THE FEATHERS FLY 31ST TURKEY BOWL AN SCV TRADITION THAT DEFINES HOLIDAY.

Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - It was a classic day on the gridiron Thanksgiving morning as old rivals - really old rivals - faced off for the 31st annual Turkey Bowl at Old Orchard Park.

Wearing either blue or red jerseys, eight of the original dozen Turkey Bowl founders and two generations of their progeny squared off in a flag football game that has come to define the holiday for the playful bunch.

``This is about good friends and now children and grandchildren all coming together,'' said Joe Chefalo, 65, a retired FBI agent and one of the original 1972 Turkey Bowl players.

``With the kids and the grandkids, this will keep going forever. But it's getting to the point where we can't get out there and run like we used to,'' said Chefalo, who was recently inducted into the Citadel sports hall of fame for his exploits as a tailback at the military college.

Thursday at 9:30 a.m., as a chilly wind whipped leaves over the hard grass field, Chefalo played lineman instead of running back.

The Turkey Bowl tradition was started by 12 members of Santa Clarita's Bud Boy softball club more than 30 years ago, and the group has gathered every year since. The original members include three retired FBI agents, a retired Los Angeles Police Department captain, a retired veterinarian, a lawyer, an insurance man, an optics engineer, and a few businessmen. Two of the original members have died.

For Jake Germond, one of the bowl founders and the team's consummate joker, the group's aging is a constant source of humor.

``Let's just say, we're in the 60-and-over crowd,'' Germond said, with a hearty laugh just moments before kickoff.

``I told one guy, I've seen glaciers move faster than you. There's another guy who takes an hour and a half to watch '60 Minutes.'''

But despite the jokes, Germond can't help feeling sentimental about the Turkey Bowl, which has helped create a lasting bond between the men and their families.

``This is an opportunity to see our whole Bud Boys family and exchange greetings on a special day. We found a forum, and it turned out to be this,'' Germond said.

The meaning of the day is not lost on the younger generations, either, said Ryan Connors, 29, a former standout quarterback at Hart High School who is now a regular star of the Thanksgiving games.

``Every year, we know where we're going to be Thanksgiving morning at 9 o'clock,'' Connors said. ``We come out here and we're grateful for what we have - it's a great feeling.''

As the game's opening whistle blew Thursday, Corey Chefalo, 16, caught the kickoff deep in his own end zone and made a series of lightning-quick cuts up the field - the pop in his legs standing out in the sea of retirees.

``That's my grandson,'' said Joe Chefalo proudly, watching patiently from the sidelines for his turn to enter the game.

In the end, the score of the Turkey Bowl was 13-12 in favor of the Blue squad, a fittingly close match for a group that might as well have been playing on the same team all day.

``We don't care about the score, as long as no one gets hurt,'' said Wayne Ensing, the Turkey Bowl manager.

There was only one minor injury in the game, when a first-generation player was introduced to the hardened turf after being blocked by one of his cohorts. After a few minutes on the ground catching his breath, the old warrior emerged from a throng of surrounding players and walked off the field.

The game then resumed with the vigor that only 60-somethings can provide.

``This gives us time to get out here and moan and groan about our aches and pains,'' said Bob Blanchard, 65, wearing a 1984 Turkey Bowl shirt. ``It gives us time to come out here and act young again.''

Nicholas Grudin, [phone]

nicholas.grudin(at)dailynews.com

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6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Mike Stefanak, top, gets some running room Thursday in the annual Turkey Bowl at Old Orchard Park in Santa Clarita. Above, Mike Snowden, in blue, tries to evade the red team's Ryan Connors in the first half of the game that has been played for 31 years.

(3 -- 5 -- color) Jake Germond, far left, relishes a successful tackle Thursday in the Turkey Bowl. Above, Jack Blanchard brings out a secret weapon, his daughter Raquel, 5, to watch several plays in the annual football game. At left, Carlos Terminel, 68, gives out high fives after the blue team won the game.

(6) Mike Snowden, left, and Eric Johnson battle for the football in the annual Turkey Bowl at Old Orchard Park.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer