If you decide to go see Auntie Mae on Thanksgiving Day, don’t worry. You should be back in time to see the Dragons play Marshfield five days later in the MIAA Division 2A Super Bowl playoffs. In a bizarre twist that neither coach seems too happy about, the winner of the Atlantic Coast Conference was scheduled to play the Patriot League-Keenan Division champ in the playoffs’ first round. DHS Athletic Director Thom Holdgate tried to persuade the state’s high school governing body to reverse opponents in the first round, but they wouldn’t budge, citing similar situations in recent years where Turkey Day opponents played each other five days later with no repercussions.

The situation raises several questions: Do you play your starters? Do you show the opposing coach what you have in your offensive arsenal? Does the fact the two teams play five days later hurt the gate that the home team depends on so much?

Marshfield Coach Lou Silva knows it is a debatable issue, but like most football coaches, he is preparing his team for a football game no matter what the future holds.

“I’m approaching this like any other Thanksgiving Day game,” says the Rams coach, who led his team to a 7-2 record and its fifth straight year in the playoffs. “I’m playing it to win.”

While Duxbury fans have been used to seeing Marshfield teams come into the game averaging 250 lbs. up front, the Rams are nowhere near as large as past years, but do start 250 lbs. Thomas Pearl at right tackle. The rest of the Rams up front appear with normal proportions, with right guard Robert Driscoll (6’2”/225), center Jeff Wallace (5’6”/200), left guard Mike Maher (6’1”/200) and left tackle Peter Scanlon (6’5”/220) complementing Pearl.

Silva’s offense has always emphasized the run, and this year’s team is no different, except in its approach.

“We can’t just stand there like in past years and pound away at the defense with our running backs. We can do some of that inside with [Robert] McNeil (5’9”/210), but what we really need to do is get our kids in open space. We have been trying to mix the passing game into our offense because it keeps the defense honest and the linebackers off of the line.”

While Duxbury defenders would have to battle their way past a huge Marshfield line in past years only to face equally large running backs, the situation has changed this year.

Senior QB Stephan Sousa (5’11”/165) leads the Ram attack with running back captains Matt DiGrigoli (5’10”/160) and Sean Griffith (5’9”/175) carrying the load. Griffith rarely comes off the field, as the senior also plays outside linebacker and kicks the PATs and field goals, with his longest being 37 yards.

Senior tight end Connor Admirand (5’11”/200) and junior split end Mackenzie Dwyer lead the receiving corps.

Silva doesn’t seem to be the least bit concerned about showing what he has in his offensive arsenal.

“We’re going to probe and see what works, and we’ll stay with it until they stop us. We’re going to try everything, including some new plays that will help us win.”

With the return of Bobby Murphy, Duxbury’s three-headed monster of Murphy, sophomore Henry Buonagurio, and QB Kane Haffey hopes to present some defensive problems for a Ram defense that is fast and experienced.

The Rams rotate several players up front along with Thomas Pomella (5’10”/190), Driscoll, Pearl, and Dan Reardon (6’2”/205), while its veteran linebacking corps is all seniors that have been playing together since the third grade.

Griffith, senior Brendan Meehan (5’8”/160), McNeil, and senior Ken Anzalone (5’10”/190) are all very athletic, according to Silva, and can run to the ball inside and out.

Should Haffey decide to test the Ram secondary, DiGrigoli and Jonathan Fraser (5’9”/160) are being counted on to stop the likes of Pat McWilliams, Matt Savard, CJ Cote, and Matt Hallisey.

“We’re not big, but we’re very fast, athletic, and we always play hard,” said Silva.

The outcome of the Thanksgiving game has no bearing on post-season play, but it could generate a psychological advantage for the winner.

While the site had not yet been determined at press time for the Dec. 1 playoff game, AD Thom Holdgate speculated that the game might be played at Whitman-Hanson or Weymouth High School, depending on Weymouth’s playoff chances.

The winner of that game would take on the winner of the Cape Ann-Large versus Dual County-Small game.