Santa Bowl 2025 Breakdown

 Whoa boy, here we go. 

The youth had so many new kids, that no one on their own team could tell me his name. (Archer likes to bring in kids from around town to pad his team up with ringers)

Anyway, opening kick off that unknown kid ran the ball back for an easy 7-0 score.

After the adults threw an interception and after a pitiful 3 and out, some kid names Ethan made a falling catch into the endzone to put the score at 14-0.

2nd Quarter

Once again, the youth intercept the ball. Then after a few plays Cameron catches a tipped ball through in the endzone (that the adults refused to bat down) and the score starts to run away as it's 20-0

But the adults finally decide to punch one in as Coulter goes 45 yards in for a TD making the game 20-7

But after that, the youth walk down the field, no contest and it's suddenly 26-14 as the kid with no name catches a pass and runs it in. I'm guessing my nephew was the only one who knew him because when I even asked the team ON THE FIELD what his name was, everyone looked around and said "I don't know"

However, at the tail end of the half, I had them switch QB's and Jonathan Cross caught one and ran it in for 20 yards making the game 26-14

At halftime the youth strategized the whole time. The adults needed water and rest for 5 minutes, then sat around talking to each other about what we needed to do but no one having a plan. We decided to make Visa are QB for the second half since he used to play for Grambling back in the day....way back in the day I guess. 

Just like Jonathan (or previous QB) we were just slow to get off passes or do anything the entire game. We went 4 and out on our own 25 yard line. I have no idea why we didn't kick. But the youth was happy because it only took them one pass play to dump it to Ethan for his second TD of the game. 33-14

But the Adults finally answered with a beautiful diving catch from AJ to make it 33-21

4th Quarter

We finally stopped the Youth for the first time all game. Now was our chance to- nope interception by Ethan who ran it in for a TD 39-21 and I knew the game was over. 

But there was plenty of scores yet to come. 

The adults threw ANOTHER interception to no name, which was his 3rd TD of the game (because no one could touch him as he ran into the endzone) and the score is 46-21

But the adults weren't finished pooping themselves just yet! As we got caught in the endzone with the ball and handed the Youth the 2nd EVER safety in the history of the Santa Bowl to give us our final 48-21

Archer has to move over to the Adults, which means he won't be inviting his ringers anymore and the Youth's winning streak will officially end this year.  

It's too bad the church kids didn't get to play that much. I think next year's game is going to be so much more balanced moving forward. 

But the biggest tragedy of all was after the game, when I tired walking off with the trophy and Tyler Cychoz (for some reason) decided to throw the football at me. He missed and hit the Santa Cup, shattering it into a million pieces. 

The original cup from 1985 (40 years!) is no more. I told Archer we could just chip away the base of the old one and replace it with a new one going forward. 

But that wraps another year for the Santa Bowl. Next year I am thinking of moving the venue since this year there was so much going on. Where I'll move it is still up in the air but we'll see.