Homecoming 2025 brought students, staff and alumni together for a night of tradition, a football win under the lights and a dance that topped it all off with laughter and music.
The football team secured a homecoming victory on Friday night against the Rice Raiders in front of a packed crowd and a spirited student section. Senior football player Tradyn Williams left a lasting impression in his final homecoming game.
“I scored 2 touchdowns, rushed for 126 yards with 12 carries which is pretty good,” Williams said. “In practice we got new game plans which I think was a good decision, and with this being my last homecoming game being able to hear the crowd cheer for us was definitely something I won’t forget. Also I’m glad that we did have a bigger crowd and the student section was definitely a lot fuller than usual.”
Athletic Director Levi Montgomery said the night carried extra meaning for him.
“I think that this year, because I have a senior son, I paid a little more attention to the burning of the letters after the game. That is truly a special tradition,” Montgomery said. “We talked all week about how we needed to secure this home victory. I wanted to stand in front of our band, singing the alma mater and hearing the victory bell. That came to fruition and was pretty special.”
Montgomery also noted standout moments from the field and his players.
“Tradyn’s long run was something cool to see,” Montgomery said. “From a head coach perspective, you are always going to look at things we need to do in order to continue to improve as a team. We’ve got a lot of stuff to get better, but certainly happy for our guys to get the victory.”
Another highlight of the evening came when seniors Grace Halata and Mycole Pegoda were crowned homecoming queen and king.
“It felt really good to win homecoming queen and it was an amazing experience,” Halata said. “My homecoming was better than all my other years because I was able to win homecoming queen and experience it with my friends and boyfriend.”
Following the win, students shifted gears to Saturday night’s homecoming dance, decorated to fit the Nashville Nights neon theme. STUCO President Peyton Pasak said she was most inspired by the way the event brought people together.
“My favorite part of the night was seeing everyone enjoy themselves at the dance, everyone was dancing, having fun, and laughing and talking,” Pasak said. “That hit close to home because I like seeing people interact with each other.”
Pasak said her outfit, a hot pink dress with western boots, matched the theme perfectly.
“What inspired my outfit… well it was hot pink and it was this huge dress and Nashville being in the city with the neon signs that we had really inspired me because they were pink and I wanted to match,” Pasak said.
For her, homecoming meant more than just decorations and dresses.
“Homecoming to me means community and seeing everyone come together and have fun and make memories in high school and get to look forward to this in the future,” Pasak said.
From FNL to neon dance lights, students and staff agreed this year’s homecoming captured the spirit of school pride and lasting memories.
