The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C1

Rick Ramunnoflies his date to promBy Derek Franz

dfranz@eaglevalleyenterprise.com

Eagle Valley senior Rick Ramunno is a licensed pilot and took his prom

date for a plane ride before the prom. Eagle Valley senior Rick Ramunno.

The 18-year-old earned his private pilot license in February and even took his prom date for a spin – in an airplane – around Castle Peak before attending the dance.

“I had to ask her parents if I could take her up in the plane,” Ramunno said. “I saved up my money for it and we flew for about 25 minutes in great weather.”

A plane rental at the Eagle County Regional Airport costs $150 an hour. Ramunno isn’t sure exactly how much his prom flight ran him.

“I haven’t received the bill yet, but whatever,” he said.

He started working on his pilot’s license about two years ago, which is an expensive process. More than 40 hours of flight time are needed to earn a

license and the instruction, airplane rental and fuel all cost a bit of money.

“I received a scholarship from the Leroy W. Homer Jr. Foundation a year ago and that sped up the pro-cess,” he said. “They only award one scholarship a year and basically give you whatever you need to finish your license.”

Homer was a commer-cial pilot who thwarted terrorists during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. His widow started the foundation the following year and many of its recipients have made their way into noteworthy careers in aviation.

Ramunno plans to study aviation technology at Metropolitan State Uni-versity in Denver next year. He is also applying to the U.S. Marine Corps’ officer program with a military

occupational specialty in aviation.

“This will make me a commissioned officer with the USMC upon college graduation,” he said.

An airplane ride at an Eagle Flight Days event was Ramunno’s first exposure to flying when he was 12.

“I knew then that I want-ed to be a pilot,” he said. “I’d always had an interest because my grandpa flew bombers in World War II and that got me amped up.”

Ramunno balanced the demands of pilot training with school and play-ing football and lacrosse for the Devils. His dad, John, is the head football coach there.

“Besides getting my license, another high-light this year was our great football season,” said Rick Ramunno. “Playing for my dad was a blast. It was great always having

him there to push me. I’m going to miss it.”

Rick Ramunno played fullback and linebacker for the Devil gridders and defense on lacrosse.

“One of the things I like about flying is that there is a lot of adrenaline, like football,” he said. “My mom was kind of freaked out at first, when I started my pilot training, but now she knows I’m safe.”

When it comes to his career goal, Eagle Valley High School graduate Rick Ramunno is already airborne.

C2 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

Andrew Romero School: Battle Mountain High School Favorite School Moment: There were too many great moments to choose one Give a shout out: Shout out to sidewalks for keeping me off the streets Summer Plans: For summer im gonna sleep like ive never slept before and hang out with my friends before we go to college. Coming Fall: University of Texas Where will you be in 10 years: In 10 years, i will be living my life to the fullest Favorite Class: Ceramics

Anneliese Niederhauser School: Battle Mountain High School Favorite school moment from any year: State championship ski race at Winter Park my Senior year. Give a shout out: To my Avengers! Summer plans: Work and spend time with my family and friends. Where are you headed this fall: Texas Christian University! Go Frogs!! If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: My parents’ cooking. In 10 years you’ll be: Working in a hospital as a nurse and starting a family. Favorite class you took: Anatomy and physiology. Class you wish had been offered: Anthropology.

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C3

Addie Arnold School: EVHS Favorite school moment from any year: Homecoming Week 2012 Give a shout out: Yo Mom. Thanks for always making my lunch. Summer plans: Working at the Gypsum Rec Center, backpacking and taking a road trip to California. Where are you headed this fall: CSU! If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: The close, loving community we have. Sim-ply amazing. In 10 years you’ll be: 28 years old Favorite class you took: Video production Class you wish had been offered: Scuba diving

Brett Murbach School: BMHS Favorite school moment from any year: Senior Ditch Day Give a shout out: Mr Caudill Summer plans: Work; 4 wheeling; and Surfing Where are you headed this fall: CSU--Go Rams! If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: Skiing Favorite class you took: Psych w Mr Phelan Class you wish had been offered: Physics

Ally Zehring School: Eagle Valley High School Favorite school moment from any year: school Harlem shake Give a shout out: thank you mom, dad, Bryce, and Cory for all your support in everything I do Summer plans: working and enjoying time with friends before leaving Where are you headed this fall: University of Nebraska-Lincoln If you’re leaving eagle county what will you miss most: friends and family In 10 years you’ll be: Athletic trainer for college or professional sports team Favorite class you took: sports med Class you wish had been offered: nap time

