As leaves begin to fall and temperatures begin to go down, nothing screams fall like Homecoming week. Every fall, students celebrate Homecoming with a spirit week, rally, football game, and of course, a dance. This year’s theme was “I love the 90s”. Throughout the week leading up to homecoming, students dressed up in 90s themes, pajamas, class colors, and more.
This year’s Homecoming game was especially exciting, considering the leap Terra Linda’s football program has taken this year. The team had already won three games prior to Homecoming, and anticipation was building for the Homecoming game.
The Trojans faced off against Archie Williams, following the tradition of the last couple of years. However, the game was actually at Terra Linda this year. It was a sunny afternoon, and the excitement in the student section was palpable. Even though it was a hot day, all grades came out to show their spirit, eagerly supporting Terra Linda’s football. The cheerleaders wowed the crowd with stunts and brought up the energy of the student section!
The first half of the game went very well for Terra Linda. They scored first, early in the first quarter, making the score 7-0. The Trojans kept scoring throughout the first half, including an interception converted into a touchdown by Junior Mateo Pattani. Fellow Junior Jessamyn da Cunha cheered the Trojans on and called the game “very exciting.” At the end of the first half, the score was 27-0, Terra Linda in the lead!
Halftime brought one of the most eagerly awaited events: the red carpet walk for the Homecoming Court. Each member of the Homecoming court was announced and then walked down the red carpet with their family to raucous applause from the student section. The walk built enthusiasm and suspense for the announcement of the Homecoming royalty later in the day at the Homecoming Dance.
After halftime, it was back to business for Trojan Football. The Trojans scored yet another touchdown, and Archie Williams finally answered with a touchdown of their own. However, the Trojans put an exclamation mark on the game with a sixth touchdown, making the score 41-7. The win was a massive improvement from TL’s 21-7 loss to Archie last Homecoming and was also TL’s 4th win of the season. Junior Heather Lund remarked that her favorite part of the game was “our touchdowns and how many we had!” This massive win proves big things are on the horizon for Trojan Football!
The Homecoming game was a thrilling event, and really set the tone for the Homecoming dance later that evening! Just two and a half hours after the end of the Homecoming game, the Homecoming dance began. Students lined up outside of the Old Gym waiting to have their tickets scanned and be breathalyzed. Once inside, they were greeted with a beautifully decorated dance area including a wall of CDs and colorful strobe lights. The 90s theme was clearly visible in the gym, with decor, tattoos, and slap bracelets available for students. Jenga tables were also set up for students who didn’t feel like dancing. For the second time this year, a DJ was hired, allowing every student to relax and enjoy the dance without the fear of judgment that previous student DJs faced.
30 minutes into the dance, the Homecoming Court was called up onto the stage. Each member of the Homecoming court was given a sealed paper bag. The two members of the Court chosen to be Homecoming Royalty would each have a troll doll in their bag. Once every member of the Homecoming Court had received their bag, the bags were opened. During a suspenseful few seconds, Homecoming attendees eagerly watched Court members dig through their bags. Eventually, Johnny Azor pulled the first troll doll out of his bag, cheering and smiling widely. Remy Schow pulled out the second troll. The two put on their crowns and sashes and waved to the adoring crowd. Congratulations to Homecoming King Johnny Azor and Homecoming Queen Remy Schow!
The crowd moshed enthusiastically to the various genres of music played by the DJs. Students less interested in moshing gathered together around the outskirts of the gym to chat with friends. There were plenty of opportunities for every student to have fun. Senior Kate Klima enjoyed the dance, stating “I like the decorations and how chill the dance is this year.” Although the dance was chill figuratively, the actual environment was very warm. ASB anticipated this and invited Kona Ice to the dance!
Due to the high temperature of the gym, the Kona Ice truck was much appreciated. Located outside of the gym, the shaved ice allowed students to cool off and socialize in a chill environment. Klima shared, “My favorite part of Homecoming has been the Kona Ice.” ASB Teacher Ms. Ayoob agreed, also saying Kona Ice was her favorite part of the dance. There was always a line for the truck, so this was clearly a popular sentiment.
The dance was a great way to conclude a week filled with 90s vibes, school spirit, and good football. Homecoming may be over, but the Trojans have plenty more to look forward to, including the rest of the football season!
Thank you to Ms. Ayoob and ASB for doing a fantastic job organizing Homecoming 2023!
