February, 2008 - Findlay High School

WEATHER
&
BLUE GOLD
F i n d l a y
Senior
Alisha
Thomas
FRIDAY
Rain/Snow Mix
High 36, Low 28
SATURDAY
Volume 85, Issue 4
Partly Cloudy
High 33, Low 26
SUNDAY
Partly Cloudy
High 34, Low 24
EVENTS
H i g h
S c h o o l
Findlay High School’s Award Winning Newspaper
Library
promotes
black history
Pick your
perfect cupid
See page 4
See page 6
Friday, February 1, 2008
Hockey faces
big competition
See page 8
Voter registration deadline is Monday
n
Jessica Alba (above)
stars in The Eye,
opening tonight, a
thriller about a blind
woman who regains
her eyesight only to
see terrible things.
Mark your
calendars
Two hour delay
Feb. 7
CARE Club
Valagram Fundraiser
through Feb. 8
VALENTINE’S
Valentine’s Day is 13
days away, so here
are some fun facts
to get you in that
romantic mood.
On average, men
will spend $130 on
Valentine’s
Day
36 million heart
shaped boxes of
candy will be sold
this year
About 1
billion
Valentine’s Day
cards will be sent
this year, according
to the Greeting Card
Association.
By Emily Rivest
Registering to vote is a lot easier for
high school seniors because government
teachers are handing out the necessary
papers to students and helping them
complete the forms.
Besides just registering, it is important
for younger people to vote because of
how it will affect them in the future.
“We need to step up to the plate and
start making adult decisions,” senior
Laura Ornella said. “It’s going to affect
us, voting is a pretty important decision.
“If you have the ability and
opportunity to affect our world in a
positive way, you should.”
In November’s presidential election,
voting is especially important because
younger people could make a difference
in the outcome.
For example, 22 percent of Iowa
Democratic caucus winner Barack
Obama’s voters were under 30. Also,
New Hampshire’s Republican primary
winner John McCain won 27 percent of
voters under 24.
Social studies teachers hope that, by
registering, students will become more
involved in the political process.
“One of the jobs of the Social Studies
Department is to produce informed,
interested citizens and part of that
process is learning about the system,
becoming interested in the system and
participating in the system,” teacher
Mike Janton said.
Not many people vote in Hancock
County, so every vote is important.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a high
voter turnout,” Board of Elections deputy
director Jody O’Brien said. “It was only
about 28 percent turnout in the last
general election.
“You’re the generation that it’s going
to affect. It’s important that you get out
to vote and get your parents out to vote.”
1,198 locations
across the country
will be making
chocolate for
Valentine’s Day
Junior
Becca Smoody
BLACK HISTORY
In honor of Black
History Month, here
are some notable
black Americans you
probably don’t know.
Crum
George
Crum
created
potato
chips.
Lewis Latimer
helped make light
bulbs last longer.
Garrett A.
Morgan
invented the
first traffic
signal.
Morgan
all images courtesy of
www.google.com/images (fair use)
INDEX
2 Editorial
3 Entertainment
4 News/Feature
5 Feature
6 Useless Info
7 Sports
8 Sports
Teacher Mike Janton gives his government class some help with filling out the forms to register to vote. Teens are encouraged to vote because of
the difference they can make and the way it will affect their generation.
The diversity of the candidates,
including a black man and a woman, are
making many voters enthusiastic, but some
are worried that they won’t have good ideas
to match the hype.
“What I’m most concerned about is why
people want (Hillary) Clinton or Obama
to be president,” Ornella said. “We need
a change, but just because someone is of a
different ethnicity or gender doesn’t mean
it’s the right type of change.
“It’s cool that people are seriously
considering a woman and a black man being
president, but the person needs to have
views to support being a candidate.”
Also, this year’s primaries have been
very close, which makes the race even more
exciting to participate in.
“It’s really interesting,” senior Xanthe
Paul said. “The Republican Party doesn’t
have a clear front-runner yet and the
Democrats are going to either have a woman
or African-American nominee so it’s going
to be an exciting election to vote in. I’m glad
I can vote this year.”
Anyone who wants to register to vote
can download an application from www.
hancockboardofelections.com or pick one up
from Janton or teacher Maureen Gannon in
room 263.
