HONOR BOWL 2018
IS EXPANDING TO HAVE GAMES IN BOTH
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
PRESENTED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Sacramento-based non-profit to bring the Nation’s finest High School Football Showcase
that matches up nationally ranked programs to the San Diego and to the Bay Area
for the first time.
ROCKLIN, CA – The Honor Group announce that the Honor Bowl, a national well respected brand will have a two day, five game National Showcase in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2018 and also another day of football in Southern California the following weekend. St. Francis High School, located in Mountain View will be the bay area host school and will also participate as well. The venue is perfect for a true high school ‘Friday Night’ setting which will bring fans that appreciate great football. The Honor Bowl is ‘more than just a football game’ due to the strong relationship and visual presence with the US Armed Forces. This is the first time The Honor Bowl will have back to back weekends and have the bay area teams involved. Cathedral Catholic in Del Mar Heights of San Diego will be hosting a one day, two game Honor Bowl where the 2017 Honor Bowl was a total success.
“We are so pleased to be part of a great organization to host the 2018 Honor Bowl here at St. Francis and to partner with The Honor Group and help their mission which we totally get,” said Mike Pilawski, Athletic Director at St. Francis. “We have heard so many positive things about this powerful event and are looking forward to make The Honor Bowl a true success.”
Featuring games between nationally ranked high school football teams, the Honor Bowl is a Sacramento based non-profit founded in 2013 by two high school football coaches and a Gold Star mother whose son was killed in action in Afghanistan. The 2018 Honor Bowl will be played on August 24th and August 25th at St. Francis High School which is one of the finest campuses in the Bay Area. The following Saturday, September 1 The Honor Bowl will return for the second year to bring the event in another amazing campus suited to hold this event.
NorCal Honor Bowl August 24-25 2018 Host: Saint Francis High School
The matchups for both weeks have been set up and are all eager to participate in The Honor Bowl. On Friday August 24 at 4:00pm Oak Grove of San Jose will play perennial power Del Oro from the famed SFL of Sacramento. Del Oro is no stranger to the Honor Bowl having hosted the event for many years and has also travelled to both the Honor Bowl in Westlake Village and also at Oceanside. This will be the first time these two programs have played. #SoBayVSSacTown
The 7:30pm Friday game will pit host Saint Francis to play Notre Dame who is traveling from Sherman Oaks to play in their second Honor Bowl. ND Head Coach Kevin Rooney jumped at the chance to play against another school run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross for the first time. Rooney started his long football career coincidently at Saint Francis. Saint Francis finished their 2017 season with a CIF D 2-A State trophy. #Nor-SoCalbraggingrights
Saturday August 25 will have three games starting with local school Archbishop Mitty to play Central Valley power Oakdale at 12:00pm. “We’re a school and a community that believes in our military,” Oakdale coach Trent Merzon said. “We love our military and have a tremendous respect and admiration for our military. It’s a tremendous honor to play in this game and honor them.” Archbishop Mitty Head Coach Sione Taufoou looks forward to the educational experience that The Honor Bowl brings. #smallSchoolhonorbowl
The 4:00pm game is slated to have the Gilroy Mustangs face the Liberty Lions from Brentwood, CA. Both schools won their respective CIF section and are hungry to have the 2018 season start. Liberty Head Coach Partridge immediately responded to the invite to be in The Honor Bowl not just for a quality pre-league game but for the chance to have his team and school participate America’s finest showcase to play to honor those who serve in the military. Gilroy will be ready for both the educational impact that The Honor Bowl brings as well as showing up for a great matchup vs Liberty. #CCvsNCShonorbowl
Saturday’s finale will start at 7:30pm with 2017 CIF State D2-AA champion Serra San Mateo play Serra Gardena. Both Parochial powers are linked by the same religious order that operates both schools and they have never faced each other. Head Coach Pat Walsh, fresh off winning the CIF State D2-AA title is excited to face the Serra Cavilers led by Head Coach Scott Altenberg. Serra Gardena, always athletic, will be in their 6th Honor Bowl and loves the event. Come early this will be a good one to finish off the 2018 Honor Bowl. #finale2018honorbowl
The San Francisco 49ers are in the second of three-year commitment and are the presenting sponsor of the Honor Bowl, the non-profit’s annual high school football showcase. With a mission to demonstrate the sacrifice made by our military, the Honor Bowl has grown into one of the top high school showcases in the nation.
“The 49ers partnership with the Honor Bowl is a reflection of two of our franchise’s core values of service and youth development,” said 49ers president Al Guido. “We are eager to continue sharing the game of football with the next generation through the Honor Bowl, and celebrate all of the positive characteristics that are a byproduct of team sports.”
“Bringing together students, coaches and the community through sport to raise awareness of the sacrifice of our veterans is core to the Honor Group,” said Mark Soto, Executive
Director and Founder of the Honor Group. “We are excited to bring the 2018 Honor Bowl to the bay area. Students, fans and the media will have a first-hand chance to experience this amazing event.”
During the two-day Bay Area celebration of high school football and military, the participating teams will have a chance to visit Levi Stadium to spend time with wounded warriors, Gold Star parents and 49er alumni. Ahead of the games, a decorated wounded Marine or solider will visit the team’s locker rooms. Before each game the fans are greeted by on field military pageantry with a primary focus of bonding and educating the students and fans in attendance about
patriotism, honor and sacrifice. In the past seven years The Honor Bowl has hosted over 64 varsity football teams from seven different states.
SoCal Honor Bowl September 1, 2018 Host: Cathedral Catholic High School
The Honor Bowl returns to Manchester Stadium for a day of great High School football and pageantry. Game One at 12:00pm will have two teams that have both been in prior Honor Bowls and we can’t be more proud. Oaks Christian out of Westlake Village will matchup against Eastside Catholic coming in from Washington. Both programs are strong believers in the mission of The Honor Bowl.
The Game Two is set for 4:00pm with Helix Charter CIF State D1-AA runner up and a four-time Honor Bowl participating team. Head Coach Robbie Owens is excited to be matched up vs Saguaro High School, Arizona 4A State champions of Scottsdale. Head Coach Jason Mohns will lead his Sabercats to play in their first Honor Bowl which he understands will be ‘more than just a football game!” #CAvsAZhonorbowl
The 7:30pm matchup will be Cathedral Catholic High School vs Serra Gardena. Both teams love the event and have never faced each other and are up for the challenge. CCHS Coach Sean Doyle and Serra’s Scott Altenberg understand the importance to play in The Honor Bowl and both want that Championship Trophy for 2018. #2018SoCalfinale
About The Honor Group, Inc.
The Honor Group is a nonprofit whose sole purpose is to educate students, coaches and communities about the needs of our military veterans. Providing service and education through athletic events and school assembly’s. The 2017 Honor Bowl™, managed and produced by The Honor Group, Inc. will be held in Northern and Southern California with teams participating from four states. Funds raised by the nonprofit and through their events help equip wounded military veterans with much needed items and resources to assist them in returning to civilian life. The Honor Group relies on partners and volunteers who share the passion to make a difference. For more information, please visit our website at www.thehonorgroup.org