Throughout her four years on ETHS’ varsity soccer team, Jocelyn Leigh has shown her dedication to community. The keystone forward has been instrumental in the team’s success—being on the field for 2022’s run to state and 2021 and 2023’s regional championships. Her powerful shot and relentless speed have propelled her to success on Lazier Field. For the next four years of her soccer career, Leigh will play at the Division 1 level at Loyola University.

“[This season has] been amazing,” Leigh said. “I’m really impressed with the team, and everyone’s really stepped up. We have a great dynamic, everyone talks to everyone. There’s no divides. I’m just excited to see where we go from here.”

Leigh began her soccer career with AYSO at a young age, encouraged by her parents. Though she participated in many activities, soccer was what she carried through high school.

“I tried a lot of sports, but soccer was always the one I wanted to go back to and the one I stuck with,” Leigh said. What made soccer so special? “It’s just a feeling I don’t get from playing another sport.”

As a freshman, Leigh made her varsity debut at ETHS. Now, as a senior, she’s leaning into her leadership position. While Leigh’s dominant gameplay grants her respect on the field, her strong character is what makes her a captain that others can depend on.

“I feel like my role has switched from being very oriented on the outcomes of the games to thinking of how I can give support in any way to any player so that they feel that they can always come to me,” Leigh said.

At college, Leigh intends to study sociology, history or literature, aiming to pursue a career that allows her to help others.

Family is a priority for Leigh—one bonus of attending college in her home city is that it allows her loved ones to continue attending her games.

“I just fell in love with the coaches [at Loyola]. They had reached out to me the first day you could and they kept following up. They were just so sweet,” Leigh said. “[Loyola’s] close to home. My mom and my sister have never missed a game.”

After his sister inspired him to play soccer years ago, Jonny Hardwood will pursue the sport at the collegiate level,  as a commit at UW-Stevens Point. The fall of 2024 will be the very first time UW-Stevens Point has a men’s soccer team that will play at the Division III level, giving Hardwood the opportunity to make huge impacts on the future of the program.

“It’s a brand new program so I can set history.”

Hardwood’s plan to “set history” sparked from an early age.

“I started playing soccer because my older sister was playing AYSO and I would go to their practices and stuff,” Hardwood said, “I played AYSO extra and then we got banned so we all just joined Jahbat.”

Hardwood concluded his high school soccer career this past fall when the team lost to New Trier in the Sectional semi-finals. Despite this devastating loss, the boy’s team had an otherwise successful season and finished 4-1-1 in conference. In Hardwood’s eyes, it went beyond the mere success of the team, and it was the bond he had with his teammates that impacted him most. The tradition of shaving their heads at the start of the season was a highlight.

“When we all went bald it was just really fun and brought all of us together,” Harwood said.

Harwood suggests that while leaving teammates, friends and family will be  difficult, it is a necessary transition. Hardwood’s time at ETHS was filled with long-lasting relationships and involvement in activities.

“I’m going to miss being able to see people so easily. I see most of my friends on a daily basis whereas when we go to [college]  it’s going to be harder to see people.”

As Hardwood navigates this bittersweet moment of leaving Evanston, he is also looking forward to the new opportunities UW-Stevens Point offers. UW-Stevens Point is offering a men’s soccer program for the first time and Harwood is ready to seize this opportunity and make his mark on the debut team.

Besides soccer, Hardwood will be studying Business Administration as he intends on pursuing a career in the sports business field. Through his participation in the Sports Business Club, Harwood discovered  where his academic interests lay. Overall, Hardwood is excited to start at UW-Stevens Point in the fall, and continue his studies while playing soccer.

“I’m looking forward to just being away from home and gaining new experiences [and] meeting new people,.” Harwood said.

Sarah Polley was just thirteen-years-old when she first started running track. Five years later, Polley will soon lend her talents as a triple and long jumper to Illinois Wesleyan University, with a major in education. With a population of 1, 527 students as of 2023, Polley knew that the small school environment was for her, even if she wasn’t intending to run track when she first visited the campus.