Cynthia Zapata School: Eagle Valley My Favorite school memory is when my soccer team named me captain and i scored my first goal at a Varsity game. SHOUT OUT: To my parents, siblings, an teachers that stood by my side when things were rough and helped me grow as an individual. This summer i want to visit my family in Mexico and spend time with friends that are leaving the state. This fall i will be getting an internship with local Interior Designers and work towards my career. I’m staying in Eagle County and i’m happiest about having my family close and helping my parents raise the little ones. In 10 years i will be an Interior Designer and a Certified Addiction Counselor My favorite class that i have taken is Weight Lifting Class you wish had been offered: Photography

C4 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

Kyra Webb School VCHS Favorite school moment from any year - All school retreat at Frontier Ranch Give a shout out - To my class, I love you guys Summer plans - I plan to work and travel. Where are you headed this fall - Colby College, Waterville, ME If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most. My friends and family If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping. In 10 years you’ll be I am not quite sure yet. Favorite class you took AP US History Class you wish had been offered AP Art History

Caleb Krueger Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy Favorite moment: Not taking the AP Calculus Test Shout out: To my homies Molly, Travis and Austin Summer plans: Training for activities Headed in Fall: University of New Mexico Will miss: Colorado Spring time 10 years: The same, only 10 years older Fav Class: Freshman Seminar Class you wish was offered: D.E. underwater basket weaving.

Alexandra Ramonas School: Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy Favorite school moment from any year: Our class hut trips in the mountains and whitewater rafting. Give a shout out Thank you to my loving and supportive family for giving me this fantastic opportunity to attend VSSA. Summer plans: I will be moving back to the Chicago area. My plan is to land a job, train for my upcoming ski racing season, and just enjoy everything that Chicago has to offer. Where are you headed this fall: University of Wisconsin-Madison If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: I will miss the mountains and the opportunity to ski every day! If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping. In 10 years you’ll be: I will be teaching at an elementary school and enjoying my time off during the summer. Favorite class you took: Drama class – Thanks Mr. Beavers!

April AragonSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Winning state soccerGive a shout out: Seniors!Summer plans: if everything works out I’ll be joining the marinesWhere are you headed this fall: same as my summer plansIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: the teachersIf you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping: s friendship with the people I metIn 10 years you’ll be: having my life settled Favorite class you took: healthClass you wish had been offered: cosmetology

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C5

C6 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

Among his other talents, Will Dutmer was a high jumper with the Eagle Valley track team.

W ill Dutmer is graduating from Eagle Valley High School but you might recognize him from his gigs at local bars as the bassist for the band Monk Tonic.

The rest of the band members are about twice his age (he’ll be 19 in June) but the stage is a natural fit for him.

“He’s been playing bar gigs in Eagle for about a year now,” said Dutmer’s dad, Larry. “He is very comfortable on stage. Occasionally [older women] hit on him.”

Dutmer has performed in every school theater produc-tion since his freshman year. Most recently, he starred as Danny Zuko in the musical, “Grease.”

“I loved playing a cocky, full-of-himself character be-cause that’s totally not who I am,” Dutmer said. “Acting is fun because I get to be someone else.”

He said his family has a performance background.“My dad is in local theater and my brother is studying

musical theater at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley,” he said. “My brother has been in production since he was in first grade and he got me into it when I was in fifth grade, at the Vail Performing Arts Academy.”

Dutmer will be at UNC next year as well – he intends to

be a high school math teacher.“I’ve wanted to do that for the last seven years,” he said.

“I love math. I think teaching would be fun, working with the kids and having summers off. I also plan to minor in music.”

Though it might not seem like an immediate correla-tion, Dutmer’s performance background will probably help his teaching career.

“I’m definitely comfortable talking in front of people,” he said.

As for theater?“I might audition for shows at UNC but it’s really com-

petitive, so I’d be happy just to be a background guy,” he said.

Larry Dutmer said interacting with people is probably what his son likes best and enjoys most about performing arts.

“He enjoys the social aspect, especially the girls,” his dad said, laughing.

Besides theater, Dutmer was a shooting guard on the basketball team – which had a winning season this year – and ran track.

“I’m so proud of him,” said Larry Dutmer. “He’s self-mo-tivated, he sets goals. I don’t take credit for all this. It feels strange to say, but if he were anyone else’s kid, I would still be impressed by him.”

