EP High Competing for Nation's Best Football Rivalry

Ten Rhode Island high schools set to battle their bitter rivals on the field next Thursday are also partnering with those same football enemies in a contest away from the gridiron.

East Providence's annual grudge match with LaSalle is among five high school football rivalries in the state have been chosen to compete in the Best High School Football Rivalry competition conducted by USA Today. The newspaper selected the competitors in each state and Washington, D.C. after more than a month of conversations with local media and other state/school officials with high school football expertise. 

Of the East Providence/LaSalle rivalry, USA Today wrote: "The teams have met each year on Thanksgiving day. The East Providence vs. La Salle rivalary game started in 1928 and is one of Rhode Island's most prestigious rivalries."

In Rhode Island, the competitors include Coventry and West Warwick; East Providence and LaSalle; Woonsocket and Cumberland; Warwick Vets and Pilgrim; and Pawtucket's Tolman and Shea.

Now, it's up to the fans to decide who has the greatest rivalry in high school sports. From there, the fans now decide which rivalry emerges from a list of 255 - more than 100 more rivalries overall than a year ago. This year's best rivalry competition will end Dec. 18 after three rounds of voting. The 51 state winners advance to one of eight regionals. The winners of the eight regions, along with two wild cards, move onto a final round of 10.

The winner receives $5,000 to be split evenly between the two schools, with other prizes going to all of the national finalists.

The first round of voting is now open and continues through Nov. 27. The Regional round runs Dec. 2-10, and the national finals run Dec. 11-18.