Mineola High School students, staff and alumni showed their pride for the school at its homecoming festivities Oct. 10.
About 1,000 people came to see the Mineola Mustangs defeat the Oyster Bay Baymen 35-9 in the annual homecoming football game, district Athletic Director Ralph Amitrano said.
Spectators filled Hampton Stadium’s stands and lined up around the fence behind the team benches for the 2 p.m. game, he said.
The game usually draws a large crowd, Amitrano said, because alumni enjoy returning to the school to catch up with classmates and teachers.
“It makes you feel good that you were a part of their youth and they’re great contributing members of society now,” he said.
One of them was former Mineola linebacker Ryan Ecker, who came to the homecoming game from the University of Arizona, where he is in his first year of college.
Ecker was named one of the National Football Foundation’s Golden 11 scholar athletes in his senior year, head football coach Dan Guido said, and his former teammates got to celebrate the honor with him over the weekend.
Having alumni such as Ecker present for the game gets the Mustangs “pumped up,” Guido said.
A parade with the theme of “Mustang Pride” preceded the game, making its way from Andrews Avenue to the stadium on Union Street
The high school’s homecoming court was also honored during the game.
Seniors Chris Alexander and Tara Maloney were named king and queen, respectively.
Junior Nicole Pereira, sophomore Michaela Franz and freshman Maria Martins were all selected as princesses.