Will Dutmer rocks the stage as well as school

By Derek Franzdfranz@eaglevalleyenterprise.com

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C7

Sarah BakkenSchool: Eagle Valley High SchoolFavorite school moment: hatching chicksSummer Plans: Work at Strictly FlowersIf leaving Eagle County, What will you miss most: Mountains In 10 years you’ll be: 28 years oldFavorite class: Auto Shop and Agriculture Technology Class you wish should be offered: Underwater basket weaving

Hayley ClarkeSchool: Battle Mountain High SchoolFavorite School Moment; When boys soccer won statesWhere are you headed this fall: I am going to High Point University, majoring in Interior DesignIf you are leaving this fall what will you miss the most: I am going to miss the mountains and the climate.My favorite class I took: DE Phsycologoy with Phalen (check how to spell his name i don’t know for sure if that is right)

Matthew SteggallSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: hanging out with all thee awesome teachersGive a shout out to: my momSummer plans: fishing and workingWhere are you headed this fall: I hope to the Marine CorpsIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: I will miss the mountains and my awesome, beautiful momIf you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping. everythingIn 10 years you’ll be over seas fighting for our countryFavorite class you took: government class and habitat with Mr. GladitschClass you wish had been offered: Anything Mr. Gladitsch taught

Kate Cooper School: Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy Favorite school moment from any year: Attending school in Russia in elementary school Summer plans: Lake Powell, France and hanging out with my friends Where are you headed this fall: University of Denver If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: Being able to ski Vail Moun-tain every morning in the winterIn 10 years you’ll be: Working in the fashion industry in New York or Paris Favorite class you took: Spanish and FrenchClass you wish had been offered: Art

C8 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

Nataly MendozaSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Playing sports!Give a shout out: To my family and friends!Summer plans: To work and save up!Where are you headed this fall: Hopefully moving out to Denver and going to the Community College of Denver for school! If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most.What I will miss the most is my family and friends and this beautiful place that we live in.If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping.In 10 years you’ll be: Hopefully have my own place and a stable job! Living life.Favorite class you took: Not sure the classes were all interesting.Class you wish had been offered

Molly Childers School: BMHSFavorite school moment from any yearGive a shout outSummer plans: Working at the Westin Hotel, going to the lake and spending time with family and friends.Where are you headed this fall: CU BoulderIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: My family and my dogs.

Anya KurronenSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: My freshman year, Mr. Dudley chased me down the street in his car to get me back to class.Summer plans: Hanging with friends.Where are you headed this fall: CMC Spring Valley CampusIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most. My friends especially BernieIf you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping.In 10 years you’ll be a fire fighter Favorite class you took: Japanese Mythology with Ms. LammersClass you wish had been offeredI think the ones they chose are always good.

Tania MolinarSchool: evhsFavorite school moment from any year: performing Grease for the spring musical!Shout out: shout out to all my homies and my fam bamSummer plans: work work work so I’m not totally poor!Where are you headed this fall: the land of the potatoes (Idaho)If you’re leaving eagle county, what will you miss most: my momma’s food!In 10 years you’ll be: hopefully a happy music teacher during the day, but at night, I’ll be a ninja assassin! Taking out crime one NOTE at a time! Haha.....Favorite class: choirClass you wish had been offered: nap time 101 :)

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C9

Gunnar Hamina School: Vail Christian High SchoolFavorite Moment: Beating Soroco in Football Fall 2012Shout out Ms.LichiusSummer prepare for CollegeMiss most: Skiing10 years : On a beach, in a treeFavorite class : PE Freshman yearClass I wish they had: Badminton

Valeria MoranSchool: Eagle Valley HighFavorite moment from any year: Having lunch with Bill and Melinda Gates.Give a shout out: Thanks to all my friends and family that push me to higher achievements.Summer plans: I plan on working hard and earning money to pay college expenses next year.Where are you headed this fall: University of Colorado in DenverIf your leaving Eagle County what will you miss most: I will miss the small town with famil-iar faces and familiar places.In 10 years you’ll be: Hopefully done with school, have a nice car and awesome place to enjoy with friends and family.Favorite class you took: Honors Anatomy and Physiology.Class you wish had been offered: French III

Arely AlvaSchool New America High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: When I meet my teachers.Give a shout out: To the great staff.Summer plans: Work and be a mom.Where are you headed this fall: Colorado Mountain CollegeIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most.Not leaving.If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping: The great memories I had at New America.In 10 years you’ll be: I hope to be working and accomplish my dream. Favorite class you took: I don’t have a favorite class I loved all my classes and my teachers. They’re amazing peopleClass you wish had been offered: I think its perfect.

