Girl Power: Freshmen and Seniors Triumph in the Powderpuff Game

Girl+Power%3A+Freshmen+and+Seniors+Triumph+in+the+Powderpuff+Game

By Jordyn Grist

Repetitive chants and buzzing scoreboards. The smell of bug spray and turf. What could be better setting for a football war between high school classmates?

Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6:00 p.m. the freshmen and sophomore girls powderpuff teams faced each other, eye-to-eye in the Huntley High School stadium.

Within the first few seconds the freshmen gain possession. The game moves fast, the whistle blows often. After each attempt for a touchdown, the teams meet and discuss tactics.

Football is usually played in quarters, but the powderpuff teams played halves. After the first half, the freshmen-sophomore game was tied 0-0. Both teams were beginning to become frustrated, but they were also eager to win.

In the second half, after a 10 minute half-time, the teams are still fighting for a single touchdown. The teams seem to be at odds with each other, and the ball moves from yard to yard, from end to end of the field.

But with 2:34 seconds left on the clock, the freshmen are five yards away from the endzone. The sophomores move early. 2 yards. A freshman player moves early. 7 yards.

Finally, the whistle blows. The freshmen sprint past the endzone, arms waving in the air. Freshman Reese Hunkins, quarterback, throws the ball to fellow teammate Jori Heard, who catches it and wins the game for the freshmen 6-0.

“I’d say the best thing about powderpuff is being able to play a sport that usually only guys play,” Hunkins said, “it’s a great experience to be able to participate with friends. I will most likely be playing again next year.”

The freshmen team’s coach, Erin Hendricksen, talked about the last play of the game.

“The most exciting moment was seeing that final pass in those last seconds,” freshmen Coach Erin Hendricksen said.

The junior versus senior game at 7:30 p.m., the finale. Just 12 seconds into the first half, senior Oladipo receives a hand-off and runs through to the end zone, scoring a touchdown for the seniors.

The second touchdown for the game is by senior Moffet, just seconds after the first, with 19:08 on the clock.

At the 21 yard line, a pass is made to and caught by Lexi Kojak, who then ran and scored the third touchdown for the seniors, making the score 18-0.

After the first half, the guys poms perform in the middle of the field. They flip, cartwheel and stretch splits. The crowd and powderpuff teams go wild.

The second half no other scores are made. The junior put up a fight the second half, almost scoring a touchdown on the seniors. The seniors take the final win of the night 18-0, with a mighty cheer.