Homecoming week is full of many entertaining events, whether its magic shows, dodgeball competitions or even powderpuff. Powderpuff is a way to allow girls to step foot on the football field and play while the guys cheer on the sidelines. What determines the victory is the way the team connects as one and the individual skill each person brings to the table. The seniors and juniors of the team were interviewed one on one for their thoughts on the experience that powderpuff has brought to them.

Firstly, what is your favorite position and why?

Mikaela Martongelli (12th): “My favorite position is center because even though my position can be overlooked at times, it’s still as important as any other position on the field.”

Alani Pagan-Brainin (11th): “Linebacker because it’s fun to be able to pull flags and get some contact with the ball.”

Has it been easy to get along with the team and why?

Gilary Bolivar Nino (11th): “For me personally yes, I really like everyone so far they’re all friendly and always have your back, it’s a great way to meet new people you thought you would never even talk to.”

Abigail Smisek (11th): “It has been really easy for me to get along with the team. We are all very supportive and happy for each other when the others succeed. We bring each other up when we feel down and we don’t let anyone ruin our vibe.”

What made you interested in powderpuff and why?

Alex Green (11th): “I’ve always liked football, I’ve been waiting to play powderpuff since coming into highschool.”

Lysandra Marin (12th): “Covid is the reason I did powderpuff both as a senior and junior. Covid took away the end of my freshman year and affected my entire sophomore year. So with that, I knew highschool would fly by even faster; I had to enjoy everything I could, because a core portion of it was taken from me.”

What have you learned this far?

Shruti Likhite (11th): “Going in I knew nothing about football, so I’ve learned a ton about the game itself and its strategies.”

What do you like about flag football and why?

Amber Daughterty (12th): “I like playing because I get to play with my friends and it is a lot of fun”

Mckenzie Cox (11th): “I like that we’re all just out here doing it for fun and there isn’t as much stress, and I like that with flag football it isn’t as physical as normal football.”

Explain your experience in three words and why?

Jazmin Gomez (11th): “Exhilarating,fun, and tiring, because I hate conditioning but it’s well worth it when we start making plays.”

Chloe Eng (11th): “Fun, new, exciting, everytime I step on the field I’m having fun and learning something new.”

Would you recommend powderpuff to newcomers and why?

Hannah Kozik (12th): “I would recommend powderpuff to newcomers because it helps you connect with the people in your class that you may have never talked to before because youre all in different activities, and powderpuff is for everyone.”

Reagan Deberry (12th): “I recommend it because it’s super fun and connects you with new people while also learning how to play football.”

Have the coaches made the environment fun enough and why?

Valentina Solarino (11th): “ The coaches have been amazing, they’re so welcoming to everyone and understanding. They’re also the ones who brought us all together as a team.”

Jania Jones (11th): “Yes Mr.Parker is the best, makes you comfortable with the position you’re in, he’s the best coach you can ask for.”

Did you enjoy this year’s powderpuff team and why?

Coach Parker “Absolutely, I felt that we had a very dedicated set of girls who showed up to pretty much every practice. We grew a lot together, I actually feel that this might be the most consistently well rounded team that I’ve had.”

Coach Karnitz “This was a really great powderpuff team, I enjoyed it because I think that all the girls came together and they did everything that was asked of them and really captured the spirit of going out and trying.”

In the first half of the game the juniors intercepted a throw to the seniors allowing the score to be 6-0 in the first half. After halftime, the Seniors scored on the first play back of the second quarter leaving the score at 6-6 even when the clock ran out. The game then went into OT (overtime) giving each team the opportunity to score at the goal line. The juniors got a touchdown and two point conversion bringing the score to 14-6. The seniors then had the chance to tie the game, they scored a touchdown but weren’t able to receive two additional points. Both teams put in a significant amount of effort and heart into the game, but the juniors came out on top. Powderpuff isn’t just about the sport within itself, it’s the joy it brings to the players and the students watching. The final score of the game was 14-12 with the Juniors taking home the 2022 powder puff trophy.