Senior Cheerleaders and Dance Force talk about what was running through their minds while performing for the last time at a home football game.
By: Beth Musto
Last Friday night, November 1st, 2024, the annual game against Mt. Whitney and Redwood was held in the Mineral King Bowl. Not only was it the last home game for the Senior football players, but it was also the last time for Senior Cheerleaders and Dance Force to be performing in front of their school.
Marileigh Coon, ‘25, a Dance Force member since her freshman year says, “It was definitely very sad. We’ve been doing this for so long and we’ve been doing it together for so long, but, the fact that we were winning the whole time, everyone was so hyped and it was great to be a part of.”
“Yeah, it was really sad. I feel like football season’s are all of our favorite time of the year, but it was good that we ended on a good note,” said Sadie Hemphill, ‘25, a third year Dance Force member.
For Cheer, Mia Reberry, ‘25, is a four year varsity cheerleader and a third year Dance Force member. She said that it was a really fun experience being next to the varsity cheerleaders and experiencing the game for the last time.
Photo N.Miller/Gigantea
Reberry said, “It was a really fun experience, and I was next to all of the four year varsity girls, so it was really fun to experience our last game together after doing it for four years.”
During the halftime show, Cheer and Dance Force shared the field, performing together Friday night.
As the game was coming closer to an end, everyone was waiting for the time to tick to zero. Having Redwood win the game, and the Seniors having a bittersweet moment at their last Cowhide.
“I was just waiting for Alma Matter at the very end. That was our last time and that we all got to sing it all together, but, when we were counting down at the clock at the very end, that was a really fun moment to be a part of,” said Coon.
Hemphill said, “I just kept thinking about how it was our last [game], because we’ve done [this], I don’t know, so many games, so it was just weird to think that it was our last thing ever.”
Reberry said, “Thinking that we might have another home game and then realizing that we didn’t, it was very bittersweet.”
Beth Musto
Beth Musto '26, is a third-year Journalist for the Redwood Gigantea and is a writer for Clubs & Lifestyles, and is the assistant editor-in-chief. She is a part of CSF and is the secretary for the Paperback Rangers Book Club. Her email is, beth.mu3554@vusd.us
Tags: cheerleading, clubs & lifestyles, dance force, print edition, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, visalia ca
