KAILA WARD | staff writer
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courtesy of Ken Williams
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| The Blackout crew taunts Biola's Chelsea De Luca in the second half of the women's basketball game. |
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The APU-Biola rivalry, the biggest athletic event of the year to many students, has been an awaited event on campus and the time finally came last night, February 10. In the Felix Event Center, another year of APU tradition was in full swing. Students began the “ultimate blackout fan” transformation hours earlier with face-paint booths set up on east and west campus. Also in high demand were painted bare bellies and any type of Biola-gimmick plastered on poster board. Fans started filing into the gym at the climax of the APU women’s game, in which the Cougars earned a dramatic 68-66 win over Biola.
Tip-off of the men’s game sparked the excitement in the crowd. With Biola quick to gain possession, APU fans reacted accordingly with a roaring “DE-FENSE” cheer. To ensue the enthusiasm in the crowd, guard Dominique Johnson lit up the scoreboard with a three pointer. The crowd went crazy and hopes were high.
Not too much farther into the half, Biola began to pick up many points because of the Cougars’ abundance of turnovers. This would have been the perfect opportunity for fans to lose interest or support, but not for the Blackout fans. In addition to the usual “Crazy 8’s” B-L-A-C-K-O-U-T shirts, 10 students wore T-shirt spelling B-I-O-L-A S-U-C-K-S to complement a bare-bellied B-E-A-T B-I-O-L-A group. Not to be so self-centered as to demean the Biola crew, the Eagles crowd held their own in a gym overwhelmingly dominated by people with red faces and black shirts. Though they were a small minority, they got their point across with their renditions of “Let’s Go Eagles.”
Junior guard David Stafford put an end to somewhat of a dry spell with a two-point lay-up as the first half was ending. Following Stafford’s lead, forward Caleb Burgess shot for a three-pointer and made it just as the buzzer rang for halftime. Although APU was trailing Biola, 31-20, optimism was still pervading through the crowd at halftime.
The APU competition cheer squad enticed fans with their quick-paced stunts and tumbling during the halftime performance. In fact, the cheer squad so heavily captivated the crowd that a few students decided to try their own stunts on the sidelines. Associated Student Body president Brice Myers chose to show his support with a continuous set of back flips. And when the crowd called for an encore, Brice delivered.
To follow his example, fans in the upper seating level were adamant in fulfilling the classic sports game cliché. The wave. After a few “practice” attempts, our beloved blackout fans were able to come together for a unified wave movement just as the second half began. Despite the decline in APU baskets during the second half, blackout fans were still jazzed from the halftime pep to be too discouraged.
Fans were displaying extraneous dedication to the Cougars, with signs decorated especially extravagant, and many of them dedicated to a specific player. Areas among the crowd include the “Caffese Corner” or the “Dom Squad,” and an entire section was labeled, “#24 Stafford Injection Section.”
When it became apparent that Biola would take the win this time around, blackout fans remained unified. Having beat Biola at their home during winter break, APU head coach Justin Leslie was not surprised by the Eagles’ vast victory.
“Anytime you lose a game on your home floor, there is a focus about going out and avenging that loss,” Leslie said.
With an final score of 76-54, Leslie can only hope that this game served as motivation to the team.
“If anything I hope it [this game] serves as a warning that you can’t take any game for granted,” Leslie said.
Both fans and players carried out good sportsmanship and conduct during and after the game. Blackout fans finished the game in positive spirit, ending the night chanting, “This is God’s House” at center court. This goes to show that no matter where the Cougars line up, Blackout fans will be cheering for APU until the end. The rivalry remains a successful tradition at APU, with Blackout fans coming out to do what they do best—support their Cougars.
