“This loss was a bad as it gets.” That’s how Wareham football coach Fran Cass described the traditional Thanksgiving game against the Bourne Canalmen on Nov. 28 after the team lost 43-0. 

“We didn’t practice well this week. We had no answer for them on offense. Bourne didn’t turn it over as much as the last time we played them. They improved their team and we did not,” said Cass.  

Bourne scored early and led 16-0 against Wareham Vikings with 30 seconds left in the first quarter. Then,extended the lead to 30-0 with 4:05 left in the second quarter. Prior to the start of the second half, both head coaches agreed to play two 10-minute quarters of running time.

It was a tough ending to a year filled with ups and downs for the Vikings. They began the season by winning two straight games, including a victory against Bourne. That was followed by four straight losses, which disqualified the team from the playoffs. 

“As bad as it was, this is a win-or-lose game,” said Cass. “It would have been nice to get to .500 on the year, but we just could not stop their offensive line.” 

Besides some strategic failures, Cass also attributed the loss to bad weather. When the game began at 10 a.m., the temperature at Bourne Field was a chilly 43 degrees and raining.