned schools have played each other for longer than this rivalry, it hasn’t been annual since those dates. Boston Latin School has played English High School every single year since 1887. Not too surprising, seeing as how Latin was the very first school of any kind ever in the country tracing its roots to 1635, just five years after the founding of Boston. It may also be one of the most one-sided rivalries in the country, with Latin owning a 77–35–13 record. Shout out to the Latin class of ’75. Go Pack!

3. 16 Massachusetts Rivalries are over 100 years old

Again, Massachusetts schools are old and so is its spirit of competition. While nearly every high school engages its rival on Thanksgiving, 16 have since passed the century mark, registering a rivalry of at least 100 years old. Interestingly, most of these golden oldie matchups take place in the eastern half of the state, with the oldest westerly game taking place between Fitchburg and Leominster.

4. 11,000 in attendance

The rivalry between North Shore cities Beverly and Salem is a member in the 100-year club, not surprising, since they too were early colonial settlements. In 1998 the two schools met for the 100th time in said rivalry, drawing an enormous crowd of approximately 11,000 spectators. To put that in perspective, my high school football Thanksgiving game once drew an unprecedented crowd of 2,000 and my hometown population is roughly 6,000.

5. The almighty turducken

A loose tie to high school football but a tie nonetheless. I mean, who doesn’t want to come home to a hearty chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey after playing their hearts out for their alma mater? While some people might credit gobbler John Madden with inventing the turducken, he merely popularized it during his commentary days. It’s roots still remain a mystery but we do know that culinary genius Paul Prudhomme of Louisiana was awarded a patent for the dish in 1986. But one chef named Grimod de La Reniere may have conceived the idea in 1807 with his roti sans pareil, a dish consisting of seventeen different birds being stuffed into each other.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.