In a flurry of red and blue, Wildcats flooded the West Ranch gym, marking the start of March, and the “Marvel vs. DC” rally. In celebration of spring sports and their official season kickoffs, staff and students fueled the excitement to ignite the start of the March 1 rally.
To prepare the students for the rally, ASB prepared an action-packed week, with each day having been a special spirit day. ASB started the week by playing music during brunch and lunch on Monday, to having continuous “Versus” days, with trending themes like USC vs. UCLA, Barbie vs. Oppenheimer, Hydro Flask vs. Stanley, and Marvel vs. DC.
Each student was able to express their personality and opinions during each spirit day, with the final spirit day of the week dividing upperclassmen and underclassmen. The upperclassmen represented Marvel with red and Marvel-themed apparel, and the underclassmen wore blue and black or DC-themed clothes.
The rally officially started with the introduction of the four emcees: Cassidy Clarke, Brenden Reyes, Aubrey Odell and Ryan Odell. Quickly followed by Mr. Helm playing the National Anthem on bass, filling the gym with excitement.
Following the deep remake of the anthem, Mr. Lindgreen led the students on his infamous cheer-off. Rippling a wave of energy and cheer through each grade, the famed spirit baseball helmet led each grade to show off their liveliness and screams. Then, the varsity spring sports teams were introduced. After walking out across the gym, the teams were met with cheers along every side of the bleachers. When asked what he felt during the walk-out, senior track and field athlete, Christian Davies, expressed, “The cheers and excitement from the students showed the hype and emotion of being a Wildcat. Being in Track and Field for four years really seems to pay off during these moments.”
The first performance was Man Cheer; with a synergy between varsity football and West Ranch Cheer, a remarkable cheer routine was portrayed. With classy moves and flashy flips, Wildcats were surprised, to say the least, to see the elegance, groove and passion of the cheer and football team.
Carrying on the excitement from the cheer performance, West Ranch’s famed hip-hop team entered the stage. Showing their group teamwork and overall improvement and confidence in dance, the swift moves of the team were unlike any other. Hip Hop member Senior Esi Otoo explained the process of planning a routine: “The officers choreographed our dances a few weeks ahead of time and taught the team during practice. We spent the week of the rally cleaning and practicing the performance every day.”
With the outstanding performances leaving everyone on their feet and cheering, the rally started to shift towards its next exciting phase: a competitive game between underclassmen and upperclassmen. The game was a three against three, with each player at a progressive point in a three-event course. Each person on the course had a special challenge: the first person on a tricycle navigating through cones, a second teammate shooting projectiles through a hoop and the final trying to lasso a teammate on a rolling scooter and drag them to the finish line. When asked if she would participate in another game activity, Senior Victoria Vo replied, “I probably would because I’ve always really enjoyed being in the action and taking part in the activities that are open.”
After the upperclassmen asserted their dominance in energy and performance, the next section of the rally would turn towards an artistic and graceful aspect. With the gym lights dimmed, and bright headlights radiating the stage, the 1980 hit “Holding Out for a Hero,
” followed by the graceful entrance of the West Ranch Color Guard team.
Finally, as the closing act of the rally, a special video by West Ranch TV was displayed on the screens. As the closing act, the video shown answered a question asked by most students: what is this year’s prom theme? The night in April that would act as a once-in-a-lifetime experience would hold a “La La Land” theme. Wildcats, make sure to show up to prom, and make lasting memories!
