Senior football players, cheerleaders, athletic trainers, band, and color guard members are signing off. As the 2022 football season came to a close, the Eagles finished their final game against Rome High School on Nov. 4. Even though the game did not end in Etowah’s favor, the seniors were able to look back on their time in these activities as they walked out of the stadium in uniform one last time. 

“It felt very surreal cheering for the last football game. Not only was it the last game, it was my last time cheering with all the girls I grew up with, and it was really hard fighting back the tears knowing it was the end of Friday Night Lights,” Caroline Byars, senior varsity cheer captain, said. 

Before the game, the football players, cheerleaders, and athletic trainers’ families escorted the seniors across the field, and during halftime, the same was done for band and color guard members. The announcer highlighted their high school accomplishments and activities over the speakers along with what they plan to do following graduation. Pictures of each student and their name flashed on the big screen as they walked across the field. 

“The final game and senior night all together was an unreal experience. Heading into the game, I focused on just having fun since it was the last time I stepped on the field, but when the clock hit zero, I was flooded with emotion,” Dylan Catton, senior varsity football player, said. 

The final score of the game was 63-3, with Rome taking home the win. Although the Eagles suffered a hard loss, the student section stayed upbeat and followed the cheerleaders’ lead to hype the team up. The students in the stands cheered on their beloved Etowah Eagles from beginning to end. Many even came on the field to support the band as they performed one last time under the Friday Night Lights. 

“Being around everyone in the student section really hit hard because it was one of the last times I would be around these people that I have known since middle school(…) Going to football games was for sure the highlight of, not just my senior year, but high school in general,” Kiana Calderon, senior, said. 

Even though the last football game of the 2022 season did not turn out the way many hoped, the seniors enjoyed their last game at the Nest. They walked off the field filled with joy and sadness as this chapter of their high school career came to an end.