December 3, 2008 - Minooka Community High School District #111

Peace Pipe Chatter
Volume 94
Edition 5
December 3, 2008
Essence
of
Chivalry
page 6
l
a
g
i
r
d
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Girls Next Door
page 9
M
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n
id n
page 5
2008
End of Year Movie
Debut
Top 5
Holiday Recipes
page 10
2
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
School Board Update
A new spin on MCHS classes
SARAH SILVERMAN /
FEATURES EDITOR
AND CARISSA WEYER /
A&E EDITOR
BY
The school board meeting on Nov.
18 revealed that teachers from MCHS
are beginning to make a difference in
the community. Mr. David Dilorenzo,
community relations, shared that
Mrs. Linda Hicks, career and tech, is
getting her students involved in the
fight to cure cancer.
Her students made approximately
80 pillowcases that they donated
to the Conquer Cancer fund. These
pillowcases are even to children who
are sick in the hospital with cancer.
Another teacher, Mr. David
Belden, social studies, is getting his
students involved in the community
once again. He decided that there
was not enough documentation about
MCHS in history and wanted to do
some research regarding it.
His students are talking to people
from the Minooka area that would be
able to share insight on the history
here. Belden hopes to be able to
provide a detailed history of Minooka
on the MCHS website. The students
are also researching the old one-room
schoolhouses in the Grundy Country
area.
Ms. Sabrina Dubik, English, is
working with her students to fight
world hunger. (See article on pg. 5.)
There are also some changes in
curriculum happening at Minooka
in the 2009-2010 school year. One
change taking place is a change to
an English advanced writing class.
Students seem to have a problem
when it comes to writing in college
and Minooka is hoping that with the
change of the focus of this class to
writing, that more students will be
eager to sign-up for such a class.
Another change occurring is the
addition of five JJC duel credit classes
to the curriculum. These classes will
only be offered to seniors. Students
that wish to enroll in them must meet
JJC compass test requirements before
being admitted to the class. These
classes include History of Civilization
1, History of Civilization 2, American
Government, English 101, and
English 102.
There will be an addition of a
trigonometry class and a statistics
class to the curriculum as well. These
classes are offered to seniors but will
not be offered as dual credit. Students
will not have to test through JJC
standards to be admitted to the class.
Students excel with sweat,
blood, high scores
LAUREN KEERS / EDITORIN-CHIEF AND MEGAN MCEVILLY /
FEATURES PHOTOGRAPHER
BY
At the Nov. 6 school board meeting
MCHS board members commended
the student’s achievements in blood,
sweat, and testing among their
peers.
With it being the first year of
having two campuses, the students
have been striving to raise the school
spirit not only with sporting events
but with other school activities,
too. This fall the student council
hosted the MCHS blood drive and it
ended up being the most successful
blood drive in the school history by
collecting 166 units of blood. In
result of having such a successful
turnout, Julie Kinsella of Heartland
Blood Center presented Student
Council with a $1000 check.
Student
council’s
President
Lauren Govednik and Vice President
Dominic Moretti, seniors, told the
board how they advertised the blood
drive differently this year and that
could be a reason for having such
great results. Instead of finding out
who was planning on giving blood
beforehand, like in previous years,
they decided to keep it open and to
write the passes for the students right
at the drive.
Since 16 year olds have to have
a parent permission to give blood,
they only hosted at the Central
Campus since more students could
participate. In hope of having an
even more successful turnout at the
spring blood drive, the Heartland
Blood Center is supplying 24 beds
and more staff, instead of the 18 beds
we had this fall.
This season MCHS had a total
of three conference championships.
The teams include girls’ golf, girls’
volleyball, and the boys’ crosscountry. Not only were the fall
sports successful but also so were the
academic scores.
Last year the class of ’09 was
setting the goal of all students meeting
or exceeding the state requirements
scores of the ACT/PSAE testing. The
results given recently to the school’s
staff were the highest of the past five
years. Three out of the five subjects
being tested on were scored at a 21
according to central principal, Mr.
Bob Williams. The final results will
be given in June after all students
who wanted to retake the ACT have,
and therefore will show the scores
being even higher.
Designed by Sarah Silverman
Peace Pipe Chatter
Minooka Community High School
301 S. Wabena Avenue
Minooka, IL 60447
(815) 467-2140 Voicemail: ext 264
mthomas@mchs.net
peacepipechatter.com
Editors-In-Chief
Angela Mateo
Sam Kelley
Lauren Keers
A&E Editor
Carissa Weyer
Sydney Trepel
Iman Bradley
Cover Design
Kristi Lawrence
Editorial Editor
Ryan Kelley
News Editor
Taylor Roop
School News Editor
D.J. Valera
Features Editor
Sarah Silverman
Jacki Kaluzny
Assist. Sports Editor
Mike Noe
Eric Klank
Sports Editor
Tommy Stokke
Fresh/Soph Editor
Susan Bahret
Interactive Editor:
Allison Papp
Chatter Room Editor
Ryan Miller
Copy Editor
Amanda Alexander
D.J. Valera
Ryan Miller
Zach Nabor
Sports Photographer
Jacki Kaluzny
News/Features
Photographer
Megan McEvilly
A&E Photographer
Amanda Alexander
Fresh/Soph
Photographer
Susan Bahret
Journalism I:
Aubry Aspan, Chikyra Faint, Jake Hoffman,
Elliot Johnson, Melissa Madnus, Kaitlyn
VanMeter, Meagan Hoffman, Stephanie Ly,
Kevin Moran, Christopher Zacek
Submission Policy:
The Peace Pipe Chatter strongly encourages suggestions
and/or responses to material printed on its pages.
Letters to the Editor should be submitted to Mr. Thomas’s
mailbox or to a Peace Pipe Chatter editor.
While submission does not guarantee publication, PPC
staff members will do their best to respond to all
admissions. Submissions will not be returned. All submissions are subject to editing and will not be printed if they are
considered to be inappropriate. They must be signed but
may be printed anonymous upon request.
Peace Pipe Chatter, Decmber 3, 2008
Opinion
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Values should influence laws
Kristi Lawrence /
Cover Page Editor
by
Same-sex marriage is a difficult
controversy that has been a part of our
nations history since “the beginning.” Many
people have different views and opinions
over the topic of gay marriage and whether
it is right or wrong. My view comes from a
religious perspective. I am a Christian, and
while I do not speak for all Christians, my
beliefs tell me that
gay marriage should
not be legal, and that
California
voters
were right in passing
Proposition 8.
Most
people
accept that marriage
and family are part
of society, and many
believe the law should
not be able to regulate
those beliefs. Same-sex marriage also has
a lot to do with religion and one’s beliefs.
Some religions allow this practice, and
others strictly forbid it.
Along with Christianity, Islam, and
Judaism, are just some of the religions that
often prohibit gay marriage. Hinduism,
because of its diversity both, embraced
homosexuality and rejected it, depending
on the view. Buddhism neither supports nor
embraces gay marriage.
From my Christian perspective I believe,
but God designed marriage to be between a
man and a woman. It’s in the Bible, which
is the book of life; and how life was created.
There is a specific way people were designed
and there are certain guidelines that they
were intended to follow.
Matthew 19:1-12 reads, “Have ye
not read, that he which made them at the
beginning made them male and female.” “
Leviticus 20:13 reads, “If a man lies with a
male as he lies with a woman, both of them
have committed an abomination. They shall
surely be put to death. Their blood shall be
upon them.” Marriage was not intended to
be between a same-sex couple, as the Bible
states here.
Marriage should be between a man and
a woman. What is the difference between
a marriage license and living together
as a civil union? Marriage licenses were
not entitled for same-sex couples. If you
live together, you don’t
necessarily need it written on
paper.
Massachusetts
and
Connecticut, along with
six other countries, allow
same sex- marriage. As of
November 2008, California
had also allowed gay
marriage, until Proposition 8
overturned it.
I don’t necessarily know
what a same-sexed couple thinks or how
they feel, and I don’t think I will ever
understand it. I think gay marriage is just
one of those controversies, like abortion,
that will never be able to meet up to
everyone’s understanding.
There needs to be certain give-andtake in a male-female relationship that gay
marriage does not provide. The man in the
relationship is the leader and is required to
take charge and be the head of the family.
The woman is to be less inferior, but to “be
the helper that man needed,” according to
Genesis 2:18. In a partnership, it’s hard for
each other to fulfill the duties a marriage
was intended to provide.
Marriage licenses should only be given
out when a male and female decide to
get married. It is simply immoral and
uncomfortable to some people, because
marriage was structured differently than
same-sex couples want it to be.
“God designed
marriage to be
between a man
and a woman”
Designed by Ryan Kelley
3
Country back on track? Think again
Angela Mateo /
Editor-In-Chief
The California State Constitution now
reads “Only marriage between a man
and a woman is valid or recognized in
California,” thanks to the 52% of people
who voted yes to Proposition 8.
And I actually thought the country was
moving forward.
Ellen Degeneres just married Portia
de Rossi, gas prices are back down, and
oh yeah, we elected our first AfricanAmerican President. We can change? No
we can’t. Because so many Americans are
still clinging on to that 1950’s Leave it to
Beaver household where the wife vacuums
in pearls all day while the husband teaches
his son how to throw a ball. Well we have
changed whether people are willing to
accept it or not.
