Panther Creek Homecoming Week is typically one of the most exciting weeks of the year for all students, and this year was no different. With the annual tradition of Spirit Week theme days, students came best dressed to show off their school spirit each day of the week. On the final day of Spirit Week, students gathered at the stadium for one of the most impressive displays of Catamount pride – the Homecoming pep rally. Later that night, students gathered again at the stadium for the long-awaited Homecoming football game against Middle Creek. Last but not least, the final event was the 2022 Red Carpet theme Homecoming Dance which was worth the wait and definitely a night to remember.

This year’s Panther Creek Homecoming Spirit Week themes were a major hit! On Monday, students dressed up like their favorite movie characters. On Tuesday, they mirrored their friends for Twin Day. Wednesday was wild west themed, Thursday was throwback day, and Friday was Catamount day – where students dressed up in blue, black, gray, and white to show their school spirit and prepare for the pep rally. PCNN pollster Sean Bollinger gathered data on students’ favorite spirit day. This year the “Wild West Wednesday” took the crown with a whopping 40.7% of responders saying it was their favorite day. Yeehaw!

The Pep Rally was the perfect way to cap off Spirit Week. All the students filled the stadium to see performances from the Panther Creek dance and cheer teams. There were also classic and energetic games amongst Catamount Chaos and teams representing each grade. Seniors won both the tug-of-war game and the relay race. Congratulations, Class of 2023!

Late Friday evening, the stadium was packed again for the long-awaited Homecoming game against Middle Creek. Hopes were high, and the Catamounts fought hard for an impressive 35-28 victory over the Mustangs. Quarterback Will Clancy summarized the game positively, “We started off strong, came out strong in the end,” but he recognized there were definitely struggles along the way. Clancy added, “Being behind by two touchdowns – that was a big deficit we had to make up to come back and win the game.”

“We had a lot of people doubting us, but we pulled through and won the game,” says varsity football player Tyler Thompson. “I believed in my guys… They did what they had to do. “

At halftime, the winner of the Catamount Crown award got announced. Voted for by fellow students of Panther Creek, PCNN’s own Jordan Hinnant got crowned for this year’s Catamount Crown. Congratulations, Jordan!

The next day students gathered in the Commons for this year’s Homecoming Dance. The theme was “Red Carpet,” and students showed up dressed to impress – excited and ready to have fun. In the days leading up to this year’s dance, students were interviewed in anticipation of the event and asked about their feelings and opinions on last year’s Homecoming Dance. Mila, a senior who attended, reflected on last year’s dance, “It was just not good, I don’t know how to explain it.” She also stated, “there was not much to do, especially for the price of the ticket there were no good concessions.” Despite last year’s disappointing outcome, Mila was hopeful for this year’s dance. She expressed that this year’s Red Carpet theme was “cool, I like it,” and, “The game sounds fun. But definitely the music, it better be good at the dance. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”

Students at the Homecoming Dance enjoyed an evening of good music, laughter, and festive gold and red decorations. Lines for the photo booth stretched halfway across the commons, while the dance floor took up most of the cafeteria. Actual red carpets were rolled across the floor next to the main stairs, and giant gold stars affixed to the walls added to the ambiance of a real red carpet event. From all of the great music, creative decorations, and the company of good friends, Panther Creek’s 2022 Red Carpet Homecoming Dance was definitely a night to remember.