Jack KambySchool: Battle Mountain High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Golf Regionals with Collin and ChuckGive a shout out: Shout out to the Choom gang- Jim, Lucas, Deb, Collin, Shmeebs. Oh, and Mom and Dad.Summer plans: Caddying, gotta get that paper. Where are you headed this fall: Attending University of Colorado Boulder on a full tuition and housing scholarship, will be living in Evans Scholarship House.  If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: Camping If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping: Not staying.In 10 years you’ll be: Hopefully retired.Favorite class you took: Psych with Phelan.Class you wish had been offered: Bowling

C10 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

Alfredo MontesSchool: New American SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: don’t rememberGive a shout out: Summer plans: work a full time job\Where are you headed this fall: nowhereIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most.: nothingIf you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping.:friendsIn 10 years you’ll be: I don’t knowFavorite class you took: well Mr. Dudley was a cool class and he always kept it interestingClass you wish had been offered: I got all the classes I wanted.

Amber CereceresSchool: New America SchoolFavorite school moment from any yearGive a shout out to all the teachers that encouraged me to keep going and help me gradu-ate. Also my family for always having faith in me and helping get through everything.Summer plans are to work to save money for college but at the same time enjoy my time with my two beautiful babies.Where are you headed this fall: This fall I am planning on getting into CMC to start and my nursing classes.If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most?If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping? I’m going to enjoy being around all the people I know.In 10 years you’ll be: I will want to be own a house and have a good nursing career.Favorite class you took: My favorite class I took was Astronomy.Class you wish had been offered: I wish I was offered cosmetology class.

Gustavo GarciaSchool RCHSFavorite school moment from any year GraduatingWhere are you headed this fall: The MarinesIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most. Snow Boarding.If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping. I am not Staying in Eagle County.In 10 years you’ll be: In the USMC.Favorite class you took: HistoryClass you wish had been offered: I don’t know I think I took everything I wanted at RCHS because EVHS didn’t offer me entertaining classes.

Jazmin M. TorresSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Being told I was going to graduate!! Give a shout out: Hi:3Summer plans: Get out of town for a while, come back and find a job.Where are you headed this fall: Hope fully not Burger King.If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most.If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping.In 10 years you’ll be: 28 yrs. OldFavorite class you took: Video ProductionClass you wish had been offered

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C11

Elida RosalesSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Being told I was going to graduate!! Give a shout out: yaii finally Class of 2013!!! <3Summer plans: maybe go back to Mexico for a while, then come back and go to college!!!Where are you headed this fall: With my parents in Mexico!!If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most.The people around, and all the fun stuff ii used to have!!If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping.Well everything is really beautiful,, so everything!!!In 10 years you’ll be: 31Favorite class you took: Day Care ;)Class you wish had been offered: art

Eric C. GuruleSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Graduating! Give a shout out: love you Khyree Urijah Gurule, everything I do is for you baby son!!Summer plans: Get that great job I want and start to make that dough and a living for myselfWhere are you headed this fall: Everywhere and anywhere If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: I’m staying for a while If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping: My life, health, fam-ily, and my homiesIn 10 years you’ll be: 30 years old Favorite class you took: lunch!Class you wish had been offered: what class I wish I wasn’t offered is the question

Abraham Martinez

, JR.THE LITTLE

SAVE THE DATE!Vail Performing Arts

Academy presents

FRIDAY AUGUST 16 at 6:30PM

SATURDAY AUGUST 17 at 2PM & 6:30PM

Vilar Performing Arts CenterFor more info visit www.vpaa.org

C12 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

April Alexa Canowas raised to make the most of every opportunity

“My dad, George, has been the main person in my life who pushed me to do everything I can,” Cano said. “He came here with nothing and now he has a successful drywall business.”

In addition to her diplo-ma from Eagle Valley High School, Cano earned an Associate Arts degree from Colorado Mountain College May 3. That degree requires 60 credit hours and studies

in just

about every subject, in-cluding math, science and history.

“This will be my first summer that I haven’t been in school!” Cano said. “I’ve been taking summer classes at CMC since my sopho-more year.”

During that time, she also took dual-credit classes at EVHS, participated in stu-dent council and ran cross country track. She went to the state cross country meet this year as an alternate.

“The Associate Arts de-gree sets me up to gradu-ate from Colorado State University in three years,” she said. “I plan to double

major in hospitality management and psy-

chology. If I didn’t have the credits go-ing in, it would take me five years to graduate with those degrees.”

She hopes to return to the Vail Valley for work when she’s finished with school.

“I chose hospitality man-agement, because of the tourism industry we have here,” she said. “Psychol-ogy is something I’ve been interested in since the summer of my sophomore year. Hospitality is all about people, so I don’t think it will hurt to have a psychol-ogy degree as well.”