I understand that religion and religious
beliefs are often the reason people reject
same sex marriage. Here’s what I don’t
understand: if a person who lives down
state is against same sex marriage and a
same sex couple who lives way up state
wants to get married, how does their getting
married in any way effect that person?
It doesn’t.
Not only has this country changed, but
marriages in general have changed. Wives
and mothers have jobs now, husbands turn
into stay at home dads, and interracial
marriages are predominantly accepted.
If we so commonly accept these types of
marriages, once outlawed, then why not
just one more? We cling on to what we’re
comfortable with and what we consider
conventional so much that we’re afraid if
one things changes the world is going to
end. But the truth is that there is not one
marriage that goes according to plan, there
is not one marriage that is perfect, and now
there is one less type of marriage that has
a chance.
What Proposition 8 does, in black and
white, is limits marriage to be recognized
in California as a union between a man
and women. This overturns the decision
by
the California Supreme Court made in May
2008 recognizing marriage equality.
For those ashamed by the passing of Prop
8, here’s an organization worth knowing
about that might give hope: The Human
Rights Campaign. They have been fighting
for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender people—also known as
LGBT—since 1980, and Prop 8 is an
obstacle they plan to overcome.
According to hrc.org, after Prop 8
passed in California on Election Day, Nov.
4, Human Rights Campaign president Joe
Solmonese said, “The courts did not give us
this right—they simply recognized it. And
although California has ceased to grant us
marriage licenses, our rights are not subject
to anyone’s approval. We will keep fighting
for them. They are as real and as enduring
as the love that moves us to form families
in the first place. There are many roads to
marriage equality, and no single roadblock
will prevent us from ultimately getting
there.”
I could not have said it better myself.
From the time we are young children, we
understand that when we’re older the basic
plan is to have a career and start a family.
So we grow up, get the career, find the
love of our lives, and then are told that the
type of family we want to start will not be
recognized by the state.
This recession we are in is not only in the
economic sense, but in the sense that for the
LGBT community, the future that had once
seemed so bright is now being torn down.
As a country we are regressing further and
further into a depression, and unless we pull
it together there will be severe concequences
that this generation—you, me, all of us—
will suffer. We need to start acceptingpeople
for who they are and not base the potential
lifelong happiness of a person on which
gender they choose to spend it with. Our
future is there, it’s ahead of us just waiting
for us to make the right decisions, and we
need to start making those decisions now
because let’s face it, we are the future.
4
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
News
Ice cubes banned
from school
by Ryan Miller /
Chatter Room Editor
There have been many cases in where
public schools have banned one thing or
another, sometimes for good reason. A high
school in Titusville, Fla., has just recently
banned soda fountain ice cubes from their
machines.
The reason for the ice being banned was
because some students found it funny to
start chucking it across the cafeteria, resulting in messes that could have made some
one slip and fall.
Principal Lori Spinner told CNN news, “
There isn’t a need for ice. We’ve already had
a few incidents, and they result in messes in
the buildings and the potential for students
to slip on the floor.”
“I object to the entire student body being
treated like children, because of a few immature kids in the cafeteria,” said 18-yearold Kavita Chapla to CNN news. “Why
can’t those kids just be dealt with rather than
punishing everyone who buys lunch with
lukewarm drinks?”
“It is wrong, because it is a common
good [meant] for the entire student body and
it decreases the satisfaction of enjoying your
drink,” said local junior, George Luis.
Principal Spinner stressed that the ban is
temporary, and she will determine when the
privilege can return.
Dargan Thompson, a senior, told CNN,
“Most people thought it was funny because
it’s so ridiculous that they would take ice
away.”
Teens abandoned by safehaven law in Nebraska
by
Amanda Alexander /
Copy Editor
According to cbsnews.com, since July
when the Nebraska safe-haven law took
affect, at least 18 children have been abandoned. The safe-haven law is when a parent
voluntarily surrenders physical custody of
their child to a hospital, fire department or
police station. Overall this law was made to
prevent abortions, and save children’s lives.
Recently, the majority of drop-offs were
teens. Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska
has recently agreed to put an age limit, to
prevent the abandonment of older children
at the hospitals.
It was stated that two teens, one from
Iowa and the other Michigan were driven
to Nebraska to be dropped off. This put Ne-
braska in an unwanted spotlight due to misconception of law. The safe-haven law was
intended to prevent infants, not teens, from
dangerous environments when unwanted by
the mother. Every state is required to have
somewhat of a safe-haven law. Nebraska
was the only state that had not been specific
with the age limit, until now.
Currently, Illinois has a 7-day period after birth. Most states let parents only drop
off children who are up to a month old at
hospitals. A 3-day-old age is now the most
common and will be put in to effect in Nebraska in January 2009.
Heinman explained that he rather would
not call a special session to change the law
right away. But, he stated that he would not
hesitate to call special session if more drop
offs included teens.
Designed by Taylor Roop
Arizona 8-year-old
charged with murder
by Megan McEvilly /
Features/News Photographer
In the town of St. Johns, Az., an eightyear-old boy has been charged with murder of his own father, 29-year-old Vincent
Romero. CNN.com states that along with
his father, he also shot another man in the
community, Timothy Romans, 39-yearold.
Police showed up within minutes of the
event to find one of the men dead outside
the house, while the other man was upstairs.
The eight-year-old denied having anything to do with these horrible events, but
later admitted to it after being interrogated.
Apparently, a .22-caliber weapon was used,
and it has not been said what his reasoning
for his actions were yet.
According to cnn.com, a Roman Catholic priest stated that Romero consulted him
and asked if his son should have a gun. The
father wanted his son to learn how to use
the gun for hunting, and taught him how the
use the weapon.
“What was the dad thinking? I don’t
think any kid should know how to use a
gun,” stated senior Kiani Kotrba.
A judge stated it was very likely the boy
committed this crime. Up for discussion
was a mental health evaluation of the boy,
and potential visitation opportunities for his
mother. The boy has been charged with two
counts of murder for the death of these two
men. He is currently being held at Apache
County juvenile detention center.
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
School News
Designed by D.J. Valera
Have dinner the Madrigal way
by
Sarah Silverman / Features Editor
For the past 12 years, MCHS choir has been hosting
the madrigal dinner. It features the Minooka Varsity and
Junior Varsity Madrigal singers, along with many other
choir students.
The dinner at MCHS is to be held on Dec. 13 at
6:30p.m. and Dec. 14 at 1p.m. It takes place in the cafetorium at central campus and includes not only a show,
but also dinner. The food is festive and always relates
to the Renaissance atmosphere.
The madrigal dinner was a 16th century pre-Christmas celebration and feast given by the wealthy for their
court and friends. Castle dining halls were transformed
with the reds and greens of Christmas. Feasts were prepared and entertainment provided throughout the meal.
Guests dined, enjoyed music, danced and “made merry” until the hosts declared it an evening. This historical
court feast was hosted by a lord and lady who presented
a lavish evening for friends to begin the Christmas season
celebration.
Tickets for the show are $20 for adults, $15 for students
ages 10-22, along with senior citizens, and $10 for children under the age of 10. Tickets must be reserved before
the show and cannot be purchased at the door.
This year, the hosts of the feast will be played by Kevin
5
Senior Kevin Vershay (varsity madrigal singer) said,
“There are so many songs we have to learn for the show
it’s ridiculous! In the end, though, it pays off and the show
is always a great success!”
There are also many other people that go into the production of this show. Mr. Randy Benware, director of
varsity madrigals, and Mrs. Linda Jaskoviak, director
of junior varsity madrigals, are the teachers behind this
event. There is also a group of bass players from the
MCHS band that will provide the music for the show.
Many chorus students participate, playing the role s of
townspeople, beggars, and acting as servers.
“I’ve been doing madrigal dinner since my freshman year. For the first two years I was part of the junior
varsity madrigals that performed and it was really fun.
However, last year, and this year as well, I am part of the
Varsity Madrigals and I love to be up on that stage singing.
It’s a good feeling knowing that you’re bringing people
in the audience some fun holiday cheer,” said Alexandra
Pocta, senior.
“It’s a good feeling knowing that
you’re bringing people in the audience some fun holiday cheer,”
said Pocta.
Vershay (king) and Kelsey McGuire (queen). The humor
for the night will be provided by the court jester, played by
Mitchell Pursell. The other varsity madrigal members will
play the parts of the guests of the king and queen.
“I love madrigal dinner! It’s always so festive and just
puts me in the spirit for the upcoming holiday,” said one of
the head servers Samantha Claysen, senior.
by
Allison Papp / Interactive Editor
Every day, nearly 16,000 children die because of hunger. That’s one child every five
seconds. Many people are aware that world
hunger is a serious issue that needs a solution
but don’t know what they can do to help. As
many MCHS students are learning, help for
these starving people can be as easy as the
click of a mouse.
Freerice.com is a website partnered up
with United Nations World Food Program
and Berkman Center for Internet and Society
at Harvard committed to the cause of ending world hunger. The way the site is set up
is like a game: the player answers questions
about various subjects to earn grains of rice, 20
grains per correct answer. FreeRice began on
October 7, 2007, and has since then donated
50,848,421,570 grains of rice to needy countries.
The first 10 minutes in all six of Ms. Sabrina
Dubik’s English classes are devoted to earning
rice and aiding world hunger using this website. The goal for the students is to earn three
million grains of rice by May 4, 2009.
