The week of Sep. 4, there was confusion between administration and the student section ahead of the McIntosh Chiefs’ home football game against Central High School on Sep. 8. The McIntosh Chiefs official Instagram page posted the theme “neon” and McIntosh Student Section Instagram page posted “white out” for the game. 

“I was very confused the entire time,” junior Zoe Mitchell said. 

The confusion began the day of the game, when McIntosh student section socials posted that the theme would be “white out, where all students dress in white apparel.” The official McIntosh Chiefs Instagram, run by administration, posted a video of the senior section leaders James Hooper and Ava Guest, saying that the theme of the game would be “neon,” causing an hours-long back-and-forth of social media communication among students and leaving them unsure of their outfit plans for the football game. 

“I don’t want to be the only people showing up in neon, while all the other kids are showing up in white,” a sophomore, who wished their identity be withheld, said. 

Even though the original theme for the game came from administration’s annoucement was neon, some students preferred white-out as the theme. Students ended up showing up to the game in the theme they thought was best, resulting in a student section that was a mixture of neon and white out apparel. 

“We had a big controversy. Originally it was neon and then some people wanted white-out,” senior student section leader James Hooper said. 

The 2024 senior class Snapchat argued over the theme of the game. Some seniors preferred white out because the football team would be wearing their white jerseys and wanted to represent the team. 

“Most people were for white-out and then they were starting to get mad because admin said no,” a senior who was part of the group chat and wished their identity be withheld, said. 

The students in the senior group chat had mixed reviews for both football game themes. 

“Majority wanted white out, minority wanted neon and those middle ones that were just like, ‘Let’s just do both,’” an anonymous McIntosh senior said. 

Junior Sophie Castellon, who showed up to the game wearing a combination of white and neon, was one such student. Castellon wore a white top with multi-colored cargo pants.

“It’s very confusing but I just wore both,” Castellon said.

This situation brings to light the issue of who really chooses the football game theme, the seniors or the administration.

“The seniors have been choosing the themes for so long. Like, what’s the point in changing it now?” the senior said. 

On an Instagram story poll, the Trail asked followers, “Should students or admin determine the game themes?” Forty-three voters chose “Students” while “Admin” received no votes. Five respondents suggested “Both.”

“There has never been a bad theme;  everyone has always liked it,” the senior said. 

The Chiefs fell to Central, 21 to 40, and the Chiefs play Landmark Christian Academy in an away game that begins at Landmark at 7:30 p.m.

The next home game is the Homecoming game on Oct. 6.