She said her dad taught her a work ethic and her mom taught her “how to be a good person.”

“She taught me not to be jealous of other people’s successes and to just appre-ciate who I am,” she said.

“Like every parent, we just wanted our daughters to be more than we were,” said George Cano. “We taught them to not have any slack time, and April worked and worked. We’re

very proud of her.”April Cano said her older

sister has also been a strong source of support.

“Andrea graduated early from EVHS and went to beauty school in Fort Col-lins,” she said. “She knows how hard I’ve worked and has been very encouraging, sending me text messages every day.”

Even though she’s finally taking a short break from school, Cano will keep working hard this summer. She has two jobs lined up – one as a secretary, Monday through Friday, and one at Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli, Saturday through Sunday. Then it’s off to the future.

“I really want to thank Eagle Valley High School and all the teachers,” she said. “I couldn’t have made it all this way without their love and support.”

By Derek Franzdfranz@eaglevalleyenterprise.com

As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, April Alexa Cano learned to appreciate the op-portunities she has here from her parents, who moved to Vail from Mexico in 1993.

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C13

The Best Advice

Vail Mountain School’s graduates started out just like this, as first graders with a bunch of senior class read-ing buddies.

As part of this year’s pro-gram, the first graders put together some advice for their reading buddies as the seniors graduate and head off to college.

Like great stuff every-where, this great advice is timeless.

Vail Mountain School’s 1st graders offer advice to graduating seniors

never changes

C14 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C15

Be a Part of the Anti-Bullying Mission.

❒ Donate ❒ Volunteer ❒ Get Social

For more information please visit, theyouthfoundation.org.

The Youth Foundation@YouthFnd

Teaching Self Defense : The Anti-Bullying program operates in Eagle

County elementary, middle and high schools for both girls and boys.

The program uses world famous Gracie Combative techniques and

trainings as well as the expertise of two World Champion Martial

Artists to teach kids the ability to stand up to a bully and understand

components of bullying from the perspectives of the bully, bullied

and bystander. While the program teaches students how to physically

defend themselves from attacks, the main goal is to teach students how

to best deal with bullying situations, verbally, nonverbally, and safely.

Every day in the United States, an estimated 150,000

kids miss school due to fear or intimidation.

– National Education Association

Did You Know?

Scholarships are available, for more information,

please call 970-777-2015.

C16 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

Jonna M. SpigenerSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Hosting gallery night with Amanda Hagbery Give a shout out: Shout out to Jeff Cuno! For making my first Red Canyon year an amazing one! He taught me a lot about life, and went hand in hand with my education. Hi:Dudley!!!Summer plans: Continue teaching music, and move to LA!Where are you headed this fall: No clue☺If you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most: The small town, family aspect.If you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping: My studentsIn 10 years you’ll be: 28 yrs. OldFavorite class you took: Simpsons with Mr. DudleyClass you wish had been offered: Non Smoking… I wasn’t around to get the chance to take it. I’ve heard it does wonders.

Juliet Amancio School: New American High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: When I found out I am graduatingGive a shout out: I want to give a shout out to the class of 2013, good job everyone!Summer plans: Get ready to be a momWhere are you headed this fall: Stay homeIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most.: My familyIf you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping.: My familyIn 10 years you’ll be: Having my own business Favorite class you took: Cancer with Ms. CrevlingClass you wish had been offered: Cosmetology

Dan ReyesSchool: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: Being told I was going to graduate!! Give a shout out: Hey everybody Im DanSummer plans: find a job.Where are you headed this fall: A good placeIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most. Not leavingIf you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping. My friends and this beautiful townIn 10 years you’ll be: 27 yrs. OldFavorite class you took: ww1Class you wish had been offeredIdk it’s all good

JD Chambers School: Red Canyon High SchoolFavorite school moment from any year: The senior raft trip, it was a good learning experience and I enjoyed the people that went with as wellGive a shout out Id like to give a shout out to Mr. Hill for everything he has done for the stu-dents and teachers he is the man! Mrs. Cal for being the sweetest, coolest counselor I’ve ever had! I’d also like to shout out to all the teachers who have taught me and allowed me to learn things that I was interested in!Summer plans: attend collegeWhere are you headed this fall: Maybe Mesa State CollegeIf you’re leaving Eagle County, what will you miss most. My Friends and familyIf you’re staying, what are you happiest about keeping.In 10 years you’ll be: Hopefully working and making moneyFavorite class you took: I liked them all!Class you wish had been offered

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C17

HUSKIES SOCCER GRABS THE CROWN

before the 2006 Battle Mountain volleyball or 2007 Huskies cross country seasons, which just happen to be the school’s last two state titles.

