Shanaviews - Bishop Shanahan High School

April 2016
Volume 58: Issue 3
What is the Right Fit
for College Students?
By Erika Goetz, Opinion Editor
Immersed in a chocolate souffle, dipped
into a glass of cooled milk, dropped into a
room full of strangers. There are few situations more nerve-racking to the human
condition than entering the unknown.
Page 2
Mr. Respect Life, Jack Ziegler,
Wins Mr. BSHS 2016!
Will Republicans See
a Contested Convention
this Summer?
By Eileen Mostyn
In order to take down Donald Trump, the
Republican party must go to a contested
convention. The danger of this is that it
could end up taking down the party itself
in the process.
Page 3
The Legend of the Legal Eagles
By Molly Hueston, Local News Editor
“The Legal Eagles” is a nickname that has
become part of all of our morning routines,
a new team beyond the sports field.
Long-Stick Midfielder
Ryan McNulty Named
to First Team
By Staff Reporter
For the second year in a row, Eagles’
long-stick midfielder Ryan McNulty has
been named to the First Team "2016
American Family Insurance Preseason
ALL-USA Boys' Lacrosse Team".
Page 5
Baseball Team Faces 7
Tough
Final Games
By Stephen Anderson, Sports Editor
The varsity squad has seven remaining
games and will face a collection of tough
opponents. A rematch against Shanahan’s
rival, Coatesville, and two games with
Downingtown West most definitely pose
serious challenges. Yet the Eagles are the
hottest team in the Ches-Mont and playing
their best baseball of the year.
Page 5
2016 Top Winners in
Battle of the Bands
By Katie Longenderfer
Competition was fierce, but when the night
ended, Kelly Basile and her guitarist Evan
Amerine took first place in the solo division with her flawless rendition of “Cough
Syrup” by Young the Giant.
Page 6
Mr. Respect Life, Jack Ziegler, along with his escort, Emily Hang, introduce themselves to the audience.
Ziegler went on to claim the coveted Mr. BSHS crown. Photo taken by Jessie Haines, Photographer.
Shennis - The
End of an Era
By Joey Blajda, Sports Editor
“...boys...this is a battle; a battle
greater than any before or after; pitting
David against Goliath. With enough divine
inspiration, and a little hope, we can fulfill
the scriptures and take down Goliath once
and for all!”
This rousing pregame prayer—from
Shennis Captain and team spiritual leader
Joey Blajda—preceded a 0 to 7 blowout
loss to Downingtown East, tied for the
worst ever in Shanahan history. Surprisingly
enough,
it
appears to
be a metaphor for the
entire Shennis season:
The
team
can talk the
talk,
but
when
it
comes
to
walking the walk, most members trip over
their own shoelaces. Who can forget an
instance where a team captain publicly
called Avon Grove “atrocious”, and then
led the team to a disappointing loss? Still,
on April 27th, Shennis headed into their
Senior night (or senior mid-afternoon, as
some call it) match against Kennet School
of the Arts and Sciences with a respectable
4 and 8 record.
But who were the brave men that led
the Shennis team so far? One cannot begin
a Shennis conversation without bringing
up the seniors on the team—their experience, coolness, and sense of entitlement
prove invaluable in the heat of a tennis
match. Captain Jack Dolderer embodied all
these traits as he kept the unruly JV team
in line. On the doubles side, Freddy
Cao took time to instruct the youngsters
on the team, while Michael Bradley
battled injuries through both games and
the much-dreaded town runs. But of
course, this year is the End of an Era.
After three years of sublime doubles
play, the tag team of Pat McKeon and
Joey Blajda must hang up their racquets
for good. As all these heros ride of into
the sunset, one can only imagine who
can take their seemingly unfillable
places...
Well stop imagining, because the
future of Shennis is here—and it
rhymes with Brian Honors. Yes, fresh
off a great season on the ice for
Shannypuck, sophomore-phenom Ryan
Conners has established
himself as top dog on a
competitive
Shennis
team. Freshman newcomers Justin Amerine
and Luke Ackerman
have given Shennis a
much needed jolt of
youth, and have created
a resurgence of popularity in Shennis among
the underclassmen. Michael DeBoer and Ben Schmidt round
out the Varsity squad with the best doubles record on the team. Finally, Jack
Ziegler and Timmy Blajda have shown
that its better late than never to get
started in Shennis, as they joined for
the first time as sophomores.
This has been a season of ups and
downs, wins and losses, good times and
bad times. But most importantly, we’ve
seen the street cred of Shennis players
go way up this year. Studies indicate
that members are getting as many head
nods as JV baseball players, for example. Still, as this season comes to a
close, one must always remember the
one, the only “Shennis”!
