Webb students flocked to Faculty Field to see the one and only Thursday Night Lights football game on October 3rd. Webb students, lured not only by the excitement of football but also by the promise of “Fluff Ice,” made the trek up Gym Hill.

The Webb team had been off to a rocky start this season, but this game had students and players excited for the kickoff.

Before kickoff, wide receiver Indy Viramontes (‘21) said, “We’ve had some ups and downs. I’d say we had more disappointments than celebrations… I think this could honestly be one of our most important wins. It’s not a league game, but to show our crowd a good win would be something great.”

The team did not disappoint the crowd as they kicked off Thursday Night Lights with a bang, scoring two touchdowns against Southlands Christian High School in the first ten minutes to go up 14-0, including an exhilarating 64-yard kick return touchdown by team co-captain Jake Baiz (‘21).

Webb students were well-prepared for their first home game this season, with many of them dressing up in all pink to support the team as well as Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Following an acrobatic interception from cornerback Daniel Serna (‘23), Webb regained possession and scored again with a 5-yard rush by Bryan Oglesby (‘23) into the endzone. Webb capped off what was probably their best first-quarter performance this year with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jake Baiz (‘21) to increase their lead to 28-0.

Maya Jaffe (‘20) said, “It’s really fun for all the students that are here because we get to support our Gauls and cheer and have fun watching the game. I love high school football games and cheering for my team and making sure the team knows that we really support them.”

While scoring remained stagnant in the second quarter, the Gauls saw many new faces as several underclassmen on the team were given the nod to step onto the field for some valuable minutes. Webb continued their remarkable defensive efforts and prevented their opponents from advancing forward. Quarterback Ethan Caldecott (‘21) made a crucial tackle to cover up for his own mistake after he threw an interception that nearly turned into a pick 6.

As the night went on, a chilly breeze replaced the warm afternoon. However, this change in the weather did not stop students from continuing to pour into the stands. The bleachers began to fill with eager students intently watching the game.

The Gauls got fired up again in the third quarter with a strip-sack from defensive lineman Bradyn Wishek (‘22). While the Gauls were unable to keep their clean-sheet for the night after a Southlands Christian touchdown, they quickly bounced back after running-back Chris Haliburton (‘20) got the crowd on their feet with a 45-yard carry all the way to the endzone. Following an interception from Jake, Ethan handed off once again to Chris for a 27-yard touchdown.

The fourth quarter saw yet another touchdown carry, this time from full-back Robbie Reimer (‘20), who carried for two yards into the endzone. The Gauls introduced backup kicker Connor Plunkett (‘23) for the extra-point field goal, in which he launched the ball down the middle with ease.

At the end of the fourth quarter, the night was coming to a close and the game began winding down. The Gauls finished off the game with a final score of 48-6, improving to a 4-3 overall record. The team ran off the field in a flurry of emotion as they hugged and congratulated each other. Players rushed over to an ecstatic crowd and huddled together to sing “Honor The Blue and Gold” to celebrate their victory.

After the game, Ethan Caldecott (‘21) said, “This team is finally starting to come together. We got off to a hot start like we haven’t all year and it really came together today! If we go 3-0 or 2-1 in the league and make the playoffs, that’s going to be a great thing for this team.”

Lineman and co-captain Stephen Li (‘21) said, “It’s a great win, team win, great to see the young guys go in, that’s what matters!”

After their big win at home, the Gauls will now gear up for upcoming league games with hopes to book themselves a spot in the CIF playoffs.