Throughout this winter season, Antioch Community High School has hosted numerous important boys and girls basketball games. During these games, there tends to be a common theme: students pack the student section. Whether it is a crosstown rival game or an IHSA Playoff game, there is always a rowdy crowd at Antioch. The students rally around one another during large games and important moments; that is what makes Antioch special.
One downside to these games is that the majority of the time, there tends to be a mess waiting in the student section after games. The seniors that lead the student section seem to have found a way to help leave their side of the stands better than they found it.
Senior Adam Pankau is one of the leaders and loves when Antioch brings a huge crowd out to games. Pankau is a two-sport athlete and knows what it feels like to play in the big game. He also has found out what needs to be done after the contest to keep his school clean.
“We always try to leave the section just as good if not better than before the game,” Pankau said.
Senior Tegan Martinez loves when the student section is up and rowdy. Martinez is a multi-sport athlete as well and has played varsity lacrosse since his freshman year of high school. He has played in his fair share of big games throughout his high school career and loves to bring the energy that he has felt in his games.
“After all the home games, me and my friends pick up the garbage in the stands,” Martinez said.
Senior Paul Adams has played football all four years of high school and loves that he is a part of the student section. Adams knows what it is like to play in a packed Antioch vs. Lakes game and is just figuring out what the consequences are of there being a contest of that magnitude. He has realized the endless amount of trash that is left behind and has done a lot to minimize that.
“Most of it starts right after the game ends,” Adams said. “If you tell people to take their garbage out with them it usually is cleaner after. From there, I usually just start top to bottom picking up all the pieces of trash.”
