- Killeen ISD
- KISD Athletics
Annual Victory Bowl Connects Competition, Faith, Service
A summer high school all-star classic returned with top baseball and softball players completing service projects, joining in devotions, team meals, and activities and of course, a big pair of games at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor athletic fields.
“It’s been a real good experience, one of the best,” said Jack Mellon, an infielder and pitcher for Killeen High School. “It’s a good piece of the end of my senior year.”
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes began hosting a Victory Bowl football game in Waco 15 years ago. Now expanded to multiple sports, the event includes baseball and softball games played concurrently at UMHB’s dual fields.
The week of fun, service, and competition also includes boys’ and girls’ basketball games and a volleyball game.
“We’re out here to have fun,” said Mellon just before beginning warm-ups before the Friday baseball game. “We will also play hard and give God the glory.”
Mellon is headed to the Southwest Assembly of God University where he will play baseball.
In the final senior year game, the Roos pitcher and infielder got to play on the Blue Team with KHS coach Donald Trcka.
This year was the second for Trcka to be part of the baseball coaching staff.
“Being with the kids in a different atmosphere has been great and this is the last time I’ll be with Jack.”He praised the group of senior athletes on both teams, who all play hard and jump into service projects at youth centers and food pantries.
While the game is laidback compared to a regular season game, the KHS coach said that there is no holding back once the game begins.
“The competitive edge comes out,” he said.
Another selected student athlete, Paige Findley represented Harker Heights High School Lady Knights softball.
“It’s been really fun,” she said before the start of the game. “We came for softball and baseball, but we did a lot more. We got to meet new people and get closer to God.”
Findley, who was part of the two-time playoff qualifying Lady Knights, said she was familiar with the Victory Bowl from teammates who were part of the game and was excited to be part of it.
She is headed to Temple College where she will continue to play softball.
“It’s really cool,” said the Knights’ centerfielder. “We’ve been together a long time (on the Harker Heights team.) I’m happy to get to play this sort of game.”
“It’s exciting to finish high school. I had my time. It was fun but it’s time to move on.”
In the end, both Findley’s Red Team and Trcka and Mellon’s Blue Team won their games big. The softball game ended 9-3 and the baseball game ended 9-0.
The FCA Gene Pemberton Servant Heart Award went to Madison Brumit of Kerens and Nate Tucker of Granger.