“I thought it would be a fun activity to do
every class and a good way to get the students
involved with a good cause,” said Dubik, who
learned about the website at an AP conference.
Senior Alex Fisher said, “I think it’s a great
thing we can help starving people half way
across the world from our classroom in Minooka while still learning.”
“Free Rice is an awesome way to help
people in third world countries get help and
teaches our class good morals,” said senior
Mike Burns.
Since using this website, Dubik says she
has seen improvement in student’s vocabulary,
as well as the desire to continue to help outside
of the classroom.
“Many students have told me that they are
doing it at home and even their parents are getting involved,” said Dubik.
Freerice.com is a brilliant way to inform
people about one of the world’s most serious
issues and what they can do to help. For more
information, go to www.freerice.com.
Local Police Depts. awarded $60,000
FreeRice.com a fun way to help developing countries
Sam Kelley /
Editor-In-Chief
& Sydney Trepel /
A&E Editor
by
MCHS and the Minooka and
Channahon Police Departments held
a special press conference Nov. 19
to announce a recent grant they were
awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Grant Program.
The COPS program was founded
in 1994 through the Violent Crime
Control and Law Enforcement Act.
The program focuses on community
policing to help avoid crime altogether instead of merely fighting it.
The Channahon and Minooka
Police Departments applied for two
separate grants earlier this summer.
The first grant was awarded to put
in a closed-campus security system
at South, while the second grant
was awarded to upgrade the systems
at Central. In total, COPS awarded
MCHS and the Minooka and Channahon Police Departments $60,000.
“The grants help secure a safe
environment for students, and the
grants will help advance the mission
further in the future,” stated Dr. David Middleton, superintendent.
The application process formed
an alliance between MCHS and the
communities of Minooka and Channahon.
“We are very pleased that we
have these kinds of relationships,”
said Channahon Police Chief Ignacio Pena.
“These grants are to increase or
upgrade the camera systems we already have in place, and it is exciting. All three communities appreciate the partnership,” said Minooka
Police Chief Doug Hayes.
Minooka Village President Jason
Briscoe stated, “This is the third major project the three communities
have completed in the past two years.
We accomplish much more together
than we do alone. It’s great for our
communities to finally cooperate on
all levels after all these years, and
that we continue to work together.”
6
BY
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
Features
SAMANTHA KELLEY / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
e
Th
If one were to see a man
walking down a popular
street dressed in armor,
he or she would stare
and gawk. If that same
man went out of his way
to help a lady, it would be
considered creepy. But, in
all reality, the
man is just being a Medieval
chivalrist. The dictionary defines
chivalry as “knighthood: courtesy,
generosity, valor, and dexterity of arms;
gallant warriors or gentlemen.” This
definition might imply that chivalry is
dead. However, if read carefully, one
will comprehend that this is the Medieval
definition of chivalry.
When asked if chivalry is dead, one
might argue “yes.” However, a few
discussions among students at MCHS
Central Campus led to the conclusion that
the meaning has simply changed since
Medieval times.
“The meaning of chivalry has changed
se
s
E
f
o
e
nc
Designed by Samantha Kelley
replied, “Some (high school males) are
chivalrist. Some will offer to help me
carry heavy loads when they see me
struggling in the halls, or help me in class
with big stacks of papers. But, for the
most part, they appear to be chauvinistic
and un-chivalrist.”
Chivalr
y
a lot. I think it’s because
of materialism; things just do not
mean the same things anymore,” stated
Drake Roketa, senior.
It is suggested that high school males
in a relationship are not chivalrist, but that
A few high school males are adamant
might be because there is a new level of
about committing chivalrist actions.
trust that comes with a relationship.
Senior Steve Albert admits to going out of
“I think that chivalry still exists, but
his way to be nice to women.
in relationships, a comfort zone develops
“I was leaving school last year one day
and chivalrist actions do not happen as
and I saw a girl walking home in freezing
often,” stated Amy Strohman, senior.
weather. I offered her a ride home, which
There is also the question about how
she accepted. I didn’t know who she was,
men become chivalrists.
but it’s worth it to be nice when
Some argue that the way a
it’s appreciated,” stated
man is raised has a lot
Albert.
to do with whether
“Chivalry might
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others aren’t,” said
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Taryn McCoy, junior.
Another question
Regardless of upbringing,
surround chivalry is if it can differ by
most agree that some form
region. Different parts of the country
of chivalry still exists in our
have different moral values, and thus
world today.
might treat women differently.
“Some men still have
“I think that chivalry is pretty scarce
chivalrist values. It definitely
in Illinois in general. Down south, on the
depends on their upbringing,”
other hand, is a completely different story.
agreed Laura Meade, senior.
Men act so different down there. They
Junior Kenny Smith shows chivalry by helping fellow
When asked if high school
know how to treat a lady,” said Katie
junior Alex Szymanski with her books. Photo taken by
boys were at all chivalrist,
News/Features Photographer Megan McEvilly.
Rings, senior and Texas native.
Ms. Nancy Lehman, English,
“Basically, I don’t think it’s dead. But,
women want more freedom these days.
In high school, chivalry can be annoying
to a girl,” continued Albert.
“It can get awkward when it’s
overwhelming. Chivalry really just
shows how much you care,” Strohman
stated.
Whether you think it’s dead or
not, chivalry’s meaning has certainly
witnessed a whirlwind of change over the
years. For the most part, it appears that
high school boys avoid being a chivalrist,
but don’t worry girls–there are still a few
good apples out there. And guys–next
time a girl is walking up to the same
door you are, hold it open for her. A kind
action like that is sure to be appreciated.
Dead or Alive:
A Test
To find out if chivalry still exists
among young men, I ran a few tests
within the walls of MCHS.
Walking into school, a male was
walking just ahead of me. I noticed him
slowing down as we approached the
doors. Sadly enough, he slowed so I
would go ahead of him and get the door.
Needless to say, he failed the chivalry
test.
Walking into a classroom, I dropped
my pen by a male. He picked it up for
me. It was chivalrist: he passed the test.
When I was through with school, a
group of males were standing by the
student entrance doors. I had an armful
of books, obviously more than I could
carry. Not one opened or held the door
for me, or offered me any help. Ignoring me was not very chivalrist.
During class, an assignment required
students to borrow textbooks from the
teacher. Without asking, a male sitting
in by me grabbed a book for me when
he got his. An extremely kind action
like that deserves an A+ in chivalry.
Sitting in class, I dropped my pen off
my desk. The male sitting ahead of me
heard it drop and picked it up without
thinking. Easily, he made the grade.
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
Features
7
Designed by Jacqueline Kaluzny
One for the Record Books
Cross country has most successful season in MCHS history
“Without him we don’t make state,”
said Keck. “He has to learn to defend for
himself now that I’m gone, but I expect
Building Momentum
Minooka cross country coach Kevin
him to be top five in state his senior year.”
Summer running is a major
Gummerson had a feeling this was going
Gummerson sees unlimited potential in
part of preparing for the
to happen. After reliving everything during
the
freshman.
season. In past seasons senior
the last season of cross country and think“We
knew we were getting a good one,
Maggie Raynor somewhat
ing about what could have been, he knew
but I had no idea he would be
took the summer off. Howthis day would come.
this impressive. He
ever, this year she stepped
The Minooka boys and girls cross counhas the
it up and dedicated her
try teams erased last year’s disappointing
two
whole summer to runfinish, and both teams qualified for state for
inning.
the first time in school history. Both teams
gre“We were so close
finished 24th in state and have set the bar
dients
last year, so I wanted
at an all-time high in the cross country
needed
to make it this year
program.
to sucfor my team, so I
Senior Josh Keck knew well before the
ceed.
He
dedicated my sumyear what this team was capable of.
has
love
mer to running,”
“I knew we would make state at the
for the
she said.
start of my junior year,” he said. “We alsport
and
The season
ready had a good team plus we would have
is
always
started with two
almost everyone returning.”
trying to
To qu
first place finishes in the
alify
Last year, the boys qualified for the
learn
more,
for s
Bishop Mac Irish Conditook tate, the g
sectional meet where the top five teams
and
if
you
5th a
tioner. It was at this time
t thei irls cross
earn a chance to qualify for state. However
combine
that
c
r sec
that senior Rachael Williams
tiona ountry t
eam
l mee
the team fell just 10 points short, finwith
his
comtoo
t at M
knew how special their team was.
axwe k 4th pla
ished sixth, which left a sour taste in their
petitiveness he
this
ce
ll Par
“After that meet I knew how close we
k in N while th
mouths.
is
unbelievable.
was
also
e boy
orma
were to our goal,” she said.
s
l.
“It was disappointing because it didn’t
He
just wants to
Keck’s
fourth
season
as
Williams has been competing at the
even seem like a question if we would
a
varsity
runner.
He,
like
Williams,
beat
people.”
varsity level since she
was a freshman.
make it or not last year,” said senior Julian
was the returning MVP. However, Keck
So how far can he go?
She was
always one of
Hoshell. “We were shocked.”
was
No.
2
for
a
day
following
the
Sterling
“What
he
does
to him, but he has
e the top runners Invite. Freshman Kyle Smith turned on his the potential to be istheupbest
b
o
t
Keck took the loss more perMinooka runner
t
and entered
y jus
p
p
a
h
t
sonal.
ever,”
Gummerson
said.
infamous
kick
in
order
to
pass
Keck
along
n
e
the year as the
nt to b aid. “You wa
a
“I blamed
w
Both teams entered the conference
with two other runners in the final steps.
t
’
n
t
s
clear cut No.
o
s
d
n
e
o
g
u
s
g
o
i
r
Y
myself for
b
e
meet
expecting to take home two trophies.
