WHS Homecoming Was More Than Football Game Victory

By Sam Conner
   The football game against the Chinle Wildcats was possibly the least interesting thing about the 2009 Winslow High School Homecoming celebration. The Bulldogs routed the Wildcats 56-7 in a game that was really over for all practical purposes well before the first quarter ended. After building a 41-0 lead in that period, the game was played with a running clock and the Bulldogs mostly trying to avoid running up the score. Ironically, it ended with a Winslow score after what should have been the final buzzer had not Chinle called a time out.
   Ty Hancock and Kisha Whitehair were named 2009 Homecoming King and Queen during the halftime celebration. Other candidates for king were Levi Smith, Sebastian Benally, Aaron Baca and Tevin Renfro. Other queen candidates were Felicia Nagle, Bernice Gover, Courtney Shirley and Dominique Echoles.
   The day had been filled with reunions of several classes, an assembly and a parade through the city by floats and the WHS marching band. Friday was also the first day of Winslow’s annual Standin’ on the Corner celebration, which carried on into the night well after the football game had ended.
   Dedicatees for the game were Winslow residents and WHS graduates Joe Benham and Dennis Peters. Both had been Homecoming king candidates during their high school careers. Benham was a candidate in 1968. Peters was the Homecoming king in 1974.
   Benham played football and baseball as a Bulldog and played baseball at Phoenix College. He returned to Winslow and married his high school sweetheart. He had three daughters and now has grandchildren to watch on the athletic fields of Winslow. He has served on the school district governing board and worked in the family business, the Reminder. He founded Koala Etchings and makes many plaques and beautiful trophies for a large variety of reasons that are associated with WHS. He has coached softball, football and baseball.
   Peters graduated in 1975 and is a veterinarian in Winslow and the area. He was defensive captain of the football team, and All State in football and wrestling. He was editor of The Bulldog Barks. Peters was recognized as the WHS All Around Athlete in 1974. He married Stephanie Ceballos, who has taught and been a counselor at both Winslow and Holbrook. He is very interested in music and has been Music Booster president for the past three years.
   Both of these dedicatees have long served the community and schools in a wide variety of ways. Both continue to do so. Hopefully, that will continue to be the situation for many years to come.
   The celebration before the game began included the singing of the WHS alma mater by Kaye Ricks, another WHS graduate who has returned to the community to serve it well as an adult.