Are you ready for some football? On Sept. 1, the Guilford College Quakers played the Greensboro College Pride in the 16th annual Soup Bowl.

Coinciding with the game was a competitive food drive between the two schools, benefiting Greensboro Urban Ministries. Although Guilford lost the game 14–13 in the final minutes, Guilford won the Soup Bowl trophy, collecting 5,249 cans to Greensboro’s 3,874.

Dr. Craven E. Williams, then-president of Greensboro College, started the tradition in 1997, according to Vice President for Enrollment Services Randy Doss.

This year’s installment was key for the Quakers.

“Last year was about gaining experience,” said Head Football Coach Chris Rusiewicz. “Last year we had a lot of players playing their first game ever in collegiate football. This year was about proving all that hard work paid off. We hope to take it to a new level this year.”

The quest for a new level of competition began with a great performance in the Soup Bowl.

“Winning is a Guilford tradition,” said co-captain of the football team Faris El-Ali in an email interview. “As a team captain, I hope to see us dominate Greensboro in every aspect of the game. I know we will dominate on defense, special teams, and in rushing the football.”

Tyler Fearrington, a sophomore football player at Greensboro College, also saw the game’s importance in setting the tone for the season.

“The Soup Bowl is a game between cross-town rivals, arguably the biggest game of both teams’ schedules,” he said.

Fearrington believes the game is a good time to settle the rivalry on the field while helping the community.

Although the game is important in its own right, the food drive is equally important for the Greensboro community.

“Last year, Guilford College and Greensboro College collected over 10,000 cans for local food banks,” said Director of Community Learning James Shields. “Both schools understand that helping the food banks is more important than the bragging rights.”

Chelsey Wilson, Bonner Hunger Fellow, believes in taking action.

“Bringing as many cans as you can is a great first step, but it would be great if students became involved more than once a year,” Wilson said.

One way to get involved is the Community Kitchen.

“Our site is an on-campus group called Community Kitchen’s Project (CKP),” Wilson said. “We cook every Tuesday and Saturday in the basement of Mary Hobbs.  On average we make 50 meals to bring on the streets of downtown Greensboro.”

The game’s impact lasts more than a day. Associate Professor of Sports Studies Bob Malekoff believes the Soup Bowl raises awareness of the hunger challenges faced by our community, hopefully motivating people to take action.

“Food pantries are struggling to meet the needs of people who will go hungry without their assistance,” Malekoff continued. “No one should go hungry.”

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