This year’s Catasauqua-Northampton Thanksgiving Day tilt will be a first (possibly) on two accounts.

It will mark the 100th year of their meeting that began in 1925. Heading into Thursday’s contest, Northampton has an overall 64-33-4 advantage, as the teams played twice during the 1925 and 1926 seasons.

In addition, this will be the first time in a long time that both teams will take the field at Catasauqua with identical 4-7 records.

However, fans from both towns are hopeful for a competitive game. Northampton has won the last 11 contests in dominant fashion, outscoring Catasauqua by an average of 33 points in each of them. Northampton won last year’s meeting, 58-14.

This season, Catasauqua stormed out to a 3-1 start before they dropped five-straight. Their streak ended with a 26-7 victory over Palmerton in their season finale. The Rough Riders were beat by state runner-up Schuylkill Haven, the then top ranked Class 2A team in the state, 62-14, in the opening round of the district playoffs.

Northampton began the season by winning its first two games before losing three-straight. The Konkrete Kids could never find any consistency, and their postseason ended with a 37-36 loss to Nazareth in the opening round of districts.

Both teams have been idle since Oct. 31, both coaches - and a great majority of players - already have been through the situation.

Catasauqua second-year head coach Joe Henrich appreciated the time off.

“The layoff has been nice,” stated Henrich. “We got away for a week and then started back up. We had two lifts and two practices each of the last two weeks. We had some fun with the kids.”

Northampton fifth-year head coach John Toman, whose teams have outscored Catasauqua, 195-46 during the span in Turkey Day games, contrarily wasn’t happy with the three-week absence.

“Layoffs never help when it comes to pure football and execution,” stressed Toman. “Neither team has played for a month, so that never helps. The only positive you may get is getting back players who were dinged up at the end of the year.”

Toman isn’t taking Catasauqua’s overall inexperience lightly.

“They are well-coached, young and athletic,” said Toman. “They have several weapons we have to contain. We need to establish ourselves early.”

Henrich expects his team will be faced with a stiff test.

“Northampton is a talented football team, and they are well coached,” said Henrich. “They have size up front and speed in the backfield.

“We will be challenged, but we will be ready.”

TURKEY TALES: In 2001, both teams finished their years 2-9, and Northampton won that game, 18-12 in overtime. In 2007, both teams finished the year with 4-7 records, and Northampton won that game, 41-7 ... Catasauqua last won the game in 2013 by a 43-28 score ... The Roughies have lost 21 of the last 27 games ... Northampton lost returning leading tackler senior Owen Stanchock before the season with a knee injury. Catasauqua junior quarterback Aiden Reilly is back from a wrist injury and will start the game. Reilly has thrown for 603 yards with three touchdowns and eight interceptions, Tray Dunn is the Roughies’ leading rusher with 847 yards and eight touchdowns, and Cadeo Estronza has added 355 yards with five touchdowns ... Manny Bolmer is Catty’s leading receiver with 29 catches for 328 yards with two touchdowns ... Chris Wellington Jr. leads the Roughies with 64 tackles and Joziah Martinez has 53. Tyler Limandi has 47 tackles ... Gavin Taff has thrown for 1,404 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions ... Chase Kessler has run for 1,418 yards with 15 touchdowns ... Cameron Hersch has caught 31 balls for 428 yards with two touchdowns ... Rocco Amato leads the Kids with 54 tackles, Chase Czarnecki has 48, and Sincere Wadlington has 44.

PREDICTION: Neither team comes into the game with any momentum. Having Reilly back will help the Roughies, but they will need to get their running game going behind Dunn. Typically, Northampton’s size advantage wears down Catasauqua, and this game likely will follow the script. Kids will look to get their running game in gear behind Kessler, who could have a big game, The Kids will come out with a chip on their shoulder to close out the year strong after a disappointing season. This easily could mean an earlier-than-expected Thanksgiving dinner if the Kids begin to dominate as expected. Catty will give it a good run early, but Catty head boys’ basketball coach Eric Snyder will have to save a couple of bags of homemade pierogies for me ... K-KIDS, 35-13.