“Since it is my mom’s alma mater, it’s always been in the back of my mind that I wanted to go [Illinois Wesleyan],” Polley remarked. “When I met the track coaches they offered me a spot on the team, and it was exciting when I realized that there was a possibility that I could run in college.”

Although she is excited for new opportunities in college, Polley will miss the connections that she has made over the past four years, both with teammates and coaches here at ETHS.

“I’m extremely grateful for coach Michele Burke, for pushing me to get out of my comfort zone, and my friend Mya [Hubbard], who I’ve been jumping with for four years, we’ve truly been through the ringer together.” Polley reflected.

In the track off-season, Polley splits her time between practices with her coaches, and being a varsity gymnast for the past four years, as well as taking rigorous courses during her time in high school.

“Finding that balance between school and athletics in high school is really something that I wanted to carry into my first collegiate season, as well as connecting with my new teammates.” Polley said.

As Polley enters her first collegiate season, she plans to carry everything that she has learned from her high school seasons, as well as entering a position of new growth and not getting stuck in her comfort zone.

“I definitely want to improve and jump further and longer, and hopefully set new PRs,” Polley remarked. “I also want to get further out of my comfort zone, since I’m usually nervous to try something new.” 

After four years of high school football, Emmett Robinson will be continuing his football career at North Central College. While he had offers from higher division schools, Robinson opted for North Central, which sat at the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Division lll polls this past fall.

Robinson is looking forward to this next step. However, he reminisces about the bonds that he has created from kindergarten flag football, all the way to his senior season as a Wildkit.

“Football has kept me grounded and brought me a lot of friends,” Robinson said. “I will definitely miss high school football and the good chemistry of the team. I know college sports are a lot more business.”

The coaching staff at North Central College was another big attraction for Robinson. After playing for years under great Evanston coaches, he grew to understand the importance of having a supportive coaching staff and believed that it could not be overlooked while making his decision.

“I had a great connection to my coaches, especially my receiver coach, Coach Taylor. He is a mentor for me,” Robinson said. “A majority of my decision to play at North Central was the coaching staff.”

Robinson’s love for the game goes beyond his connection to coaches and teammates. Spending his next four years as a collegiate athlete only made sense for the young athlete.

“If I didn’t continue playing football, I would just feel lost in a way,” he said. “I can’t see myself playing any other sport to be honest. It is really my whole life.”

Besides football, Robinson has a passion for history. He plans on majoring in Secondary Education but is willing to explore many of his other interests in the years to come. Looking back on his journey, Robinson will always remember the joy the Kits football team has brought him.

“Hanging out with my teammates in and outside of practice meant a lot to me. Especially because it was my last year [as a Wildkit,] it was a great experience to have that chemistry.”

Once Kailey Starks was introduced to FAAM—a nonprofit organization for basketball and cheerleading in Evanston—by her older brother Avery, Starks’ journey into basketball took off and she never looked back. From there, she joined Full Package Athletics, a developmental basketball club, and put in the hard work that enabled her to join varsity as a freshman.

At the start of her high school career, Starks was dominant, showcasing talent as a combo guard. A four year varsity player and member of the dynamic senior trio that took over the court this past season, Starks will continue basketball at the Division I collegiate level at the University of Detroit Mercy next fall, pursuing a degree in business administration.

For Starks, the decision to play at Detroit Mercy was made the first time she visited the campus. Despite offers from Illinois Wesleyan, Wittenberg, Denison and Trinity Christian College, Starks knew that Detroit Mercy was where she belonged.

“[Detroit Mercy] was just home; it felt right,” Starks reflected. “The coaches and players were so honest and open, and really wanted me to play there. My family and I knew that this is where I would spend my next four years.”

Although Starks is ecstatic about playing at the next level, she reminisces about the bonds that she has made during her high school basketball career.

“I’m definitely going to miss the culture of my team,” Starks remarked. “My teammates and coaches, especially Coach Johson here at ETHS, have helped me become the player that I am today, and without them, I wouldn’t have developed as much as I have.”

