Holy Cross Rivalry Game

Since 1922 Jesuit and Holy Cross have met on the gridiron. This Great American Rivalry is the fifth oldest continuously played prep rivalry in the country. The Blue Jays lead the series, 61-42-1.

2024 – Tailgate and Game Day information:

Rivalry Game Tailgate — 4 p.m.
Practice Track on Roosevelt Mall just to the north of Tad Gormley Stadium.

Rivalry Game Kick-off — 7:15 p.m.
Tad Gormley Stadium

With thousands each year in attendance of the game and the tailgate, fans should observe the following policies:

Tickets

Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time at Jesuit. Doing so prevents fans from waiting in line at City Park. Note that Jesuit retains all revenue from pre-sale ticket purchases.
Pre-sale tickets are available from 7:30 a.m.– 3:30 p.m. at the front desk, Monday through Friday, for $10 for adults and non-Jesuit students, and $5 for children ages 6–11. Payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Both student and faculty IDs, as well as season passes, will be accepted at the gate.
All adult and student tickets will be available at the game for $15, cash or credit card.

Tailgate

All fans and tailgaters are encouraged to set up in the tailgate tent area below to participate in the festivities. The tailgate officially begins at 4 p.m., but fans are free to set up their tents anytime after 10 a.m.
Join us at the Blue & White Tent to enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs prepared by Sodality, as well as jambalaya and gumbo prepared by Jesuit’s MCJROTC. Pigeon Catering will be on site serving fans as well.
Music will be provided by a D.J. The Jesuit and Holy Cross bands will feature a drumline performance, then parade into the stadium along the path indicated on the map.
All tents, chairs, and personal items should be removed from the tailgate area no later than 8 p.m.

Parking

Parking is available on streets around the stadium. Please see the map below to check which areas are available. Parking is prohibited on the Marconi Drive neutral ground and in some areas along the drive. The City Park lot on Marconi will open at 4 p.m.
The Delgado parking lot will be open courtesy the Dolphin baseball team for $10/car.
In keeping with all football games this season, no paid parking is available inside of Tad Gormley Stadium.
Parking violators will be ticketed and possibly towed. If your car is parked on grass, it is likely in an unauthorized area and may result in a ticket.

Stadium Entry

All bags will be individually checked. Tad Gormley has adopted a clear bag policy.
All fans will be individually “wanded” upon entry to the stadium.

Crescent City Sports is producing a live broadcast of this evening’s Jesuit-Holy Cross game for the 13th consecutive year.

View the Jesuit vs. Holy Cross Series Record

Legends of the Game

Year	Jesuit	Holy Cross
2024	Tommy Morel ’65	Dennis Delaney ’71
2023	Wayne Francingues ’66	Mark “Trippi” Delesdernier ’75
2022	Steve Foley ’71	Harry Nunez ’62
2021	John Hazard ’83
2020
2019	1969 Jesuit Football Team (50-Year Anniversary)	1969 Holy Cross Football Team
2018	Bill Ladner ’56	Buck Landry ’61
2017	Rick Chanove ’89	Kenny Hrapmann ’68
2016	1948 State Championship Football Team	Dr. Frank Minyard ’47
2015	The 2005 “Katrina” Football Teams of Jesuit and Holy Cross
2014	Frank Massa ’54	Billy Truax ’60
2013	The 1963 Jesuit and Holy Cross teams
2012	Chris Markey ’04	Joe Heap (honored posthumously)
2011	Al Widmer ’43	Charlie DiGange ’64
2010	Pat Screen ’61 (honored posthumously)	Butch Duhe (honored posthumously)
2009	Mickey LaNasa ’54	Earl Schneider ’55
2008*	Ray Coates ’44	Barry Wilson ’64

* Inaugural year honoring Legends of the Game

Distinguished Military Alumnus Recipients

Each year as part of the Jesuit vs. Holy Cross Great American Rivalry Homecoming event, Jesuit and Holy Cross recognize an alumnus from each school for his distinguished military service. The award recognizes an alumnus who has demonstrated significant achievement and leadership, earning him a high level of respect from his peers, his superiors, and even the broader community.

