by Danica Vermillion

Bellbrook High school goes all out for their sports. Whether it is dressing up for a theme or showing up at away and home games, the Eagles are all in. Some of the most memorable moments at the games are made in the student section.

The student section is a side of the bleachers reserved for the freshmen through seniors of BHS. There are basic rules that everyone is expected to follow, such as where everyone is supposed to stand, or what kind of cheers to do at set times.

Even though the student section is full of lots of cheering and laughter, there is also an ongoing rivalry that occurs between the graduating classes about where each is allowed to locate. Both freshmen and sophomores have been standing in the first few rows that are normally reserved for juniors and seniors.

So are the freshman and sophomore in the wrong or is it a misunderstanding?

Alina Shroyer and Heidi Pummell are both freshmen at BHS. They enjoy the new experience of being in the high school’s student section. “Being higher in the stands, we don’t have to worry about messing up chants, or getting super involved in them,” Shroyer said.

“I’ve noticed upperclassmen are very devoted to their team as they are very competitive,” Pummell said. “It’s obvious in some of the cheers they lead.” 

“I think upperclassmen are more fun to be around and they are more involved in school spirit,” Shroyer said. “It creates a better experience.” 

Not all underclassmen are to blame for the student section location rivalry. Some underclassmen note a problem of students standing in the wrong part of the section and say it can cause a bad reputation for their class.

“I wouldn’t say that all of us are to blame for any bad rep from the situation,” Pummell said. “Most of the times it’s really just kids wanting to hang out with friends or maybe even siblings. However, when they are just there to garner attention from the upperclassmen, that’s when it’s a little annoying.”

The rivalry can cause drawbacks in how some younger classmen may perceive the upper grades. “When they want us to move back, it gets kind of annoying because of how often it happens,” Pummell said. “It gets a bit scary sometimes.”