Flowers, shining lights, and sashes: October 29, 2021 marked the final football game of the season. This was more than just a night to celebrate the team’s season this year ― it was Senior Night, when students from six different programs came together to celebrate their seniors. Football, Band, Drumline, Drill, Cheer, and Color Guard honored their leaders, captains, and members who worked tirelessly to make their program great for the past four years.

   Each program has different traditions for Senior Night celebrations. Football had each Senior introduced and walked onto the field by their parents, siblings, and teammates. As the announcer called each player’s name, they walked proudly in front of the crowd and took a picture.

   As important as football games are to the players themselves, they have also been an integral part of the high school experience for the students who cheered them on. Cheerleader Mina Siapkas (12) expressed her hopes to “help the players not give up and to especially help the Seniors keep pushing” as she enthusiastically cheered the players on to the very end. She described the confetti that had been thrown out to the crowd that night, the extra crowd engagement the cheer team pushed for, and her love for her team, adding, “No matter who they are, no matter if they change, they leave, they come, they’ve always stuck by me and have been really good friends.” 

   Boosting morale and encouraging the players and the crowd through every point, Band has been a fundamental part of each game. After performing their halftime show “Reflection,” Band seniors lined up in a row and listened to the announcement of each name. Trumpet Section Leader Nathaniel Behrens (12) expressed feelings of “excitement” that day. Color Guard Captain Gabby Herrera (12) recounted, “I felt special… We took pictures with our parents and got sashes and boutonnieres.” Behrens recalled his speech to underclassmen in his section before the game, in which he reminded them “how proud [he] was to be their section leader.” He also mentioned how much he was going to miss the Friday night games, as “the football games and comps (competitions) have been some of the best parts” of his Senior season.

   Drill team Captain Leah Sullivan (12) explained that to celebrate Senior Night, the team performed a special hip-hop Senior dance routine during the game. Excited, she mentioned “extra school practices after school,” and the feeling that it was going to be “even more special because [they’ve] never done anything like that before.” And like every other involved Senior, Sullivan emphasized her love for her team as “the best part” of the drill season.

   In every football game, hundreds of people work together to make it as enjoyable as possible. Seniors in Football, Cheer, Band, Color Guard, and Drill have worked for four years to cheer on the crowd and lead their programs.  In the spirit of the thousands of Seniors before them, the class of 2022 celebrated their final game, commemorating the years spent as a team.