Athletics
Evanston's mascot is Willie the Wildkit, based on local Northwestern University's "wildcat".
Evanston is a member of the Central Suburban League, and participates in state championship tournaments sponsored by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA).
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling. Women may compete in badminton, cheerleading, lacrosse and softball.
While not sponsored by the IHSA, ETHS also sponsors teams for men and women in lacrosse. Both men and women may also compete as a member of the pom pom team (Pomkits). As well as on a Varsity Sailing Team, which competes at regattas throughout the country.
The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament:
| IHSA Top 4 Finishes for ETHS | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Finishes |
| Badminton (girls): | 3rd place (1986–87, 95–96, 96–97); 2nd place (1990–91, 93–94, 94–95); State Champions (1991–92) |
| Basketball (boys): | 4th place (2002–03); 3rd place (2007–08); 2nd place (1983–84); State Champions (1967–68) |
| Cross Country (boys): | 4th place (1999–2000); 3rd place (1952–53, 61–62, 63–64, 70–71); 2nd place (1949–50, 62–63, 68–69); State Champions (1953–54, 66–67) |
| Cross Country (girls): | 4th place (1980–81); 2nd place (1979–80) |
| Gymnastics (boys): | 3rd place (1963–64, 69–70, 70–71, 71–72); State Champions (1962–63, 64–65, 66–67) |
| Soccer (boys): | 3rd place (1983–84); 2nd place (1978–79, 90–91, 92–93, 95–96, 2002–03) |
| Soccer (girls): | State Champions (2001–02) |
| Swimming & Diving (boys): | 4th place (1931–32,43–44, 45–46, 46–47, 48–49, 1999–2000); 3rd place (1932–33, 44–45, 50–51, 62–63, 63–64, 65–66, 67–68, 68–69, 70–71, 71–72, 80–81, 82–83, 86–87); 2nd place (1949–50, 51–52, 56–57, 57–58, 58–59, 60–61, 61–62, 64–65, 66–67); State Champions (1952–53, 53–54, 54–55, 55–56, 59–60, 2000–01, 04–05) |
| Swimming & Diving (girls): | 4th place (2009) 4th place (1988–89, 2001–02); 3rd place (1989–90) |
| Tennis (boys): | 4th place (1954–55); 3rd place (1948–49, 50–51, 53–54, 57–58); 2nd place (1942–43, 44–45, 46–47, 47–48, 51–52, 52–53, 58–59, 67–68); State Champions (1943–44, 59–60, 60–61, 61–62, 69–70) |
| Tennis (girls): | 4th place (1975–76) |
| Track & Field (boys): | 4th place (1920–21, 22–23, 40–41, 45–46, 52–53, 57–58, 77–78); 3rd place (1927–28, 42–43, 43–44, 46–47, 63–64, 88–89, 92–93); 2nd place (1949–50, 62–63, 66–67, 90–91, 93–94); State Champions (1921–22, 64–65, 65–66, 69–70, 70–71, 71–72, 73–74, 78–79) |
| Track & Field (girls): | 4th place (1975–76, 77–78, 99–2000); 3rd place (1986–87, 87–88, 95–96); 2nd place (1976–77, 88–89, 89–90, 92–93, 2000–01, 01–02); State Champions (1990–91, 96–97, 97–98, 2002–03, 03–04, 04–05, 05–06) |
| Volleyball (boys): | 3rd place (1999–2000) |
| Volleyball (boys): | 3rd place (1999–2000) |
| Volleyball (girls): | 3rd place (2008) |
| Water Polo (boys): | 3rd place (2004–05) |
| Water Polo (girls): | 3rd place (2003–04) |
| Wrestling (co-ed, though traditionally for boys): | 4th place (1952–53); 2nd place (1966–67) |
As of 2009, the Evanston boys swimming team has 53 top ten finishes in the state finals; the second highest number of top ten finishes in state history. The boys track & field team, similarly, has 47 top ten finishes, the second highest number of any team in the state. The 25 top ten finishes by the girls track & field team is, however, a state record.
The following competitive teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA Sponsored state championships:
- Table Tennis: 1st place 2011
- Chess: 4th place (1989–90, 90–91, 2002–03, 06–07); 3rd place (1995–96, 98–99); 2nd place (1981–82, 83–84, 2005–06); State Champions (1969–70, 70–71, 78–79, 82–83, 97–98, 99–2000, 2000–01, 04–05)
- Debate: 3rd place (1970–71); 2nd place (1971–72, 2010-2011 LD and PF Novice); State Champions (1967–68, 70–71, 78–79)
- Drama: 2nd place (1960–61); State Champions (1957–58, 62–63)
- Individual Events: 4th place (1949–50, 60–61); 3rd place (1966–67, 69–70); State Champions (1950–51)
- Speech: 4th place (1971–72); 3rd place (1960–61, 67–68); 2nd place (1950–51, 57–58, 70–71)
The 8 state titles and 23 top 10 finishes in chess is the Illinois state record.
The Debate team earned its first National Forensic League National Championship in 2012 in Congressional Debate.
Near the school is the Edible Acre urban farming project, initiated by The Talking Farm, which is run with the help of ETHS volunteers during the growing season.
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