Marisa Rose Bowl returns, will benefit children in need

New Jersey’s most successful charity all-star football game, rebranded last year as the Bellamy and Sons Paving Marisa Rose Bowl, will be played this summer at Woodbridge High School’s Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium.

All proceeds from the contest will benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, whose mission is to assist pediatric patients and other children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

The foundation was established in loving memory of Marisa Rose Tufaro, the daughter of longtime Edison Public Schools educator Cyndi Tufaro and former Home News Tribune and Courier News sportswriter Greg Tufaro, who as a reporter was an integral part of the all-star game since its inception nearly three decades ago.

The nonprofit’s leadership informed game founder and executive director Marcus Borden that The Marisa Tufaro Foundation will be donating a share of proceeds from this year’s game to PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital of New Brunswick and the Lakeview School, a program of the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities.

Lakeview School and Children’s Specialized Hospital were the initial beneficiaries of the all-star game, which since 1994 has raised a total of $736,000 for charity. The contest was formerly known as the Snapple Bowl and Autoland Classic.

“As a former head coach who used to run the triple-option when I was at East Brunswick, I can’t think of a better way to spread the ball around and share the wealth than raising money for these three great causes,” said Borden, a member of the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association and New Jersey Football Coaches Association halls of fame.

The intra-county contest, pitting Team Marisa against Team Rose in a showcase of Middlesex County’s top graduating high school seniors, will kick off June 29 at 7 p.m.

After the pandemic derailed the charity all-star game in 2020 and 2021, the contest made its triumphant return last summer.

"This whole game is about raising money for little children,” St. Joseph High School of Metuchen alumnus Christian Solino, now a true freshman quarterback at Monmouth University, said minutes after being named Most Valuable Player of last year’s contest.

“That resonated in the back of all our heads. We’re kids, too, and we’re lucky. It definitely hit us deep. I can’t say enough about the (Marisa Tufaro) foundation. It’s just awesome. I’m so honored and glad to be a part of (the game) and I hope it continues and is as successful as it was."

The contest has had several game sponsors over its 27-year history, but the one constant has been media partner MyCentralJersey.com, which provides exhaustive coverage of the event.

More:Marisa Rose Bowl all-star football game raises $21K for Middlesex County charity

Nearly 90 players and more than 40 cheerleaders selected to participate in the Marisa Rose Bowl will be introduced during a March 27 press conference presented by the Pines Manor at North Brunswick High School.

All will gather for a pregame dinner and celebration June 28 in Edison at the Pines Manor, which joins Adidas and Metro Team Sports as the event’s additional sponsors.

Practice sessions for the game will be conducted June 23 through June 27 at Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium. Details of a community service project involving players and cheerleaders will soon be announced.

“What we’ve been able to accomplish is because the kids and the coaches buy in and understand the importance of giving back,” Borden said. “The success of the game is due to their genuine commitment to what the game represents.”

Borden credited Joe Bellamy, owner of Bellamy and Sons Paving in Piscataway, with infusing new life into the all-star game as its sponsor.

“He knows all about our event and what we’ve done,” said Borden, noting Bellamy’s sons Joey and Rocco both played in the charity all-star game. “I know that Joe and his family have been involved in youth and high school sports for a long time. Joe has a history of giving back and supporting others. It was a pleasant surprise to see he would want to help us continue what we do in our effort to make a difference in the community.”

Through Bellamy’s sponsorship, players will be clad in custom-made uniforms with their names embroidered on the back of the game jerseys. The uniform’s purple and white scheme reflects The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s official colors. Team Marisa will don purple jerseys with white pants. Team Rose will sport white jerseys with purple pants. Both sets of jerseys and pants are adorned with wings reflecting Marisa's presence as an angel.

Middlesex County high school football programs have been among the biggest supporters of The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, which since its inception just over five a half years ago has made a profound impact, donating more than a quarter of a million dollars to fulfill its mission.

The nonprofit also has donated thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter jackets, baby supplies and other items upon which it has placed no monetary value.

In addition, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has awarded $26,500 in academic scholarships to 38 high school graduates, several of whom were football stars at Middlesex County high schools.

“To be connected with the game, especially with (Marisa Rose’s) name attached to it, is an honor,” Joe Bellamy said. “I always felt the game was a great platform, and Marisa’s foundation is synonymous with anything to help children and young athletes, so this is a big deal for us.”

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation is committed to being a source of comfort to pediatric patients, a financial resource for their families, and a provider of funds and opportunities for underserved children.

State Sen. Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., D-Middlesex, who serves on The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s board of trustees, was nearly left speechless upon learning last year that the all-star event would bear Marisa Rose Tufaro’s name.

“Words cannot capture my feelings when I learned that the game will now be known as the Marisa Rose Bowl,” said Diegnan, whose legislative district encompasses seven Middlesex County municipalities. “Directing the proceeds of the game to the Marisa Tufaro Foundation is a wonderful thing. Marisa's courage will be an inspiration to all of those who participate.”

Marisa Rose Tufaro, who would have graduated in 2021 from Edison High School, survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle.

Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, Marisa Rose was an honor roll student involved in myriad extracurricular activities who lived a vibrant life that inspired.

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation is eternally grateful for the support it has received from the school-community at Woodbridge, which graciously offered to host this summer’s Marisa Rose Bowl game and practices. The school-community hosted the Snapple Bowl in 2018 and in 2016 when a single-game fundraising record of $55,000 was donated.

“Through the incredible generosity of its board of education and township, Woodbridge has worked with our game in the past to provide us with whatever we need,” Borden said. “We’ve always received incredible support from Woodbridge’s superintendent, board of education, administration, coaching staff, mayor, and township council. We are honored that the school-community is willing to continue supporting our charity game.”

Woodbridge has hosted several fundraising events that benefited The Marisa Tufaro Foundation including a Greater Middlesex Conference All-Star basketball doubleheader, the Tecmo Bowl for Tufaro, Pictures with Santa, and the Marisa Tufaro Classic bowling tournament.

In addition, the school-community has donated money raised from a dress down day and proceeds from the gate of the Woodbridge football team’s 2018, 2019 and 2022 home openers to the nonprofit. To help alleviate childhood and family hunger, the high school’s Spirit Program last summer collected nonperishable food items for the foundation.

Woodbridge’s football, basketball, baseball, cheerleading, soccer, wrestling, swimming, golf, and bowling teams are among those at the high school that have supported The Marisa Tufaro Foundation through their participation in charity events or fundraisers.

The high school also fully funds an annual Marisa Tufaro Memorial Woodbridge High School Scholarship, awarded each year in Marisa’s honor and memory to two exceptional college-bound seniors.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will broadcast the game. Mike Pavlichko will provide live play-by-play at cjsportsradio.com.

Tickets for the Marisa Rose Bowl can be purchased for $10 at the gate on game day or at Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium during regularly scheduled practices.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ football: Marisa Rose Bowl returns in 2023