Under Friday night lights, Vashon High School celebrated homecoming in high spirits on Oct. 3, with packed stands cheering on the school’s football team in a hard-fought underdog battle against the Bellevue Christian Vikings.

The school’s pep band, led by music teacher Britt Dahlgren, provided the brassy soundtrack for the game, and the night’s color scheme, with students clad in hues of pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also added sparkle to the night.

With a team roster that more than doubled that of the Pirates, the Vikings held Vashon scoreless and put 34 points on the scoreboard in the game’s first half. But the second half told a different story as the Pirates, led by sophomore quarterback Memphis Cress, held the Vikings scoreless throughout the third quarter.

At the top of the fourth quarter, the Pirates drove relentlessly down the field, with senior Tallis Sullivan practically carrying three Vikings on his back as he crossed the goal line to score for the Pirates. The team and sidelines erupted as if Tallis had made the winning touchdown of the state tournament — a joy that couldn’t be dampened despite a subsequent additional touchdown by the Vikings that ended the game in a 41-6 loss for the Pirates.

In a community email, VHS principal John Erickson summed up the scrappy team’s ethos, saying the players “demonstrated what perseverance looks like.”

The gridiron contest capped an afternoon and night of school pride at VHS, with the girls varsity and JV teams also playing matches with Charles Wright Academy during the afternoon before the football games. The JV team prevailed in a 3-0 win, with the varsity team losing its match 0-3.

Festivities also included spirit-themed dress-up days at VHS throughout Homecoming Week, an all-school assembly and a “powderpuff” game pitting the girls’ volleyball team against the football team, which the girls won. A packed and joyous homecoming dance on Saturday was the culmination of the week, Erickson said.

No homecoming is complete without royalty, and this year’s court included seniors Taevin Gilbert and Ada Umbach; juniors Marley Grantor and Ben Williams, sophomores Pierson Guenther and Gloria Erickson, and freshmen Emile Cudaback and Josie Joanis.

Read Aspen Anderson’s reporting on this year’s football team here, and a full recap of the game here.

Vashon High School’s Homecoming Royalty took to the sidelines at halftime. (Tom Hughes Photo)

Royalty race on the sidelines during halftime. (Tom Hughes)

VHS Principal John Erickson and Assistant Principal Sabrina Kovacs, on “Twin Day” of Homecoming week. (Courtesy Photo)

Senior Tallis Sullivan practically carrying three Vikings on his back as he crossed the goal line to score for the Pirates in the homecoming game. (Tom Hughes Photo)

Gloria Erickson and Pierson Guenther, sophomore royalty. (Elizabeth Shepherd Photo)