By Jose Herrera
Signal Staff Reporter
Cheers of excitement burst from the sidelines as the eighth-graders clashed in a competitive game of flag football at Rio Norte Junior High School in Valencia.
The eighth-grade students at Rio Norte participated Friday in the annual Turkey Bowl – the annual football game tradition that began when the school opened its doors in 2003. Each year, eighth-grade students are put onto either the red or blue team and compete to bolster school spirit before the holiday break.
“Anything that can bring the community and school community together is worth doing,” said Vince Ferry, principal of Rio Norte Junior High School. “You can see it’s very spirited out here. It’s fun to see that spirit alive at the school.”
The blue team won 34-28. School staff awarded the team with the Turkey Bowl Champion trophy, Ferry said.
Eighth-grader Dino Scordia said it is his first year attending the school and participating in the competition. He said it helped that he plays football outside of school.
“It’s fun and I’m getting a little extra workout in,” Scordia said. “It’s cool knowing that this has been going on for a long time and I’m glad to continue the tradition.”
He mentioned he was able to score a few touchdowns and, overall, his team played well together.
Parents, families and students surrounded the field and cheered on their teams. Ferry said it’s important for the school to engage its community in “cool” school activities.
Assistant Principal Thomas Flores said they couldn’t host their annual game last year because of COVID-19, and he’s glad he saw his students enjoy the game.
“There’s a lot of energy that we haven’t had in a while,” Flores said. “We have our film crew here, our yearbook staff, and great to have it this year.”
