Written By: Miles Watts, Staff Writer
DEPARTURE: The seniors’ final football game before the playoffs commence.
For some, this may just be an ordinary football game with extra pizazz, but to those who are in cheer, football, color guard, or band, this is a slightly melancholy but hopeful time. Although this will be the final football game for all seniors in these groups before the playoffs which makes all juniors and below quite dejected, future Poly students are also there to perform and stand with the highschoolers. This is also the football game that celebrates breast cancer awareness month as it is the final match in October. Everywhere on Poly’s side one could see pink; pink plumes on the marching band’s shakos, pink shirts the student section was wearing, pink posters ASB painted, and even pink socks on the football players. Although this may just be another game, it is a match that holds a lot of emotional weight; the sadness that comes from the seniors leaving, to the excitement and hopefulness of seeing the bright and excited young children soon entering Poly, to the pride of celebrating breast cancer awareness month.
As always, the air was brimming with excitement from the audience. But before that, all the seniors from football, band, color guard, and cheer were individually announced and honored with their loved ones by their side while the announcer detailed what the individual soon-to-be-graduate was thankful for. “It’s gonna be tough. And I hope one day I can meet them again” said Ivan Aguilar-Moreno (11). Playing the baritone saxophone this season, he is somber because some of his closest friends are graduating this year and he will not see them nearly as much. A very tender and emotional segment of this game that is entirely unique to it. Tears of joy, pride, and sadness from each senior’s family were shed. As the seniors are announced, the band is preparing to warm up with the middle schoolers from Matthew Gage Middle School. Each section welcomes their middle school counterparts, happy to play alongside them. “I’ll be pretty excited to see anyone join saxophone” William Starns (10), first chair tenor saxophone, comments. Everyone is excited for these young musicians to become a part of Poly’s band.
The band then reforms and rehearses the “Star Spangled Banner,” the “Notre Dame Victory March” (also known as the “Fight Song”), and the songs Gage’s music teacher, Aaron Guzman, is teaching his students which include “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the Avengers theme, and the Mandalorian theme. Eventually, the band is ready and heads to perform the “Star Spangled Banner” and “Fight Song.” After the playing of the two songs, they head up to the bleachers and the game begins.
Poly’s football team is against Vista De Lago’s group and the game is going smoothly. Each side scores touchdown passes but it is Poly who remained in the lead throughout most of the game. “As long as we don’t screw anything up completely, I think we got it in the bag” Starns predicted as by the end of the third quarter the score was 17-13. The band plays one of their pep tunes, “Louie Louie” before heading off to warm up for halftime. By the time the halftime show starts, the band is ready to perform. But before they play their show, cheer takes the field. After their exciting performance, the band sets up and plays their field show titled, “Wonderland”. Captivated by both cheer and band, the halftime show was a success.
After the band performed, the middle schoolers left to go home. The third quarter begins and roughly halfway through, as aforementioned, the score stays stagnant at 17-13. ASB also begins cleaning the field as they deflate the bear where the football players emerge from at the beginning of the game. Unfortunately, a player gets injured and after a moment to pay respect, the game continues with a new purpose. The energy began to rapidly increase the closer the game came to its conclusion. After the fourth down of the third quarter, Poly’s drumline begins playing their pep tunes, “Salt,” “Apple Bottom Jeans,” and “Mary.” The student body is invigorated by their appearance and they start cheering when Conrad Bagwell (11) plays his difficult and impressive solo in “Mary.”
Everyone was anticipating Poly’s win by the fourth quarter and it rose until the game finally ended. Poly’s football team had defeated Vista Del Lago and guaranteed their spot in the playoffs. Every person was exuberant and this was amplified by the band playing the “Alma Mater” and “Fight Song.” Typically the former is supposed to gradually speed up about halfway through the song but everyone was so ecstatic that it started to increase tempo almost immediately. And the latter was also much faster than it is supposed to be played at. The joy and euphoria were so intense and intoxicating that it would put anyone in a good mood.
This football game was definitely one to remember. From the emotional start before the match to the invigorating ending with pink all throughout, this was a wonderful way to finish before the playoffs.