October 21, 2025

Hughson High School took over the town with the 2025 Homecoming Celebration, bringing alumni, community, and students together for traditions, festivity, parade through town with Grand Marshal Debra Davis, and Hughson High Football victories against Orestimba.

Seas the Day Captures Homecoming Week

This year’s theme was “Seas the Day.”

The Homecoming 2025 Dance theme was Pirates of the Caribbean. The Homecoming Rally included Polynesian dances, teacher cheerleader dances, pizza box knockout, 2-day rock, paper, scissors bead winners and more from ASB and Renaissance classes.

To get into the spirit of things, dress-up days are a longstanding tradition of Homecoming week. This year included “Meme Day - What do you meme?” on Tuesday; “Ages Day - Classes through the generations” on Wednesday; and “Hawaiian Beach Day – High Tides and Good Vibes” on Thursday.

At 9 a.m. on Monday, students began decorating the school for Homecoming, and float building began at 10 a.m. On Tuesday, with Kyoto Japanese Exchange Students present, ASB set up lemonade stands to match the homecoming theme. Lunchtime games followed on Wednesday and Thursday.

Sophomores Win First Place in Float Competition

The parade began at 2:30 p.m. at Hughson High School on Whitmore Avenue and traveled down Whitmore until Charles to Hughson Avenue, its main route. Along Hughson Avenue, local business windows were decorated with a cinematic take on the year’s theme.

In the window decorating competition, sophomores took first place for their window decorations from Moana on The Curve’s window. Juniors came in second with their Jaws design on Coco’s Taqueria window. Seniors won third for their The Little Mermaid painting on Lacy’s window. Lastly, was Bob’s Coffee Shop window with a Finding Nemo design.

Parents and students help with float building, with the project overseen by the Associated Student Body. “ASB oversees the float building themes and overall float design, but it is the power of each grade-level that help the floats come to life!” Advisor Karalee Ruelas said.

Any person or organization may participate in the parade. This year included the Sheriff’s Department, Hughson Volunteer Firefighter Association, Hughson Unified School District Board members, district and school administration, Hughson Historical Society whose members wore signs with their Hughson High School senior photos, ASB President Story Johnson, King Henry Husky, 2025 Staff Queen Amy McAndrews, students from Ross Middle School, Fox Road Elementary, Hughson Elementary School, Hughson Preschool, and Hughson Christian School, HHS Class of 1975, FFA Livestock Judging Team State Champions, Hughson Youth Football and Cheer, and even more clubs and organizations.

Playing on the theme, the Senior Class used paper and paint to create a variation on Ursula’s villainous song, “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” from The Little Mermaid. Sophomores, who won first place in the float competition, presented a Husky Maui, with Moana’s chicken and pig in the boat and Te Fiti, with the words “We Know the Way” along the float’s side. “Just Keep Winning” was the motto for freshman float featuring balloon sculptures from Finding Nemo. The Junior Class followed with cardboard boat heading into a painted take on the iconic scene from Jars. Juniors took second place and seniors third for their floats.

Hughson Schools also dressed their floats with themes after Sponge Bob SquarePants and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Hughson Wins Big in Homecoming Games

Hughson JV faced off against Orestimba at 5 p.m., with Varsity following at 7 p.m.

At the JV game, Hughson showed its community spirit when a wire shorted and the stadium lights went out putting the game on hold. JV coaching staff and other coaching personnel headed straight to the practice field to help load up and move the portable lights to the stadium. Volunteers rushed to check electrical boxes, trying to help troubleshoot and diagnose the stadium light outage.

Even with a half-lit field, Hughson JV beat Orestimba 28-6.

Between games, Hughson High School honored the Grand Marshall Debra Davis. Emily Barron was also awarded the Heart of Homecoming; and Mackenzie Mendez was named Most Valuable Planner (MVP) of Homecoming,

The Hughson Huskies Varsity won against Orestimba Warriors, 38-13. With that, Hughson moves to 7-2 on the season and 3-2 in league play.

Tristan Benham and Sophie Benham Crowned 2025 Homecoming King and Queen

During the halftime show, in addition to the nominees, Hughson High School leadership honored and introduced two former Queens who are HHS alumni, 2022 Queen Linsey Shears and 1978 Queen Tami Stark McQueen, and students from kindergarten, first, second, and third grades served as flower girls and crown bearers.

Bradley Brower, Sofia Mora, Carter Clawson, Brooklyn Foss, Nathan Castro, Layla Fiorini were crowned homecoming princes and princesses. Tristan Benham and Sophie Benham were crowned the 2025 Homecoming King and Queen.

This year’s nominees were:

Freshman Princess Nominees: Delilah Kline, Tatum Montez, Sofia Mora, and Piper Torres.

Sophomore Princess Nominees: Lilly Duke, Brooklyn Foss, Mariah Ruiz, and Harley Wells.

Junior Princess Nominees: Sophia Brazil, Layla Fiorini, Olivia Piazza, and Makayla Silveira.

Senior Queen Nominees: Sophie Benham, Chloe Hunter, Nyelli Montes, and Adisyn Powers.

Freshman Prince Nominees: Bradley Brower, Hayden Caldwell, Aidenn Waddell and Kyler Zamzow.

Sophomore Prince Nominees: Caleb Absher, Carter Clawson, Noah Franco, and Maddox Gregorio.

Junior Prince Nominees: Titus Beers, Nathan Castro, Mason Hoyle, and Eddie Parks.

Senior King Nominees: Tristan Benham, Payton King, Caleb Parshall, and Alessandro Pimentel.