Canyon | Photos by Megan Mann

The Canyon High School Football team has earned more than bragging rights for the coming season – it’s been named the 2012 Burrito Bowl champion.

Thousands of high school football fans crowded the parking lot at Dick’s Sporting Goods on Thursday night to watch members of all six Foothill League football teams stuff their faces at the third annual Burrito Bowl.

It took just 3 minutes, 17 seconds for five Canyon Cowboy football players to devour the four-foot long, nine-pound burrito.

Their record speed earned them $3,000 in prize money for their team, their band and their cheerleading squad.

The event was sponsored by the SCV Concierge and Chronic Cantina, which provided the super-sized burritos stuffed with beans, cheese and lettuce.

“Every time I went to a football game, when the team won, I think the band won and the cheer program won just as much,” said Gene Bleecker, owner of SCV Concierge. “So my thought is: Why don’t we raise money for all three programs under one event, so when the football team wins, the band gets to celebrate and the cheerleaders get to celebrate, too? Everybody wins with the kudos and financially.”

West Ranch

The Burrito Bowl fundraising committee, made up of members from Bleecker’s real estate advisory group, collected a total of $6,000 for prize money in one day, Bleecker said.

The 2011 defending champions, the Hart Indians, took second place this year. They tackled the monster burrito in 3 minutes, 57 seconds.

Hart offensive lineman John Perkins said the faster he ate, the less he tasted.

“You just put it in your mouth, drink water and swallow,” said Perkins. “You just don’t even think about it.”

Hart

After a representative from each school drew numbers from a helmet to determine the order of the teams in the fastest eating contest, the games began.

“The rules of engagement are simple, folks,” said Bleeker. “When you eat this burrito, if it falls on the floor, you gotta pick it up and finish it. The only way to prove that you’re done eating is to keep your mouths open to make sure there’s no burrito left in your mouth.”

The Golden Valley Grizzlies took home third place, finishing in 4 minutes and 12 seconds, followed by West Ranch with a time of 5:30. Saugus devoured the burrito in 5:14, while Valencia finished in 5:55.