“It
came
down
to
the
sprint,
and
he
is
“
1. However
umm
n the
G
o
”
e
,
c
e
it, but I knew
While
the boys accomplished this goal, the
one
of
the
best
freshman
in
the
state,”
said
r
”
a
the
oal.
when the
est r
g
b
r
r
u
u
o
o
there was
girls
came
home stunned being beaten by
Keck.
“I
knew
that
if
he
won
it
was
better
s
y
Joliet Invite
to run , and that wa
always next
Plainfield
North.
for
the
team
and
it
motivated
me
and
our
came around, Raynor
stage
year,” Keck
“It was really a news flash to us that it
team did phenomenal.”
defeated Williams. The surprising
said.
doesn’t
matter how your top runners do, it
“It
was
the
best
thing
to
happen,”
Gumfinish could have served detrimental to the
“It was definitely tough
matters
all the way to No. 7,” said Wilmerson
said
about
the
upsets.
“It’s
great
team. However, the team embraced it.
to take and I didn’t handle it very well,”
liams.
to
be
competitive
within
your
own
team.
“It was exciting to beat her because I
said Gummerson. “However it was our
They took the loss well and motivated
This began a challenging part of the
knew it would be better for the team for
best finish ever, and at that point, our goal
them
to
run
better.
We
were
a
better
team
season
for both teams. The following week
me to get closer to her,” said Raynor. “It
was state.”
if
Maggie
and
Kyle
were
right
up
with
would
be
regionals.
pushed her and everyone else to do better.”
The work to get there started in the
them.”
“Cross country” continued
“I had mixed feelings about it because I
spring. All of the returners participated in
The emergence of the freshman Smith
was happy for her and the team, but I lost
on page 13.
track and field. Then the team started to
was unexpected, but also imperative.
Tommy Stokke /
Sports Editor
by
think about cross country following the
track season.
some confidence,” said Williams. “However it was for the better because I pushed
myself and ran my best at the end of the
season.”
In a similar scenario,
8
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
South
Salute
Honoring leaders of our Country
Soozie Bahret /
South Editor
Whether it is a student, teacher, or
visitor walking through the front doors of
South Campus, all can see the new salute
to soldiers and leaders hanging on the front
hallway’s walls.
It is a new tradition dedicated to the
great people of our country by a great
person, Mr. Dean Auriemma. He is the
principal at South Campus and has no
problem sharing his ideas about the posting
on the wall.
by
Designed by Soozie Bahret
NHS. (National Honors Society) There
will be more pictures as they are submitted
of people who set examples under these
characteristics. The teachers have even
brought in school pennants representing the
education where they came from. All these
pillars bring faces to the names the students
hear but now can actually see.
What do you hope will come out of the
wall?
So what is this wall all about?
Auriemma: It’s a matter of trying to bring
to life those memorable figures that we
Auriemma: At the end of the
aspire to be. Hopefully the students can
announcements every morning, I wondered look up to them in respect and see the
how the students react to the dedicated
reality in their faces.
pledge. It seemed putting the face of some
of these soldiers might make them more
It really is a great idea. What made you
real.
decide to put it into action?
I noticed it says “serve” above the pictures Auriemma: There is a lot of bad in this
of the soldiers, what does this mean?
world, but there are millions of people in
this country who deserve recognition for the
Auriemma: Soon we will also be adding
good. The wall is showing real people who
sections titled scholarship, leadership, and have gone through real life living to show
character. These are the four pillars of the character, scholarship, or to lead and serve.
Colby Banting, sophomore, salutes the leaders on the “Serve” wall at South Campus.
Others Recognized
As far as aspiring students go, MCHS
juniors Trevor Pesavento and Dominic
Washington will be put up for the
leadership wall after their accomplishment.
Together the two designed a logo that
won in the IACTE (Illinois Association
for Career and Technical Education)
Conference Logo Contest.
“The logo we made was like magic,
it was very cool. It was very hard but we
percerviered and in the end, we came up
S get your gear
P
I
R
I
T
Want to show your school spirit?
by D.J. Valera /
School News Editor
Then invest in some school spirit wear to show your MCHS Indian pride!
Spirit wear is clothing for students and faculty to wear on Fridays to display
school spirit and show support of students in MCHS activities and sport events.
The concept was first developed by the athletic boosters who sold MCHS gear at
home football games.
South Campus Principal Mr. Dean Auriemma, along with other staff members,
started selling the clothing at the South Campus. Ms. Kim Swanson, Activities
Director, said that the spirit wear will hopefully be available at the Central Campus
in the future.
“We have started this at South based on student and staff interest and hope to
include Central in the future,” said Swanson.
Displays of the actual MCHS spirit wear can be seen in the main office and in
the cafeteria. Currently, t-shirts and sweatshirts are available. They are $10 and
$25 respectively.
wth the best logo,” said Pesavento.
As the rest of the wall and its pillars
go up, the students have indeed shown
respect not only for the faces hanging up
there, but the man who put them there.
“I think it’s really cool that they’re
putting the pictures of soldiers on the
wall,” said Dustin Maher, sophomore,
“Every time I pass, I look at them and
have respect for the people hanging up
there. It’s great that our principal cares
enough about us and them to put it all
together.”
9
Guns N’ Roes: Chinese Democracy
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
A&E
Taylor Roop /
News Editor
by
After 15 long years, it has finally arrived,
the sixth studio album from the band Guns N’
Roses, Chinese Democracy. The album was
released Nov. 23rd and will be exclusively
sold only at Best Buy. Chinese Democracy
is the first in a trilogy of the new albums that
will all be released before 2013, according
to Axl Rose.
Why was there such a big delay between
The Spaghetti Incident and Chinese
Democracy? There are quite a few reasons.
Mainly line-up changes and Axl Rose’s
becoming reclusive.
Axl Rose, lead vocals, is the only
original member of Guns N’ Roses still in
the band. The other members of the current
line-up are Dizzy Reed, keyboards, piano,
percussion, background vocals; Robin
Finck, lead guitar, background vocals;
Tommy Stinson, bass, background vocals;
Chris Pitman, synthesizer, programming;
Bryan Mantia, drums, percussion; Richard
Fortus, rhythm guitar, background vocals.
Paul tobias, rhythm guitar, and Buckethead,
lead guitar, are also featured on the album,
but they have left the band.
“It doesn’t feel the same without the old
lineup, but I still think it will be gnarly,”
said Tim Lofkey, sophomore.
The album contains fourteen songs.
The track list is as followed: “Chinese
Democracy,”
“Shackler’s
Revenge,”
“Better,” “Street of Dreams,” “If the World,”,
“There Was a Time,” “Catcher N’ the Rye,”
“Scraped,” “Raid N’ the Bedouins,” “Sorry,”
Role Models
Lauren Keers /
Editor-In-Chief
by
Director David Wain is still a relatively
unknown name in Hollywood. His two previous
directorial outings include the cult hit Wet Hot
American Summer and last year’s The Ten. He
was also a member of the sketch comedy groups
The State and Stella. Now he delivers his first
“Hollywood” film with Role Models. Does it
maintain it’s quirky Wain style, or does it fall into
bland predictable big budget fare?
The story revolves around two lovable losers:
Danny Donahue (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann
William Scott). They work together traveling from
high school to high school telling kids to stay off
drugs and drink Minotaur energy drink. Wheeler,
a KISS obsessed underachiever, loves his job and
spends most his time chasing after women.
Danny hates his job. In fact, he pretty much
hates everything, picking a fight with the girl at
Starbucks over Venti vs. large. He realizes he’s 35
and has accomplished nothing so far in life. This
misery leads to his girlfriend, Beth (Elizabeth
Banks), dumping him. This pushes him over the
Designed by Carissa Weyer
“I.R.S.,” “Madagascar,” “This I Love,” and
“Prostitute.”
There are many rumors about the sounds
of the new album. A lot of people think it
will be more industrial rock like Nine Inch
Nails and Ministry. This is because the track
“Oh My God” was released on the End of
Days soundtrack. Plenty of others, including
Rose’s good friend, Sebastian Bach, thinks
that at least part of the album shows good
old Guns N’ Roses.
“It’s a very complex record, I’m trying
to do something different. Some of the
arrangements are kind of like Queen. Some
people are going to say, ‘It doesn’t sound
like Axl Rose, it doesn’t sound like Guns N’
Roses.’ But you’ll like at least a few songs
on there.” said Axl Rose to Rolling Stone
Magazine.
edge. He cusses out a group of high school kids
then crashes the company’s Minotaur themed
truck into a school’s bronze horse statue.
Rather than spend 30 days in jail, the guys
opt to do community service instead. This brings
them to Sturdy Wings, a sort of Big Brother-type
program that is run by the not-so-sturdy Gale
Sweeney (Jane Lynch). Gale teams the guys up
with two of Sturdy Wings most troubled kids:
Augie Farks (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a dorky
loner of a kid obsessed with LARP (Live Action
Role Playing), a live action Dungeons & Dragons
game; and Ronnie Shields (Bobb’e J. Thompson)
an uncontrollable, foul-mouthed little brat.
