Dress up days, the football game, the first ever glow-in-the-dark pep rally, homecoming week was one to remember.
Scroll down for a recap of the week's events.
MONDAY - 'MERICA MONDAY
(previous photo) Juniors Serena Barker, Kirsten Trevino and Lauren Lee salute. Photo by Luke Campese
(background photo) Junior Michael Maxwell at lunch in his MAGA hat. Photo by Luke Campese
(background photo) Team Bruthers celebrates after winning Monday night's dodgeball tournament. Photo by Faith Marino
Team Bruthers takes the win
On Monday, Oct. 27, homecoming week started with a six-on-six dodgeball tournament. Eight teams entered the tournament looking to win gold medals: Team SGA, Team Security, Team State Champions (softball team), Team Pooler, (the coaches), Team Bruthers, (baseball), Team Water Polo, Team Juniors and Team Math.
In the first round, Team Security defeated Team Juniors in a close matchup, advancing to the winners bracket. Coach Kapp led Team Pooler to a narrow victory by eliminating two opponents and dodging a close head shot. Teams State Champs and the Bruthers also advanced to the bracket including a great dodge by the Bruthers where a teammate did a flip to avoid being hit and eliminated.
The winners bracket started with the Bruthers defeating Team Security with three teammates standing, and Team Pooler barely defeating the state champions with two teammates left standing. The championship match was between the 2-0 Bruthers and the 2-0 Team Pooler. They came out firing. They quickly had to regroup as the Bruthers almost swept them, junior Sergio Alcala caught balls to eliminate three people helping them win the tournament.
“Winning was really unexpected, because we were just goofing around and being ourselves. My favorite part was making a one-handed catch,” Alcala said.
After the first round, the losers bracket started with junior Connell Crossan hitting three opponents in a row to help the Juniors defeat Team Water Polo. Team Math also won by knocking out the SGA team. In the loser bracket finals were Team Math and Team Juniors. Both sides claimed their ball hit their opponent first, but in the end Team Math managed to pull out the win.
(dodgeball story by Noah Kemper)
TUESDAY - GREASE LIGHTNING
(previous photo) Juniors Charlie Lamotta, Kate-lyn Sullivan, and Lexi Youngblood show school spirit by dressing up for Grease Lightning day. Photo by Brianna Bass
Senior Morgan Rhode, Kyra Kimball, Maia Kran and Brooke Bauss and pose as Pink Ladies on Grease Lighting day. Photo by Brianna Bass
(background photo) Seniors Jonathan Valentin, Katie Sherlock, Da'Zhaun Hicks and Jazmyne Essington put their painted handprint on one of the two banners for Paws on the Wall. Photo by Mizbah Ateeq
LEAVING A LEGACY
On Tuesday, Oct. 23 the tradition of seniors leaving their mark took place in the cafeteria after school.
Beginning with the first graduating class in 2009, Paws on the Wall is an activity where seniors meet for a pizza party, and during the party they dip their hands in paint and place handprints on a big white canvas with their graduating year.
French teacher Pam Lynch brainstormed with the 2009 senior class to come up with another event that was only for seniors.
“I thought the seniors would like to leave a legacy behind, and I thought about handprints since we are the Huskies,” Lynch said.
Along with handprints, seniors get to put their own personalized message on the banner, which will be hung up in the cafeteria until next year.
Leadership provided the supplies, and the PTSA organized everything and helped run the event.
“It was just a great experience to be part of and to make memories for our senior year,” senior Alisa Salgado said.
(Paws on the Wall story by Jessica Maldonado)
VIDEO PRODUCTION HOLDS TALENT SHOW
With the votes of three judges (and the chants of the audience) junior Eliot Barat (pictured left) won first place at this year’s school talent show with his Chinese yo-yo act. It was hosted by Vangeli Tsompanidis, president of the National Technical Honor Society, to raise funds for Video Production on Tuesday, Oct. 23. Following after Barat was senior Bria McCray in second place, singing “Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin, and senior Michael McNamara in third, singing “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin.
Such a big event like the talent show was also a big stress inducer for multiple performers, forcing them to tackle stage fright.
“I always get nervous before performing,” senior Samantha Vincent said, who sang “Defying Gravity” from the musical Wicked. “But it is a good nervous.”
Despite any worries or hardships, all of the contestants’ acts went off without a hitch, and by the end of the night they were laughing and dancing together on stage.
