CONNEAUT – Football is beloved by millions of people for a number of reasons.
The common thread among the vast majority of those who love the game is that only a small percentage ever step onto a field to play.
Over the last three decades, Conneaut High School has given that opportunity to one of the most overlooked but enthusiastic groups of fans – the girls in its building.
The annual Conneaut High School Powder Puff Football Game was held on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at Joslin Field.
Many of the girls have played football, just not in an organized setting on turf in front of fans.
“I have a lot of older siblings and uncles and cousins, and we always play football in our backyard, two-hand touch or whatever,” CHS sophomore Bella Goudge said.
“I have a lot of siblings and, growing up, this is exactly what we’ve done,” CHS sophomore Mercedes LaTorres said. “I know it, so I’m familiar and I know what to do. I know how to control my emotions.”
Approximately 50 girls were divided into teams by class, and each class was paired against another for games. The teams are “coached” by the boys in those classes.
Each game was 24 minutes long.
In the first games of the night, the seniors dismantled the freshmen, 41-0, and the sophomores outlasted the juniors, 12-7. The sophomores then surprised the seniors, pulling off a 22-0 victory.
“I like being able to plan out stuff and have it work and be a success,” LaTorres said. “With the right person, that could happen and my right person is Bella right now. It’s not favoritism, it’s just, if she’s open, I’ll get it to her, but if it’s somebody else, I’ll make it work. If you make it work, then that’s the plan.”
In the final contest of the night, the sophomores fell to a faculty team, 24-0, that had a number of male players.
“It’s stressful, and they’re a lot bigger than us,” Goudge said.
LaTorres noted that while playing adults has its challenges, there are actions she and her classmates could have taken to enjoy a little more success.
“I feel like (playing the adults is) the same,” LaTorres said. “It’s just, at the end, we were all so done. The boys kept telling us, ‘Oh, do this, do that.’ (The faculty) already knew our plays from watching it from the first two games. I was like, ‘No, we can’t do that and they didn’t want to throw it. We run. We’re good. We can get pics over them and stuff, but with the boys setting us up for failure, we’re probably going to do (what we did in the first two games). We acted like it was a regular game.”
Most of the participants simply enjoy playing the game with their classmates.
“I just get to do it with my friends and, when we went, it’s a lot of fun and very exciting,” Goudge said.
Interest among the CHS girls seems to be growing.
“There is a flag football league for girls in the area now, so I think that is what attracts them to the Powder Puff game every year,” organizer Jamie Atzemis said. “A chance to play the staff is also something that they enjoy.”
The girls are developing their talent, as well.
“It is really fun to see the talent get better each year,” Atzemis said. “They really do take it more seriously than in years past.”
The Powder Puff game has become a showcase for some of the girls, like LaTorres and Goudge, who were finally given the opportunity to play when the Ohio High School Athletic Association sanctioned flag football.
“Growing up, I just wanted to play football, but there wasn’t really anything for girls,” LaTorres said. “Then, flag football came up and I was so ecstatic. I just love playing. I just love playing. I like the adrenaline.”
It was evident some of the girls have played together, as they’ve developed connections, like LaTorres and Goudge, who are a quarterback and receiver, respectively.
“We were already friends before and then being on the same team as somebody brings you closer together,” Goudge said.
Proceeds from the event will help pay for the prom.
“We have done away with paying to play (for varsity sports), so now we make most of our money for the fundraiser through concessions and admission,” Atzemis said. “I think this has helped to drum up more interest and participation. It helps a lot when paying for the Junior/Senior Prom.”
