More than any school in the state, homecoming is a “big deal” at Carroll High School. Its week-long celebration of legacy and pride attracts Mardi Gras-style crowds of up to 10,000 for the six days leading up to the big game. So, when the homecoming is rescheduled to a daytime game rather than the traditional Friday night blowout, alumni get upset.
This year, Carroll’s homecoming will be played on Saturday, October 21st, at 2 p.m. rather than the scheduled Friday, October 20th date.
The date change was announced this week in light of security concerns between fans from Franklin Parish and Carroll’s massive, angry fan base.
Last year, a brawl in the stands involving Franklin Parish fans, Sheriff, and Carroll coaches resulted in the suspension of several Carroll Coaches and criminal charges against three Carroll coaches, but no charges against the Sheriff or Franklin Parish fans, all of whom were white.
The prospect of retaliatory clashes between fans as the two schools face off in Monroe for Carroll’s homecoming is real; that prompted the date change.
On Friday nights, nearly all local schools tap available police officers for security duty. Last year, Carroll’s massive crowd was short of six security officers.
With the threat of potential clashes between fans of the two schools, law enforcement could not guarantee security if Carroll’s game is held on Friday. All local communities host games on Friday, so the possibility of borrowing outside security has to be ruled out.
The only option available was to change the date to Saturday.
On the dark side, it will detract from the big show this year’s homecoming queen had planned. Homecoming looks and feels different in the daytime, but it’s safer.
On the bright side, there will be one more day for fans and alumni to party, especially since some of the glitz and crowd-drawing activities are being moved to the Monroe Civic Center arena.
The Coronation of the homecoming queen this year will be the school’s most spectacular event. The queen’s family is sponsoring a tea and footing the bill for the coronation of all coronations in the arena. The final bill, if everything goes as planned, will be the most expensive coronation in the school’s history.
The Civic Center spectacle will reduce the crowd on Renwick Street at least for one of the nights; the coronation promises to be one that will be the talk of generations to come.
Hosting the game in the daytime will rob the fans of seeing the glamour that was planned for the queen’s march across the field, special effects that are not possible in daylight.
Carroll’s homecoming is a happening, and the happening is bigger than the game itself.
School leaders have the job of keeping it all safe.
That’s why the game is on Saturday and not Friday night.
It was a wise decision.
