During mid-September, the Woodbridge High School football team sat at a 2-2 record. The administration made it a priority to promote an increase in participation at football games, so they held a meeting for seniors and told them to show up and show out for the team. The students responded in an incredible way, creating one of the biggest student sections Woodbridge High School has ever seen. Since the creation of a better student section, the team used the extra motivation to run through a 4-game winning streak. 

When asked whether the student section had an affect on the team, senior linebacker Dean Fiore had nothing but positive things to say.

“Yea it gets the team’s emotions high,” said Fiore, “especially when we are scoring and making a big play.”

Having a supportive crowd at games clearly benefited the team this year but it also had effects off the field as well. A meeting with the seniors was held by senior class advisor Mr. Casey to promote a student section. Work was then put in by the class of 2024 through social media and other outlets to create a crowd at the upcoming game, the blackout game against our crosstown rival Colonia. 

 “I told the seniors in that meeting we can do everything for you guys but you have to do it (too),” said Mr. Casey. “It’s for your memories, not for us…you guys benefit from this.”

That blackout game set the pace for the rest of the football season. Woodbridge was met with a groundbreaking number of people in attendance as well as an incredibly energetic crowd. This continued throughout the season, the Barrons continued to win and the crowd kept growing. 

For seniors, this was the first time in their high school careers that a real student section was present at football games, which was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the senior class. They wanted to start their senior year off right and that they did that by encouraging others to show up and actually organizing the crowd and the chants. 

“It feels nice especially when we haven’t had anything the last 3 years, it feels pretty cool to have me and my friends running it too,” said senior organizer Tyler Weber. “Just to get a group of kids to come support the football team like that (was amazing).”

As the 2023 Woodbridge High School football season comes to an end, hope remains in the air for next year. Although the seniors will be gone the goal of this entire experience was to create something that can continue over the years. 

“I feel like we had a definitely more like senior based student section this year,” said junior Joseph Roige. “I feel like if the juniors band together, we can have a decent size student section still for next year.” said junior Joseph Roige