MR. BSHS 2016
By Patrick McKeon, Editor in Chief
After weeks of anticipation, the calendar
finally struck April 15. Known to the typical
American as Tax Day, April 15 took on a
completely different meaning throughout the
halls of Shanahan. April 15 was Mr. BSHS
2016. For those of you unfamiliar with Mr.
BSHS, it is an annual event in which male
seniors represent their respective club or
sport and showcase their ability and character through introductions, talents, and other
challenges.
The audience was treated to some interesting performances. Mr. Channel Two, Matthew Horger, showcased his technological
prowess and comedic timing as he performed a comedy special on Staples, his
place of employment, which culminated in
him flying a drone around the auditorium.
Mr. French Club, Chip Lemheney, performed a traditional Native American dance
to perfection. Mr. Baseball, T.J. Booth, Mr.
Ice Hockey, Pat Delaney, Mr. NHS, Joey
Blajda, and Mr. Shanaviews, myself, Patrick
McKeon, performed an original skit highlighting the struggles of a CYO Basketball
Team. Mr. Tennis, Rick Sun, had the audience searching for tissues with his heartwarming rendition of a Justin Bieber song.
After Intermission, everyone reconvened
in the auditorium and waited anxiously for
the curtain to be pulled back and the Top 10
to be announced. It wasn’t long before Mr.
Aquilante congratulated each and every one
of the candidates and announced the Top 10.
(Continued on page 4)
April 2016
Page 2
Opinion
There seems to be a negativity around
the country that is being called upon this
political season-- great dissatisfaction
can been seen especially in regards to the
government at the federal level.
The Bishop Shanahan student population is part of the Millennial generation,
which is projected to become the mosteducated generation of Americans. Currently, it is unclear how our generation
will influence the country-- but the rising
prevalence of those with high educations
is likely to play a sizable factor in deciding the outcome. So stepping into a new
environment may provide an idea of how
we would like to shape the country as we
begin to dominate the workforce. College
is becoming a taste-test of an idealized
world, and precedent for how we will
mold society.
Upcoming Events
The College Process:
A Junior’s Viewpoint
By Molly Hueston,
Local News Editor
Preparing for college is a daunting
process, or so students have been told for
pretty much their entire lives. We hear
from family friends or older siblings of
how difficult and stressful it is, and our
teachers have been warning us from the
beginning that our actions now will affect
our future. But yet, the idea still remains a
hypothetical in the student’s mind, something they will worry about later, that is
until they enter the 11th grade. I remember
my freshman year, sitting in the auditorium
listening to Student Council President
Kelly McGarry give advice to each grade,
with an emphasis on how she understands
the stress the juniors
are going through
and how much work
they must have, and
how it will get better.
Of course myself
being an overconfident Freshman I
huffed it off thinking
that I could handle
anything. But now,
as a junior I understand where she, my
teachers, and my family friends were all
coming from.
The feeling is universal, a mixture of
stress and fear, you may feel alone yet you
are going through the exact same thing as
every junior in the country! The feeling of
stress is ever-present in regards to college.
No matter what type of classes you may
take, everyone has struggles balancing
what they want to do and their social life
with their obligation to their classwork. We
all realize that we must give it our best
effort, even though that giving 110% doesn’t always feel possible. The other constant pressure is the unknown. Most juniors
are unsure of where we want to go to
school, or if we can even get in. It is hard
to compare our self confidence with the
criterion that colleges want and if we fulfill
those parameters. We become a label, a
score on a sheet of paper and a list of
grades and activities.
But we are so much more, multidimensional individuals. I have had the
blessing of getting to know so many
interesting, funny, smart, motivated,
and compassionate individuals at
Bishop Shanahan. If we could be admitted on personality alone, we would
all have an 100% acceptance rate.
As the year progresses, and soon we
will be submitting applications, I encourage my fellow juniors to form a
healthy relationship with our college
processes. First, we all need to create a
framework so that our motivation can
thrive. We will not be able to achieve
our dreams without working towards it.
The key is scheduling time for our
prep. But it is also important to put the
book down, and enjoy our junior year.
Believe it or not, it’s coming to a close
and soon we will be seniors with our
acceptance letters in the mail. We are
surrounded by so many amazing resources in this scary time, with information and valuable advice through our
guidance department and teachers. I
think the reason that this matters so
much to all of us is because it is not
just a test score, or a club, we are planning our lives for the next 4 years. We
are choosing our new homes, our new
friends and family, our new mentors,
and places to explore. Let’s remember
the excitement that is to come in times
of stress, and that our future will not be
unknown forever. Soon we’ll be the
seniors walking around the hallway
proud as ever in our college sweatshirts.
