redzone Small-town kids make it big: Austin Ekeler,
eatonredink.com
Trent Sieg light up the NFL pg. 8-9
114 Park Ave, Eaton CO
Dec. 20, 2019 Volume 12, Ed. 3
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December 20, 2019
The Dangers of Vaping There’s no excuse for not knowing the effects genesishembree staffreporter The use of vape pens, mods and e-cigarettes are making headlines every day in the world. Lots of kids start vaping just because they think it will make them “cool.” Sorry, but the studies are in: vaping can kill you. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), 2,172 cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury have been reported as of November 13, from 49 states. Out of these injuries, 42 deaths have been confirmed in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Until now very few statistics have been available about vaping, and there were no recorded deaths caused by vaping in Colorado. But that has changed. On October 24, the vape-related death from an unnamed Denver 18-year-old may be the first in the state. For several years, vaping has been sold to, and has targeted, the younger generation. For the students who don’t know what an e-cigarette is, bless your soul. An e-cigarette is a batteryoperated device that heats the flavored juice into an aerosol that the user inhales. These nicotine-containing juices are being bought by younger people because of their temptingflavors, which include fruity, dessert, watermelon blast, strawberry, lemonade, juicy red apple, Hawaiian, mango twist, cool mint, and blue raspberry. But not only do these pods contain flavor, they also contain nicotine and many more additives. And in case you didn’t know already; statistics show that if you vape there is a 20.5 percent chance you will
end up smoking cigarettes. Some students may deny that and say tobacco is disgusting, but little do they know, the same nicotine they are inhaling in vape comes from tobacco. Another fun fact that makes vaping dangerous for teens is that their brains continue to grow until age 25, but nicotine stunts that brain growth and can affect kids in so many different ways. It can cause you to become addicted. Anyone can become addicted, there is no age limit; however, ages 20 and under are more likely to become addicted faster. The use of e-cigarettes with teens has grown dramatically in the last two years according to the CDC. From 2017 to 2019, vaping among 12th graders went from 11 to 25 percent; 10th graders went from 8 to 20 percent and eighth graders, went from 4 to 9 percent. Today, more high school students use e-cigarettes than actual cigarettes. “The students are aware of the dangers of vaping but they just won’t care until it happens to someone close to them or even until it happens to them,” says EHS social studies teacher, Britany Turnbull. A local high school vaper would agree that the message has been mixed and that has made the issue confusing. “There has been research proving that it is bad for you, but there’s also research proving it is not bad for you,” he says. Some students feel that they are safe and free from addiction because they aren’t using e-cigarettes with THC, the chemical found in marijuana. The reality is, the majority of those injuries and deaths were not caused by THC. Some students have
other justifications for vaping. “The only reason people are getting sick is because they don’t know what they’re doing.” says a local high school student who vapes. “I think it is user error because the only reason they’re getting sick is because they’re using bad equipment. Their pods are filled with garbage and they are using non-brand coils. You still have to be safe when using it, I don’t think it’s harmful.” Because of all the negative national attention and accusations of targeting kids, Juul, one of the leading names in vape, has discontinued selling its flavored pods. This move was initiated by the company itself. Other vape companies are also be removing their flavored pods, claiming they will stop distributing the flavored pods once they have sold out at the locations that sell it. “I think vaping is a huge issue because it’s making people sick, without them realizing it, and I think it’s getting worse,” says Eaton’s theater teacher, Kendra Hixon, “The juniors or sophomores are the ones I’ve had the most issues with.” Hixon said she thinks those who vape will stop vaping and possibly go to something worse, like cigarettes. Once vaping goes out of style, those who were addicted will turn to cigarettes to get their nicotine buzz. But nowadays, almost everyone is aware that cigarettes give people cancer, and nobody wants that. Whether you deny it or not, the use of vape is escalating, leaving uninformed kids hooked on a bad addicition too late. Kids may have had an excuse for not knowing before, but there’s no excuse now.
See Vaping page 4
December 20, 2019
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EHS choirs spread holiday cheer Choir Concert fills packed auditorium with holiday joy.
Helping Hearts host clothing drive. Kaitlynwalsh
staffreporter
Leslie Apodaca Ian Richling(21), Dakota Annis(22), Dakota Powell(20), Tanner True(21), Marco Rodriguez(21), Jimmy Trevino(22), Aiden Lloyd-Green(23), Ernie Madaleno(20) sing during a Men’s choir performance.
Abigail Schreiner Aden Gomez(20), Matea Floryance(20), Austin Decker(21), Joell Green(20), Raul Reyes(20), and Anna Augustine(20) perform during a Troubadour routine. The EHS choir program sang songs of Christmas and spread holiday cheer to a packed house of students and community members. $2,800 were also raised at this concert because of a silent auction that took place during intermission. As the end of the first semester comes to a close, the choirs got students in the holiday spirit. Womens, mens, Bella Voce, and Troubadour choirs performed on December 10 in the EHS auditorium. Judy Olson, Eaton Elementary’s former music teacher, accompanied the choir on the piano. Lexi Nigro (20), a Troubadour member said, “Mrs. Olson’s help made this concert so successful. It is so much harder for Mrs. Contreras to conduct and play, so having Mrs. Olson with us has really helped us focus on being good.” Every seat in the auditorium was filled, and some parents even had to stand in the back to view the performance. 17 songs were sung in total by all of the various groups, and 18 individuals had solos or duets. Mady Lawrence
(23) and Lauren Caudle (23) were soloists in Women’s choir during “Heaven Everywhere” by Francesca Battistelli. The Bella Voce and Women’s choir combined to sing “Ding-a-Ding-aDing” by Greg Gilpin which included a descant, a main melody sung above a basic harmony. Bella Voce soloists included Grace Sandau (20), Marisabel Baeza (20), Aria Daniels (22), and Addie Burke (22) in “A Soulful Christmas” arranged by Mark Brymer. Men’s Choir closed the first half of the concert before intermission with “Feliz Navidad”, and Derek Renfroe (20), Marco Rodriguez (21), Treavor Proctor (21), Tanner True (21), Jose Silva (20), and Liam Hernandez (21) all performed solos. Choir members enjoy performing for others because it allows them to show their work and talent. Men’s choir member Ian Richling (21), said that his favorite part of performing is “being able to share all of the hard work that has gone into the pieces.” During the first intermission, a silent
auction took place courtesy of choir program parents and supporters to fundraise for the choir program. Various donations were received from companies and parents including Bank of Colorado, Qdoba, Nina’s Art, Coffee House 10:24, and many more. 37 total donors participated in the auction, and a total of $2,800 were raised. After the first intermission, all the men in the program performed a combined piece to “Do You Hear What I Hear”, and the Troubadours took the stage to perform “A December Prayer” with a solo from Raul Reyes-Camacho (20). The final number was performed with all choirs together to the song “I Need a Silent Night”. Anna Augustine (20) and Austin Decker (21) had a duet during this piece, and EHS alumni Jasmine Davis presented a poem. The song is meant to provoke others to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. The Christmas choir concert was a great end to the first semester, but also a great lead in to the holiday season.
