Homecoming Parade Ends in Dominant Win for Varsity Football

Students and staff march along Bedford Ave towards Midwood Field. Photo: *Umidjon Gafforov*

By NING ZHENG and OMAR GONZALEZ

The streets made way for buzzing Hornets on October 17 as they marched to Midwood Field, bringing roaring energy and anticipation ahead of the Homecoming game against Harry S. Truman High School, which the Varsity Football Team won 32-6.

Students and staff gathered outside the school to begin the traditional march on that chilly Saturday afternoon as the band filled the streets with music, the cheer team ignited spirits, and the crowd kept warm with smiles, playful laughter, and excitement that could be felt a mile away.

"When I turned back towards the school, I saw a long line of musicians and student marchers, then cheerleaders, cars, parents, and students along the side taking pictures," said Dr. Robert Quinlan, the school’s principal. “Just hearing the music and hearing the cheers from the cheerleaders – it was a really powerful moment.”

“It felt very exciting preparing for the march,” said lead bassist Roen Goldberg ‘27. “The anticipation around the whole event made it exciting to be a part of, with everybody following along with the music and walking with us to Midwood Field; it was just a great event for the whole school.”

“Before the game, we felt good, a little cold, but no matter the outcome, we were going to continue cheering on the boys,” said cheerleader Daira Vargas ‘27. “The event felt very welcoming and super fun, especially because everyone came together to show the football team support. It always feels amazing to cheer for them, and we love to represent Midwood.”

From the sidelines, Co-Coach Anthony Odita kept the team grounded.

“My priority was managing distractions, just genuinely getting prepared and staying focused,” Mr. Odita explained.

On the field, the game plan remained straightforward. “It was pretty simple,” Mr. Odita said, “just block and tackle better than the other team, and I felt like if we did that, we would be successful.”

Once the game kicked off, the Hornets dominated both sides of the ball, scoring every quarter and keeping Truman's offense in check.

“It was amazing. The stadium was loud, and it was a lot,” said defensive lineman Jamaine Perkins ‘27. “We kept pushing. We showed our division how good we can be.”

Quarterback Cameron White ‘29 led the passing attack, connecting with wide receiver William Valentine ‘28 for a touchdown pass.

“It was Homecoming, so there were a lot of feelings,” Valentine said. “We made sure that we were all on the same page to get the job done.”

The ground game was equally dominant behind running backs Carl Joseph ‘28, who ran for 58 yards and one touchdown, and Adarius Sanon ‘29, who earned Offensive Player of the Game honors after rushing for 109 yards and two TDs.

Defensively, the Hornets were persistent, allowing only a single score in the entire game. Their defense, led by outside linebacker Darwin Louissaint ‘27, who earned Defensive Player of the Game with two sacks, consistently pierced through Truman’s offensive line. Defensive end Noah Robinson ‘27 added two sacks, and Perkins contributed five total tackles and four tackles for a loss.

“As a team, we collectively wanted to go out there and show the world how hard we’ve been working all summer," Perkins said. "When the bands started marching, I started to feel the energy of the game.” That energy carried the Hornets all the way through the fourth quarter to secure the 32-6 win.

After the game, it didn’t end there, as there was a barbecue for all the students and staff. The festivities were originally scheduled for September 26 but had to be postponed. Despite the cold and gray weather on the rescheduled date, the crowd was as tumultuous as ever, leading to a great time overall.

"You have a lot of moving pieces: cheerleaders, staff, permits, buses, promotions on social media, advertising, and shutting down Bedford Avenue with the NYPD," said Dr. Quinlan. “Despite everything, turnout was better than expected.”

If you missed out on the spectacle this year, just mark your calendars for 2027, when the band, Howie, and the Midwood community will be back at it, hopefully marching toward another gridiron win.