By Lynn Wisecarver

Special to the Enterprise

Davie High School celebrated Homecoming 2016 starting Oct. 10 with student-led events for the week leading up to the football game against North Davidson High School, Friday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in War Eagle Stadium.

The students and faculty celebrated Spirit Week with a series of dress-up days to show school spirit.

On Monday, students dressed as mermaids, pirates, and a host of Sponge Bob characters for Under the Sea Day.

On Tuesday, Squad Day, students coordinated with their friends to dress as a group of characters from television series and movies such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Wednesday was Character Day, and students dressed as their favorite character from books and movies.

On Thursday, students and faculty donned attire from poodle skirts of the 1950s through the flannel shirts from the grunge era of the 1990s to celebrate Throwback Day.

Tradition reigned on Friday with a flood of orange and black outfits, including the senior girls in their orange and black striped tights, to show school spirit.

Students in Donna Dunn’s leadership class planned games for all five lunches each day.

On Wednesday night, the Student Government Association sponsored a Powderpuff game pitting freshman and junior ladies against sophomore and senior ladies. The sophomore/senior team won with a score of 12-6.  After the game, a bonfire was held in the student parking lot to introduce the Homecoming nominees and their escorts.

On Thursday afternoon, senior girls decorated “C” building with orange and black streamers, banners, balloons and other shows of class spirit.

On Friday morning as students entered the school, they were greeted with orange and black decorations in preparation for School Spirit Day.

Students and faculty gathered in the stadium during fourth period Friday for the introduction of fall sports teams, as well as the Homecoming nominees, during a Pep Rally directed by the leadership class. The marching band, dancing boots and cheerleaders led the crowd in a high-energy spirited show of pride along with an introduction of the Homecoming nominees.

On Friday evening, as part of the pre game show, Homecoming Queen nominees processed around the track led by Judge Jimmy Myers driving the 2015 Homecoming Queen Sarah Fortescue and her junior attendants, Claire Adalyn Bodenheimer and Delaney Anne Managan, in his 2002 Thunderbird convertible.  As they disembarked from their automobiles, they were greeted by their escorts and led to their seats on the Homecoming stage.

On August 30 the senior class nominated 16 ladies from the senior class for Homecoming Queen through a preliminary ballot.  These ladies were then presented to the student body on October 11 for selection of the queen and her court.  Results were kept secret until the crowning during halftime festivities.

At halftime, announcer Hugh Lee introduced 22 former Homecoming queens who had returned to celebrate the final Homecoming at the school’s 1200 Salisbury Road location.  He then introduced each nominee as she was escorted through the promenade of dancing boots, color guard and cheerleaders.  Each young lady was also presented with a single red rose by a senior cheerleader and junior attendant.

Claire Adalyn Bodenheimer and Delaney Anne Managan served as junior attendants.  Bodenheimer, a preK student at Central Davie, carried the Queen’s crown.  She is the daughter of Rusty and Ashley Bodenheimer.  Managan is in kindergarten at Churchland Elementary School, and she carried the Court’s sashes.  She is the daughter of Luke Ray and Tiffany Calero.

The following young ladies were named to the Homecoming Court and received a sash and a bouquet of red roses from Principal Doyle Nicholson:

The fourth runner up was Carly Thompson.  She is the daughter of Randy and Christy Thompson.

The third runner up was Healy Junker.  She is the daughter of Clint and Katy Junker.

The second runner up was Caroline Bandy.  She is the daughter of Darryl and Gina Bandy.

The first runner up was Lyndsay Crotts.  She is the daughter of Darren and Kim Crotts.

The young lady chosen by a school wide vote to represent Davie High School as the 2016 Homecoming Queen was Mary Ellen Lewis.  She is the daughter of Mary Christine Lewis.  She was crowned by Sarah Fortescue and received a sash and two dozen red roses from Nicholson.    

Keith Richter, DHS Teacher of the Year, presented a bouquet of  roses to the new  queen.   

Lewis was chauffeured around the track by Myers before greeting her family, friends and well wishers.

Since this was the last Homecoming before moving to the new high school, alumni were invited to participate in the celebration.  Dancing boots spanning the last 45 years performed during pregame. Former coaches Susan Wall and Colleen Pitts along with current coach Terri McNeill, were surrounded by past and present boots as they took to the field.  The alumni group is also planning a performance at the January 27 basketball game.

Another group, the alumni cheerleading group, was approximately 75 members strong.  They cheered during 4th quarter.  Led by the current cheerleaders, the alumni group participated in cheers, chants, and the fight song dance which has not changed much in the last 40 years.