The Bella Voce choir is starting off this holiday season by helping the less fortunate in the community. Donated clothing, hygiene products, and canned goods will be delivered by the choir to families and individuals in need across Northern Colorado. About ten years ago, choir director Christina Contreras organized the clothing drive with the Bella Voce choir in order to fulfill the calling to help the less fortunate. “We are called to help the less fortunate, and I really believe that, so I brought the idea of the care packages to the Bella Voce choir at the time, and we began the tradition,” Contreras said. Every year, participation has increased, and more community members are getting involved. This year, the Bank of Colorado has donated $200 and Heritage Market gave a giftcard of $200. The items that students can bring include non perishable and easy to ac-
cess food, water, toiletry items, warm socks, gloves, scarves, coats and sweatshirts, and warm clothes. Any donation goes to an individual or family in need. Contreras said, “Whenever we see those less fortunate on the street, some people are a little bit skeptical about giving money because they aren’t sure where that money is going to go, but some people are really in a rough spot in their life, so a care package would be really helpful.” Bags will be filled with a variety of goods assembled by the girls on December 17, and they will put the final packages in their car to give to those in need. The girls are willing and glad to help others. Aria Daniels (22), a first year member of Bella Voce, said, “In the same way we want to be helped, we should help others who are going through possibly the worst time of their life. It is always important to help out.” The remaining bags will be donated by the choir to local churches to be given to their families in need.
Emily Hogsett(22) and Sophia Comer(20) sing as a part of Bella Voce choir.
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December 20, 2019
Frozen 2 rivals recent Disney sequels
New Movie better than the original kaitlyngomez staffreporter Frozen 2, directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, rivals all other sequels in recent Disney history. The movie centers on Queen Elsa, who learns where her magical powers came from and how to use them. She also learns about the past and what really happened to her parents. Embarking on the adventure into foreign lands, other favorites join Elsa- Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf. The original movie, Frozen, played a key role in Frozen 2, with many lines from the characters relating back to the first movie. One of the best examples comes when Olaf acts out the original story. His fast-performed version tied the movie in nicely and enabled first-time Frozen fans to understand what was happening. The plot of the movie played out nicely and really added to the original story.
Frozen 1, left many holes in the plot, and viewers had lots of questions at the end of the movie. The plot of Frozen 2 fills the empty holes the last movie left, making it feel complete. The animations and CGI of Frozen 2 are amazing. They would make anyone wish they were in the beautiful, colorful, wintery world. The details in the elements; water, air, earth, and fire, were on-point in coloring and effects, making them appear real. With a new Disney movie also comes the movie soundtrack. The songs are very catchy and will have viewers singing along. The Frozen 2 soundtrack has 11 songs and features Panic! at the Disco, covering the lead song, Into the Unknown--the “Let it Go” catchsong of Frozen 2. Frozen 2 really takes viewers into the unknown and creates a storyline like no other.
Underclassmen must understand the risks So perhaps by now underclassman have gotten the message that vaping is bad. But seriously, now
2017 Stats
if vaping doesn’t kill you-your parents probably will when you get caught. Officers at Eaton Po-
lice Department are now cracking down on underage kids who vape, and the EHS administration
2019 Stats
has started getting tougher as well. “If anyone underage is caught vaping they will be fined and will also receive a ticket, in school or even outside of school,” EHS principal Jay Tapia sid. According to Tapia, when kids and vaping first came to the attention of administrators and teachers, the school did not know how significant the problem was. But counselor Kelly Kochever said, “We are now considering it an epidemic.” Just as the national trends show, there has been a significant increase in the use of vaping among 8-12th graders in the last two years.
from page 2 When they began to realize vaping was a serious situation, administrators, the town boad and the Eaton Police Department joined forces to design consequences that would give getting caught “some teeth” as SRO Susan Daigle called it. Now if kids are caught vaping it’s going to hit them in the wallet and they will see some community service time as well. “They had to have an ordinance made” Daigle said. “It’s up to a $500 fine, so you have the court costs which is $30 and then the fine, whatever the judge decides, and community service is usually involved.”
Kids will have to serve 16 hours at a non-rofit organizations then they have to come back to court as well as take an educational class that is now required. “The school is handling a lot more of it in-house now,” Daigle said, adding that the police have seen a decrease in the number of kids vaping. “If they get a ticket, that means they’ve exhausted all the services the high school has offered. We have had a decrease in the number of tickets we’ve written,” she said. “I’m not sure if it’s because kids are using less or if it’s because the high school is handling more of it in-house.”
