M.V. Community Upholds Powder Puff Tradition

By GRACIE LEAVITT

The Progress

The students of Moapa Valley High School organized a live Powderpuff game on Wednesday, Mar. 3 at the Logandale Park. As is tradition, the school fielded two opposing all-girl teams with male MVHS football players as coaches.

Of course, the iconic male cheerleading squad consisting of Max Shambaugh, Wyatt Clove, Jeremiah Mortensen and Marcus Shambaugh was also assembled for the game.

The park provided new lighting and wet grass as the girls gathered in their numbered jerseys to play this game which is a long-standing Homecoming tradition for the school.

Homecoming week was not possible last fall due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Even now, district mandates prohibited the use of school facilities in such a match. But as restrictions are now easing; and as an abbreviated football season is beginning; the students decided to take the tradition off-campus and play the game.

Logandale resident Dean Redd was recruited to serve as referee for the long awaited game. A White team and Blue team stood against each other on the field.

“It was so refreshing to see our kids out playing, laughing and enjoying something for a change,” said Kevin Walker, a Logandale resident and a teacher at MVHS.

Walker served as the announcer at the game. He had a hope that this game would not only help the students but also the community.

“I think the community appreciated some things that seem normal to their kids, as well as watching them compete and have some fun,” Walker said. “A number of us remarked this could be the largest crowd for our MV youth in the past 13 months.”

A good-sized crowd of both parents and students showed up to watch the game.
The game went back and forth between both blue and white teams. The teams traded points back and forth throughout the first half.

One of the greatest contributors in the game was Emma Humes, who talked about how it was difficult playing quarterback for the blue team since she wasn’t really well acquainted with flag football. Even so, she was quite impressive with her first half touchdown pass and later her rushes in the second.

“I thought the team did really well!” Humes said. “We worked pretty well together and we all had a really fun time.”

The halftime show consisted of a routine by the male cheerleading squad who did a dance to the popular song “Macarena” by Los Del Rio. As a finale to the song the squad helped lift Max Shambaugh into the air triumphantly.

The cheerleaders also performed the traditional cartwheeling contest just before returning to the game. Shambaugh was the winner.

“It was a blast to have the opportunity to cheer on the teams and to hang out with friends,” Shambaugh said. “I believe this game helped our community by giving us all something fun to go and do!”
The final score of the game had the white team prevailing with a score of 16-6.
The teams gathered and congratulated one another in good spirits.

The teams had spent the previous week practicing to get ready for this final game.
Madi Fairchild, another great contributor to the winning team said that although practices were simple they were fun,

“We would warm up and run some routes then we would work half offense and half defense throughout the practices,” Fairchild said. “We worked on flag pulling, blocking and our offensive plays. They were always fun to be there.”

Though it paid off with their team winning, Allison Mills, a freshman on the victorious side said proudly, “It was fun, we won so it was even better!”