What is the Right
Fit for College
Students?
By Erika Goetz, Opinion Editor
Immersed in a chocolate souffle,
dipped into a glass of cooled milk,
dropped into a room full of strangers.
There are few situations more nerveracking to the human condition than entering the unknown. But just as tasting
sweet succulent chocolate for the first
time leaves a distinctive impression of
satisfaction, successful voyage into uncharted territory may reveal treasure. So
staying overnight in a stranger’s room, at
a college I barely knew, in a state I had
never visited was- if nothing elseenlightening.
"Are you supposed to go?" I ask my
dad.
"I don't know, I just follow instructions." He responded, referring to my
mother.
However, it is the director who issues
the directive; all of the parents are dismissed to a reception. Leaving us alone.
we being every awkwardly adjusting,
silent and stranded student. No one was
comfortable. Yet, everyone was here. We
recognized the importance of immersion
in a college atmosphere before committing to four years with individuals we
hardly knew.
Finding the right atmosphere is an
issue for prospective college students,
just as it is a problem individuals face
around the country when deciding where
to apply for work, where to live, and
what career path to choose. Clearly, it is
not the deciding factor in a life changing
choice, yet it is pivotal in determining
whether an environment will let one
“breath easy” or cause one to suffocate.
Most of us fail to recognize that the
United States itself has an atmosphere,
one which is nearly opaque since the vast
majority of citizens are living in it everyday. Unfortunately, our national feelings
are somewhat negative: Gallup reported
71% of Americans as dissatisfied with
“how things are going” in the country,
70% of Americans are not engaged at
work, and 41% of adults nationally believe relations between blacks and whites
“will always be a problem.”
Continued top right column.
May 15th – Fine Arts Banquet
May 16 to
May 19th – Senior Portraits
in Gym
th
May 17 – Student Council
EBCO Elections
th
May 20 – Freshman/
Sophomore Retreat Day
th
May 20 – Senior Prom. No
classes for Juniors and Seniors
May 25 to
May 29th – Band Trip
May 26th – Senior Exam
begin
Shanaviews
Editor-in-Chief
Patrick McKeon
World News Editor Matthew Waldschmidt
Local News Editor Molly Hueston
Sports Editors
Stephen Anderson
Joey Blajda
A&E Editor
Rebecca Leppert
Opinion Editor
Erika Goetz
Photographers
Diana Quinoes
Jessie Haines
Faculty Photographer Mr. Hetherington
Layout Editor &
Secretary
Colleen Ivkovich
Views expressed by individual authors do not
necessarily represent those of Bishop
Shanahan High School or the Archdiocese of
Philadelphia. Students interested in joining or
writing for the club can contact Mrs. Ivkovich at: sivkovich@shanahan.org. Meetings
are on Mondays in Room 212 after school.
April 2016
Page 3
World News
Panama Based
Law Firm Reveal
Counts of Tax
Evasion and Illegal Coverups
Pope Francis
Makes History...Again
By Emma Smith
Ever since the Great Schism of 1054,
no pope has met with the patriarch of the
Russian Orthodox Church. Pope Francis
changed that on February 12 when he met
with Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, adding yet another milestone
to his papacy. Both religious leaders were
scheduled to visit Mexico, and decided to
meet at José Martí International Airport in
Havana, Cuba, to respond to the persecution of Christians in Middle-Eastern and
African countries, such as Saudi Arabia
and Nigeria. Furthermore, they called for
world political leaders to act on that issue
and expressed hopes that the two Churches
would one day reunite, saying that they
were “brothers.” Afterward, Pope Francis
and Patriarch Kirill signed a joint declaration and gave a short speech, and then conBy Sarah Fasco tinued on their trips. Although some critics
say the meeting in Patriarch Kirill’s point
of view is more about gaining power than
resolving disputes, the meeting is a ray of
hope that the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches will soon develop better
relations.
By Annie Goetz
In the past two weeks the world has
gotten a closer look at the dark side of
globalization. In the first days of April,
the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published documents
leaked from the Panama based law firm
Mossack which revealed numerous counts
of tax evasion and illegal coverups of high
ranking officials and influential people
from around the world. Currently, the largest data leak in history, these papers have
implicated Vladimir Putin, the father of
Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain,
relatives of President Xi Jinping of China,
King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson. All except
Gunnlaugsson, who resigned as prime minister of Iceland, have denied connections to
the law firm. In addition to political leaders, many FIFA officials and players have
been connected. As for Americans, we can
be proud that none of our own have been
connected to Mossack - yet.
