Story by Hailey Skinner
After months of football-less fridays, the Lee’s Summit West titans made their season debut Friday, August 22. A new season, a new division, new players, and a new 12th Man have all played a part in making the 2014 year different for titan football.
As this year’s football team continues to make new plays and set new goals for the season, this year’s 12th man has been adjusting the cheering section as well.
Although, not a literal part of the football team, the 12th Man’s is a valuable addition to the cheering section. By keeping the crowd loud and pumped the football team can both hear and feel the support of their titan family during the game.
Just like in past years, the 12th Man was easily noticeable. The upperclassmen boys standing just in front of the bleachers were either shirtless with blue and white paint, dressed in a morphsuit, or sporting a wrestling onesie. Not only were the boys easy to spot, but they were easy to hear as well. The boys led old familiar cheers throughout the night, as well as tried new ones, to both keep tradition and start some new ones.
Despite, the big shoes last year’s 12th Man left for this year’s to fill, the cheers of the student section seemed to suggest, this year’s 12th Man leaders are doing a great job. “The game was really fun and the stands were full of school spirit. I think the new 12th Man did a great job getting everyone pumped up. It felt just as good as last year,” Junior Nigel Moody said.
Seniors Mitch Graham and Austin Eveler are two of the seniors in charge of this year’s 12th Man, they were chosen at the end of the year assembly last May. Graham and Eveler can often be seen running around the track while holding titan flags after a touch-down.
Another senior who played a large part in leading the cheering section in Friday’s game against the Liberty blue jays was senior Carson Pickard. “At one point during the game Carson walked down the middle of the bleachers and all of us pretended to fall down to clear a path for him. It was wild, new, and a fun cheer,” Senior Jessica Cox said.
The 12th Man roared the loudest after the game was over and the titans beat the blue jays 44-14. Later the 12th Man twitter account tweeted, “If you didn’t lose your voice tonight you weren’t cheering loud enough #TFOD”.
For updates on the 12th Man and their future plans follow @LSW12thMAN2k14 on twitter.
