Mountain Ridge’s winter guard team was able to participate against two other top teams at state, and for the third year in a row took home the title of number 1.

Teams are judged in different categories during their performance, including design or the layout, how they move around, and the equipment, or how they move together. Victoria Johnson, a senior on the guard team, talks about the preparation that went into getting ready for this competition.

“We have practice in class, so it’s like an hour every single day, and then we have after school practice for three hours from 6-9. For the week before state we had practice every day, and we have shows for our parents to get us ready for crowds,” Johnson said.

Those practices paid off, as their performance at the state competition was awarded the 1st place medal. Coach Carrie Eng talked about their incredible performance and the development they had at state. When asked about preparation, Mrs. Eng said she knew what her team was capable of and she was so excited to see how it turned out.

“It was about making sure the kids had goals, and that they’re goals were more than just that number or placement. That their goals were certain skills they wanted or a certain number of kids throwing a certain toss, just having really solid goals of what they wanted to achieve on the floor, and I knew the numbers would fall into place,” Coach Eng stated.

Her confidence paid off, as the team won by half a point in the final competition. “I’m just really proud of them,” Coach Eng stated.

This win for the team, however, turned bittersweet as it was announced that the guard coach of 14 years, Carrie Eng, will be coaching at Boulder Creek next year. Coach Eng has been an amazing part of the guard team, and an awesome coach to all those who have gone through the program. Her work and love of the sport is evident through time she has dedicated to the team and from the students who have learned from her. Coach Eng stated that her greatest accomplishment as a coach was those relationships that she has built throughout the years.

“I think it’s the relationships that have been built. Both with kids and parents, this is a four year program and you get to know them really really well, and then watch them go off into the world. I mean we throw stuff in the air and then try to catch it, and it seems silly in that aspect, but the things that they get out of it and the strength or character that they become applies to the way that they tackle college or their career. To say that I had a small part in that is my greatest accomplishment, is to watch what they become because they were a part of it and the atmosphere that we created.”

Congratulations to Mountain Ridge guard team for their amazing win at state, and let’s continue this winning streak!