“Raider Nation” will certainly be out for Friday’s home game against Westfield, the 60th meeting in the series, and the first to be played at night. (Photo: @SPFathletics on Twitter)
The history of the matchup goes back to 1929, when Westfield beat Scotch Plains-Fanwood in their first football tussle, 20-0. The teams wouldn’t play again until 1961, but from that point on would meet every year except one (1990) through 2017.
After a brief break, the rivalry was renewed last year, but in all that time, the series has never featured a night game.
That is, until Friday night.
That’s when the Blue Devils (1-2) come into Scotch Plains for a 7 pm matchup with the Raiders (1-3) under the lights, which you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio, starting at 6:45 with the pregame as Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe call all the action. Click here to listen.
It’s the 60th meeting between the schools, with the Blue Devils’ up 43-13-3 in the series.
Westfield’s Kehler Stadium has never had lights. Nor did SPF’s home field until a few years ago, when they were installed in the midst of the series’ hiatus.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood is looking to snap a three-game losing streak, while Westfield dropped its first two games, but picked up a victory last week over Elizabeth, 23-21.
The Raiders will be led by interim head coach Bobby Swercheck, an assistant who takes over the program after Tuesday night’s resignation of Austin Holman, in the middle of his fifth season as head coach.
Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Scotch Plains-Fanwood Offensive Coordinator and veteran coach Tony Maglione about the Raiders, and the matchup with the Blue Devils: