As the varsity football team was preparing all week for the last game, you could see excitement flowing through the whole school from the students and teachers.

“As a team, I know we are excited for the upcoming game. Especially us seniors. It is the final guaranteed game we get to play in front of Raider Nation,” said senior CJ Filipek. “Personally, I am super hyped about it. Also, if we win we will split a share of the, always tough, Fox Valley Conference championship which is another thing we are pumped about.”

On Friday, you could see everyone wearing pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness and celebrate the last game of the season. Players were getting ready physically and mentally for the whole week before the game.

“This week’s theme of preparation has been extreme ownership. This means that we should have no excuses, no whining, and no complaining at all during the week of practice or the game on Friday night. If we have extreme ownership, we are a mature team that can challenge anything that is thrown at our faces,” Filipek said. “This week we have a lot of motivation to win. If we win we clinch a share of the conference championship, set our legacy as one of the best teams in Huntley’s football history, and guarantee a home playoff game.” 

“It’s going to be a battle. We know that going in. Crystal Lake South is a heck of a football team. However, I trust our guys and know what we are capable of. We are going to work together and play until the final whistle. No holding back for our senior night,” senior quarterback Sam Deligio said.

Before the game, head Coach Michael Naymola talked about how he thought the game would go.

“Friday’s game is going to be a difficult game, Crystal Lake South is one of the better offensive teams in the conference. They score points on everybody,” Nyamola said. “Defensively, they fly around a little bit, but I think our offense and our strength is going to be to sustain drive like we’ve done all year. We’ve been the ball-control offense. We wear people down. We try to keep their offense off the field with how we play football on offense. I think we’re going to be able to control the line of scrimmage and keep up with them.”

The game was close but the team worked together and pulled through. Congratulations to the varsity team and to the seniors for a fantastic win in the last game.