Homecoming 2024 set for MGHS

It’s officially Homecoming Week for Mountain Grove High School.
This year’s theme is “Hold Em’ Panthers.” Dress-up days will provide students an opportunity to dress up as their favorite teacher on Tuesday, a chance to use anything but a backpack to hold their supplies on Wednesday plus twin with a friend for that day’s style, pajamas day is Thursday, and maroon and gray is to be worn on Friday.
Elementary students will not do their dress-up on Wednesday due to picture day.
This year’s annual event once again features a Homecoming Parade slated for 1:30 p.m. on  Friday, Sep. 20. Parade line-up starts at noon.
The parade route will leave Mountain Grove Middle School at 1:30 p.m., go down 17th St. to Hovis to the entrance of Autumn Oaks Care Center.
The route will then go back on Hovis St. to Mountain Grove Elementary School before taking Wall St. to 1st St. then go backward around the east half of the square.
The parade exits the square by Grove Sq. and ends at Mountain Grove High School.
This year’s grand marshal will be Marty Brown.
Brown is a lifelong resident of Mountain Grove. He grew up one block from the high school and attended Mountain Grove schools from K-12. 
He was a member of the graduating Class of 1979 which was the largest graduating class in Mountain Grove history with 172 graduates. 
He and his high school sweetheart, Janet Robertson Brown, have been married 43 years. They have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Marty is one of four generations that have attended Mountain Grove schools. He is the son of lifetime Mountain Grove residents Morgan and Avis Sheppard Brown. Both of his parents graduated from Mountain Grove High School. Marty and Janet, both of their daughters, and now their grandchildren, have all attended Mountain Grove schools.
Marty’s father was a high school athlete and played football in the Ozark Bowl games in 1946 and 1947. It is not surprising that Marty also was an avid participant in high school sports and a member of the SCA football championship team in 1978. He received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors in football that year.
Marty’s father was instrumental in starting the first Panther booster club - the so-called “Sideliners.” 
Marty continued that tradition of involvement by being a member of the Panther booster club for the past 20 years and serving as both vice president and president. He has also been a member of the “chain gang” at the football games for the last six years.
Marty and Janet owned Brown’s hardware on the Mountain Grove square for 23 years. Marty also worked for the post office for 36 years including many years as a rural mail carrier.
Aside from following Mountain Grove Athletics, Marty’s favorite pastime is hunting and fishing especially with his grandchildren. He is the proud Papa of Trevin, Clayton, Drew and Chloe.
Marty has been a member of the First Christian Church in Mountain Grove for the past 50 years serving as both elder and deacon.
King and Queen crowning
On Friday night at 7 p.m., the Mountain Grove High School football team will take on Willow Springs.
A Homecoming Coronation will take place at halftime.
This year’s Homecoming Court includes Lennon Carman and Coen Roark assisting senior king and queen candidates Faith Sonksen, Beau Nelson, Audrey Garner, Jaxon Kelly, Tatum Marsa and Cory Hicks. The rest of the Court features freshmen candidates Jillian Melvin and Corbin Hicks; sophomore candidates Shelby Reese and Gavin Jaeger;  and junior candidates Zoey Healy and David Maddera. A Homecoming Dance follows the football game and will conclude at 11:30 p.m. This dance is for high school students only.