Ella Katz While many high schoolers across the nation have Friday night football games to attend, as fans take the basketball stands spirited from head to toe, this is clearly not the case for us Latin students. Yes, the boys soccer state finals at Hoffman Estates was a blast! Of course, I had my blue foam finger out and ready and an overwhelming supply of orange and blue face paint for all of the Latin fans, and probably the opposing team’s’ fans as well— I went to sleep-away camp for seven weeks each summer, what can I say? Anyway, so we don’t have Friday night football. Consequently, that means no rah rah rah from cheerleaders, no processed cheese nachos from concession stands, and sadly, fewer social events during our fall. But, and I have thought this over for quite some time now, here is what it comes down to: there really is no need to fear this lack of school pep, because this past Friday was the annual Latin v. Parker boys basketball game at DePaul—the one Latin sporting event that can in fact be compared to that Friday night football game we have all been yearning for since we watched the first episode of Friday Night Lights— or at for me. The girls unfortunately did not play, but regardless, the boys game was a blast, as it always is—and that is coming from someone who, well, we all know how I am with “#the sports”. What amazes me about this game in particular is that for some unknown reason, it is always more amped up and emphasized than any other game of the year. It has become one of those things where you might overhear students during gathering or at the Roman Cafe carrying the casual conversation of, “Hey are you going to the Latin-Parker game this weekend?” which honestly is a dumb question because 99% of students respond with a pre finals-stressed out answer of, “yes” or “no s***.” The excitement around this game is another aspect of the event that is irresistible and captivating for all. One of the many traditions of this game is the athletes giving a friend or their mom’s their spare jersey to wear, the absolute cutest tradition without a doubt. Another part of the game is the cardboard cutouts or should I say blown up pictures of the players’ faces—usually not their best pics. Typically, the seniors make hysterical signs and cutouts of their fellow athletes’ faces for public display throughout the game. There are also some epic signs that are made for the Latin fans addressing the Parker fans, and vice versa. Given Parker is our rival school, bringing home the W at the end of this game was five times more exciting – thanks for pulling out the W boys! Though this communal spirit takes extra work and effort from everyone, the DePaul game is an annual event that signifies the Latin community coming together to support the basketball team and the school as a whole— a togetherness that all of us can benefit from right now more than ever. As junior, Sophie Woan puts it,  “The Latin-Parker rivalry is something that always brings the community together in a positive way. It is really fun to have everyone cheering on the team, especially at such a big venue like DePaul, where more people can attend as opposed to if the game were to be played in the Field Gym.” It’s not that people care about this game more than other games or about basketball more than soccer or tennis; rather, this game simply symbolizes the time of year that the Latin community can come together by cheering for their friends and having a good time. This past Friday, foam finger in hand, I saw the whole school pumped for the game that is as close as Latin will ever get to Friday night football. Huge shoutout to Charlie Moss for hitting the game winning shot for the Romans! Couldn’t have done it without you!]]>