All College
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November 27, 2024
Since 1989, the students of Thomas Aquinas College have come together on a weekend in November for the Turkey Bowl, an annual flag-football game between the upper- and underclassmen. In 2019, the game became a two-part, bicoastal event when the College opened its New England campus. This past Saturday was game day, with students on both coasts fired up for the competition.
New England
In Northfield, Massachusetts, students from all four classes approached the Turkey Bowl with vigor. Last year, the underclassmen bested the upperclassmen, who, up until 2023, had won all prior games in New England. Juniors and seniors returned to the field ready to win back their honor, while sophomores and freshmen prepared to defend their title. Wearing hand-painted shirts made by the women of Gould Hall, the men geared up for the game on the Pope St. John Paul II athletic field.
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Despite the high winds and chilly weather, the game drew a large crowd of spectating students, staff, and faculty. The underclassmen were in control in the first half, as the upperclassmen struggled to move the ball. “My statistics team has just informed me that the upperclassmen receivers have caught more receptions from the underclassmen quarterback than from their own,” remarked commentator Michael Dolcetti (’25) to his co-commentator, Daniela Van Wyk (’26). Before halftime, Justin Hoeing (’28) scored the game’s first touchdown, leaving the score at 8-0 in favor of the underclassmen.
In the second half, the upperclassmen changed tactics and quarterbacks, which brought their team swift improvement as Liam O’Brien (’26) brought his team its first seven points. Later, Mark Goyette (’26) scored the victory touchdown for the upperclassmen, singlehandedly running the ball down half of the field. In the end, the upperclassmen triumphed with a score of 14-8, winning back their title as the Turkey Bowl champions. “This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful we won the Turkey Bowl,” joked senior Andrew Le (’25).
California
“It’s amazing to see everyone come together to play football at Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite things about American culture!” said junior Agustina O’Reilly (’26), who hails from Argentina.
Agustina wasn’t alone in her love for the Thanksgiving tradition, as she joined the throng of spectators who gathered, despite the autumn drizzle, to watch the annual game of flag football. The stakes were especially high for the California Class of 2025, whose members have been on the winning team for the last three years and hoped this year’s game would make them undefeated champions. The underclassmen, however, were just as determined to end the seniors’ winning streak, and players and onlookers alike were filled with excitement as the game began.
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Seniors Anthony Santine (’25) and Marcel Pryor (’25) took to microphones to give commentary throughout the game, keeping track of the score and playfully teasing the underclassmen with their professedly “unbiased” commentary. The spectators sipped on hot chocolate and cheered encouragement to their respective teams.
In the first half, the underclassmen dominated, scoring three touchdowns and earning an intimidating 18-0 lead. When the game resumed, the upperclassmen scored one touchdown and an extra point, but their chances of pulling ahead still looked bleak. With only two minutes left, senior Liam Murphy (’25) made another touchdown, followed by another extra point, bringing the score to 14-18. Before the last minutes of the game slipped away, to the amazement of the onlookers, junior Jozef McKinnon (’26) scored one last touchdown for the upperclassmen, winning the game 20-18 with moments to spare!
“I’ve never been prouder to watch something that I contributed nothing to,” joked commentator Anthony Santine after his class cemented its fourth and final Turkey Bowl win. The screaming, cheering upperclassmen who ran onto the field to celebrate with their team couldn’t agree more.
