On Thursday, August 29th, the varsity football team played its first game against Mead. As the first game of the season, this night entailed new activities for freshmen and an especially high spirited game. The seniors kicked off their last year with a new responsibility to carry the ranger spirit, whereas the freshmen experienced the thrill of their first game as Rangers. Link sponsors Mr. Miller, Ms. De, and Ms. Rank organized the annual Link Crew barbeque, intended to welcome the incoming freshmen. 

Before the game, students gathered to eat at the barbeque, which was run by Link leaders and teacher volunteers. This year’s Link leaders consisted of upperclassmen that were selected to help freshmen get into the flow of high school. Spanish and culture teacher Mr. Aaron Miller attended a training seminar in California to reinstate the club’s efficiency for welcoming for incoming students. 

“I wanted to go to the training because when I was in high school, I did Link Crew and it looked very different from what I have been doing. So I went to the training just to check it out,” Miller said. “They taught us all the activities that we did (in Link.) We did everything as if we were ninth graders coming into a school for the first time.” 

A few weeks after the Link orientation, which took place the day before school officially started, freshmen were invited to join the barbeque at the game to kick off their year. 

“I think we had a good turnout between leaders and freshmen,” Miller said. “I think in the future, I would like to see more things for the freshmen to do instead of just to stand there and eat. I think a lot of people came and they enjoyed it.”

As part of the tradition, freshmen were allowed free admission into the varsity game, as long as they wore their class shirts, which were administered at Link orientation. 

At the game, the seniors got the opportunity to lead the spirit chants in attempts to cheer on the varsity players. Gianna Bartalo 12 lead the student section by leading each cheer and encouraging the other students to join in. 

“I don’t know if there has been a Rowdy Rangers leader who has been established, but everyone is kind of sharing the role right now,” Bartalo said. “I was okay with screaming and everyone else was joining in.”

As the unofficial leader of the senior chants, Bartalo expressed the importance of being a senior this year.

“As a senior, you just want everyone to get involved and make sure that the crowd is really loud,” Bartalo said. “I think it was cool how the seniors especially got into it and everyone was having a bunch of fun.”

Despite the Rangers’ loss of the game, Bartalo explained that the loss did not affect the level of spirit in the stands. 

“We weren’t playing the best, but we still had a ton of spirit and that’s what’s important,” Bartalo said. “Sure, we would like wins, but most importantly, they (the players) are all our friends out there and we want them to have fun.”