The Steinbrenner Warriors are taking part in a very popular and exciting event this year called Powderpuff, where the girls become the football players, and the guys are the cheerleaders.
Each grade level competed against each other to qualify into the championship bracket. The teams that went against each other first were the Seniors versus Freshmen and Juniors versus Sophomores.
In previous years not enough students were able to sign up and commit to playing, so this year will be the first Steinbrenner hosts a Powderpuff tournament.
Before the big night, the teams had a few practices to get ready for the game, along with the cheerleaders. “We practice catching and throwing, running routes, and going through plays while figuring out the rules and how the game is played,” senior Sydney Lord said. While some girls are new to playing flag football, others have already played on a team before, giving an advantage for that team.
Powderpuff was held at Steinbrenner’s stadium on Tuesday December 17th, kicking off at 6pm.
When game day arrived, students were hyped and ready to play. Coaches were prepared with what strategies they hoped to use to make a win, while players were ready to show off their skills. For the cheerleaders, they had high spirits to show their support for the girls playing.
In the first round, the seniors played the freshmen. Most would think the seniors would dominate those first-year students, but that was not the case as the freshmen and seniors tied 0-0. Next, the juniors versed the sophomores, and while both teams were eager to win, the sophomores gained victory.
In the second round, freshmen played against the winning sophomore team. Both teams played well, as each team scored a touchdown, making the score 7-7. As the quarter progressed, the freshmen outscored the sophomores 13-7. The two losing teams, seniors and juniors, competed to stay in the competition.
When the teams took a break, the cheerleaders surprised the audience with a special half-time performance by the cheerleaders, which did not let the crowd down. Pom-Poms shook, chants were shouted, and stunts were performed by the boys, all for the hilarity of the spectators.
Going into the third round, each losing team went against the winning team, to see who would advance to the championship round. The juniors were put against the sophomores, and the seniors went against the undefeated freshmen. The freshmen put up a great defense with multiple interceptions, that led them to the win. As for the sophomores, with star players, Kaylin Ramsey and Katelyn Smith, they took victory.
When the final round approached, it would determine the winner of the first ever Steinbrenner PowderPuff game. The freshmen and sophomores were the last teams standing, making it to the final bracket. Sophomores put up a strong defense, preventing the freshmen from scoring any touchdowns. In the end, sophomores asserted dominance with an ending score of 14-0, officially winning the tournament. “I feel like the game went really well and it felt nice to win…we performed well, we had a solid defense, and our offense got us touchdowns. We all put in the effort and supported each other,” sophomore Liana Saravia said.
With how much fun the Warriors had in this event, hope is that this will continue in the upcoming years. “I really enjoyed participating in the PowderPuff tournament…I got to be with all my friends…we all just had fun in the game. I would definitely do it again…” sophomore Carolina Risso said.
The winners were awarded with custom hoodies, and a trophy to display their victory. Every team worked hard and no matter the outcome, they just wanted to enjoy playing the game with their teammates. The cheerleaders gave the crowd a good laugh, and student coaches took pleasure in their role. This event was an enjoyable way for students to become more involved in out of school activities and bring together positive energy and school spirit.
