Pep-rallies, football, dancing; oh, my! - RAF Lakenheath

Jet48Feature’06HomecomingCheerleadersperform duringLakenheathHigh School’sHomecomingpep-rallyOct. 19.Photo by Rachel MarionPhoto by Rachel MarionFootball players dress up as cheerleaders and learn cheerstances Oct. 19. Roll-reversals were the order ofHomecoming during the annual Powderpuff game atLakenheath High School tradition.Lakenheath Lancers show school spirit for homecomingBy Rachael MarionJet 48 InternThe Lancers of Lakenheath High School went wild celebrating homecoming,a week that commemorates the final home game for the varsityand junior varsity football teams.“Everything that falls into homecoming raises a lot of involvement,”said varsity football player David McBride. “From hallway decorating,pep rallies, teammates cheering each other on, and spirit week. It’s achance to get as much spirit [as we can].”Each day during spirit week gave students a chance to express themselves.The week kicked-off with pajama day. Students and teachersdressed in pajamas, complete with their favorite bedtime stuffed animal.Oct. 19 was the popular wacky tacky day. Students threw together anythingthey could find to make their outfits unique. Everyone had a greattime and kept the base smiling with their zany apparel.The hallway decorations depicted 007, the theme of the homecomingdance. Each class spent hours perfecting their favorite James Bondmovies, and the end results were well worth the wait.Spirit day, held Oct. 20, is a day well-known for over-the-top excitement.The students and faculty, who sported the school colors of blue andred, managed to contain their excitement until the pep rally. At the rally,the Lancer cheerleaders led the crowd with their upbeat chants and routines.After the rally, the phenomena known as powder puff began. The girlsdonned uniforms and played football while the guys wore skirts and performedcheerleading routines. The teachers had their own team, and someyears even a squad. The winning class has the pleasure of playing theteachers.The freshmen played the juniors before the sophomores played theSeniors line-up againstsophomores during thepowder puff footballgame Friday. Powderpuff is a LakenheathHigh School traditionwhere girls play footballand boys dress up asPhotos by Janis Ready cheerleaders.The vote is inseniors. Both games were fierce, but in the end it was the junior andseniors who proceeded to the finals to battle it out for the right to play theteachers.The game was close. It looked as if neither team was going to score.But, with just four minutes on the clock, the seniors broke through andscored a touchdown. The juniors fought hard until the last second, butcould not gain enough yards. It was now up to the seniors to show theteachers who’s boss.The teachers let loose. They held nothing back from their students.There were even a few tackles in this flag football game. But as before,the seniors managed to score the winning touchdown.“Of all the years I’ve played powder puff this has been the best,” saidsenior Kristina Jemison. “I know all the classes tried their hardest but inthe end you know the victory was for the seniors!”Before the final junior varsity and varsity football games, seniors andschool clubs marched in the traditional homecoming parade. The JuniorReserve Officers’Training Corps chanted jodies at the head of the parade,while the rest of the parade participants tossed candy to onlookers.Spirit day ended with a bonfire behind the school, topped with a “Burnthe Royals” casket. Players, cheerleaders, students, families and teachersgathered around the fire, cheering on their Lakenheath Lancers for theOct. 21 homecoming game against the Ramstein Royals.While most fans attended the JV and varsity football games, volleyball,cross country, and tennis also competed. The LHS junior varsity lost theirgame 0-36 and the varsity lost 6-42—not the scores the high school hadhoped for. Regardless of the loss, the student body showed up for the 007dance later that night, the final event of homecoming week.“[The dance] was amazing,” said senior class secretary BrittanyGordon. “There was a lot of teamwork and we really got everything done.This was the best dance I’ve ever been to, and I’m sad to be moving onnext year.”Homecoming royalty were crowned during the Oct. 21 Homecoming dance at the Liberty Club.KingWesley KleniecQueenCharli SteelePAGE 12JET 48 MAGAZINEOCT. 27, 2006JET 48 MAGAZINE PAGE 13