Homecoming Weekend 2024: Fall Sports and Family Fun
This year’s Homecoming had something for everyone. Reimagined as Homecoming and Fall Fest, the much-anticipated annual event featured all the usual athletic competitions, along with the food trucks, pop-up shop, and Red Wings spirit that have been traditional in recent years. But along with that came a few family-friendly activities, including a Barn Babies petting zoo, a pumpkin patch, and face-painting for the youngest attendees. The day also paid tribute to the Navoni family, celebrating 75 years of their deep-rooted connections to Rivers classrooms, athletics, alumni community, and facilities.
Explaining the thinking behind the expanded Homecoming and Fall Fest, Janet McKeeney, director of alumni engagement, said, “We decided to make the event a bit more family friendly, just to broaden its appeal, while still keeping all the elements of Homecoming that make it a beloved annual tradition.”
Fine fall weather prevailed throughout the weekend. The festivities began Friday afternoon with a range of Middle School games and activities. Boys’ and girls’ varsity cross-country had races against Middlesex at Burchard Park. Rivers fell to Middlesex, but Jason Minicozzi ’26 set a course record with a time of 16:36.
The varsity field hockey team played under the lights at Davis Field before a crowd of spectators, with Rivers notching a 6-1 victory against St. Marks. Also on Friday evening, girls’ volleyball defeated St. Marks 3-0.
On a bright and blustery Saturday, the winning streak continued, with girls’ varsity soccer beating St. Marks 1-0 and boys’ varsity soccer notching a 4-1 win over St. Marks. The football game against St. Georges was a close one, but the Rivers team eventually fell, with a final score of 18-20.
By the pavilion at Baker and Davis fields, spectators enjoyed cider donuts provided by the Multicultural Parent Outreach Committee, a pop-up shop for all the Red Wings gear, hot cider, and snacks. The Roxy’s Grilled Cheese food truck and Kona Ice truck provided delicious fare for the crowds.
The Saturday afternoon event honoring the Navoni family was a standing-room-only affair in Hutton Hall, with alums from the ’70s turning out in droves to recognize the contributions of Andy Navoni, former faculty member, coach, and athletic director, and his sons, Jim Navoni ’70 and Tom Navoni ’78. Head of School Ryan S. Dahlem addressed the crowd, highlighting the Navoni family’s long history with Rivers, which began when Andy Navoni joined the faculty in 1950, teaching history and geology and serving as a coach. Tom Navoni spoke a few words about his father and brother, and Russ Halloran also shared some thoughts and reminiscences.
Across campus, the mini petting zoo in front of Haffenreffer, with kittens, rabbits, puppies, chickens, a goat, and a pig provided by Barn Babies, proved to be a big hit. Alumni families with young (and not-so-young) children, along with Rivers students and parents, enjoyed snuggling with the cuddly fur babies. Little folks could choose a pumpkin from the “pumpkin patch” and bring it over to a nearby craft table to decorate it; face painting was provided by student volunteers from Rivers Givers.
It was truly a Homecoming to remember, enjoyed by students, alums, parents, and professional community members. And for the more than 400 fans and friends who attended, it was a great day to be a Red Wing!
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