Current members of Paly’s water polo team and team alumni faced off in the annual Turkey Bowl at Paly’s pool on Thanksgiving.

The white team, made of Paly graduates from even years, defeated the green team, comprised of graduates from odd years, 10-3.

Seven players made up the starting lineup for each team, while the rest of the players cheered from the sidelines. Boys’ varsity coach Giovanni Napolitano refereed the scrimmage.

The Turkey Bowl is a long-standing tradition among Paly water polo players and alumni.

“This is a huge tradition; every Turkey Day at 10 o’clock,” said Lynn Hori, the mother of Kellan Hori, class of 1999. “You don’t have to be invited to just show up.”

Remy Champion, class of 2005 and current water polo player for UC Berkeley, said that Paly water polo was “the epitome of what you want a high school sport experience to be like.”

“This is my favorite part of the [Thanksgiving] break, coming back and seeing everyone,” said Champion, who organized the Turkey Bowl. “I refuse to be gone so I can come to the Turkey Bowl.”

Key offensive players for the white team were Peter Davis, class of 2003, and Gene Wang, class of 2008. K. Hori and Tim Mulkahy, who graduated from Cubberly High in 1972, played for the green team. Current varsity players sophomore Ken Wattana, senior Jeremy Kim and junior Bobby Abbott were also assets to their respective teams.

The green team, with stronger and older players such as Champion, Hori, and Ryan Fortune, class of 2002, was predicted to win the match.

However, the white team pulled off a surprising 10-3 victory over the green team.

“I’ve played more Turkey Bowls than I care to remember,” Mulkahy said. “I coached these boys from 1982 to 1990, and on my last year we won CCS.”

For David, the Turkey Bowl is a chance to reunite and spend time with his old teammates.

“Our guys were solid as a team,” David said. “All these guys I don’t see all year, I get to see [at the Turkey Bowl].”