BALTIMORE — Two of Maryland’s longest-standing high school football rivals will take the field on Thanksgiving Day to continue the more than century-long “Turkey Bowl” tradition.
Calvert Hall will play Loyola Blakefield at 10 a.m. on Thursday at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson for the Thanksgiving tradition that has spanned 104 years.
“We’ve been going at it for this big football rivalry for over 100 years, so bragging rights is the trophy,” Loyola coach Blake Henry said.
Loyola Blakefield owns the all-time record in the rival, 51-44-8, and will be the designated home team this year.
A trophy is the prize, which currently sits at Loyola Blakefield.
“If we win, we go grab the trophy afterward and celebrate, and if we lose, our president has to walk across the field and give it to their president,” Henry said.
Rivalry in perspective
This “Turkey Bowl,” the longest-standing football rivalry in the country between two Catholic prep schools, has been a Baltimore tradition since 1920.
Calvert Hall head coach Joshua Ward put the rivalry into perspective.
“If people need to kind of get an understanding, it’s like Michigan-Ohio State, Army-Navy, you know, Ravens-Steelers,” Ward said.
“We don’t like each other”
Memories run deep in this bitter rivalry.
Loyola Blakefield won 40-28 last year, but Calvert Hall has won three out of the past five times.
“We don’t like each other,” Calvert Hall defensive back Chris Hewitt said. “We don’t like each other’s programs but on that day we come together and we play a great game.”
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s like really chippy and it’s every year, there’s always something that goes down,” Loyola running back Richard Hines added.
Players said the games get intense with both teams going all out, no matter the records.
“You don’t focus on ’em, but you still watch them week to week and just keep your eye on them and just keep thinking about Thanksgiving day the whole year,” Loyola linebacker Zyon Copeland said.
“This is the game that everyone marks on the calendar,” said Oliver Noll, Calvert Hall’s quarterback. “It’s a big game for us and we know the school down the street is thinking about it as a big game too.”
Loyola Blakefield is 5-5 this season, while Calvert Hall is 7-4.
