Written by: Allurabella Chandler, Samantha Reed, and Kathryn Burke, staff writers
WIPEOUT: Bears sweep Rancho Christian High School’s football team, and the Homecoming nominees for king and queen swept the audience!
Under the bright stadium lights at Riverside City College on Saturday, October 11, the Poly Bears showed that Homecoming is about more than just school spirit, it’s about pride, teamwork, and determination. Before kickoff, the stands were already buzzing with excitement. Students filled the bleachers in their class colors, blue for freshmen, yellow for sophomores, green for juniors, and red for seniors, while the Pep Squad’s cheers and the band’s music brought the crowd to life. The energy was contagious, and it was clear the Bears were ready to put on a show.
From the very first play, Poly came out strong. The offense moved the ball with confidence, and the defense kept Rancho Christian on their heels all night. The Bears played with focus and heart, turning every opportunity into momentum. By halftime, they had built a comfortable lead, and the crowd’s cheers grew louder with every touchdown. By the end of the fourth quarter, the scoreboard read 42–6, marking one of the team’s most impressive victories this season. For seniors like Kris Phillips and Benjie Matthews, the win was extra special. It marked their last Homecoming game, a night filled with excitement, pride, and a lasting sense of accomplishment. This year’s Homecoming wasn’t just about football. It was about coming together as a school, supporting one another, and celebrating what it means to be a Poly Bear.
As with every homecoming, the halftime show highlighted the crowning of our 2025 homecoming king and queen. This year Saydee Salcedo and Benji Matthews were crowned as the crowd roared with excitement.
For senior Benjie Matthews, this Homecoming game held a special kind of meaning. “I’m not going lie, our mindset on Homecoming week was really just this week is about us. Like people come to the Homecoming football games to watch the football team win… we haven’t won a football game since we’ve been in high school so it meant a lot to us to go on a bang, so we took this week very, very seriously.” That determination paid off under the lights as the Bears dominated on both sides of the ball. Balancing the excitement of being crowned Homecoming King with the intensity of the game was not easy for him either. “Well, the whole time I was really debating on not dancing and taking myself out of the running just because of the game and I didn’t know the position we would be in at half time,” he admitted. “But I told myself Homecoming is a one time opportunity and I got to get that crown – so when I was, I was lit, but when I put my helmet back on, it was ‘job not finished’ mode” and “we can’t let up and don’t lose focus.” After the game, Matthews reflected on the bigger picture of the win, saying, “honestly, this win felt more important just because of what it means for the school to win on Homecoming and for all the alumni that showed up. It was a moment that was kinda bigger than us and more so for Poly as a whole.”
For Saydee Salcedo, when asked to share how she felt after being crowned homecoming queen, was quite shocked that she felt she was not going to win. The dance with the top ten was fun for her because she “had known all of them for years”, and she also expressed how her older sister won homecoming queen when she attended Poly; she feels very grateful to be able to experience the same thing as her sister year prior.
With regards to which class won the float building competition, there was no clear way to tell as all four were excellent. In the end, there can only be one winner which was the junior class! Sophomores and seniors followed behind with a tie, and freshmen placed last in the ranking. However this competition should not diminish the hard work that went into designing the floats and all the individual help that went into making the flowers and applying them to the skeleton frame. Each group’s diligent effort is clear to see and clearly showcases the strong community at Poly.
For fellow senior Kris McPhillips, the Homecoming victory was about focus, teamwork, and ending the night with a lasting memory. “Going into the Homecoming game, the team’s mindset and the main goal was to win and not take out minds of the goal,” McPhillips said. “There was a moment in the first half when I could tell the team was locked in and focused on winning and we were scoring like there was no tomorrow. The crowd’s energy was incredible and the school spirit was strong and you could tell by the team having a good game.” For McPhillips, who was playing in his final Homecoming, the moment carried special meaning. “ This win to me as a senior means a lot, we have not won a Homecoming game and this was the first time and last Homecoming game win for me and it was a huge success. What I’ll remember most is the fun we had and seeing us celebrate together as a team and it’s not just a team it’s a family and the coaches have something big since summer with this team and hopefully we can go to the playoffs and get a ring,” he said.