From there the film sort of falls into the
predictable comedy pattern, the guys and the kids
bond, then both the guys screw up and lose the
kids, and are mad at each other and well, you know
how these things end. But amidst the familiar
story curve are some very wonderful characters,
very hilarious moments and enough all around
good storytelling for you to forgive the obvious.
Also, the film’s climax, that combines live action
role-playing and KISS in a way you have to see
for yourself is a perfect end to the enjoyable film.
“It’s a very cool album, it has killer
screams, killer guitar riffs, but it’s got a
totally modern sound. The word for it is
‘grand.’ It’s epic. He’s reinvented himself
yet again,” said Sebastian Bach, good friend
of Rose and former Skid Row front man to
Rolling Stone Magazine.
The album was originally supposed to
be released on March 6, 2007. The album
was delayed due to issues with the record
company. They transferred to Geffen
Records and Rose didn’t agree with the
marketing.
All in all, anyone and everyone who
wants to hear some old Guns N’ Roses with
some new twists should stop by Best Buy
and pick up a copy. It will be a great gift
to any fans that you need to shop for the
holidays.
The Girls Next Door: Move Out?
Carissa Weyer/
A&E Editor
Sadly, the rumors are true. Your
favorite Playboy bunnies Holly
Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and
Kendra Wilkinson are moving out of
the Playboy Mansion after tension has
risen between Holly and Hugh Hefner
over their breakup and Kendra getting
engaged. Here’s the latest scoop on
what’s going on inside the mansion.
Holly and Hugh have been
experiencing relationship troubles for
a couple weeks now, and finally split
up when Holly let it slip to a camera
man while filming that they are no
longer together. The camera man
asked her if he could go to the annual
Halloween Party at the Playboy
Mansion and Madison stated that she
couldn’t accommodate him, because
she couldn’t change the guest list
now that her and Hefner are no longer
together.
Even though their split up was
anticipated from the start, according to
buddytv.com and eonline.com, Hefner
by
has been down in the dumps about
their recent split. Not many details are
given about the split, but reporters do
say it was because they had different
life plans. Madison wanted to get
married and have children, and Hefner
didn’t. When disagreements like that
come about in relationships, they very
rarely last.
The girls will still be living in the
house and filming their hit TV series
“The Girls Next Door” for another six
months, but who knows about Kendra
Wilkinson. Wilkinson just got engaged
to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver
Hank Baskett. According to buddytv.
com, Wilkinson has found someone
she would love to spend the rest of her
life with, and Hefner wishes nothing
but the best for the both of them. It
seems that all have moved on in the
house except for Bridget Marquardt.
It is said that after the six month
contract for “The Girls Next Door” is
up, Hefner wants to end the show and
find new women to move in the house.
The search is on!
10
Top 5 Holiday Recipes
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
A&E
e
by Iman
e
Whipped cream
Directions:
Beat pudding and evaporated milk according
to package directions in large bowl; chill for 5
minutes. Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice;
mix well. Spoon into dessert dishes. Chill for 10
minutes. Top with whipped cream before serving
www. cdkitchen.com
2. Christmas Carmel
Popcorn
Ready in: 30-60 minutes
Difficulty: 3 (1=easiest: hardest=5)
Serves/Makes: 10
Ingredients: 6 quarts popped popcorn
2 cups brown sugar
1-cup butter
1/2-cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1-tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 package candy coated chocolate candy pieces
Directions: In saucepan, combine brown sugar,
butter, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring
occasionally. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla and baking soda. In large roasting
pan, combine popcorn, candy coated chocolate candy
pieces and sauce mixture. Toss until completely
coated. Place in 200 F oven for 20 minutes. Allow
to cool for 10 minutes, and then stir gently. Remove
from oven and let cool completely on baking sheets.
www.cdkitchen.com
3. Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars
Time 45 mins
Level Easy
Yield about 16 (2-inch) squares
Ingredients
Crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature
Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
d
Bradley / A&E Editor
1. Pumpkin Pudding
Ready in: < 30 minutes
Difficulty: 2 (1=easiest: hardest=5)
Serves/Makes: 4
Ingredients: 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 cup evaporated Milk
15 ounces canned pumpkin
1-teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Designed by Iman Bradley
d
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)
Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an
8-inch square baking dish with foil. For the crust:
Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor
with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine.
Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish
covering the bottom completely. Bake until the
crust sets, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the
filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwavesafe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened,
about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave
until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more.
(Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof
Recipe Continued
on page 13
d
4. Chocolate
Chip Cookies
d
Level Easy
Yield
26 cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
4 ounces dried cranberries or dried cherries
Directions Evenly position 2 racks in the middle of
the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking
sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. (If
Christmas is approaching!
Here are the top five
easiest recipes for the
holidays. These tasty
recipes will only take thirty
minutes to an hour to do.
Try to make one of these
mouth drooling desserts.
you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely
between batches.) Whisk the sugars, eggs, oil, and
vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk the
flours, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Stir
the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a
wooden spoon; take care not to over mix. Stir in the
chocolate chips or chunks and dried fruit. Scoop
heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared
pans. Wet hands slightly and roll the dough into
balls. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the
pans. Bake until golden but still soft in the center,
about 12 to 14 minutes, depending on how chewy or
crunchy you like your cookies. Transfer hot cookies
with a spatula to a rack to cool. Serve. Store cookies
in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.
www.foodnetwork.com
5. Ginger Cookie
5. Ginger Cookie
Ok Time
25min
Level Easy
Yield
30 cookies
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
5 cracks freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
temperature
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
2 tablespoons ginger preserves (see Cook’s note)
Directions
Whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon,
allspice, mustard, salt and black pepper together in a
medium bowl. Beat the butter and the sugars with a
hand mixer electric mixer on medium-high until light
and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides
of the bowl. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat
e
on medium speed until just incorporated, about 20
seconds. Add the molasses and ginger preserves and
continue beating until the batter is an even light brown
color, 30 seconds more. Add the dry ingredients all at
once, beating slowly to make a soft, smooth dough.
Use a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are
combined. Then beat again for 20 seconds. Cover
the bowl with plastic and refrigerate the dough until
firm, about 25 minutes. Put about 1/2 cup sugar
in a small bowl. With a cookie scoop or a small
ice cream scoop, portion the dough into a slightly
heaping tablespoon for each cookie. Roll the dough,
by hand, into balls. Roll the tops of the balls in the
sugar, and space them 2 inches apart on a nonstick
or lightly oiled cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm,
about 25 minutes. (The chilling is what gives this
cookie a beautiful, crackly crunch on top, and a soft,
chewy center.)Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.Bake
until the top is crackly, and the insides peeking out
through are dark and moist but not raw, about 15 to
20 minutes. Briefly cool the cookies on the baking
sheets, and then transfer to racks to cool completely.
Serve or store in a tightly sealed container for up to
3 weeks. Cook’s Note: Ginger preserves give lots of
flavor without the hard chunks of crystallized ginger.
It is found in most grocery stores
www.foodnetwork.com
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3 , 2008
A&E
11
Designed by Sydney Trepel
2008 end of year movie debuts
Jacki Kaluzny /
Features Editor
by
One of the best things to do this holiday
season is to go out with your friends and
see the newest movies. With there being
so many choices this year, here are some
of the best ones to choose from.
Four Christmases
Premiered Nov. 26
Starring: Reese Witherspoon and Vince
Vaughn
Overview: Four Christmases tells the
hilarious struggle of one couples attempt
to visit all four of their divorced parents
during he holiday season.
Rated: PG-13
Cadillac Records
Premieres Dec. 5
Starring: Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeffery
Wright, Adrien Brody, and Beyonce
Knowles
Overview: Director Darnell Martin brings
back the risqué, 1950’s Chicago scene of
Cadillac Records. It follows the lives of
American music legends: Muddy Waters,
Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin’
Wolf, Etta James and Chuck Berry.
Rated: R
Nothing Like the Holidays
Premieres Dec. 12
Starring: John Leguizamo and Debra
Messing
Overview: With the sudden news of their
parents divorce, the Rodriguez family
finds it could be their last Christmas
together. Nothing Like the Holidays shows
one family’s love for one another grow in
the process of keeping their parents from
breaking up.
Rated: PG-13
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Premieres Dec. 12
Starring: Keanu Reeves and Jennifer
Connelly
Overview: The Day the Earth Stood Still
is a remake of a 1951 sci-fi thriller. Keanu
Reeves plays an alien that comes to Earth
with a robot that will destroy the planet if
provoked. This movie shows the battle to
stop the robot from his destruction before
its too late.
Rated: PG-13
Seven Pounds
Premieres Dec. 19
Starring: Will Smith and Rosario
Dawson
Overview: Will Smith plays a suicidal
man who wants to make amends for his
past actions. He finds himself changing
the lives of seven strangers and falling in
love along the way.
Rated: PG-13
Yes Man
Premieres Dec. 19
Starring: Zooey Deschanel and Jim
Carrey
“Movies” continued on page
12
Upcoming game
releases
Ryan Kelly /
Opinion/Editorial Editor
by
Christmas time is a great time for new
video games coming out. There are many
games coming out now, and even after the
New Year. Here are some to look forward
to.
Left 4 Dead (Nov. 18)
(Xbox 360 Only) First-person shooter game about four
human survivors of aggressive infected
zombies. The goal of the game is to help
each survivor make it through the game
safely.
