The first year varsity player showed confidence, focus, and playmaking ability in Lindbergh High School’s rivalry game against Renton High School.

Lindbergh High School vs Renton High School always means competition, pride, and energy. For Freshman Dom Kelly starting on varsity, this rivalry game was the perfect chance to show what he could do.

Kelly said stepping onto the field against Renton High School felt different. “After the first play, I got into it,” he said. “I started making a bunch of plays.” The locker room before kickoff set the tone for the night. “Everyone was turnt and hyped up,” he said. When asked what song best described the game, Kelly didn’t hesitate “ Take Over Your Trap by 2 Chainz.”

With the stands packed and the crowd hyped, the pressure was high, but so was the motivation. “It was both,” Kelly said. “Knowing the home crowd was there made me want to go harder.” Even when Renton High School switched up their plays, Kelly said it came down to trusting the film and practice. “You remember what you worked on all week and what your coach told you,” he explained.

The highlight of his night came when he caught a touchdown from teammate Bernard Bourgeois. “That was my favorite moment,” he said. Still, there were plays he wished he could redo. “I wish I tried harder on one specific play to stop their guy,” he said. “And that first fumble, if we got it, the whole game might’ve been different.”

Even as a freshman, Kelly showed maturity beyond his age. “I don’t really need people to hype me up,” he said. “I just get mentally ready during the week and stay in that mindset the whole game.” 

Kelly described the rivalry in one word, intense.