Borden Gym erupted with cheering and students proudly waved class signs over their heads. This was the scene at last Friday’s Winter Pep Rally. Enthused Blue Key Heads waved posters in the center of the gym and imitated Andover students’ anticipation of Head of School Day. When Mrs. Chase, played by Pete Smith ’07, entered the gym, the Blue Key Heads greeted her with cheering, which quickly turned to confusion when the she exclaimed in a high squeaky voice, “I can’t find my field hockey stick!” Although the Pep Rally started with this entertaining skit and got better as the night continued, the event and athletic contests didn’t attract as many people as the fall’s pep rally did. Chelsea Carlson ’09 said, “I couldn’t go because I had previous commitments. It was the end of term. Plus, Fall term is a bigger deal because of the football rivalry. It’s bigger and has more tradition rooted in it.” Despite a smaller hype and crowd, the winter Pep Rally entertained the sports fans that did come. Among the notable skits of the night was Girls’ Varsity Basketball. Although they went for a more traditional route with a fake game and members dressed up as Exies, they shook up custom when “Exie” player Missy Wingard ’09 stopped mid-way through the game to belt out “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera. Girls’ Varsity Squash came out and squashed vegetables on a blue tarp, which knowledgeable audience members recognized as cucumbers, not squash. Next, Boys’ Varsity Basketball showed off their lay-up moves. Boys’ Varsity Hockey split up into groups to perform separate skits, including a talented dance number. J.J. McGregor ’08 and Andrew Cox ’08 paired up for the team’s last skit. Accompanied by roars of laughter from the audience, the two ripped off their clothes to reveal skirts and midriff-baring shirts. The two passionately belted out “All the Things She Said,” by T.a.t.u. McGregor, who found his self-described “glorious” red sequined top at the Andover Thrift Store said, “We stole the show and I was not nervous at all, even though my mom and grandmother were sitting in the top row of the freshmen section with a camera.” Girls’ Varsity Hockey used their skit as an opportunity to make fun of Boys’ Varsity Hockey by exclaiming, “Wow, I’m so good looking!” and “She is SO into me.” To make fun of the boys’ skit from last year, where the boys twirled yellow streamers while singing a touching rendition of an Aladdin song, the girls’ skit ended with Nancy Ann Little ’08 swirling around the gym with pink streamers. Nadine Khan ’09z said, “It was entertaining, and I was able to enjoy the skit even though I wasn’t here last year. I was cracking up!” The night took a violent turn when the Blue Key Heads captured an Exeter student, played by Eli Grover ’09, and interrogated him about the missing field hockey stick. When Howe yelled, “Exies, assemble!” audience members dressed in red jumped out of the bleachers, but were beaten by Blue Key Heads. As the Exies lay silent on the barren floor, a light descended from the rafters as the field hockey stick was lowered to the open arms of entranced Blue Key Heads. Despite their best efforts, it’s safe to say that the Exies failed to steal our Head of School Day. Go Big Blue!
