This year was another fruitful one for Washington athletics. In all, the Pam Pack brought home at least a share of eight conference championships. Boys’ soccer, wrestling, boys’ tennis and golf won the 2-A Eastern Plains Conference outright. Football, girls’ tennis and softball were all tied at the top of the standings, too. As the only program in the league, the swim team won by default, but also went on to win the 2-A state championship.

Individually, Washington also had plenty of conference coaches and players of the year. Jim Kozuch won boys’ soccer and golf coach of the year. Ralph Biggs, in his first season manning the bench, earned girls’ basketball coach of the year — beating out North Pitt coach Neal Carr, who helped lead the Lady Panthers to a state championship.

Girls’ soccer coach Ed Rodriguez, softball coach Doug Whitehead and cheerleading coach Anita Cutler were all honored as the league’s best coaches in their respective sports, too.

“Our coaches do a pretty good job about setting that bar high,” athletic director Jon Blank said. “Our coaches talk about winning championships. It’s an expectation. I think our community is starting to buy into that.”

Soccer striker Freddy Jiminez, cheerleader Carolina Midyette, tennis standout Holt McKeithan and softball pitcher Hailey Harris earned player of the year honors, too. Linebacker Lexroy Brown was also named the conference’s best defensive player in football.

The result was Washington earning the EPC Wells Fargo Cup. Since 1979, the Cup has been awarded by the NCHSAA to recognize overall sports excellence. The Pam Pack finished ninth among all 2-A schools in last year’s standings.

The accomplishment is something to be proud of, but even more so considering the competition Washington faces in conference.

“We do have some excellent competition in conference. North Pitt is right near the top of this every time,” Blank said. “They’re a very balanced school when it comes to athletics, kind of like how we are. It seems like each school is really strong in something. You’ve got to be able to best those schools. … What we’re trying to build here is that all of our athletic programs are strong.”

This is another indicator of the continued excellence that has been Washington athletics. This accomplishment illustrates the success the entire athletics program has had this season. What is truly impressive is the level of consistent success the Pam Pack has had over the last three years. Washington has had eight teams finish as at least regional runners up in the last three years: football, boys’ soccer, girls’ soccer, boys’ swimming, softball, wrestling, boys’ golf and boys’ track.

Most of those teams that haven’t finished top four in the state recently are on the rise. It’s the latest instance of one of Blank’s mottos — success breeds success.

“This forward momentum is carrying us to not even being satisfied with being a regional runner up or a regional champion,” he said. “I think we have our sights set on some state championships here. I think it’s that time. Our coaches are all working hard. Our student-athletes are performing well in the classroom and on the field. I feel like we should be considered the class of the east in athletics.”

The bar is being raised every day. Athletes see their friends competing for state championships on television and getting radio stations pining to broadcast their games. One team’s success serves as another driving force for the success of the others.

“When kids realize that you can play for those kinds of stakes, it makes it interesting to them,” Blank said. “One of the things we see is that the kids are supporting each other with athletics. … I’ve always believed that when you set the expectations high, most of the kids will try to reach that bar.”