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin (Feb. 2009)(The
sequel to a game called F.E.A.R.)
This is a supernatural suspense
story about a psychic child who causes
paranormal crisis to anyone around her.
You play as a squad defeating these acts of
paranormal activity.
Guitar Hero: World Tour (Oct. 27)(The
first game in the Guitar Hero series to
include drums and microphone controllers
for drums and vocals in the game)
It is very similar to the Rock Band
series, but one thing that separates it from
the new Rock Band 2 is the feature of users
being able to create their own songs, and
upload them for other players to play.
Saints Row 2 (Oct. 14)
Similar to the Grand Theft Auto series,
it is a sequel that leaves off from where
the last Saints Row game ended. The game
starts with a man waking up in a hospital,
5 years after the events of Saints Row. He
is put in prison, but escapes and rejoins his
gang, the 3rd Street Saints. He learns that
his gang has fallen apart, and three new
gangs have grown stronger than them.
“Games” continued on
page 12
12
“Why the BCS” cont. from page 14
ing quarterback, Colt Brennan. It was the
Mid-Major’s chance to prove the doubters
wrong. What they proved in a 41-10 loss is
that they didn’t belong.
Why does a Mid-Major deserve a
national title chance? The schedules they
play don’t come close to those of the major
conferences. You want a playoff because
the Mid-Major school beat all their unranked teams, while Ohio State loses to two
top-5 teams doesn’t deserve a chance? The
fact of the matter is, if a Mid-Major proves
themselves by scheduling a tough non conference schedule, then that team will find
themselves in a national title game. But
you don’t see Utah calling Pete Carroll and
USC asking for a game.
However, the biggest reason why there
should not be a playoff in college football
is simple. There already is a playoff. It is
called the regular season. The college football regular season is unlike any other. You
have 12 playoff games. In college football,
you ultimately determine your own fate.
Once you lose, your fate rests in the teams
ahead of you. One of the greatest college
football games I have ever seen was this
year’s game that featured Texas Tech and
Texas. But what made it so great? It was
great because both teams and the fans
knew that the loser would take a backseat
in the national title watch. On the other
hand, the winner would be a favorite. The
Texas Tech-Oklahoma game is ultimately a
playoff game. The winner betters its chance
while the loser can most likely look to a
different BCS game.
Think about college basketball. Only
one time has a team gone undefeated
throughout the year, ever. That was the Indiana Hoosiers. In college basketball, you
can lose 13 games and make the playoffs
like Kentucky did last year. The regular
season means virtually nothing. When you
wake up Monday morning and check the
college basketball polls, they don’t mean
as much as looking Sunday afternoon and
seeing that Texas Tech jumped into the two
slot.
The BCS uses the coach’s poll as well
as the AP poll. Both of these are polls made
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
Jump
by human. These are compiled by people
with more knowledge of who’s the best
and who isn’t than you and me. So when
people say that we are letting a computer
determine who is deserving of a national
title chance, we are actually using a lot of
human opinion.
So lets say that we go to an eight team
playoff this season. College football is
giving five teams a second chance at a
national title. How do the teams that didn’t
ruin their chance and won all their games
get rewarded? Their reward is having to
prove themselves all over again. Although
they played their best all season and proved
themselves week in and week out, a playoff
comes in and gives those other teams a second chance. While with the BCS the best
team may not get a chance in the national
championship game, the two teams that
earned it and deserved it will. We already
have a playoff in college football, we don’t
need two.
“Playoff” cont. from page 14
and Big East). However, that does not give
us the right to use our opinions so they do
not ever have a shot to get into the national
title game. Even college football guru Tyler
Cap said, “BCS is influenced by biases and
a play-off would eliminate that.” A midmajor team could be extremely good but
they will never get there chance to play
in the National Championship. If we had
a play-off we could see these teams be the
George Mason of football. In every other
sport there is equal opportunity so why can’t
we have it in Division I football.
In the past years of NCAA Division I
football the season has ended with many
one loss teams or a few undefeated teams.
Instead of using our opinions to pick the two
best teams it would only be fair to have them
all play for the title. For example, have an
eight team play-off. This way the top midmajor schools will get in because they will
most likely be in the top eight and we will
have the controversial one loss teams. This
way we will have a clear cut champion.
All in all, with a NCAA Division I playoff Division I college football will have
finally evolved with the rest of civilization,
we will have equal opportunity with the
mid-majors, and we will be relieved of
controversy. It does not make sense that the
opinions of the spectators of the sport will
determined who will be crowned champion.
Shouldn’t the athletes decide who is
champion? The country has spoken about
our presidential election, and our nation
has voted for change. So, let’s change the
corrupt system in the BCS.
“Movies” continued from pg. 11
Overview: Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) is
just a simple “no” guy, never trying new
things, always saying “no” to everything.
Carl then challenges himself to say “yes” to
everything for an entire year. He now finds
that saying “yes” to things is better than
what he thought.
Rated: PG-13
Bedtime Stories
Premieres Dec. 25
Starring: Adam Sandler, Keri Russell, and
Courtney Cox
Overview: Skeeter Bronson’s (Adam
Sandler) life takes a twist when the bedtime
story he tells his niece and nephew starts to
magically come true.
Rated: PG
Marley & Me
Premieres Dec. 25
Starring: Jennifer Aniston and Owen
Wilson
Overview: Marly & Me tells the story
of how bringing a dog into a couple’s
relationship, changes their lives forever.
Rated: PG-13
The Spirit
Premieres Dec. 25
Starring: Gabriel Macht, Scarlett
Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Eva
Mendes
Overview: From the directors of 300
and Sin City comes a new thriller about a
masked hero who works to save his city
from a cold-hearted killer who is trying to
take over the city.
Designed by Allison Papp
Rated: PG-13
Valkyrie
Premieres Dec. 26
Starring: Tom Cruise and Kenneth
Branagh
Overview: At the peak of WWII, a group
of highly ranked German officers plot out
a way to assassinate Adolf Hitler and take
control of the government and end the war.
Rated: PG-13
“Games” continued
from pg. 11
Banjo Kazooie; Nuts and Bolts (Nov.
11)
Set eight years after the last Banjo
Kazooie installment, Banjo-Tooie, the
conflict in the game is between Banjo and
Gruntilda, fighting to determine who is the
true owner of Spiral Mountain. The game
features the use of vehicles to haul Banjo
and Kazooie around levels.
Resistance 2 (PS3 Only) (Nov. 14)
First person shooter that is a sequel to
Resistance: Fall of Man. It includes many
new weapons such as the splicer, that fires
electromagnetically charged saw blades. It
also features co-op play for the campaign
story mode.
Need for Speed: Undercover (Nov. 17)
Features race types such as sprint,
circuit, highway battles, and any missions
you need to complete. The game produces
a new “open world” map, which has over
one hundred miles of road and a large high
way system. It is the largest “open world”
city EA Sports has created for the Need for
Speed franchise.
James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
(Nov. 7)
First person shooter game that is based
off of the James Bond films Casino Royale
and Quantum of Solace. Throughout the
game, it switches to third-person view to
show that the player is James Bond.
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
Jump
“Top 5 Holiday Recipes”
continued from page 10
bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an
inch or so of water to a very slow simmer;
set the bowl over, but not touching, the
water, and stir occasionally until melted
and smooth.) Blend the cream cheese,
sugar, and sour cream together in the food
processor until smooth. Scrape down the
sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse
until just incorporated. With the food
processor running, pour the chocolate into
the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour the filling evenly over the crust.
Bake until filling puffs slightly around
the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the
center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on
13
Designed by Angela Mateo
a rack. For the Glaze: Put the chocolate,
butter and corn syrup in microwave safe
bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at
75 percent power until melted, about 2
minutes. Stir the ingredients together until
smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze
evenly over the warm cake and scatter
the crushed candy canes over top. Cool
completely, then refrigerate overnight. Cut
into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or
room temperature. Store cookies covered
in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cook’s
Note: To crush the candy canes, remove
wrappers and place in a resealable plastic
bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the
candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch
or so.
www.foodnetwork.com
“Cross Country” continued from page 7
The girls were coming off a disappointment at the conference. However, they
rebounded well and ran a better regional as
they advanced.
The boys however struggled during
their regional run. Although they came
away with second place, Gummerson
knew it wouldn’t be good enough to reach
their goal.
“They knew that if they ran the same
race, they wouldn’t make it (to state),” he
said.
The girls took the line at the sectional
meet with composure and focused on their
mission: running the next weekend at
Detweiller Park.
As the girls met after the race, they
weren’t aware if they made it or not, but
Gummerson described the feeling as,
“incredible.”
“If we finished 20th that day I would
have still been fired up because we attacked it how I wanted to and I couldn’t
help but share the joy they had,” Gummerson said. “They realized there that all their
miles they put in and everything they did
as they reached their goal.”
The posted results, minutes after the
race, showed the girls were fourth.
The boys took the line with the knowledge of the girls qualifying for state.
Knowing that eased the tension because,
according to Keck, they felt that if the girls
could do it so could the boys because they
were equal teams. The boys turned in an
historic performance as they too qualified
for the state meet.
Now that the teams had reached their
ultimate goal, what next?
“You don’t want to be happy just to be
there,” Gummerson said. “You want to run
your best race on the biggest stage and that
was our goal.”
