The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl last Sunday night in a gritty, back and forth battle.
With a packed out Allegiant Stadium and tens of millions of people watching across the country, the first Super Bowl in Las Vegas surely didn’t disappoint. In a game that started off slow with many self-inflicted mistakes, it was an eyesore for watchers, especially those not familiar with watching football. Going into halftime, the score was just 10-3 with the 49ers leading, and left many viewers hoping that it wouldn’t end up like another Super Bowl LIII, a game a few years prior whose final score was only 13-3.
Shadow Ridge High School senior Brayden Hornyak was one of these viewers, stating, “I was worried that this was going to end up being a boring Super Bowl after that first half. There’s so many good players on each team, and it would be disappointing if we didn’t get to see the true talent of all of the players.”
An unamusing first half only gained more excitement for the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer, Usher, a music icon who’s been in the industry for over 30 years. With predictions swarming social media in the days prior, many were curious regarding what songs he would perform and who he could potentially bring out as guest performers.
“I was actually surprised he was able to perform that many songs and bring out the guests he did,” Shadow Ridge senior Joseph Martins said. “I don’t really know too many Usher songs, but nonetheless, he put on a fun and entertaining performance, especially towards the end.”
The second half of the game initially started with more of the same, but after the 49ers muffed a punt, the Chiefs scored a touchdown, truly marking the start of the competition. After several back and forth nail-biting drives that would surely raise any Chiefs or Niners fan heart rate as high as the Stratosphere, the game became just the second Super Bowl in history to go to overtime.
Shadow Ridge senior Carson Depauw definitely felt the pressure despite watching at home, saying, “There were so many moments where I thought either team could run away with the lead, but the other wouldn’t let them. I will say, I wasn’t surprised the game went into overtime once it hit the fourth quarter. The game was too close and competitive, an overtime outcome was definitely in the realm of possibility.”
The 49ers won the coin toss and decided to get the ball first, but due to a stand by the Chiefs defense, they were only able to come out with a field goal. This resulted in the Chiefs getting the ball back, and led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Patrick Mahomes, they marched down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown, marking the end of weeks of debate and discussion in one of the most polarizing cities in the country.
“I was very entertained and happy with how the game turned out, despite there being a lot of opposition to the Chiefs winning,” Depauw explained. “I’m just glad it’s finally over, and the national spotlight can finally be taken off Las Vegas so us residents can try to get back to normalcy.”
This year’s Super Bowl was undoubtedly one for the books. Despite doubt and controversy surrounding the game, each factor contributed perfectly into making a textbook performance in the entertainment capital of the world.
