Walking into the Heschel Middle School gym on the date of Homecoming, the energy was palpable. After grabbing some popcorn and cotton candy, Heschel students and faculty began to fill the gym.

Many Heschel alumni, who were met with excitement from faculty and students, came to the game. 

The current seniors started the night off with a heartfelt tribute to the hostages held in Gaza. Then, the game started. Heschel started the game slow, missing the first couple shots. Yet they bounced back quickly, ultimately scoring 69 points while holding Kushner to only 14. 

Chants of “Let’s go Heat,” “De-Fense,” and “You can’t do that” rained down on the Cobras. Even when the Heat were up over 50, Heschel fans still cheered as loud as possible. A “We want Steiner!” chant even broke out, pressuring coach Ethan Nardone to sub senior Sam Steiner into the game.

“The energy at all the home games this season has been off the charts,” junior Samson Furst said. “I really feel like us fans have given the team a real home court advantage, especially tonight.” 

Even the annual halftime alumni vs. staff game had Heschel students hyped up, cheering on friends, siblings, and their own teachers. 

With the help of the student government, especially the Spirit Council, Homecoming was a huge success. Not only does it have everyone looking forward to the rest of the season, but also to next year’s Homecoming.