Homecoming 2025—A week of anticipation, followed by celebration

Homecoming in Merrill is always a great week, packed full of fun activities and events to draw in not only everyone in the student body at Merrill High School (MHS), but also kids throughout the Merrill Area Public School District (MAPS) of all ages, along with area businesses and the entire community.
From windows painted and decorated at Chips or in the downtown business district, to the football players, cheerleaders, and band engaging with kids in both public and parochial schools all the way down to the preschoolers, Homecoming is a really big deal.
Homecoming 2025 was no exception. Throughout the week, Dress-Up Days for each day of the week made the days fun and exciting, and school spirit was high.

Tuesday night Powderpuff Football Game
The ladies took to the football field at Jay Stadium Tuesday evening, Sept. 30, for the 50th annual Powderpuff Football Game in Merrill after just a couple of practices in the 10 days prior to see what they could do.

The Junior Girls, coached by Troy Pieper (staff) and students Cole Rudie, Avery Voermans, and Brody Klebenow, took the win this year, with Junior Grace Reimann scoring the single touchdown in the game.
“I think Homecoming in general is one of the best times of the year,” said Pieper. “School spirit is at an ultimate high, and this year even more so with the football team playing so well.”
“Powderpuff is a staple in Homecoming Week. It’s always highly anticipated, and the community comes out to watch the girls play some flag football, and it’s always a blast,” he said. “This year I was coaching the Juniors, and it’s amazing how serious the boys get who help coach the team, and how serious and well the girls play.”
“I told my wife after the game, being around the Juniors this year for Powderpuff, there are a lot of really good Junior girl athletes—some that should be playing multiple sports because they are just natural athletes,” Pieper said. “I know the Senior group has some great athletes as well. It was a fun night; no one got seriously hurt, which is always great.”
“I just enjoy being part of it every year. I’m glad the Juniors asked me to help them, and I look forward to doing it again next year,” he said.
The Senior Girls were coached by Gavin Wroblewski (staff) and students Noah Klug and Hunter Opper.
“Even though the score did not go our way, the energy and excitement that our sideline had all night was electric,” said Senior Girls Powderpuff Team Coach Gavin Wroblewski. “[Even] with trouble moving the ball most of the game, we never got after one another and kept fighting till the end.”
“Big shoutout to the Senior Girls who came out and competed hard all night. The effort and attitude they brought made it a blast to coach, and I hope they look back on it as a great final chapter in their high school Homecoming experience.”
As is tradition, the Junior and Senior Girls each had their own team of male cheerleaders, cheering them on from the sidelines in their class colors of blue and black—some donning skirts and wigs for the occasion.
Merrill Varsity Head Football Coach Jason Wadzinski sang the National Anthem and did the play-by-play during the game.
Box Score:
Seniors 0 @ Juniors 6

Running of the Ball—to the Homecoming Assembly
On Friday, Oct. 3, the Merrill Cross Country Team held their 6th Annual “Run the Ball” event for Homecoming.
The “Run the Ball” event involves the Cross Country Team literally running with the football to be used in the Merrill Homecoming Football Game—all the way from the opposing team’s football field back to Merrill’s Jay Stadium, where they then hand the football off to Merrill’s head football coach in time to kick off the Merrill Homecoming Assembly Friday afternoon.

This year, the Cross Country Team ran more than 20 miles, all the way from Wausau East’s Thom Field, with each athlete running between 3 and 12 miles with a Cross Country member in possession of the game ball to complete the full length of the run, Merrill Varsity Head Cross Country Coach EmmaLee Smith said.
The Merrill Police Department provided an escort through town.
While the Cross Country Team was running the ball, the Merrill Varsity Football Team, cheerleaders, marching band, and the bluejay mascot were making their way through the city of Merrill, pit-stopping at most of the elementary and parochial schools in the area, as well as Pine River School for Young Learners and Prairie River Middle School, to parade through the hallways where the kids from those schools lined the halls to touch hands with the players in typical post-game “handshake” fashion. Some of the kids had made posters to cheer on the bluejays. It was a great way to extend the excitement of Homecoming Week into the entire MAPS student body and beyond.
At the annual Merrill Homecoming Assembly on Friday, classes competed in competitions and events, class skits were performed and cheered on by their classmates, and the football players, cheerleaders, and band were ready to inspire the entire student body to break out their school spirit for Homecoming 2025.
Football players escorted the 2025 Homecoming Court into the MHS Fieldhouse—and the 2024 Merrill Homecoming Queen crowned the 2025 Merrill Homecoming Queen, Hannah Klinger.

Saturday was for Celebrating!
On Saturday morning, Oct. 4, the day dawned bright and beautiful—the perfect day for a parade. The Merrill Marching Jays gathered to warm up and prepare at Normal Park, and the floats and vehicles lined up for the parade, bringing community members of all ages out to participate—from the kids in the Youth Football Program to the Silver and Golden M’ers in the Silver M Club. More community members lined the streets to enjoy the marching band, cheerleaders, and floats as they passed by, and the kids were there to gather all the candy being thrown their way.
Temps were unseasonably warm, making an autumn day feel more like an extension of summer, and fans packed the stands at Jay Stadium for the main event when the Bluejays played the Lumberjacks and came away with a huge win—paving the way for MHS students to revel in the extended glow of the celebration at the 2025 Homecoming Dance.
It’s a year that will go down in memories for the Class of 2026, as well as the Classes of 2027, 2028, and 2029.

[See our huge gallery of images from Homecoming 2025]