Homecoming 2013 was held this past Friday and Saturday, with events that brought together students, faculty, staff, parents and alums.
The celebrations started Friday with a “dress-down” day for students, faculty and staff. Instead of the usual khakis and blazers, students sported Academy colors, athletic jerseys, and almost anything red and black. The less formal attire was part of a fundraising effort in support of the Academies’ Garden Project. Student, faculty and staff made donations to participate in the dress down day and together raised over $1,700.
With energy already building in the hallways, school was dismissed at 1:40 pm and students across all grades made their way to the new gym for the Pep Rally. Everyone got into the act. The Cadet Corps started the event with a Drill Team and Drum Line presentation that would have impressed the strictest military official. Varsity captains then demonstrated their true athletic prowess with a fierce “egg and spoon” race and then showed off their hand eye coordination with a mummy-wrapping showdown. Elementary schoolers (including several future varsity captains no doubt!) entertained the crowd with a wiggle dance that would have sent any Ichabod Crane varsity football spies, had they witnessed such a grand athletic display, running back to the Taconic Hills. Perhaps the favorite event was the highly organized, calm, and in no way chaotic (sarcasm alert) candy toss. The varsity track coaches couldn’t help but smile as they watched 4th and 5th graders sprint towards a spilled candy bowl in what must have been a 9.8 second 100m.
With the big game coming nearer by the minute, some upper school students couldn’t resist the competitiveness of a dodge ball tournament, hosted by the student senate. Dozens of students got the chance to practice their sprints as they dodged incoming balls by mere inches during the tense 5-minute matches that had onlookers on the edge of their seats.
By 2:00 PM on Saturday, the excitement in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Hundreds of students, faculty, staff, parents, alums, and other community members came out to watch the Homecoming Game against Ichabod Crane. The community-wide event started with the presentation of the school and United States flags by the Cadet Corps, along with the national anthem. Before long the game was under way, with quick victories against the Riders. At the end of the first quarter, senior Jelani Hoyte-King took a 54-yard punt return for a touchdown that brought the score to 26-0. The second, third, and fourth quarters saw similar gains, while the Riders were never able to reach their end zone. Senior quarterback Eric Woods scored a touchdown and completed eight passes for 123 yards, along with Austin Zeh’s 96 yards and two touchdowns for a 49-0 victory. By the end of the game, the Cadets made 39 carries, totaling to 283 yards. Ichabod Crane, not willing to go down without a fight, ran 108 yards on the offense.
With the Homecoming game having been a great success, our new football stars need time to celebrate and relax at the Homecoming Dance, which kicked off at 7:00 PM. Students from both sides of the street enjoyed themselves as the eventful Homecoming weekend slowly came to a close. For those that didn’t prefer a romantic evening, both a movie and a bonfire were hosted. All in all, it was certainly a Homecoming Weekend to make every member of the Academies community proud.