Year	Jesuit	Holy Cross
2024	Col Ignatius P. Liberto, USMC, Ret.	Col Jeffrey Faucheux, USAF ’70
2023	MAJ Kevin Caliva, Jr. ’02, USA
2022	CDR Joseph Angelico ’63, USCG
2021	LtCol Arthur “Dooty” Patron ’51, USMCR
2020
2019	COL Robert Friedrich ’59, USA	LtCol Darryl G. Ayers ’91, USMC
2018	LtCol Donnie Hasseltine ’93, USMC	BG Patrick Bossetta ’78, USA (ret.)
2017	Capt Ronald Drez ’58, USMC	Col. Frank Willie ’65, USAF (ret.)
2016	LtCol Justin Ansel, Jr. ’91, USMC	LCDR Coleman Ruiz ’93, USN (ret.)
2015	LTC William Furlong ’52, USAR	Rear Adm. Victor Guillory ’73, USN
2014	Col Beau Higgins ’85, USMC	Lt. Col. Sean Conroy ’86, USAF
2013	LtCol Brandon Gregoire ’91, USMC	Staff Sgt. Timothy Clark ’99, USMC
2012	LtCol Tim Huete ’76, USMC	Major William Schehr ’86, USA
2011*	CPT Benigno “Ben” Martinez ’35, USA	Major Paul Vorenkamp ’80, USA

* Inaugural year honoring alumni veterans

Game Day Festivities History

In 2006, Jesuit and Holy Cross took the game to another level with the creation of a traveling trophy called The Golden Football. The trophy is the idea of Holy Cross alumnus Steve Donnes ’76, whose father and three brothers attended Jesuit. Holy Cross created the trophy, which resides at the winning school until the following year. After being showcased at Holy Cross’s tailgate party outside Tad Gormley Stadium, Ronnie Gravois ’56 (creator of BlueJaysTigers.com, a website dedicated to the rivalry) represents Jesuit at the tailgate party and presents Holy Cross with a print of the 1940 stadium photo.

In 2008, a committee of officials from each school was created to organize the expanding event and for the first time, The Great American Rivalry Series includes the Jesuit vs. Holy Cross game on their schedule.

The inclusion of GARS introduced several new elements to the game:

Recognition of a Legend of the Game from each school
Presentation of $500 check to home team’s school
Presentation of $500 scholarship to each team’s scholar athlete (senior letterman with highest GPA)
Recognition of the game’s Most Valuable Player
Presentation of championship trophy to winning team
Presentation of GARS championship caps to players on winning team
Showing of championship trophy to each school at pep rally or student assembly
GARS signage and blowups in stadium
Scholar Athletes recognized at midfield by stadium announcer (represented by school principals due to LHSAA restrictions)
Legends of the Game serve as honorary team captains and participate in coin-toss. (Home team Legend tosses the coin.)

The event continued to grow and in 2009, Holy Cross created a game-day T-shirt and both teams came together to host a parade, or entrance of bands. The school bands assembled on Marconi and entered the stadium through the main gates.

In 2010, Jesuit joined Holy Cross in creating a game-day T-shirt. The schools agree to use the same design with each school using its own colors. Jesuit also hosted its first school-sponsored pre-game tailgate party. The party features Big Brother/Little Brother events, complimentary food and refreshments, and complimentary game tickets for parents of new students. The parade was enhanced to include the bands stopping, facing the fans, and playing their fight songs.

In 2011, the parade grew to include a float bearing each school’s mascot and head cheerleader displaying the game trophies. The parade is dubbed the Krewe of Rivalry. The float is the lead unit in the parade. The pre-game ceremonies were also enhanced to include the honoring of a military veteran alumnus from each school.

A Game Coin bearing the logos of both schools was a new improvement to the game day festivities in 2012. The coin was given to special guests, award winners, and seniors on the football team. The parade was enhanced to include the Legends of the Game riding in convertibles as well as a performance from hometown favorites, the 610 Stompers perform three numbers. Due to the effects of Hurricane Isaac, the parade did not include a float.

In 2014, Jesuit Marine Corps ROTC cadets presented a 40-by-60 foot American flag in front of a crowd of approximately 15,000 during the National Anthem. It took about 40 Blue Jay cadets to display the flag, which was on loan from the U.S. Navy VR-54 Naval Air Station in Belle Chasse.

In 2015, the Community Service Award was created. The award recognizes a senior football letterman from each school for his exemplary and inspirational service to his school and the greater community of New Orleans.