Cardinal pride was evident Tuesday when McLean Middle School held a fall athletics pep rally for all the school’s athletic teams.

The pep rally encouraged higher attendance at home games, math instruction specialist Tracy Smith said. 

“The largest thing that McLean takes pride in is its sense of family here,” she said.

The football team is currently 1-0 going into a match against Morningside, the only opponent to beat them last year. The Cardinals’ team captains are Aubrey Morris, Jackson Cook, Jeffrey Carter and Kingsley Ehiemua. 

Aubrey Morris, eighth-grade right guard and free safety, said he felt “reenergized” by the pep rally.

Volleyball is also undefeated, starting the season 3-0 with captains Abby Hyman and Maci Nielson leading the team.

Cross country is looking to improve on last year’s second place finish for girls and fourth for boys. Ryan Fox captains the boys’ team and Elena Aleman is girls’ cross country captain.

The pep rally featured activities ranging from a cheerleading routine to a team captain food-eating contest. Teachers competed in a game of “Chubby Bunny,” a marshmallow-eating game.  Competitors fit as many marshmallows as they could into their mouths while trying to clearly recite the words “chubby bunny.”