Despite the 7-42 loss against Powhatan High School on Friday, October 29, 2021 during the last regular home football game of the season, Midlo jump-started Halloween weekend with a celebration of seniors. Throughout the day leading up to the highly- anticipated game, senior football players provided their favorite teacher with one of their jerseys, which has been a longstanding tradition started by Head Coach Matt Hutchings in 2017 to incorporate teacher appreciation. Such a gesture put the Midlo community in high spirits, which was a mindset that carried on during the honoring of seniors later that evening.

Before kick-off, football, cheer, dance and band members of the Class of 2022 made their way to the track where they were met by loved ones for a photo opportunity in order to commemorate the special moment. Each of the individual seniors then proceeded to walk across the track one-by-one as their names and favorite memories from their time on their respective teams were announced for spectators. As each name was called, cheers from the student section and parents echoed across F.W. Poates Stadium.  After each of the pending graduates was recognized, the Varsity Football Team stormed the field where they would battle the Powhatan Indians.  

Midlo Varsity Football Seniors:

Tristan Blazer has been on the football team for a total of four years. His favorite memory from his time on the team is when the team beat Manchester earlier this season. After high school, Blazer plans to attend Jame Madison University and major in athletic training.

Grant Cunningham has been a part of the football program for the past five years. He is also a member of the National Honors Society, Senior Council and the Principal’s Student Advisory Council. His favorite moment throughout his time on the team is when the team beat Manchester for the first time in nineteen years. After high school, Cunningham plans to attend Virginia Tech and major in business and management.

Will Haemker has been on the football team for four years, while also participating on the school’s wrestling team. His favorite memories from his time on the team are last year’s Coal Bowl victories over James River. After high school, Haemker plans to attend Virginia Tech to major in animal and poultry sciences.

Declan Harrington has served as a member of the football team for five years. He is also a member of the Future Business Leaders of America club. His favorite memory throughout his time on the team is the program’s victory over Manchester this season. After high school, Harrington plans to attend Old Dominion University.

Braeden Lee has been on the football team for four years. His favorite memory from his time on the team is when he started as a freshman in a playoff game three years ago. After high school, Lee plans to attend James Madison University where he will major in exercise science.

Max McKey has been on the football team for four years and has also served as a member of the track and field team as well. His favorite memory thus far is when the team came back to win against the number two seated Manchester team earlier this season. After high school, McKey plans to attend James Madison University and major in engineering.

Matthew Notarianni has been a part of the football program for four years. He is also a member of the wrestling team, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Future Business Leaders of America.  His favorite memory from his time on the team is when they successfully emerged victorious over James River in the Coal Bowl during his sophomore year. After high school, Notarianni plans to attend a four-year university where he will major in engineering.

Zack Phillips has been on the football team for four years. He is also a member of the wrestling team and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His favorite memories from his time on the team consist of beating Manchester and Monacan this season. After high school, Phillips plans to attend a four year university to major in criminal justice while also participating in Army ROTC.

Lee Pitz has been a member of the football program for four years, while also competing on both the wrestling and lacrosse teams. His favorite memory from his time on the team is eating dinner with his teammates in the locker room on Friday nights before home games. After high school, Pitz plans to enlist in the United States Air Force.

Jacob Shamlin has been a part of the football team for four years. His favorite memory from his time on the team is when they were able to beat Manchester earlier this season. After high school, Shamlin plans to attend James Madison University and major in sports management. 

Cohen Steele has only been a part of the football team as an athlete during his senior year, but he has been with the program for ten years while working as a helper and manager.  He is also a member of the school’s basketball team. His favorite memories from his time on the team consist of getting closer with his teammates over the years and finally beating Manchester during his final year.  After high school, Steele plans to attend Notre Dame and major in education.

James Stone has been on the football team for five years. He is also a member of the Future Business Leaders of America club and Distributive Education Clubs of America. His favorite memory from his time on the team was soaking in all of the excitement in the locker room after beating Manchester only a few weeks ago. After high school, James plans to attend Old Dominion University.

Team manager Sarah Arnold has been a football manager for the past three years. She is also a member of Future Business Leader of America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life and multiple honor societies. Her favorite memory throughout her time involved with the program is seeing the student section go crazy this season after not being allowed at games last season due to COVID-19 restrictions. After high school, Sarah plans to attend a four-year university to major in pre-medicine or nursing.

