Elated cheers erupted from the stands as cheerleaders cascaded through the air. The hand-made signs hovered over the sea of roaring fans in chartreuse safety-vests. It was official,  Orange Rush had returned.

The 2022-2023 sports season held one of its first home openers, a boys soccer match against Collinsville, on Aug. 30. The theme for the game was neon and with it came one of the largest Orange Rush attendances in the history of EHS soccer.

“It is so amazing,” senior Makaila O’Dell said. “It is so exciting to have everyone here together with our spirit.”

The enthusiasm from the fans played a role not just in the stands, but also on the field.

“The energy was amazing. I loved seeing so many people supporitng us,” senior soccer player Axton Anom said. “It definitely lifted the spirits of my teammates… a lot of sports don’t get to see this turnout, so I’m happy we were able to have them out there.”

Orange Rush leader, senior Lexi Trimm, has noticed the increase of support and presence from students during games, and she wants to keep it that way.

“After the last several years of having limited fan sections due to covid and lack of attendance, this was a huge win for Orange Rush,” Trimm said. “It was so much fun and an experience that I hope is kept up all year.”

Besides Trimm, another group of people have recognized the new wave of student support – the cheerleaders.

“It’s so amazing,” senior cheerleader Avarie Schwarz said. “I love all the people cheering with us, it’s great.”

The cheerleaders try to raise the crowd’s energy during the game. But, according to senior cheerleader Maddi Ostrowski, it didn’t take much for this game.

“They all looked so excited, I really love the amount of participation from Orange Rush this year,” Ostrowski said. “I think this game was just the sneak peak of what the rest of the season is going to look like.”

Ultimately when the clock ran out, Collinsville won the game 2-0; which for some spectators would be a disappointment. But, the students of Orange Rush seem to look at it in another way.

“The energy was hype,” senior Sam Wittek said. “The soccer game did not go as intended but the energy was definitely there.”