The Walt Whitman Varsity Football team closed out a fantastic spirit week full of excitement and adrenaline with its annual Homecoming game on Saturday, October 5th against Patchogue-Medford. The game certainly lived up to the zeal that was crescendoing within the community as the week progressed; the Wildcats were determined to play with a great deal of heart, pride, and unity.

The bleachers were packed and fans were kept on the edges of their seats throughout the game. Senior Jordan Campanelli mentions that “it was an exciting environment to be a part of.” Wildcat pride was on display as “fans showed the love for the school and stayed hopeful throughout the game,” said Whitman freshman Tyler Mezadurian. After trailing behind Pat-Med with a score of 0-7 in the first quarter, Sophomore quarterback, Nicholas Bottoni found senior wide receiver Timari Laster in the end zone with a 14-yard pass to even the score. In the second quarter, the Wildcats were behind with a score of 13-20 when they earned six points thanks to an unbelievable 66-yard throw from Nick Bottoni again to Timari Laster. 

Soon after, Patchogue-Medford then took their largest lead of the night, raising their score to 19-34 on the Wildcats. Whitman would demonstrate a ton of heart in their comeback in which they went up to 38-34 on Pat-Med. Unfortunately, Pat-Med was able to find the end zone with time running out in the 4th quarter. This sealed the game with a score of 38 to 41. Although the end result was not ideal, senior Brady Mondry reflects upon the idea that homecoming is “something that unites everyone in school” because the event “welcomes the new and welcomes back the old,” which in turn “creates a sense of community and commonality.”

Despite the loss, the Wildcats had several highlights from the game. Senior wide receiver Timari Laster had a successful evening with 184 receiving yards on 13 receptions and four touchdowns. Senior Valen Richardson proved he could contribute on both sides of the field with three kick returns for 112 yards on offense and three and a half tackles on defense, along with a pass deflection for an interception. 

Best of luck to the Wildcats as they take on the rest of their season, and congratulations on playing a great game!