NHS Hosts Powderpuff Game to Raise Money for the Thirst Project

Sarah Wang, Heritage Photo Editor| November 27, 2019

  • Guillermo Ruiz Ortiz ‘21 makes a “W” for the Westwood Song. Dressed in pink or blue t-shirts and bandanas to signify their grade’s team, the powderpuff cheerleaders cheered on the game.

    Ishika Samant
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  • Struggling, Katelyn Woodruff ’21 attempts to slip away from Junna Castel ’20. Woodruff would only gain a couple yards before getting stopped short.

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  • Greta Mock ’22 sprints upfield with the ball. Mock went on to score the last touchdown which brought the score to 35-14.

    Kathryn Markovitz
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  • Aiden Lee ’22 performs with the Chinese Yo-Yo club during the half time performance at the second annual Powderpuff game.

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  • After slipping past the Pink team’s defense, Junna Castel ’20 sprints down the field with the ball. Castel made the first touchdown of the game.

    Kathryn Markovitz
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  • After dodging the Blue team’s defense, Celeste Palomino ’21 runs wide with the ball. Palomino gained several yards before her flag was pulled.

    Kathryn Markovitz
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  • Carson Haverda ’21 performs a jump trick while cheering for the players during the game.

    Sarah Wang
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  • With several of the Pink team’s defensive players surrounding her, Divya Chhotani ’20 clutches the ball as she runs upfield. Moments later, Chhotani’s flag was pulled by Claire Pitre ’21.

    Kathryn Markovitz
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  • Lauren Hammer ’21 high fives her teammate as she is being introduced at the beginning of the game.

    Sarah Wang
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  • The Pink team cheerleaders race across the field to catch up with the game.

    Sarah Wang
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  • K-Pop club performs yet another crowd cheering piece during the halftime performance.

    Sarah Wang
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  • Junna Castel ’20 slides past the junior’s defense and runs for the end-zone. Castel makes the first touchdown of the game, and for every touchdown Huru Sushi & TC Noodle House donated $30 to build a well in Africa.

    Ishika Samant
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National Honor Society (NHS) hosted its second annual Powder Puff game on Friday, Nov. 22 at the Warrior Bowl, in efforts to raise money for the Thirst Project, an organization devoted to providing sufficient water to the underprivileged. The event harbored many eventful performances by not only the teams of girls ranging from Freshmen to Seniors battling it out on the Warrior Bowl field but also various half-time performances from male cheerleaders to the reputable K-Pop club.

The event commenced with introductions to both the scores of players as well as the numerous cheerleaders who bravely volunteered. The Blue team was made up of Seniors and Freshmen, and the Pink team consisted of juniors and sophomores. As the first quarter started, Junna Castel ‘20  streaked across the field within the first ten minutes of the game. However, the Pink team was determined to succeed and Hailey Martinez ‘21 made a touchdown making the score 7-7. Not even ten minutes later, Martinez made yet another touchdown. By the end of the first half, the score was 7-21 with the Pink team in the lead. As the second half began, the Blue team had a swift moment of redemption and scored. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by two more touchdowns from the Pink team from Martinez and Greta Mock ‘22, making the final score 14-35, with the Pink team victorious. 

“My favorite part about playing in the game was trying something new and meeting a lot of new people,” Mock said. “Since I’m in SunDancers, I’m not running all the time, I’m not trying to pull somebody’s flag or catch a ball. It was really fun to get on the field and learn how to do something new.” 

Along with an exciting competition between the grades on the field, the off-field cheers and chants made the Powderpuff game successful. About 34 courageous male students ventured their way onto to the sidelines as well as the field to offer the audience an astonishing yet extremely entertaining performance. They took to the sidelines several entertaining cheer chants commonly used by the Westwood cheerleaders as well as several inventive cheers of their own – including what seemed to be a “hype circle”.

“At first I was deeply hesitant to cheerlead,” Ansh Purohit ‘21 said. “I wasn’t sure I was capable of being extremely flexible and coordinate like our Westwood cheerleaders, but then I decided to look at the bigger picture, and realize why I should cheerlead in the first place. The Thirst project was a great motivation for me to cheerlead because it was a cause I was deeply supportive of.”

Additionally, the half-time performance wowed the audience. The twenty minutes began with enticing performances from K-Pop club, where they performed to Lalalay by Sunmi and Adios by Everglow and Chinese Yo-Yo club. After those showings, the cheerleaders brought their best foot forward as they swayed their arms to Fergalicious. 

“K-Pop club has always been very involved with performing at Westwood event because they are the only chance to show the student body what we do as a club,” Michelle Lee ‘20 said. “For the past four years, we’ve performed for NHS’s Thirst Project fundraiser and we love doing them too because we can serve our community while having so much fun with so many people.”

The event was also advertised throughout the school in the upcoming weeks. Members of NHS came together to create various blaring posters and signs in coordination with the two prime colors of the event to successfully catch the eyes of wandering students. Streamers and fliers were hung in shapes to create the date of the event. Additionally, at the event itself, posters and streamers dotted the Warrior Bowl creating an inviting and welcoming space for the event’s attendees. 

“The best part of the Powderpuff game was the atmosphere by far,” NHS Vice President Anish Maddipoti ‘20 said. “The stands were packed with NHS members and fans, and the players and coaches did an amazing job keeping the game competitive. Even though the weather was extremely cold, we had fans huddled in blankets or buying hot chocolate from concessions, where Ajit [Ramamohan ‘20] was making them for close to two hours straight. It kept the atmosphere festive and super fun to be in.”

Every year, NHS donates money made from this event to the Thirst Project, a non-profit organization whose main focus is to bring clean drinking water to areas of the world where that is not the norm. So, through the second annual Powderpuff game, NHS overcame their original goal as well the money made during last year’s match.