As she leaves the ETHS program that has been her home for the past four years, Starks has some overarching advice for the underclassmen that will lead the team.

“[The seniors] were once in the position that [the underclassmen] are in now, and it’s scary,” Starks said. “Overall, I would say to not take anything for granted. Keep working hard, and your hard work will start to pay off.”

Since his early days, McHenry Mason has had a love for the game of baseball. Despite obstacles, Mason found a way to live out his dream and play at the collegiate level. With a great repertoire of pitches, Mason will be teaming up with the Kenyon Owl’s Division III baseball program.

“When I was eight-years-old, [I] started playing tee-ball and just fell in love with the game,” Mason said. “It didn’t come naturally [though]. For [EBSA] travel, [I] made the A team then made the B team in eighth grade. Now we’ve just been grinding [ever since].”

The last name Mason isn’t new to Kenyon. With a sister who attends Kenyon College and plays lacrosse, Mason had no hesitation calling Gambier, Ohio  his second home. From the jump, Mason hoped to find a place that would fulfill his aspirations, both academically and athletically. Kenyon, being a prestigious liberal arts school, was especially appealing,  and therefore, he stayed in communication with the coaches for over a year.

“My sister goes there so that was obviously a factor. She helped me with the recruiting process,” he said. “I was looking for a small Division III because I knew that’s where my skill level was and just loved the campus. [In the] summer of [my] junior year, I emailed the coach introducing myself, and then when I went for my sister’s parent’s weekend, I set up a meeting and continued to talk to [the coaching staff] until I committed in November of my junior year.”

Mason, despite having a fixed mind on baseball, is uncertain about his major, knowing the lax regulations of study at Kenyon. He has decided to major in Economics, as the department is open to him redirecting his studies later in his time at Kenyon.

“I chose my major a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “I had zero clue. I was focused on the baseball side of [the school] and it’s really flexible at Kenyon so if I don’t like it I can switch pretty easily”.

Eager to showcase his talents at Kenyon, Mason has something to prove with the obstacles he’s been through and roadblocks he has been met with along the way.

“[I’m looking forward to] having the underclassmen fall ball, [because] it’s a time for us to prove ourselves and show the coach what we really got,” Mason said. “[During my career,]  there [have] been a lot of ups and downs. Honestly, I feel like I’ve been down a lot, but this year I’ve been proving to people what I’ve always had in me. I’m just excited to show Kenyon what I really got.”

The wide-range pitcher will leave ETHS with plenty of memories and moments he will never forget.

“[My advice] is to get your name out there. Don’t be afraid to show your skill, [because] people will always doubt you,” Mason said. “To be the best you can be, you just have to really grind. It’s a process [and] everyone starts somewhere. I committed [when I was] on JV so that just shows anyone can do it if you stick to it.”

6-foot-4 Wildkit offensive lineman and Marty Leoni Award winner Declan Boutross will attend Division 1 University of Dayton next year after over a decade of time on the gridiron.

“I started playing when I was seven years old,” Boutross said. “I just enjoyed playing [football] and all the coaches were just fun to be around.”

Throughout the recruitment process, Boutross found that the comfortability and student life he found during visits to Dayton were top-notch appeals for him.

“I visited in November, and I really enjoyed the campus and the coaches. Then, I went on my official visit in late January. That’s where I really got to meet the coaches and some of the players, and saw the campus. All the players said I would fit in there and I felt like I fit in really well.” 

Dayton has been following up with Declan for months now, showing continued interest in the versatile lineman.

“I did talk to them prior for a bit in the summer when I was going to camps. On top of [that], I sent them my midseason film, and that’s when they let me know they wanted me to come on a visit in the fall.”

Academically, Declan is searching for the right major as he stands undecided; nevertheless, Declan is still focused on academics as the Flyers hold their players accountable.

“[The culture] is very strict. They really focus on academics and that’s what I like,” Boutross said. “It’s a lot like a brotherhood; when I get there I have to attach something to my key that’s called a Link. That means something to the whole team and it’s like we’re all a chain.”

Declan’s high school experience formed a great deal of memories and friendships. He is grateful for the teammates and people that surround him.

“Honestly, I feel like in high school you definitely can build relationships and become friends with everyone because everybody’s building all the time. I’m totally gonna miss that, [and] I’m also going to miss the connections I built with teachers here.”

Tackling the next four years at Dayton, Declan leaves young football Wildkits with some advice.

“You really have to work hard and make sure you advertise yourself,” he said. “Also make sure you stay on top of things with school.”

After her older sisters started playing soccer, Shea Lucas decided to follow in their footsteps. For the past four years, Lucas has been an essential part of the ETHS girls soccer program, and continues to guide the Kits through their season as the starting goalkeeper and captain. Her dedication to the sport has contributed greatly to the team’s success and she will be continuing her athletic ambitions at UW-Stevens Point in the fall.

“I started playing soccer with my two older sisters. My mom put us in soccer and I wanted to stick with it,” Lucas said.

This passion for the sport from such a young age has driven her soccer career and has led her to being one of the greatest leaders on and off the field for the team.

“I think a good highlight of my ETHS career is being captain this year and having my coach trust me in that role,” Lucas said. “I have loved playing at ETHS and all the different players you get to play with and how they work, [and]meeting new people every year.”

Lucas’ dedication and leadership was seen by many scouts, specifically the UW-Stevens Point coaches, which catapulted Lucas into the recruitment process.

“They let my head coach know that they could really see me on their team and that they have a spot for me if I wanted. It took me a couple months to try and figure it out and look at all the other campuses and colleges but I knew that it could be a really good school for me so I decided to commit there,” Lucas commented.

At UW-Stevens Point, Lucas will not only be continuing her soccer career but also entering the education field, a passion of hers that she has always had.

“I’m majoring in special education. I think special education has always been a part of my life and I’ve had many different experiences with it,” Lucas said. “I also knew that Stevens Point has a really good education program so I want to just pursue the special education side of it and see where it takes me along the way.”

As Lucas prepares to attend Stevens Point in the fall, she anticipates meeting her team and engaging in new experiences away from home.

“I’m most looking forward to meeting others at the school and having the college experience of living on your own,” she said. “I’m [also] really excited about meeting my soccer team because it looks like they have so much fun.”

With guidance from the Evanston girl’s soccer program and Stevens Point coaches, Lucas looks forward  to reaching new heights in the fall.

Jacques Philippe’s first year of tackle football was far from normal. While the world rapidly shifted with the COVID-19 pandemic, the newest form of the football uniform was the mask, making it much harder to pick up a sport if it was your first year playing.

“The Covid year was really difficult. I was around a bunch of people I didn’t know and we were wearing masks,” Philippe stated.

Despite the odd circumstances, Philippe quickly fell in love with football and was fueled to work hard and play as much as possible. Philippe had played flag football in the District 65 elementary school league, but his passion launched in his first high school games.

“I remember playing in my first ever game. I played every single snap and I didn’t take a step off the field,” Philippe said. “All the appreciation I had for the game, all the hard work, and the learning just kept growing and growing throughout the year.”

Philippe’s devotion to the game led him to play any position he was asked to play. In his sophomore year, Philippe was exclusively a wide receiver. But for the past two seasons on varsity, Philippe has played safety. While the senior was motivated by the excitement of representing Evanston, he hadn’t exactly thought about the chance to play college football. That was, until the end of his junior season, when he was recruited by Pomona-Pitzer.

“I love Pomona because of the coaches there, and that was a big thing because the defensive backs coach is another brown guy from the Midwest like me.”

Besides having a positive experience with the coaching staff, Philippe is happy about Pomona’s academic rigor, but also the climate in Claremont, California.

“[Another thing is] academics. My parents have always stressed that,” Philippe stated. “I’ve always done pretty well in school, and it’s the best place for me academically as well. And it’s in California [where] the weather is great.”

Pomona’s diverse climate encouraged Philippe to spend his next four years there.

