For the first time, Searcy had a powderpuff game to raise money for a local charity


“We talked about it over the summer, but Cassidy made it all come together,” said senior and Powderpuff player Becca Buterbaugh.


Cheerleaders decided to put on this event as a fundraiser for the Elliot Foundation.


Powderpuff football consisted of junior and senior girls being split up onto two teams per grade competing in a friendly game of flag football.


Buterbaugh explained that she was glad the program got started.


“I bonded with the girls and we had so much fun learning the game and acting crazy,” said Buterbaugh.


The girls had two hour practices twice a week for approximately four weeks.


While the girls were learning plays, creating strategies, and building team spirit, the boys from the football team became the coaches and cheerleaders for the girls.


“We came out here to play flag football; we coach a team. We’ve been working on this for about four weeks now,” said senior and Powderpuff coach Collin Whitney.


Seniors Claire Maddox and Carli White were confident that their team would do well.

“We’re going to win because we’re the Cyclones,” said both Maddox and White.


The intensity of the game caused drama between the teams.


“They get brutal. People start yelling and throwing punches. It gets real,” said senior and Powderpuff coach Matthew Duncan.


The football boys learned a dance and some cheerleading skills to incorporate in the game.



“My favorite part was saying that I could be a Searcy cheerleader at one point in my life,” said sophomore and Powderpuff cheerleader Jimmie Pollanen.


At half time, the boys got to show their skills.


“We did this amazing dance at half-time. We perfected it,” explained Pollanen. “We did some jumps; we did some cheers. It was an amazing experience.”


All the proceeds from the ticket to get in to the game and the concessions went to the Dr. Robert E. Elliott Foundation.