Mustang Maniacs Create ‘Big Community’ at Monticello High School

Senior Leaders Organize Student Section to Bring the Heat, Noise to School Sports

By Nora Garretson, Monticello High School

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — School spirit is never in short supply at Monticello High School, thanks in part to a group of students known as the Mustang Maniacs. The face of a vivacious fandom for student sports, these Maniacs take it upon themselves to show up for their fellow students in a multitude of ways.

The group, led by six seniors who make up the Maniacs’ leadership, collaborates from the stands of the student section. Their consistent presence supports not only the student athletes playing on the court and field, but also their fellow Mustangs cheering in the stands behind them.

“It’s so important for the team you’re rooting for to see school spirit and energy and people supporting them,” says Clyde Jones, a Maniac student leader for the 2025-26 school year.

At the end of the winter basketball season, each of the six graduating senior leaders selects one junior to take the reins for the following school year. Passing down the responsibility of running the Instagram account and organizing students to attend games, the cycle continues with each senior class.

The Maniacs are an entirely student-founded and student-run group. Who the batch of incoming leaders will be is up to the discretion of the serving leaders, empowering them to think of the legacy they will leave behind. 

“I’m looking for somebody who is excited about the school, excited about sports,” remarks Jones, “but also just somebody who people can look up to, has a positive influence on school spirit, and will represent the school well.”

At the last basketball game of the past season, it was announced that Ruby Davis, Margaret Viccellio, Tate Eberl, Luke Outland, Pierce Reuter and Maiya Halliday will be the student leaders for the 2026-27 school year.

When choosing which games to rally behind, the Maniacs devote most of their energy to varsity boys’ football and basketball. Quinlyn Peper, 2025-26 Maniac student leader, notes that these sports are “very notorious, loud, get up, get ready kind of games.” 

During these games, the aptly named Maniacs bring the heat, the noise, and the encouragement, setting the tone for the electric atmosphere that courses through the student section. Clad in the designated theme for the night, their positive energy is relentless: When the Mustangs are performing well, the Maniacs mirror the team's spirited efforts right back, and when the Mustangs are in a deficit, the Maniacs are there to scream some life back into them.

The senior Maniacs occupy the front rows of the stands. In previous years, this coveted placement was an indicator of the leaders’ status and recognition at Monticello. While the current Maniacs cheer from the same front rows, the significance of their role has shifted.

“Now we’re more of a big community,” says Peper, “which is something I think we should be proud of.”

Standing in the front solely to initiate chants and create structure, this recent shift to a collective body is felt by the players, too.

Senior varsity boys' basketball player Erik Reborn recalls hearing the roar of the crowd, led by the Maniacs, when he makes a basket. “I think that definitely helped amp me up during the game and kept me playing with energy when otherwise I might feel tired,” he says.

The purpose of the Maniacs extends far beyond being dedicated fans of the sports, though. Their unwavering presence through victory and defeat sets the standard for engaged student life at Monticello.

A former Mustang himself, Assistant Athletic Director Evan Coleman has witnessed the Maniacs' influence firsthand.

“More and more students are coming out [to games] as we have more Mustang Maniacs involved with the program,” Coleman noticed. “It’s nice to see that high schoolers are taking just as much pride in their school sports even if they’re not playing in the games.”

Boosting school spirit and morale, the Maniacs’ effect is contagious. Their enthusiasm for the role inspires fellow students to follow in their footsteps, slowly shaping a school environment of solidarity and interconnectedness.

But despite the positive impact they have had on the Monticello community, the Maniacs agree that there is still work to be done. 

During basketball season this winter, the varsity girls’ team played a total of 24 games, and the Maniacs were notably absent from every one of them.

“This year it did kind of suck because we had a winning record, and towards the beginning of the season we had a better record than the boys,” says Stella Snoddy, a girls’ varsity basketball player. “So, it sucked that we didn't have the student section to cheer us on, but we’re kind of used to it by now.” 

The Maniacs have recognized the historic discrepancies between girls' and boys' sports that they have perpetuated. In lieu of encouraging the girls’ basketball team from the stands, the Maniacs cheer them on through their weekly Instagram posts. 

“We try our best when we’re making the posts to shout out the girls' games,” acknowledges Henry Stillerman, a 2025-26 student leader, “but there’s definitely a bigger step we can take; that’s definitely a lacking area.” 

While the Maniacs have certainly made a meaningful contribution to Monticello athletics and student life, the program is still young. They have made the stride to welcome all students who want to support the Mustangs; now it is a question of mobilizing them to attend girls’ sports games, among others, that are in need of a little school spirit.