“I’m excited to meet a lot of new people. Evanston is diverse and a great place but [I’m excited about] the geographical, racial, and socioeconomic diversity as well. I think it’ll be cool to meet a lot of different people with a lot of different stories and to continue expanding myself.”

Philippe believes that Evanston and the city of Claremont have similar values and traits, but he says he’ll miss the bonds and experiences he’s made at ETHS.

“This building has raised me for the past four years and taught me a lot of different lessons. I’ve met a lot of people, and that’s something I’ll miss.”

After playing four years on varsity as a power-forward and big at ETHS, Zuri Ransom will continue to play basketball at the collegiate level, starting off her freshman year at Ball State University, with a major in kinesiology.

For Ransom, the decision to play at Ball State was made easy the moment she visited the campus for the first time.

“[When] I first visited Ball State, it felt like home,” Ransom reflected. “The players and coaches took me under their wing right when I got there, and that made my decision right there for me.”

Coming from a long line of athletic family members and basketball coaches, Ransom grew up playing basketball as well as a bunch of other sports. Up until 6th grade, she was a multisport athlete, when she fully committed her time to playing basketball.

In the offseason, Ransom plays for AAU, a club league, and trains with Full Packages Athletics, a developmental basketball company, where she has been since third grade.

This past season, the Kits were able to make it to the IHSA regional final, led by the senior trio of Ransom, fellow Division I commit Kailey Starks and Arianna Milam-Pryor. Ransom accredits the team’s success to the connection that they were able to build over the season, and remarks that it will be the thing she misses most about the ETHS basketball program.

“The bond that the upperclassmen built with everyone was just instant,” Ransom said. “Soon, they will have to take over the team, so just helping them learn through the season, since [we] were once in that position as well, is just so special.”

Once Ransom finds the balance between school and athletics in college, she has two goals: to be one of the highest conditioned players at Ball State, and receive playing time for her hard work.

“Over the summer, I’m going to work on my conditioning and endurance, so when the season rolls around, I am able to play the game that I love, while also putting in the hard work,” Ransom said.

Wildkit captain, 2x CSL All-Conference, and 1x All-State Defenseman Colin Swanson had his eyes on the prize from a young age. With guidance from family members with deep lacrosse backgrounds, it was certain Swanson would be a star playing in a Wildkit jersey.

“I have two older brothers, and as soon as I started playing sports, I started playing lacrosse,” Swanson said. “It was always my favorite. As I got older, I started taking it more seriously and I was always practicing with my brothers. I think that’s what really made me like it.”

Even with experienced roots, Colin’s recruitment process wasn’t easy. However, after an official visit, Swanson is excited to lend his talents to Denison University next fall.

“It was a pretty long process for me. I visited a lot of different schools. When I went to Denison, I felt a good connection with the coaching staff and [it] had everything I was looking for [in terms] of a good team culture and good academics,” Swanson said. “[Denison has] a great program that can compete in the tournament every year.”

Heading down to Granville, Ohio after graduation, Swanson plans to major in economics. He is eager to start a brotherhood with the Big Red lacrosse team when he arrives on campus.

“I’ve already met most of the [players] in my class,” he said. “It’s gonna be a lot of fun [to] get closer with them and play together.”

It’s more than lacrosse to Swanson– not just a stick, helmet and a ball. It’s a gateway that unlocks opportunities, bonds and life lessons. That gateway that has provided him with a second family.

“[Lacrosse] is a big part of my life. It helps me strive to be a better person in all aspects. Academically, it really pushed me so I can look at better schools and physically, it helps keep me in shape. I’ve also been able to create a lot of good friendships through the game with people at Evanston and also all over the state, and [even across] the country. I’ve been able to travel a lot, [and] I don’t know if I would’ve been able to do [that] without lacrosse.”

As his high school experience nears the end, Swanson has no regrets exiting with him, and he is grateful for the coaches that have remained by his side.

“Coach Fournie, the other coaches and the rest of the team really helped me build up [confidence] when I was a freshman, which allowed me to be a better player when I got older,” he said.

