Cotter fans left Maxwell Field with a heavy heart and a full stomach after the homecoming football game against the Pine Island Panthers Friday, September 26th.  The final score was Panthers  68 – Ramblers 25.

The Ramblers started out strong; as Josh Forst, senior, threw the first touchdown pass of the game to senior wide receiver Kyle Kerrigan.

The Panthers were leading by one point at the end of the first quarter.   Two successful onside kicks propelled a PI surge just before half and put Cotter in a hole from which it could not dig out.

Despite the loss, school spirit was soaring.  The new cheerleading squad and a tailgate party before the game pumped up fans.  Free hot dogs, chips and drinks were served by Cotter staff.  Cotter Show Choir sang the national anthem after a grand introduction of the 2014 homecoming court, including King Marcus Borck and Queen SongHee Hyoung.

The marching band performed a wonderful show at halftime, despite the new format.  The excitement and encouragement generated fueled the fan section for  the entire game, and the team took notice.

“It was great to see such a big turn out in our fan section last Friday night.  Although we didn’t win, we battled to the end and had some underclassmen really step up and make some plays.  I’m proud to see how far our team has come since the beginning of our season,” said captain Forst.

The Ramblers may not have won, but the team was supported nonetheless.    Though the seniors on the team could have hoped for a better final homecoming game, they could not have asked for a more spirited one.

All hail King Borck and Queen Hyoung!