Flashing lights, packed bleachers, and the smoke from a barbecue all signaled the start of the annual football homecoming game. Scarsdale’s Varsity Football team was heading into their homecoming game with an imperfect record of one and two. Meanwhile, their fierce rival the Mamaroneck Tigers were confidently going into this game with an undefeated record. The Raiders had a lot of pressure on them to do well, as what seemed like the whole school turned out to watch the match on the night of October 1st. 

The Raiders started off the game slowly, not being able to put any points on the board in the first half. On the other hand, the Tigers easily scored seventeen points: one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown, and one field goal. Looking back, Scarsdale’s defense knew they had a big challenge ahead of them going into the game. “The Tiger’s quarterback was somewhat of a dual-threat [in both running and passing] to our defense. We struggled in the first half. However, we turned the game around in the second half by shutting [the Tigers] out and making critical defensive plays, including a fumble recovery,” stated running back Colby Baldwin ’23.

Although the Raiders were down seventeen points at halftime, the Raider’s quarterback Adrian Duval ’22 stepped up and scored three consecutive touchdowns for the team. “I’ve always known what I’m capable of, so when the time came for me to take my opportunity, I was confident and composed. Once the ball started rolling, my confidence grew and the team’s energy built off of itself,” recounted Duval. After a huge turnaround, the Raiders were winning twenty-one to seventeen. Things were looking up for them. Unfortunately, with four minutes left on the clock, the Tigers drove down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown. “Although we lost this game, it has taught me to always fight to the last minute because every minute counts,” remarked Baldwin. “With the playoffs around the corner, it is reassuring to know that our team has a lot of fight in them,” commented Duval.

Although the Raiders did not come out on top, the atmosphere Friday night was exactly what the students needed to get back into the school spirit. Due to COVID-19 restrictions last year, only a limited number of people had been allowed to attend games. Students, however, are confident this year will be different. “After a long year of COVID, it was amazing to have all the students be able to gather together and cheer on our Raiders. It was a nice feeling of normalcy, and hopefully this continues throughout the school year,” noted Luke Tepper ’23. 

The high-spirited pep rally occurred the day of the homecoming game to encourage school spirit for the game and other school teams. Almost every student wore black outfits matching the jerseys of the football team, helping inspire a sense of unity. The pep rally occured in the morning and took place on Butler field. All varsity teams performed a small skit in front of the school which were both comical and entertaining. “This pep rally was a memorable experience for me because it was the first time the frisbee team was included with the rest of the varsity teams. The pep rally was a great way to raise school spirit prior to an important homecoming game,” Ultimate Frisbee captain Benji Miller ’22 observed. Overall, the pep rally and homecoming game was an extraordinary way to start off a more normal school year.