As Thanksgiving approached and football season came to a close, Malden High School school students participated in Spirit Week events, from pajama day to pep rally. Junior and senior girls prepared for the annual powderpuff game throughout the month of November.
The girls were coached by football players from their respective grades and the competitive attitudes enveloped the girls.The seniors wanted to take this last chance to win before they graduate, but the juniors wanted nothing more than to crush the seniors’ dream.
The game is a way to get the football players pumped for one of their most important games of the season, Malden vs. Medford. Senior football captains Jensen Ayuk and Matt Delaney coached the senior girls, and varsity junior football players Jodens Didie, Jaymes Pomare, Joshua Bessey, and Isaac Bethea coached the junior girls.
During practice, the girls were taught the concept of football and tried out playing at different positions. The girls and the coaches took the game seriously and wanted to win, but assured one another to have fun at the same time.
Didie felt confident about his team going into the game due to the athleticism among the team. Didie and the other coaches put the junior girls in positions where they thought they could contribute to the team best. Before the game, Didie was confident that “[the team was] ready for [the seniors].”
On game day, Nov. 27, 2013, rain poured as MHS students were in the school’s gym for the annual Pep Rally. Word went around that the game was potentially going to be cancelled or held in the gym. The ultimate decision was that the game would be held at McDonald Stadium, similar to previous years.
Despite the harsh weather, both teams pushed through the game. Senior player Nicole Kelly says “[the weather] had little effect” on the way she and her teammates played. On a general note, Kelly added that “[her team] had to stay positive even with the mistakes on both defense and offense.”
The girls even had to endure weather issues during practice. Junior player Monique Bailey said the girls practiced “whenever [they] could get together, even when it was freezing.” This showed the true dedication of both teams.
Senior Keirra Sexton won the game for her team with her touchdown in overtime. The final score was 6-0, a sad turnout for the junior girls, but a great experience for both teams. Senior Catalina Arredondo was a memorable offensive player. Senior Courtney Kilgore and junior Charlee Ruddock played as quarterbacks for the entire game. Juniors Jaime Macdonald and Robyn Santo played a significant role in giving the seniors a tough game. The game was a fun way to bring the two grades together with all of the school spirit in the air.