The Huskies still needed to grow, as individuals and as a unit, and that may be the lasting legacy of this crew. The exceptional indi-vidual talents of this group — and there was a boatload of skill here — formed into an iron will which said col-lectively, “We’re doing this.”

The regular season• Battle Mountain beats

Montrose, 2-1, in the open-er. Huskies David Cope and I do our basic interview and then talk off the record as we normally do. I ask, “Do you think you can go 15-0?,” as the Indians looked like one of the toughest teams one the schedule. Cope re-plies, “Yes.”

You have to remember this is Cope, not say Da-vid Joyce (football, 2011) or Ken Bielski (hockey,

Dominique Taylor | dtaylor@vaildaily.com

Battle Mountain keeper Christian Espinoza dives for the ball, stopping the second penalty kick against him

by Evergreen during a game in Evergreen. Espinoza helped win the game by saving three penalty kicks to

one saved by Evergreen.

So did anything big happen this year at Battle Mountain?

There were plenty of memorable moments in Huskies sports in 2012-13, but, let’s face it, this year was all about Battle Mountain boys soccer.

This was the dream season — league title, 15-0 regular-season record, revenge over the bitterest of postseason foes in ridiculous fashion, and victory in the state champion-ship game in a whiteout in Denver.

Yeah, all that really happened.At the beginning of the season, were they going to be

good? Sure. The Huskies were coming off a 14-2-2 sea-son, only the third appearance in the program’s history in the state quarterfinals, and had lost only two seniors to graduation.

Great? I did not have the mortal-lock feeling that I had

By Chris Freudcfreud@vaildaily.com

C18 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

2001-02), or as-sistant coach Kyle Mercer, who played the role of bad cop to Cope’s good guy. This is the beginning of the transformation of the team. Winning a league title and winning a home playoff game is just not going to do it in 2012.

Throughout the season, Cope issues challenges to the Huskies. Here’s a secret, people: It may be harder to coach a really good team than a poor one, as defender Gunnar Wilson summed up nicely at the end of the season.

“He knew that if he said we were not good, we’d know he’d be lying,” Wilson said. “He used it as a posi-tive note, that there have been other good teams at Battle Mountain. He always said, ‘We don’t want to be a good team. We want to be a great team.’ Whenever we thought we were pretty hot, Cope just kept saying that we haven’t done anything yet.”

• Sept. 25, Battle Moun-tain beats Summit County, 3-1. It’s a good win as the Tigers turn out to be the Huskies’ toughest compe-tition in the league. The important moment comes on Battle Mountain’s third goal. Senior captain Joe LyBarger gets decked and draws a foul. LyBarger puts the ball down, sends the ball down the field and the Huskies score.

The metamorphosis continues here. LyBarger is a tremendous athlete, as he proves by being named Player of the Year in the 4A Slope and scoring a ton of goals in the process. But can he stay focused? Apparently, yes. A year or two ago, LyBarger, in this same situation, would have gotten into it with the player who clocked him or with the ref, nullifying the advantage.

This is just one of many questions that the Huskies are starting to answer. Can Chris Shea, a powder keg of talent and temper, keep it together? Can Wilson, who is an aggressive player, actually play defense? Is Christian Espinoza a big-time goalie? Can Heivan Garcia, a epically-talented striker who also looks lost out on the field at times, be a factor?

• Battle Mountain thumps archrival Steam-boat Springs, 4-0, complet-ing a season sweep of the Sailors by an aggregate of 9-0. The Huskies don’t seem particularly excited, though beating Steamboat normally is the program’s raison d’etre. There are big-ger fish to fry.

• The Huskies clinch the league title Oct. 8 with a tidy 2-0 win at Summit. There really should be a celebration here. There

usually is. Where’s Tyler Cole to rip off his jersey in celebration when you need him? Maybe, it’s the fact that this is the third title in a row and seven in nine years. The Huskies are now firmly focused on 15-0 and perfection.

LyBarger goes down with a hip pointer in this one. On the record, Cope says the senior is “day-to-day.” In truth, despite rest, which costs him a shot at the Huskies’ scoring record and then playing his heart out in the postseason, No. 6 is not the same for the rest of the year.

The Huskies rise to the occasion with their depth, which becomes staggering and sorely-needed. Offen-sively, 15 different Huskies score during the season, and six have five goals or more. Defensively, Battle Mountain allows only 11 goals in 20 games.