Colin will be representing ETHS at the highest level of NCAA Division III lacrosse as he rolls into the Big Red program.

“[My advice is to] just have fun with it,” Swanson said. “Don’t worry about the pressure of coaches and everybody watching. Enjoy yourself, and it’ll work out”.

Back in his freshman year, Wlodek’s friends were trying to convince him to join the ETHS water polo team. A swimmer for his entire life, he was ready to try something new and give water polo a shot for the spring season. But when Wlodek’s first season began, he wasn’t given many opportunities.

“I was on the end of the bench during my freshman year,” Wlodek said.

After climbing the ranks on the junior varsity team in his sophomore season, Wlodek earned a starting spot on the team. For Wlodek, this is when he first fell in love with the game. This was the season he will remember the most looking back at his time on Evanston water polo.

“Even though I wasn’t on varsity, it was just a really fun time. It wasn’t stressful, I just got to spend time with my friends,” Wlodek reflected.

Wlodek worked hard in the summer to set himself up for his first year on varsity. He earned a starting position and played well throughout the season. He put in 13 goals on the year and had 41 steals. Wlodek credits his increase in production to how hard he worked in the previous summer.

“I wasn’t old enough to work at the beach so I had a lot of time on my hands. All I would do was swim, play polo and exercise. This was the time where I really jumped ahead of a lot of players,” Wlodek said.

After the season, Wlodek reached out to a bunch of schools he thought he might have interest in. When division two Mckendree University head coach Colleen Lischwe responded in the summer, Wlodek set up a meeting and a visit date.

“I initially emailed Mckendree because one of my old coaches had previously coached with the Mckendree head coach,”  Wlodek said. “It was kind of my top pick from the start. I just feel like I really fit in there… their colors (purple and gold) are also really cool.”

Wlodek’s major is currently undecided. The biggest thing he is looking forward to about going to college is independence and having the chance to meet new people.

When reflecting on his time at Evanston, Wlodek is proud of the way he worked up the ranks of the program. From a kid who barely touched the pool to being the leader of the team in his senior year, he worked hard to earn respect from head coach Kevin Auger.

“He respects me more than he would have if I just came in as a really good freshman. He respects me because of how much I worked to get where I am rather than starting talented,”  Wlodek explained. “He has seen my progression all four years.”

Prior to his first semester of freshman year, Lindenwood commit Noah Cryns saw baseball as a passion, but nothing more than that.

“I had always loved baseball but I had never thought of it as a long term path. That all changed when I met my teammates freshman year,” Cryns said. “They were all so motivated and competitive about everything they did. That mentality got to me.”

“By the end of freshman year, I had made it clear to myself that I wanted to pursue baseball in college.”

As a freshman, Cryns looked to pursue his baseball career as a catcher but things took an unexpected turn when the athlete suffered a bad knee injury at the end of his sophomore campaign. This injury, however, would turn out to be a blessing in disguise as it forced Noah to abandon his role as a catcher in favor of pitching.

“I’d never seriously pitched before, but I was naturally gifted at it from the start. I was able to develop my fastball quickly. From there on, it was all down to coaches [Chris] D’Amato and [Frank] Consiglio for turning me into what I am today.”

When Lindenwood, a Division I school in the Ohio Valley Conference in St. Charles, Missouri, came calling, Cryns could not say no. Over the course of the 2022-2023 academic year, Lindenwood reclassified from Division II to Division I, offering athletes like Cryns an opportunity to compete at the highest level of college baseball.

Cryns has played club baseball throughout high school alongside teammates Charlie Kalil, Eron Vega, and Henry Rouch for Elite Baseball Training, a program based out of Chicago.

“I think a major turning point for me was when I was lucky enough to make Elite. They are a top program and they play in tournaments with a bunch of scouts present. I think that’s what did it for me,” Cryns remarked.

Cryns is excited for the next chapter in not only his baseball career, but his life. The senior hurler hopes that he can continue to be involved in baseball after college.