Mossack and other companies like it
are shell companies, or companies that are
nominal in existence. Shell or anonymous
companies are used to disguise the actions
of the company's founder or customer.
These companies have tremendous financial power, completing many of the same
tasks people can do. They can open bank
accounts, transfer money, and buy assets.
While these companies are not illegal, shell
companies are present in almost every corruption scandal because of the secrecy involved. A political official can create a
series of shell companies that own one
another and then lease out a hefty government contract to her own company without
suspension.While many of the world leaders above have not been formally accused
of anything yet, the connection of their
names to Mossack is just as damaging as a
lengthy court case. The Panama papers
seem to include illegal operations ranging
from tax evasion to money laundering.
Aside from the obvious injustice of
laundering money and evading taxes, many
economists are concerned about the greater
crimes that could be happening in Mossack
or a similar company. Dodging international sanctions and financing terrorism are
commonplace crimes with shell companies.
The solution will be difficult to come
by. In order to determine who controls a
company, an international effort must be
made to change private sector laws around
the world. International corporations of
this front has been slim. The Panama papers may be the break the fight for global
corporate transparency needed.
Putin on the Blitz?
By Matthew Waldschmidt, World Editor
Flying dangerous and provocatively
close to U.S. warships, Russian planes in the
Baltic echoed Putin’s conflict if the U.S.
continues to send ships close to Russian territorial waters. While some around the world
are slamming the panic button with dire predictions of World War, there is a more reasoned evaluation of the current situation. To
be frank, Russian planes flying dangerously
close NATO ships, and airspace is nothing
new or out of the ordinary.
th
Will Republicans See a Contested Convention this Summer?
By Eileen Mostyn
If you’ve turned on any one of the
major news networks in the past few
months, you know that election coverage
has been essentially nonstop. On the Democratic side, there is some competition
between Hillary Clinton and Bernie
Sanders, but Sanders would have to do
unrealistically well over the next two
months in order to gain the Democratic
nomination. The real drama is with the
Republicans, mostly due to Donald
Trump. After losing his home state of
Florida, Marco Rubio dropped out of the
race, leaving just Ted Cruz and John
Kasich facing off against “The Donald.”
Recently, the phrase “contested convention” has been brought up with hope
by some and fear by others. As it turns
out, both of these reactions are justified.
However, in order to understand why, it
is important to understand what a contested convention is. For a Republican
candidate to win the nomination outright,
one would need to earn 1,237 delegates.
Because of the unusually large field in
this election, the vote has been split in a
way that makes it unlikely that any candidate will achieve this number, and
nearly impossible for anyone to reach it
other than Trump. Should no one reach
the “magic number” of delegates, the
GOP would go to a contested convention
in Cleveland, where a candidate will be
chosen by party leaders.
In order to take down Donald Trump,
the Republican party must go to a contested convention. The danger of this is
that it could end up taking down the party
itself in the process. Many Republican
leaders dislike Trump because of his extreme remarks and frequent disparaging of
the Republican “establishment.” However,
if they choose Cruz or Kasich when Trump
clearly has the majority of votes, the controversy that would undoubtedly follow
could tear the party in two. For this reason,
some speculate that republican leaders
would choose a nominee who is not currently in the race for the presidency.
Potential danger aside, it is important
for the Republican party to go to a contested convention regardless of who will
ultimately become the official candidate in
the general election. If Trump wins the
nomination, many people, including a large
number of Republicans, would rally behind
the Democratic candidate, most likely
Hillary Clinton, just to keep Trump out of
office. If the GOP wants to win the White
House, they need to pick a moderate, levelheaded, experienced candidate. That candidate is not Donald Trump.
Oftentimes, the public does not hear
about such aggression since the Baltic
Countries have no air force for their own
protection. NATO regularly assigns different countries to patrol that air space.
Unless you read the Moscow Times, dredge
the bowls of the BBC’s website, or stumbles across yet another angry Fox News
article, the aggressions are not noteworthy
enough to report. Only the most serious
incidents steal attention away from what
Donald Trump just said, or Hillary Clinton’s latest email. Without coverage, why
does Russia do this?
There are many reasons; it is a relatively cheap way to test NATO defenses
and reaction times, it helps to booster
Putin’s image at home, and it reminds the
world that they have to take Russian seriously. Moreover, it is relatively risk free
for Russia as shooting down the planes
we have to respond because the threat of
a bomb, is more dangerous than the lack
of one (shout out to Fr. McCabe). However, U.S. effort is not all for nothing. By
reacting to these flybys in the right way,
the U.S. can show the Russians that we
have the technology and military strength
to be able to respond to potential aggression decisively, yet keep diplomatic
channels open so misunderstandings do
not happen.
