Hundreds of locals will be carpooling to San Jose tonight to
cheer on San Benito High School’s
”
big reds.
”
”
It’s exciting. There will be a red mass of people heading up to
San Jose City College,
”
said Duane Morgan, principal of SBHS.
The Baler football team takes on the Aptos Mariners in the
championship game at 7 p.m. While some students on campus haven’t
attended any games, most admit to a feeling of pride and
spirit.
Hundreds of locals will be carpooling to San Jose tonight to cheer on San Benito High School’s “big reds.”
“It’s exciting. There will be a red mass of people heading up to San Jose City College,” said Duane Morgan, principal of SBHS.
The Baler football team takes on the Aptos Mariners in the championship game at 7 p.m. While some students on campus haven’t attended any games, most admit to a feeling of pride and spirit.
Groups of students were busy advertising the game and preparing for a BLT today – Baler Lunch Time, a themed and extended lunch hour with clubs selling food for fund-raising. Football players will be introduced at the BLT and wished luck by officials and fellow students.
Before the BLT, football players completed an old tradition. Every Thursday before a game, parents sign up to cook a meal for the team.
But this time the players pooled their money together and ate dinner at Round Table Pizza.
And they aren’t the only ones preparing for the game.
Students Jonathan Miller, Debra Martin and Megan Arnerich were excited and pumped about the game Thursday.
Martin’s family has been to every game this season and is looking for a positive outcome to tonight’s matchup.
“My family is pretty sure we’re going to win,” she said.
The group said they’ve noticed people on campus wearing more red clothing and jerseys this week.
“When we win, people like it. It puts people in a good mood,” Miller said.
Director of Student Activities Juan Robledo and his students have been busy making posters and “H’s” to meet the demand of fans.
The students will make 200 “H’s” for fans to hold up at the game.
Fans are encouraged to waive the signs when the team reaches a first down, when they score a touchdown or when the cheerleaders ask them to.
“We have a good school – there’s a lot of support,” Robledo said. “The best testament to spirit is the number of people who go to our games. We usually pack our side and the other team doesn’t.”
Lisa Farotto, captain of the varsity cheerleading team, agreed with Robledo.
“Our crowd is super good with support anyway. Sometimes, we have to tell them to shut up because they’re cheering when we’re cheering,” she said, laughing.
Superintendent Jean Burns Slater is experiencing her first Baler football season and said she was excited and honored.
“I feel privileged to be here when our football team has moved forward against such good teams. They’ve experienced unanticipated success (against Los Gatos High School),” she said.
Although the community will be out in droves in San Jose to support the team, Morgan said the football players are themselves a product of that support.
“It’s a culmination of (the players’) summer work and preparation,” he said. “It’s a testament to the community – they don’t become good football players in just the four years that they’ve been here. When they get here, they’re ready to play high school football.”
