The Pride varsity football team mauled the Millbrook Wildcats on Friday, October 22. The final score stood at 32 to 7, Pride.
The evening of the Senior Night game, Leesville students prepared themselves to defend their school after four Millbrook students vandalized the campus the previous night. School spirit was strong in the air, and the sea of green seemed to spread endlessly throughout the bleachers.
Glenn Weiss, Leesville fan, said of the havoc wreaked by Millbrook, “[It was] very immature and destructive. If we win this game, it’ll definitely be very pleasing.”
When the Pride varsity team sprinted onto the field, cheers resonated from the Loonie section. However, when the Wildcats appeared, boos followed them. The entire Loonie section then turned their backs to the Millbrook players, as if to disrespect them like they disrespected the Marshall L. Hamilton Stadium.
The Pride scored the first touchdown with 3:55 left in the first quarter off of a 75-yard sprint. Austin Berrios, receiver, stiff-armed the Wildcat player trailing close behind him near the 10-yard line.
Berrios sprinted another 70 yards in the second quarter for the Pride’s second touchdown of the night.
Millbrook retaliated with a brief scuffle towards the end of the second quarter after a punt. However, players were pulled apart before sustaining injuries and the teams convened for the half.
DJ Hunt, running back , scored for the Pride with 11:56 left in the fourth quarter off a carry, bringing the score to 20 to zero, Pride.
Millbrook returned with their first touchdown nearly six minutes later.
But in the last two minutes of the game, Pride scored the final two touchdowns of the night. Fireworks flew high in the air over the newly repainted Marshall L. Hamilton stadium. Cheers rang so loudly that the press box and bleachers shook.
“[Leesville’s] last two touchdowns were like a punch in the nose for Millbrook,” Tony McGuire said. “It proves that [they] can’t mess with the Pride and get away with it.”
The senior Loonies joined their varsity players on the field, celebrating their last regular season home game.
The Pride now prepares to play Wake Forest-Rolesville for their last game before the playoffs.