This is a reasonable path to take. It
does not mean that we will not have to
put up with Russian tricks or saber rattling. What the world should ask is if
Putin has to semi invade countries, stir up
conflict, and blitz ships to show the
world and his country how powerful the
Russian state is? All of this noise may
simply be a smoke screen to distract Russians from an economy on the rocks, high
poverty, pollution, and corruption.
Major League
Baseball Predictions 2016
By Patrick McKeon, Editor in Chief
2015 was a memorable season. Fans
witnessed the reemergence of the infamous Alex Rodriguez, daring front office
theatrics by the Toronto Blue Jays and
Texas Rangers, and improbable playoff
runs by the New York Mets and Chicago
Cubs. The season culminated with the
Kansas City Royals winning their second
World Series in franchise history.
2016 is a new season. With the smell
of fresh grass and slightly undercooked
hotdogs in the air, baseball season is upon
us. Without further ado, here are my predictions for the 2016 season.
National League East:
New York Mets
Washington Nationals
Miami Marlins
Philadelphia Phillies
Atlanta Braves
National League Central:
Chicago Cubs
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers
Cincinnati Reds
National League West:
San Francisco Giants
Los Angeles Dodgers
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
San Diego Padres
American League East:
Toronto Blue Jays
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Baltimore Orioles
Tampa Bay Rays
American League Central:
Kansas City Royals
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
Minnesota Twins
Chicago White Sox
(Continued page 5)
April 2016
Page 4
Local News
Kimmel Center
Concert of Excellence
The Legend of
the Legal Eagles
By Molly Hueston, Local News Editor
By Kristen Loughlin
On March 22 , over 500 student musicians from elementary and high schools of
the Archdiocese of Philadelphia came together to perform in Verizon Hall of the
Kimmel Center for Performing Arts. Seven
musical ensembles shared their talents, playing in orchestras, concert bands, jazz bands,
and choirs made up of Catholic elementary
and high school musicians. Additionally, an
ensemble of singers and instrumentalists
from various Catholic special education
schools gave a beautiful, emotional performance to open the concert.
Each musical group performed three
challenging pieces that had the audience
applauding energetically. At the end of the
concert, all of the ensembles joined together
to perform a finale, a patriotic spiritual entitled "I Hear America Singing."
Bishop Shanahan was well represented at
the concert, as approximately 40 students
took part through the three high school ensembles, the All Catholic Band, All Catholic
Orchestra, and All Catholic Chorus, for
which they auditioned this past fall. The
chance to perform on the stage of such a
world renowned theater is a once in a lifetime experience, one which these students
will carry with them for the rest of their
lives.
nd
Robert Seefeldt - "Mr. Aquila" performing on stage during the Mr. BSHS show.
Photo provided by Diana Quinones, Photographer Diana Quinones
Photo obtained from shanahan.org
Mr. BSHS 2016
Shanny...Pong?
By JP Kennedy
With the 22 varsity sports, and 32 clubs
and activities, Bishop Shanahan might
seem like it has no more room for extracurriculars. But maybe, just maybe, something
is missing from this school: Shannypong.
Andrew Smyth, a sophomore here at
Shanahan, wants you to join him in his
journey for ping-pong glory. We all remember our first victory on the table of
champions. Is there any greater feeling in
this world than being a pong master? I
don’t believe so. But without your support,
this young boy’s dream will be fruitless.
The club will be permitted to begin next
year, but feel free to pledge your support
now so he has an idea of how many people
will be involved. He plans to hold competitive matches after school, which will conclude in a ping-pong championship of
grandiose proportions. If you have any
questions feel free to contact Andrew
Smyth who can be found at the fourth table
down at 6th period lunch (excluding lab
days), or in his homeroom, Room 209.
You can also email him at smythandrew21@gmail.com with any inquiries.
We hope to see YOU at Shannypong next
year.
Each candidate in the Top 10 was
challenged to answer five questions
that would test his knowledge of his
escort. Some performed better than
others in the infamous Dating Game.
Personally, I fell into the category of
others. After the Dating Game, the field
narrowed to five candidates as Mr.
Aquilante announced the Top 5.
1. Andrew DePompeo (Mr. Art)
2. Owen Luebbers (Mr. CSC)
3. Michael Vanic (Mr. Leadership)
4. Jack Ziegler (Mr. Respect Life)
5. Zack Cusick (Mr. Soccer)
Before Mr. BSHS was crowned, three
additional awards were distributed. Mr.
Originality went to Mr. Aquila, Bobby
Seefeldt, Mr. Congeniality went to Mr.
