Football season is back! Friday, August 6, Mill Creek’s Athletic Department hosted a scrimmage at Markham Field, giving its audience a peek at the exciting things to come from its football community. The friendly rivalry amongst the football team allowed for a congenial yet entertaining scrimmage.

Football Community Night allowed the band, cheerleaders, football team, younger hawks, and family members to come together for the first time this season.

“It really showed how big and diverse the Mill Creek family is,” Joseph Schrage, a tuba player in the Mill Creek marching band, remarked.

Although having nothing to compare it to, freshmen still thought about how the scrimmage will be an integral part of the community’s recovery from the pandemic.

Nate Jimenez, a freshman clarinet player for the marching band, stated, “It was cool going there and seeing all the football community together for the first time.”

Schrage said, “We are going back to normal and the prospects of that are very exciting.”

“This [event] shows that Mill Creek has returned even better than before COVID,” Nolan Locke, who plays the baritone, commented.

Returning members of the community also expressed their thoughts. Last season, many precautions were put into place to protect everybody, such as a mask mandate, seating location requirements, and no community night.

“Having community night this year brought perspective to how many little Mill Creek fans look up to us. Having that will push us
to be better knowing there is a little hawk out there watching us.” Aidan Banfield, who is a sophomore lineman, said.

Anyone at Football Community Night could feel the sense of anticipation as things returned to normal. With this little bit of normalcy came fun and hope for a winning season to come. Despite members mostly being excited about having everybody there, others had specific parts they enjoyed.

Eli Capes from the baritone section said, “[My favorite part was] Getting to spend time with my friends and getting to watch future hawks experience what makes Mill Creek great!”

“I enjoyed interacting with the next generation of the Mill Creek Football Team. I remember how much fun I had as a kid when I got to hang out with high school players and watch them on the field, and I really enjoyed making those memories with these kids,” Ryland Little, a senior lineman, commented.

Although Football Community Night was special to each person for a different reason, Banfield put it perfectly when he stated, “Community night was a great way to show that even though we have been separated for so long, the Mill Creek community is strong enough to come together and support our Mill Creek teams.”