Football team prepares for homecoming game

By Rayan Tilmatine, Alana Curtis & Maggie Warren,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Senior Tucker Fisk, tight end for the Davis High football team and soon-to-be Stanford student, believes that this week’s Homecoming game is “super important.” He wants to be able to perform at his highest peak, knowing that this is his last homecoming game ever.

Seniors Tucker Fisk and John Lagattuta will be playing in their fourth homecoming game. Fisk plays tight end and defensive end while Lagattuta plays quarterback. DHS will be playing its rivals, Jesuit. Both are anticipating a great game against their opponent.

The homecoming game is the biggest football game of the year.

“Homecoming is the one game all year that almost everyone goes to and it would be a shame to disappoint all those people on my last homecoming game,” Fisk said. “This is the last one so I’m going to give it everything I have on the field. I have played [against Jesuit] twice before and we’ve lost both times, but I think this year could be different.”

Fisk believes that Jesuit is the perfect matchup on Homecoming night. After defeating Elk Grove in its last game, the football team has been able to boost its confidence and prepare for its game against rival Jesuit. The varsity football team record is currently 1-3 overall and 1-0 in it’s league.

Typically DHS plays a team they know they have a good chance of beating but this year they decided to play Jesuit due to scheduling.

“I think last Friday’s win revitalized the team and now we believe in ourselves that much more and we can use it to propel into the rest of the season. I mean our win last week means Jesuit has to recognize us as a legitimate opponent,” Fisk said.

Fisk is preparing for the game by watching films and refocusing from the big 16-14 victory against Elk Grove in the Blue Devils’ prior game. The team’s strategy to prepare for the game is “focusing up and healing up,” according to senior Cosmo Kasapligil.

Coach Ty Brown believes that “you’re never playing against another team, you’re always playing against yourself.” He wants the team to “take care of everything we have control over.”

“I feel like people outside of Davis think that [the win against Elk Grove] was a fluke, this week is about proving that lighting can strike twice,” Fisk said.

“Jesuit likes to run the ball and isn’t strong at throwing,” Kasapligil said. DHS has to be on their feet and be able to stop the ball from being run down the field.

As much motivation as the team has, Fisk thinks that game is more important to the community and that it has a big part to help the Blue Devils win.

“Since we have the home field advantage, we will be able to feed off of their energy and could help us dig a little deeper than we otherwise could. This one has more weight to within the community,” Fisk said.

Fisk, Lagattuta, and Kasapiligil enjoy playing in front of the big crowd.

The homecoming game provides a big home court advantage. “It feels better because you have people in the stands you know,” Kasapligil said.

All grades will be coming to the game to support their fellow Blue Devils.

“It keeps the team going through the game. When I’m tired and hear the roar of the crowd I forget about the soreness and I can push through it,” Lagattuta said.

Junior Will Smith, also tight end on the team, believes the energy of homecoming won’t only motivate seniors but everyone else as well. Smith also agrees with Fisk about the impact last week’s game had.

“I believe that we will continue to get better and improve on to our last game,” Smith said.

The majority of football players say homecoming game is where you want to make the best catch of the season or have the hardest hit of the year. For seniors, it will be a game they will remember forever.

Homecoming game has a special meaning for seniors not only because it is the biggest crowd of the year, but it is also their very last homecoming game of their high school career.

Fisk and Lagattuta were both a part of the varsity team that beat Sheldon last year during the homecoming game, and they hope for their final homecoming at DHS to be marked down with a win as well.

“Whatever team controls the line of scrimmage is gonna have a good night,” Brown said.