The forms can be turned in to the board
of elections office at 201 E. Lincoln St. by
February 4.
Rehearsals begin for musical, Beauty and the Beast
n
What’s your
favorite part of
Valentine’s Day?
“My favorite part
is celebrating my
birthday by getting
chocolate, flowers
AND presents.”
photo by Katie Kehres
Sign me up
Rehearsal time
photo by Katie Trinko
Juniors Matt Rarey (Beast) and Kara
Haggerty (Belle) practice their lines for
Beauty and the Beast. The show will run
April 11-13 in R.L. Heminger Auditorium.
By Emily Rivest
Two juniors will lead the cast of Beauty
and the Beast, this year’s spring musical.
Matt Rarey will play the Beast while
Kara Haggerty fills the role of Belle.
The show, based on the Disney movie,
will have most of the same music as the film,
which might be an advantage to the cast.
“Most kids know the show. Last year,
with Children of Eden, no one knew the
show,” Debbie Benson, co-director and coproducer, said. “The cast had to learn the
story and the music.
“It’s going to be a show that everyone
will know the songs and characters.
For Rarey, though, playing the Beast,
then transforming into the prince will be
difficult, but there are plans to make it easier.
“It’ll be different but they have plans,” he
said. “I’ll have a body double to play dead
while I go offstage and turn into the prince.
“It’ll probably take a couple tries to get it
right. Character wise, it’ll also be different to
go from the Beast to the prince.”
Not only will the cast be busy preparing,
but the technical staff will also spend a lot of
time creating the large set.
“There’s a two-story castle with multiple
purposes. On either end two rooms will be
able to rotate for different scenes,” Artistic
Director Nancy Frankenfield said. “Then
there’s a village to build so it’s a huge set.”
Traditionally, the show is held at Central
but because of the size of the show it will be
in R.L. Heminger Auditorium.
“One, for a kid show, doing it in a
smaller theater is better and more intimate,”
Benson said. “Also, it’s a show that needs a
big stage and the stage here is twice the size
of the one at Central.”
Andy Cantrell, co-director and coproducer, put on the show at Newark High
School, where he taught last year. The
directors were able to take costumes and
ideas to use in this show.
“Last year we learned what worked and
what didn’t,” he said. “We’re doing different
things with the set, we have a whole new
concept for it.
“I loved doing the show last year so I’m
excited to do it again.”
Creative Writing class publishes magazine
n
By Molly Corbin
Caffeinated Scribbles, Creative Writing
class’s magazine, will be available to
students and teachers later this month.
The magazine is student produced
with short stories, poems and editorials.
“It showed us what it was like to be
on a real magazine,” Junior Kelly Blake
said. “It opened our eyes to the real
world of writing and making deadlines.”
The magazine is a learning experience
for the writers.
“I hope to instill a high level of
confidence within them. In addition, I
also want them to see that writing can be
fun! It doesn’t have to be something they
loathe,” teacher Jessica Loomis said.
The mechanics of making the magazine
challenge writers.
“When you get to the lab and work on
editing using Photoshop, it’s the hard part,”
Blake said. “There are only a few people in
class that know the editing programs.”
Despite the work involved, students
enjoy putting the magazine together.
“It’s cool to express your creativity in
writing,” Blake said. “You can get what you
want to say said. It’s a neat feeling to be
published and get yourself heard.”
Copies of Caffeinated Scribbles will be
available in the public library and various
locations around the school.
HATS OFF
ONLINE GENIUS BAR
We the People wins state
We the People won the state
tournament last week in Columbus.
The team divided into groups who
each gave presentations at a mock
congressional hearing about a
certain aspect of government. “We’ve
been working on it since the summer.
The fact that we won made it a
culmination of all the work,” senior
Matt Peak said. Next, the team
will prepare new presentations for
nationals in May in Washington, D.C.
cardnotes.com
At cardnotes.
com, you can
create your own
personalized
Valentine’s Day
card. It will be
professionally
printed
and
sent
to you
in two
days.
The write thing
Juniors Kelly Blake,
Ashlee Stepec and
senior Mary Martin
work on laying out a
page of Caffeinated
Scribbles. The
Creative Writing class
created the magazine
which will be out later
this month.
photo by Ariel Waldman
things that make you look smart today
year marks the 50th anniversary of the Belgian comic strip, Les Schtroumpfs, which later
1. This
became known as the American cartoon, the Smurfs.