December 20, 2019
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Actors deliver in “Our Town” Great rendition of a beloved classic
The production class put on a very difficult and demanding play when they chose Thornton Wilder’s Our Town to present for the Eaton community members and students on November 13, 14, and 15 at 7 pm. This minimalistic play made the acting very heavy, forcing the actors to rely on their voices and actions, rather than props to portray the story. And the actors delivered. Our Town came off with very few mistakes, drew the audience in with its believable acting, and created an overall professional high school performance. Theatre teacher, Kendra Hixon, and the cast of Our Town dedicated the play to Eaton’s own Carol Loftis who passed away on July 10. Loftis was a sixth grade teacher at the middle school for over 30 years and was loved by so many of the staff and students in the district. Her family, who presented flowers to the cast on opening night, said she loved the play Our Town and “would be so proud!” to see the students put on the production. The play opened with Colton Sell performing the lead role of the Stage Manager. He introduced the town of 1901 Grover’s Corner and a typical day in the lives of the Gibbs and Webb families. Sarah-Cate Ogden, as Mrs. Gibbs and Evan Messmer, her husband Dr. Gibbs, scurry around issuing off-to-school orders to their children, George and Rebecca, played by Everet Slaughenhaupt and Monique Santos. The Webb family, next door, is scurrying around as well, and Mrs. Webb, played by Liliana Lara, and Mr. Webb, Thomas Mongan, send their two children Wally, played by Trenton Smith, and Emily out the door to meet the Gibbs kids. This minor event sets up the early-formed romance of Emily Webb, played by Katelyn LeClair in the main role, and George Gibbs, who end up marrying each other in the second act. The theme and plot of the play were probably difficult to comprehend for students who have grown up in the special-effects era. The lack of props--just a living room set up, a garden arch, a backdrop of a street, and treehouses on both sides of the stage--forced students to engage their imaginations and suspend their understanding until much later in the plot. The actors had to mime actions such as making breakfast and putting on shoes at the door. With no soundtrack, no sound-effects, which usually captivate movie-going audiences, the actors were forced to engage the audience with believable dialogue and emotion. Leclair and Slaughenhaupt did just this, delivering outstanding performances in the sequential scenes of George and Emily’s wedding and the pending birth of their child. This is the point where the plot takes a twist, and the audience discovers the rest of the story. When Emily comes back to her own funeral, Leclair displayed great grief and passion, speaking to the frozen town members, all of whom remained in character, not blinking, not speaking, and not reacting. The Stage Manager wraps up the play with a lengthy monologue which Sell delivered without a single stutter. The period costumes, the hand painted sets, the effective lighting all helped make the play a big success on every level. The production class deserves praise for a very professional performance that is truly one to remember.
Photos and story by Lyndsay Walsh
LyndsayWalsh staffreporter
6 redspotlight December 20, 2019
Jurassic In 1999, before the girls basketball game, the team lies on the floor and performs its cheer. After a season of hard work, the Reds placed third at state.
Ink
Traveling through Basketball History kaitlyngomez staffreporter
In 1999, the boys basketball team placed 3rd
place at the 3A State Championships and proudly hold the trophy after winning against Kent Denver.
In1989, JasonOltmansuccessfullymakesathree-pointer as teammates look on in the background. The boys were in the toughest league for 3A and tied for fourth in the league.
In 1989,
Erin Geisick shoots and scores a jump shot, adding two points to the Reds score. The girls tied for second with Yuma at league.
December 20, 2019
My favorite things... Eaton shares Holiday Traditions mackenziecrouch
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Wyatt Hall (21) Eating and spending time with my family. Family means a lot.
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Grady Turrentine( 21): Fried Klaus. Its funny but I don’t really like Chrismas movies
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Wyatt Cowell (20): Roudolph the Red Nose Reindeer because it is a really good story.
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Ashlyn Meyer (22): “Silent Night” because it really calms the soul.
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Chloe Shultz (23): “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” because the song is so different.
Reata Moore (23): Hillbilly Chrismas tree, like a tree built out of tires and lights.
Michael Howard (22): My favorite Christmas tradition is my family’s secret Santa. You are randomly given a name.
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Lagdon Bean (22): Christmas Vacation because it is really funny.
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Jessica Guerra (21): Pin the tail on the Santa’s hat. It’s different and I thnik it’s unique from otherpeople.
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Ben Faust (20): Frozen 2 because Olaf is a homie, and it was a really good story about princesses.
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Aiden Gomez(20): Going to a family member’s house to open presents and eating a giant dinner together.
Merry Christmas from the RedInk
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From The boy
ure, Eaton's latest NFL standouts are making big plays, but if you want to know how phenomenal they are, just ask anybody from home. Perhaps former Eaton Red and NFL player, Seth Lobato, said it best: It’s easy to support the hometown guys when they’re such likable and high character people. In a small town of just over 4,000 people,
austinekeler coleschumacher sportseditor
Austin Ekeler is ripping up the 2019 NFL season on the San Diego Chargers. Ekeler got his chance to shine when starting running back Melvin Gordan suffered an MCL injury last year during a regular season game. In the first game of the season, Ekeler racked up three outstanding touchdowns, making coaches and fans stand up and take notice. But coming out of nowhere is nothing new to this incredibly talented and hardworking athlete. Most people might not know it, but, Austin James Ekeler graduated from Eaton High School in 2012, an average sized 2A school located in rural Northern Colorado. Anybody who knew him will tell you Austin was an all-around great person throughout high school. “He was a very phenomenal athlete and a very kind person,” said former English teacher and basketball coach Amy Ross, “You wouldn’t know that he was such a good athlete because he was so humble.” Throughout high school, Austin got involved in many things. He was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball, and participating in track and field. In fact, in 2011, Ekeler took state in the boys 4x100 relay along with Tony Ball, Chad Foos, and Gunnar Haynes, and he set school records for long jump at 22’ 8.00”. It’s this speed and athleticism that allows him to excel in his football career. In high school football,
Ekeler had an incredible total of 4393 rushing yards on 461 carries, averaging 129.2 rushing yards per game and 9.5 yards per carry. He also had 581 receiving yards on 33 receptions, averaging 17.6 yards per catch. In total Austin attained 70 rushing touchdowns and 80 receiving touchdowns in his high school career. Football coach, basketball coach and P.E. teacher, Dean Grable said, “Austin had the best work ethic I’ve ever seen. He never took a rep off on warm ups and sets. Just from the way he worked you knew he was something special.” Going on his third year in the NFL, Ekeler has 481 rushing yards on 112 carries and 830 receiving yards on 73 receptions after 13 games played. In addition to these stats, Ekeler has a total of 11 touchdowns this season, with three being rushing and eight receiving. As a kid, Austin’s mom Suzanne Ekeler said he was very mellow and quiet. “He loved competition. He competed whether it was sports, board games, video games, shooting a Nerf ball through a hoop. He loves competition!” she said. Throughout Austin’s life, football was his ultimate passion Suzanne said. She also added that he was always a good role model and older brother for his younger brother Wyette. “The boys have always gotten along well, even being six years apart. They hung out together all the time. Austin’s work ethic has shown Wyette what it takes to be successful at the next level.” Suzanne explained what it’s like having a son
