@rohanwalia14[/author_info] [/author]
EWING – Things were not looking good for Wayne Dickens’ team. His TCNJ Lions were in need of a ray of hope, something to push them and strengthen them. The team was coming off a 19-6 loss to Frostburg, dropping the Lions to a very disappointing, 0-5, start.
Something needed to happen to change the spirits of a team that just could not seem to get out of its slump.
With a game against the 3-3 Montclair Red Hawks looming, it was the best time for TCNJ’s homecoming weekend. The most exciting and loudest day of the year was the perfect opportunity for the team to finally put away their losing ways and that is exactly what they achieved.
Despite, squandering a pair of 10-point leads, the Lions held on for a narrow, three-point win. And it was the roar and adulation that came from the fans that made it all worth it.
“It was crazy. From when we went up 23-13 to the end, the crowd was just so loud,” said Nick Craig, a senior wide receiver who caught two touchdowns on the day. “I could barely hear anyone on the field.”
The festivities were not just contained to the game, outside the stadium was a tailgating event held in the parking lot in front of the multi-media building and Campus Town. The tailgating had everything you would expect to see at an NFL tailgating event, from hamburger vendors, BBQ’s, a party like atmosphere, and just general socializing between the entire student body.
“Homecoming day is really amazing,” said TCNJ senior, Trevor Rayburn. “This is my fourth homecoming and I feel it just gets better every year. It really brings together everyone on campus and allows students to just relax and enjoy themselves while watching the sports or just hanging out with their friends.”
Musical groups were also playing in almost every area near the stadium, including an a cappella group which sang before the football game on the field. The music only added to the homecoming atmosphere as some of the bands were made up of TCNJ students. They were allowed to show off their talents to a wide student audience and entertain people, playing different genre’s from indie to rock.
Homecoming is also known for the drinking culture that occurs during the weekend. Students under the age of 21 were given wristbands to show that they were under the age to drink. Security meanwhile was tight around the tailgate area and everyone who left the tailgate had to have their wristband removed.
The security and wristbands ensured that people could enjoy themselves responsibly and thus keep everyone happy without much interruption.
“Ya, homecoming can show just how crazy college students can get, specially when they drink,” said junior Jennifer Dowden, “but it can also show just how fun being in college can be. It helps make people happy and thus makes the entire campus a better place to be on.”
In the end, it was that happiness and fun, that was spread all around campus last Saturday that was seen at the Lions Stadium. The stadium was packed and the fans loud and rambunctious to see the Lions win their first game of the season. Perhaps this homecoming was the kickoff the Lions needed to go on and end their season on a positive note.
Rayburn joked, “maybe we should have homecoming earlier from now on if this is the result we get.”
Leave a Reply