Athletic Director’s Report

#KNIGHTS STAND OUT

Athletic Director’s Report

The 2021‑2022 school year produced a “new normal” for the students and coaches involved in the Athletic Pillar. While some things felt a bit different, there was no denying the fact the community spirit that sets EHS apart from other schools is alive and well. Home contests brought a return of the Gong Squad, enthusiastic fans, and outstanding competition. The Knights enjoyed another stellar year in athletics, highlighted by SPC Championships for the girls cross country, boys basketball, and softball teams. In addition to these championships, the girls basketball, girls track and field, wrestling, and baseball teams finished their seasons as SPC runners‑up.

The EHS girls cross country team ran a race for the ages at the SPC Championships in Dallas and brought home the first conference championship in program history. The Knights finished 10 points better than runner-up Hockaday, placing four runners in the top 20 and six in the top 30. Madison Morgan ’25 (3rd), Julia Newman ’24 (7th), Lucy Holden ’23 (8th), Ella Newman ’22 (14th), Asher Luengas ’25 (22nd), and Kate Freeman ’22 (27th) led the way for the Knights. The EHS softball team earned their fifth consecutive SPC title and twentieth in program history as the Knights defeated St. John’s 7‑3 in the championship game. Senior Reese Barrett capped an incredible SPC tournament with seven innings on the mound, striking out four while allowing just six hits. Emma Poirot ‘23 paced the offense with two hits while Barrett, Lily Tanner ‘22, Gianna Lewis ‘25, Allie Williams ‘24, Reagan Moriarty ‘25, and Kate Hale ‘25 added hits to the offensive output. The Knights earned big tournament wins over John Cooper (10‑ 0) and Houston Christian (11‑1) to reach the title game.

Sophomore Justin Begg’s three‑pointer with 3.8 seconds left in regulation gave the Knights an improbable 56‑55 win over top‑seeded Greenhill in the SPC Championship basketball game. Begg’s huge shot was his third in the final minutes of the game as the Knights erased a seven-point deficit. The Knights win was their fourth in three days as they entered the tournament as the #3 seed in the South Zone. The Knights opened the tournament with a 73‑37 win over Trinity Valley and followed that win with a thrilling 69‑64 win over ESD. EHS next faced familiar foe St. John’s in the semifinal and earned the season sweep of the Mavericks with a dominating 63‑ 50 victory. That win set the Knights up for the primetime matchup with Greenhill, a team ranked among the best in Texas. History was made this year as Thalia Vogelsang ‘24 became the first female wrestler to compete and win in the SPC. The talented sophomore picked up a fall in the consolation final to place third in the 113lb weight class in the SPC Tournament. Vogelsang moved on to compete at the Prep National Tournament in Washington, D.C. and placed third overall in her weight class. Beau Edwards ’22 defended his Texas Prep heavyweight championship this winter and added All American to his already impressive list of wrestling accomplishments. Jimmy Guzman ’24 also captured both an SPC and Texas Prep State Wrestling Championship.

The boys lacrosse team made an improbable run to the semifinals of the Texas High School Lacrosse League Class A State Championships this spring, overcoming the graduation of sixteen talented seniors from the 2021 season. The Knights won sixteen games and finished third in a stacked SPC 4A division.

Thank you to all of our students and coaches and congratulations on a terrific 2021‑22 athletic year. Go Knights!

—Jason Grove