Libertyville, Lake Forest students show their spirit
They screamed, they stomped and they danced.
Students from Libertyville and Lake Forest high schools piled into the Libertyville High gymnasium hours before the early class bell to take part in a pep rally as part of the NBC 5 “Prep Destination of the Week.”
The event, which ran from 5:30 to 7 a.m., featured about 600 Libertyville students who celebrated their football team directly across from about 200 students from Lake Forest.
The Lake Forest students were bused in early to take part in the pep rally, said Libertyville athletic director Briant Kelly.
“This has been a lot of fun,” Kelly said after taking a break from serving as emcee of the event. “There’s been a lot of support for teams on both sides. It’s a great way to promote high school football, and high school athletics in general.”
Libertyville students were asked to show support for their school by arriving at the Route 176 campus at 5:30 a.m. dressed in their best spirit garb, carrying homemade signs and screaming as loudly as possible when the cameras went live.
That display was played out on live television during segments of NBC 5’s morning newscast and the station’s special “Dance Friday” segment at 6:55 a.m.
NBC 5 announced Wednesday the game between Libertyville and Lake Forest would be the featured prep game of the week following an online vote on the newscast’s Facebook page.
The football game — scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday — edged out a game between Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South to win the prep destination of the week. Plainfield North against Plainfield South came in third place.
During the pep rally, Libertyville varsity football coach Randy Kuceyeski was honored for his years of service to Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 and high school football in the state.
Kuceyeski announced a couple of years ago the 2011 campaign — his 18th — would be his last. Following that announcement, doctors diagnosed him with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of cancer.
“I never expected this big of a turnout for a pep rally at 5:30 a.m.,” Kuceyeski said as the festivities wound down. “This is great for high school football.”