On Thanksgiving Day, the Northampton Area High School Konkrete Kids and Catasauqua High School Rough Riders football teams slogged it out on a muddy Alumni Field in Catasauqua for the 90th Thanksgiving Day rivalry. The night before the game, high school coaches, athletic directors, principals and the school district superintendents exchanged some good-natured jesting at the annual Bury the Hatchet dinner. Both events are a long-standing tradition in the community.

The dinner was hosted by the Northampton Exchange Club.

While the ribbing was all in fun, at times taking on the feel of a roast, it got serious when speaker after speaker addressed what the annual game has meant to the community. They said the tradition brings with it a sense of community pride to those who cheer for the orange and black or brown and white.

Northampton Area School District Superintendent Joseph Kovalchik said the tradition of the two neighboring schools meeting on the gridiron on Thanksgiving Day will continue forever.

Far more than a game, the tradition includes student pep rallies, a powder puff game and other activities.

Just as important, the tradition of Northampton Exchange Club and its counterpart in Catasauqua holding the Bury The Hatchet program which, like the game, alternates annually between the two communities.

While the two first-year head football coaches, Northampton's Mark Scisly and Catasauqua's Phil Dorn, expressed their excitement at being a part in a rich tradition, they refrained from making any prediction on the game's outcome.

Kovalchik presented Scisly with large sheets with gridiron plays which had been retrieved from former Northampton legendary coach Al Erdorsy, which Kovalchik said could help the team to victory over the Rough Riders.

When Kovalchik reminded Catasauqua of the shellacking the NHS Wonder Team had once administered, it was CHS Principal David Ascani reminded him that for the three previous meetings between the two schools, Catty had come out on top.

Other key people attending the dinner were NHS Athletic Director Todd Bowser, CHS Athletic Director Dave Troxell, NHS Principal Steve Seier and Rose Correll.