Richard Grube is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Barry Goldwater for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX — Under the Friday night lights at Barry Goldwater High School, the cheers start before kickoff and rarely fade. 

The band blares from the stands and the student section bounces to the beat. And on the field, players like Makhi Goliday feed off every roar, turning crowd noise into fuel on game day.

Barry Goldwater’s home field came alive as students, parents and alumni packed the stands to watch the Bulldogs open region play against Dobson. The crowd’s energy set the tone from start to finish — a mix of music, chants and school pride that created an atmosphere players say gives them an edge. The combination of on-field intensity and off-field excitement has become a defining part of what makes game nights at Goldwater feel bigger than football.

“It makes it feel better when everybody’s cheering — the band, the student section — it gets louder and more intense,” freshman running back Eduardo Gastelum said.

Players celebrated every big tackle and touchdown like family, turning the field into an extension of the stands. Whether it was a chest bump after a key stop, or the roar that followed a long run, Barry Goldwater’s energy came from more than just the scoreboard; it came from each other.

“We’re brothers. We came out and we played ball,” said sophomore quarterback Jorge Gastelum.

On the field, that energy often translates into momentum. Every first down, every tackle and every flash of movement on the sideline sends a surge through the team, Jorge said. The Bulldogs thrive on that rhythm, using it to swing drives in their favor and keep the crowd roaring even louder.

Whether it’s celebrating a key stop or hyping up a teammate between plays, The Bulldogs’ sideline never stands still for long. 

That constant spark, head coach Frank Lautt said, often starts with one player in particular: Goliday.

“Makhi’s energy is contagious,” Lautt said. He’s one of those guys who never takes a play off. When he makes a big hit, everyone feeds off it.”

That passion carried through all four quarters when they defeated Dobson, no matter the score or the situation. Even when mistakes happened on special teams or flags flew, the Bulldogs refused to let momentum slip with some big plays fueling more energy in the stadium. 

On the sideline, Goliday was often the loudest voice, shouting encouragement and helping teammates reset for the next play.

“I told them not to put their heads down,” Goliday said. “We just had to lock in, get it back on the next play.”

The energy didn’t just come from the players; it came from the crowd feeding it right back. Parents cheered, the student section shook homemade signs and every big hit or touchdown felt amplified by the noise.

“It’s like the whole school’s behind us,” Jorge said. “You hear that cheering, and you don’t want to stop. It makes you want to play even harder.”