JISD to hold Spirit Parade Thursday for Fightin' Maiden/Tribe soccer teams

Apr. 3—The Jacksonville Independent School District will be saluting the fine seasons the Jacksonville High School soccer teams have had this spring by conducting a Spirit Parade Thursday morning.

According to JISD public information officer, Grace Traylor, the parade will be very similar to the annual fall Spirit Parade that takes place during Homecoming Week.

"We do one during the fall for Homecoming Week and we will be celebrating our soccer teams (Thursday) morning. This is always very popular with our students.", Traylor said in a media release.

The parade will begin at 8:45 a.m. at Eastside and then will travel down down Commerce Street beginning at 9 a.m. in order for the business community to be able to step out of their offices, shops and restaurants and acknowledge the student athletes.

Buses will stop at each of the JISD campuses for about 10 minutes, which will allow students to give members of the Maiden and Tribe soccer teams a high five.

The tour will concluded at Jacksonville High School at 10:40 a.m.

Buses will not stop during the trek down Commerce St. or at the Central Office.

The Jacksonville cheerleaders, Cherokee Charmers, drum line, and twirlers will also participate in the parade.

The Fightin' Maidens have qualified for the Class 4A, Region II Tournament for the second-consecutive season after beating Athens, 4-1, Tuesday evening.

Jacksonville will take on Celina at 4 p.m. Friday in one of two regional semi-finals. Frisco-Panther Creek and Sulphur Springs will go at it the other semi-final, with the winners of each slated to return back to Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium Saturday for the regional final.

The Jacksonville boys just missed a return to the regional tournament, but were upset, 1-0, by Kilgore Tuesday evening.

The Tribe, the District 16-4A champions, ended their season with an impressive 22-5-1 record.