Gravette Homecoming Queen

The 2021 Gravette High School homecoming winners include princess Kaylan Chilton (left), queen Mackenzie Stewart and princess Taylor Neustel. The trio was crowned during a short ceremony at Lion Arena in Gravette Friday night.

GRAVETTE — The firstever coronation ceremony to take place in Lion Arena took place in Gravette on Friday. Three senior candidates would receive titles of Gravette basketball homecoming princess or the queen.

Because the pandemic protocol is still in effect, the crowd at Lion Arena was limited to students, faculty and family members. But, in spite of covid-19, the enthusiasm of the assembled spectators was not dampened.

Eight maids, three queen candidates and three crown and flower bearers, along with their escorts, gathered along the west sideline awaiting their introductions. Ella Scantlin, freshman maid, led the procession. Following Scantlin were freshman maid Delacie Wishon, sophomore maids Rachel Deihl and Charlie Qualls, junior maids Layne Franks and Reese Hamilton, senior maids Timmie Betz and Rebecca James. And, finally, flower girls Maven Rice and Braylee Busch and crown bearer Bonx Thomas ended the procession leading up to the introduction of the queen candidates.

The queen candidates, Kaylin Chilton, Taylor Neustel and Mackenzie Stewart, were introduced and then escorted to center court by their fathers. Then the moment was at hand as the master of ceremonies revealed the winner of the crown.

The second princess was Kaylan Chilton, followed by the first princess, Taylor Neustel. Mackenzie Stewart was then announced to be the 2021 Gravette basketball homecoming queen.

Stewart was escorted to center court by her father, Paul Russell, to receive her flowers and crown. Doing the honors for presenting the bouquet and crown were Dakota Sizemore and Aaron Childress. Sizemore took the bouquet from the bearers and presented it to Stewart. Childress had the honor of pinning the crown on her head.

One more time before the crowd, the three were given an ovation worthy of royalty. In a flash, the ceremony was over and soon it was time for the boys’ basketball contest with Highway 59 rival, the Gentry Pioneers.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Part of the 2021 Gravette basketball homecoming court sits in the hospitality room overlooking the basketball court. Those watching the boys’ basketball contest were Delancie Wishon (left), Kaylan Chilton, Taylor Neustel, Rebecca James, queen Mackenzie Stewart, and Timmie Betz.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS With her father, Paul Russell (left), by her side, newly crowned Mackenzie Stewart takes a moment to receive an ovation from the crowd gathered at Lion Arena Friday night for the 2021 Gravette basketball homecoming coronation ceremony.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Part of the 2021 Gravette basketball homecoming court waits near the Lions’ bench for the coronation ceremony to begin.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Flower girl Maven Annsley Rice (left), crown bearer Bronx Lee Thomas and flower girl Braylee Grace Busch wait for their crowning moment.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Stewart receives her crown from Aaron Childress (upper right) and flowers from Dakota Sizemore (lower right).