Football

Turlock High has won two straight league games. Pitman has won five games this season. On Friday, October 23, those two very different paths meet at Joe Debely Stadium for the 23rd Harvest Bowl.

The Bulldogs arrive after a 37–7 victory over Gregori on October 16. The Pride will try to rebound from a 36–0 loss at Downey. For fans, there is another detail to settle before Friday: the schools now use cashless admission, so a few bills in your pocket are no longer the whole ticket plan.

What Friday’s Results Set Up

According to the Turlock Journal’s game report, senior Bobby Hernandez ran for 248 yards on 21 carries against Gregori. Braiden Fuentes supplied scoring plays on the ground and through the air, while Michael Cardoso contributed on defense and special teams.

Turlock is 2–5 overall but 2–0 in the Central California Athletic League. Pitman is 5–2 overall and 1–1 in league play. The Bulldogs have won the past 12 Harvest Bowls and lead the series 14–8, the Journal reports. Last year’s game finished 28–14 in Turlock’s favor. That leaves a straightforward question for this matchup: can the Pride interrupt a streak that stretches back further than many current players’ school memories?

Pitman Hosts, but the Game Is at Joe Debely

Pitman is the designated home team this year. The school’s 2026 football schedule places the game at Joe Debely Stadium on the Turlock High campus. Head to Joe Debely Stadium, 1500 E. Canal Drive, Turlock, rather than Pitman’s campus.

The schools’ histories are closer than the rivalry suggests. Pitman opened to students on August 26, 2002, according to its official history. Its namesake, John H. Pitman, had taught at Turlock High and later served as principal and superintendent. Our Pitman High School guide follows that connection and the campus’s early traditions.

Joe Debely’s name carries another coaching history. Turlock High’s school history dates the stadium dedication to November 9, 1989, honoring his years coaching football, track and golf. The Turlock High history explains the other familiar names on its athletic facilities.

A Rivalry That Began With Close Finishes

Pitman won the first Harvest Bowl, 21–18, in 2004. Junior quarterback Colin Kaepernick was part of that team, and Mark Runyan scored a fourth-quarter touchdown. In 2005, Anthony Harding’s two-point conversion gave the Pride a 35–34 overtime victory. Turlock’s first win came in 2008, a 7–0 game with Kevin Kramer scoring the touchdown.

The Journal’s historical rundown also explains an oddity in the calendar: two Harvest Bowls were played in 2021. The postponed 2020-season game took place that April, followed by the next season’s matchup in the fall.

Before You Head to the Stadium

• Thursday, October 22: freshman football is listed for 6 p.m. at Joe Debely.
• Friday, October 23: Pitman’s combined JV/varsity schedule begins at 5 p.m. MaxPreps lists varsity at 7 p.m.
• Tickets: the school’s admission policy says athletic events are cashless, using GoFan at the gate, with advance purchases also available through the Activities Offices.

The Pitman GoFan listing did not show a separate October 23 game ticket when we checked. That does not establish a sellout. Ask the school’s Activities Office for Harvest Bowl sale details and current prices before making the trip. The official schedule and ticket-information page are the best starting points for any changes during the week.

The Turlock High football team announced its presence early in Friday night’s 51-24 win over Gregori High, letting the entire Central California Athletic Conference know that its 0-5 nonleague record wasn’t an indication of what the next five games could be.

The Bulldogs earned their first win this season and their first victory since their historic upset of then-unbeaten St. Mary’s-Stockton in the 2022 Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. In its first five games, Turlock played two of the top 5 teams in the Sacramento area, two top schools in the Fresno area and a historically powerful Bay Area program.

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