Seniors best juniors in 30th annual Plum powderpuff game

Senior and junior girls competed in the 30th annual powderpuff game for Plum Senior High School, with the seniors pulling away to win 20-0.

In the defensive battle, the senior girls scored the first touchdown with approximately three minutes left in the first half on a run by Mia Matolcsy. It was the only score for most of the game, as the last two were scored in the fourth quarter. Those two were also runs, this time by Emily Kvortek and Kendall James. Dannika Susko made two of three extra-point attempts.

The junior team was coached by teachers Fisher Bagiatis, Kendall Holland, Dom DelVecchio and Megan Hugo. Coaching the seniors were Mustangs football player Kade Thomas and teachers Eric Gillis, Megan Spillar and Eric Jasper.

“I think the seniors did really well,” said Thomas. “We had a little bit of a slow start on offense, but we got rolling and were able to put points up. Our defense played great. A shutout with no points allowed: Can’t ask for more from them.”

The game was hosted by the Plum Senior High School student government and National Honor Society, with proceeds split among four charities.

“The (turnout) is incredibly good,” said Alex Miller, student council president. “Everyone has been looking forward to this. Two years ago, covid really impacted it. We didn’t get a big turnout. Last year was a little chilly, but this year, everything is aligning and it’s going well.”

The National Honor Society ran a 50/50 raffle and Chuck-a-Duck charity, with proceeds from those going toward the society’s annual Make-A-Wish telethon, scheduled for Dec. 22. The rest of the money, including ticket fees and shout-out donations, went toward the student government’s charities of TJD Spread Positivity, Cure JM Foundation and Palm Beach County Cares.

TJD Spread Positivity is a local charity created by Jody Dojonovic in honor of her son, Thomas Jack Dojonovic, who passed away in 2019. Thomas was known for spreading positivity wherever he went and the charity, according to their website, is “committed to allocating kindness and dignity to others through various acts of kindness.”

Palm Beach County Cares provides help to those who suffered losses due to Hurricane Ian this past year. The hurricane left over 2 million people without power and had a death toll of at least 101. Miller said that some students of Plum had family members in the affected areas, hence the reasoning for choosing the charity.

Cure JM, according to its website, is the “global leader in juvenile myositis research.” The disease “involves a runaway immune response where the body’s immune system attacks its own cells and tissues.” The charity is a personal one to Miller, who younger sister was diagnosed with JM when she was 4 years old.

The annual Plum Make-A-Wish telethon has been taken place at the high school since 1999 and has raised over $1 million, the most any school in the nation has raised for the charity.

“Incredibly excited,” Connor Pivirotto, National Honor Society president and powderpuff cheerleader, said about the telethon. “All of our students have been putting in so much work to raise money for Make-A-Wish, and I’m so proud of everyone that’s made a contribution.”

The powderpuff game was the school district’s second such event of the year, with the middle school hosting its own on Oct. 27. That game was also a defensive battle, with the seventh graders pulling away 7-0 on a Kiersten Sully touchdown run.

Miller said that there are discussions to host a spring powderpuff game to allow those who couldn’t participate this year due to being a fall sport athlete a chance to play.