Tennis, Rick Sun, and Mr. Varani was
awarded to Mr. Football, Doug Costin.
After Costin accepted his trophy, it was
time to find out who Mr. BSHS truly
was. Mr. Soccer, Zack Cusick, finished
in Fifth Place, Mr. Art, Andrew DePompeo, finished in Fourth Place, and
Mr. Leadership, Michael Vanic finished in Third Place. Finally, Mr. CSC,
Owen Luebbers, and Mr. Respect Life,
Jack Ziegler, journeyed to the center of
the stage. After weeks of preparation,
Mr. BSHS was about to be crowned in
a matter of seconds. Mr. Respect Life,
Jack Ziegler, was about to be crowned
in a matter of seconds. Last year’s winner, Danny Pearson, crowned and
knighted Ziegler, and the crowd applauded their new monarch. The night
was over.
In conclusion, Mr. BSHS 2016 was a
monumental success. It is safe to say
that Mr. BSHS is one of Shanahan’s
best traditions.
Bowling Team
that Took 1st
Place
By Staff Reporter
1st Place Team - 2016 - 2015 Champions:- "The Pillsbury Bowl Boys" Brett Gibbs, Connor Kilcoyne, Josh
Richter, and Danny Conlon.
Sadowski Placed
2nd All-Around
By Staff Reporter
Junior Jade Sadowski, competed at the
"Level 9" Pennsylvania State Championships for Gymnastics on March 19, 2016.
In her age division Jade placed 2nd AllAround with a score of 37.7. With her
score, she has qualified to compete at
Regionals. Photo provided by Mr.
Hetherington.
We all have heard of Shanahan’s Mock
Trial team, as they get an almost daily
shout out on the school news. “The Legal
Eagles” is a nickname that has become part
of all of our morning routines, a new team
beyond the sports field. The process begins
far before the case is even released, in December when the team works together to
memorize laws and rules. Learning to think
and speak like a lawyer is the first step.
When the case is released, the team joins
together to learn the ins and outs of the
case. Witnesses adopt a new identity,
thinking and speaking as if they were that
witness. Lawyers develop questions to ask
their witness, to strengthen their case,
while they create cross examination questions to catch the other side in a lie or
weaken their points.
This year's case was a civil one, but
was quite interesting as it was centered in a
feud and popular technology, all coming
down to the meaning of a single word. The
case was about a nature preserve, led by a
perhaps overzealous Stacey Earhart who
would do anything for nature. She was
constantly arguing with the local hunt club,
and in an effort to keep tabs on them and
threaten them, flew a drone for surveillance. She signed a contract for the drone
and the preserve bought insurance in case
an accident happened. And surely, an accident did happen, one day she was flying
the drone over the hunt club and it came
too close- scaring the horse and paralyzing
the rider. Now, the case was brought to
court on whether the insurance company
had to pay for the claim or not based on the
question of whether the accident was intentional, and if Stacey had broken the policy
by incorrectly modifying the drone. The
question was what modifications were acceptable and what were not, the word
“material” on the contract leaving room for
debate.
Shanahan fielded two teams, one for
defense and one for prosecution. Prosecution had lawyers Joey Blajda, Pat Kelly,
and Sarah Fertal, with witnesses Phillip
Mullin, Theresa Le, and Caroline Geiger.
Defense lawyers were Molly Hueston, Anthony Fonash, and Matthew Newton, with
witnesses Kolby Bean, Colleen Bradley,
and Keith Meenan. The defense team successfully won their case. While this is a
competition, where the most prepared,
confident, and intelligent will win, it also is
extremely fun. With the leadership of
president Phil Mullin, Moderator Mr. Arthur, faculty members Mrs.
Cusatis
and Mr.
McGinnis,
it is a ton
of fun!
BSHS
April 2016
Page 5
Sports
Baseball Team
Faces 7 Tough
Final Games
Long-Stick Midfielder Ryan
McNulty Named to First Team
By Staff Reporter
By Stephen Anderson, Sports Editor
For the second year in a row, Eagles’ long-stick midfielder Ryan McNulty has been
named to the First Team "2016 American Family Insurance Preseason ALL-USA Boys'
Had you listened in on the huddle after Lacrosse Team". Players were selected based on accomplishments on the field and
a Shanahan baseball game just a few weeks strength of opposition during the high school season. Photo provided by the Daily Local
ago, you would have thought you stumbled News
into a 2015 Phillies meeting. Sitting at a
dismal one and five through the first six
games, the baseball team kneeled with
heads cast low and faces ashen with embarrassment. Coach Boyko, looking at four
straight losses, put it simply, “We stink.