Sunday, Jeff Feagles will be the oldest player to ever compete in the Super Bowl
2. On
at almost 42-years-old. He has been playing for the Patriots since 1988.
photos from Mars show a mysterious human-shaped figure, which
3. Recent
bloggers believe to be an alien, but NASA said it was a two-inch rock.
Valentine’s Day started in Ancient Rome when Valentine, a priest, was executed
4. St.because
he performed marriages after Emperor Claudius II outlawed them.
with over 20 states holding primaries on Super Tuesday, February 5,
5. Even
neither party will have a presidential nominee decided.
Feagles
QUOTE ME
EDITORIAL
page 2
“We shouldn’t have to come home so late on nights before exams. At the least, we
shouldn’t have to ride the bus home so we can be back a little earlier.”
Freshmen Ashley Miller
Friday, February 1, 2008
how we see it
Athletes should not travel
during examination week
Exam week is a challenging time for many students.
But athletes have even more demands when they have
to balance exam preparation with sporting events.
During exam week, there were a total of six sporting
events occurring the evenings before semester tests.
On the Tuesday before exams, the girls’ basketball
teams had an evening game in Mansfield. Because
the bus was half an hour late to the game, players did
not return home until nearly midnight, less than eight
hours before the first exam.
This deprives the athletes of both study and sleep
time, both key in doing well on exams.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
directly connects success on school examinations to
getting an adequate amount of sleep. For teens, the
necessary amount is between 9 and 9 ½ hours.
AASM states sleep improves memory, so a full
night’s rest is pertinent to performing best on exams.
Athletic Director Jerry Snodgrass said the
administration is sensitive to students’ needs, and
recognizes that sporting events on exam nights are not
the ideal circumstance.
However, he said there are too many deciding
factors that go into sports scheduling to be able to tailor
events around the exam schedule.
But even if it is not possible to fully clear the
schedule, accommodations should be made so that all
events are home ones during exam week.
Sports schedules need to be arranged so that
students don’t spend all night at a game before exams.
Contrary to the belief of some, it is possible to
reschedule games if there is a conflict. This was done
when the girls’ basketball game was moved as to not
conflict with the Ohio State University and Louisiana
State University National Championship game.
If a college football game is worth rethinking sports
schedules for, than certainly examinations are.
Athletes give up a lot to represent their school; they
should not have to sacrifice academics too.
Under current policy, all student coursework should count towards GPA
n
By Ashley Lazar
Most students stare at the clock through
all their classes, waiting until that magic
time of 2:35 p.m. when they will be freed of
academics for the rest of the day.
However, there are some who continue
their learning beyond the required time
spent in the high school.
Students take post-secondary classes at
the college, do independent studies or even
take a class on the internet.
It’s the latter that has recently caused a
recent objection in school system.
Students who chose to take online
courses set themselves up to do more than
just what is given in the classroom.
They dedicate hours every week out of
school time to take classes they cannot fit
into their schedule, or the high school does
letters to the
editor
Teacher finds program
valuable to all involved
Recently, Findlay High School had the
opportunity to host Challenge Day for
the sophomore class, as well as faculty
members and members of the community
who volunteered.
Challenge Day is a unique experience
that affords students the opportunity to
introspectively evaluate their lives in many
aspects ranging from stereotypes they
hold to how they treat one another and
themselves on a day-to-day basis.
“Yes, because you are
still doing the course
work. It’s just like in
college so it shouldn’t
be any different.”
Senior
Tom Davidson
not offer.
These students put in
several times more effort
than the majority, who
may struggle just to get
through core classes.
So why is it, that we
question if these extra
efforts should count
towards a students’
Grade Point Average
(GPA)?
In general, a student’s
GPA is designed to reflect the effort
level that has been put into their high
school career.
Online classes take more than the
necessary effort, so there is no doubt they
should be credited towards GPAs.
One commonly raised
complaint about online courses
is that there is no way to certify
that the student enrolled, is the
one completing the work.
However, this holds true for
all classes, whether they be in
a classroom or on a computer.
There is no way for an English
teacher to know if the name on
the report is the author’s.
Art teachers cannot know
Lazar
for sure who it was that created
the project that was turned in.
Any out-of-class work could be
completed by one student and turned in by
another without the teacher ever knowing.
In reality, there is no more certainty of
who did the work in courses taught in the
classroom, than those online.
It is likely that students who are
ambitious enough to enroll in online
courses do so because they want to learn the
subject matter. There is no reason anyone
would take the time to sign up for an online
class, then spend more time begging others
to complete it for them.
It is not fair to punish those students
who put in even more effort than everyone
else. If it looks like GPA calculations for
the valedictorian spot will be an issue in
the future, strict guidelines need to be
established so that students know what
to expect as soon as they set foot into the
school as freshmen.
Until this happens, any classes
completed by students need to be given
full credit.
Through adult facilitated focus groups
students are asked to share things that are
on their minds; in this safe environment
students may wish to vocalize the many
struggles that they may encounter on a
regular basis (these struggles may range
from typical high school issues to more
serious and even life threatening events).
The value of this experience shows
students, many of whom may not realize
their own value, that they are valuable
members of society with warranted
thoughts, feeling and needs.
Although some skeptics may
unknowingly conclude that Challenge Day
is little more than hugging, hand-holding
and crying, they forget there is more to
education than reading, writing, lectures
and critical analysis.
Throughout the course of the day
students found themselves absorbed in
areas of cultural concern and many students
experiences a period of awkwardness to
this unknown stimulus: however, as the day
progressed students were able to overcome
their apprehensions and offer solutions to
real problems that they encounter.
Above all, students were allotted time
to vocalize their personal concerns in an
area that was safe from the pervasiveness
of racism, classism, sexism, ageism and
discrimination on the basis of religious
background, sexual orientation, appearance,
ethnicity, etc.
In fact, not only were students in a safe
environment from the aforementioned
cultural “isms”, they found the strength
within themselves to break down cultural
barriers and recognize one another as
human beings.
Challenge Day is an eye-opening
experience rich in intrinsic value with
countless opportunities centered upon
student growth furthering Findlay High’s
mission to “develop within each student
the ability to recognize and realize their
individual potential…”
Teacher Jimmy Orr
Staff policy
Blue & Gold is a
monthly student
publication for the
students of Findlay
High School. Blue &
Gold is a public forum
which is funded by
advertising.
Letters to the editor
As an open forum for
students, letters to the
editor are welcomed
by the staff, but we
request that they be
300 words or less due
to lack of space. All
letters must be signed.
Blue & Gold staff
reserves the right to
edit letters without
changing the meaning.
Letters may be dropped
off in room 273.
Staff editorials
All editorials without
a byline reflect at least
two/thirds opinion of
the Blue & Gold staff
but are not necessarily the opinion of the
administration.
Contact us
Blue & Gold
1200 Broad Avenue
Findlay, OH 45840
(419) 427-5474
About us
Blue & Gold is a
member of the
Columbia Scholastic
Press Association, the
National Scholastic
Press Association,
Quill & Scroll, the
Great Lakes
Interscholastic Press
Association, and the
Northeast Ohio
Scholastic Press
Association.
The staff
Ashley Lazar
Editor in Chief
Emily Rivest
News editor
Ashley Sottoway
Sports editor
Katie Kehres
Photo editor
Matt Young
Advertising editor
Megan Haley
Alisha Riley
Kate Trinko
Ariel Waldman
Lynn Young
Photographers
Molly Corbin
Rich Costello
Chelsea Sherman
Marc Wadsworth
Reporters
Brier Sterling
Artist
Jim McGonnell
Adviser
For the record
Should online
classes be
calculated
into students’
GPA?
“If a student is counting the course as a
credit towards
graduation, then that
course should be included in the GPA.”
Counselor
Ray Elbin
“Some people don’t
have room in their
schedules to fit in all
the classes mandatory
to graduate and take
courses they want too.
Senior
Kenzie Albach
Heck yes
No way
“They are not doing
the same amount of
work as they would in
school. It is not fair to
other kids that work
hard to get a good
GPA without help.
Senior
Alex Kloeppel
“No, because it’s easy
to cheat and you don’t
have to work as hard.”
