Wearing their kelly-green jerseys for the ceremony, Mainland players followed a motorcycle police escort from their locker room to the field, known as the "Mustang Corral." The players walked in double file, holding hands and chanting, "Raise your eyes up to the sky, Mustangs now are passing by," before breaking into a run and racing to midfield.
"People need to be with people," Mainland Superintendent Thomas Baruffi said before the ceremony. "That's what tonight is all about."
Around 6 p.m., officials considered moving the event to the school cafeteria as rain fell. But the skies cleared as hundreds of spectators made their way to the field, off Route 9 in this Atlantic County community.
Included were 15 to 20 players and coaches, in matching blue T-shirts, from the football team at Holy Spirit, a fierce rival of Mainland's in the Cape-Atlantic League.
About an hour before the 8 p.m. start of the ceremony, Mainland's players gathered around the photos of their four teammates who were killed, then made their way into the stands to exchange handshakes and hugs with the Holy Spirit players.
The crowd appeared to include hundreds of Mainland students, mainly in green or black school regalia. One youngster wore a white T-shirt with "Mustangs Stick Together" on the front and "Never Forget" on the back, along with the names of the four victims.
Crash Saturday morning
The crash occurred around 11:45 a.m. Saturday as the crowded SUV, headed south, went over a crest in the road and encountered heavy traffic backed up behind the ramp at Exit 38A, near Atlantic City, state police said.
