Franklinton High School's annual Homecoming parade will roll on Friday, October 13th at 12:30 p.m. It will begin at Franklinton Junior High School and proceed south down Main Street to Washington Street at the Courthouse and WP Sheriff's Office. From there, it will turn at 10th Avenue and make its way back to Franklinton Junior High to disband. It will then make its way to Franklinton Elementary School and return to the high school for the Homecoming Pep Rally.
The parade will feature the FHS Demons, the FHS Demon Regiment and support groups, the 2023 Homecoming Court and the MCJROTC, along with various campus organizations as well as the Franklinton Junior High support groups.
Keeping with FHS homecoming tradition, alumnus and former LSU football player Brandon Taylor will serve as Grand Marshal.
Brandon Taylor is the second-youngest child of Curtis and Annette Taylor's nine children and is a 2008 graduate of Franklinton High School. He was a four-year starter for the Demons, and a few of his many accolades included Rivals.com Top 10 Cornerback, 2nd best prospect in Louisiana in 2008, PrepStar's Top 300 All America Team, and Times Picayune Blue Chip List. His senior season he had 89 tackles and five interceptions and led the Demons to the state quarterfinals. He was an all-state selection his senior year and also named Louisiana 4A Defensive Player of the Year.
Off the football field, Brandon was an all-district baseball player, an honor graduate, and voted Mr. FHS his senior year. Then it was on to LSU where he played for the Tigers with his two older brothers, Curtis Jr. and Jhyryn. By his senior season, Brandon would become one of LSU's most popular players. He was so popular and well-liked that he was not only a team captain for the 2011 season, but Coach Les Miles informed him that he had been chosen to wear the Tigers' coveted No. 18 jersey, a tradition where the LSU coaching staff picks one player each season who exemplifies character and leadership to wear No. 18.
Brandon was also honored by his teammates as he was selected to stand in the rally circle before each game to fire up the team - another gesture that revealed the tremendous respect his Tiger teammates had for him. Brandon would finish his SEC career with 160 tackles, four interceptions, and a sack. In 2012, Brandon was the 73rd overall pick in the NFL draft going in the third round to the San Diego Chargers. He returned to LSU and completed his degree and is now the Subcontractor Coordinator for Performance Contractors. Brandon is also the co-host of LSU Football's pre-and-post game shows and the Tigerbait Halftime Show.
Principal Shane Smith invites everyone to line the streets of Franklinton to honor Grand Marshal Brandon Taylor and to cheer on the Demons and FHS students. Brandon Taylor will be honored prior to the game at 6:30 p.m. The Demons will then play the Pearl River Rebels at 7:00.
The lighting of the memorial candle by the families of the late Beau Bowman and the late Jerry Bickham will be held at the beginning of halftime.
