Thanksgiving Football: Billerica Vs. Chelmsford By The Numbers

CHELMSFORD, MA — With the Patriots and Vikings not kicking off until 8:20 p.m. Thursday, local football fans have plenty of time to take in the Thanksgiving game between Billerica Memorial High and Chelmsford High, which is scheduled for 10 a.m.

It's a big one.

The Indians (9-1, 3-0) will visit the Lions (8-2, 3-0) with the Merrimack Valley Conference Small title on the line.

The contest will be played at CHS Simonian Stadium, located at 200 Richardson Rd. in North Chelmsford. Tickets are $9 and can be purchased via GoFan.

Led by junior starting quarterback Kyle Wilder, the Chelmsford offense is just 30 points shy of setting the school's single-season record for points scored.

Billerica, meanwhile, counters with dual-threat senior quarterback JT Green.

This is the 93rd all-time meeting between the schools. Chelmsford leads the overall series 59-28-3.

The teams first met in 1927 — a 6-0 Billerica victory — and have met every year but 1933, 1934, 1940 (snow), and 2020 (COVID). Chelmsford beat Billerica 16-3 in 2021.

Here are some other facts and figures relating to the rivalry:

• Largest margin of victory: 42 points, Chelmsford won 42-0 in 1964
• Closest games: 1 point (1930, 1986, 1997, 2000)
• Most points scored by Chelmsford vs. Billerica: 61, in 1994
• Most points scored by Billerica vs. Chelmsford: 52, in 2016
• Most points scored combined: 104, in Chelmsford's 55-51 win in 2006
• Longest winning streak by Chelmsford against Billerica: 10 games (1975-84)
• Longest winning streak by Billerica against Chelmsford: 4 games (2014-17)
• Chelmsford's best stretch vs. Billerica: 1971-1994, Chelmsford went 22-2

Rivalry by decade. Which team came out on top each decade?:

• 1920s: Chelmsford, went 2-1
• 1930s: Chelmsford, went 6-1-1
• 1940s: Billerica, went 6-1-2
• 1950s: Billerica, went 5-4-1
• 1960s: Chelmsford, went 9-1
• 1970s: Chelmsford, went 8-2
• 1980s: Chelmsford, went 9-1
• 1990s: Chelmsford, went 6-4
• 2000s: Chelmsford, went 8-2
• 2010s: Tied 5-5
• 2020s: Chelmsford leads 1-0

Super Bowl titles:

Chelmsford: 1987, 1991, 1994, 2007

Billerica: 1993, 1999

Current head coaches vs. rival:

Chelmsford's George Peterson is 2-1 vs. Billerica

Billerica's Duane Sigsbury is 4-3 vs. Chelmsford

Current head coaches head-to-head:

Peterson, 2 wins; Sigsbury, 1 win