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Homecoming Queen Crowned, King MIA
King Queen
Denise Certuche, left, stands in for her missing son Chris, represented in the helmet photo, who was missing for Homecoming King and Queen coronation at halftime on Friday at the RHS campus. Certuche had been ejected from the varsity football game late in the first quarter, and was not eligible to return to the stadium for halftime. At right is Lily Gallagher, was crowned Homecoming Queen. See additional Homecoming photos, Page A3. Ric McGinnis/The News

With the spotlight on Riverbank High School football Homecoming activities over the past week, it may have burned brightest at halftime of Friday’s varsity football game. But there was a key player missing from the stage.

After class ‘floats’ – actually decorated golf carts – paraded in front of the stands, the King and Queen nominees were introduced and lined up on the track. Each was accompanied by family members.

Unfortunately, the first king candidate, varsity football player Chris Certuche, was represented only by a ‘Fathead’ photo of him in his football helmet, carried onto the field by his parents.

Once the royalty was all lined up, the results of the voting were announced.

First named was the Homecoming King, the missing Chris Certuche.

He was missing because, with about three minutes remaining in the first quarter of the varsity football game, a dustup between teams after a running play resulted in one Riverbank player and two from the visiting Brookside Christian High School being ejected from the game.

The Bruin ejected was Certuche, number 11. And as such, he was not eligible to return to the stadium to participate in the King and Queen coronation.

Representatives from the RHS Leadership Club carried on, presenting Certuche’s mother with the sash and crown that goes with the title.

Next up, the Homecoming Queen was announced, with that crown going to Lily Gallagher.

In addition to Gallagher and Certuche, candidates included Christian Bolanos, Jalen Spikes, Edgar Garcia and Jacob Raper as potential kings, and Zaira Romo, Maria Quintero, Mariana Jimenez and Kimberlin Leon as queen contenders.

Winner of the golf cart ‘float’ decorating contest was the Class of 2018, the sophomores.

The theme of this year’s Homecoming festivities was “Bruins in the Spotlight,” involving popular television shows through the years.

Each day last week saw a differently themed lunch time activity on campus, with class members dressed up for the part. On Friday, students were asked to show their Bruin pride by wearing maroon and silver, the school colors.