Posted by Shawnee High School Athletics on Twitter with the caption “Pep Rally – Blue Pride Friday!”

On Friday, September 22, Shawnee High School hosted the annual Fall Pep Rally on the last day of Spirit Week. It was the day of the football team’s first home game, where they defeated Washington Township 19-6. Several other sports had upcoming games, such as Shawnee Field Hockey and Boys and Girls Soccer against Eastern.

The last few periods before the pep rally, students were too excited to concentrate. Whether it was their first Shawnee pep rally or their last one, none of the classes could keep quiet. “It’s a fun excuse to miss class,” says Hannah, a Shawnee senior. “I’m going to miss being a part of this.” The hallways were packed on the way to the gymnasium. Between the high spirits and endless chatter and the sea of Carolina-blue shirts, it’s evident the pep rally was doing just as intended before it had even started.

But not all students shared in her excitement. One source expressed her disdain for “public high school culture,” saying that in her youth she saw this on High School Musical and thought it was fake. “How worked up public high schools get over sports is absolutely insane to me,” she said. “It’s exciting seeing everyone happy over something, but I wish other clubs at Shawnee got that sort of recognition.”

There was one major change since last year’s pep rally: it was brought inside. While half of the student body played games in the gymnasium, the others watched a cheer routine and went over the different chants in the auditorium. This change confused the upperclassmen, who were used to Shawnee’s outdoor pep rallies, but no one was complaining. Some teachers believed it got even more students to participate.

Students wearing Shawnee gear (and a pink suit) played a variety of games in the gymnasium. Some of the featured games were limbo, “Finish the Lyrics,” and a shoe relay race. Even if they weren’t participating in the games, students enjoyed watching their friends fall under the limbo stick and dress Mr. Weigel and Mrs. DerPilbosian in Shawnee Pride gear.

Meanwhile, the Shawnee cheer squad gave a live performance in the auditorium which garnered many positive remarks. Their stunts were a feat in and of themselves, but what students really enjoyed was their impressive tumbling, even successfully pulling off a line of back handsprings and back tucks. Wearing blue leis, the Blue Crew went over all the chants, including the “Rollercoaster,” the “Tomahawk Chop,” and “Who Let the ‘Gades Out?”

Most students were optimistic about the outcome of the September 22nd football game after the pep rally. Sophomore Sami MacDonald was confident in her beliefs that Shawnee High School would crush the competition. Having the pep rally beforehand made her really excited for the game, and she was so energized and pumped up that even she wanted to play. On the other hand, sophomores Abbey Alcorn and Megan Applegate “frankly think we’ll lose by one point,” and it will be an extremely close game.

Nevertheless, most Shawnee students don’t really seem to mind. Sarah Adams, a member of the marching band, says that the social aspects of football games are way more important than what happens in the game. “It’s less about paying attention [to the game] and more about supporting the classmates around you,” she says.

Posted by the Shawnee High School Athletics Twitter page with the caption “Black out for tonight’s game! Great support by the Blue Crew!”

In the end, the Renegades pulled off a win against Washington Township. It was the ultimate end to Shawnee High School’s spirit week, and the sign of a near-perfect pep rally.