By BRENDAN McGAIR

Sports writer

 PAWTUCKET – It has been a long and painful season for the coaches and players associated with the two Pawtucket public high school programs.
On Friday, each side added another chapter to their respective tale of woe.
There was a lambasting, which Mount Hope administered to Tolman, 39-0, at Pariseau Field. There was also the excruciating, which Shea experienced across town at Max Read Field, falling in overtime to a one-win Pilgrim squad, 20-14.
Usually the Thanksgiving Eve clash between the Tigers and Raiders is looking upon with great reverence. That won’t be the case when the pair gets together under the lights at McCoy Stadium on Nov. 25. The records have a great deal to do why this usually anticipated clash has been replaced with a whaff of despair, Tolman dropping to 2-5 in Division II-A while the Raiders sink to 1-6 in II-B.
Scratch beneath the surface and then you’ll truly understand why the well has run dry for the Tigers and Raiders these days. Football is a game based primarily on desire and will. Right now both critical components are nowhere to be found, according to both head coaches.
“We don’t have much heart,” said Shea mentor Dino Campopiano as a joyful bunch of Patriots boarded the bus behind him.
“We faced a legit football team [in the Huskies]. They smacked us in the mouth and we didn’t like it,” offered Tolman’s Dave Caito. “We [meaning Tolman and Shea] both stink, so (Thanksgiving) should be game, providing no one quits.”
Tolman actually had a chance to play spoiler Friday, given Mount Hope came to town still very much in the mix for the II-A division title. The Huskies, now 6-1, will finish tied atop the standings with either Woonsocket or Westerly. Ironically both the Villa Novans and Bulldogs will lock horns this afternoon at Barry Field.
The carnage came early and often for Tolman. Already up a score, Mount Hope recovered the ensuing kickoff when a scene straight out of the “Bad News Bears” resulted in the Huskies setting up shop at the Tigers’ 20 yard-line.
Mount Hope finished all five of its offensive drives in the opening half, the result a plush 33-0 advantage at halftime. Tolman managed just one first down through two quarters.
“They’re just a better football team than us,” said Caito matter-of-factly.
While the Tigers were getting pushed around, the Raiders were locked in a nip-and-tuck affair with a Patriots team that upended Lincoln in overtime two weeks ago. Pilgrim jumped out to a 6-0 lead after one quarter, quarterback Justin Martin calling his own number on a third down that turned into a 57-yard jaunt.
The Raiders, now losers of four straight in league play, drew even four plays into the second quarter, Manny Baptista breaking free for a 21-yard run. Shea tacked on the two-pointer conversion to go up 8-6, quarterback Josh Burgo lofting a pass in the right corner to Jamal Tucker.
Shea surged ahead 14-6 in the third quarter after Baptista covered 75 yards on the ground. The conversion kick was missed, which turns out would haunt the Raiders later on. Pilgrim knotted the contest at 14-all after Martin plunged in from a yard away before adding the two-pointer, capping off a drive in which the signal-caller converted two fourth downs with clutch throws.
A scoreless fourth quarter brought on overtime. Pilgrim possessed the ball first, and it only took two plays for the deadlock to be broken. Tailback Derek DeSilva scooted in from two yards away for the eventual game-winning score.
The pressure shifted to Campopiano’s sideline to see if Shea could force a second overtime. Instead Pilgrim’s defense held its ground, stuffing the Raiders on four straight running attempts.
“We don’t finish games,” said a sullen Campopiano. “We don’t play four periods.”
Before the Raiders and Tigers can renew holiday acquaintances, they must first get though their respective crossover matches next weekend.