Rain Doesn't Dampen Spirits Despite Loss for Longhorns Football

Swimsuits, floaties, inner tubes, goggles, beach balls -- sounds like a day at the pool.

But it was hardly that, or a day at the beach for the Parkway West Longhorns (0-2) football team Friday night.

In the nearly continuous rainfall Friday while St. Louis received backlashes from the dissipating Hurricane Isaac weather pattern, plans for athletic competitions altered throughout the area.

Football remained at Parkway West.

The Longhorns cheering section decided to make the most of the weather and, knowing they would get drenched anyway, came decked out in swimwear, ponchos and other beach party notables.

"We decided to make it a beach theme," said Victoria Bezzole, a senior on the Parkway West poms team leading cheers of the crowd during halftime.

Visit Ballwin-Ellisville Patch on Facebook for more photos from Friday's game.

Bezzole said she and other students trekked to Target and grabbed some leftover pool gear to share, despite the poms routine being cancelled for their usual halftime performance because of rain.

"We got the word out through Twitter and the senior Facebook page," Bezzole said. "It's so great to see."

Kevin Doherty, junior, agreed. "They'll come through," Doherty said, with fellow students Jon Vogel and Matt Stewart chiming in: "It's like being at a waterpark but more fun."

But the Longhorns didn't come through. On the turf field at Parkway West, the Ladue Rams (1-1) led at the top of the half 20 to 7. With a score left unadvanced through the 3rd quarter, the Rams went for another touchdown near the beginning of the 4th to be denied through a penalty. 

It didn't take long for the Rams to redeem it, running in a touchdown close to the 10-minute mark in the final quarter. An extra point attempt failed at first, but another flag against the Longhorns grants another try for Ladue. With 8:25 left in the game, the Rams were on top 34 to 7.

With the mix of an interception and Ladue's running drives, turnovers and failure to advance the ball granted another touchdown and extra point to the Rams. As the rain picked up to pouring, Ladue took and maintained the final score of 41 to 7 with less than 5 minutes remaining in the final quarter.

Parkway West will take their game on the road to Kirkwood High Sept. 7. Ladue will compete next Sept. 8 at McCluer South-Berkeley at 2 p.m. 

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