The Spoke’s special edition: Go Birds!
By Rowan Chetty, Rajan Saha and Nolan Talley, Co-T/E Life Editor and Staff Reporters
At 4 a.m., junior Maggie Barnes woke up to catch a train to Philadelphia, joining other Philadelphia Eagles fans as they lined the city’s streets on Feb. 14. The fans cheered for the team as players and their families paraded through Philadelphia, celebrating the team’s second-ever Super Bowl win.
On Feb. 9, the Eagles played the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, winning 40-22. Five days later, on Valentine’s Day, more than one million poured into Philadelphia to attend the victory parade and honor the newly named NFL champions.
“The energy (at the parade) was so hype,” Barnes said. “Everyone was so excited to be there. Everyone was in such a great mood, and everyone was jumping, happy, dancing with the music and screaming.”
Three days before the parade, Superintendent Dr. Richard Gusick sent an email to T/E families congratulating the Eagles and announcing that students whose families submit a note to attend the parade will receive an excused absence. Junior Maddie Rakes attended the parade with friends, seeing various Conestoga students in the city.
“Everyone came together. There were a couple people around us that I have no idea who they were, but they would make small talk and be very welcoming,” Rakes said. “There was this guy next to us, and he was telling us about how this is the city of brothery love, how it’s all love here.”
At the parade, players and coaches gave speeches to celebrate their win and honor MVP and quarterback Jalen Hurts. During the game, Hurts rushed for 72 yards, a Super Bowl record for quarterbacks, helping the Eagles start the game off strong with 24 unanswered points. In the second half, the Birds maintained their lead with a receiving touchdown from DeVonta Smith and three field goals. Senior Anika Maganti went to the Super Bowl game in New Orleans and felt energized by the other fans in the stadium.
“The energy was high. In our section, we got to sit with people who work within the Eagles, so they knew a lot of information. They had so much more energy and they knew the players personally, so everyone was cheering,” Maganti said.
During and after the game, hundreds of fans took to Broad Street and neighborhoods in Philadelphia to cheer on the Eagles. Donning Eagles gear and waving flags and signs, they celebrated the Birds’ second-ever Super Bowl win outside city hall with fireworks and chants.
“Originally, I was watching in my friend’s house. Then, since we were destroying the Chiefs, we decided to go down and celebrate in Philly,” senior Will Johnson said. “It was incredible. Every single person, from the second I got onto the train until I was leaving, was absolutely fired up.”
Eagles change lineup, break conference record
Last year, the Eagles started strong during the first 11 weeks of the season, with a 10-1 record. However, the team lost five of its six remaining games and got eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Following the end of the season, longtime center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox retired, leading to an adjusted lineup this season.
This year, the Eagles signed former Giants running back Saquon Barkley, drafted cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell and hired new offensive and defensive coordinators. Health and Fitness teacher John Jones, an Eagles fan, felt that the team’s performance last season left uncertainty for the future.
“Last year, they looked confused, disjointed and lost a lot of games towards the end of the season,” Jones said. “The offseason with Saquon being signed, there was excitement, but we didn’t know how good he was going to be.”
Despite starting the season off slow with a 2-2 record, the team regained momentum toward the middle of the season. The Eagles won 12 out of their next 13 games, finishing the regular season 14-3. Sophomore Krish Mudaliar, who attended two games this season, was impressed by the addition of Barkley.
“It was really just the way we ran the ball, specifically with Saquon. He’s just a really game-changing player,” Mudaliar said. “He completely changed the season and transformed our team.”
On Jan. 26, the Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 55-23 in the NFC Championship Game, advancing to the Super Bowl. On the same day, the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills 32-29, securing their ticket to the game, mirroring two years before, where the Eagles faced the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. Although the Eagles lost 38-35, social studies teacher and freshman football coach Aaron Lockard feels that the team has improved since.
“Even though they lost Kelce, they still have a really strong offensive line. If you combine dominating the line of scrimmage with one of the best running backs in the game (and) two fantastic receivers that would be starters on any other team, you have a much more balanced offense than you did in the past,” Lockard said. “I think this is a significantly better team than the one that met the Chiefs two years ago.”
