On Friday, December 8th, 2023, Fredericktown High School held a pep rally for Basketball Homecoming, but before that was the dress-up week. Music Monday: dress as your favorite genre or wear a band t-shirt; Decade Day Tuesday: dress as Abraham Lincoln or like a ’70s-’90s person; Pink Wednesday: wear all pink; Rhyme Without Reason Thursday: you and a friend dressed up in something that rhymes but does not match; and Black and Gold Friday: deck out in black and gold attire.
The Pep Rally kicked off with winter sports teams taking pictures together. Following that, the homecoming candidates presented themselves to the school. The candidates walked out to the middle of the floor, did some handshakes and/or moves, then walked over to their spot for the following game. This was called the Relay Cup Stack. Each duo had to race to a table, blow up their balloon inside a cup, and then stack the cup. Each team did this over and over until Zander Stephens (12) and Keira Francis (12) won by stacking their cups the fastest.
Following that challenge was a long-held basketball homecoming tradition, the senior only, Ships ‘n Sailors. The seniors covered the floor and Shelby Kennedy (10) announced some fast orders, and senior after senior began getting out. It was a little tricky towards the end, and they had to have fast reaction times. At the end of the game, there were only two students who survived together: those individuals were Ava Penuel (12) and Keira Francis (12).
The next game was exciting. The rules were that there were 4 students in each grade that could compete. Everyone had a balloon tied around their ankle and that was their only “life.” In order to get someone out, you had to pop their balloon by stepping on it. The juniors and sophomore boys were battling it out as they were the last 2 teams standing after the freshmen and seniors got out. In a short amount of time, there were only 2 boys left, Mason Proffer (10) who also had a cast on his hand, and Leeandrea Catchings (11). When just those players were left, there was a lot of space on the gym floor, so they had to stay inside the middle circle of the court. They were being physical for fun and for getting to the balloons better, but they were told no more, so they had to find a new strategy. While everyone thought that it was going to be a really hyped ending, a disappointed Leeandrea stepped out of bounds and the game was over: the sophomores won.
After the win that got everyone cheering, it was time for “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Hula-Hoop.” This is a very well-known but also very fun game where people from each grade get in a line behind an arc of hula hoops. Two grades go up against each other at a time and only one person at a time goes. The goal is to get to the other side of the arc first. The fun part is you have to jump in and out of the hoops, and when you meet the other player, you have to play a game of rock, paper, scissors until one of you wins and continues against another player. First, it was the freshmen against the seniors, with the freshmen winning. Next, it was the sophomores facing the juniors, and that game came close, but the juniors eventually were the victors. The final round quickly came. Freshmen went head to head with the juniors, and even though the freshmen did their best, they were beaten by the more experienced juniors. It’s always nice when you see students having fun while competing in school.
For the upcoming game, the students played “Christmas Tree Relay.” Two people from each grade came down to the court and lined up. There were only 2 rules: use all of the supplies you have and make it festive. The goal was to wrap the other person in different colored streamers until they were all gone and they looked like a festive mummy. The amusing part was that some of the players didn’t know you had to use all 3 rolls of streamers, so they started as fast as they could to get it on the person being wrapped. There was a game plan, though, as mostly all of the players did a tactic where the person wrapping the paper was running in circles while the person being wrapped was spinning in circles, resulting in faster deliverance. Everyone in the stands were cheering their grade on, and sooner or later we found the winners, Ruben Pirtle (12) as the wrapper and Braden Braswell (12) being wrapped. Being dizzy for a win is real determination.
The last full game that was played was short and sweet, the half-court shot. One student from each grade went down to half-court and each got a shot at attempting a half-court shot. It was also in chronological order: Drew Thompson (9), Blake Terry-Breakfield (10), Braden McMinn (11), and finally Zander Stephens (12). Drew took a shot and missed. The very next person was Blake, and in an instant with no hesitation, he shot the ball and nailed it. The next 2 students shot but did not make it. Blake had won it for the sophomores.
At this point in the day, it was almost time to go. We started a game called “Musical Chairs Scavenger Hunt,” which would be more challenging and fun than normal where you have to receive an object from your grade and bring it back to your hula-hoop, but sadly we didn’t have enough time to finish that game. Along with not finishing, we unfortunately couldn’t play the last 2 games, “Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground” and “Skin the Snake.” At the end of the day, the Spirit Stick was given to the seniors.
All of the students here at FHS greatly appreciate the opportunity of pep rallies and games, of spending time with friends, having friendly competition, and of the teachers and staff caring so much to make homecoming happen. This aroma of positivity at the end of the day also made everyone along with the basketball team ready for the night as they were against the Perryville Pirates. But first, it was time for the coronation.
The final candidates are in order: StuCo- Ashley Avalos (12) walking with Scholar Bowl – Nathanael White (12), FCCLA – Nikolija Minajlovic (12) walking with Noah Cole, BETA – Terri Duffel (12) and Braden Braswell (12), FFA – Leah Thompson (12) and Gavin Graham (12), BB – Kiera Francis (12) and Zander Stephens (12), JROTC – Tone Magill (12) and Dawson Cook (12), Music Department – Ruben Pirtle (12) for band and Nadia Mills (12) for choir, DECA/FBLA/FTA – Jackson Smith (12) and Kaylee Wagganer (12), and finally, Publications – Mattie Miller (12) and Pakey Matthews (11).
After the students voted for their Basketball Homecoming King and Queen, Braden Braswell (12) and Kiera Francis (12) were chosen. They were both happy with smiles on their faces as they were crowned by the former King Andrew Starkey and Queen Lydia Mell. After the coronation ended, it was time for the varsity homecoming game. It went extremely well, but when the game ended and the final score was shown, let’s just say the other team did not go home as happily as they had hoped.
