![Junior Diya Arun stares out a window. For Arun, the winter season brings out the holiday blues. “ I think [the winter] has a negative effect on my mental health because I feel like the cold weather and people around me are also sadder [and] that affects me,” Arun said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_8047-1200x800.jpg)
![The Phoenix varsity volleyball team lines up for the national anthem. “We were more communicative [with each other] during this game, and I feel like we kept our energy up, especially after the first set,” senior Jessica Valdov said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0202-1200x800.jpg)
School Spirit At An All-Time High During This Year’s Homecoming Pep Rally
Students show immense school spirit at their homecoming pep rally.
Senior Kayla Davis screams with senior Jordan Cox on her back during the pep rally. Davis was participating with other seniors in the class cheer of the pep rally.
November 25, 2019
Seniors Darius Mayo and Samal Khosravi cheer with their class at the Homecoming pep rally on October 11. The two varsity football players expressed their excitement for the game along with the rest of the senior class to win the spirit stick.
Senior Kayla Davis screams with senior Jordan Cox on her back during the pep rally. Davis was participating with other seniors in the class cheer of the pep rally.
The powderpuff cheerleaders jump into a split in the air while performing. They performed for the pep rally after their game on October 7.
Sophomores Prince Amarante and Christine Choung come out with their handshake during the pep rally. The pair, along with Aakash Mehta, Neha Krishna, Shalom Williams and Alexa Veneros, made up the sophomore homecoming court.
Marching band performs as students enter the gym for the homecoming pep rally last Friday. The band performed again during the pep rally with color guard. “I wasn’t as nervous because I felt like they would support me no matter what; it was a lot of fun,” freshman Abhishek Sharma said.
Freshman Elise Irvin, junior Nicki Oberoi, and sophomore Tatiana Conrow (left to right) cheer at the Homecoming pep rally on October 11. The varsity cheerleaders performed with their teammates to get students ready for the Homecoming game later that night. “It was really cool to cheer at the pep rally because we could hear people saying our cheers with us,” Oberoi said.
Seniors Chris Canfield and Kendra Yetter wave to the crowd at the Homecoming pep rally. Canfield and Yetter were voted onto the Homecoming court by peers for the class of 2020. “It was fun to represent the senior class and all my friends who voted for me,” Yetter said.
DJ Mario performs at the Homecoming pep rally on October 11. Mario brought out Rock Ridge’s school spirit by leading cheers and setting the mood with lively music.
The sophomore section cheers in victory as their representative Prince Amarante wins the pep rally game.
![On Friday, Dec. 20, the varsity Phoenix wrestling team embarked on a two-day tournament against 32 other high schools spanning from Loudoun County to other states. This year, Rock Ridge High School hosted the highly anticipated tournament and decked out the main gym for the occasion, donning six full-sized wrestling mats with the Phoenix logo and clearing out space for coaches, managers, and administrators alike. Every open seat in the stands was filled with family and friends of the players, making a lively environment for the players.
King of the Rock started at 4:00 p.m. and lasted until 9:00 p.m on Friday. Every player on every team had the opportunity to go up against another player for three rounds, with each of them lasting two minutes. The preparation for this has gone on since the beginning of the season in their practices, and their previous meets have been leading up to this specific tournament. “During practices, I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning [and] making sure my body is [as] healthy as it can be,” junior Julian Serna said. “I’ve been doing [all] the moves and techniques our coaches are telling us to do, [too].”
The second day of King of the Rock started at 9:00 a.m on Dec. 21, and ended at 3:00 p.m. South Carroll High School in Sykesville, Md. took the win for the entire tournament. Martinez and junior Elijah Whitfield both placed in their individual weight classes, bringing in a win for the Phoenix.
✏️ and 📷 by Maya Coleman, Bella Gerardi, and Sophie King](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)