In a thrilling game on September 1st between the Puyallup School District rivals, the Emerald Ridge Jaguars and Puyallup Vikings, ER dominated their competition. For the first time since 2016, Emerald Ridge has finally beaten the Puyallup Vikings, and to top it all off, they won on their head coach Adam Schakel’s birthday. To start off the game, the Emerald Ridge cross-country team ran in the game ball all the way from the Emerald Ridge campus. That is a whopping 9 mile long run – with a duration of almost 3 hours. Big shout out to our Cross-country runners!
Emerald Ridge’s student section was packed. Decked out in their tropical themed attire, more than 50 Jags came out on Friday night sporting brightly colored Hawaiian shirts and shorts, bringing their A-game per usual. But let’s not forget the outstanding performances given by our very own School band, performing the notoriously classic Seven Nation Army, Party in The USA and the National Anthem.
Within five minutes of the first quarter, J. Schakel (#14) made a clean pass to K. Babcock (#2), leaving the Vik’s down 8-0. In the second quarter, Puyallup fires back with #17 – Kaden Smith with an unhesitating throw to Nicholas Neal for a sixty-yard touchdown, closing the gap 8-6. The Vikings with some newfound luck go back for more but was intercepted by ER’s Jesse Maines (#79). Schakel (#14) makes a prompt pass to Sife (#6) who makes a speedy thirty-three-yard touchdown in favor of ER! For a score of 14-6! A play by Schakel to Caffentzis hauls in the thirty-one-yard touchdown leaving the Vikings in the turf with the hot new score of 27-6 halfway through the game!
In the 3rd quarter Dixon (#4) scores! 30-9, with 3 down, 9 to go, and the ball on 14. Now entering the 4th quarter with the Vikings down but not out yet! The Vik’s come back with a play earning them a new score of 30-16. With 2 minutes and 14 seconds left in the 4th quarter, a play from ER lands the team an additional 6 points. 36 – 16! With only 1 minute and 19 seconds left Puyallup strikes back, shocking us with a new score of 36 – 23! But with only 47 seconds left on the clock the Emerald Ridge jaguars take names all around the field, leaving the Vikings behind in a 13-point victory! For the first time in seven years the Jaguars roar with Pride, defeating their district rivals!
With the crowd cheering, the band playing and the team members celebrating, Sparks Stadium was overcome with spirited joy. The student section flowed out of the stands, running to congratulate their team. Confetti was tossed, success stories posted and excitement all around. Jumping up and down in a huddle, they celebrated their victory on the last Friday night of summer before they all go back to school. What an amazing way to end the summer and a thrilling way to start the new school year.
After the game was over, we could not help but wonder a few things. So, we decided to ask. Not only from the players themselves, but the cheerleaders and student section too.
When asked, “Why do you play?” Isaac S. (#6) replied “I was born into it. My family is the reason I play. I enjoy it when my mom and my little brother come and watch me at my games.” His favorite part of Friday night’s game was his touchdown in the 2nd quarter. When asked “If you go to college, do you intend to play college football?” Isaac, without hesitation replied “Yes, absolutely”.
When asked “what inspires you to play?” Kaden Thompson (#52) replied “The motivation to win”. When asked “If you go to college, do you intend to play college football?” He quickly answered “Yes!”.
When asked “Why do you play?” Asa Tuasivi answered “It gives me something to do during the day. My family plays, and I feel wanted by my team members. It helps me to be the person I can and the best kicker I can”. When asked if he intended to continue playing football in college he said, “It’s not my intention to play college football, but if the opportunity presented itself at the right time, then it would be a possibility”.
Next, we hear from three of Emerald Ridge’s Cheerleaders. Ellie D. (base), Layla R (base), and Maddie M. (back spot / base). This is Ellie’s first year of cheerleading and she says the main reason she joined was “for fun!”. Maddie M. has 2 years of cheer experience under her belt now. She too joined cheer for fun. Layla R. has 10 plus years of cheerleading experience, making her one of the most experienced team members representing Emerald Ridge. When asking the three girls “what’s your favorite part of cheerleading?” all three replied “stunting!” Stunting is exactly like what it sounds. It is stunts, lifting the flyers and tossing them into the air. Since all three girls are bases, they can get into the action of stunting quite often, fueling their shared fire for leadership through cheer.
Now, the student section! We asked three people from the student section one simple question – “What is your favorite part about coming to these games?” Amelie Smolko (grade 11) says “Spending time goofing off with friends and how the games bring the community together to have a good time. That is my favorite part”. Chelsea Ravenell (grade 11) said “Personally, my favorite parts about these games are how supportive our student section is and how hyped up we can get”. Musa Bakr (grade 12) answered “I love how enthusiastic and supportive the jags were the whole game and it showed how great our jag spirit can be!”.
Emerald Ridge’s very own students, football team members and cheerleaders. We all have one thing in common, community. Emerald Ridge is known for its school spirit, friendly nature, competitive spirit, and friendships. ERHS’s mascot is the Jaguar – which represents strength, ferocity, and courage, three things Emerald Ridge ceases to fail at displaying! The Jag community was brought together Friday night, not only in shared school spirit, but in the family we have built with our peers, demonstrating the strength we have when united, ferocity demonstrated by defeating our rivals the Vikings, and courage displayed by taking them on as the first game of the season. In the end “Jags are the best, from the East to the West. Goooo Jags!”