Junior
Alex Kairys
“Students should get
credit towards graduation for the class, but
it shouldn’t be used to
boost GPAs.”
Junior
Sarah Heminger
QUOTE ME
ENTERTAINMENT
“My idea of a perfect date on Valentine’s Day is dinner and a movie.
It’s simple, classic, romantic and fun.”
Sophomore Brittany Beltz
Parker
Friday, February 1, 2008
Over Her Dead Body
Jack Johnson
The Brave One
When Eva Longoria Parker dies tragically on her wedding day, her fiancé thinks
he will never fall in love again, until he
meets a psychic named Ashley.
However, Parker’s ghost tries to make
sure her man will never love anyone
else. Find out what happens when this
movie hits theaters tonight.
Successful recording artist Jack
Johnson releases his fourth
solo album, Sleep Through the
Static, this Tuesday. This is his
first solo project in three years.
The album’s first single, If I
Had Eyes, peaked at 38 on the
Billboard Pop 100 Chart.
When Jodi Foster and her fiancé are brutally attacked in NYC, she vows revenge
on the men who did it. She begins roaming the streets at night, commiting violent
crimes of her own against criminals.
However, Foster begins to wonder if she
is becoming the very thing she set out to
destroy. Rent the DVD, out this Tuesday
page 3
Stars spin-off looks
for total entertainers
n By Rich Costello
Idol judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson
What’s your Idol IQ?
8.
Which contestant had host Ryan Seacrest remove her uncomfortable
shoes before performing?
a. Jordin Sparks
b. Mandisa Hundley
c. Katharine McPhee
d. Vanessa Olivarez
n By Ashley Lazar
9.
Which brand of shoes did Kelly Clarkson serve as a spokesman for?
a. Vans
b. Candie’s
c. Nike
d. Skechers
Take our quiz and find out how much
you really know about the hit show
Once again, the show that made everyday people into superstars such as
Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry and Carrie Underwood is searching for the
next big thing in the music industry.
The seventh season of Fox’s hit reality series American Idol has begun,
causing millions of fans nationwide to grab their phones and vote for their
favorite contestant.
“American Idol is one of my favorite shows because its really fun to call in
and vote for your favorite person,” Senior Katie Miller said. “Result nights
when you find out who’s getting voted off are always really nerve-wracking
and exciting at the same time.”
Although many dedicated Idol fans tune in every week, the show suffered
a one percent drop in ratings after last year’s season.
Producers aim to regain viewers by upping the amount of personality, in
both the contestants and judges on the show. They also will focus more on
contestants’ lifes outside of Idol, visiting their hometowns early in the season.
So far their attempts have been successful and the season premiered with
33.4 million viewers.
But before you get too caught up in this season, take our American Idol
quiz to find out just how “Idolized” you really are.
4.
5.
6.
7.
13. What is the average cost of a 30-second ad on the Idol results show?
a. $620,000
b. $550,000
c. $430,000
d. $222,000
Which Idol star has sold the most albums
to date?
a. Kelly Clarkson
b. Clay Aiken
c. Carrie Underwood
d. Chris Daughtry
Which runner up produced an album that
sold more than the winner’s CD?
a. Bo Bice
b. Blake Lewis
c. Clay Aiken
d. Justin Guarini
14. Which hit song by Ricky Martin did William Hung attempt to sing
during Season 3 tryouts?
a. She Bangs
b. Livin’ La Vida Loca
c. Nobody Wants to Be Lonely
d. Shake Your Bon-Bon
Underwood
Which idol had the best first-week sales for their
debut album?
a. Clay Aiken
b. Carrie Underwood
c. Kelly Clarkson
d. Taylor Hicks
Season 5 is known for having the most talent. How many of the top
12 contestants have released albums?
a. 8
b. 9
c. 10
d. 11
Which judge now stars in his/her own reality show?
a. Paula Abdul
b. Randy Jackson
c. Simon Cowell
Which city has NOT held auditions for the show?
a. Milwaukee, Wis.
b. Birmingham, Ala.
c. San Antonio, Texas
d. Honolulu, Hawaii
15. What website encourages viewers to vote for the least talented
contestant?
a. Anti-Idol.com
b. PicktheWinner.com
c. VotefortheWorst.com
d. IdolSucks.com
Scoring:
0-3 You’re Sanjaya Malakar
No matter how much gel you put in your hair,
you’re not going to make the cut.
