Spirits at Herricks High School ran high for a homecoming last Friday that marked the school district’s bicentennial year and the second straight year the homecoming football game was under the lights.
The Herricks band played stoked the enthusiasm of students and alumni cheering for the varsity football team as it battled Westbury High School.
Many wore the school’s blue and silver colors and one group of high school students wore kilts with their upper bodies painted blue to demonstrate their devotion to the Highlanders footballers’ efforts.
On the playing field, the Highlanders were running uphill against Westbury. Herricks fell a yard short of a touchdown after completing a clutch pass as time ran out in the first half. Westbury led 20-0 at that point and ultimately rolled up a 40-6 score on the home team.
But the game’s outcome did not diminish the enthusiasm of the team’s supporters.
Six seniors – Nicold Strejlau, Kassidy Leibowitz, Megan Yakiemchuk, Nicole Clark, Kaitlyn Fox and Sarah Fernandez, – were among the cheerleaders forming human pyramids and turning cartwheels to help energize the crowd.
“Honestly, it doesn’t feel real that it’s the last one,” Fernandez said of her final homecoming. “I’m just going to make it the best possible.”
She said the best part of being a cheerleader was simply being a part of school functions like the one on Friday.
“I’m sad to see it end. But it was great for what it was,” Fox said.
Prior to the Herricks-Westbury game, students from the Herricks Middle School and the three district elementary schools participated in games and activities
“It’s so exciting. There’s so much energy,” said Herricks athletic director Jim Petricca. “It’s not just about football. It’s a community event.”
Petricca said the homecoming game is the finale of an annual Spirit Week at the high school that comprises dress-up days, including pajama day, sports jersey day, silver and blue day and flag day.
Herricks Board of Education Trustee Christine Turner said she was pleased to be attending her 30th Herricks homecoming game.
“It’s the 200th anniversary, so there’s a lot of excitement,” Turner said.
Herricks school board Trustee Nancy Feinstein said seeing a game under the lights was exciting but the occasion was even better.
“It’s the only time that all the schools get together,” she said.
“There’s so much unity and so much camaraderie. It’s idyllic,” said Herricks school board Trustee Juleigh Chin.
At halftime, as the band played on and the cheerleaders took the field for an acrobatic display of their skills, 10 members of the senior class homecoming court were introduced, walking across the field between two rows of cheerleaders. The winners for homecoming king and queen, Samuel Oh and Jennifer Louie, both said they were surprised to be chosen.
“I’m excited. It’s an honor,” said Louie, who is captain of the varsity girls soccer team and arts page editor for the school newspaper.
“I’m shocked,” said Oh.
Oh is also student representative to the school board, and president for the Habitat for Humanity Club and the Herricks 16 Choir.