At the NFC Championship game, the Eagles scored the most points in conference championship history. The Commanders gained an early lead, but the Eagles quickly responded, ending the first half up 27-15. Throughout the second half, the Eagles continued to expand their lead with touchdowns from Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown, ending the game 55-23.
“I was ecstatic. I love watching the Eagles, but it stresses me out like crazy. I’m on the edge of my seat the whole time. But in this case, it was so nice to get to the third quarter and just be happy,” Lockard said. “They were scoring all the time, and I knew the Commanders were out of it. I felt amazing.”
The team’s win at the conference finals marked its fifth Super Bowl appearance. Junior Kaitlyn Parson attended the NFC Championship Game and said it was an unforgettable experience, with fans screaming and crying in celebration.
“At the game, there was confetti coming down and fireworks in the stadium. Everybody around me was yelling, ‘We’re going to the Super Bowl. We’re going to New Orleans,’” Parson said. “A guy in front of me was talking to a guy behind me saying, ‘I’ll see you in New Orleans.’”
Students, staff foster Eagles spirit within Conestoga
Throughout the season, Student Council held spirit days before major games to build excitement in the school. On those days, students and staff wearing Eagles gear or green could win prizes. Leading up to the Super Bowl, Student Council hosted a Spirit Week, presenting a new theme for students and staff to follow each day. The themes were Black Out, White Out, Green Out, Jersey Day and Eagles Day.
“We like to try to get some school spirit and bring everyone together to show that we’re all rooting for, hopefully, the Eagles,” student council adviser Elizabeth Gallo said. “It’s fun to get pumped up about something.”
English teacher, head football coach and longtime Eagles fan Scott Gee appreciates the spirit days.
“It’s good to see a sense of community in the building, and it’s good to see kids get involved and rally around something,” Gee said. “As a teacher, you can kind of relax (with) whatever you would normally wear that day and wear something a little bit more fun and more comfortable. I spent money on a decent amount of Eagles gear, so it’s nice to be able to wear it.”
Alongside the spirit days, world language teacher Ann Karcewski enjoys fostering Eagles spirit in her classes. Before each Eagles game, Karcewski and her students sing the Eagles’ fight song for good luck.
“We (the Eagles) have been to the Super Bowl a couple times. There’s electricity in the air, and I want to share that with my students. I want them to get excited about it,” Karcewski said. “They also should see the importance of identifying with something that’s a communal thing.”
Throughout the season, students have also shown their support for the team at tailgates outside of games at Lincoln Financial Field. Maganti, who tailgated earlier in the season, enjoyed seeing Conestoga students’ Eagles spirit away from school.
“The energy at the games is amazing. Everyone’s so excited. Fans are always dressed up, and it’s always really fun,” Maganti said. “A lot of kids (at Conestoga) are Eagles fans and go to the tailgates. It’s a way to bring the ’Stoga community together.”
On the Friday before the Super Bowl, students prepared for the Sunday game by wearing merchandise for Eagles Day. Good Morning ’Stoga (GMS) also held an Eagles-themed show with special trivia. Later, during eighth period, Wind Ensemble performed the Eagles’ fight song around the hallways. Parson, a GMS anchor, appreciated the in-school excitement leading up to the game.
“It (school spirit) just brings up my confidence. I’m very superstitious, so seeing everybody wearing green just gets my mind going, ‘Okay, everybody’s here, everybody’s supporting. We’re gonna win,’” Parson said.
Lockard appreciates the energy surrounding the Eagles’ recent successes. He is happy about the team’s performance in recent years and the tone it set for the future.
“As a fan who’s experienced mostly the 2000s, it’s been really nice to see a lot of success now, especially post-2017 with their first Super Bowl win, it’s been really awesome,” Lockard said. “They’re no longer a franchise that gets beat up on by everybody else. Instead, they’re the franchise that everybody wants to beat because we win a lot, which is awesome.”
Rowan Chetty can be reached at [email protected].
Rajan Saha can be reached at [email protected].
Nolan Talley can be reached at [email protected].
