Davis jostles Jesuit for senior night victory
PHOTO: The Blue Devil football team raise their helmets as Bela Acosta, senior dance team member, finishes singing the national anthem. (N. Waran)
By Lyah Fitzpatrick,
BlueDevilHUB.com Editor–
In the final home football game of Davis High’s season on Oct. 18, the Blue Devils pulled off a 24-20 victory against league rivals Jesuit. Spirited supporters crowded the bleachers to watch.
Within the first minute and possession of the game, Davis fumbled and Jesuit cashed in on a quick seven. Though silencing the crowd for a minute, the home squad rallied and leveled the score at 7-7 by the end of the first quarter.
Possession and point leverage pinballed between DHS and Jesuit, and the first half ended in a 14-14 tie.
Turnovers and failure to make key adjustments cost Jesuit, and the Marauders gave up a fumble and interception late in the second quarter. DHS’ vigor grew and spilled into the second half.
Halfway through the third quarter, the Blue Devils secured a lead with a 10-yard touchdown pass to senior Joey Asta.
But with five seconds left in the third quarter, Jesuit fell into the endzone for a touchdown. However, a blocked extra point by the Blue Devil special teams squad kept Davis ahead, 21-20.
In the final quarter, fouls piled up on DHS, limiting them from punching in a late touchdown. But a 32-yard field goal by senior Teddy Oldham secured the win for the Blue Devils.
The 24-20 score stood strong to the end of the game.
The victory marked a happy home field finale for DHS seniors. But senior wide receiver, Hudson Garland, said he will miss, “everything: the brotherhood, the fields, the coaches…”
Both the cheer and dance teams starred in the game’s halftime show. For senior Blue Devil cheerleaders, this game was their last football performance of the year.
Senior cheer captain Julia Garcia is proud of the football team’s win, but her happiness was mournfully tinged. “My heart is breaking, leaving [my cheer team],” Garcia said.
Although the game held sentimental value for participating seniors, involved underclassmen also recognized the event’s value.
“Our team stuck together through this entire year, we had our ups and downs,” junior kicker Neil Smith said. “[Today] we had to do our best […] and we played our best game.”
In the crowd, sophomores and juniors donned pink apparel for breast cancer awareness, while seniors repped black-out fits, traditional for senior night. Freshmen and community members also crowded the bleachers, withstanding the chilly air.
Fans in the bustling stands were not disappointed, as DHS’ victory satisfyingly wrapped up their home season, securing a 7-1 overall record, heading to Franklin next week on Oct. 25, and keeping them in strong contention for playoffs.
