After a day full of gray clouds, just minutes before the Oct. 28 football game and senior night, pre-game senior presentations were canceled due to heavy rainfall.

Senior night is the last home football game of the season, and it is a time to recognize the seniors of Friday Night Lights for their dedication to the school. Many organizations have their own traditions, but the most notable is senior presentations, where each 12-grader involved in FNL is walked across the field by their family members.

“That’s what we do for senior night,” Maci Wimbish (12) said, “Just make it special for the seniors and really highlight them for that night.”

The weather had forecasted thunderstorms for the game during the days preceding the original senior night. Even with warnings, though, many seniors including Belle, Erin Prewitt (12), didn’t expect the total cancellation of presentations.

“I wanted to cry; I did cry,” Prewitt said. “I was so upset because all I really cared about was getting to have my parents walk me on the field for senior night because I’ve looked forward to it since my freshman year.”

Many groups have specific senior night activities, but most of the celebrations were postponed or canceled altogether because of the storms.

“We were supposed to hang up [senior] posters next to where we sit in the stands,” Prewitt said, “but that obviously got rescheduled.”

Organizations such as the Mighty Jaguar Band, the Belles, and the cheerleaders were informed about the cancellation of presentations while waiting on buses for lightning delays. Disappointment settled in among the groups, but Morgan Satterwhite (12) describes how the cheerleaders made the best out of the unfortunate situation.

“[Presentations] got canceled while we were still on the bus,” Satterwhite said, “so we ended up just walking down that aisle on the bus holding our flowers.”

After numerous lightning delays, canceled senior activities and the absence of a halftime show, the game continued and the last football event at the MISD stadium for the 2022 season closed with a Jaguar win. However, an unexpected second opportunity to recognize seniors was presented after the Jaguars took home the district championship at the next game, allowing for one last home-field match to kick off playoffs.

“​​I was so excited when I heard it was rescheduled,” Prewitt said. “I’m so thankful that we get [to have presentations] because that’s what I’ve been wanting to do, and I feel like all of our seniors deserve that.”

Many seniors were ecstatic about the rescheduled game and presentations, and a sense of thankfulness rang clearly throughout their class.

“We were really grateful that we get to do that now,” Satterwhite said. “Especially now that we get to have another home game where it’s not going to be pouring down rain the entire time.”

Senior night presentations took place on Nov. 10, which was also the last home-field game, for good this time. Although bittersweet, Wimbish reflects on why the night was impactful for her.

“Finally, we [got] our moment,” Wimbish said. “Each year, seniors get their own moment and I don’t think we should skip out on that.”