54.0°,
Overcast South Homecoming one for the ages
Valley Stream South High School was visited by students, teachers, alumni and staff members for the annual Homecoming festival last Saturday to celebrate the South Falcons’ second-to-last home football game of the season. Attendees arrived early Saturday morning decked out in red and white attire from head to toe, and adorned with pompoms and face paint to create a strong feeling of school spirit.
Starting at 10 a.m., the six grade levels and various clubs of the school gathered in the cafeteria to sell a range of treats and goodies to their peers and educators. Such products included waffles, apple crisps, hot chocolate, apple cider, bracelets, scarves and even locker fresheners. Several organizations collected money for their respective goals, like the Advanced Placement environmental students which, under the supervision of South’s own Anthony Geremina, raised funds to buy a goat for a family in need across the world. The students of Students Against Destructive Decisions sold red ribbons to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal drug use. The students could attach the ribbons to hats, allowing them one day to wear their hats during school hours.
After the early morning bazaar, the crowd moved outside to take their seats in the bleachers for the highly anticipated Homecoming parade. This year’s theme was “Decades” and each grade was instructed to manufacture a banner supporting the South Falcons that corresponded with their assigned decade. These banners were then judged by a panel of staff members and the ultimate victor was the senior class, whose decade was the 1980s. Their banner celebrated the classic ’80s film “Back to the Future.” This marked the class’s sixth consecutive winning year. The junior high winning banner was that of the class of 2018, whose theme was the future.
The parade continued with this year’s Homecoming court, led by King Sherharyar Waheed and Queen Nancy Vasquez. Several school clubs constructed floats to be exhibited during the parade, all following the common theme of generations past.
Following the conclusion of the parade, yet another long-standing South tradition was upheld with the customary senior athlete walk. Athletes were escorted by family, friends and the occasional teacher or coach across the field to honor their athletic service to the school before the Homecoming game finally got underway.
The opposing Manhasset Indians may have won the coin toss, but that was the beginning of the end of their good fortune. The South Falcons had an explosive first quarter, with Senior Neil Plinto scoring the first touchdown of the game, assisted by senior Jesse Blouin. Another touchdown was quickly scored by junior Taj Wilson, and the Falcons had secured a solid lead that would last throughout the game. With three more touchdowns for the Falcons in the second quarter, one earned by junior James Cannon and two more by Bluoin, the first half of the game ended with 35 points on the board for the Falcons and spectators eagerly awaiting the halftime show.
Onlookers saw a sequence of phenomenal displays of talent by South’s very own varsity cheerleaders, Kickline team, Step Squad and marching band. The band performed a medley of songs from the iconic movie of the decade of poodle skirts and leather jackets, “Grease.” Students and teachers sang and hand-jived to an assortment of memorable tunes such as “We Go Together” and “Beauty School Dropout” under the direction of the conductor Dan Creegan.
The Falcons ultimately sustained their lead into the second half of the game and emerged victorious, 47-20. It was undoubtedly a memorable day for all and fans can expect this game to set a definitely optimistic precedence for the upcoming season.
Erica is a junior at South High School and editor-in-chief of the Southern Bell.
