A blast from the past or an addition from recent years, the trophy cases hold historic accomplishments, legacies and awards from years dating all the way back to the 1920’s.
These wooden plaques or gold shining cups all piled into these cases seem to be overlooked, forgotten and remembered as a thing of the past, but should be remembered and celebrated for all the hard work and dedication these current and former athletes put into their programs.
In the section in front of the Eagle Co. store, not only is it eating grounds for students at lunch, it’s also a display of the many many victories that have come before us.
With the likes of the girls golf team winning the 3A north division in 2016 and 2019, the baseball boys with their own division titles in 2017-19, and volleyball’s division win in the 2016-17 season, the big standouts are the wrestling team and track and field.
Not only does the wrestling team have 3A division titles from 2014, 15, 16, 23, and 24, the tournament finalists and wins as well. From Olympic duels in 2015, Everett Classic in 2016, A-town Throwdown in 2022, and the Battle of the Bull trophy rightfully finding its home as well.
“It was amazing, a lot of seniors, a lot of fun memories,” said Tre Haines (‘26) a wrestler for Arlington who participated in the win for the Wesco title in 2023-24. “Throughout the season we got to have fun going to different tournaments across the state, going to Idaho for wrestling and just loving the group of people,” Haines said.
The lady wrestling team also has quite the showing as they hold the Ladies Highway 9 trophy, Everett Wrestling 3rd place in 2022, and the Woolley Women’s plaque from 2022 as well.
On to the Track and field team, they hold eight 3A Wesco North championships in ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘18, ‘19, ‘22, ‘23, and ‘24. Absolute dominance from them, it’s amazing to see such consistency.
“I remember my first experience, and everyone was just super excited and grateful to be there” said Max Gray who was a former athlete at Arlington and a part of the 2014 Wesco champs, as well as from 2011-13. “It just felt like all the hard work over those four years was paying off for that group and the coaching,” said Gray.
Now, obviously the football team holds some plaques there as well from their division championships from ‘15, ‘21, ‘23, and ‘24 as well as our infamous Robotics team getting 1st place from the first PNW Competition.
“The group of guys were better than the season itself” said former wide receiver for the 2024 4A Wesco championship team Kaid Hunter. “In the end, it was about the relationships I made and the bonding that went on outside of the games” Hunter said.
There are even a couple of sporadic miscellaneous trophies, like one from 2013-14 Lip Dub Competition winners, 2015 Hi-IQ state championship, and even our very own Golden Talon Trophy.
In the foyer down through the E-wing you’ll find some more classic trophies, and even some surprising facts as well. The football team had quite a run in 23 and 24, and not 2023 and 2024.
There are two ancient footballs next to two wooden Eagle heads that say state champions from 1923 and 1924. This is one of if not the oldest artifact that we have in all of the display cases. As well as the other state championships the Eagles won in 1979 and 1982, our most recent win.
There are some more volleyball finds as well, like a Wesco north title in 2014, a first place plaque in 1996 for the NWIAA, and two 6th in state trophies in 2019 and 2021-22.
“What made the 2014-2016 seasons so special and successful was the strong bond we built as teammates,” said volleyball team captain in 2014-16 Ally Peterson. “In 2016, we reached a major milestone- qualifying for the State tournament for the first time in 20 years. It was an unforgettable accomplishment that reflected not only the hard work of the 2016 team, but also the dedication of the players and coaches who had laid the foundation in previous years” Peterson said.
Softball has their fair share of accolades as well, winning not only the Wesco division in 2013, they also took home the bacon, winning state. Followed by the 1982 and 1986 state championship plaques.
Towards the bottom is a little wooden display of a broken metal plate that reads Snohomish County Champions in 1938 for the baseball team, as well as a Wesco League championship in 1994.
More on track and field, they won WIAA from 2011-14, 2nd in state in 2021-22, and even a school record baton that reads 49.87 seconds.
Lastly, the well known girls basketball team, hoards the entire right side of the trophy case. Two classic trophies and plaques are held by the 1982 state championship team, but the ones that stand out the most are the rows of state qualifiers.
From 2020 to 2024, ‘16, ‘15, ‘14, ‘13, ‘12, ‘89, and ‘90 all find their place, as well as the Wesco championship plaques from 2012-13, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, then the throwbacks from 1999-00, and 2000-01.
One familiar face stands out among them all, our own late great Coach Joe Marsh, bringing in the hardware for his dominant run for most of those years.
You can’t space the boys basketball trophy either from the 2012-13 season where they won the 4A Wesco championship and placed 5th in state, with some familiar names on the side of the trophy if you look close enough.
So maybe every once in a while, try and find time to stop and take a look. Find and appreciate the hard ships, the drive and the will to win from former teams and athletes. Because what may seem like old, weird looking artifacts of the past, was someone’s most precious item. A team’s more prized possession, or a player’s most accomplished attribute. It meant absolutely everything in their time as an Eagle.
“To be surrounded by classmates, teachers, parents, family members, AHS alumni who all believed in what we were building. Since graduating, it’s been awesome to see the program continue to thrive, and can’t wait to see what future teams will achieve,” said Peterson.
