Vote for best high school mascot in America, Round 1: Danville Little Johns vs. Hesston Swathers
The bracket is set for SBLive Sports' 2024 NCAA Tournament-style contest to determine the best high school mascot in America, and Round 1 is underway.
Vote below for the No. 7-seeded Danville Little Johns (Arkansas) or the No. 10-seeded Hesston Swathers (Kansas) to advance to the second round, where the winner will face either the Ridgefield Spudders (Washington) or Edward Little Red Eddies (Maine).
The Little Johns earned a 7 seed by tallying 140 votes in last fall's Arkansas contest and then winning the play-in round, while the Swathers won Kansas with 15 votes to earn a 10 seed.
Follow along: National Mascot Tournament 2024 Bracket
Voting for this matchup will conclude Thursday, March 21, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.
7. Danville Little Johns (Arkansas)
Danville’s "Little Johns" mascot is a translation of the French “Petit Jean,” words synonymous with the local legend of a heroic young French girl. The name “Petit Jean” went to a nearby river, mountain and Arkansas' first state park, and the high school chose the English translation.
10. Hesston Swathers (Kansas)
A swather is a piece of farming equipment that's crucial to the town of Hesston. From an article on farmlife.com: "The swather mascot first came into play in 1970, says Clint Stoppel, athletic director at the Kansas school. School officials wanted to pay tribute to the AGCO Corporation plant (previously known as Hesston Manufacturing) and the crucial role the manufacturer played then and now in the town’s economy.”
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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports
