When the pumas came marching in
MCHS varsity football team celebrating a win ( Miko Jaworski )
By Francisco Linares, sports editor
Homecoming is a high school tradition that dates back to the 1920s, and over time high schools adopted the dance and the traditions that came with it. Maria Carrillo High School holds the record for most attended Homecoming dance in the county, but you can't talk about Homecoming without the game the night before.
Montgomery High School took a 12 minute drive to Maria Carrillo with the hopes of crushing the school's Homecoming night dreams. And they nearly did, being down by 14 points in the first quarter. But they came back swinging in the second, cutting down the lead scoring 12 unanswered points before the Pumas put up three more. The Vikings left two points on the table due to two missed two point attempts. In the second half of the game, you could feel a complete momentum shift in the air. It felt like there was an impending doom coming towards Carrillo.
As the band was blaring in students’ ears and the Homecoming kings and queens were being announced, Greyson Gariss, a senior who attends Montgomery High School, was asked what he thought about Montgomery’s performance. He sounded surprised that his team was sticking with it, saying “we’re pretty evenly matched to Carrillo. In past games we’ve been losing by 30 points, but we’re in this game right now.” Gariss was so confident that Montgomery was going to win that he stated multiple times, “yes, I believe that a comeback will happen.”
Unfortunately for Gariss, a comeback was not in the cards for Montgomery; even Dr. Facilier couldn't even predict the ending to this game. Coming out of their respective locker-rooms, the Viking and Pumas ran out attacking each other, and each team had a response to one another. It felt as though you were watching a real life chess match.
Carrillo opened up the second half with a two-yard touchdown run from senior quarterback Cooper Bluestone. The Vikings didn't let up at all, responding with a left hook. Not only was it a left hook, but it was from out of nowhere; a kickoff return touchdown right as one thought the momentum switched sides back in Carrillo’s favor. Montgomery decided to take another gamble, going for another two point conversion but yet again failing, leaving in total three points on the board. Montgomery was hanging on to dear life, and their prayers were answered with a 70-yard touchdown to the crib for Montgomery, and yet again another two-point conversion, but this time it was a success. The comeback had been completed and the Vikings were up 26 to 23 in Carrillo's house, pulling off an upset on homecoming night. All Montgomery needed was a defensive stop and this game would be in their bag. The game isn't over until that clock reads triple zero’s, though. The Pumas pounced at the opportunity and marched all the way down the field to score an eight yard touchdown run.
With that the Vikings’ comeback flashed before their eyes as the Dr. Facilier-like illusion disappeared. With that, you could say the saints came marching in. Enough with the New Orleans and princess and the frog references, but that is how the pumas came marching in and won on homecoming night.