“Definitely, as a competitor, you want to get out there and play!” – Patrick Mahomes.
This is exactly what the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers did on Sunday, Feb. 11. Both teams played hard with amazing spirits for the coveted title of the NFL Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Fun fact: 2024 marks the first year the big game was hosted in the state of Nevada.
The Highlands Youth (HY) Advisory Board hosted the annual Big Game Watch Party at Blakely Hall, where we witnessed the Chiefs take home the Lombardi trophy for the second year in a row.
The NFL, which stands for National Football League, was founded in 1920 and started with 10 teams from four different states. The NFL and AFL were two leagues at one point, but they merged in 1966. Now, 32 teams across the country compete in regular season games and move up on the leader board for the chance to play in the big game each February.
Fun fact: The big game is the most watched annual sporting event in the United States each year.
At our watch party, more than 50 people gathered at Blakely Hall to cheer for their favorite teams. Attendees came decked out in team gear and excited for the big game. Some were cheering for specific teams and others were there just for Taylor Swift or Usher. The game was back and forth in the second half, with the Kansas City Chiefs eventually taking home the win (25-22).
Fun fact: This was the longest game in the history of the NFL Championship, and only the second to go into overtime.
Food is a big part of football watch parties, and this event rose to the challenge. Attendees enjoyed chips, dip, pizza, soda, cookies and more during the game. Crumbl Cookies prepared cookies representing each team. One set of cookies was called “Team Red & Black,” and the other was named “Team Red & Gold.” Which cookies do you think represented each team?
Along with the food, the HY board organized fun activities and games for attendees to enjoy. In honor of Taylor Swift, there was a make-your-own friendship bracelet station for kids to stay busy during the event. Other games featured commercial bingo, football emoji Pictionary, Taylor & Travis trivia, word searches and more. Winners received gift cards to local businesses like Issaquah Ice Cream trike!
All in all, the Issaquah Highlands Big Game watch party was a fun and exciting event for residents. Make to sure to stop by next year for even more fun!
Avik Sitani is a seventh grader on the Highlands Youth Advisory Board and a student at Pacific Cascade Middle School.
