Heritage High School celebrated its first homecoming Friday night with a pregame pep rally and a win on the football field.
Senior Salma Sharaf was crowned homecoming queen and Jack Ellis was named king at halftime of the game.
Being the first king and queen in the school's history is a special moment, Sharaf said before returning to the stands to watch the game.
"“It's is iconic, honestly iconic, truly iconic," she said.
“It is really cool to be honored by my team and classmates," Ellis said.
Before watching their team take to the field for Heritage High School's Homecoming game under the friday night lights, students and community members gathered to celebrate at the Heritage Homecoming Pep Rally.
In the staging area behind the Heritage football field, festively decorated golf carts and students waited to line up for their chance to parade before the stands. Among the student-athletes, clubs and homecoming court, the Senior Sweethearts were ready to cheer on the football teams.
See more photos here.
The girls, all seniors, support football players before every game by delivering goodies or decorating their cars to get them excited before the game, but this week is extra special because it is homecoming, they said.
“The game. Everyone is pumped. This is sort of a small school so this is big,” said sweetheart Taylor Howell.
“Everyone wants to win, just the anticipation is high,” said Kenzie Thorne.
The groups like the drama department, agriculture students, basketball teams, Midlothian ISD administrators rounded out the mix, many sporting the red, white and blue school colors.
The stands around the stadium filled up with family members students who were greeted a runway of cheerleaders.
In place of returning graduates, Heritage was celebrating the students in the community who will attend Heritage in the future, especially many Walnut Grove Middle School Wildcats who attended the rally.
In the stands, junior Destiny Byrd and her friends were eager for the rally.
“It is very exciting. I have been excited all week,” Byrd said.
“I have been waiting for these days. We got to wear pajama,” Caila Boone sophomore said.
She was confident in the team's ability to win their homecoming.
“I have seen them accomplish a lot and be successful and I'm excited,” Boone said. “I think we are going to win.”
Jaguar Head Coach Lee Wiginton spoke to the crowd to thank the crowd for their support of the team leading up the their first homecoming game.
“This is it, the first homecoming ever here at Heritage. It is a big event and I'm glad each and everyone of you is a part of it,” Wiginton said. “I know for certain the guys have worked very hard and are ready to put on a great show.”
Congratulations to the winners of the Spirit Banner and Golf Cart Contests:
Spirit Banners:
1st -- Choir
2nd - FFA
3rd -- Anglers
Most Creative -- Debate
Best Group Messaging -- Girls Soccer
Best School Spirit -- Belles
Golf Carts:
1st -- MISD Transportation
2nd -- HOCO Prince and Princess Layne McKay and Samuel Brauner
3rd -- Boys Soccer
Most Creative -- Volleyball
Best Group Messaging -- Girls Basketball
Best School Spirit -- Cheerleaders
Contact Bethany Kurtz at 469-517-1450 or email bkurtz@waxahachietx.com. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BethanyKurtzMidloMirror or on Twitter @bethmidlomirror.