The teams each came away with a
24th place finish, setting the standard for
Minooka cross-country.
“This team had the ability and the want
to do their best at state and when you
combine those two things good things happen,” said Gummerson.
The Right Formula
According to Gummerson, everything
needs to go right and you need to be at
your best in November. That is exactly
what happened with this team.
For the girls, freshman Nicole Johnson
was able to step up during the championship season. She competed in the Minooka
Flight Invite, but then stepped in at the
biggest time at the conference meet.
“She had the right frame of mind and
handled it with the maturity of a veteran,”
Gummerson said.
Sophomore Sara Castle earned her
spot at the end of the regular season. She
competed in her first varsity race at the
regional meet. She turned in a personal
best 20:26 at Detweiller Park.
Junior Kaitlin Hoy battled her way into
the top seven and was able to finish sixth
for the team in the sectional meet. She
registered a time of 19:50 at the state meet
as the fifth Minooka runner.
Sophomore Maddie Simon and junior
Rachel Morman provided the 3-4 combination in the middle for the team. Morman, winner of the team sportsmanship
award, was able to set many goals this
season and did whatever she could to
reach those goals. Simon, who wasn’t able
to finish the sectional race last season due
to an accident during the race that left her
unconscious, proved how mentally tough
she is in order to bounce back this season
and implement a strong runner.
Raynor established a work ethic this
season that perhaps wasn’t there in years
past. Her commitment to the team provided a huge boost in her ability to push
Williams and the other girls in the lineup.
According to Gummerson, she has a
“never say die attitude,” which carries
throughout the team.
Williams provided the senior leader
that every team needs. Along with Raynor
and senior Lizz Celmer, she led a youthful team to the greatest finish in Minooka
cross-country history. She was named
MVP for the second straight year. She
ended her season on a strong note and
ended her high school career making a
difference to her team and breaking 18
minutes, which had been a goal of hers for
a while.
On the boys’ side, freshman Ben Heide
stepped in and ran his best at the end.
Heide, a Michigan transfer, set a personal
record at the state meet and looks to continue his success next year.
Senior Ryan Kelley seemed to step up
this year when it mattered most. His biggest race of the year was at the Minooka
Flight Invite where he won his flight. His
leadership will need to be replaced and
will be missed.
Senior Joeie Ruettiger proved what
hard work can accomplish. His sophomore
season he ran over 21 minutes. His final
race was a personal best, 16:12. He was
able to put in the work and dedicate himself to the sport in order to finish in the top
five at the state meet.
Hoshell, senior, also ran a personal
record of 15:57 at the state meet. Gummerson said Hoshell is, “a class act in everything he does.” His team first mentality
helped his team reached their goal, as well
as his goal of breaking 16 minutes.
Junior Sean Coyle stepped up and ran
his best race of the year in the sectional
meet. He has a way of keeping a free
spirit; however, he knows when to focus
and did that all year.
Smith emerged as the No. 2 runner this
season. Following the leadership of Keck,
he set freshman records across the board
for MCHS. He has unlimited potential and
will look to lead the team and raise the bar
even higher next season.
Keck ends his high school experience
as what Gummerson describes as, “the
most decorated distance runner since the
Tom Clennon era.” Clennon led the boys
cross country to their last state appearance
in 1977. Named team MVP, Keck finished
his illustrious career with a 60th place finish at the state meet.
“I’m proud to run under coach Gummerson and I wish this team luck in the
future and hopefully they have better
runners than me,” Keck said about being
named MVP.
The team came into the season focused on a goal. They didn’t stop until
they reached that, and through the twists
and turns of each three mile course they
accomplished more than any team before
them. The best part of all, they did it as a
team and not seven individuals running for
themselves. As close as these two teams
were, it was only fitting that they both
ended in the same spot competing with
Illinois’s best.
14
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
Sports
NCAA Football: BCS
Why the BCS is here to stay
by
Tommy Stoke/ Sports Editor
One of the most argued topic in sports is
found in college football. No, I am not talking about the unforgettable “Bush Push”. I
am talking about the BCS system. Some say
is should stay while others think it’s time
for a playoff system. However, the BCS is
here to stay and rightfully so. If you take a
look into how the BCS works and what it
does for college football, this shouldn’t be
an argument at all.
First of all, BCS stands for Bowl Championship Series. The BCS is the system
used to determine the college football post
season. It collects data from the AP and
coaches poll along with the Harris bowl to
form a calculated equation to get the best
team in college football. They provide the
bowl games that give 68 teams a chance to
experience the post season. Some say that
is too many teams in a post season. However look at beloved March Madness. That
has 65 teams, and we aren’t even counting the NIT. This is one of the great things
about the BCS. It gives plenty of teams a
chance to experience a post season feeling.
You are only giving most likely eight to
twelve teams a chance at post season. The
bowl games give every team something to
fight for even if you aren’t in the top tier of
college football.
Many people don’t quite realize what
the BCS does not only for college football
but also the economy. While I credit Joeie
Ruettiger for siding with his next president,
Barack Obama, who also campaigns for a
college football playoff, if Obama wanted
help on saving the economy he certainly
wouldn’t touch the BCS. According to bcsfootball.com, the BCS bowl games generate $1.1 billion annually. If you think about
all the jobs available at the 28 locations
that bowl games are held, it is clear that the
BCS is good for the economy. Not only is it
good for the economy, but what it does for
college football is remarkable. Millions of
fans tune into college bowl games during
the winter. This provides great exposure for
the schools. Also, if someone sees a team in
a bowl game and buys that team’s hat, the
school gets money. That school can thank
the BCS for that. The revenue from ticket
sales also goes back to the schools. Thank
the BCS for that. Not only are ticket sales
effected that day, but think about years to
come. Fans will be more intrigued to see
a team they watched in a bowl game the
next season as well so there’s an increase in
season ticket sales as well. Thank you BCS
once again.
Some say a playoff needs to be enacted
in order to give Mid-Majors a fair chance
to win a national title. Well first of all, no
one wants to watch those teams. Secondly,
they should have to earn it through the BCS
and not handed it. As I said, no one is interested in these Mid-Major schools. In 2005,
quarterback Alex Smith led Utah to a BCS
bowl game. Ranked number six in the BCS,
they earned a bout with Pittsburgh. While
Utah wo the game 35-7, did anyone really
care? That game received the lowest TV
rating for the BCS bowls that year with a
7.4. More people were interested in watching West Virginia take on unranked Georgia in the Sugar Bowl as the game received
a 9 rating.
Who could forget Boise State? They
were the ultimate underdog. There overtime Fiesta Bowl game with Oklahoma
resulted in a win, but received only an 8.4
rating. More people were interested in the
LSU-Notre Dame game that year. On second thought, who doesn’t want to see Notre
Dame lose a 10th straight bowl game?
Scratch that argument.
Another perfect example is Hawaii last
season. Hawaii entered the game with a
high powered offense and a record break
“Why the BCS” cont. on page 12
Designed by Eric Klank
or Playoff system?
NCAA needs a playoff System
by
Joeie Ruettiger / Special to the PPC
In all sports there are always teams that
are considered the underdogs. There are
many people who love the watching David
overcome Goliath. However, in NCAA
Division I football, there is a system called
the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) that
takes opportunity away from mid-major
colleges from playing for the national title.
The BCS is a system of rankings based
off stats and voters opinion that ranks the
college football programs. The BCS is how
college football determined what programs
will play for the national title. In the BCS,
there are many flaws. A lot of the times there
are more than two teams that could play for
the national title game. Moreover, NCAA
Division I football is the only college sport
that does not use a play-off system. Why
is NCAA Division I football so different?
There are many people who are calling for
play-off because it is the only NCAA sport
that does not do a play-off, equal opportunity
for mid-majors, and for no more disputes on
who really is the national champion.
Admittedly, the BCS does work
occasionally. Some years the BCS will
have the two best teams play each other and
other years it will leave one of the two best
teams out of the national championship.
For example, there has been three times
since 1997 where the NCAA has declared
that there was not an undisputed national
champion and two teams had to split the
title. How can a team call themselves the
national champions when there is another
team also, holding up the trophy. Even
further, supporters of the BCS will say
that the BCS makes the regular season
more exciting and that it is better for our
economy. However, college football is not
played by professional athletes. They are
not being paid to entertain us. We should
not worry about the excitement for us we
should figure out what is fair to the players,
and our surging rich economy is not feeding
off of the BCS system. Without ever
experimenting with a play-off, how would
we know if play-off would not make us
money? So, let’s try something new. Even,
President-elect Barrack Obama even calls
for a change.
Why is NCAA Division I football so
much different than every other college
sport? In all other college sports there is
always a clear cut national champion. In
professional sports there is no type of BCS
system other than boxing and mixed martial
arts. NBA, NFL, MLB, and MLS all have
play-off systems. It seems that no one has
problems for those systems. It is time for
NCAA Division I football to evolve with the
rest of sports nation.
Many argue that mid-majors should not get
a shot for the title because of a soft schedule.
I will admit that many mid-majors do have
cupcake schedules, but let’s look at one of the
mid-major schools who’s competing for the
national title in undefeated, seventh ranked
Utah. On their schedule they have fifteenth
ranked TCU, sixteenth ranked BYU, and
twenty-first ranked Oregon State. Now,
one-loss USC and ranked ahead of Utah has
a schedule consisting of tenth ranked Ohio
State, twenty-first ranked Oregon State, and
twenty-fourth ranked Oregon. The schedules
are very comparable. So, why is undefeated
Utah behind in the rankings to USC?