4-6 You’re Ace Young
Unfortunately for you, beauty (and pop-culture
knowledge) is only skin deep.
“Wizard of Oz because
it’s an all around touching movie. It has romance,
laughter and fright. The
flying monkeys get me
every time.”
Junior Zac Mitchell
www.google.com/images (fair use)
UK singing sensation Kate Nash delivers a performance to fans. Her debut album is full of upbeat
tunes with meaningful lyrics.
Nash wins with debut CD
n By Katie Trinko
With pop beats and creative lyrics, Kate Nash
could be the next big thing from across the pond.
Nash’s debut album, Made Of Bricks, is a
wonderful collection of great songs.
The album is full of songs with fun beats
combined with quirky lyrics.
Foundations is an upbeat tune with serious
lyrics about being unable to give up on a
relationship, even if it isn’t working out.
Some other great songs that stand out are
Pumpkin Soup, Birds and We Get On.
Nash uses a variety of instruments to create a
unique sound that everyone can enjoy.
Already creating waves in the UK, Nash now
has her eyes set on America.
You can find Nash’s album in stores now
Download this: Merry Happy
7-9 You’re Kellie Pickler
Talented, but not quite ready for your big break.
n By Rich Costello
9-12 You’re Chris Daughtry
British Rock band sensation Radiohead finally
released its number one Billboard album chart
topper, In Rainbows.
Radiohead was allowing free downloads of its
new album before it hit the streets in December.
Even though In Rainbows could be downloaded
online free by fans, this didn’t hurt sales (most
fans elected to pay for the album) the idea of the
online downloads was for the public to name their
own price for the album.
In Rainbows has an amazing electronic sound
and the band shows their brilliance through their
great new album.
Though the new album is named In Rainbows,
the only color heard is blues, but it is the several
rich shades of blues that set this album apart from
their others.
Lead singer Thom York’s high voice is
mesmerizing and keeps the listeners floating
through his many falsetto pitches.
In Rainbows is an exciting fresh addition to
Radiohead’s album collection.
This album helps Radiohead incorporate a
new techno sound into its classic rock style.
Download this: Reckoner
Even though you’re not number one,
you’ve still got what it takes.
13-15 You’re Carrie Underwood
You’re the best and you know it.
Malakar
Fave
Flicks
Students reveal their
favorite movies to watch
with that special someone on Valentine’s Day
Across the pond
Rockers top Billboard charts
with latest innovative album
www.google.com/images (fair use)
3.
12. How many countries have their own variations of the show?
a. 25
b. 50
c. 75
d. 100
Answers
2.
Which Idol contestant has had the best selling album?
a. Kelly Clarkson
b. Carrie Underwood
c. Chris Daughtry
d. Clay Aiken
11. Which of these contestants has not written a book?
a. Taylor Hicks
b. Kelly Clarkson
c. Fantasia Barrino
d. Clay Aiken
1. B, 2. A, 3. C, 4. A, 5. B, 6. A, 7. A, 8. B, 9. B, 10 A, 11. B, 12. D, 13. A, 14. A, 15. C
1.
10. Which Idol winner wrote a memoir entitled Life is Not a Fairy Tale?
a. Fantasia Barrino
b. Mandisa Hundley
c. Kelly Clarkson
d. Ruben Studard
In ABC’s new show Dance War: Bruno Vs.
Carrie Ann, the two judges of Dancing With the
Stars have a new challenge, to find the best
amateur singer-dancers in America.
Choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann
Inaba put their skills to the test as they search for
America’s most talented performers.
During tryouts performers sang and danced in
front of an audience and judges.
The 10 performers remaining are divided into
two teams led by Tonioli and Inaba. Each week
viewers will vote for their favorite team and the
captain’s team with the least votes will send one
of their dancers home.
Drew Lachey, winner of Season 2 of Dancing
with the Stars, hosts the six-week series. He does
a good job of helping the performers relax before
their performances and sometimes throws in some
comedy to keep spirits high.
Watching the show, it feels a bit like American
Idol, but still manages to stay fresh.
The judges are polite to the performers, do
not argue much and they are not as cruel as they
could be, which makes the performers appear
more comfortable.
