By Tara Martin | Social Media Editor
Operation Football typically works outside, away from the freshmen cookout. The two events had to share the ALC cafeteria on Aug. 31 due to a chance of rain before Avon took on Hamilton Southeastern for their Friday night football game.
Operation Football is a program started by WTHR-TV 25 years ago that covers high school football, cheerleaders, marching bands, and the fans. This year, the radio station 99.5 WZPL has partnered with WTHR to gift the school who shows the most spirit a free concert at their high school.
“We’re hanging out with WTHR for Operation Football. We’re hanging out with you guys and just having fun,” WZPL host Dylan Salisbury said.
WTHR and WZPL travels to a different high school with a home football game every Friday, looking for who can show the most school spirit.
“New Pal (New Palestine High School) really showed out, Mt. Vernon [High School] was kind of quiet, Avon might be the best school so far, so we’ll see,” Salisbury said.
Despite the weather advisory, Salisbury was confident that being inside would not damper Operation Football.
“The best school so far before this was New Pal. That was inside and they were hyped about it,” Salisbury said. “I think it can be just as exciting.”
The freshmen cookout and Operation Football brought cornhole, face painting, and even a pizza eating contest to the ALC. Winner of the pizza eating contest, freshmen Christian Skinner, blamed peer pressure for his participation.
“I almost choked but I got some money,” Skinner said. “$10 gift card for some music. It feels good.”
Freshmen Tyler Body did not expect to be on TV because of Operation Football when he initially signed up to attend the freshmen cookout.
“[The cookout] just seemed fun. All my friends are here so I was just like, ‘why not?’ and it’s free,” Body said. “It was just there and everybody was on it so it was fun. It’s just cool to be on TV.”
Freshmen Zaya Adagbada said that being on TV hyped the crowd up for the game against Hamilton Southeastern.
“It was amazing. I never experienced anything like that before,” Adagbada said.
The Orioles went on to beat HSE in a 29-6 win.
The Avon Echo 