Senior and junior Wawasee High School students look up as the band plays the school fight song during the pep rally Friday.

Wawasee football coach Josh Ekovich addresses the student body during the pep rally Friday afternoon.

For the first time in several years, and especially during school time, a pep rally was held Friday afternoon in the main spectator gym at Wawasee High School. It was held only a few hours before the homecoming week football game against Goshen.

Led mostly by senior students, the roughly 30-minute rally created plenty of noise among the student body, divided by classes and seated in the bleachers. The Warrior Marching Band was present and played the school fight song. A tricycle race from one end of the gym to the other and a sandbox challenge were also part of the pep rally.

Warrior athletic teams were recognized, such as the girls golf team qualifying for the state finals, cross country qualifying for the regional and the FFA horticulture judging team was recognized for placing first in the national contest Oct. 11.

Wawasee Principal Mike Schmidt addressed the entire student body, but also specifically spoke to the freshman class and said “You have to earn being a Warrior and today you should have taken a step forward. If not, let’s talk about it.”

Friday was green and gold day as part of homecoming week activities at the high school.