The show is enjoyable and even someone
uninterested in dancing should give it a look.
It’s just new enough to be exciting and in a
way combines two hit shows, American Idol and
Dancing with the Stars.
Even with some similarity to other shows,
the energy of the performers and wide variety
of dancing styles make it a worthwhile show to
watch.
The show airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
“My favorite movie for
Valentine’s Day is A Lot
Like Love, because it
expresses modern
views of love.”
Sophomore
Logan Benjamin
“I love Happily
Ever After . It’s
basically Cinderella, but better.”
Senior
Amanda Peterman
“P.S. I Love You
is romantic and
funny at the same
time. It has a really
good storyline.”
Sophomore
Amanda Gerardi
NEWS/FEATURE
page 4
QUOTE ME
“More black history should be taught because it is important for everyone to learn
about different cultures and the history of all people that make up our country.”
Friday, February 1, 2008
Senior Nicole Lang
Orchestra concert tonight
n
MAKING MUSIC
By Molly Corbin
Reverb showcases
student talent
in annual concert
Every orchestra in the district is
performing in the All City Orchestra
concert tonight, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. in the R.L.
Heminger Auditorium.
The high school orchestra has been
preparing since after Thanksgiving.
“What is especially exciting about this
concert is that the audience gets to hear the
entire string program from all age levels,”
Director Ken Pressel said.
The orchestra and director chose their
music based on the age of their audience.
“Since our audience is younger kids we
are playing music that they like. One piece
is from High School Musical and the other
two are based on what they like to listen
to,” senior Lauren Roth said.
Admission is free.
Duck sale begins Wednesday
n
By Molly Corbin
Save Johnson’s Island is having its
annual Valentines Day Duck Sale starting
Feb. 6, in the cafeteria.
You buy a duck, put the name of the
person you want to give it to and they will
be delivered on Feb. 13.
“These Valentine’s Day ducks are the
perfect gift to give your friends or someone
special,” sophomore Anna Kurjan said.
“There are a lot of different kinds of ducks,
so you can pick out the one that you like
best, to make it extra special.”
There are different sizes of ducks, small
ones cost $1 and big ones cost $1.50, the
money earned will go towards the group.
“The money is going to the
historical preservation of an educational
archaeological lab at Johnson’s Island. This
was the site of a Civil War P.O.W. camp,”
adviser Dianna Schweinfurth said. “We also
are working on other service projects.”
Dancers host competition
n
By Chelsea Sherman
Dance Team will host the Findlay Classic
dance competition on February 23 from 8
a.m. to 4 p.m. in the gym.
The competition, hosted by AmeriDance,
is a state qualifier for the visiting teams and
a fundraiser for ours.
“We invite around 20 teams from the
area,” coach Erica VanGunten said. “There
aren’t many dance competitions in this area,
so it’s a chance to bring teams in so they can
perform at this level.”
The host team will perform, but won’t
be judged. According to VanGunten, the
judges will give them a rating, which will
help them earn points to compete beyond
state at the international level.
“We’re working very hard so we can
go to internationals again,” senior Lauren
Atkins said. “The team is doing great this
year and I know they’ll do fine.”
Community receives award
n
By Emily Rivest
Findlay was named one of the 100
Best Communities for Young People by
America’s Promise Alliance for the third
consecutive year on January 24.
Senior Kiersten Smith and junior
Andrea Mitchell worked together to create
the required video showing how the
community helps its youth.
“We went to different areas like the
Cube, the Family Center and several parks
to show how Andrea was involved and how
the community helps people, like what the
Cube did during the flood,” Smith said.
On the video, Mitchell showed different
places in the community and talked about
what it offers youth.
“It felt good to receive this for Findlay
for the third year,” Mitchell said. “It’s such a
prestigious award, so it was a big honor.”
photo by Lynn Young
Above, senior Shannon Bash sings while senior Dan Eakin plays the
drums in their act at Reverb. Left, junior Matt Wood, lead singer of
The Third Half, performed three of the band’s songs at the concert.
The concert, organized by the Music Tech class for their first semester project, featured a variety of acts, including three rock bands. All
of the performances had at least one Music Tech or Music Theory
student involved. All profits from the concert went to defray production costs and the rest to music boosters.
