Manhattan High School came alive with excitement Saturday as students from all grade levels gathered to celebrate the first big dance of the school year: Homecoming. This much-anticipated event is a tradition that brings the entire school community together, but behind the scenes, a tremendous amount of planning and teamwork makes it all possible.

The driving force behind Homecoming is Tribe, a dedicated club at MHS responsible for organizing major school activities. From choosing the theme to coordinating spirit days and events leading up to the dance, Tribe’s members work tirelessly to ensure the celebration is memorable and inclusive.

“At first we had multiple different themes, and then as a group we voted for country, mostly because it would get more people involved,” said Talia Tindall, a leader of the Homecoming committee. “Our theme had more options for spirit days and things that we could do differently than like past years.”

The decision to go with a country theme influenced much of the week’s festivities. Tribe designed elaborate spirit days inspired by popular country songs, sparking widespread participation across the student body. The spirit days included:

•   Monday: “Sleep Like a Baby” (Zach Top)
•   Tuesday: “Different Round Here” (Riley Green)
•   Wednesday: “Tennessee Orange” (Megan Moroney)
•   Thursday: “Huntin’ By Yourself” (Luke Combs)
•   Friday: “Jersey on the Wall” (Tenille Townes)

To encourage even more involvement, Tribe innovated by posting daily “winners” of spirit day participation on their Instagram page, giving students extra motivation to dress up and show their school spirit.

“I enjoyed feeling a part of something again,” shared senior Zoey Drummond. “I haven’t been to in-person school in two years, so it made me feel normal in a way. And it’s my senior year, so I have got to go out with a bang!”

Wednesday also brought the exciting annual PowderPuff Kickball Tournament, held at Bishop Stadium. Each class formed their own team, competing in a bracket-style tournament to claim the trophy. The day was filled with energy, sportsmanship, and friendly rivalry.

This year’s trophy went to both the senior girls’ and boys’ teams. Senior Eli Koeneke, one of the standout players and strategists for the boys’ team.

“We decided to stall,” Koeneke said. “There is only 12 minutes in each game, so we decided to run the clock out.”

After securing the win, the seniors celebrated by storming the field. Despite efforts from the other classes, some felt they could have done better.

“We tried harder at the end and had more confidence,” said junior Taylor Marks.

No matter the outcome, the PowderPuff Tournament succeeded in bringing together all the classes and building excitement for the weekend’s festivities.

Friday’s pep rally continued to pump up the school spirit. Tribe hosted a variety of games, including Hungry Hogs and Guess the Song, keeping the energy high and giving students a chance to bond and have fun before the big game and dance.

That evening, the Manhattan Indians faced off against Hays in a nail-biting football game at Bishop Stadium. The match was close, with Manhattan edging out a 10-8 victory. During halftime, the Homecoming Court nominees made their grand entrance on the field, each hoping to be crowned king or queen. Ultimately, Talia Tindall and JJ Dunnigan took home the titles.

“Both my mom and sister have won homecoming queen in the past,” Tindall said. “I was really nervous before hearing the results, but I was really shocked and excited at the same time. I felt so happy and couldn’t stop smiling.” 

All these moments led up to the much-anticipated dance, where students gathered to celebrate the school year’s highlight. The theme “Country Roads Take Me Home” set the tone, accompanied by a new DJ aiming to keep the energy flowing. Though some students felt the dance could have been livelier, many others enjoyed the night and are already looking forward to next year’s event.

Senior Masen Cruz said the music and the vibe from the crowd wasn’t as exciting as he expected, but it was still a big deal for him.

“This homecoming had a big impact on me, since it’s my last one as a senior,” Cruz said.