MEDICINE HAT, AB — Medicine Hat High School will welcome back former athletes and their families for a celebration over the next three days.
The school is hosting its annual homecoming weekend, starting Thursday night, with three events to celebrate local athletics.
The event is also intended as a way to showcase the modernized high school to past students, including its new gymnasium.
“This place is beautiful,” said Chad Watson, the head coach of the men’s basketball team. “To everybody that’s in the basketball and volleyball world, we have the nicest facilities for high school athletics.
“The rest of the school is amazing. It’s awesome that we have the gym, but the rest of the school, all of the programs, are great.”
The weekend gets underway with an exhibition basketball game between the Medicine Hat College Rattlers and the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns tonight at 7 p.m.
Watson, who has coached the basketball team for 11 years, notes three players from the Mohawks program he coached will be playing in Thursday’s game.
“Medicine Hat College has former player Nick Murschell, the University of Lethbridge has two of our former players, Josh Sparkes and Cameron Fischer,” he said
Homecoming weekend continues Friday with a cross-town football game between the Crescent Heights High School Vikings and the Medicine Hat High School Mohawks at the Methanex Bowl.
The Vikings are coming off a 54-0 shutout win over the Monsignor McCoy High School Colts last week, while the Mohawks defeated Brooks 14-0. Both teams are undefeated in Rangeland Football Conference play this season.
Head coach Quinn Skelton says he expects the Vikings to be a strong team Friday night.
“Their O-Line and D-Line kids are really big, and they’re well coached,” he said. “They do a good job up there, and I know they’ll be prepared.”
Skelton adds the rivalry between the two teams is an additional boost for his team.
“The rivalry has been there for a long time, and I don’t see it going away any time soon,” he said. “It’s great to have such a healthy rivalry across the river. It certainly keeps everybody motivated to play the game.
Kickoff for the game is at 7:30 p.m.
The weekend wraps up with an alumni basketball tournament Saturday at Hat High. Anyone interested in playing can email Watson at chad.watson@sd76.ab.ca.