Midlo Varsity Cheer Seniors:

Kaitlyn Holder has been a member of the Varsity Cheer team for the past two years. Throughout the course of her time as a part of the program, she has come to favor the moments consisting of “riding the bus to and from away games [her] freshman year because [the team] would play music and sing, so the whole team got really close,” Holder said. When the season ends, she will miss Friday night football games under the lights the most, but she continues to look forward to cheering with all of her friends for the final time.

Paige Durrette has spent the last two years of her high school career on the varsity cheer team. So far, her favorite memory consists of each of the home football games and hearing the fans cheer on the team with them. Most of all, Durrette will miss all of the competitions that the team has been involved in. However, she looks forward to cheering alongside her teammates at the upcoming playoff games one last time.

Kailee Ortel has been on the varsity team for a total of four years and she plans to continue her cheering career while in college as well. Over the years, her favorite memories have been cheering on the sidelines at football games on Friday nights. After the season ends, Ortel knows that she will miss “competing with all of [her] friends the most.” Given the team’s close-knit connections with one another, she knows that the bonds they have formed will remain unbreakable moving forward.

Midlo Trojanette Seniors:

Bria Meyers has been on the Dance Team for the past three years. Her favorite memory from her time on the team was participating in a lip sync battle at training camp. She will miss her fellow team members the most and states that they are all “sisters” to her, so it is sad that they will have to part ways eventually. Meyers is looking forward to going to prom and celebrating at other senior events to come. 

Anya Varkey has been a member of the Dance Team for three years. Her favorite memories come from being able to dance on the sidelines of the football games and playing the drums during senior night. She will miss spending time with all of her teammates and dancing at pep rallies. Varkey is looking forward to being able to participate in dance competitions and her graduation at the end of the school year. 

Midlo Marching Band Seniors:

Aiden Oberle, a member of the percussion ensemble, has been a part of the marching band for four years. After graduation, he plans on studying music production and percussion at Shenandoah University or James Madison University.

Ander Mckee, a trombone and tuba player, has been a part of the marching band for a total of four years. He plans to go on a two-year mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after high school and then study engineering at Utah State University.

Connor Riley, a trombone and baritone player, has been a member of the marching band for the past four years. After high school, he plans to attend Virginia Tech to major in biological sciences.

Elijah Carll, a mellophone player, has been a part of the marching band for four years. This year, Carll fulfilled the role as one of the three drum majors, as well as acted as a chief field commander during performances to help lead the band. He intends on studying engineering at Virginia Tech after high school.

Evan Amesbury, an alto sax player, has been in the marching band for one year. After graduation, he intends on majoring in medicinal and biological studies at the University of Virginia in the fall.

Jack Laser, a trombone player, has been a member of the marching band for the past two years. He plans on going to a four-year college where he will continue his marching band career, as well as travel to Spain when minoring in Spanish. 

Joshua Williams, a tenor saxophone player, has been on the marching band for a total of four years. After high school, he wants to pursue a major in international relations at the College of William and Mary. 

Keaton Sanders, a trumpet player, has served as a member of the marching band for three years. He hopes to major in either chemistry or computer science at Virginia Tech in the fall.

Megan Hurt, a flute and piccolo player, has been a part of the marching band for all four years of high school. This year, Hurt fulfilled the role as one of the three drum majors and acted as a chief field commander during performances to help lead the band. After graduation, she wants to attend either Wake Forest or Wesleyan University to further her studies in the field of S.T.E.M.

Michael Rodriguez, a tuba player, has been a member of the marching band for a total of four years. In the future, he hopes to become a teacher.

Olivia Cottrell, a bari and alto sax player, has been a part of the marching band for the past four years. This year, Cottrell fulfilled the role as the head drum major during performances. She plans on studying international relations and anthropology with a concentration in linguistics at a four-year university after high school.

Samuel Huff, a member of the percussion ensemble, has been a member of the marching band for all four years of his high school career. After graduation, he intends to major in international relations at the College of William and Mary.

Keenan Williams, a trombone and baritone player, has been a part of the marching band for four years. He intends to attend John Tyler Community College after graduation.

Midlo Color Guard Seniors:

Kennedy Brooks has been a member of the color guard for the past three years. After high school, she wants to attend a four-year university to major in biochemical research.

Sophia Melita has been a part of the color guard for four years. She intends to major in psychology in college.

Samantha Roxas has been a part of the color guard for three years. She plans to major in psychology in schools located in either California or Virginia. Roxas hopes to go into the fields of medicine or law in order to help those around her.

Congratulations, seniors!