EAST HELENA — For the first time in program history, East Helena High School will be in the prep football playoffs.
While the Vigilantes still have one regular-season game left to play, they’ll remain a top-six team by record in Class A’s Eastern conference — and thus qualify for the postseason — win or lose.
East Helena senior and current starting quarterback Jack Taylor said he’s been a part of the Vigilante football program since its inception. East Helena first competed at the varsity level in 2021.
“Yep, since I was a freshman,” said Taylor, “when we were losing by 60 points almost every game.”
Taylor reflected on how much progress he and his teammates have made since then.
"Being able to say that me and like Slade (Olson) and Hayden (Wright) have been here since freshman year and been here through the struggles, and now we can all say that we put in the work, and we got that playoff spot, it just feels great," said Taylor.
Senior running back and defensive end Hayden Wright has also been part of East Helena’s football program since its inception.
“It’s pretty wild because every other year this has just been our last week of the season,” said Wright. “But this year, we got more football to play. So, it’s a pretty good feeling.”
And it’s not just the current seniors who have stuck it out with Vigilante football. East Helena head coach Tyler Murray has also been with the program since its inception.
“The senior guys that made it all the way through, I'm really proud of them for sticking with it," said Murray, "because it would be really easy to say, ‘Oh, we’re a new program. We didn’t win any games the first year. We only won one the second year. Why would I keep on doing that?’ So, they just stuck with it. And they knew that the end goal and process was worth the time and effort.”
But even with that ever-so-elusive playoff spot secured, these Vigilantes are already looking ahead to their next challenge.
“I mean, it’s always been something we’ve looked forward to, was making the playoffs,” said Taylor. “But I think now that we’ve achieved the playoffs, (we are) going to get a win now. Achieving the playoffs is in the past; now getting a win is the new goal.”
That message of still having bigger things to play for is one that’s trickled through the team from the top down.
“It’s not just the kids and our program. It’s the town of East Helena, making them proud,” said Murray. “And representing East Helena in the postseason is a big deal. But yeah, we’re not done yet.”
East Helena’s regular season concludes Friday night when the Vigilantes host Sidney.