Right now, we stink.” The team knew they
had the talent to win. They just needed to
find a way to win together.
Flash forward two weeks and six
games. The after-game huddle was very
different indeed. Smiles stretched across
every face, and an air of confidence and
swagger vibrated among the players. The
Eagle’s record was now a pretty seven and
five. Six consecutive wins had catapulted
the team from the bottom of the ChesMont to serious contenders. Wins against
Avon Grove, West Chester East, Kennett,
Octorara, West Chester Rustin and Sun
Valley mounted into an incredible streak
back into the Ches-Mont race and reinvigorated district playoff hopes.
What exactly happened to get the team
on the winning track? They started playing
as a unit and made sure to cut down on
mistakes. Of course it didn’t hurt that the
bats finally came alive and runs started
pouring in. Ace pitcher Riley O’Day
stepped up for Shanahan, becoming a
feared force on the mound throughout the
Ches-Mont. His brother Nick O’Day
By Staff Reporter
stepped into the leadoff role and had three
home runs over the last three Eagle wins.
Members of the 2015-2016 Ches-Mont Champion Girls' Basketball Team have been
Dan Browne rose as a clutch relief pitcher.
T.J. Booth thrived on the mound, got hit by named All-League. They are (left to right) Devon Adams, Kelly Basile, Ciara Forde,
more than a few pitches, and laid down Grace Phillips, and Courtney Warley.
clutch bunts. David Angelo proved to be a
vacuum at second base. Joe Hurley moved
up from J.V. to play shortstop and undoubtedly earned a spot on the starting
lineup. Each member of the team found his
role and began to contribute any way he
could. The result was sound baseball and a
string of wins.
The varsity squad has seven remaining
games and will face a collection of tough
opponents. A rematch against Shanahan’s
rival, Coatesville, and two games with
Downingtown West most definitely pose
serious challenges. Yet the Eagles are the
hottest team in the Ches-Mont and playing
their best baseball of the year. Each game
they have improved and that momentum
will hopefully be enough to finish the season strong. At this point the question is not
whether Shanahan will lose and break the
win streak, but whether any team can play
well enough to stop them. No matter what
Currently, the team is 4-4 with plenty
happens, the boys have proven themselves
of games left to be played. Perhaps the
to be fighters and their comeback has been
Eagles’ greatest victory thus far was their
incredibly impressive. Here’s to a great
17-7 victory over neighboring rivals, Henrest of the season and the chance at making
derson High School. Evidently, the girls
school history with a deep playoff run.
have quite a bit of offensive fire power,
By Katie Longenderfer
which can be attributed to the commendAfter their heartbreaking loss in the able amount of athleticism and chemistry
second round of district playoffs, which that the team has to offer. Alyssa Manley
put an end to their 2015 season, the summed it up perfectly when she said,
Shanahan girls’ lacrosse team is hungry for “Our team is like a family. We rely on God
redemption. Despite graduating six sen- and hard work. We are all team players and
iors, the girls are rising to the occasion and really want to do whatever we can to win.
filling their shoes with the help of fresh- We have strengths in every single player
men Gianna DeCesaris and Jess Gorr. As showing their potential and talent by playwell as having young talent, the current ing hard and practicing...pushing each
faces of Shanahan girls’ lacrosse, as well other to do our best is something we all
as the team’s fearless leaders, are Tara strive to do.” Alyssa is part of the junior
Morrissey, who is headed to West Chester trifecta comprised of herself, Kenzie
University to continue her lacrosse career, Staska and Anna Seifert, who are all
Cara DiValerio, and Mary (Seace) Cor- headed to St. Joseph’s University to play
Division 1 lacrosse.
coran.
Photo obtained from shanahan.org
Lady Eagles Named All-League
Girls’ Lacrosse Shows
Athleticism &
Chemistry
Major League Baseball Predictions
2016 (Continued from page 3)
American League West:
Houston Astros
Texas Rangers
Los Angeles Angels
Seattle Mariners
Oakland Athletics
National League Playoffs:
Wild Card: Pirates OVER Dodgers
NLDS: Cubs OVER Pirates
NLDS: Mets OVER Giants
NLCS: Cubs OVER Mets
American League Playoffs:
Wild Card: Rangers OVER Red
Sox
ALDS: Royals OVER Rangers
ALDS: Astros OVER Blue Jays
ALCS: Royals OVER Astros
World Series:
Royals OVER Cubs
Awards:
NL MVP: Paul Goldschmidt
(Diamondbacks)
AL MVP: Carlos Correa (Astros)
NL Cy Young: Gerrit Cole (Pirates)
AL Cy Young: Chris Sale (White
Sox)
NL Rookie of the Year: Corey Seager (Dodgers)
AL Rookie of the Year: Byron Buxton (Twins)
NL Comeback Player of the Year:
Adam Wainwright
(Cardinals)
AL Comeback Player of the Year:
Joe Mauer (Twins)
NL Manager of the Year: Terry
Collins (Mets)
AL Manager of the Year: A.J.
