He shoots! Basketball. . . .and geese. These are two passions of November’s Blazer of the Month Luke Eddington. Luke was born in Torrington, Wyoming on October 10, 1992, to the proud parents of Jim and Lisa Eddington. His older brother, Erik [Class of 2008] attends Chadron State College studying agriculture “but he’s in NO HURRY,” laughed Luke.
We’ve all encountered Eddington’s sense of humor and bright smile as we walked through the halls of Torrington High School however, there is much unknown about this BOTM.
Having resided in Torrington for eighteen years, Eddington’s favorite memory includes hunting with the “bros” — Evan Rader and Logan Murphy.
Most have come across the photo button Eddington proudly displays of Evan on his book bag as an “inspiration and memory of playing basketball with the no-longer player,” said Rader.
Rader added, “Luke is a great guy who is also very friendly. My favorite memory is also the times at the goose pit — those are the best.”
Eddington is actively involved in the Torrington/Lingle FFA Chapter, Torrington varsity football team, and the Torrington varsity basketball team. He was also inducted to the National Honor Society as a junior. In addition to school and hunting, Eddington has been a valuable player on both the Blazer football team and the Blazer basketball team for numerous years.
Whenever he finds spare time, Eddington enjoys watching ESPN and ESPN2 as well as watching the movie Stand By Me.
Sophomore year, Eddington started junior varsity basketball, which was one of this BOTM’s “sophomore highlights.” However, a strained MCL (medial collateral ligament) and three stretched ligaments in the foot kept this BOTM out of his junior football season.
“My favorite memory of Luke would be when he ran the team’s longest touchdown of the year to put us ahead of Buffalo. It was awesome because Luke is slower than molasses, and when he runs he looks like Adrian Peterson,” Head Football Coach Brian Harms laughed.
In fact, Eddington was a candidate for the 2010 3A All-State Football Team.
Eddington was also a member of the 2009-2010 3A Boys’ State Champion Basketball Team.
Head Basketball Coach Jon Rakiecki added, “Luke is a great student athlete who works very hard at everything that he does. He is an outstanding leader in the playing field and in the classroom. He was a joy to coach these past two years, and I am very excited to see how he has improved from last year.”
“That would one of my favorite memories of Luke,” Lisa Eddington, Luke’s mother, commented.
Lisa also added, “My other favorite memory is back when Luke was very little, probably in fifth grade, and he walked around the house for the longest time belting out ‘God Bless America’ in a loud opera voice. It was very hysterical!”
Best friends, Murphy and Rader would agree that, “times at the goose pit” rank high in their favorite times together.
Murphy said, “He’s a great guy and fun to be around.”
When asked her favorite memory of Eddington, friend and fellow-classmate Courtney Swanson
added, “All the times that he has accidentally seen my butt!”
Sophomore Mikayla McNamee said, “My favorite memory of Luke was when he asked me to prom after basketball practice. He was waiting for me after practice and picked me up in his car and gave me a Gerber Daisy. Then, he handed me a note, gave me a dozen roses, and asked me to prom. Of course I said yes!”
Romantics have definitely been one of Eddington’s finer aspects in life, according to weights teacher Mark Sims [MS], one of Luke’s favorite teachers.
“Luke Romeo works really hard and does exactly what he is told to do. He is a very nice boy and needs to shave his face because it would make him look a lot meaner,” MS commented.
Luke added, “MS is a great teacher, he keeps me motivated, and is crazy!!”
Along with favorite teachers, Agricultural teacher Jason Groene is also one of Eddington’s admired advisors. “Mr. Groene has taught me the most about life, definitely more than anyone else has before,” Eddington said.
“Luke is the type of person who does not accept failure,” Groene commented. “He is a very hard worker and is very determined. When he has a goal or an objective, it rarely goes unaccomplished. He is a very successful person.
“My favorite memory of him is a tough one, but the time he wore Big Jims’ shoes to build the shed at McKeehan’s Greenhouse was hilarious. What happened was he stepped in a large mud hole and when he went to pull his foot out, the shoe got stuck and then he fell over,” Groene added.
Many of Eddington’s favorite memories include freshman male cheerleading, starting JV basketball, winning the 3A state basketball championship, being nominated for All-State Football, and hopefully another state basketball championship.
“Freshman year, male cheerleading was bomb. We should have won! Also, when I started JV
basketball, I learned a lot. Also, being hurt my junior year was really hard because I couldn’t play at all. And as for another State Championship, it will just take care of itself, I guess.”
Along with most seniors, future plans are always on their minds, and this BOTM is no different. “I plan to play football at Chadron State College and get my pre-physical therapy out of the way,” Eddington said. “I want to become a physical therapist because I enjoy working with people and helping them back to being healthy.”
“In the future, I see Luke being a big fat guy in the goose pit married to Logan,” laughed McNamee. “Honestly, though, I see him becoming a physical therapist or an athletic trainer.”
“Luke will definitely be successful because he works so hard at everything he does,” MS added.
Courtney Swanson said, “I see him being very successful in athletics and sitting in a court room as an attorney.”
Rader said, “I can see Luke makin’ lots of money and getting’ lots of honeys!”
Harms laughed, “Luke can be anything that he wants to be, except a math teacher, of course.”
Upon graduating from high school, Eddington will be missed by many.
“I will miss him bringing me drinks after CRT every day,” McNamee said. “And, of course, I will miss seeing him every day.”
“I will miss all of our talks,” Swanson added. “He always gave the best advice. Luke was also one of the kindest boys in the school. He took care of himself, but cared for others at the same time. He’s a great, funny guy and is one that you can mess around with.”
As for Eddington, he will miss the sports, the teachers, and his family, but will definitely not miss the underclassmen.
His advice to the underclassmen is, “stop being idiots, work hard, and be someone!”
Lisa concluded with, “I’m going to miss just not having him at home anymore. It will be tough. As a mother, I feel that Luke works hard and so whatever he decides or wants to do, he will be successful.”