SF Photography: Battle for the Smudgepot

Last night was the BIG game! The BIG game that most of Redlands looks forward to once football season hits. I remember, back in 2006 or maybe 2007, being at the U of R to shoot this game and it was literally standing room only! There were fences on the track because the stands were all full and people were being sent to the track behind the end zones, where they could stand and watch the game! That's how BIG this game is. Of course now, with the population of each high school being diminished due to the opening of Citrus Valley, the stadium gets full, but not as full as it did back then.

So the game…

REV was favored all along but as you know, anything can happen in a football game. The kids on both sides were decked out in their school colors, as were the parents. Faces were painted, bodies were painted, I saw red and black tutus, blue bandanas, blue and white balloons waving in the stands, red bandanas, macaroni necklaces…yep, you read that correctly, macaroni necklaces. Oh and did I mention boxes of mac and cheese? I'm sure Kraft is wondering why the influx of Macaroni and cheese sales here in Redlands. (and thank you Stater Bros. for putting it on sale for $.88 a box!). The Mac and Cheese was because the RHS football team, had a list of the schools they were playing (note they refer to REV as Mentone High, thanks to Coach Walker and his hatred for REV) and for the mascot, instead of listing Wildcats, he/they listed Mac and Cheese.

Well, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade! And that's EXACTLY what the REV students did! They ran with this! Mac and Cheese posters, boxes of mac and cheese were brought to the game which were donated to a food bank afterwards, and necklaces were made out of macaroni that I saw MANY parents wearing! Very clever.

As for the game, it didn't disappoint. Another thrilling year with a ton of school spirit roaring from both sides, great football, and once again, I had a lot of fun photographing it! Congratulations REV for an outstanding win, 40-14, and holding on to that Smudgepot for another year!