Gallery • 6 Photos

Photo by: Emma Grace Gregory

Seniors make an offensive play.

Days prior to the game, students could be found wrapped around the open commons, eager to buy their ticket for the 2022-2023 school year’s Powder Puff match. On Friday, Sept. 30, those same students filed into the stadium whilst the players warmed up on the field and received last minute instruction by their coaches. 

Discussion of the match floated around the halls of Midlothian High School, bets being placed on the seniors who, as juniors, won Powder Puff the previous year, 18-8. Little did the players know, this year’s game would take a similar turn. 

The game commenced after the singing of the national anthem by Caroline Grabill. The Juniors won the coin toss and put in all of their offensive players, hoping to score a touchdown. But, the first drive was stopped by the Seniors’ defense. The Seniors’s first take on offense proved to be the same way, this pattern of the teams switching between offense and defense consistent for the first half of the period. 

But, with 9 minutes left on the clock, the score board finally gained some points as the Seniors earned their first touchdown due to a catch by Tatum Evans, thrown by quarterback Ellie Mulligan. The Senior team and coaches rushed to the endzone in celebration as they successfully made their two point conversion. 

The Seniors’ high didn’t last for long, though. The Juniors made a series of offensive plays, sending the ball to running back Megan Dwyer, knowing her to be a strong point of the team. Eventually these runs paid off as Dwyer sprinted past the 5 yard line and scored the Juniors’ first touchdown with 3 minutes left in the first half on the clock. But, the Juniors missed their attempt for two and the score remained 6-8 going into half time. 

A half time performance consisted of the playing of “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond, a Midlo trademark, and a performance by the cheerleading team. Simultaneously, both teams could be seen getting coached and receiving pep talks on the sidelines. The juniors concluded half time with a cheer, saying “JOJ”.

“It’s [the chant] our secret to winning… no one knows what it means,” Skylar Quina, 11, said.

The Powder Puff participants took their place on the field, kicking off the second half. The two teams exchanged possession of the ball with no significant changes for the first part of the half. But, with about 12 minutes left in the game, junior quarterback Lexi Knoll passed the ball to Emma Salzman who caught it and ran to the endzone, resulting in another juniors touchdown. Yet another two point conversion was missed, but the Juniors did not let it sway their celebration as the offensive team ran off the field. 

The seniors were unsuccessful in their next attempts to score due to multiple defensive blocks made by Megan Dwyer. With switch of ball possession, the Juniors were able to secure their third touchdown through a catch in the endzone by Danni Marmo, finishing the game with a final score of 18-8. The juniors emerged victorious. 

“I knew we would win all along,” Ashley Flood, 11, said.  

“I lost a lot of money on this game,” Principal Shawn Abel said.  

This marks the second consecutive year that the juniors have upset the seniors in the Powder Puff game.