“I want to stay in baseball after college, whether that’s through playing, coaching, or sports medicine,” Cryns stated. “I just want to be involved in the sport.”

At just five-years-old, Braden Grimm stepped foot on the baseball field for the first time after his dad signed him up for tee-ball. Through this foundational experience, Grimm developed early bat-and-ball skills and a love for the game. A smooth-fielding second baseman, flame-throwing pitcher and two-year varsity player at ETHS, Grimm is lending his skills to Minnesota State University next fall.

Despite his early introduction to the sport, Grimm’s path to collegiate baseball wasn’t well-defined from the beginning. As he progressed through high school, he excelled on the diamond, but the idea of playing at the next level was simply a distant thought. However, after an official visit to Minnesota State, Grimm couldn’t pass up the opportunity to represent the Mavericks on the mound.

While baseball has ushered in periods of physical and mental exhaustion, Grimm affirms that it has offered a support system that makes the grueling moments worth it.

“I love the coaches, the environment and [the] people,” he said.

The highlight of his baseball career is defeating New Trier twice last season before the Trevians sent Evanston to a premature exit from the IHSA state baseball tournament series in the sectional championship.

“It was very memorable,” Grimm said. “I want to [face] them in the playoffs.”

At ETHS, Grimm diversified his high school experience as a member of Evanston’s golf and bowling teams.

“Golf taught me to be calm and how to handle pressure, and bowling taught me patience.”

Wildkits baseball has instilled in Grimm a deep commitment to community that he will carry with him as he takes this next step.

“Evanston baseball [has] shown me the importance of always supporting your teammates.”

College baseball for Thomas Ferguson has always been a dream. He has been playing baseball since he was four years old, and developed a love for the game early on. When Ferguson took an official visit to Haverford College in September of his junior year, he knew that was the place he wanted to make his dreams a reality.

“As soon as I walked on campus, I knew if I got an offer I would be committing here,” said Ferguson referring to his official visit.

After reaching out to many schools, Ferguson ultimately narrowed down his decision between Macalester and Haverford. While he liked both schools, Ferguson was confident in his decision.

“I really liked everything about Macalester but I think Haveford is going in a better direction as a program. They’re really looking to compete at a national division three level. That was the coach’s big selling point,” Ferguson explained.

While Ferguson is looking forward to entering this new stage of his baseball career, he is also excited about Haverford’s pipeline to major league baseball jobs. Ferguson’s intended major is currently economics.

“This one professor teaches a sports economics course, and she has a lot of connections to MLB jobs,” Ferguson added. “There is a disproportionate amount of Haverford alums working in MLB jobs. I am very interested in doing that after I graduate.”

During Ferguson’s freshman year, he was both an infielder and a pitcher. It wasn’t until that summer that he realized he had more of a passion for pitching.

“I was equally skilled at both pitching and hitting, but I just liked pitching a lot more,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson made the varsity team as a sophomore. During both his sophomore and junior year, he wasn’t given a lot of opportunity to prove his talent and blossom for the Kits.

During his junior and senior year summers and the club baseball season was when Ferguson was really able to showcase his skills. He played at Top Tier throughout his offseasons in high school and really developed as a pitcher.

When looking back at his time at ETHS, Ferguson will most remember the bonds he created with his teammates. Even though he hasn’t left yet, the nostalgia has already hit the senior.

“The biggest thing I’m going to miss is my teammates. I already miss past teammates that are now playing in college. The environment on the team was just so fun,”  Ferguson reflected. “We are teammates but those guys are also some of my closest friends.”

Growing up playing soccer, basketball, football, baseball and now lacrosse, Cade Likhite has always been an athlete. But when it came to playing a sport in college, Likhite didn’t know what he wanted to pursue at the next level until midway through his high school career.

“I always knew I wanted to play a sport in college but I never thought it would be soccer,” Likhite said. “But during my sophomore year, I decided that now is the time to completely focus on soccer and fully lock in on the recruiting process.”

