Three days until powderpuff kickoff

PHOTO: Powderpuff players run drills at practice, gearing up for their game on May 31.

By Paige Ochoa,

BlueDevilHUB.com Editor —

Though the Ron and Mary Brown stadium has been busy hosting track and field practices and meets this spring, on May 31, the field will be full of girls repping their Blue Devil pride in eye black and football jerseys.

Vying for the prize of bragging rights, junior and senior girls will make up two massive, energized football squads and duel it out in the annual powderpuff football game.

The Davis High powderpuff game is a hit for all students every year, whether one participates in the game, coaches the teams, is a male cheerleader or is part of the roaring crowd.

For the past two years, senior Rachel Hedman has been the head of the powderpuff game committee and is enjoying organizing the DHS event another year because of the tradition and excitement behind the competition.

“[Powderpuff] is a fun way to get people out of their comfort zone,” Hedman said. “It’s super fun to watch all the players participate after all their hard work and practices…it’s overall just as great as a regular football game but with more hype.”

Controversy over the outcome of last year’s powderpuff game was widely publicized around campus because in prior years, the game has been purposely rigged, making the seniors always come out on top.

Last year, the junior class won.

Then junior, now senior Ellery McIsaac recalls the takedown of the senior class last year and how much fun she had doing it.

“Last year I had such a blast playing powderpuff and now senior year, I definitely don’t want to pass up the opportunity,” McIsaac said. “This year we’re coming in hot for another dub.”

Though seemingly a traditional flag football game, the annual powderpuff matchup unleashes the inner devil within the female participants.

“It’s so great being on the field after every play and touchdown when everyone is just so hyped and jumping all over each other screaming,” McIsaac said.

Although first originated to shoot down the stereotypes against women athletes, today a majority of the participants are athletes at DHS.

McIsaac recognizes the positive aspects this brings for her powderpuff team, as well as the negatives, being that the junior class may be just as talented.

“I love being able to play with a bunch of different athletes coming together on one team and just do our thing and have some fun,” McIsaac said. “But this year’s junior class has a whole lot of speed so it’s going to be important to have the right defense.”

Senior Shaan Nahal, the junior powderpuff coach last year and now the senior coach, has been busy drawing up ideas on how boost his team to victory for the second year in a row.

PHOTO: Senior coach Shaan Nahal teaches his players different routes to run and throws them passes during practice.

“When football seasons over, I’ll do just about anything to be around the game again,” Nahal said. “I love everything about it – drawing up plays, making practice plans, practices, pregame and then watching the girls ball out.”

Players from last year’s junior powderpuff team are inspired by Nahal’s coaching skills and are ready to be playing under his leadership for a second year in a row.

“I tried to instill confidence in the team every time we practiced. I didn’t care if the game was rigged against us, I knew that whatever play I drew up would work,” Nahal said.

Although some believe that overconfidence gets into players’ heads, for Nahal’s team, it did not.

“I think confidence like that could go a long way,” Nahal said. “It felt good [winning last year], but I mean I knew it was going to happen from the beginning. It just goes to show what hard work and execution can do.”

In addition to the players and coaches flanking the sidelines of the football field, junior Brandon Folb is eager to showcase his BDP by performing alongside fellow classmates during the halftime show by being a part of the powderpuff male cheerleader squad.

“I have a lot of pride for the junior class and being a powderpuff cheerleader is a great way to show it,” Folb said. “We have a great group of about 20 guys, and we’re all super excited.”

When asked to predict the outcome of this year’s powderpuff game, McIsaac smiled. “The senior class will definitely be slipping another dub in our pockets.”

Hype for the powderpuff game kicks off on May 28 with spirit week – Meme Day Tuesday, Wild Wednesday (animal print), Generation Thursday where seniors are “senior citizens”, juniors are “parents” and sophomores are “babies” and Freedom Friday.

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