On Friday, Sept. 12, Libertyville’s varsity football team gave their all against Stevenson, finishing with a score of 31-6. Despite a tough night on the field for the Wildcats, the night still held much significance to the school.
For the first time, the game was broadcasted on the national Marquee Network by Libertyville’s media and broadcasting club, Wildcat Productions. This marked an outstanding achievement for the club as they saw an increase in their presence on the field including, but not limited to, parabolic microphone operators and sideline reporters. One of these sideline reporters was senior Ryder Allan, a key member of the program.
“We just set up interviews with players and coaches to get the rundown of the game,” Allan said. “The general idea behind [my role] is to get information down here that those guys in the box wouldn’t be able to know, and because we’re on the field, we have that deeper insight into the game.”
In the face of a difficult game for the Wildcats, senior defensive back and wide receiver Nick Ori (7) shined as a star player. This fall marks his first season as a Wildcat after transferring from Waucanda High School. Ori, who has committed to Illinois State University, reported that “the recruitment process started off pretty slow but once I got my first offer, I never looked back.”
One of the most important parts of Friday night lights are the cheer and poms squads that take initiative to energize the crowd and keep spirits high. On the dance team, freshman Liv Hilliard is grateful for the opportunity to perform with the varsity group to perform during halftime as well as on the sidelines.
“It’s such a fun experience getting to dance with all the older girls,” Hilliard said. “They make me feel so welcome, and it’s just so much fun.”
The Wildcats will return home Sept. 26 for the Homecoming game.
