The last few days of September saw a whirlwind of school spirit from the Captains as they celebrated annual homecoming events. 

The homecoming spirit week was only four days this year, but still drew enthusiastic participation from the student body. The week was filled mostly with two contrasting themes each day, giving students more freedom to choose how they participated. 

Monday kicked off with a Barbie vs Oppenheimer theme, while Tuesday embraced the ‘70s with Hippies vs Rockers and Wednesday presented Country vs Country Club. Friday wrapped things up with September’s classic gold out to show support for the fight against childhood cancer.

The bells operated on an adjusted schedule – as well as a new tone – to accommodate the schoolwide pep rally at the end of the day. Captains Crew leaders Liam Howard and Grace Spencer led the rally, which started off with applause for each fall sports team. The cheer squad made an entrance and lined up to teach the student body cheers to be used at the night’s football game, featuring a variety of call and response chants and coordinated clapping.

During the pep rally, members of this year’s homecoming court participated in a relay race of various field day-like events, including three-legged, sack, and wheelbarrow races. Students paired up and completed the race around the gym in a couple rounds. Seniors Sophie Bourgeois and Aria Williams won the first round while junior Chris Luku and senior Sam Novak took first in the second round.

“I love winning, so I did everything I could to win it,” Luku said. “The race was fun and just being in it was a good time. It was also fun to get bragging rights against my friends. If there’s another race next year, I definitely want to be a part of it, I want to go back to back.”

Senior William Zheng was crowned homecoming king during the afternoon pep rally, while the homecoming queen wasn’t announced until later in the night. Senior Sophia Casciano was crowned queen during halftime of the home football game after taking the field and being introduced with other senior girls on the homecoming court. 

“My favorite part was hearing everyone’s bios and seeing everyone dressed up pretty,” Novak said. “I enjoyed earning recognition for all of my accomplishments in school and outside activities.”

“It was just a fun experience to be on court, especially having friends in it and getting to experience it with them,” Luku said. “Participating in it was like knocking something off of a bucket list, so I’m glad I did it.”

Before the game began, there was a parking lot tailgate for clubs and teams to advertise their organization. Students decorated cars and lined up to promote their clubs to anyone stopping by or arriving early for a spot at the game.

The Captains took a victory over Riverside after a close four quarters of football, ending 17-10 with points by sophomores Parker Clarey and Luke Morrison and senior Aiden Ballve. The day’s gold out carried into the night, with students in the Captains Crew section showing out in gold t-shirts, beaded necklaces, and face paint.

Saturday’s semi formal dance was a glowco, a “neon and glow in the dark theme,” according to student council member Gemma Vogel. If the dance seemed particularly early this year – most other schools in the county held their homecomings a few weeks later, closer to last year’s mid-October dance – it’s mostly due to football scheduling and when the gym was available to host the dance, Vogel said. Vogel mentioned lining up the dance and spirit week with a home game and hoping to avoid the colder weather that comes later in the season.

The dance was filled with neon decorations, glowsticks, and balloons. Students had the opportunity to wander between the dance floor and DJ playing in the main gym, the photo booth in the athletics hall, and the yard games set up in the cafeteria, with snack tables sprinkled in between. 

The homecoming celebrations came to a close when lights came on at the dance around ten o’clock, wrapping up days of school spirit, competition, and good times for the Captains.

“I found that being able to be part of such a surreal and cool experience was valuable,” Novak said.