A Splendid Homecoming Day for Huntington
Forecasts of a stormy day proved largely erroneous as Huntington High School’s homecoming celebration went off without a hitch last Saturday afternoon. A mid-day parade through the village featured two marching bands and a later football game and half-time activities drew a crowd of nearly 2,000.
Excitement started building Friday afternoon at the school’s pep rally where coaches introduced their teams to a gym packed to the rafters with students and teachers. Later that night more than 100 Blue Devil marching band alumni rehearsed for parade and on-field performances.
The alumni were in town to celebrate the marching band’s 75th anniversary. After a second rehearsal Saturday morning, the graduates marched as a unit in the parade, stunning the crowd along the way with what many described as “remarkable sound.”
“The alumni band was incredible,” Superintendent John J. Finello said. “It was perfectly on key and sounded very strong.” The graduates followed the current year’s band, which was decked out in its snazzy uniforms. Later the two bands assembled in front of the Blue Devil Stadium bleachers and performed a joint rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” to wild applause.
The half-time festivities included crowning of the homecoming king and queen. Nominees for king included Dan Smith, Dan Owen, Dan Lobasso and Peter Knutson. The nominees for queen were Allison Thompson, Leena Freed, Marissa Dillhoff and Susana Michaels. Mr. Finello crowned Ms. Dillhoff queen and Principal Carmela Leonardi placed the king’s crown on Mr. Knutson’s head.
The Blue Devil marching band put on a grand half-time show, performing “Strength & Honor,” with music from “Gladiator,” complete with a dazzling display by the band’s color guard. A hip performance by the Huntington Highsteppers, the high school’s competitive dance team culminated the mid-game activities.
Students from each of the four classes worked until midnight on Friday building colorful and innovative floats, engaging in a heated battle for top honors. Consistent with the parade’s “movies” theme, freshmen chose a “Kung-Fu Panda” focus, sophomores selected “Monsters, Inc.,” attempting to prove that monsters really do exist, the junior class picked “Jaws,” with a realistic depiction of the toothy movie monster and the seniors built “Finding Nemo.”
The half-time celebration included a touching ceremony that saw Director of Athletics Georgia McCarthy honor a contingent of Blue Devil football alumni who played on Huntington’s 1958 Suffolk co-championship team. The group’s coach, 88-year old Al D’Onofrio stood with them on the track in front of the bleachers, and was presented with the same trophy he was first given more than 50 years ago. Players returned from across the country for the event.
Members of Huntington’s Class of 1959 were in the crowd and earlier participated in the parade. The group was in town for a 50th anniversary reunion, which was also attended by Don Loughlin, their class advisor. Mr. Loughlin was the high school assistant principal at the time and is the founder of Huntington’s boys’ lacrosse program. He moved to Rochester in 1968 to become principal of Rush-Henrietta High School and still resides near there today in Fairport.
The Blue Devils came from behind to top Harborfields in the football game, 27-7. Following the game dozens of alumni headed to favorite hang-outs in the village. Band alumni participated in a reunion dinner at the Elks Club. Hundreds of current high school students attended a four hour dance Saturday night.
“It was a great day for Huntington,” Mr. Finello said.
All graphics, photographs, and text appearing on the Huntington Public Schools home page and subsequent official web pages are protected by copyright. Redistribution or commercial use is prohibited without express written permission. Comments or Questions? email the Public Information Office