16th Annual Turkey Bowl Ends with a Thrilling Showdown
A large crowd gathered on the soccer field on Saturday, November 18, for the 16th Annual Turkey Bowl. This long-standing community tradition at YISS is a friendly but fierce annual soccer match that pits the Dads’ Club United (DC United) against the YISS Staff Football Club (YSFC) for the honor and glory of taking home the trophy. This year, in particular, beautiful weather, the anticipation of a tight match, and an abundance of great raffle prizes contributed to a large number of spectators coming out to cheer for both teams. The match consisted of three 30-minute periods, and both squads showcased skills that led to an intense nail-biter.
Last year, DC United took possession of the trophy in an epic penalty kick shootout, which motivated the YSFC to steal the trophy back. DC United came out strong with an early 2-1 lead, but YSFC fought back hard. They responded with two goals to tie the game up at 3-3 in the second period, and it was an all-out physical battle for the final score in the last period. Both teams scored a goal each to end regular time with another 4-4 tie and headed to penalty kicks for the 2nd straight year. DC United prevailed in the penalty shootout 4-2 to clinch the trophy.
The intermissions provided just enough time for MCs Ms. Samson and Ms. Mose to call out the names of lucky raffle prize winners. Thanks to the generous donations of the YISS PTO, Vans, the school, and others, the prize raffle offered some exciting prizes!
During the second intermission, the elementary cheerleaders performed an adorable routine to entertain the spectators and perform cheers from the sideline throughout the match. The team of 20 elementary school cheerleaders worked hard for several weeks under the guidance of our high school varsity cheerleaders to learn the choreographed routine in time for the big game.
After the game, players from both teams came back together on the field for photographs, handshakes, and other friendly exchanges. Both players and families convened in the cafeteria to enjoy a delicious turkey lunch with all the trimmings. The Turkey Bowl was a wonderful event that brought our community together for friendly competition and a lot of fun. Thank you to all those who volunteered to make the event a success—special thanks to our photographer, Marissa Myong (12).
