Fuentes, Estridge named as homecoming royalty
By Donnie A. Lucas
Albany High School seniors Wesley Estridge and Torie Fuentes were crowned 2020 Homecoming King and Queen during halftime last Friday night in the Albany Lions’ 61-0 win over the Ranger Bulldogs.
Estridge and Fuentes were both nominated by the senior class for the homecoming honors, with six other seniors selected as candidates by the other three classes at AHS.
The pair was chosen by the entire student body during an election held last week after each class picked a senior boy and girl to serve as nominees.
All eight nominees – four boys and four girls – were escorted on the field by a parent, along with the prince and princess of the junior, sophomore and freshmen classes, the band sweetheart and beau, FFA sweetheart and beau, and the football sweetheart and escort.
Homecoming Queen
Torie Fuentes
Fuentes, who recently turned 18 years old, serves as the parliamentarian of the senior class, as well as secretary for the student council. She has been on the annual academic honor roll for six years and is a member of the National Honor Society.
She has attended Albany schools her entire life and has been very active in sports.
Fuentes was selected as District Defensive MVP in volleyball for the 2019 season and is the libero for the Lady Lions this season. She was named first team all-district for softball, second team All-District for basketball, and local MVP for basketball. She also received the local Outstanding Runner award in track.
She has served as a counselor for Resource Care’s Day Camp since seventh grade.
Fuentes has been a four-year letterman in volleyball, basketball, track, and softball during her high school career.
She plans to attend either Texas Tech University or McMurry University next year, majoring in accounting or sports management.
Fuentes is the daughter of Jimmy Fuentes of Albany and Sunny Parker of Albany.
Homecoming King
Wesley Estridge
Wesley Estridge, 17, has attended Albany High School for two years, moving from Big Lake, Texas with his parents in time to start his junior year.
He currently plays football for the Lions and participated in throwing events in track last year, along with serving as Albany’s one-man powerlifting team. He has advanced to the regional meet in powerlifting his first three years of high school, with plans to qualify for the state meet this year.
Estridge has played football since third grade and also wrestled starting in elementary school. He was second in the state his rookie year.
Estridge has his own barbecue sauce business - Wesley Bay’s BBQ Sauce – with the proceeds going to help pay for college.
He plans to attend college next year, hopefully playing football while earning a social work degree in substance abuse counseling.
Estridge is the son of Blake and Waltraud Estridge of Albany. His father was a 1992 graduate of Albany High School.
Other Honorees
Included in the homecoming court were queen nominees Alli Hill, Hannah Trail, and Carli Edgar, along with king nominees Jackson Chapman, Barrett Beal, and Ryder Wilkins, all seniors.
Classes selected prince and princess representatives including juniors – Brooks Neece and Ana Balliew, sophomores – Cole Chapman and Brooke Kayga, and freshmen – Adam Hill and Braylyn Abbate.
Organizational royalty was also presented during the halftime, including FFA Sweetheart and Beau – Blanton Belcher and Brady Karl, Band Sweetheart and Beau – Chey’Anne Weaver and J.J. Clark, and Football Sweetheart – Caitlan Lee escorted by Jaheim Newton.
