By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

WOONSOCKET --- When longtime rivals Cumberland High and Woonsocket High lock horns Thanksgiving Day morning at Barry Field, it will mark the 46th time that the two squads have squared off against each other for the Holiday Classic.
Although there have been a few one-sided victories along the way by both squads, Woonsocket High head coach Carnell Henderson and first-year Cumberland mentor Chris Skurka don’t expect that to be the case this Thursday, even though the neighboring schools will have slightly different routes to take when the final whistle is blown.
Just five days after the contest, Division II-A titlist Woonsocket (6-1) will play Coventry (6-1 in II-B) in a semifinal game Tuesday night at Barry Field. As for Cumberland (3-4 in II-B), when the last play is called on Turkey Day it will be handing in its uniforms as it fell short of a postseason berth with a loss to Lincoln more than two weeks ago.
Will Henderson shuffle around his players against the Clippers with the thought of keeping them healthy for their date with the Knotty Oakers? Will the Villa Novans be thinking ahead to the playoffs?
Not a chance on both accounts, says the Woonsocket coach.
“I am not really worried about injury. We have the Cumberland game. We first have to get ready for the Cumberland game,” Henderson said. “The playoff game isn’t even in the conversation. The goal is to beat Cumberland. We are really not thinking about the playoff game.”
Skurka agrees that Woonsocket will be playing at full throttle.
“To me, the playoff system is what it is,” he said. “I told the kids, if we were in Woonsocket shoes, we would do everything to win regardless.”
While Woonsocket is being considered as one of the favorites to win the upcoming Super Bowl, Cumberland has also proven to be a quite a good football team, despite its sub .500 record. The Clippers were the only squad to defeat II-B heavy South Kingstown (6-1) during the regular season and also suffered a pair of back-to-back heartbreaking losses - a triple overtime decision to Coventry and another OT setback to Toll Gate.
In an emotional game like Thanksgiving, that frustration could turn into positive energy for the Clippers.
“We have a talented team, we just have had some bad breaks along the way,” Skurka said. “We have nothing to lose in this game. We are going to play that way. This is our last game. This is how we are going to play it. We are playing the game like it’s our last game because it is.”
“If you look at what they’ve done during the season, they are a very competitive football team,” Henderson said. “They are going to come ready to play. Cumberland always brings its ‘A’ game.”
As been evident during the season, Cumberland and Woonsocket are capable of putting quite a few points on the board. The Clippers were fifth in the league with 150 points or an average of just over 20 per game. The Villa Novans were tied for sixth with 147 in their seven games.
The Villa Novans have been led offensively by senior running back Travis Gagne, one of 18 dedicated seniors on their year’s squad.
 Gagne has rushed for close to 1,300 yards this fall and has found the end zone eight times.
“We just have to play great defense with him,” Skurka said. “We just got to have good fundamentals. If you miss him, he’ll make you pay.”
“He’s a workhorse,” Henderson said. “He’s a very good running back, but he’s just one of the many talented seniors we have.”
Among that talented core is another gifted running back in senior Jordan Barr, who had 134 yards in the Villa Novans’ 34-0 rout of Lincoln in their semifinal contest. Quarterback Luis Heredia and FB/LB Brian Doire are a few other seniors that have made key contributions for the Villa Novans this season.
 “I am fortunate to have the seniors that I have,” Henderson said. “They have made it easier.”
On offense, the Clippers will have to find a way to penetrate through a stingy Woonsocket defense that allowed just 43 points this season, the second fewest in the entire league.
For that to happen, Cumberland will be relying heavily on quarterback Dan Canavan to have a big game. The senior signal-caller has demonstrated a strong arm this fall and has passed for more than 1,000 yards. He has an assortment of capable hands he can throw the ball to, mostly notably senior Joe Vecchio. On the ground, senior RB/DB Keith Gaumond, senior RB/CB Justin Gaudette and senior RB/DB David Elkas have taken the bulk of the handles this season.
“I think Cumberland is a very balanced football team,” Henderson said. “They run the football well and are very well coached. They do most things well. They have played some good football this season. Sometimes they didn’t get any breaks and that changes the whole complexion of the season.”
Cumberland holds the edge in the series at 26-15-4, but Woonsocket has won the last two contests with a pair of lopsided victories – a 35-7 decision last year and a 42-18 win in 2007.
 “I really want to see us win for the seniors that have stuck it out, adjusting to a new coach and a new system,” Skurka said. “I’d like to see them go out on a high note. But we got Woonsocket, a very good football team. It’s not going to be an easy task.”
“I am very confident with the team we have,” Henderson said. “I am very proud at what they have done this season. They pay attention to detail and enjoy playing together. I hope they can savor the moment (on Thanksgiving).”
Kickoff for Thursday’s game is at 10 a.m.

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An interesting side note about Thursday’s contest. Skurka and Henderson, who both pace the sidelines for their respective alma-maters, will face each other for the first time since the fall of 1990 when both were seniors for their schools in the Thanksgiving Day contest.
“I don’t really remember the game too much, except for the fact that we won My memory is not that good,” said Henderson, an all-state receiver for the Villa Novans under head coach Bob Calascibetta. He later starred at Boston University where he was an honorable mention All-American.
“I saw him the other day and it just brought back some old stories. It definitely brought back memories of Thanksgiving. But all I remember about that game is they beat us.” said Skurka, a former linebacker for then-CHS head coach Tim Coen. Since his high school days, he has coached football for Cumberland, Dean College and St. Raphael Academy in a 16-year career.