many might not expect to see amazing athletes go pro. Most of the time, pro players come from big cities and schools that are the size of Eaton’s whole town. Eaton High School haas two players in the NFL this year from the small town of Eaton, Colorado, Trent Sieg and Austin Ekeler. in the NFL. “It’s pretty amazing to see Austin out there living his dream and doing well at what he loves.” As a mom, Suzanne is very supportive of Austin as she’s able to go to just about every game. Suzanne said, “Typically I’m traveling by myself. I will fly in Sunday morning, drive to the game, watch the game, take Austin out for dinner, then fly home that same night.” Going from a small 2A school in Colorado to being in the NFL teaches you to appreciate the little things, Austin said. “Back in Eaton, it’s a smaller school, you don’t have all of the best equipment, you kind of have to work with what you got and get by with that and now it’s to the point where you have everything you could imagine. It’s just a special moment because you don’t take things for granted.” Austin also added that his biggest challenge was to overcome himself. “Throughout this entire journey it’s always been focusing on myself and trying to be the best that I can be in the situation and let the results play out from that. Many times it’s been pushing myself and trying to up the bar, seeing how far I can take the bar.” As a kid Austin said he tried to play as many sports as he could and stay active and involved all year around. “Playing different sports kind of helps you build some coordination and build chemistry between teammates,” he said. Looking back on his high school days, Austin said he started focusing on football his junior and senior year. “Junior year came and I was starting
on the football team, so then I was like ‘now I’m going to start focusing on this sport, it’s what I love to do.’ I started going to more camps over the summer and working hard in the offseason,” Ekeler said. His best memory from high school football, Ekeler said, was his entire senior year. “It was special to me because of the group that I grew up with. We were together from kindergarten to graduation, we were like a family on the team; we were super close. I go back and watch those high school games and it makes me get emotional; I’ll never forget it.” When the Chargers played the Raiders on November 7, and again on December 22, these games means something to Ekeler as he’s playing against a former high school teammate, Trent Sieg. “He’s one of those guys I grew up with; we’re basically best friends and now to see him on another NFL team and we’re playing each other is pretty special to me," Ekeler said. Everytime I see him at meetings I’m like, ‘hey that’s my boy.’” Ekeler persevered and overcame many challenges coming from a small 2A school in Colorado to making it to the NFL. He learned to appreciate the little things in life and take nothing for granted; to work with what you've got and stay motivated. When Ekeler was a senior in high school, his senior yearbook quote was "Diamonds form under pressure." It would seem that this prophesy has come to pass for this smalltown kid turned pro football star.
Austin Ekeler (right) out-maneuvers a Platte Valley defender for one of his five touchdowns in a 2012 high school game. Ekeler currently plays for the Los Angeles Chargers wearing the number 30w. Trent Sieg (below) reaches for an offensive pass in a snowy 2A state playoff game in 2011 against Platte Valley. Photos coutesy of the GreeleyTribune.
November 13, 2019
m Eaton to NFL, ese small-town ys have made it big
trentsieg jadenstone sportseditor
Trent Sieg a 2012 Eaton High School graduate is now the long snapper for the Oakland Raiders and has been with the team for two years now. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens after his college career at Colorado State University. Sieg went through many challenges during his high school career, but he said exposure was his biggest hurdle to overcome. “The biggest challenge coming from a small town was probably to actually gain interest from college coaches," Sieg said. Small schools aren’t recruited very heavily by bigger schools and it can limit the opportunity a little bit.” Sieg graduated from Eaton High School in the same year as his friend and teammate, Austin Ekeler, the other Eaton graduate who is having a successful career in the NFL. Long snapping is the most underrated position in football. When a team has to punt the football, a long snapper must snap the football 1315 yards straight back, flawlessly, and this is Sieg's job. A bad snap can result in turnovers and points lost. On a punt, the long snapper has to deliver the ball a significant distance to the punter--a very difficult task considering there are six or seven special teams players running full throttle to try to block the punt. Then Sieg must immediately join the punting team to sprint down the field to tackle the returner. Sieg said, “I have been long snap-
ping since middle school. My dad made me learn it because it is a good skill to have on your resume to get recruited. Then in college, I started to focus on it as my main position.” On a field goal, the long snapper delivers the ball on a 7-8 yard snap to the place-holder. The result of a bad snap could result in losing an opportunity for three points. Long snapping is a job that requires steady nerves and flawless repetition. Sieg said, “The most difficult part about the job is just how consistent you need to be on every rep. The punter’s job depends a lot on how easy you make it for him, so you want to do virtually the same thing every time.” EHS was a big part of Sieg’s young football career and is still a big part of his life today. One of the things he's taken with him from those days is his high school sweetheart, Carly Jurgensmeier. Sieg said they began dating at the end of their high school careers and all of college. Last year the two married, and Carly remains his most devoted fan. Sieg said, “I started dating her senior year in high school, but we were friends long before that.” He wasn’t only a long snapper in high school, Sieg was an All-Colorado linebacker in 2012. He also played tight end on the offensive side. Sieg said he enjoyed his time at Eaton, he uses many of the skills he learned along the way to this day. Sieg said, “I think coming from Eaton actually played a big role in where I am. Eaton is where I learned to work hard and expect big things of myself. I also learned that I need-
ed to do a little extra to get a chance to go to the next level.” Hard work and dedication are nothing new to Eaton athletes, Sieg’s favorite memory demonstrates Eaton’s hard work, he said, “When we scored 18 points in under two minutes to come from behind and beat Brush. I don’t think I will ever forget that.” Sieg left his mark on Eaton high school where he will be the athlete that made the NFL. The task is nearly impossible, fewer than 2 percent of high school athletes make it to the pros in any sport. Even attending college for athletics is a difficult task; only 7 percent of athletes are able to play college sports. But Sieg is not alone in the NFL. One of his best friends who graduated with him from high school plays for the Los Angeles Chargers-Austin Ekeler. Sieg will face off against Ekeler on November 7 and they will go headto-head again on December 22. “I’m excited to see him," Sieg said. "He is one of my best friends, and I could not be more proud of the career he has been having. It's just crazy to look back at how far we have both come from the small town of Eaton." Both Sieg and Ekeler played College football in Colorado. Sieg walked on at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, while Ekeler attended Western Colorado University in Gunnison. Sieg said, “I was recruited to CSU as a walk-on long snapper, and once I got there, I was able to hone my skills enough to be fortunate enough to become the starting long snapper the next year.” Sieg said his favorite memory from his college career “was beating Utah State my redshirt freshman year. We won on a last-second field goal, and it boosted us up to being ranked one of the top 25 teams in the country.” Sieg led an outstanding college career which led to a career in the NFL. During his time in Eaton, he played on the offensive and defensive side. His career on offensive was outstanding, he had a total of 513 receiving yards, and averaged 17 yards per reception. In his 30 catches, he ended with six touchdowns. Trent Sieg's senior quote said that at some point in your life you either have the things you want or the reasons you don't. For this phenomenal athlete from the small town of Eaton, it looks like that through hard work and dedication, he has gotten the things he wanted.
