It was set to be a hard-fought game, a match between rivals, but then the unexpected happened - a technical malfunction just as the National Anthem was set to play during Monday night's game between Rockland High School and East Bridgewater High School's girl's soccer teams.
"Nothing played, it was just that awkward silence, everyone is looking around giggling at each other," Brian Berard said.
But then something did happen - one person started singing the National Anthem. Then five joined. Countless voices joined in.
"All the fans, parents, kids, students," Katie Smith, an East Bridgewater student said. "It showed that no matter people's differences, if you hate them, you like them, you can come together and unite as one, for one time."
Amari Henry agrees.
"Not really realizing the impact of what we were actually doing," the East Bridgewater student said. "It shows that as a community, and as people in general, we can come together and, sing a song that has a lot of meaning to it."
In cell phone video of the Anthem, players from Rockland can be seen singing too.
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"The best part about it was that it was really organic, there was no contrived sort of plan," East Bridgewater's Girl's Soccer Coach Brendon Boates said. "It is a bit of a rivalry between two schools but it was nice to see them sort of unite for a common cause."
Rockland's players agreed.
"Once we all started singing and it got louder it just felt like really cool and in the moment we felt together," Jaymie Atkins said. "No matter what is happening, in that situation it doesn't matter because people can come together in times like that."
The anthem ended with a huge cheer from the crowd.
"All of a sudden everyone got into it, and it was really cool, it was a cool moment to see," Rockland's Soccer Coach Lauren Rizzotti's said.
