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FRANKLIN -- Thousands of spectators surrounded the Franklin High School football field on Thursday morning for the annual Thanksgiving game against King Philip Regional High School. For the first time in the half-century history of the rivalry, the teams were playing for the Hockomock League championship, which King Philip has never won. No wonder it was being called the biggest football game in KP history.

And it didn't disappoint, even though King Philip came up short, with Franklin coming from behind to win the title 20-13, and head to the playoffs.

"You couldn't ask for a better game," said Dennis Lavallee, a manager of athletics and King Philip substitute teacher. Lavallee said he had never known of so many tickets being sold before the game. He estimated that between the two schools, 3,200 to 3,300 tickets were sold, not including tickets that were sold at the entrance of the field. That number didn't include children under 10 who did not need tickets to get into the game.

"By far, this is the biggest crowd," Lavallee said.

"You've got hardcore football fans, socialitesthis is the social event of the holiday," Lavallee said. At the two-minute warning after Franklin had scored its final touchdown to take the lead, King Philip fans started to leave.

"Well, it was a great game," Mike McGuire from Wrentham said after the loss. His daughter is in the King Philip marching band, which played at the game following a recent national championship.

Jimmy MacDonald from Franklin remembered the Franklin team winning Thanksgiving games when he was in high school. This is the first time he's been back to a game since he graduated; he said he came "because it was deciding the league championship."

King Philip scored first with a touchdown in the second quarter. Shortly after, Franklin scored its first touchdown. Neither team earned the extra point, leaving the score 6-6 at halftime.

Franklin High School students were quite confident their team would win the game.

"They're undefeatedso they won't be defeated," junior Kurt Gleichauf said. "They've got some chancenot a bad record at all," Mike Ryan, also a junior, said.

King Philip students were equally certain in backing their team, "We wanted to support the team," said sophomore Stacey Wojcik. "I'd be very excited" if King Philip won, Rachel Wojcik, also a King Philip sophomore, said. The girls said they go to most home games, and started going to Thanksgiving games well before they entered high school.

King Philip scored again in the third quarter with a touchdown and an extra point, bringing the score to 13 to 6. But Franklin scored again in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 13 to 13.

"This game is wonderful. It's never been out of reach for either team," Lavallee said.

After a pass interference call, the ball was ruled Franklin's. Franklin scored another touchdown and extra point. "It all came down to that pass interference call," KP fan McGuire said. "It was a really well-played game."

King Philip had only lost one league game heading into the contest. Lavallee, who taught at King Philip for years, said he always told the kids, though, "You could be 0 and 9 going into that day, and if you beat Franklin, it is a successful season."