John Scarffe, Nederland. Nederland High School celebrated the 2019 Homecoming by winning three volleyball games and with a parade and barbecue on September 21, 2019. The Nederland Lady Panthers Volleyball Team beat Twin Peaks Charter Academy to take the match 25-17, 25-22 and 25-22 in the Nederland High School gymnasium.

The Panthers, coached by Susan Muldoon, took a quick start in the first game jumping out to a 5-1 lead with a good shot just in bounds by #5 Ellie Brewer. Nederland missed a serve, and then the teams battled back and forth to 8-4 Nederland before the Twin Peaks Charter Academy Timberwolves from Longmont, Coached by Colleen Finlayson, got in the flow and went ahead of the Panthers 11-10.

Coach Muldoon called a time out and the Panthers steadily took back the lead. After an injury to a Timberwolf, Nederland took a solid lead at 20-16 and then went on to win 25-17.

In the second game, the Panthers took an early lead at 8-2 but nearly lost the lead at 9-8 before going ahead by 14-9 and then keeping a three- or four-point lead. The Timberwolves fought back one more time at 19-18, but Nederland took back the lead again to win the game 25-22.

Twin Peaks took the early lead in the third game, pulling ahead 5-1. Nederland fought back and kept it close at 9-8 at one time. 

The Timberwolves kept up the pressure and led 16-12 before the Panthers went on a run with outstanding serves by #6 Lily Lindstrom and caught up to Twin Peaks at 16-16. The teams battled back and forth until Nederland took the lead for good at 21-20 and then won the game 25-22.

Following the volleyball game, assembly began for the parade between Teens, Inc., and Barker Reservoir in Nederland. The parade was preceded by fire trucks.

The Class of 2022 featured folks dressed up in cowboy gear with a man dressed like a cow and members playing the guitar. Another float featured a beach party with a small swimming pool. The stars rode in the back of a pickup decorated with yellow and red stars. The 2019 Homecoming candy cart featured girls on hay bales. 

The Nederland Volleyball team represented in a pickup, and the parade ended with girls doing dancing routines to the Electric Glide and other songs. The parade began moving at 1:30 p.m., traveling passed the Post Office to Highway 119 and then ending up back at the school.

A barbecue on the field following the parade ended the day’s celebrations.

(Originally published in the September 26, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)