Marcia_Neville's Blog

Mention the Bancroft family out on the Eastern Plains, especially in the towns of Seibert and Vona, and at Hi-Plains High School, and everybody knows them. That’s what’s made this week’s death of the family’s youngest son, Evan, so far-reaching. “It seemed like only minutes after I learned of Evan’s passing, that I started hearing from coaches and athletic directors, asking if the news was true”, sadly explains Hi-Plains athletic director, Kerry Sayles. Among the first to reach out was Caliche, the team that Evan and his Patriots beat for the state title this year.

According to Sayles, the Bancrofts are fourth generation in the area, and every one of the high school’s championship rosters has included a Bancroft. Big sister Naomi was a Rocky Mountain News’ Ms. 1A Basketball Award winner. Big brother Kyle was on the school’s first state championship football team. And, just this year, Evan was the point guard on the state championship basketball team, and, ran on the state championship track team. He was the Patriots returning starter at quarterback.

“We’ve had a fun five to six years out here”, continued Sayles, “then, boom, to be hit so hard like this. I don’t think we’ve lost a child out here in something like twenty years. There’s just a cloud over the community.”

Evan was killed while he working at a construction site and a concrete wall fell on him. His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday morning (June 24th) at 10AM at Hi-Plains High School. Sayles expects upwards of 500 mourners to attend.