Graphic by Raj Brodie
Teddy Eswara
Arts Section Editor
The highly anticipated annual powderpuff game between the juniors and seniors takes place on Wednesday, November 24th. Although highly controversial, the game always draws a large, often rambunctious crowd. In 2013, against much protest, the game became non-school-sanctioned due to injury concern, possible sexism, and the rivalry being taken too far, among other factors. The Thanksgiving tradition was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is back this year, much to the delight of students—just without the infamous Twitter wars. Wanting some more answers to the most pressing questions surrounding this year’s powderpuff game, I sat down with Senior wide-receiver Tess Ertel and coach Jack Foster.
As a result of the decision to get rid of the Twitter wars, the players’ passion for the game and its traditions was questioned. Ertel put these rumors to rest, claiming that the Seniors “really really want to win… We are winners, and we rock, and this game means a lot to us,” she later added on.
Coach Jack Foster also thinks that a responsible Twitter war can lead to a better, more competitive game. He adds that our school has become too “politically correct, and it’s rubbed off on a lot of the students.” First and foremost, he acknowledges that this game is “more of a time for the girls to have fun,” and he looks forward to being able to coach in one of Newton South’s most spirited traditions. For a final score, he predicts that “[the Seniors] are gonna win, by a lot.”
Ertel acknowledges that in the past years, the Twitter wars were an effective method to build anticipation for the game, although “in the past, it has carried away too far, but with boundaries, it could definitely happen. And if people are that worried about what the opposing team will say about them in Twitter wars, they should not have done it in the first place.”
While some may question this year’s competitiveness and rivalry, Ertel keeps tensions high, asserting that she “doesn’t know any of the juniors and [she] doesn’t need to. All [she] know[s] is that they’re going to go out there and perform, and whatever beef people have with each other will be taken care of on the field, and that’s that.” She does not think that the juniors can pull off an upset, maintaining that the “seniors have what it takes, and [they] rule!”
Regardless of the pregame antics that will or will not take place this year, both the class of 2022 and 2023 are fired up for the big game today.
For more information on the history of powderpuff at Newton South, check out Dave Portnoy’s article on Barstool Sports: https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/160758
