Underclassmen Dominate Turkey Bowl on Both Coasts

Every November, with Thanksgiving around the corner and intramural football season in full swing, the students of Thomas Aquinas College participate in the annual Turkey Bowl, pitting upperclassmen against underclassmen in a friendly, but intense, game of flag football.  

The festivities surrounding this traditional event began the night before, as the women gathered in their residence halls with snacks, music, and art supplies to make the jerseys for the players. Paintbrushes and half-full tubes of paint and glitter glue littered the floor, and the girls’ voices rose and fell over the background music as they laughed over their work. “I come to the Turkey Bowl primarily to see all the shirts that different girls make for the boys!” laughed Agustina O’Reilly (CA’26).

New England

The next day, the New England football teams, decked out in their fine new jerseys, made their way down to Kaiser Field for the game. The weather was spectacular, with the sun shining clear and bright in the cold sky. Dressed warmly, spectators and students took the opportunity to purchase home-baked apple turnovers, miniature pumpkin pies, cookies, and other sweets from the student bake sale — a fundraiser for January’s March for Life trip — and settled down to watch the game. 

The first half went overwhelmingly in the favor of the upperclassmen, who scored touchdown after touchdown in quick succession. By the end of the first half, they held a commanding lead, 20 to 0. 

However, to the crowd’s surprise, the underclassmen began to assert their position as soon as they returned from halftime, with Vincent Gallivan (NE’29) scoring an excellent touchdown. In just an hour’s time, the underclassmen made a tremendous comeback and carried away the victory with a win of 31 - 26, marking the second-ever underclassmen Turkey Bowl victory in New England. The players gathered on the field for a final photo, then trooped off to prepare for the evening’s formal dinner.

California

A few hours later, in a much warmer climate, the California campus rallied on the Fairway for its own Turkey Bowl. In 2024, the upperclassmen secured the win, and this year’s upperclassmen team came hungry for the title once more. However, despite being fewer in number due to a freshman essay deadline, the underclassmen were unfazed. As the players took the field, onlookers flocked to the concessions table, where cookies and hot chocolate awaited them. Throughout the game, commentators Greg Haggard (CA’26), Addie Fellona (CA’28), and Luke Connelly (CA’27) provided play-by-play updates and comic relief.

The upperclassmen started strong in the beginning with a touchdown from Tomas Diaz-Bonilla (CA’26), followed by a two-point safety for the underclassmen. At halftime, the score was 6 - 2, with the upperclassmen ahead. In the second half, however, despite an additional touchdown for the upperclassmen by Luke Atkinson (CA’26), the underclassmen managed to take the lead with a combination of several safeties and two touchdowns, scored by Joe Weinkopf (CA’28) and John Wassell (CA’29), respectively. In the last minute, upperclassmen nearly came back to win with a surge of momentum; but in the end, an underclassman interception saved the day and secured the victory for the underdogs!

“I love the Turkey Bowl. Since it’s around Thanksgiving, it’s an opportunity to be grateful for all our teammates and classmates,” said Tim White (CA’26). “And it’s a fun game, too!”

More Turkey Bowl photos from New England …

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... and California!