Manti homecoming marks 50 years of football

By Suzanne Dean

Publisher

9/12/2019

MANTI—Confused by letters painted on the window of a business that say “HO-CO?”

Well, that’s just short for “Homecoming,” which is being celebrated at Manti High School this week.

Some activities have a 1950s overtone as the school observes the 50th anniversary of the Manti Templars football team. (For a nostalgic look at the team’s difficult early years, read James Tilson’s column in this week’s sports section.)

A commemoration of the 50 years will be presented during halftime of the homecoming game against Richfield on Friday. The game starts at 7 p.m.

The week started Monday with “Tourist Day,” when students dressed up like tourists. That evening after school, homecoming committee members and student leaders painted windows in Manti and Ephraim.

On Tuesday night, school letters were lit on fire at the Fairgrounds arena.

On Wednesday, students wore all manner of sports jerseys to school. There was a powder puff football game with female competitors, while boys played in a “volleybuff” game.

Thursday was “cowboy” or “hick day.” Students who dressed to the theme got a free pancake breakfast at 7:15 a.m. Students who didn’t dress up paid $1 for breakfast. After lunch, a cadre of students led by teacher Ben Shoppe climbed a mountain east of the high school to whitewash the “M.”

The homecoming parade will travel down Main Street in Manti on Friday at 4 p.m., with the football game to follow that evening.

A homecoming dance will be held Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Sanpete County Fair Exhibit Building.