After much anticipation, the Potomac Falls Varsity Football team came out with a glorious win against the Dominion Titans at this year’s Battle of Sterling. 

Friday Night Lights. Stands packed with our school’s roaring Panthers. Smiles from ear to ear, and most importantly, the Kings of Sterling mentality that runs through many Potomac Falls Panthers. That is what the first football game of this school year looked like, and the team came back strong with a 47-0 victory against Dominion. 

Some say the Battle of Sterling is one of the most highly anticipated events of the season, and it is safe to say that after this win, the varsity squad is  off to a great start. 

The Panthers advanced with a score of 35-0 in the first half alone. The starting line up consisted of many familiar faces, including seniors Owen Copeland, Jalen Jackson, Matthew Graham, Davion Moore, Aidan Apietu, and Derrick Smith.

Senior Jalen Jackson made the first touchdown of the night, with senior Conor Blood rounding out the game with the final touchdown of the night.

“It felt amazing scoring against our rivals, and I was so hyped. [It’s funny because] I was so confused, I didn’t even know I scored,” said senior Jalen Jackson. 

The game’s theme was a white out and the Panther Pit traveled well, cheering on the players from start to finish.

“Having [the fans] makes such a big difference. When we had to play without fans, it felt like we were playing for no reason some of the time, and it took away a lot of the excitement,” said senior Owen Copeland, tight end, corner, and captain. “I can 100% confidently say that it was the loudest and most packed student section we’ve had at a game in my four years at Potomac Falls. Since the Battle of Sterling happened to be on my birthday, I got the birthday song sung to me multiple times…which was probably my favorite part of the whole night.”

After nearly two years since seniors had been in the pit, and with this being the first experience for both freshmen and sophomores, the turn out and enthusiasm lived up to the hype. 

“My favorite part about cheering in the pit definitely has to be one of the perks of being a senior down at the bottom of the bleachers. We get to see the game up close, our friends that are players can hear us cheering for them, and we get the entire student section lit. The energy in the pit is based on how us seniors get it started,” said senior Kelly Lawless. 

But, what does this new sense of pride mean for the future of student life here in this post-distance learning school year? Can we expect even more excitement, enthusiasm, and heightened energy from students all year long? It is, after all, the 25th year since PFHS first opened its doors. 

Senior Class President Jenna Natour believes that this is only the beginning of what is expected to be an amazing year. Whether it be sports, academics, or other student activities, she is confident that the energy will be unmatched.

“I think being home for so long and missing out on school events allowed Potomac Falls students to come back more excited than ever into our football games,” said senior Jenna Natour. “I believe being away for so long and coming back to normal activities will grow our school spirit as a school community and have bigger show outs and support at different games and events after missing out on some of these experiences.”

If you missed the Battle of Sterling, be sure to support the Potomac Falls Panthers at their very first home game on Thursday, September 2nd, and do not hesitate to bring your best game face. 

And remember freshman, when cheering in the pit, we scream “Ohhhh Pfalls!” 3 times. Not 2 times, not 4 times, and definitely not 5 times. Okay? Okay.