NEWS/PRESS
NEWS/PRESS

Friday night lights shine during Noli Homecoming

◆ By Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians

Homecoming football games and celebrations are always memorable but thanks to several Tribal members from the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and others, the night of Oct. 4 will stay emblazoned in the minds of Noli Indian School students for a very long time.

Phillip Basquez, Mark Valdez, David Bentiste, Nick N. and Soboba Fire Captain Frank Martinez spent several days prior to the game clearing brush in the hills that overlook The Oaks football stadium on the Soboba Reservation.

“It was something we thought would be special to add to Noli’s Homecoming and we wanted to start a tradition in lighting the “N” year after year,” said Basquez, who helped spearhead the project last year with great success.

To accomplish the glowing goal, the group had to pick a place that would be visible from the stands. “Once we found that, we hiked up the hill to start clearing the brush and we outlined the area with chalk to make sure it was visible from the stands,” Valdez said. “Our mom (Johnna Valdez) bought the lights that were strung along the outline of the N, and we used a small generator to light them.”

The area they chose has no road access, so they began by hiking their way to the site. Eventually they began to use RZR off-road vehicles to make the trip easier.  

The white chalked letter was visible from the stadium as guests began to arrive for the 6:30 p.m. game. The school hosted a carnival that began an hour prior to game time and fit in with the night’s theme of Masquerade Ball. That theme carried over to the homecoming dance held at the Old Tribal Hall after the game ended. New this year was the addition of a bonfire to recognize all seniors and their families at the game.

Another anticipated Noli tradition is a parade from the school’s parking lot to The Oaks, which is about a 2.5-mile route. In the past, classes have built floats for the parade but because students were involved with the carnival, the parade consisted of the homecoming court members in their decorated vehicles. Noli serves Native American students in grades 6-12 but only the high school students vote on who is named to the royal court.

Each vehicle in the procession also gave out gobs of goodies to kids who had Halloween buckets and oversized bags ready to be filled as they watched and waited near the roadway that was closed to through traffic with the help of the Soboba Fire Department.

Homecoming court members were Freshman Sweethearts Phyllis Morillo (Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians) and Christopher Lagunas (Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians); Sophomore Duke Howard Toro (Morongo Band of Mission Indians) and Duchess Nevaeh Ochoa (Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians); and Junior Prince Ronald Morillo III (Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians) and Princess Audryna Lopez (Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians). Also included were the nominees for senior King and Queen, with those winners being announced at halftime to a cheering crowd of spectators.

Daigan Cyhan (Pechanga Band of Indians), Johnny Gutierrez (Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians) and Robert Valencia (Cheyenne/Arapaho) were nominated for King and Rosalina Hamilton (Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians) and Arionna Ward (Torres Martinez Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians) were vying for the title of Queen.

Leading the parade was Grand Marshal Stacia Cozart, who was chosen by the ASB students. She sat in a chair set up in the bed of a pickup truck with her grandson and Noli student Jesse Venegas. They had a huge container of candy they tossed by the handful to kids who were waiting with their families along the parade route. Another grandson, Samuel Venegas, escorted her to midfield during halftime.

“This is such an honor,” Cozart said. “When they called me, I accepted right away.”
Noli science teacher Sabrina Smith works closely with the student body to facilitate the annual event. “And all the staff helps in many different ways,” she said.

Several clubs and departments eagerly got on board to host a booth at the carnival. Soboba Tribal Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado and Kindergarten Instructional Aide Elena Vega Castello set up a mask-making booth, which fit the theme perfectly. They had crayons, markers, feathers and bedazzlers that could be used to create a personalized design on a white paper mask.

Students Veronica Kolb and Nayeli Brittian volunteered to do face painting and temporary tattoo application at the ASB booth. There was also coloring, rock painting and ring toss and bean bag toss games courtesy of the AVID student volunteers, according to AVID coordinator Lorin Alvarez. Jacquelin Phillips of the reading department offered a free book giveaway and photo backdrop decorated by Andrea Duran, who teaches Spanish and AVID and decorates for all special events.

