At any football game, basketball game, or sporting event, there is the Marauder Mob,  present and ready to hype up their peers.

The Marauder Mob consists of the student body who are dedicated to getting other students more involved in sporting events and giving players encouragement.

The student section at Mt. Vernon was usually only large at homecoming games, but since the Marauder Mob officially started, more students are attending sporting events and supporting their fellow Marauders.

“The marauder mob really helps you get hype for the game and helps get you in the zone,” said Tyler Bostic, 12, who is on the boys’ basketball team. “The support the student section brings really helps out when your team is down and needs a spark. Also when your friends are there cheering you on it brings another level of competitiveness out of you.”

The Marauder Mob officers consist of seniors Anna Howard, Grace Hurst, Trevor Bond, Michael McKeeman, Brooklyn Wilson, Cassidy Parker, Mary Claire Timberlake, and Cole Van Slyke. It is led by advisor Mrs. Amanda Ruble.

One thing that is unique to The Marauder Mob is that when football games open at home, the mob does special dances or gestures for each player to get the home section hyped for the game.

“At games we hype up the crowd through ‘Defense’ chants, ‘D-up’ chants, and sometimes we join in on the cheers demonstrated by the cheerleaders to show we are all one cheer block,” said Brooklyn Wilson, 12, an officer for the Marauder Mob. “At the beginning of every home game, the starting boys basketball lineup goes through a routine that incorporates the student section. For example, one player comes up to the student section and does a gesture, and the student section reacts to it. These are different for every starting player. We also have our own pinky up gesture for any free throw thrown, which is very unique.”

These gestures really make a difference to the players.

“I love it when the student section gets loud and tries to distract the opposing team,” said Bostic.

The Marauder Mob is even competing with other schools in team spirit.

Wilson said, “We also had a lot of people show up at the New Castle game which was shocking to me because of the drive. Our student section was actually bigger than the student section of New Castle’s at their own home game.”

Any student at Mount Vernon can be part of the Marauder Mob. The Mob meets during SRT on Friday. Any questions can be directed to Mrs. Ruble or one of the officers.