(talent show story by Luke Goodwin)
wednesday - PUNK VS PEACE
(previous photo) Senior Kleymer Espinoza, Kameron Makaw Lillyauna Miller-Rodriguez and Jahzeel James pose side by side. Photo by Sharika Khondaker
(background photo) Juniors Sophie Singer and Madi Coates show off their groovy glasses. Photo by Luke Campese
"I decided to go as punk because I though it would be fun to go out of my comfort zone and usual dressing style." junior Brianna Neris said.
Juniors Kaley Brooke and Sophia Tefertiller dress as a punk rocker and hippie for Punk vs. Peace on Wednesday.
"We did plan to dress opposite," Brooke said. "This picture really captures how different our personalities are even though we are best friends."
THURSDAY - OUT OF THIS WORLD
(previous photo) Sophomores Ashlyn Kormilas, Devyn Cannata, Kyla Mullen, Mack Flatten, Mackenzie Stewart, Isabel Perez and Alyssa McNair all pose as aliens for Out of this World day. Photo by Gordon Wong
Seniors Brody Ruff, Jacob Pike, and Michael Dezego decided to dress as the solar system for Out of this World. Photo by Luke Campese
(background photo) Senior Melissa Donovan chases after junior Antonietta Feroce as she makes a run down the right sideline. Photo by Chatham Farrell
SENIORS WIN POWDER-PUFF
On Thursday, Oct. 26 the junior and senior girls squared off in the annual powderpuff game. The seniors came out on top, 28-21, with big plays from both sides.
By the end of the first quarter, the juniors answered with a touchdown of their own, going into the second quarter down by seven.
“We all did our job and all the teamwork was amazing,” junior Grace Germer said.
Aside from the football, one of the most anticipated parts of the night was the halftime shows from the junior and senior cheerleaders, boys from each class wearing tight-fitting, borrowed cheer outfits.
“We out-performed the juniors in all aspects, and we did a great job,” senior cheerleader Brock Ferrari said.
(powderpuff story by Hayden Turner)
FRIDAY - GROOVY GLOW
(previous photo) Senior class
(background photo) Junior class
(background photo) Sophomore class
GLOWING AND GROWING INTO HOMECOMING
On Oct. 26, a new variation on the high school tradition of the pep rally took its roots. With a gym covered in string lights, neon glowing homecoming shirts, black lights, a DJ booth, and cheerleaders passing out glow sticks by the handful, the glow-in-the-dark pep rally was experimental, new, and all out.
“Leadership didn't want to do a normal pep rally because not everyone enjoys them and we decided on a black light pep rally.” said junior Jordan Long, who was involved with leadership and the planning of the pep rally.
Students got neon glowing shirts in their class color with the purchase of a homecoming dance ticket. The cheerleading squad planned out and executed what would happen during the pep rally.
“I thought it was a success because everyone seemed more involved in it then the previous pep rally's, and most people wore the shirts to it.” said Long.
(pep rally story by Amelia Anthony)
(background photo) Freshman class
DISTRICT CHAMPS
The varsity football team marked Homecoming and Senior Night by upsetting Orlando Sentinel No. 1 Edgewater, 31-15, to capture a second district championship. The win also elevates the team to a 6-3 overall record and a 5-1 district record.
“We did something that nobody believed was possible,” quarterback Sammy Cordero said. “We came out there and we just got it done.”
Edgewater also could not solve Hagerty’s rushing attack, which amassed 306 yards with touchdowns by Cordero, Watts and tailbacks Jordan Gilbert and Ethan Lopez, the latter getting his first touchdown as a varsity player.
“It’s a great feeling to be district champs and be going to the playoffs after all the doubt,” Gilbert said.
The team now has one more game on the road against Timber Creek before they learn who their playoff opponent will be on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. during the “Drive to December” bracket-reveal special on WRDQ-Channel 27.
(football story by Bryson Turner)
SATURDAY - A TIMELESS NIGHT
(previous photo) Junior Katie Vasquez and Ashley Walesh, from Timber Creek, dance around on a timeless night. Photo by DSP
Homecoming King and Queen Morgan Rhode and Grant Dettman smile for the cameras as they walk to the middle of the amphitheater. Photo by DSP
"It was a little awkward with everybody's eyes on us but it was a nice moment because it was just the two of us for a moment," Rhode said.
Photo by Maggie Taylor
Senior Rodrigo Alamo dances inside the old gym at homecoming. Photo by DSP
Senior Brittany Sundermeir laughs during the homecoming dance. Photo by Maggie Taylor
Multimedia story by Jessica Maldonado
with contributions from Hayden Turner, Bryson Turner and Melissa Donovan