By Kai Bwor & Megan Guerrero

The Granada Hills Charter (GHC) Highlanders competed against the Cleveland High School Cavaliers in this season’s Homecoming game on October 4. 

Although it was a close game throughout, our Highlanders were just shy of a Homecoming victory and lost 29-28 to Cleveland in overtime. This brought GHC’s record to 1-5. However, the team was able to reverse their luck by securing a win against Taft High School on Thursday night, bringing them back up to 2-5.

The Homecoming game was close and intense throughout, especially in the last 50 seconds of regular gameplay when Cleveland tied the score by successfully gaining a touchdown and a 2-point conversion sending them into overtime. Cleveland scored a touchdown in overtime as did GHC. However, Cleveland went for a 1-point conversion and made it. But GHC went for a 2-point conversion and did get it, ending with a Cavalier win.

“I felt a mixture of many emotions like disappointment and frustration especially because it was a close game that we should have won,” senior Anthony Palos said. “I will say that we did great and all the players that played put in as much effort as they could. This game did help motivate us to work harder for our upcoming games though.”

The game was sold out and packed on both the GHC and visitor side. The GHC side had students dressed in pink. The Homecoming game followed the pink-a-palooza Spirit Week theme day. Students were dressed in pink from head to toe–from gems on their faces to pink ribbons in their hair.  The pink-a-palooza theme was created to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month, running from October 1 to October 31, 2024. 

Some football players, although in uniform, participated in the theme by wearing pink towels on their waists. This represented both their respect for the cause and dedication to school pride on the field. GHC students kept their spirits high, even after a close loss. 

“No matter where you are in the student section, just being there adds a more fun and vibrant aspect to traditional GHC life,” senior Vivian Jingozian said.

Performances by GHC’s various performing arts groups during halftime were undoubtedly a highlight of the night, including the Cheer Team, Dance Team, Marching Band, and Color Guard. All groups attracted the attention of the hundreds of students, parents, and staff from both schools in attendance. 

The halftime show began with the GHC Dance Team’s performance of the song “After Hours” by Kehlani, directed by GHC dance coach Kani Kim. The team’s performance brought awes of admiration, followed by the sounds of the crowd cheering the dancers on. 

For the final act of the halftime show, the GHC marching band and color guard performed their sequence, Winterscape. The band played vibrant instrumental music arranged by various artists, ranging from Madonna to the GHC Band Director himself, Joseph Cooper. 

“The homecoming game gave everyone a chance to see what band does and why we spend all the time we do practicing on campus,” senior and drum major Nathan Alvarez said. “It also makes us feel a lot more accomplished with what we have done because it’s our first opportunity to show that we worked really hard to get where we are.”