by Dani Tsao and Milan Riley
Photos by Darwynn Hsui, Katie Lee and Maleeya Mickelson
HoCo Weekend is a highly-anticipated yearly tradition to celebrate our football program as well as both of the schools on our campus: East Valley High School and The Science Academy STEM Magnet
Pep Rally
Students warmed up to the festivities with a high school pep rally on the afternoon of Game Day. Under the “Grand Prix” theme, both East Valley and Science Academy participated in races, relays, tug-of-wars, and other games. Between the activities, the cheer squad energized the crowd and ASB announced our fall sports program, saving the stars of the day—the football team—for the final grand entrance. With their Falcon chant, Homecoming had officially begun!
Homecoming Game
At 7:00pm on Friday, October 9, our football team faced Teach Tech. The game started with East Valley making their presence known with an easy score on the first drive of the game. The Falcon offense continued to dominate with two 40+ yard touchdowns from quarterback Robert Masumyan to wide receiver Zamone Magee.
The stands were filled with pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month; those not wearing the right color quickly were as the Falcon crowd tossed pink powder into the air. Audience members enjoyed bustling fanfare backed by the Drumline Club rumbling during every kick off and the cheerleaders celebrating every first down.
The second quarter ended with a 35-yard contested catch by sophomore Arman Ilkhchoui followed by a loud cheer. During halftime, the students enjoyed a Homecoming Parade, featuring our fall sports teams and ASB catching a ride on a fire truck.
Starting the second half, the Falcons continued to dominate—and it was not only the offense. Senior Owen Rothenberg came in clutch with an interception preventing a 20+ yard gain from Teach Tech. The Falcons also showed off their run game with Maximo Castillo, who ran for a total of 106 yards, and Robert Masumyan, who ran for three touchdowns.
The Falcons finished off the game by winning 56-12, improving their record to 8-0 for the first time in school history. The Falcons look to take this undefeated momentum going into the last two games of the season.
Homecoming Dance
The following night, students arrived on Saturday evening in outfits as dazzling as the night sky for the Vegas-themed Homecoming dance. Attendees were met with a casino-vibe gym decorated with balloon arches, stylish tablecloths, and flower vases that showed off bundles of dice and playing cards. In addition to a ticket for a soda and a hearty meal including tortilla chips, chicken, steak, and beans, students’ sweet tooths were satisfied with cupcakes and those ready to playfully “gamble” were given a set of poker chips. Making their way to the right side of the gym, North Hollywood transformed into Las Vegas as players sat at poker, craps, and blackjack tables.
After eating and playing, many went to the dance floor. A professional DJ got the dance floor to come to life with a classic line dance song students just couldn’t pass up. Then, a series of hits like Justin Bieber's “Baby” kept people on their feet all the way to 10 pm. This special night was commemorated with a photo booth equipped with plenty of funny props.
The highlight of the evening was the crowning of the long-awaited 2026 Homecoming Court. For The Science Academy, the honor was bestowed upon these deserving students:
9th grade
Lady: Gina R.
Lord: Keaton D.
10th grade
Duchess: Katia Y.
Duke: Ruben M.
11th grade
Princess: Aayan D.
Prince: Ishaan D.
12th grade
Queen: Lily K.
King: Eero W.
Congratulations to these pairs, and special thanks to ASB, the staff, and teacher and parent volunteers who made this fun-packed weekend possible. Let’s continue to cheer on our Falcons as the football team fights to be league champ!
