The first of the 2018-19 Sports Awards Nights for Escalon High School athletes was hosted in the main gym on the EHS campus on Wednesday, Nov. 14, featuring the fall sports teams.

First-year EHS Athletic Director Nate Bartelink welcomed the crowd in to the gym, there for the formal presentation of honors for volleyball, football, cross country, girls golf and for scholar-athletes.

The night also included presentation of a gift certificate from the EHS Sports Boosters to longtime organization members and volunteers Robert and Debbie Leal, who have spent 10 years devoting time and energy to the group.

“We wanted to publicly thank them for their years of service,” said Bartelink.

Individual teams had their own gatherings to present awards and then all the fall sports came together in the gym for the main awards.

High School Principal Eric Simoni thanked coaches for the time and effort they spend coaching and said the fall has been a successful one for Cougar teams.

Varsity volleyball went to the playoffs and advanced into the second round of the NorCals, cross country sent a runner to the Section meet, two Lady Cougar golfers went on to the Division 5 Section competition. Football – after a rare Friday night off this past week due to bad air quality – is scheduled to take on Hilmar in the Division 6 Section semifinals on the road Nov. 23 after going 4-2 in Trans-Valley League play and 8-2 overall.