Friday Night Football

It’s not just about the game anymore

Freshman Autumn Luth, who typically socializes during games, says that she goes to the games because most of her friends are in the band. She enjoys walking around the field and talking with friends, while also staying alert with all things concession stand related.

“I don’t eat the food,” she said, “because I don’t trust it.”

Autumn suggests that people who walk laps around the field also pay attention to the game and participate in the various themed attires that are unofficially decided for each game. It would be wrong to say that those who just walk around at games do not support the team.

Why do you go to the football games? What are you missing if you don’t go?

The DHS Football Team continues to show promise of yet another state championship run as it hosts the first round of playoffs on Friday night against Walpole. This home game also means that DHS students will have another opportunity to intimidate away teams with a student section of dominating presence.

This also means that DHS students will be able to walk laps around the field talking with friends for the whole night. If you can’t seem to figure out why the other group bothers going to the game, then whether you are a screaming spectator or a casual conversationalist, the game is the place to be and here is why.

“I try to sing along with ‘Glory to Dartmouth,’ but I fail every time,” Luth says. Though she may not be the loudest voice under the lights, she is certainly not afraid to let the visitors know which side she is on.

Sophomore band member Malia Cafasso says that games are more of an even split between supporting the hometown team and completing a mandatory requirement. She feels that she and the band, are not heard by the crowd the way she wants to be heard. She enjoys playing the halftime show more than playing in the stands during the game, but yet she still feels ignored and misunderstood by the majority.

“People don’t get what band is, or what it means, or what we do to get to this point,” she said in reference to the halftime show.

Senior Danny Grubbs-Donovan who positions himself in the Student Section, said that the Student Section is the place where students can support DHS. He said that in order to be in the Student Section one must be physically in the section where all the students typically are. Although, this is not to say that if you are not part of it already then you are excluded. The section welcomes any and all students willing to support DHS.

“I think that the special thing about the Student Section is that you’re surrounded by all of your friends,” said Grubbs-Donovan. As an upperclassman, he feels that he, along with all the other uSperclassmen, have a substantial influence on how the section behaves. He is proud to be a part of the Student Section, because “it is one of the ways that the students of DHS come together, and it feels good to be a part of that.”

When asked about their reasoning for continuously going to each home game, all three students answered similarily. Luth said, “I like to hang out with the band kids, and watching the game is fun.”

Malia Cafasso said, “Besides [it being mandatory], I do enjoy showing our show to other people from school and being there to continually support our team. It’s a fun thing to do while still being involved.”

Grubbs-Donovan said, “I think I keep going because I feel the same as I said above about every game.”