The Powderpuff game has been a long beloved tradition amongst American high schools throughout the decades. It is a variation on football where the girls take the roles of the players while the boys take coaching positions and cheer them on via the sidelines. This was an event that was proposed to administration at the beginning of the school year last fall by the senior student government.
“We planned the Powderpuff Game back in the fall, with the intention that it would be a fun event for seniors with some semblance to that of a homecoming,” explained senior class president Grace Shawah. “Luckily it was easy to follow the COVID guidelines that the state had laid out for boys football, so Mr. Swensen made our proposal to the DPH based on those regulations.”
While the event was canceled last fall, the senior class was thrilled to find out that the Powderpuff game would be rescheduled for Friday, March 26 on our very own Benedict Stadium Field. The two teams, composed of cohort A against cohort B senior girls, practiced the week leading up to the big game, making sure to follow COVID guidelines.
“Teams and coaches would be limited and spectators had to spread out across the bleachers. Like a traditional Powderpuff, the girls will be playing and the guys will coach. And, we opted this year to keep it touch instead of tackle, in order to eliminate contact/exposure risk. I am elated that administration has allowed us to have the game, and I hope the tradition will stay even after we leave,” continued Shawah.
On Friday afternoon, student spectators migrated down to the Masuk field to watch their friends play in a long-awaited football game — something that has for sure been missing for the senior class this year. While the day started off quite overcast, within minutes of the lineup announcements, the sun came out, creating the perfect environment for this senior event. Team A and Team B, wearing camo and black respectively, ran out onto the field with shouts of joy and anticipation, excited for a game full of some “friendly” competition. Moments after kickoff, Team A came out strong, Ana Castro-Rodriguez scoring the first touchdown of the game early on, creating an early advantage for these girls.
The score stayed 8-0 up till halftime, where both the Masuk cheerleading squad and dance team performed, much like they would have at a traditional Friday night home football game. Team B put up a strong fight in the second half: Grace Shawah made an excellent completion from Team B quarterback Katie Welch, but they struggled to score against the tough defense of Team A. The competition stayed steady until the very last seconds of the game until Team A shouted out in victory as time ran out, becoming the Class of 2021’s Powderpuff Champions.
This Powderpuff game was just a taste of teenage high school shenanigans that we all needed in a year that has limited so much for the seniors. It was a day where we could all be kids again, enjoying the competition, the laughs and a good time spent together under the sun.
Masuk Free Press 