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10 redspotlight December 20, 2019
Big things can come from small towns Unrein sets stage withby Denver Broncos the Houston Texans ning, I would have told
jadenstone sportseditor Mitch Unrein, another EHS graduate, led the way for all four players into the NFL. Unrein said, “Coming from Eaton you have to have that edge because people think you don’t have that talent coming
from such a small town.” The Super Bowl contender graduated in 2005 and went on to play at the University of Wyoming. “They offered me to walk on, so I did because I had a relationship with a couple of the coaches.” He was first picked up
and when he was cut he was taken in by his hometown team, the Denver Broncos. Unrein was one of the hardest hitters his coach Bill Mondt said he’d ever seen. Unrein said, “When I got on the field it was my time to let loose, and I found a knack to hit people.” Unrein helped propel his 2014 Bronco team to the Superbowl led by quarterback Peyton Manning. Earlier in that season during a trick play, this offensive lineman caught a Manning pass on the goaline for his one NFL touchdown. Unrein said, “If you would have told me that when I got to the NFL that I was going to catch a touchdown pass from Peyton Man-
you that you were lying.” Unrein went on to play for the Chicago Bears for one season and finished his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He made the decision to retire in March this year after sustaining an injury at Tampa Bay. “It’s always a dream as a kid to play in the NFL, but it didn’t sound possible until college up at Wyoming where I saw some guys getting some looks, and it really hit home as something that I could really do. I put my nose to the grindstone and said this is something I really want to do, so I tried my hardest and it worked out.” Unrein said, “Just because you’re from a small school doesn’t mean you can’t do big things.”
points per game on a total of 80 games. He said his best memory from high school was winning the 2007 State Championship in basketball, but on the football side, his best memory was beating Faith Christian in 2007 with a gamewinning field goal in the playoffs. He said, “We were bigtime underdogs and they were the reigning state champs and undefeated up to that point.” After finishing high school, Lobato went on to play quarterback with the University of Northern Colorado Bears. He was then drafted into the NFL as a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts in 2014. He finished his NFL career
on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015, making the decision to bring a close to this chapter of his life. Lobato said he is happy to see all the success his fellow Reds, Austin Ekeler and Trent Sieg, are having. “I’m pulling for them every week. I know they’re hard working guys and know the grind that it takes to compete at that level,” Lobato said. “They are thriving and I hope they continue to have an impact on their team’s success.” Lobato sees both Austin and Trent as exceptional, good people. He said, “It’s easy to support the hometown guys when they’re such likable and high character people.”
Lobato follows with Indianapolis Colts
coleschumacher sportseditor Seth Lobato, a former student-athlete from Eaton High School, sais he is happy to have been part of such a great community. “Eaton was always a tight-knit community that was very supportive and really had an interest in athletics,” Lobato
said. “People would often strike up conversation, offer kind words and good luck to my teammates and me when we’d be around town.” Lobato graduated in 2007 from EHS where he played basketball and football. Throughout his high school basketball career, Lobato averaged 16.6
In this 2005 yearbook photo, Mitch Uniein tackles a running back from an opposing team. Unrein’s senior year propelled him to walk on at Wymoning and later play professionally for the Denver Broncos.
These 2007 yearbook photos picture Seth Lobato who helped take both his football and basketball teams to state.
One Tribe, One Family Staff Editorial Students of Eaton High School share at least one thing in common: Red Pride. In a small town, it is easy to build community and fellowship with peers. Many students, parents, and Reds fans can be found at the field on a Friday night supporting the football team, marching band, and spirit team. This is just one event that showcases the many talents and skills that Eaton’s student body holds. Each student and staff member is in the high school experience together, which means they reach their goals together, struggle together, and celebrate together. This closeness and building of school culture ultimately ties the community together by showing them what it means to be a Fightin’ Red and follow the Eaton Way. Eaton holds its students to a high standard of excellenceand their efforts are obvious in clubs like FFA, NHS, GSA, FBLA, FCA, EECO, Key Club, Student Council, and Legacy of Leadership. Students can showcase this excellence in performing arts such as marching band, symphonic and concert band, jazz ensemble and jazz combo, theatre, men and women’s choir, Bella voce and Troubadours. The Agriculture program has grown by 40 students in the last two years, showing expanded interest and commitment. Student overall participation in sports, robotics club, and key club has increased. In fact, Eaton has a 98 percent studentinvolvement, meaning darn near every kid is involved in
some kind of extracurricular activity. Just this year, FFA took four girls to Nationals in Indianapolis. The marching band won the State Championship for the first time ever this year. Those skilled in academics contribute a vital part of our school’s reputation and diversity as well. Being involved benefits students beyond graduation in two ways. First, those outside interests provide an outlet from school work and a way to escape and do something for yourself. Second, being involved teaches kids to find balance, to organize their time, and to prioritize what is most important. “One Tribe,One Family” was a quote started on some stickers sold by FCCLA. What it means is sticking together through losses and wins. Having a high school principal who continually supports the extracurriculars his students are involved in encourages them to express their interests. This is Jay Tapia’s second year with the school district, and at each event, Tapia can be seen cheering on students in every activity. Coming together as a community to uplift students encourages kids to continue doing what they love. Eaton would not be the school it has grown to be without the immense support coming from staff members, parents, and coaches alike. Likewise, high school students take their skills beyond their eight required classes. They begin with talent, as the people around them fuel their passion. High school is the time to try hobbies you’re interested in. Ironically, it may end up becoming your escape from everyday life. With peer pressure, social media, keeping up with grades, and friends, teenagers have a lot going on. Having a driving passion helps students to make the
redopinion December 20, 2019 11
Gabriel Holguin
most of their teen years. While each student succeeds on their own, it is important to remember what Red Pride means. Excellence, awareness, tenacity, ownership, and noteworthiness are part of the Eaton Red Pride acronym. Freshmen in Eaton 101 learn how these words apply to their high school career. And as they learn the Eaton acronym, students begin to understand what it means to have a family within their school. Students and staff will often come together and express different aspects of the acronym without even knowing. Learning to how to lead with integrity and support your peers relentlessly are two very important aspects of being an Eaton Red. “One Tribe, One Family” means the community of Eaton celebrates all the aspects that make it so unique.
