For the first time in seven years, the varsity football team made it to the regional round of the 6A football playoffs. The team fell to the number one ranked Gardner Edgerton Trailblazers with a final score of 42-7 on Nov. 8. On the first drive, the Trailblazers scored a touchdown. For the next three quarters, East couldn’t match them, going through all three quarters without a score. In the fourth quarter with five minutes left, backup quarterback junior Vince Kopp threw a touchdown to senior tight end Chris Beikmann to score the only touchdown of the game. The players faced challenges with 14 mph winds and occasional rain, combined with a 50-degree temperature.
This was the last game for the most successful football team East has seen in seven years and for a lot of the senior players this was an emotional way to end it. Senior punter and kicker Calvin Duske says that the difference this year that made the team successful is thanks to head coach Mark Simoneau in his second year of coaching.
“A lot of the senior starters had played together for all four years, I think that made our team chemistry really good.” Duske said. “Gardner was a good team, the game was fought well, I think that’s not a bad note to end on.”
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11.8.24 Varsity Football vs. Gardener Edgerton
