Photos courtesy of Andrew Hansen, teacher and student senate adviser.
By Austin Topp ’16
The upperclassmen ladies at Plainwell High School battled for victory on Streidl field, Wednesday, Sept. 30, in the cold autumn air. A key event of Plainwell’s homecoming festivities, the Powder Puff Football game attracted many. Juniors were victorious, beating the Seniors 18-12.
Seniors dressed as cops and robbers, while Juniors dressed as safari animals and guides. School spirit and determination to win were passionately conveyed. Players as well as fans were hyped.
“Everyone was so pumped up. Not only the players, but also the students,” said Morgan Dehaan ‘17.
As the Junior team’s running back, Dehaan scored three rushing touchdowns, giving her team a big boost.
“I was so confident in my team, we all put in one hundred percent,” said Dehaan.
Trash talk and spirit occurred throughout the majority of the school day.
“The seniors talked a lot of trash at school, and on Twitter, but we turned it into motivation,” said Dehaan.
On the field, however, trash talk was limited due to the need to focus.
“The players were too focused to talk trash,” said Dehaan.
The senior class took spirit very seriously. Climbing on tables and screaming intimidating chants at lunch, were among methods of preparing for the game.
“It seemed like we were way more pumped than them at lunch, they wouldn’t chant back at us for quite a while,” said Tricia Kelly ‘16.
As the Senior team’s quarterback, Kelly scored a touchdown and led her team in a tight game.
Both teams were full of many talented athletes.
“I’m amazed at the skill of our female athletes and it’s pretty cool to watch them do things that they normally wouldn’t. I’ll tell you what, some of those girls are fast enough to hang with the guys’ team,” said History teacher and referee Brian Huberty.
Keeping the game fair and the players safe was emphasized thanks to the officials.
“I don’t care who wins, I just want the girls to have a good time and stay healthy during the game. I called penalties as I saw them occur,” said Huberty.
However, both teams felt as though some aspects of the game were not fair.
“I think we should’ve had more penalties called against us, but overall, the refs did a great job,” said Dehaan.
“Overall I think the game was pretty fair, besides one player tucking her flag in,” said Kelly.
With more experience and older bodies, the Senior team was predicted to win by many. Even some of the referees predicted the Seniors to win.
“I really thought the Seniors had it in the bag,” said Huberty.
The game came down to the final seconds, leaving the fans and players at the edges of their seats. The Juniors scored a touchdown with about two minutes left, giving them an advantage and eventually the win.
“It was the best feeling to beat the Seniors, especially after all the trash talk,” said Dehaan.
“I honestly thought we would win. We had an athletic and smart team. It was really shocking to lose. I felt very mad and irritated when we lost, especially when we did everything we could do,” said Kelly.
As the underdogs, the Juniors effort and talent were the deciding factors of the game.
“I felt like both teams had lots of skill, but the Juniors had a little more speed, and speed kills,” said Huberty.
In the end the Seniors still seemed to be happy with how they played.
“Whether you win or lose, it’s all about the experience,” said Kelly.