Injuries, mental blocks and starters not being able to play, which causes few recently unhappy players, are some of the troubles the football team had to face this season. These athletes faced several serious problems this season, but the boys were able to recover from them.
In recent games, the fans have noticed a difference in the team’s confidence. Senior Cheyenne Carr is one of the team’s student supporters, and before every game she lets them know.
“I always tell [the football team] before every game, ‘I don’t care what the score is, I’ll still be cheering for you guys.’ It’s about having fun and loving what you do, not always the scoreboard. If we show confidence, they show it, too. As a result, they have been playing harder and tougher every day, and I thank them for that,” Carr said.
Carr is a member of the Big Red Marching Band’s flag line, which means she is required to attend every game. She said that even if she wasn’t a part of the band, she would be present every Friday night. Sports teams always beg for fan support because it gives them strength and motivation to keep moving. Although the scoreboard doesn’t always show an extravagant number, support from fans is important to the team.
As a captain, Senior Allen Moeller has also noticed a difference in the team. “We play more as a team and have a lot of confidence, we just need to work that into playing all four quarters without one person taking a play off and executing each play,” Moeller said. Moeller was diagnosed with a concussion at the beginning of the season, but he was cleared in time to play in the New Brighton game on Sept. 27, and said he felt great to be back on the field.
Freshman Scotty Lazaro is new to the team this year, but has had faith in them since the beginning. He feels that everyone should remember that the football team is in “the toughest conference in the [double A].”
“It’s not easy playing against three top 10 teams in the state: Beaver, Beaver Falls and Aliquippa. The fans shouldn’t lose hope in us as we are looking to turn things around soon in the next couple of years,” Lazaro said.