Only in Hamilton on Thanksgiving morning would a crowd of thousands come out in cold weather to watch a 4-7 football team host a 2-8 squad. But that’s how much Hamilton-Steinert means to the township and especially to those involved. Thanksgiving games are an endangered species in New Jersey but when they kick it off at Steinert on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. (WBCB YouTube) it will be the 66th time since 1959 they pull folks out of their houses and away from the Macy’s Day Parade (with a few exceptions when the date was changed due to playoffs). “I definitely think this tradition should be cherished,” Steinert’s standout senior linebacker Remy Feniello said. “This has been a rivalry since ‘59. I just love the feeling of playing more football and playing in the cold. It’s just awesome. It has a good football feel to it. We get a good crowd every time and people just enjoy coming to this game.” Some participants have been part of the game since before they got to high school. “Growing up I used to be a ballboy for Steinert from fifth grade through middle school,” Spartans senior quarterback Anthony Giglio said. “I used to go to all the games, it was really special. It’s always been a rivalry and now that I’m a part of it, it’s even more special.” Giglio starred in his first Turkey Day start, throwing for 136 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s 21-0 Steinert win. It was Steinert’s second straight victory in a series Hamilton leads 37-27-1, and Hornets coach Mike Papero wants that to change. Like Giglio, he was a Hamilton ballboy before becoming a player and coach. “Any time we play that team over there we want to beat them,” said Papero, whose team has not played since Oct. 30. “There’s a natural hatred for both teams. It’s been a couple years since we’ve come out on top. This is a team of good kids who want to win and have been working hard. That’s definitely on the pile of reasons we need to go out and win this. “It’s not going to be easy. They’re well coached but we haven’t put four quarters together yet this year. We’re gonna go out, do our best, put them in position to be successful and it will be about execution. We also don’t want them to win the Hamilton Trophy. We want to share that if we can.” Steinert wide receiver Remy Feniello celebrates his touchdown catch against Hamilton West during the annual Thanksgiving day football game on Thursday morning at William J. McEvoy Field in Hamilton. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Papero was alluding to the Joe Logue Trophy, which is awarded to the round-robin winner between the three township teams. Because it beat Nottingham, Steinert (4-7) can win its first outright Logue Trophy since 2015. “That gives us a little extra incentive,” Feniello said. “It’s a little cherry on top after the win. It would be super cool.” Feniello is one of the main concerns for Hamilton’s offense, along with Sean Mahon, Jon Weaver, Makai Blackstone, Matt Iraca, Dylan Andrewsky and the twins in the secondary, Isaiah and Isaac Pate. “Feniello is somebody you always have to have your eye on,” Papero said. “He’s always lurking on the defense there. He’s a real good ball player. “But it’s not just one or two players. They’re solid in a lot of areas. We just have to focus more on us doing the right thing than any of their individual players.” In looking at West’s offense, Feniello said the Spartans want to stop the rushing game generated by Brian Boswell (657 yards, 5 TDs). “We’re worried about their running back,” Feniello said. “He’s gonna be a great test, especially in the cold, a big guy like him. It’s gonna be difficult but that’s what we’ve been training for all season. Just tackling bigger fellows, going hard every single day. It’s gotten us ready for this moment.” Hamilton West running back Brian Boswell, right, tries to run away from Trenton safety Keyshawn Wharthen, left, during a WJFL Valley Division game on Saturday afternoon at Bill Harvin Memorial Stadium in Trenton. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Steinert will also look to stop sophomore quarterback Cullen Bressler, who gained the starting job midway through the season once his practice performances improved. He has completed 31 of 71 passes 292 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception. “He’s not making wrong reads, which is the number one thing you want with a young quarterback,” Papero said. “Protecting the ball, making the reads, keeping his composure and not throwing the ball to where it shouldn’t be. The stage isn’t too big for him and we’re very impressed.” Bressler’s father, also Cullen, was teammates at South Brunswick High School with Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko. “You can tell he knows about football, that’s something his dad has passed along to him,” Papero said. “He has a really good understanding of the game and how to read coverages.” While Bressler plays in his first rivalry game, Giglio will try to win his second straight. He was helped last year by Isaac Pate, who rushed for 106 yards, including a 77-yard TD run. “Those twins are football players, they’re athletic,” Papero said. “They have other good ball players to go along with them. They’re bigger than us. We’re gonna have our hands full.” Papero also praised head coach Thaddeus Richards and his staff, saying, “Just watching their film you can tell that they’re coached the right way. From an X and O point of view they present some challenges. In going against a defense led by Gabe Bing and Cristian Eagleton, Giglio said on Sunday “We haven’t talked about their players yet but I’m sure we’ll have a game plan for everybody.” The quarterback is trying to snap a two-game losing streak during which Steinert scored 17 points. “We’ve just gotta practice harder,” he said. “We can’t play stressed out, we just go out and have fun. It’s enjoyment with this game. You’re just excited about it.” Steinert quarterback Anthony Giglio gestures as he waits for the snap against Allentown during a WJFL Capitol Division game on Saturday afternoon in Hamilton Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Steinert is looking to win three straight in the series for just the third time, as it has won four straight on two other occasions. Femiello and Giglio both know Hornet players but they said no talk will be exchanged until the final whistle. “Maybe some friendly trash talk during the game,” Giglio said. One big difference is experience, Steinert has veterans who have played on Thanksgiving before, while a young Hamilton team could return 18 of 22 starters next year. That could lead to a little more urgency for some of the Spartans. “I’m super pumped,” Feniello said. “Ever since our last consolation game (against Manasquan Nov. 16) when the score wasn’t how we planned,  we’ve been pumped for this one. “I would say it’s a little more special my senior year. Every year has been important to me but this is the last time going out and I’m gonna give it everything I’ve got to beat these guys one last time in this great rivalry.”