One of the most popular traditions during Homecoming week is the annual Powder Puff football game. This is where the boys pick up their purple and black kilts, mess with wigs, and learn the art of applying lipstick, while the girls pick up their jerseys and trade their eyeliner for eye black. The annual tradition is that the junior and senior class girls are taught the rules and strategies of football and then are strapped into their pull away flags and battle it out in a game of flag football in front of their peers. Each team has around 40 girls and is equipped with top notch coaches.   The juniors are again coached by Social Science teacher Mr. Rob Puterio, and math teacher Ms. Lisa Beezer, while the seniors are coached by Social Science teacher Mr. Art Carpenter.

   The fierce rivalry between the juniors and seniors only escalates as the Homecoming festivities begin.   After a close loss to last year’s graduating class, this year’s seniors eagerly await redemption. “We just want to crush the other grade because they think they’re better and we deserve to win,” said senior Kyra Dugan.

Not only are the players confident about their chances at victory, but fans are as well.  “I know the senior girls are going to beat the junior girls and that will be great to watch,” said senior and cheerleader Matt Taylor.  But the competition does not stop there. “The senior cheerleaders are also going to out cheer the junior cheerleaders,” said Taylor. Although the senior class feels confident in their likelihood for success, the juniors see it as their time to steal the spotlight.

   “I’ve been practicing on my own; my younger brother has been teaching me how to throw the football, block, and all the positions. It’s a work in progress,” said junior Cassie Hazlett. Practices for the game are well under way, yet the junior girls are busy outside of practice, too. “I’m excited [for the game] but I’m also nervous. I heard someone broke their nose last year, so it’s a little scary,” said Hazlett. Although previous injuries were not as extreme as a broken nose, girls do have to be “Tough enough for Powderpuff.”

  With the official game just under a week away, Friday, October 4th at 7 p.m., the girls and boys are all feverishly working to be the best of the best. So if it’s not enough to see your junior and senior girls tear up the football field, at least come to see the lovely cheerleaders like Taylor, or his cheerleading stage name ‘Mercedes’, encourage their classmates to victory. “We are going to have an amazing half time show that everyone will want to watch,” said Taylor.