By Bailey Julian
With the sun setting on the last Friday of October and the scoreboard blank with the possibility of a victory, the Granada Hills Charter (GHC) varsity football team charged onto the field, optimistic about the game they would play against Chatsworth High School. The stands were filled with energetic students, sporting green attire to show support for the home team. With the football season soon coming to an end, the GHC Highlanders put all efforts toward winning this game.
As the game started, everyone began to shout while GHC’s varsity cheerleaders lead them in cheers. Though they had a rough game against Cleveland High School the previous Friday, the GHC Highlanders were more than ready to take on the competition for their Homecoming game. Within the first quarter, GHC scored a touchdown, leading the game 7-0. Players continued giving it their all, racing back and forth on the field, tackling and fumbling the ball before scoring another touchdown minutes later.
One of the more impressive players on the GHC team was senior Zachariah Hawkins who rushed for 198 yards and scored two of the four touchdowns. The other two touchdowns were scored by seniors Kobe Howell and Isaiah Meneses.
With music from multiple speakers blaring into the night, the players kept Chatsworth in the dust. By the fourth quarter, GHC had secured the game, winning 28-7.
This was GHC’s third win of the season, thereby qualifying the team for the CIF championship’s Southern Section playoffs, though they lost to San Pedro High School (41-3) last Friday ending their season.
The exciting and successful game was only part of the Homecoming festivities that night. Before the game started, the traditional Homecoming parade took place, showcasing all of the diverse clubs and teams on campus. Students displayed all kinds of banners and floats like the seniors’ Lorax and the choirs’ Harry Potter themed banners made the parade memorable. The hard work all of the students put into the parade made it exciting to watch.
After the 20 minute parade, the show choir performed the National Anthem and an assortment of fireworks went off from the baseball field, making the beautiful moment memorable. Fascinated students lifted their cellphones to capture the vibrant colors illuminating the evening sky.
“It’s always the best game of the season. With the parade, fireworks, fun atmosphere and getting to see your alumni friends, you’re never bored,” junior Janette Velasco Ramos said.
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