By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
CORAL GABLES | A hot football rivalry between two local Catholic high schools, the Wolverines of Belen Jesuit Prep and the Spartans of Msgr. Edward Pace High School, will turn points scored on the football field into turkeys in the homes of poor families this Thanksgiving.
The competitors will be participating in Turkey Bowl 2017, an annual charity event sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Coral Gables Council 3274 to help fund the council's Thanksgiving Food Drive for needy families. Both schools are again pledging $10 per point scored in this year's game towards the Council's Thanksgiving food drive.
Turkey Bowl 2017 kicks off at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3 at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, 500 S.W. 127 Ave, Miami. Attendees at the game will also have an opportunity to make personal contributions.
After the game, the Knights of Columbus will present the winning team with the game's traveling trophy, a silver turkey platter engraved with the helmet designs of both teams. Also engraved on the trophy are the scores and winners of previous Turkey Bowls and a message that reads: "This traveling trophy, symbolic of the many empty platters that both schools help to fill through their generous support of the Knights of Columbus Coral Gables Council #3274 Thanksgiving Food Drive, is awarded to the winner of the varsity football game between Belen Jesuit Preparatory School and Monsignor Edward Pace High School."
The Turkey Bowl tradition started in 2007 by Knights of Columbus Coral Gables Council members who are alumni of the competing schools: Pace's Douglas Austin and Belen's Jorge Varela.
