Area residents are invited to the Cougar Walk of Champions on Saturday, March 25, at 1 p.m. This one-of-a-kind community celebration will honor the 2016 Wake Forest High School football team, winners of last season’s 4AA state championship.
The team’s championship appearance marked the fourth time in six seasons the Cougars advanced to the finals as the 4AA eastern regional champions and its football state title is the first for a Wake County school since 1987.
The Cougar Walk of Champions will recognize the team for its consistency on the field, highlight the school’s place in the town’s history, and demonstrate the collective sense of pride shared by the Wake Forest community.
A walking parade made up of the Wake Forest High School football team and coaching staff, marching band and varsity cheerleading squad will kick off the afternoon festivities. The procession will depart the Depot Parking Lot on South White Street at 1 p.m., proceed south along the street, turn left at Owen Avenue, and conclude in Centennial Plaza in front of town hall on Brooks Street.
The team will be greeted by Mayor Vivian Jones and members of the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners. The ensuing pep rally will include a few numbers by the marching band and brief remarks by local officials and school administrators, including Principal Patti Hamler and head football Coach Reggie Lucas. Former Wake Forest High School football player and current Stanford Cardinal Bryce Love is also scheduled to speak.
Kip Abshire, the WFHS public address announcer, will serve as the program emcee and local DJ Rodney Holmes will be onsite playing a variety of favorite party tunes.
Downtown restaurants will be open through the day and a variety of food and dessert trucks will also be onsite in the town hall visitor’s parking lot, including the VFW Chuckwagon, Charlie’s Kabobs, Kona Ice, and Lumpy’s Ice Cream. Cougar fans will also have the chance to purchase championship T-shirts and other merchandise.
The entire Wake Forest community, including fans, family members and supporters of the 2016 4AA state championship football team, are invited to line South White Street and Owen Avenue to cheer the squad as it makes its way from the Depot Parking Lot to town hall.
For more information, visit wakeforestnc.gov and search Cougar Walk, or contact Communications & Public Affairs Director Bill Crabtree at 919-435-9421 or bcrabtree@wakeforestnc.gov.
