Final football home game, cheer clinic unites campus, Oct. 19

In a busy two nights, the cheerleaders and their young counterparts as well as the junior high choir will all celebrate campus sports, culminating with varsity football taking on the Riverdale Christian Christ Ambassadors, Oct. 19.

However, tonight, Oct. 18, the varsity girls volleyball team get the festivities going, hosting Laton for senior night. The JV plays at 4:30 p.m. while varsity starts at 5:30 p.m. Come early for a seat and wear white for a ‘white-out‘ night.

Tomorrow, the football team and cheer squad honors it’s 12 senior players and four senior cheerleaders for a combined senior night. To start the evening, choral director Susan Ainley leads the junior high choir in the recital of the national anthem.

With most all the young cheerleaders dressed up in colorful costumes or shirts, the north field was a sea of Disney characters, cats, princesses, Hello Kitty, animals, unicorns, rainbows and more. However, Minnie Mouse seemed to be a favorite.

In the following podcast, sophomore Morgan Parker interviews elementary student Olivia Hann just after cheer clinic practice, Oct. 18.

FC second grade student Adalynn Lewis shares what makes cheer clinic so fun. She said she enjoys being with her friends and having fun on the last day of cheer clinic.

“Today was Fun Day and it was my favorite part because we got to all dress up,” Lewis said. “I’m excited for tomorrow night, but I’m also nervous at the same time. Cheerleading is so awesome because I get to hang out with my friends and cheerlead together.”

After the 38th annual weekly elementary cheer clinic, elementary cheerleaders join high school and junior high squads to perform and dance for the first half of the game and a half time presentation. The clinic lasted a week, with head coach Hope Villines instructing the girls on cheers they will chant and perform during the game.

Hope Villines oversees and instructs during the elementary cheer clinic. She looks forward to watching the girls perform with the squads during the first half of the game.

“There is more excitement for this elementary cheer clinic then I can put into words,” Villines said. “Some of these girls wait all year to be a part of this clinic. We have 82 FCS elementary girls that will be performing on the field on Friday night. Come early to get a seat as the stands are bound to be full.”

Kindergartener Zoey Reneau spent all week practicing cheers and dances. She shares how she is ready for the game but loved today’s practice the best.

“I like being with my friends at cheer clinic,” Reneau said. “I am excited to cheer at the football game for the players. Dressing up today was my favorite part though.”

Student Rebekah Micu, ‘20, anticipates the upcoming senior night games.

“I’m super excited for the upcoming senior night and to watch them play,” Micu said. “It’s also the last home game of the (football) season and that’s super exciting. It’s (senior nights) are a time to honor the seniors and watch them play their last home game which is pretty special.”

With the recent passing of former FC cheer coach, Eunie McEntee, Villines honors her memory through the clinic this year.

“The coolest part about this elementary cheer clinic is that the varsity cheerleaders are able to let their light shine and show these younger girls how awesome it is to be an FCS cheerleader and cheer for the Lord,” Villines said. “This year we are wearing the elementary cheer shirt #ForGodsGlory. This is in memory of Eunie McEntee who always encouraged her team to cheer for God.”

Student leadership encourages peers to sport “Black-out” attire in support of the night’s theme. A limited amount of black, FC  spirit wear will be distributed to the student section.

The football team currently stands with a 6-1 record overall and 4-1 in the Central Sierra (8-Man) league play. Playing on the FCS team for the last three years, Austin Duffy, ‘19, views senior night as a recognition of the football team’s hard work.

“The senior night is to recognize all the seniors who play sports at our school,” Duffy said. “It is important to me because most of us have been playing for more than just this year. So we have been building up our experience in the sport and so this is a night to recognize all the work and effort that we have put in.”

Following the football game, students travel to Me-N-Eds for a fifth quarter celebration with the cheer squad and football team.

Students also attend a fall sports rally tomorrow, Oct. 19, during school where the high school tennis and volleyball teams are recognized for their efforts during their seasons.

Led by coach Kit Maddox, the volleyball team currently stands with a record of 17-7-1 overall and 12-2 in East Sierra League play. After tonight’s game, the girls will have a bye week. Playoffs begin Oct. 30 with the schedule and rankings yet to be determined.

In other campus sports news, head coach Daniel Jessing leads the girls tennis team with a record 0f 11-7 overall and 6-3 in West Sequoia League play. While seniors Alina Davila and Ashley Zamarripa won the WSL doubles championship over sophomores Hannah Villines and Sarah Smith, all four girls will compete in the CIF Central Section Individual Playoffs for a Valley championship start Oct. 22. The CIF Central Section Division V team playoffs continue Oct. 23, when No. 5 seed Fresno Christian will face-off against either No. 4 Roosevelt or No. 13 Caruthers. Foe more information on girls tennis, visit CIFcstennis.com.

For more on the senior football players, read Schmidt takes talent, work ethic to football. For more on the 2018 football season, read Homecoming Happily Ever After: 34th annual FC homecoming.

Sam Cross can be reached via Twitter and via email. Morgan Parker also contributed to this article.

Slideshow images from volleyball senior night, Oct. 18, football game against Orcutt, Oct. 12, and elementary cheer clinic, Oct. 15-18. 

Gallery • 1 Photos