“Go, go horses…”

The letter D was lit. Fire covered the diesel-soaked shirts in seconds. “Everybody yell ‘go horses!’”

All of the letters were ablaze as the cheerleaders continued to yell at the community pep rally. Finally came the numbers: 2020. This year’s seniors are the first class to light numbers in the twenties decade.

“It was such a cool sight when the first letter was lit,” senior Jayce Hackebeil said. “It finally hit me that this was our last Homecoming.”

To celebrate the Warhorses’ Homecoming football game, there is a community pep rally every year.

“This pep rally is different compared to regular ones because we have to cheer on a trailer,” senior Kaylee Howard said. “The material that we perform had to be more interactive with the crowd.”

For the second year in a row, the graduating class had the chance to have the pep really outside and light the “DHS 2020” phrase on fire after not being done in 5 years.

“It feels great that our class had the chance to have the Homecoming pep rally outside,” senior Myla Miles said. “Last year’s was fun, but this year’s was better because I’m a senior.”

The 52° weather did not stop the band. At 7:15, they marched in ready to liven up the crowd’s spirit.

“Low temperatures outside make it a bit more difficult to play, but our job is to excite the crowd, so we did the best we could,” senior Clarissa Maldonado said.

Following the band, the cheerleaders, who stood on a trailer, performed routine dances to the songs, threw candy and shouted chants and cheers.

“It’s kind of weird having to stand on a trailer because we don’t have a lot of room to move and everyone is looking up at us,” Howard said. “We’re the center of attention at all of the pep rallies but especially this one.”

During the first chant, Coach Devin Rotramel began to light the letters with a pear burner. The flames caught the crowd’s attention almost immediately.

“I rushed to get a picture before the fire went out because I wanted to remember this big moment of our senior year,” senior Kelsey Arche said. “I want to highlight this year, so I really tried to capture the perfect shot.”

Seniors began to take pictures in front of the letters as the parts of the shirts started to burn up and fall to the ground.

“I knew I needed to hurry to take pictures before all the shirts burned up,” senior Jasmine Pompa said. “I was so excited to be standing in front of my graduating class’ year.”

While taking a class picture, the band played the school’s Alma Mater. The seniors swayed and sang along.

“I got so emotional,” senior Janaee Wofford said. “It’s our last year and our last Homecoming pep rally.”

After the pep rally ended and a majority underclassmen left, a handful of seniors stayed to look at the burning “DHS 2020” and socialize with friends.

“It’s so weird to think we’re graduating in a couple of months,” senior Jake Harrell said. “Seeing the ‘DHS 2020’ letters and numbers on fire was a moment we all appreciated.”