Homecoming 2023 was a success. Our week started with great participation in the school dress up days. Monday, students dressed comfy in pajama day. Tuesday was Mathlete vs. Athletes. Wednesday was Barbie/Ken day. Thursday, disco day. Then to finish the week was school spirit, Black and Gold day!
In addition to dress up days, students enjoyed daily games in the lunchroom. There were balloon games, stacking cups, Oreo challenges, and more. These games were easy ways to gain points for your class.
Another way to get points and show school spirit was by participating in Powder Puff Football. The winners this year were the seniors, beating the sophomores and then the juniors during the championship game. “It’s disappointing,” Reese Sheehan says. “The second year losing to the seniors in the championship, falling short in a close game. But it’s super fun!” Reese is a junior and has played all three years in high school. Alivia Poppe is a senior who has played PPF the past three years. Poppe said, “Feels nice to have a two-peat under our belt.”
Every Homecoming Friday, the afternoon holds a pep rally. The pep rally celebrates all the fall sports; football, volleyball, boys soccer, cross country, and girls golf. It really gets everyone excited for the big game that night. The pep rally this year started off with the crowning of the Homecoming Court. Nate Olson and Emma Beilke were crowned King and Queen. Then the class cheers started, with the seniors winning. After that, students were brought down to do a football relay and tug-of-war game. Seniors won the football relay and the sophomores won tug-of-war.
After the pep rally, students headed to 5th street to watch or participate in the parade. The parade route goes past the school and down Main Street for the community members and younger students to watch. The sports teams rode on fire trucks (or golf carts) and many other local groups marched, pedaled bikes, rode horses, or had floats of their own! The sophomores won the final competition of the week, the class float contest, with their “It’s Hunting Season” theme.
Friday night, the Hayward Hurricanes took on the Merrill Bluejays. With two and a half minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Hurricanes kicked off the offense with a Micah Bacon (#2) touchdown. Charles Egger (#23) scored the extra point. The next two touchdowns were scored by Brock Chucka (#32), the first with 11 minutes left in the second quarter and his second with only 18 seconds left in that half. Egger kicked another field goal for the extra point. The game ended with a score of 20-0, Hayward won their first Homecoming game in four years!
All in all, Hayward had a winning week. The overall points for the grades were tallied up with seniors winning first, sophomores second, juniors third, and freshman in last. It was a great turn out for the participation and the football game. Way to show your school spirit, Hayward!