Moreover, the regular season is considered
a play-off for college football, according to
a few supporters of the system. So, how can
a team with one lose, in the regular season
go to the national championship, and have
an undefeated team, Utah, sit out of the
national championship game? I would like
to see how that play-off bracket looks.
Most of the time mid-majors will not be
as good as the teams in the BCS conferences
(Big 10, Big 12, Pac 10, SEC, ACC,
“Playoff” cont. on page 12
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
Sports
15
Designed by Mike Noe
Meet the Coach: Bernie Ruettiger
by
Tommy Stokke / Sports Editor
Behind every great program, there is a
great coach. This is the case for the Minooka
wrestling program.
Minooka is coached by Bernie Ruettiger
and for the past 10 seasons, he has led the
Indians to much success. He has sent an
individual to the state tournament 39 times
in his tenure at Minooka, has five regional
championships, and has brought the team to
state three times.
Ruettiger described the program as
“good” when he arrived and would call it
“better” now. He credits his coaching staff
for the improvement.
“We have a great coaching staff and we
have been together for six years,” Ruettiger
said. “Coach (Paige) Schoolman spends
more time with kids than anyone, Coach
(Stan) Tischer does a great job with the
lower levels, and Coach (Mike) Butterbach
is excellent at getting kids out.”
Ruettiger, who was born and raised
in Joliet, grew up watching his brothers
wrestle. It was then, at the age of 10, that
he first became interested. He started
competing during his seventh grade year
and continued through high school, where
he attended Providence Catholic, and up strength is his assistant coaches.
“What has made me so successful is that
until college, where he started three years
for Eastern Illinois. His biggest memory I have always had a great coaching staff
is winning the state championship at around me,” he said.
However, he has
Providence in 1977.
noticed improvements
He started his
in his ability to coach
coaching career right
kids to their ability.
out of high school
His
knowledge
as the head coach
and presence is felt all
of Clifton Central,
across the wrestling
where he stayed for
room.
three years. From
“He expects the
there he moved
most out of his athletes
on to Bradleyand they know that,”
Bourbonnais for 10
said assistant coach
years. He has now
Schoolman. “If they
been at Minooka
do something wrong,
for 10 years, where
he doesn’t even have
he taught driver’s
to say anything and
education for six
the kid knows.”
years and is now
“He has a lot of
in his fourth year Coach Ruettiger has been coaching the wresof being dean of tling team for ten years. Photo taken by sports knowledge of the
sport and we all
students.
Along photographer Jacki Kaluzny.
respect him,” said
with wrestling, he
also coached underclassmen football at senior wrestler Marcus Rangel.
Ruettiger focuses on the team aspect of
Minooka for six years.
Ruettiger knows that he can’t build a the sport and tries getting his wrestlers to
program by himself. He says his biggest realize that.
“They read too many headlines. If they
just focused on the team, then individual
success would come,” he says.
He also has a front row seat to watch his
son, senior Joeie Ruettiger, wrestle. But he
isn’t a fan in that seat and he doesn’t treat
him any different.
“I treat him the same as anyone else. He
is a good kid and understands team firstindividual second and has done everything
he has to,” said Ruettiger.
So what exactly is it about wrestling that
Ruettiger loves?
“It’s old school; either you do it or
you don’t,” he said. “You’re responsible
for yourself and you can be as good as
you want to be. You can’t blame anyone
else, and it is all about toughness.”
“I want them to understand that the sport
is all about self-determination and sacrifice
for each other and themselves.”
His teachings reflect his personality,
and according to Ruettiger, wrestling is a
metaphor for life.
“They can give up something they like,
like food, and be able to survive, and they
can sacrifice for one another. This translates
into work, family and faith.”
The Revolution of Disc Golf
by
Mike Noe / Sports Editor
For a while now we’ve been seeing a
revolution of different sports in this country.
Soccer in America keeps on growing
and beanbags has replaced horseshoes as
America’s favorite party game. To add
another game to the list, disc golf, also
known as Frisbee Golf, is rising to become
another popular sport.
“It’s an overall pleasant experience for
all parties involved,” said Nick Kettman,
junior. Disc golf is pretty much exactly the
same as golf, only instead of hitting a golf
ball with a club, you throw a frisbee down
the fairway. The only difference is each hole
is significantly shorter than a normal golf
hole. Just like in golf with different clubs,
disc golf has different types of frisbees. A
driving frisbee has a sharp edge so that it
cuts through the air. Mid-range frisbees have
a less sharp edge, and putters are much like
your ordinary backyard frisbee. Disc golf
courses are just like normal courses with 18
holes.
Unlike golf, disc golf courses lack the
hazards in a course such as sand traps and
lakes. Instead a course may have different
obstacles such as mandatories, also known
as mandos. This is when the disc must pass
something a certain way. For example a tree
might be in the way with a right mandatory.
This means that the disc must pass the tree
on the right side.
Disc golf is a relaxing sport that is only
rising in popularity. There are several golf
courses in the area. Channahon, Shorewood,
and West Park all have a disc golf course
to play on. Ryne Jacobson, junior, said,
“I think that with all the disc golf courses
around here, everyone should get involved.
Its very relaxing and insanely fun.”
MCHS is even involved in the sport, as
students play disc golf in fall individual
sports.
The PDGA is short for the professional
disc golf association, which has many tours
throughout the year. This association has
helped spread disc golf throughout much
of the world, increasing recognition of the
game. Since 1998, there has been over one
thousand new disc golf courses built world
wide, for a total of 1,638 courses. A major
jump considering that from 1975, when the
first golf course was built, to 1998, there
was only 498 disc golf courses world wide.
Despite being considered the little sister of
normal golf, disc golf is slowly becoming
every bit as big as golf.
16
Inside
Sports
Peace Pipe Chatter, December 3, 2008
Sports
Conference
Champions
Cross Country
Josh Keck, senior-
“I am just proud to be
representing Minooka
Cross Country.”
Stats- 3rd place conference
meet, 15:46
Julian Hoshell,
senior- “My highlight
was running my best race
at state and setting a new
personal record.”
Stats- 11th place
conference meet, 16:37
Time to settle
the debate:
BCS or
Playoffs?
Page 14
Sean Coyle, junior-
“Being All-Conference
doesn’t mean much because
it has just become an
expectation for where we
are right now.”
Stats- 6th place conference
meet, 16:11
The
Revolution of
Disc Golf
Page 15
Kyle Smith,
freshman- “The best
moment of the year was
making it to state.”
Stats-4th place conference
meet, 16:02
Rachael Williams,
senior- “It is good
to know that I made a
difference.”
Stats-3rd place conference
meet, 18:46
Cross Country
celebrates
historic season
Page 7
Meet the
Coach: Bernie
Ruettiger
Page 15
Maggie Raynor,
senior- “The highlight
of the year was winning
the Irish Conditioner with
Rachael Williams.”
Stats-6th place conference
meet, 19:24
Rachel Morman,
junior- “My 200 meter
All-Conference
athletes
kick at sectionals was
amazing. It felt like I
was flying because I was
passing people left and
right. It felt amazing.”
Stats- 11th place
conference meet, 19:55
Designed by Tommy Stokke
Maddie Simon,
sophomore- “My
proudest moment was
qualifying for state this
year.”
Stats- 8th place conference
meet, 19:38
Football
Erick Smith, senior-
“It means a lot going from
not playing a lot last year to
all conference this year.”
Stats- 43 tackles, 46
assists, 8 TFL
Brandon Haase,
junior-“It means a lot to
be recognized with the top
athletes in the conference.”
Stats- 56 tackles, 55
assists, 8 TFL, 1 sack
Cody Jones, junior-
“It shows how much offseason workouts and extra
work goes a long way.”
Stats- 24 tackles, 38
assists, 1 TFL
Elliot Allen, senior- “It
is an honor to be recognized
for all the hard work me
and my teammates put in
this year because I couldn’t
have done it without them.”
Stats- 107 Att., 730
yards, 6.8 YPC, 14 total
touchdowns
Volleyball
Lyndsay Kooi, senior-
“It means a lot and tells
me that I worked really
hard. I am thankful for my
teammates and proud of
myself.”
Alex Hill, senior- “It
is nice especially because
this is the first time in a
while that our team has won
conference.”
Brooke VanAslden,
senior- “It is cool because
it is my senior year. The
highlight of the year was
beating Plainfield North.
Girls Golf
Amanda Cappel,
senior- “It is a real
accomplishment for not
only me but as a team
having three girls make it.”
Stats- 2nd place
conference meet
Megan Kezerle,
junior- “It shows that all
the hard work paid off and
this is the first time we have
won conference in a while
so that means a lot, too.”
Stats- 4th place
conference meet
Sam Gewalt,
sophomore
Stats- 7th place
conference meet
Boys Golf
Alex Walter,
sophomore- “The
best part of the year was
winning regionals.”
Stats- 3rd in the
conference meet
Josh Manion, senior-
“It’s an accomplishment
because it is my senior year
and it is something I was
proud to do.”
Stats- 9th place conference
meet
Boys Soccer
Tommaso Raimondi,
junior- “It is an
accomplishment because it
is a goal I set and worked
really hard to accomplish
it.”
Stats- 6 goals, 2 assists