The latter is tested when the Huskies lose their cen-ter back for the rest of the year during the final week of the regular season. This is another turning point be-cause the foundation of the program’s success has been based on a 3-5-2 formation. The Huskies can play more people forward and be dy-namic offensively because

there’s a stout anchor like Evie Gonzalez, Connor Tedstrom or Cody Hervert in that spot.

Roberto Diaz gets the call to move back and the transition is elegantly smooth.

• Battle Moun-tain beats Eagle Valley for a 15-0 regular season, the first in the boys program’s history. (The girls did it in 2008, and that, in the au-thor’s opinion, remains one of the most under-appre-ciated teams in the school’s

history.) The fellas, as Cope says, pose in front of the scoreboard, which has been changed to read, “15-0” for the occasion.

• On Seeding Sunday, the Huskies, the only undefeat-ed team in Class 4A, get the sixth seed in the state tour-nament. Politely-put, this is a hosing of epic propor-tions. Cope issues the edict and his players dutifully repeat it interviews that be-ing seeded sixth is actually a stroke of good fortune because it will allow Battle Mountain to play better teams and get more of a challenge.

This was putting lipstick on a pig, and the Huskies did it well. Oh, and another thing about being sixth? It set up a possible matchup at No. 3 Evergreen in the quarterfinals.

EVERGREEN, EVERGREEN, EVERGREEN

There were five games in the postseason, but, in ret-rospect, one rises above the rest. Battle Mountain duti-fully beat Greeley Central, 3-1, after Espinoza let in a poor goal in the first min-ute. The Huskies bounced Pueblo Centennial, 3-0, in the second round.

And, thus, on Nov. 1, Bat-tle Mountain went to Ev-ergreen to slay the dragon. Evergreen is a good Front Range 4A soccer program in the Jeffco League. The Cougars are always in the playoffs. The problem was that they had ended Battle Mountain’s season three years in a row.

In 2009, the Huskies had allowed nine goals in 15 games before losing to Evergreen, 7-2, in Edwards in the first round. (There were extenuating factors, but I blame myself. I was on my couch, recovering from the H1N1 virus that year.) In 2010, the Huskies went down to Evergreen, and lost again. What really rankled, though, was that some of Battle Mountain’s Hispanic players got a

JUSTIN MCCARTY | JMCCARTY@VAILDAILY.COM

The Battle Mountain High School soccer team celebrates after winning the Class 4A state

championship game against Palmer Ridge at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City

this year. The Huskies beat the Palmer Ridge Bears, 4-2, in an overtime shoot-out.

The Vail Daily | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | C19

reception that wasn’t com-mensurate with life in the 21st Century.

Round 3 was in 2011 and that was a 2-0 loss, and the Huskies were simply fed up with Evergreen.

I got down to Evergreen early for the fourth meeting in as many years just as a part of my routine. It was mainly to see what Internet connection was available to send what I hoped would be a triumphant story. What became alarming — in a good way — early was that I wasn’t the only one coming from Eagle County. The Evergreen staff was setting up roping to keep the two sets of fans apart, standard procedure for any high school game. What was funny is that they kept having to adjust the roping to accommodate more and more Battle Mountain fans.

By the time the game actually started, Huskies fans had turned Ever-green’s pitch into Edwards — it sounded like a Battle Mountain home game. And all saw one for the ages.

Evergreen scored first. Diego Rodriguez to Diaz evened it. And then the field started to slant. The Huskies dominated, but simply could not get one in the net. At one point, one of the refs, presumably from the Front Range who had not seen the Huskies play, ran by Cope during the second half and said to the coach, “Boy, you guys are good.”

Speaking of Cope, things were getting tense. He knew the only way Ever-green was going to beat the Huskies on that Wednesday night was via kicks or a free kick. The Cougars got the latter when Broby Leeds committed a bad, but seem-ingly innocuous foul.

Cope actually yelled, “Dammit, Broby,” and then muttered to Mercer, “Get him out of there.”

I have covered Cope’s Battle Mountain soc-cer teams for 27 seasons between his boys and girls teams, and for the generally-steady-as-it-goes coach, this was a volcanic eruption. This really was the equivalent of a normal coach dropping 17 F-bombs and throwing a chair onto the playing surface. For the record, no harm came from the whistle, and Cope later

apologized to Leeds.It was funny. (The last

time I’d seen Cope yell at game was 2008, and I was standing next to his wife, Kathleen, then, and she was surprised.) It was also another transforma-tional moment. Just as the players had morphed into an “all-in, we’re-winning-this-whole-thing” attitude, so had the coach publicly, albeit in a very unexpected way.

