The 2015-16 school year will bring a lot of attention to the junior class athletes at EHS, even some that are not nationally known.

Junior year for high school athletes is a year for getting ready for college as well as recruitment. Colleges are not allowed to officially start speaking to athletes before their junior year, which means a lot of athletes are beginning their process of choosing which college they will be playing at.

The junior class has brought up a lot of amazing athletes, and being able to stand out among them is difficult in a school with over 2,000 people, but being outstanding is not new to a handful of the class of 2017.

Defensive end and EHS junior, AJ Epenesa, has worked his way into the view of most college coaches across the country. Epenesa has racked up 23 offers by September and the offers won’t be stopping any time soon.

“I have always wanted to play [football] in college, ever since I was a little kid. When I got to high school I realized it was a big possibility for me,” Epenesa said.
Field hockey star Annie Mulford is another junior who is exceeding at her sport, leading the EHS field hockey team in goals during her sophomore year with 25 goals and 23 assists.

“Verbally committing to one of the top programs in the country was always a goal of mine and to accomplish it was the best thing ever,” Mulford said.

At the end of her sophomore year, Mulford verbally committed to the University of Louisville. Louisville is ranked No. 11 in the country at the Division I level.

Another junior for the EHS football team, outside linebacker, Cyress Ahart is looking to start his search for which college he will get a chance to play at. His dream college is Michigan but he is also keeping his options open until signing day comes in the spring of his senior year. While he started varsity as a sophomore he got seven sacks and four interceptions which are some of his biggest accomplishments so far. Ahart is currently starting varsity for the Tigers to start off his junior year and is hoping to begin receiving offers.

Bailey Grinter, a swimmer at EHS, is on her way to picking out a nationally ranked college as well as competing in Olympic trials. Grinter decided that she wanted to swim in college when she realized that she could compete at that level and be successful.

“My biggest accomplishment is getting an Olympic Trial cut and top three at nationals,” Grinter said.

At September of her junior year she has been keeping in contact with Stanford, ranked No. 2, and University of Florida, ranked No. 6. By January of her senior year she will be forced to make a decision on which college she will choose.

Each year a new set of juniors comes through the doors of EHS, some even destined for greatness in their sport. The process for picking and signing to a college takes about 14-16 months for each athlete, which is all of their junior and senior year. These athletes have just begun their search, but they are already ahead of the game.