Gaining momentum in the early 1900s, homecoming got its humble beginning on college campuses as a fall celebration that included the first football game of the season in which alumni returned to their alma maters to cheer on their teams.
Since then, homecoming celebrations morphed, producing customs that took root across the nation as an American tradition.
What memories do you have of homecoming? The sound of bells coming from huge, fluffy mums as girls walked down the school’s halls? Screams during the pep rally to get your football team pumped up for the big game? The feeling of excitement through the whole school, or what about the hope of becoming homecoming king or queen? Whatever stands out to you, members of the Deer Creek community began making their own memories of this year’s homecoming festivities on September 29 by kicking off their annual homecoming parade and carnival.
Cars lined the streets of MacArthur and Covell as crowds of people came out to see the Deer Creek homecoming court, high school football team, cheerleaders, pom squad and band, along with other community supporters, take center stage during the parade. The sounds of the band could be heard in all directions as cheers from the crowd blended in with people repeating familiar chants from the cheerleaders. The homecoming court smiled and waved, while the pom squad danced their way down the streets. The football team strolled proudly among it all.
The parade began at 6:00 p.m. and wound its way from the Intermediate School, ending at the Alumni Hall parking lot where carnival festivities awaited in the Alumni Hall gym. Six food trucks— Saucy Sicilian, Roxy’s Ice Cream, MOB Grill, Snow S’more, Taste of Soul Chicken and Waffles and Twist Pretzels—met hungry Antler fans while the gym was filled with games for kids of all ages, sales booths and even a dunk tank. The carnival concluded around 8:30 p.m., allowing patrons to get rested up for the big game the following night.
The afternoon of Friday, Sept. 30 began with a fall pep assembly filled with encouraging pep talks, cheers of support and blasting music to kick off the start of the 2016-17 Deer Creek homecoming football game. In the spirit of homecoming, hundreds of Deer Creek students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and members of the community, dressed in their red, white and blue “Bomb Squad” shirts, rallied to support their Antlers. The Deer Creek High School football team took on Midwest City at 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 30, with half-time festivities including the crowning of the 2016-17 Homecoming King and Queen, Abel Kwendi and Isabel Johnson.
The Deer Creek Antlers put up a good fight against the Midwest City Bombers with a final score of 0-35, concluding this year’s homecoming.
Linked magazine would like to congratulate all the Deer Creek High School 2016-17 homecoming king and queen candidates!
King candidates: EZ Gering, Logan Holtmyer, Zach Kerstetter, Abel Kwendi and Jake Strickland.
Queen candidates: Katelyn Collison, Jessica Holley, Isabel Johnson, Brynn Rouse and Cheyenne Verble.