Hinch (Astros)
Executive of the Year: Jeff Luhnow
(Astros)
Mascot of the Year: Phillie Phanatic
(Phillies)
The Eagles are approaching the midway point of their season, and have high
expectations for making it to the district
playoffs. The sky's the limit when it comes
to this amazing group of girls, who are
great friends both on and off the field I cannot wait to see what they will accomplish in the weeks to come!
Photo obtained from shanahan.org
BSHS
April 2016
Page 6
Arts & Entertainment
Photo provided by Mr. Hetherington
2016 Top Winners in Battle of
the Bands
By Katie Longenderfer
On March 11th, hundreds of people
gathered into Shanahan’s auditorium for a
night of entertainment and fun. The annual
Battle of the Bands competition was a
smashing success, allowing students to
showcase their amazing talents of singing
or playing an instrument. Competition was
fierce, but when the night ended, Kelly
Basile and her guitarist Evan Amerine took
first place in the solo division with her
flawless rendition of “Cough Syrup” by
Young the Giant. Kaylee Swope got second
place with her song, “Butterfly Fly Away”,
originally by Miley Cyrus, and Owen
Leubbers, with Grace Wible on the bass,
took the third place spot with his cover of
“Latch” by Sam Smith.
As for the bands, Magic Lemon walked
away with the first prize trophy, followed
by Truth, who got second place, and Front
Page, who claimed third. Gluten Free Singles was awarded honorable mention.
Those who did not receive awards gave
great performances, (including Mr.
McCormick’s performance on the bongos!)
and kept the crowd engaged throughout the
night!
Shanahan Hits the World Stage
By Rebecca Leppert, A&E Editor
Shanahan took on Washington D.C.
this weekend as students raised their
Model UN placards for the first time.
Hundreds of students from across the
nation, and around the world, met for the
annual WAMUNC conference run by
George Washington University college
students. Each “delegate” was granted
representation of a country and presented
the opportunity to debate global issues
and establish resolutions while following
real United Nations Parliamentary procedure.
Topics of debate were numerous as
the students from the various countries
that comprised the delegations; it was not
unusual to meet high school students
from South Africa, Japan, Ukraine or
Puerto Rico. General Assemblies mimicked true compromise while Crisis Committee delegates anxiously awaited midnight phone calls where session would
suddenly begin due to a terrorist attack,
natural disaster, or a dictator’s assassination. Authentically pertinent to understanding international affairs, Modern
UN tackles all the current developments
in the news today.
Complete with metro excursions to
the National Mall and a delegate dance,
Bishop Shanahan students of the World
Affairs Club all agreed the conference
was an unique experience filled with fun.
Sophomore Brendan Manning and Junior
Maggie Hutchinson both won Honorable
Mention certificates for their committees.
From March 31st through April 3rd, 11 members of the Bishop Shanahan World Affairs Club stayed in our nation's capital to compete in the "Washington Area Model
United Nations Conference". The event drew over 1200 delegates from 60 high
schools worldwide. Pictured here standing are Chris Carlin, John Jursca, Rebecca
Leppert, and Daniel Costello. Seated at the table are Kate Jursca, Anna Goetz, Kate
Longenderfer, Brendan Manning, Maggie Hutchison, and Jill Lloyd. Missing from
picture is Molly Hueston. Photo provided by Mr. Hetherington.
“Seek the things that are
found above.”
Pope Francis’
Acting Debut
By Emma Smith
Pope Francis is still making headlines.
In early February, it was announced that
the pope will be acting in an AMBI Pictures movie called “Beyond the Sun”
aimed at spreading the Gospel to children
in a relatable way. According to the filmmakers, the movie’s purpose is to
“encourage audiences of all ages to transmit Jesus’ words, to understand
them...make good choices and help others.” In the movie, children from around
the world who set good examples will
attempt to find Jesus in their lives. Further, all profits from the film will be donated to Argentinian charities-Pope Francis’ home country.
Interestingly, the movie was inspired
by Pope Francis’ call to consider children
when making films about Jesus. However, the Vatican has announced that
Pope Francis will not be acting in the
movie, stating that he is “not an actor.”
Still, AMBI, who wants the pope to play
himself in their movie, could use previous, published footage. If Pope Francis
does act in the movie, he will make history by becoming the first Bishop of
Rome to do so.