Can you really call it "homecoming" when there's not a senior class or a varsity football team?

That's the situation students at Patriot High School found themselves in at their "Fall Fest" last Friday in Nokesville.

Resourceful administrators set up the excuse for teenagers to look fancy, dance and celebrate their youth by picking last weekend for the school's first big, formal party.

If nothing else, the junior varsity football team gave everyone something to cheer as they remained undefeated by toppling Freedom (Woodbridge) 34-0.

When cleats gave way to high heels and wing tips though, Patriot presented its first-ever "court" of students selected by their classmates to represent each grade level.

Like at other schools, little fanfare surrounded the entrance of the male students. The female students, however, arrived on the football field in the back of a John Deere tractor, seated on bails of hay while dawning tiaras.

Given the lack of a senior class, Patriot opted out of naming a queen and king, but still recognized 23 students as their representative royalty.

Student council president Krystal Pham, vice president Matt Kim and athletic coordinator Carter Holland joined four athletes in the circle for the Class of 2013: golfer Terry Smith, soccer star Gretchen Wisbey and volleyball players Katie Paris and Taylor Kirby.

Andrew Webster brought home two wins on Friday as a member of the football team and as one of eight sophomores elected to the court. He joined classmates Connor Kielbasa, Noah Zatterstram, Shawn Lehew, Meghan Laban, Sydney Llaneza, Catherine Garvey and Erin Brown.

Eight freshmen also made their debut in the inaugural Pioneer court: Nathan Park, Aaron White, Andrew Kania, Eric Entriken, Carina Garcia, Monica Gonzalez, Lizzy Roberson and Grace Miller.