Faribault High School Homecoming Royalty Crowned

The 2017 Faribault HIgh School Homecoming Coronation was held tonight and Rachel Hanson was crowned queen and Dylan O'Neil king.

Six girls and five guys were finalists due to a tie among the ladies.

Hanson's parents are Scott and Kate Hanson.

O'Neil's parents are Chris and Dawn O'Neil.

Other queen candidates were Grace Amacher, daughter of Brian and Kari Amacher, Yasmin Braden, daughter of Dan Mahan and Brianna Braden, Anna Nietz, daughter of Dan Nietz, Malia Stone, daughter of Nate and Katie Weston and Emma Winkelman, daughter of Jerry and Angela Winkelman.

King candidates included Chester Donkers, son of Scott and Missy Donkers, Samuel Graves, son of Mark and Mary Graves, Brody Kucera, son of Dan and Pam Kucera and Dylan Vargo, son of Corey Vargo and Jammi Timm.

2016 Homecoming Queen Meredith Wieber and King Chris Lane returned to present their robes to their successors.

The Homecoming Parade will begin 2:15 Friday afternoon and this year's Grand Marshal is retired teacher and coach John Bellingham.

Bellingham taught and coached over 34 years in the district and could not attend the Coronation due to another awards ceremony in the Twin Cities.

The first Faribault High School Homecoming Queen was Loyola Bieter in 1936 and only queens were crowned until 1939 when Robert Pluemor was crowned the first FHS Homecoming King.  The queen that year was Helen Dahike.

In 1955 the school went back to having queens only with the crowning of Carol Shaft and that tradition continued until 1984 when a king and queen were again selected to reign over the week of festivities.

Jackie Stoos and Christopher Nelson were chosen that year and it's been both sexes ever since.

The Homecoming football game will be Friday night at Bruce Smith Field with the Rochester Mayo Spartans on the menu for the Falcons.

I hope to interview the King and Queen and feature their comments during halftime of our broadcast of the Falcon football game Friday night.

Coverage begins 6:45 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.