Every year, Truckee High School Junior and Senior girls participate in a tooth-and-nail game of Flag Football. Hair is braided in the school locker rooms, jerseys are donned, and eyeblack is painted on as the girls prepare for a battle of the grades.
This traditional homecoming week celebration is a beloved event, looked forward to for years. Junior girls look at their Senior counterparts, excited for a chance to get on the field, or likewise, excited to cheer for their friends.
However, this year the game was postponed. While originally scheduled for Truckee High’s Homecoming week, the annual Powderpuff game got delayed because of the nonstop rain flooding the field. Rescheduled to the following week, Thursday, October 9, hosted the day the Juniors and Seniors had been waiting for.
Fun also serves a purpose for the school, as the Powderpuff game at Truckee High functions as a fundraiser for the school’s prom at the end of the year, too. This fundraising event is the largest in the school year, and students and parents showed support by spending $10 on entry tickets and filling the stands. This year, pink hoodies were on sale to contribute to the fundraiser as well.
The student section was thin as the game began, but as the clock began counting down, friends and family of the players filtered in, creating a full but unusually quiet crowd.
The game took some time to ramp up, as energy was low in the crowd and a chill crept over the field. “I liked how fired up everybody gets,” said Truckee High Senior Daisy Kuzma when asked about her favorite part of the Powderpuff game.
At the end of the first half, the first touchdown was made by Junior Daisy Melen, bringing the score to favor the Juniors 6-0. After the clock timed out, the volunteer cheerleaders fled onto the field for halftime. The group delivered a brief performance before the second half of the game began, which brought with it an excitable crowd ready for more action.
The second half of the game brought a touchdown for the Seniors, which ended up a tie as the clock finished its 20 minutes. The score 6-6 brought energy to the stands as the game went into overtime. Students were cheering and brought support for the players. For the second year in a row, the Senior Class of 2026 was ultimately able to take the win 12-6 with one more touchdown at the end of the night.
The school event finished with high spirits and excitement. Though some students took the opportunity to rush onto the field after the win, it is important to note that while fun is not allowed at Truckee High for safety concerns.
The Powderpuff game gave the students at Truckee High a chance to connect over a once-a-year event, and friends and family got to watch their girls shine on the field.
