No chants, no disrespect from fans, no yelling on third down.

The Skyline fans were different on homecoming night against Redmond on October 24, even as the team cruised to their seventh consecutive victory without the opposing team scoring more than 6 points.

Skyline fans vacate the stands just after halftime at the Homecoming Game versus Redmond on October 25, 2008.

Photo Credit: Jordan Faires

Blame it on the anticipation for homecoming, blame it on the “Finding Sparty” school pride video we had earlier in the day, blame it on the overwhelming over-excitement in the Eastlake and Issaquah games, the fans were warn out. Although the crowd participated in the normal act of standing, they didn’t do much else — even when touchdowns were scored or fumbles recovered, the school seemed lackluster.

In fact, the two biggest interest points for football fans and school fans were not the game, but instead the presence of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who was checking out Jake Heaps in person, and the homecoming king and queen nomination, respectively.

Heaps put on a show for Weis. Though he missed his senior backup receivers on the first drive, he came back out with sophomore wide out Kasen Williams on drive two and moved the ball, eventually finding senior Jake Knecht behind his man for an easy score.

That was only the first scene. Within the first quarter, Heaps hit Gino Simone for a 84-yard screen pass touchdown, and hit the almost-omnipotent Williams on a 38-yard pass. To finish out his day, he hit Williams again for a score in the second quarter. After taking some hits, the quarterback was finished, and Weis exited the stadium unscathed.

There wasn’t much of a purpose, that we can know of, for Weis’ visit, other than to show that he is very interested in attracting the sophomore quarterback. Heaps has already received an offer from Notre Dame, so it wasn’t a scouting trip as much as an, “I’m here to see you,” visit by Weis, who will be coaching his team against the University of Washington on October 25, 2008.

But undoubtedly the famed Notre Dame coach left Skyline Stadium hopeful. Heaps threw for four touchdowns and 271 yards and left the game with a head full of confidence. This won’t be his last scholarship offer, though this, and BYU, might be the most intriguing.

Then, after a couple of kicks, the half was over, and the true show began. Seniors Andrew Johnson and Martha Palamino were named Homecoming Prince and Princess, while Mikey Lange and Hannah Hansen were voted as the King and Queen.

Then, like fans at a Washington State football game, the Spartans’ student section almost flew out of their seats. It was unprecedented, very few fans were actually there to support their team that night. Where in the past the majority of the student section would stay, blowout or no blowout, to late in the game, everybody seemed to have better things to do this Friday night.

They left for a good reason. The Spartans put up seven more points and gave up six in a boring second half, filled with second stringers and a lack of motivation.

There were a golden few seniors still left, chanting and all, by late in the third quarter. Among them, Layne Miyazaki, Nick Kosenkranius, Chase Simpson, and Sean Kolar. But that was it, and the night was over, with yet another boring Skyline blowout.