RedInk Staff Editor-in-Chief……….................…morgankoeltzow Editor-in-Chief……….................… Managing Editor…….........…………… Editor…….........……………noellemeagher News Editor……............…....……………abigailvondy Editor……............…....…………… Sports Editor..........…......…….......………jadenstone Sports Editor……...........…....………coleschumacher Opinion Editor…......…….......…….mackenziecrouch Feature Editor............................charlottereynolds staff reporter....................................kadenbetters staff reporter............................danessadaugherty staff reporter..............................haleydelossantos staff reporter....................................kaitlyngomez staff reporter...............................genesishembree staff reporter..................................gabrielholguin staff reporter.....................................austinsutton staff reporter.....................................kaitlynwalsh staff reporter....................................lyndsaywalsh Adviser………...........………..................deirdrewhite The Red Ink is a public forum,School-sponsored and student generated, which encourages the free exchange of ideas and information. All opinions made in the exercise of freedom of speech or press are the sole opinions of the writers and are in no way to be considered the opinions of Eaton High School, administration, Board of Education, or Eaton School District. The Red Ink strictly adheres to School Board Policy JCEA and Colorado Revised Statute 12-1120. The Red Ink and eatonredink.com are members of the Colorado High School Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Quill and Scroll. The Red Ink encourages reader feedback. All letters to the editor can be submitted to eatonredink@gmail.com
12 redview December 20, 2019 morgankoeltzow
noellemeagher
editor-in-chief
managing-editor
Koeltsowhat: OK BOOMER It all started with a TikTiok, or more specifically a song within a TikTok that went viral. Two words have set older generations off. “Ok Boomer.” Its millenials versus the baby boomers. It is generally accepted that millennials are those born between 1981 and 1996. Gen Z, who fill our high school, are often mistaken for millennials. People who would be considered Gen Z are anyone who was born in 1997 and all the way to the present. Baby Boomers, or Boomers for short, were born between the years 1946 and 1964. A lot of things have changed, since Boomers have grown up, some for the better but some could be seen as changing for the worst. Idealogies that weren’t even considered have become mainstream, such as universal basic income, socialism, or even more heated topics like abortion, or the idea of revoking the second amendment. Nuclear weapons were available, yes, and both boomers and millennials have known what it’s like to live under the threat of nuclear warfare. One thing appears to truly separate the Boomers from the Millenials: compassion. Not to imply that one generation cares more than another, but experienced different times that caused their focus and hearts to differ. For the Baby boomers it was Patriotism: the desire to protect and defend US interests both internationally and domestically. The Red Scare, with communist nations rising to prominence etched in the minds of most Boomers the dangers that surround a communistic state. Patriotism was also obvious with hun-
dreds of thousands of young men and boys fighting against the spread of communism in Korea and Vietnam, whether or not they could sit in the front of the bus as a battle that would define the next generation. Millenials are a generation filled with environmentally concerned people. More climate strikes have occurred in the past ten years than the hundred years previous. The Ozone layer has begun to repair itself, according to BBC News, as proof that millennials care, and get stuff done with their power as a larger generation. Millennials also gave 4.5 percent of Americans the right to marry whomever they choose. Passion unites America as a whole, and sometimes it can spill out and turn each generation against another. Boomers VS Millennials, Gen X vs Gen Z, or more affectionately called the Zoomers. “OK Boomer” should be viewed as another expression of Millenials caring, or expressing their intense passion. There was no sudden change in the mentality of Millenials, no OK BOOMER was a long time coming. Times are changing, that is inherently obvious. Both Boomers and Millennials have shown an intense passion, and that is what unites them, and all Americans. We as a nation are inherently passionate, and that can create tension, but also unite us all. Both Boomers and Millennials care for America, even though they showcase it in different ways and places. No generation is better or worse, with each having negatives and major strides for progress. Americans as a whole should appreciate, not separate the differences.
