JEFFERSON — As October comes rolling to an end, so do high school fall sports. For most athletes, this ending of one season means the beginning to another. However, before they start lacing up the basketball shoes, most Jefferson girls take a week and suit up for battle on the gridiron. Football? Yes, the annual Junior/Senior Girls Powder Puff game is a fall tradition that Jefferson always marks on its calendars. 

The Powder Puff tradition began with some lovely ladies at Ss. John and Paul. They believed playing each other in a game of flag football would be a great way to raise money and spark up some competition. One of the participants had the time of her life and 32 years later, that athlete, Janis Williams, a teacher and adviser at Jefferson, remembered this great experience and thought bringing Powder Puff back would be great.

“Back in 2002, as the Senior Women’s Club adviser, we were looking for an activity that would bring the class together and also raise some money in the process,” Williams recalled. “This is when I remembered the fun I had playing Powder Puff Football as a senior at Ss. John and Paul. We organized it and the game was crazy. It was a rock-em sock-em rumble with girls close lining each other and elbows flying. It brought the class closer as a group and raised some money in the process.”

After this inaugural try, some changes were made to the game play and Powder Puff became an annual activity that juniors and seniors looked forward to every year.

While the Jefferson senior and junior classes actively reach out into the community, they are always looking for ways to raise money to continue these projects. The Powder Puff game can also be a way to raise some money. The junior and senior class officers share the responsibility of organizing the game. Jared Jacobs, Jesse Kidd, Chris Kantor and Gidget Marrison made this year’s game possible with all their help. These great young people set up announcing, band performance, rosters, ticket takers and field preparation. Since the work is shared between the juniors and the seniors, they share the money made from the game.

Any participants, including coaches, players and announcers have to pay $3 before hand and then any spectators are charged $6 at the gate. In all, $1,800 was made for them, all of which will eventually fund prom. This amount is actually down from years past, due to the day, Saturday, instead of the usual Friday, and the trick or treating during the game.

However senior class president Jared Jacobs was still happy with the outcome. “Lots of people put in a lot of time and hard work, and the result was excellent,” Jacobs said. “The game turned out awesome and the money we raised will be very helpful. Thank you to all who showed their support and came out to the game.”

From an outsider’s view, it may just look like another football game. But, once you experience the Powder Puff atmosphere, you will see the friendship, camaraderie and competition. To begin, each team gets to create a T-shirt, from colors to designs and then a slogan, which serve as the jerseys during the game. Colors get crazy and the slogans are unique. Teams come up with “R.I.P. Juniors,” to pop culture terms like “Swag Surfin.” Nothing can describe the competition Powder Puff invokes.

“This is not just another game. We practice hard and put in a lot of time to learn plays. The seniors give 100 percent to beat the juniors, then we let them hear about our victory for the rest of the year, but in a friendly way,” said senior player Shelly Ford.

“At practices and the game, I was able to work with people I normally don’t see during school or hang out with,” said senior Jillian Kern. “You become good friends with someone when both of you are striving for a common goal.”

This year, the seniors really bounced back from their loss last year. The seniors put in a lot of effort to pull a 50-0 victory over the juniors. The senior offense was explosive and the defense was stifling. Every senior at the game gave her best to bring home this victory. Big plays were made by Lizzy Ziemski, who took two interceptions back for touchdowns and then ran the ball for another two scores. Kaylee Cellitee made a spectacular grab in the endzone from quarterback Shelly Ford. Other key players were Hannah Francis, Jenny Piscalko, Jillian Kern and Liz Hubler. The coaching duties for the seniors were up to Chaz Becker, Brian Rosenburg, Kyle Hass and Tyler Lake. Junior coaches Stevie Ludwig, Colin Cicon and Dan Meaney will really have to rebound to get a win as seniors, with help from players Courtney Weber, Juleah Landis, Kyra Crossman and Shalaun Pompey. They put in a good effort and the junior girls all tried their hardest to get the win.

The band, directed by Scott Francis and Cameron Hartley, performed some great pieces; including the Star Spangled banner before the game. All in all, a great time was had by all and the experiences are ones that will be remembered forever.

Whether watching, coaching or playing, this year’s Powder Puff game was a great one. The junior and senior class worked hard to put on a great show and their efforts paid off with a game that will be remembered for a long time. The athletes that participated made memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. With a great history, Jefferson hopes that this activity will continue on for years to come. The Powder Puff game is more than a game; it is an experience that will stay with the participants for the rest of their lives.