For four years, Cornell High School had distant memories of their own football team after merging with Quaker Valley. Lack of players and involvement from staff left the district with no other choice but to send any aspiring players off to QV to play under the Quaker name. However, at the end of the 2015-2016 school year, it was made clear that the merger had dissolved, and football would return to Cornell.

And return it did, with a dramatic wave of excitement. Once word was out, a bounty of students signed up to play. With conditioning beginning in May and running all the way through August, players were more than ready to play their first game. Principal Szokoly wanted to insure excitement beyond the team and held our annual pep assembly prior to the Raiders’ first game.

Student involvement is key to any school, so what better way to do that than to gather them all into one place to yell and cheer on their peers? So, during eighth period Friday, everyone rallied in gym. And that means everyone. Elementary and high school students alike sat on opposite sides of the gym, buzzing with excitement. Events began with introducing the fall sports teams, ending with the football players charging into center court accompanied by Cornell’s fight song. Students sat by grade, excluding the football team and cheerleaders. The cheerleader’s took charge of hyping up the crowd, performing several routines, and coordinating chants with the band.

Competitions are a given at Cornell pep rallies, and this year’s activities included scooter races, a “mummifying contest”, and a chanting competition between the high school and elementary. The pep rally concluded with announcing free admission to the Cornell v. Maple Town game, thus topping off the anticipation for the game and season ahead. Go Raiders!