Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
No football, no problem: Huskies celebrate homecoming with coronation and powder-puff
MacKenzie Davis and Alan Nass crowned Homecoming Queen and King ahead of pickup powder-puff football game at Boom Night
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
AINWORTH — Highland students and families proved last week that Husky pride doesn’t depend on a football field. With the traditional Friday night game canceled due to injuries and low numbers, the community rallied around a full slate of activities — capped by Boom Night at the Ainsworth Ball Field on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
Before the end of the scheduled festivities, MacKenzie “Kenzie” Davis and Alan Nass were crowned Highland High School’s Homecoming Queen and King.
The official program also included recognition of fall extracurriculars, music from the band, a performance from the dance squad, and cheers led by the cheerleaders.
Boom Night itself carried on tradition with a spirited parade through Ainsworth and food trucks serving families gathered for the pep rally and coronation.
“We carefully considered several different options to keep Boom Night in Riverside, but after reviewing space, parking, and — most importantly — safety, we decided this year’s Boom Night will be held in Ainsworth,” Student Council sponsors Traci Vonnahme and Kelli Schwarz explained in a note to families, promising Riverside will host again in 2026 and 2027.
The change in venue did nothing to dim school spirit. From the stage, coaches and teachers praised student dedication.
Football coaches recognized the commitment of the team despite a difficult season.
“I just wanted to say that we've got a lot to be proud of this team up here,” Volunteer Assistant Coach Aaron Friederich said. “They've seen, you know, a lot of [adversity], and they're great young men. Everyone out here should be as proud of them as we are.”
Friederich shared that following the news of canceling the next two games, including homecoming, the coaches encouraged the players to take a couple days before getting back to work.
“But some of these guys went out and helped with junior high practice the very next day, which is very cool, and we're going to have a ton of involvement with those younger kids going forward, too,” he said. “So, really proud of these guys, and you guys should be too.”
Cross-country coach Angela Strobel described her squad as “small but mighty,” celebrating that every single person who ran a very difficult course recently either ran a course best or a career best.
Band director Andrew McDonald took the opportunity at Boom Night to reflect on the growth of his seniors, who helped carry Highland’s music program to new heights.
“This past year, we had our best year yet, and it is in many ways due to your guys’ leadership,” he said, noting the band’s first trip to the Iowa Jazz Championships since 2009 and a Division I rating at state contest. “I could not be any more proud of these amazing kids and the work that they have put in.”
Volleyball assistant coach Kelsey Black applauded her team’s hard work.
“They get better every single game we play,” she said. “They’re a really good group of girls. They work really hard in practice. Just very proud of them in general.”
Cheer captain Hailey Plank also shared her perspective as a student leader in fall extra-curriculars at Highland.
“This season has been amazing, and getting to cheer with these girls has been an incredible experience,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of new members come up and they’ve been incredible. Learning new cheers and going out to games has been great.”
Even with so much on the schedule — cross-country meets in Sigourney and Fairfield, volleyball matches, the parade, and an extended Homecoming dance on Friday — students found a way to shake things up, in a good way.
After the coronation, a voice over the loudspeakers announced: “The students decided that they’re going to do a powder-puff football game.”
At first hesitant, a crowd of students soon spilled under the trees just beginning to show fall colors, splitting into teams and charging across the grass. Cheers erupted as players laughed and stumbled their way through the pickup game, bringing football back into this year’s Husky Homecoming.
“This week has been a little bit of a challenge,” Superintendent Spencer Lueders said during the evening program. “Kudos, though, to everybody for their flexibility in the way that we showed resiliency. I’m just super impressed.”
Lueders praised the energy of the night and the community that made it possible.
“This is not something that’s typical in most schools, right? To have a Boom Night like this and experience this … I am extremely thankful that I can experience this, that my kids can experience this as well,” he said, before handing the microphone to his sons Nelson and Asiah, who showed their own school spirit as they shouted, “Go Huskies!”
For Lueders, the week underscored what makes Highland special.
“Even with these changes, there is so much to celebrate about being a Highland Husky,” he wrote in a message to families. “These events highlight the energy, talent, and resilience of our students, and they remind us of everything that makes Highland such a special place.”
The highlights of Homecoming 2025 came in two parts: the crowning of Davis and Nass on stage before a cheering community, and the laughter that followed when students turned the ballpark grass into a powder-puff field. Together, those moments embodied the spirit of the week — honoring tradition while embracing change.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