The Noli Booster Club offered a Sweet Treat Cake Walk and member Jennifer Resvaloso had the perfect energy level to keep the music flowing, until she stopped it to determine a winner with each round. Her son, Jonathan, is a freshman who is on the school’s football team this year.

The Noli Indian School Braves faced the Knights of Foothills Christian School from El Cajon.

Photos courtesy of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians

 

Prior to the halftime announcement, Noli Homecoming King Robert Valencia and Queen Rosalina Hamilton prepare their vehicle for a parade procession to The Oaks on the Soboba Reservation, Oct. 4

Prior to the halftime announcement, Noli Homecoming King Robert Valencia and Queen Rosalina Hamilton prepare their vehicle for a parade procession to The Oaks on the Soboba Reservation, Oct. 4

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of the Valdez family and others, N for Noli shines brightly above The Oaks football stadium during the school’s homecoming game

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of the Valdez family and others, N for Noli shines brightly above The Oaks football stadium during the school’s homecoming game

Volunteers clear the overgrowth in the hills above The Oaks football stadium prior to outlining a large N that is lit during the homecoming celebration, Oct. 4

Volunteers clear the overgrowth in the hills above The Oaks football stadium prior to outlining a large N that is lit during the homecoming celebration, Oct. 4

Freshman Sweethearts Phyllis Morillo and Christopher Lagunas prepare for the parade that marked the beginning of Noli’s homecoming festivities

Freshman Sweethearts Phyllis Morillo and Christopher Lagunas prepare for the parade that marked the beginning of Noli’s homecoming festivities

Sophomore Duke Howard Toro and Duchess Nevaeh Ochoa at the Noli Indian School parking lot prior to the homecoming game

Sophomore Duke Howard Toro and Duchess Nevaeh Ochoa at the Noli Indian School parking lot prior to the homecoming game

Junior Prince Ronald Morillo III and Princess Audryna Lopez put finishing touches on the vehicles that will participate in the Homecoming Parade to The Oaks, Oct. 4

Junior Prince Ronald Morillo III and Princess Audryna Lopez put finishing touches on the vehicles that will participate in the Homecoming Parade to The Oaks, Oct. 4

Stacia Cozart was chosen by Noli students to be this year’s parade Grand Marshal

Stacia Cozart was chosen by Noli students to be this year’s parade Grand Marshal

The N for Noli is visible to spectators at the school’s homecoming game, even before it is lit during the halftime celebration

The N for Noli is visible to spectators at the school’s homecoming game, even before it is lit during the halftime celebration

Noli Booster Club member Jennifer Resvaloso, far right, calls out the winning number at the club’s Sweet Treat Cake Walk booth during the pregame carnival

Noli Booster Club member Jennifer Resvaloso, far right, calls out the winning number at the club’s Sweet Treat Cake Walk booth during the pregame carnival

Pre-K students Kut and Paa’kal Vega Castello decorate masks at the Soboba Tribal Preschool booth during the carnival that was open before the homecoming game

Pre-K students Kut and Paa’kal Vega Castello decorate masks at the Soboba Tribal Preschool booth during the carnival that was open before the homecoming game

The Noli Indian School Braves warm up prior to the start of their game against Foothills Christian School’s Knights. They wore socks with pink ribbons to commemorate October as Breast Cancer Awareness month

The Noli Indian School Braves warm up prior to the start of their game against Foothills Christian School’s Knights. They wore socks with pink ribbons to commemorate October as Breast Cancer Awareness month

Noli’s Junior Princess Audryna Lopez, left, and Sophomore Duchess Nevaeh Ochoa pose at the Masquerade Ball themed photo booth prior to the start of the homecoming football game, Oct. 4

Noli’s Junior Princess Audryna Lopez, left, and Sophomore Duchess Nevaeh Ochoa pose at the Masquerade Ball themed photo booth prior to the start of the homecoming football game, Oct. 4