Notes From Noelle: Walking the tightrope
Life is a constant balancing act. Constantly handling the day-to-day stress of maintaining who you want to be, but satisfying everyone else in your life is something that you will be battling forever. Although the struggle is something that will exist forever, being aware that you are walking a tightrope is half the battle. In a country where we as individuals are considered “free” we still live our daily lives under so many controls. In order to be successful you have to be a minion to your boss. You show up to school or work every day at a certain time otherwise you are penalized. If you don’t turn your assignments on time, your grade will reflect it. No matter what situation you find yourself in, if you don’t meet the satisfaction of someone above you, you will reap the consequences. For the majority of us, that can be terrifying. We like to be comfortable in our routine of knowing what is guaranteed to us. We nod our heads instead of speaking out for what we actually believe in. The fear of losing what we have overtakes the fear of what we could have. We all have our own, different, definitions of what life is meant to be. This is crucial, because if everyone were the same, thought the same, and managed the same way, the world would be black and white. The truth is, the only freedom we possess is how we make meaning out of what we are given. Daily, we battle mak-
ing the most of whatever is put in front of us. Often, this means doing what is best for ourselves. Selfishness challenges our morality in these moments. Occasionally we think about how our decisions could affect others, but more often than not we are only concerned about ourselves. A natural behavior yes, but not something we should just overlook. You can’t forget the fact that the meaning you are creating, can and will affect someone else. There are very few freedoms that we can control one hundred percent of the time. Naturally, the environment we are in will control what rights we have and how we can use them. The best way to allow yourself to walk the line of happiness and selflessness is to put yourself in an environment that makes you the most content. Put yourself into a situation that you can control the most of what you need. This means applying at the workplace you seem most comfortable in. Take whatever classes you can to keep your attention. By controlling whatever you can and making meaning of everything that is put in front of you, it will be easier to be selfless and your truest self. Life may loosen the tension on your rope every now and again, allowing you room to breathe. Before you know it, the slack will be gone and the tightrope is on the verge of breaking. The important thing is to keep your balance. Do not jump off too soon because you don’t know how far the net is below you.
December 20, 2019
redzone 13
Girls swim into second place
EHS swimmers have a successful first week of competion
After losing their first meet abigailvondy on December 3 and winning newseditor Girls swimming placed sec- by only eight points on Deond, 118 points behind Silver cember 5, the team really came Creek, during Estes Park pen- together to place second in the tathlon on Saturday Dec 7. biggest meet of the season so Competing against five other far. Bruntz was teams, includexcited with ing Poudre, how well the Mountain View, Estes Park, and We did really team swam and how much the Skyline, the well and I’m team has grown swimmers gave excited to see in the past few it their all and had a total of what else we weeks. “We did well 168 points. can do at supporting The pentatheach other and lon was a large cheering each 50 yard free-Lexi Bruntz other on durstyle where 112 ing this meet. swimmers went And I’m really head-to-head to compete for the best time. proud of the girls for it giving Three of Eaton’s swimmers it their all,” she said. Coach Hattie Carlson saw placed in the top twenty. Lexi Bruntz (22) with 00:26.70 the benefits in the pentathlon, placing first overall, Emma and hopes to use the results to Bjork (20) with a time of better the team in the future. “I 00:28.43 placing seventh, and got to see what the girls could Caitlyn Morgan (23) with a do on all four strokes and the shorter distances. I now have time of 00:30.58.
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a better idea of what they can do in the future and what their talents are,” Carlson said. Placing second in such a big meet is a great accomplishment for the girls and they handled the change in environment very well. Leah Fetzer (20) explained the challenges the girls experienced at the pool. “Since it was such a big meet, it made the races fast paced and we had to make sure we were watching our events. And I know a few people missed their races so that was very challenging.” Even with the fast paced events, the girls are now even more ready to take on the rest of the season. Coach Carlson said, “Our focus is going to shift now that we’ve gotten through the sprints meet where we have to go through all four strokes. That’s just not the way the season will go for the rest of the season, so we just have to improve on what our specialties are.”
Noelle Meagher Kaitlyn Young (23) pushes through the 100 yard butterfly, placing forth with a time of 1:24.14
Noelle Meagher Reata Moore (23) dives during the December 3 meet to recieve a total of 163.35 points
Noelle Meagher Ellie Bjork (22) concentrates during the 100 yard backstroke
a
14 redzone December 20, 2019
Boys basketball defeats in double OT Eaton boys beat Highland 90-89 in high-fouling game coleschumacher sportseditor
E
aton Boys Basketball pulled off a close 90-89 win over Highland in a high-fouling, double-overtime game Friday, Dec. 13. The Reds were in foul trouble just about the whole game and that was problematic with only seven players on the roster. As a team, Eaton had 19 personal fouls and Highland had 30. By the end of the fourth, Ryan Ure had fouled out and Eaton was down to just six players while heading into overtime. Later on in the second overtime, Walker Scott also fouled out and the Reds couldn’t afford to lose any more players as they were down to just five. Eaton stayed strong and played smart until the last buzzer sounded in double overtime, giving them a big 90-89 win over Highland. Leading scorers for the Reds were Scott Grable (21) with 25
points, Nic Inda (20) with 20, and Bryce Leafgren (20) with 16. For Highland, the leading scorers were Jase Bessire (21) with 32 points, Bowen Tolle (20) with 19, and Tate Bessire (20) with 17. Bryce Leafgren said, “I felt we moved the ball really well and played well as a team.” With this win, the Reds improve to a 4-1 record. Last week in the Northern Colorado Roundball tournament, the Reds went 2-1. In their first game, the Reds took it to the Basalt Longhorns in a 74-37 win. Leading stories for the Reds included Gage Butler (21) with 16, Bryce Leafgren (20) with 15, and Ryan Ure (21) with 14. On defense, Eaton caused 32 turnovers and out-boarded them 48-41. Ryan Ure grabbed 25 rebounds, beating his previous record of 22. The Reds kept the ball rolling in their second game vs The Academy in a 70-34 win. In
this game, Bryce Leafgren had the hot hand with 28 points, followed up by Walker Scott (20) with 16 points. Throughout the game, Eaton limited the turnovers to just nine, and racked up an astounding 14 steals. The momentum for Eaton throughout this tournament wasn’t enough when they played Fort Morgan as they suffered a 73-66 loss. Eaton’s leading scorers were Nic Inda (20) with 19 points, Scott Grable (21) with 15, and Bryce Leafgren with 10. Following the Fort Morgan game, Bryce Leafgren said, “They came out and hit us in the mouth to start and they set the tone for the rest of the game.” The Reds look to improve for upcoming games. Ryan Ure said, “We definitely need to make more shots and keep communicating well like we are right now, and I think we’ll have a pretty good season.”
Haley De Los Santos Gage Butler (21) prepares for the ball to become live so he can start guarding the opposing team.
Haley De Los Santos Nick Inda (20) shoots a successful free-throw during the third quarter
Haley De Los Santos Scott Grable (21) readies himself against defender as he watches a teammate shoot.
