Leaves are falling, and the familiar screech of the breaks of the school buses return to the ears. This can only mean one thing: the start of a new football season for the Ridge Red Devils.

With the excitement of a new school year reaching fever pitch, the student body has grown more and more fervent in their school spirit, with every home football game themed in a different way. So far, without fail, the entire student body has worn white, black, green, or pink each week.

“I strongly support them because it’s a fun way for all Ridge students to come together and support the team not only because they go to the same high school, but to come together as Red Devils,” states Catherine Pankow ‘17. With the unity illustrated by the students, it helps provide a way for all students to enjoy the games.

The upperclassmen, however, express a hesitance to participate, as the games are seen as another distraction from good grades, SATs, and ACTs. “Only the seniors really participate in school spirit to prove they were really at Ridge, and they actually have the time to do it, while we don’t,” adds Erin Taylor ‘16.

While juniors attend the games when they can, it is now becoming crunch time for both juniors and seniors. With college applications due in the coming weeks and preparations hastening for standardized testing, the upperclassmen seem to have too much on their plate collectively and almost no time to enjoy themselves in this time of year.

However, the underclassmen make up for the upperclassmen’s diverted attention. The freshmen are obviously excited for these new experiences that high school will bring; the sophomores are still testing the waters of the school social system. As they explore the nervous and exciting energy that comes with being part of a greater whole, they learn what it means to make up a portion of the school and have it actually mean something.

Another factor that may limit student response is location of the football games. The next weeks will take the team to Plainfield, Linden, and Union; they will finally return for a home game against Bridgewater-Raritan. It becomes much more difficult to take the school’s pride on the road, with only cheerleaders and marching band guaranteed.

When the team returns to Astor Field, it will be a new month, and the weather will have changed drastically. The student body does not have any plans currently for another color night, seeing that there is so much time between now and then. No matter the plan, students will still show their support no matter what. The student body can only hope that the football team will deliver more wins in the next few weeks, creating a reason for cheering.

Will the Red Devils receive a warm welcome home or will they be left out in the cold?