Likhite was contempt on making varsity going into his junior year summer. With many other talented goalies in his class, Likhite turned his training up a notch in hopes of making the team.

“I knew I had a shot of making varsity… it was a long shot. I really worked hard that summer, made sure I was in really good shape, ready to do the Cooper (two mile run in under 12 minutes),” Likhite said.

When Likhite made varsity during his junior year fall, his career and chances of playing at the next level instantly shot up.

“That was definitely one of my highest moments at ETHS. All my hard work paid off,” said a proud Likhite.

Over his two years on varsity, with two other hard working goalkeepers in the class, head coach Franz Calixte primarily rotated the goalies during the regular season. During both postseason runs though, Likhite got the notch and started.

“I was really lucky to have Alex and then Milo this past year. Each one of us would start on a different high school team,” Likhite explained. “Everyone pushed each other day in and day out but it was definitely always a fun environment.”

The recruiting process for Likhite didn’t crystalize until deep into his senior year. While he had a lot of offers at the division three level and a few division one offers, Likhite wasn’t initially attached to one school or another.

After emailing and networking with more schools this year, Likhite got in touch with Stonehill College head coach Jim Reddish. During winter break of this year, Likhite went to a camp there and would go on to receive a division one offer there shortly after.

“I didn’t think I played that well at the camp but he must have seen it in me. He reached out to a few of my coaches and then I ended up getting the offer,” Likhite explained.

“I was ready to commit [and] I was just ready to be done with the process. I was really happy it was finally happening.”

For Likhite, this new opportunity is exciting but he also remembers the great burden becoming a Division 1 athlete came with.

“I put myself through not only a lot of physical pain, but also mental pain,” Likhite reflected. “There were many hard drives back from games that were difficult. Sometimes I used to ask myself, ‘Is it worth it?.’ I am happy it all worked out.”

Julio Epting started his soccer career as a three-year-old after his mom put him in a recreational league to keep him busy. After that, his passion for soccer never disappeared. He was both a strong varsity player at ETHS and also a major contributor at Jahbat, a local soccer club.

Epting knew he wanted to play at a collegiate level from a young age and strived to grasp any opportunities that came his way, especially during his time at Jahbat.

“I played high school for a few years but not all four years,” Epting said. “I really enjoyed playing for the high school but I focused on clubs which gave me more experience and a shot at playing at different higher levels that exposed me to college recruiting.”

The opportunities that both Jahbat and ETHS soccer provided him led to his decision to play Division III soccer at Beloit College.

“I was looking for a small liberal arts school with a small student-teacher ratio and it was perfect,” Epting said. “I’m looking forward to soccer obviously and a fresh start somewhere.”

At Beloit, Epting plans to pursue majors in Business Management and Sociology.

“I’ve always liked business and entrepreneurship, [and]  I took a Sociology class this year which I really enjoyed,” he said.

Epting describes Beloit as a “perfect fit”—something all college-bound students strive to find. For Epting the decision was easy, but he still reminisces on his time at ETHS and playing soccer in Evanston. Memories of winning state at Jahbat, playing with the varsity team at ETHS and seeing friends are cherished.

“I’m going to miss seeing my friends [that] I’ve grown up with since elementary school,” he said.

Sydney Ross was just three years old when she started playing soccer. After four years of high school soccer at Evanston, the senior midfielder will head to Swarthmore College next year to continue her academic and athletic journeys.

“I loved the team of coaches, but also the community at the school itself,” Ross stated. “[Swarthmore] has a great academic program and provides many opportunities that will help me as a student.”

Although continuing her soccer journey is exciting for Ross, she will definitely miss her team and the high school soccer experience.

“[I’m] going to miss the people on the team. Some of these girls I’ve been playing with for over a decade now, so I’m going to miss my team a lot,” Ross said. “Showing up and being with the team each day, whether it’s practice, games or team dinners is a community I’ll miss.”

Ross is excited to start anew at Swarthmore and take her passion and the sport of soccer with her.

“I’m excited to just keep playing the sport I love, with a great team at a great school.”