Every year, Lockport hosts the Powder Puff game, a tradition where girls play in a flag football tournament, and boys take the part of poms. Due to COVID-19, last year’s tournament was canceled, but the 2021 teams are back and better than ever. Despite the fact that neither the sophomores or the freshmen had participated before, both teams put up a good fight in their respective matches.

The first game pinned seniors against freshmen, and surprisingly, the first half was evenly split. The game started on the senior side, giving the freshmen less ground to cover. With less than a minute left in the first half, the seniors scored their first touchdown. They managed to keep it on the freshman side for most of the second half, finally earning a second touchdown with three minutes to spare. The game ended 12-0, with the seniors advancing to the championship game.

Next, the sophomores faced off against the juniors, a far more even match. They started farther down the junior end, again giving the younger team a chance for a fair game. The sophomores scored the first touchdown after a run, ending the first half 6-0. Then in the second half, the juniors couldn’t make a complete pass, in the second half turning over to the sophomores reasonably quickly. The sophomores managed to follow through, getting a second touchdown and ending it with the same score as the earlier game: 12-0.

After the opening games, the boys went out on the field to perform their routine. It lasted for two minutes, drawing many cheers from the crowd as they moved from song to song, dancing enthusiastically. The fun break from the more serious games served as a reset, letting the players refresh and prepare for the next part.

In lieu of a full football game, the juniors and freshmen started on the far end of the field, taking turns to see who could get a touchdown first. After several tense minutes, the freshmen scored, earning third place.

The championship game featured the seniors versus the sophomores, and despite the age and experience difference, the sophomores dominated the first half. They scored the first touchdown, and almost got a second one, but the player’s flag was pulled just before they hit the endzone. Near the end, one of the sophomore players got hurt, having to be helped off the field. The audience started the chant of “for Emma,” cheering on the sophomores to win the game for their injured player. The seniors made a run across half the field, but before they could score, the sophomores pulled their flag. As the clock ticked on, the coaches called a timeout for one last discussion with their players. However, it amounted to nothing, and the sophomores took first place.

All of the teams did an incredible job, especially the younger players who didn’t have any prior experience in Lockport’s homecoming traditions. For now the sophomores remain champions.. until next year, Porters!