December 20, 2019
redzone 15
Girl Basketball heats up Highland’s court Lady Reds defeat Highland Huskies on the Road
jadenstone sportseditor Girls basketball blew out the Highland Huskies on Friday. It was a lucky Friday the 13th was for the Reds, cosidering that they defeated the long time rivals from just five minutes up the road. With a final score of 44-22, the Reds fought all four quarters for an easy win. The Eaton girls pushed ahead during the first quarter. Going into the second with 28-14. The tean is proud after what they accomplished, but Nakaiya Kuskie (21) is still looking to improve, she said, “We need to look to turn the ball on offense and to get together as a team due to all the younger girls we have this year.” Addie Randel (20) had 13 points, five assists, and nine steals. Jenni Jarnagin (21) also
had nine steals and four points. Randel said, “All year, we just need to stay composed no matter the time and score and always stay mentally tough.” The team started off their season with the Northern Colorado Roundball tournament. They went 2-1 with wins to Basalt High School and Fort Morgan High School. The girls lost a tight game to the Academy, 47-49. Kuskie after the tournament said, “Our defense can improve too, but we need to play as a team.” With their 2019-20 season underway, the Reds look forward to another year full of challenges and new players. Coach Todd Hernandez said, “We really just want to get better day by day, game by game.” Without three returning se-
Haley De Los Santos Blayke Duncan (23) shoots a free throw after getting fouled by a Highland defnder as Abiah Randel (23) watches closely.
niors, Sydney Booth, Micheala Hill, and Gracie Schreiber, the girls play with four freshmen on their team. Abiah Randel, Ashleigh Williams, Blayke Duncan, and Leyah Scott. Those freshmen have stepped into the role of a varsity athlete and are playing at the highest high school level. This year’s seniors Addie Randel, Kaleigh Williams, and Mady Bruch have stepped into the shoes of the old seniors, and have led their team to three wins already. The Reds, now 3-1, look toward their upcoming schedule. They play Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. They will face 2-2 Kent Denver, 1-3 Prospect Ridge Academy, and later 1-3 Bishop Machebeuf. All of these games will be in front of their home crowd.
Haley De Los Santos
Jenni Jarnagin (21) crosses over the ball to beat a Highland defender.
Haley De Los Santos Girls basketball huddles up before the game as they prepare to play. While Coach Todd Hernandez gets his team ready to take on the Huskies.
16 redzone December 20, 2019
Softball rounds out season at state
Seniors reflect on successful run mackenziecrouch opinioneditor After grabbing a first-place Regional Tournament finish for the fourth consecutive year, the Eaton Reds softball girls finished off their 2019 season in eighth place, losing the State quarterfinal game to Brush 122. Walking into the State, the Reds knew that Brush, Strasburg, and the University Bulldogs, who took first at state, would be their hardest competition. In round one of the state tournament, the Eaton girls won against Rocky Ford, 9-8. But later, although they put their hearts on the line, they came up short against. “State went how it was supposed to go,” Coach Chad Shaw said. Did we play as well as we could? No. Could we have played better? Yes.” Before the state tournament on October 25, Eaton claimed it’s fourth straight first-place finish at regionals after beating The Academy 14-4. “After the regional game, we felt we had a good start to state,” Shaw said. “Our confi-
dence was relatively high.” With a 17-9 finish for the season, next year’s team anticipates competing at another state championship. This year the Reds had seven seniors on their roster, includsenior Remington Ross who was named 3A Player of the Year. “This year’s seniors did their very best trying to lead,” Shaw said. “They were an action-oriented type of group.” Ross, who attended Ault High School has played varsity for Eaton since her freshman year, earning a total of 205 runs, and 210 hits. “Remi” has also signed to continue her softball career at California State University Fullerton. “I will miss all of the girls and not being able to see them every day like I can during the season,” Ross said. “I’m just so thankful for the Eaton girls and the Eaton community for accepting me. It has been a pleasure playing for them and I will always be an Eaton Red!” Sophia Comer, who has played softball since first grade, and played for the Reds since her freshman year, said, “I will
Mackenzie Crouch Alexis Schmitt (21) winds up to pitch at the final home game of 2019 season.
miss the girls, but I’m excited to see where they go next season. Hopefully next year they use this year’s lessons and learn from them. I have high hopes for next year’s seniors and the leaders they will be.” After graduation Comer plans on attending UNC and studying dietetics. Jazmine Davis has played for the Reds since her freshman year racking up a .705 on-base percentage in her high school career. “Overall this season went well. We won 17 total games which are pretty good,” Davis said. “We did great; we might have not been where we wanted but the overall season was great. I will miss the jokes we all had and laughing together the most.” Senior pitcher Dawn Renner, and her twin sister, Shaylyn, have both played for the Reds since freshman year. Dawn earned a total of 4.41 Earned Run Average (ERA) this season. “The Windsor game was a highlight of this year’s season. It was great being able to pitch the game,” said Dawn. “I’m going to miss this
Remington Ross (20) slaps groud ball from Lyons pitcher
year’s freshman girls, they were great.” Shaylyn has achieved an on-base percentage of .778. “I’m gonna miss my friends on JV. I love them all. They are nice, amazing and positive and always build each other up instead of bringing each other down,” Shaylyn said. Typically the twins come as a pitching-catching duo, but during the State game against Brush coaches opted to put
Mackenzie Crouch Remington Ross (20) prepares to bunt during her final season as an Eaton Red.
Yaritza Puente (21) in at the catcher position. Shaw said the reason for the switch was because, “Yaritza is an amazing thrower, we just needed to have a threat to prevent stolen bases.” Seniors Shae Baucke and Macy Gurnsey have played for the Reds since their freshman year as well. “This season was good but it wasn’t our best even though we did try our best. We had our ups and downs,” Baucke said. Gurnsey echoed this sentiment. “Overall the season was good,” Gurnsey said. I think I improved a lot as a leader, and I’ll be able to carry those lessons forward into my athletic career.” Through the course of her career, Gurnsey had an on-base percentage of .457, and after this season, she will be playing ball for Colby Community College in Kansas. Both the underclassmen and their coach will be sad to see these seven leave. “We appreciate all their efforts. I’m sad to see them go but it was nice to see them grow,” Shaw said.