A packed house got their money’s worth on Friday night – with three hard-fought basketball games and the crowning of new Escalon High School Homecoming royalty.
Chosen as the Homecoming King was senior Logan Widmer, who took the crown over four classmates, Hunter Calton, Wyatt Cockrell, Caleb Hansen and Sam Lattig. The crowning came at halftime of the varsity boys basketball contest on Jan. 15. Prior to that game, the freshmen and JV boys both crafted victories on the court in Trans-Valley League play. The varsity didn’t get the same outcome, falling to the visiting Knights, but it was a fast-paced, physical, exciting battle that kept the crowd in it until the final buzzer sounded.
After some initial difficulty with feedback from the microphone, Homecoming Commissioners Kayleigh Inman and Brooklyn Berry took charge at halftime and provided some biographical information about each of the candidates, along with introducing them and their escorts to the crowd.
Newly crowned King Widmer was escorted to center court by his parents, Paul and Tasha Widmer. He is the older brother of Madisyn, a freshman at Escalon High and the senior listed his hobbies as playing football and baseball, working, hanging out with friends and playing the ukulele.
He said his “best high school memory was beating Ripon in the rain” during his junior year on the football field. His advice to underclassmen was to “always have fun, be yourself, and have no regrets.”
He plans to attend Cal Poly in the fall and currently works on a farm. Widmer said he hopes to one day establish his own physical therapy practice. He offered thanks to his parents for “pushing him” and his friends for “always being there.”
The senior received his crown from commissioner Inman in the absence of Homecoming Queen Taylor Laugero – who was on the road with her travel volleyball team at the time of the Friday night game. Laugero was crowned queen during football season and Widmer – one of the team captains – was on hand that evening to present her with her Queen sash and cape.
The King crowning capped off a week of dress up days at the high school for the Winter Homecoming event, with Friday seeing plenty of traditional purple and gold in the stands and a large student cheering section.
For his part, Widmer said he was surprised and pleased with both his initial nomination and ultimate selection.
“I feel pretty good,” he said, smiling. “I didn’t have to win, anybody could have … it was all really a lot of fun.”
