On Friday, Oct. 24, the Phoenix Varsity football team played against the Loudoun Valley Vikings for senior night. The night honored senior football players and cheerleaders by having them walk out onto the field to be celebrated as they concluded their last game of the season. In the end, the Phoenix were not able to secure a win and lost the game 6-67. 

As the game started, the Vikings were able to gain possession of the ball, followed by a touchdown and a two-point conversion, giving them a starting lead on the Phoenix 0-8. Following the first touchdown, the Vikings were able to score yet another touchdown followed by another two-point conversion, ending the first quarter with the Phoenix down 0-16. 

Back on the field for the second half, the Vikings secured another touchdown as well as a two-point conversion, putting them up an additional eight points. On a crucial third down, senior wide receiver David Lassissi held on for a first down, but was not able to score a touchdown. Going into halftime, the Phoenix were down 0-32. “The whole game could’ve been better,” senior lineman Ryan Abbondanza said. “We couldn’t move the ball on offense, we couldn’t stop them on defense, [and] it just didn’t go [our way].” 

The marching band performed during halftime, and attempted to keep the crowd in high spirits as the game progressed. “I feel like the halftime performance gives the crowd a break, and if there’s a lack of energy, [the show] reinstalls that energy in people,” senior band member Sahasra Daggu said. The show ended in applause as the band and color guard wrapped up their final show of the season.

Throughout the game, the cheerleading team, who was also honoring their seniors, tried to infuse the remaining fans with energy despite the score. “[We try to keep energy up by] calling cheers and encouraging our football team and just trying to get spirits high for sure,” senior back spot Pranavi Pandrangi said. “The bond with my team just makes me love being on this team as well as [cheering at games].”

Coming back from halftime, the Phoenix failed to catch up with the Vikings, who were able to bring the score up 60-0, ending off the third quarter with yet another touchdown. 

As the last quarter started, the Phoenix was able to regain momentum and score a touchdown in the last ten minutes of the game. Even so, they were unable to defeat the Vikings, who scored one more touchdown and a one point conversion, ending the game at 67-6. “A lot went wrong in this game, [and] we have a lot of injured guys, so it was a tough game, [but] what went well was that we went out and played all four quarters today,” Abbondanza said.“It’s coming to the end of the season here, so [our goal] is to just focus on working harder.”