FIRST GAME BACK DEMONS ON THE ATTACK

The sun was just starting to hit the horizon. The stands were packed for the game, the smell of freshly cut grass was noticeable by everyone and the fans ready for the kick-off. While the bleachers filled up, the players practiced and prepared for home opening game against Arcadia. The tension was high for both sides of the crowd ready to go loud for their team.

New and exciting experiences are to be made during Friday night lights. Walking into the football game was different for the once freshman and sophomores with none of the old upper class-men there anymore. It was time, as seniors and juniors, to start and pass on the spirit to the next years to upkeep the Demon ways. Senior Oscar Horlacher said it felt like sophomore year all over again with not much changes at all, he felt just like how it used to. When kick-off started the crowd seemed unsure of how it would go throughout the game, with the kick-off going to Arcadia, the Demons got a chance to stop them early with their defense.  

After the kickoff, the crowd kept cheering for the defense as they got pushed towards the end zone until they made a fourth down stop to get the crowd rolling and excited. Now, with the game starting out well, our fighting Demons on defense held strong for back-to-back stops keeping everyone on their toes for the back and forth fight. Even with a scoreless first half, the demons looked hungry to keep the game alive and running.

The big man on defense, Senior Milo Apodaca was very satisfied with the crowd during the game and said that having the crowd back was great because you could feel the student body support, as well as the community’s love for demon football and the crowd was cheerful as ever. 

As the night moved on, it was clear that Deavon Felix was what kept the Demons going with his speed and football IQ to run the ball for multiple big plays. The Demons were down after an Arcadia touchdown but Felix, with the biggest offensive play of the night, was not going to let that stand with his 65 yard bolt down the field.  (Click on link to watch video) After five plays Arcadia scored a touchdown with a failed extra point, bringing us to 6-6 with the crowd roaring as they go to kick it for our own extra point and bring us in the lead with our dominating defense.

Students believed that the game was very energetic. For our seniors, it has been a while since they have seen a high school football game, so they all screamed and did their best to get our team going. The defense answered with a push all the way on our 1 yard line to make the opposing quarterback fall under pressure and lead us higher with a 9-6 lead in the fourth quarter, yet it was far from over as both teams and crowds were fighting until the end. Sophomore Jess German saw how happy and excited people were to be back relaxing and watching football, getting loud and proud all throughout the night.

“The main thing that stuck out to me was the atmosphere. Compared to last year when covid was in full force, everyone was now excited and ready for the new year and what this game was going to bring,” Senior Kevin Johanson said. We all believed and wanted to fight both as a team and fanbase with trust in each other.

Arcaida fought to keep the game alive. This made the crowd get even louder and made the Demons want it more with higher intensity and drive to keep this game from being anywhere near over. The mighty Demons took back the night to keep us at a standstill. After another Felix touchdown to put the fighting and striving demons in the lead, they knelt the last few downs as the crowd proudly chanted to start the buses home in a hard fought victory for our Demons 16-13.