Ashton Calixte also contributed to this article.
As Thanksgiving approached, so did the annual Powderpuff Game for the senior and junior girls at Malden High. On November 27th, the yearly tradition rolled around for another year before Thanksgiving break. The senior and junior girls came eager and motivated, spotting a game face and a motive to win.
Before the Malden vs. Medford pep rally, the Powderpuff followed smoothly. Junior and senior girls stood ready at noon to give their best towards the game with the minimal practice they had.
“We actually learned everything 15 minutes before,” junior Rashmi Kc mentioned. Although time was tight, the girls made do, putting in their best efforts despite the challenge of learning an unknown sport for many of the girls. “We just figured out everybody’s position and made it work,” junior Olivia Rodrigues added.
The game began quickly, starting well for the junior girls. The juniors held a lead to begin the game, starting with four points in the lead within the first quarter. For the minimal practice they had, they played at their best, bringing a showcase of their determination. As time went on, seniors began to take the lead, scoring a touchdown. This did not bring down the spirits of the junior girls as they continued to push through for the next quarter.
The motivation to join for many of the girls varied as some joined for fun, while others joined out of curiosity. “I honestly love football, and this is my first time playing on a team for football,” junior Sania Chen added. Others look to seek new experiences. “I’ve never played football but it seemed interesting, and I sometimes run so it appealed to me,” Kc mentioned.
The rivalry continued as the second half of the game occurred, and juniors continued to score well. Seniors continued to keep up, being closely behind juniors for the quarter. At halftime, the score was 21-14, with juniors in the lead. The game ended with a touchdown from the seniors, leaving the final score as a tie.
Although many came to be disappointed with the outcome, reactions varied.“I felt like we had more potential out there like we made plays but it could’ve been better,” Chen expressed. Others found their tie quite impressive and showed pride for their dedicated hard work. “I feel like we played really well for some of us never having played or touched a football before,” Junior Olivia Rodrigues added.
Juniors and seniors both left with positive spirits despite the tie. The day ran by smoothly as both the girls and advisors were in high spirits with positive remarks to recall. “It was really fun to see the kids excited to play and do some spirit activities,” Class of 2025 Advisor Courtney Braz recalled.
For many, the Powderpuff serves as an opportunity to play football as a female at Malden High School in a world that is not always accepting of women in sports. “I think it’s important to have girls involved in women’s sports for people who say ‘women can’t play sports’ or ‘women can’t do this,’ so we switch that up at Malden High and have this game every year,” Rodrigues added. Braz added that Powderpuff is important for the representation and said, “If you saw Kim Tropnus run on that field, you’d be like, ‘yeah she could be on the mainstream team.’”
Despite the game resulting in a tie and not being what the girls had expected, both teams left the stadium accomplished by their hard work and dedication which provided a fun and enjoyable afternoon filled with football and laughter.
