Crowning of King Sam Grev, Queen Liana Blomgren is 2016’s opening act
Let “The Homecoming Games” begin.
And so they did, with 2016’s opening act the recognition of Mountain Lake Public High School’s (MLHS) royal family at a coronation ceremony held Saturday evening, September 17, in the school’s auditorium.
A slate of four Senior Class candidates for both King and Queen were presented to the masses for the final selection of the two who will wear the crown and tiara during Homecoming Week.
Crowned as monarch was King Sam Grev, and receiving the diamond tiara was Queen Liana Blomgren. Grev is the son of Dave and Kendra Grev, while Blomgren is the daughter of Kyle and Kim Blomgren.
Additional Senior Class members of the royal court include Aaron Fast, son of Tom and Marilyn Fast; Tommy Kraemer, son of Ken and Becky Kraemer; Ruben Fentanez, son of Ruben and Analaura Fentanez; Karen Soutthivong, daughter of Sakoul and Chantha Soutthivong; Katherine Hofmann, daughter of Perry and Cheryl Hofmann and Rebekah Klassen, daughter of Chad and Esther Klassen.
Attending as underclassmen royalty are Junior Class Attendants Maddie Schroeder, daughter of Kevien and Sandy Schroeder and Jeff Wright, son of Eric and Barrie Wright; Sophomore Class Attendants Kyla Perkins, daughter of Ben and Dulsey Perkins and Drake Harder, son of Duane and Belle Harder and Freshman Class Attendants Margo Stoesz, daughter of Mike and Sonja Stoesz and Paton Buller, son of Tom and Karla Buller.
A host of sports competitions and COTY (Class of the Year) contests are scheduled in which the tributes to participate. In addition, other activities have been tucked into the annual days of festivities.
That schedule is as follows:
+ Monday, September 19 – MLHS Student Council Blood Drive; Junior High and Junior Varsity Football at Fulda, 4:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.; Junior High Volleyball at Home, 4:40 p.m. and Boys and Girls Cross Country at Windom, 4:30 p.m.
+ Tuesday, September 20 – “Tribute Day” (match outfit with a friend); COTY Hunger Games Trivia; A/B/C Volleyball at Martin County West (Sherburn), 4:45 p.m. and Junior High Volleyball at Home, 4:30 p.m.
+ Wednesday, September 21 – “Capitol Day” (formal wear).
+ Thursday, September 22 – “District Day” (dress for respective districts):
Seniors – District 3, Technology;
Juniors – District 4, Fishing;
Sophomores – District 7, Lumber;
Freshmen – District 9, Grain;
8th Grade – District 8, Textiles
7th Grade – District 10, Livestock;
COTY Survival Contest and A/B/C Volleyball at Fulda, 4:45 p.m.
+ Friday, September 23 – “Support Panem” (Wolverine Spirit Day); Pep Fest; COTY Archery Contest; Varsity Football at Munson Field versus Hills-Beaver Creek, 7 p.m. and viewing of movie, Remember the Titans, in school auditorium following the football game ($2 admission).
Homecoming Week events are sponsored and organized by the MLHS Student Council. Faculty Co-Advisors for the student group are Kim Syverson and Jaime Banks.
“Happy Homecoming Games! (And may the odds be ever in your favor)”
Below is a photo gallery from this “The Homecoming Games” opening event:
IN “THE HUNGER Games” trilogy, tributes performing and competing in the arena received donations from sponsors that ranged from medicines to food to weapons – and more – sent into the arena via silver silk parachutes. In addition to a number of parachutes bringing in needed supplies for support at the coronation ceremony (like the one in this photo carrying a first aid kit), so too did the king’s crown and queen’s tiara arrive in a similar way.
BAND OF SENIOR Class brothers connected as king candidates – with sophomore Sierra Pankratz, right, holding the crown and robe – along with the name of his majesty. King candidates at left include, from left, Tommy Kraemer, Sam Grev, Ruben Fentanez and Aaron Fast.
TO REIGN OVER “The Homecoming Games” is King Sam Grev, receiving his title as Sierra Pankratz places the crown on his regal head.
JOINING KING Sam Grev as the female half of the reigning royal couple is Queen Liana Blomgren, her tiara placed carefully by sophomore Regan Syverson.
CONGRATULATING QUEEN LIANA, second from right, receiving her royal cape from Regan Syverson, right, are Senior Class members of the royal court. They are, from left, Karen Soutthivong, Rebekah Klassen and Katherine Hofmann.
THE MLHS 2016 Homecoming royal family, appearing under the shield of “The Homecoming Games.” From left, Senior Class Attendants Katherine Hofmann, Ruben Fentanez, Karen Soutthivong, Tommy Kraemer, Rebekah Klassen and Aaron Fast; King Sam Grev; Queen Liana Blomgren; Freshman Class Attendants Paton Buller and Margo Stoesz; Sophomore Class Attendants Drake Harder and Kyla Perkins and Junior Class Attendants Jeff Wright and Maddie Schroeder.
KING CANDIDATES, LEFT, and Queen Candidates, right, were pitted against each other in a special “The Homecoming Games” contest – “Hunger Games” trivia. The goal was to be the first team to properly match up the photo of a “Hunger Games” character to the quote presented. Game Show Hostess was senior Kenna Gardiner.
TO THE VICTOR belong the spoils. Can you guess the winning team? Game Show Hostess Kenna Gardiner, center, is pleased with the results as well.
ALSO DURING THE ceremony, the fall extra-curricular sports tributes spent a few moments sharing about their seasons to date. Above, the senior quad-captains of the Wolverine varsity football team. From left, Jacob Suess, Jacob Wahdan, Levi Stoesz and Sam Grev.
RECOGNIZING THE WOLVERINE volleyball season so far were the varsity squad’s four senior captains. From left, Brook Sunderman, Emily Jahnke, Meredith Suess and Lexia Peters.
THE CAPTAINS OF the Wolverine girls and boys cross country teams numbered six – all of the seniors on the teams. From left, Karen Soutthivong, Aaron Fast (behind), Rebekah Klassen, Katherine Hofmann, Liana Blomgren and Tommy Kraemer.
PROVIDING SOME MUSICAL entertainment was the duet of juniors Jareya Harder, left, and David Hall, right. Foreign exchange student Merel Caminada from The Netherlands was also a part of the ceremony, introducing herself to the audience.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES for the evening coronation event was Michael Watkins, left, while serving as Mistress of Ceremonies was Jae Faber. Both are juniors at MLHS.
