Pictured are members of the 2024 CLHS Homecoming Court. The are, left to right, back row: Zay Nippert, senior; Denton Garrison, senior; and Aaron Howard, senior; middle row: Madilee Sherman, senior; Madison Caulkins, senior; and Sydney Hobbs, senior; and front row: Hailey Littlemeyer, junior; Madison Garrabrant, freshman; and Jill Bertke, sophomore.
Courtesy | Kirsten Ebert
Merle Fisher Football Field will welcome the 78th Homecoming ceremony of Cardington-Lincoln High School on Friday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will crown the new king and queen, feature the court’s attendants, and a dance will be held following the end of the game. The Pirates host the Loudonville Redbirds, and kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
Kirsten Ebert, history teacher and Spirit Club advisor, is leading the coordination of the week’s festivities. The dance will take place in the high school cafeteria beginning approximately at 9 p.m. and ending around 11:30 p.m. The cost for students and their guests to attend is $5. “DJ Jazzy” John Brehm, band and choir teacher, will serve as the disc jockey.
The annual Homecoming Parade will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. The planned route will start in the high school parking lot, it will head west on Chesterville Avenue, turn left on Nichols Street, turn right on South Marion Street, turn right on East Main Street, turn right on Water Street, and turn left on Chesterville Avenue as it heads back into the high school parking lot. The high school marching band will lead the way followed by floats full of teachers, staff and sports teams. A bonfire, where all of the fall sports teams will be introduced, will begin approximately at 6:45 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. The high school band will play a handful of stands tunes while the cheerleading squad dances. There is ample parking at the building located at 349 Chesterville Ave., Cardington. The Pals of Pirates, the elementary and middle school’s PTO, will be hosting games and activities in front of the village pool at the high school prior to the parade stepping off.
The retiring king and queen are Jason Bockbrader and Kayla Hughes. The members of the Junior Homecoming Court for the ceremony are first graders Leah Rogers, Scarlett Rogers and Henry Weaston. Leah Rogers, a student in Amy Kipfinger’s class, will be carrying the queen’s flowers. Scarlett Rogers, one of Kathy Gardner’s students, will be carrying the queen’s crown and sash. The king’s crown and sash will be carried by Henry of Morgan Gompf’s class.
Candidates for the 2024 Cardington-Lincoln High School Homecoming queen are Madison Caulkins, Sydney Hobbs and Madilee Sherman. The king candidates are Denton Garrison, Aaron Howard and Zay Nippert. All king and queen candidates are seniors.
Caulkins, the daughter of David and Samantha Caulkins, is a varsity athlete playing both basketball and volleyball with being awarded First Team All-KMAC and Honorable Mention All-Central District in the latter. She participates in Spanish Club, Yearbook and the Cardington-Lincoln FFA Chapter. Caulkins enjoys hanging out with her friends, shopping, fishing, rooting on the Ohio State Buckeyes, and listening to music by Zach Bryan. She is being escorted by king candidate Aaron Howard, who is the son of Scot and Jen Howard. Howard is involved in FFA and serves at the assistant reporter, Drama Club, Pirate News Network, National Honors Society, where he serves as the liaison for blood drives for the American Red Cross; Spanish Club, Spirit Club and History Club. In FFA, Howard has been a state qualifier in the category of Prepared Public Speaking. His hobbies include photography, filmmaking and martial arts.
Hobbs is the daughter of Chad and Amber Hobbs. She has been on the cheerleading squad and involved in the FFA chapter, Spanish Club and Spirit Club. Hobbs has also volunteered in Big Brothers Big Sisters. Fishing, attending rock and roll concerts, and cooking are her hobbies. She will be escorted by king candidate Denton Garrison. He is the son of Tommy Garrison and Shannon Figley. Garrison is a letterwinner in baseball, basketball, and football, earning the honors of Second Team All-KMAC and First Team All-Central District. He enjoys fishing, cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Guardians, and hanging out with his friends.
Sherman is the daughter of the late Kendralee Parsons and Tori Parsons. In addition to being a cheerleader, Sherman has participated in FFA. She considers fishing and hunting as part of her hobbies and enjoys spending time with her friends and sisters. Zay Nippert, the last king candidate, will be escorting Sherman. He is the son of John and Mandy Nippert. He has run cross country and track and played basketball; receiving his varsity letter in XC and basketball. A member of the Cardington-Lincoln FFA Chapter, Nippert has been a lifeguard at the Cardington Public Swimming Pool. Lastly, he enjoys hanging out with his family and friends along with watching sports.
The court attendants for the ceremony are Hailey Littlemeyer, Jill Bertke and Madison Garrabrant.
Littlemeyer is a Cardington junior and the daughter of Dave and Tiffany Littlemeyer. She is a varsity softball player and has been a lifeguard at the Cardington Public Swimming Pool. Littlemeyer is an active member of the FFA chapter by serving as assistant treasurer and competing with her classmates in the parliamentary procedure contest that won the state competition. She enjoys reading and doing jigsaw puzzles along with hanging out with friends and attending concerts. Littlemeyer will be escorted by classmate, Bryce Hartley, the son of Chris and Tara Hartley.
Bertke, the daughter of the late Ben Bertke and Jennie Bertke, is active in 4-H and FFA. This extends to being an active American Quarter Horse Association member, and she has won several equestrian awards at the Morrow County Fair and Quarter Horse Congress. She plays basketball and has received Second Team All-KMAC honors. Her hobbies include riding and competing with her horses, baking, and spending time with family and friends. Troy Bockbrader, a fellow sophomore, is the son of Brenner and Tolly Bockbrader and will be Bertke’s escort.
The freshman attendant is Garrabrant, the daughter of Jeff and Chelsey Garrabrant. She participates in FFA, 4-H, cross country, track, and marching band. She assists her family’s grain farm and shows pigs and sheep at the county fair for 4-H. She will be escorted by Rylan Fiant, a classmate, who is the son of Nate and Vanessa Fiant.
The Cardington-Lincoln FFA Alumni will be sponsoring the chapter’s annual Fall BBQ fundraiser before the football game. The meal contains pork loins, cheesy potatoes, applesauce/coleslaw, roll, dessert and a drink. Tickets are being sold for $9 currently and will be $10 at the door on Oct. 11. Please contact advisor Erin Wollett if you would like to purchase a ticket via email at [email protected] or phone at 419-864-2691. The dinner will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
Brehm has invited back alumni to join the current high school and junior high band members to play at halftime and form the famous Script C-Town while playing “The Hey Song.” Tracy Williamson, cheerleading advisor, has advertised alumni cheer for those graduates who were part of the squad during their high school years. Alumni cheerleaders will chant throughout the night’s game.
The Cardington-Lincoln Alumni Association is hosting a fundraiser beginning at approximately 9 p.m. by reopening the 5th Quarter at the American Legion Hall in Cardington. The address for the event is 307 Park Ave., Cardington. Admission is a $5 donation to the organization’s scholarship fund. Tickets for drinks will be for sale, and food will be available for purchase. Music will also be played throughout the social hour. The 5th Quarter will close at approximately 11:30 p.m.
Quinn Maceyko is a correspondent for the Morrow County Sentinel.
