Legends of the fall at EHS

Every so often, the stars align and an organization has a dream year. This fall at Evergreen High School was one of those seasons for extracurricular activities.
EHS students in every fall activity had successful seasons in which they made it to the upper levels of interscholastic competition. At the top of the list was the girls gymnastics team, which came within 0.025 of a point of winning its second state championship in three years and brought home a state runners-up trophy. The perennially successful Poms squad took league and regional championships before capping its fall season with a third place finish at state.
Both the boys and girls cross-country teams were league and regional champions, and the girls took second place at the state meet. EHS’ boys soccer team’s outstanding season ended with a heartbreaking shootout loss in the state semifinals to finish as the state’s third best 4A team. The Pride of the Cougars marching band made it to the state championships for the first time in several years and capped a successful season as the sixth best 3A marching band in Colorado.
Evergreen’s boys tennis team won the league championship. The football and softball teams both advanced to state. The football team’s only loss in league play was to eventual state champion Elizabeth, which was undefeated for the year. The volleyball team advanced to district competition.
And if all of that isn’t enough, five members of the school’s choir have been selected to participate in the all-state choir. and two Cougars boy golfers advanced to the state tournament.
“We had a very successful fall sports and extracurricular season,” said Tony Barnett, assistant principal for athletics and activities at EHS. Barnett credits the coaches and sponsors who oversee these activities and the students who participate for making the commitments necessary to accomplish so much in 2010, but he believes the more important benefits of extracurricular activities will show up later in students’ lives.
“Our coaches and sponsors are awesome,” said Barnett. “I’m so proud of them for using these activities to teach our kids things that will help them throughout their lives.”
Evergreen High School has a long and proud tradition of both academic and extracurricular excellence. While there are successes every year, it is remarkable that all of the fall programs had so much success in the same year. The students, coaches, sponsors and administrators who worked to achieve these accomplishments should be proud of such a successful fall.

Greg Romberg is president of Romberg and Associates, a government relations and public affairs firm. He lives in Evergreen with his wife, Laurie, and three daughters.