Ronan celebrates Homecoming Week
Sep. 22—After a week of themed days and a homecoming volleyball game played by the Maidens, Ronan High School celebrated the end of homecoming week with a homecoming parade down Main Street, and of course, the Friday night football game.
This year both the excitement and the anxiety were heightened as the Chiefs hosted their rivals the Polson Pirates.
The parade was led by FFA members riding horses down the route and displaying the American and tribal flags. They were followed by the Ronan High School pep band which contained several of the football players and cheerleaders. There were not 76 trombones in the band, but the four who played gave a true sound of a marching band. One of the tuba players, Hayden Hakes, a sophomore linebacker on the football team, could not play in the homecoming game, but was able to make it through the parade by marching with a cast/boot.
The cheerleaders closely followed the band and then the Homecoming Royalty and the class floats alternated. The royalty consisted of King and Queen Caleb Cheff and Jase Frost, Prince and Princess Robbie McCrea and Alyssa Pretty On Top, Prince and Princess Trenton Burland and Leina Ulutoa, and Prince and Princess Elijah Tonasket and Sierra Cote.
A horse contingent also participated in the parade with three students riding bareback down the parade route. Several students rode on multiple fire trucks to conclude the parade.
The pre-game was spirited as the band played and the cheerleaders danced and led the crowd in cheers and in singing the school song. After the Pirate starters were announced, the crowd cheered the home team as the starters were announced and were greeted at midfield by the cheerleaders.
At halftime the cheerleaders performed an acrobatic routine and then the King and Queen were crowned. The game did not go as the Chiefs and their fans wanted, but good sportsmanship prevailed even in their loss.