Battle Mountain did not score in either regulation or overtime, and it was off to penalty kicks to decide it. P.K.s are scary. It’s not the way to determine the better team, but there’s no alter-native. They’re particularly scary when the coach, Cope, is an English soccer fan, who has seen nothing but bad things happen to his national side in interna-tional competitions like the World Cup and the Euros.

But to answer the ques-tion, “Is Christian Espinoza a big-time goalie?” The answer was emphatic, “Yes, sir.”

In a shootout, you just hope that the other team misses or that your keeper can make one save. Espi-noza stopped 3-of-4 shots, and the Huskies finally vanquished Evergreen. (By the way, Diaz, Erick Briones and Wilson all made their kicks, but no one is going to remember that.)

When Espinoza made the final save clinching the win, absolute pandemonium broke out. The Huskies went nuts. Their fans went nuts. I have many a celebra-tion in 16 years of covering sports. This was different.

I kept trying to interview Espinoza for the story, and, every time I was about ready to ask my first ques-tion, players or fans tackled him in celebration again.

I did some other inter-views afterwards, but my iPhone recorder malfunc-tioned, but I remember Briones saying something to the effect of, “That wasn’t just Christian. It was all of us there with him.”

Ding, dong, the wicked witch was dead.

OH, YEAH, TWO MOREAn interesting ques-

tion is, “Which was bigger, beating Evergreen or win-ning the state champion-ship nine days later?” We

stipulate that the Evergreen win was a necessary part of the sequence for the Huskies to advance to the semifinals and the finals. Also, the Huskies didn’t receive a big trophy for beating Evergreen.

But … in preparation for this story, I had to look up whom Battle Mountain faced in the finals (Palmer Ridge). I also remember not being too worried about the Huskies playing Broom-field in the semifinals. (I’m usually a nervous wreck be-fore a playoff game for any school in any sport.)

I remember thinking at the semifinals, “There is no way this team can lose in the semifinals after that game against Evergreen. Just can’t happen.” And that’s pretty funny because Broomfield, in years past, had beaten the Huskies senseless in previous post-season meetings.

Happily, the question was not of the either/or variety. Battle Mountain knocked off Broomfield, 2-1, on scores by Garcia (big game, big player) and Diaz (quickly making a name for himself during the run.)

And then it snowed. That had to be a good omen for Battle Mountain soccer on championship Saturday against Palmer Ridge. Sur-real is dumb word because it’s overused. But being at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, watching Battle Mountain in the snow in the title game was surreal. You want surreal? How come there were still more Huskies fans there than Palmer Ridge faithful, even though they were driving through a blizzard over two massive mountain passes?

A dramatic goal from the run of play would have been nice, but the Bears weren’t scoring that day. Could Wilson play defense? That unit was fantastic all day and all season. I remember seeing Shea out there, play-ing his heart out, knowing that, healthwise, he was a mess. (He had back sur-gery within a week of the title game). He didn’t lose his cool. Espinoza shone again with a big save in penalty kicks. The Huskies

had the answers for all the questions.

I remember being cold and soaked, and I remem-ber that moment of silence as all assembled waited to make sure Garcia’s game-clinching penalty kick really did find the back of the net.

It was slow-motion as Garcia raced toward the Battle Mountain fans’ sec-tion with his teammates running after him. … Ly-Barger raising the trophy. … Everybody hugging every-body in the locker room. … Everyone taking a turn with the trophy.

“We beat No. 3 (Ever-green),” Cope said. “We beat No. 2 (Broomfield), and we beat No. 1 (Palmer Ridge). And we’ll came back Mon-day if they want us to play anyone else.”

(That is as close to smack talk as Cope gets.)

Yeah, that really happened.

AND IN OTHER NEWSHuskies cross country

sent two teams to state. That was notable after a one-year absence by the guys. … Volleyball snapped a seven-game losing streak to Eagle Valley. That’s key because that means the Class of 2013 had never topped the Devils until that win. … Spring was quite fun. The boys lacrosse team made the playoffs for the first time in school his-tory, and the gents may have some company soon. The biggest turnaround at Battle Mountain was girls lacrosse, which went from 4-10 to 10-4, and only grad-uate one (Hayley Clarke). And girls soccer not only took its first league title since 2008, but won its first playoff game in six years.

DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

DTAYLOR@VAILDAILY.COM

Battle Mountain soc-cer coach David Cope, center, celebrates Battle Mountain’s semifinal win against Broomfield this year in Parker.

C20 | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | The Vail Daily

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