Parker promotes unity through Black Heritage Library
n
By Emily Rivest
Black community leaders wish more
citizens would take advantage of the
Black Heritage Library and Multicultural
Center, on Harmon St., not only during
Black History Month but all yearlong.
They also would like to see local
school districts use the Center more,
which promotes unity for all races.
“Our goal is to have the schools utilize
the library to its greatest ability,” Nina
Parker, director of the Center, said. “There
should be some sort of recognition, this is
a national celebration.
“One of the main points of the library
is to increase harmony and acceptance.
We promote the unity and acceptance
of diversity year round, not just during
Black History Month. We have literature,
exhibits and art relating to black history
and culture.”
Some teachers agree that, no matter
what month it is, African-American
subjects are not taught enough in schools.
“I could probably teach more, but
that’s true with any topic,” history
teacher Jim Rucki said. “If you say you’re
teaching enough World War II, there
probably is more that you can teach.
“We should do a better job of digging
deeper and finding examples of all
minorities that have contributed to
American history.”
Students agree more minorities
should be included in the curriculum.
“Learning about any culture, not
just African-American culture, is a good
idea,” senior Shelby Campbell said.
Nina Parker, director of the Black Heritage Library and Multicultural Center, shows an exhibit to junior Shannon Kehres.
Parker wishes the community would use the library more, not just during Black History Month.
“African-Americans make up a substantial
amount of our population. You should
include them more in school.”
Everyone should learn about the effect
African-Americans have had on the country.
“It’s important for everyone to learn
black history for the same reason we learn
American history,” junior Kevin Armstrong
said. “The black population needs
recognition because our ancestors fought
hard for their rights.
“There are thousands of blacks like
WAL MART
Store #3840
1161 Trenton Avenue Findlay, OH 45840
New DVD Releases
photo by Katie Kehres
History lesson
greetings from...
No Reservations
The Game Plan
The Invasion
Saw IV
photo by Katie Kehres
Rocking out
Kunta Kinte and Emmitt Till that made a
difference and no one knows who they are.”
Parker thinks learning black history is
important to all races.
“Growing up in Findlay there was little
opportunity to learn about my heritage,”
she said. “I knew the importance of black
history because my parents taught it to me.
Students and adults alike should have the
opportunity to learn about this history.
“It’s not just black history, it is American
history, too.”
BG
LIST
Kunta Kinte
main character of
the novel Roots
Emmitt Till
his murder sparked
the Civil Rights
movement
CERTIFIED USED VEHICLES
JIM MAY
AUTO
GROUP
F I N D L A Y ’ S HOTTEST D E A L E R
Check out Jim May’s collection of used
cars, trucks and SUV’s!
Save Money.
Live Better.
JIM MAY! JIM MAY!
500 Interchange Avenue • Findlay, OH 45840 • (419) 422-9797
www.jimmay.net • [email protected]
QUOTE ME
FEATURE
“The best part of being a foster parent is watching the kids grow
and blossom and become beautiful little children. ”
Secretary Sue Reed
Friday, February 1, 2008
page 5
Love
All you need is
The Beatles knew it and so do several local families, who welcome
complete strangers to be part of their home. They are willing to take
in a child born into unfortunate circumstances and give them a safe
place to call home. For these big-hearted people, love is shared not
just on Valentine’s Day, but all year long.
Roths give
children
safe home
n
Teacher finds
joy in foster
parenting
n
By Chelsea Sherman
Sophomore Drew Roth’s family is a
unique one. Instead of the typical American
family structure, his is a foster family.
Foster families take in children whose
parents are unable to take care of them. The
children usually stay until they are put up
for adoption.
“Sometimes they only need us to take
them for a weekend,” Roth said. “Or it
could be a year, depending on the child’s
situation.”
Roth has had 10 different foster kids
living with his family at different times, all
staying with his family for different amounts
of time.
State director of Diversion Foster Care
of Ohio Stacey Shaw said that the length of
time a child is in foster care can vary greatly.
“Generally we tell new foster parents an
average length of care for a foster child is six
months,” Shaw said. “A child can then be
put up for adoption if it is determined that
they cannot be returned to their parents.
“This could be because the parents are
neglectful or they just don’t have the means
to support a child.”
When a child leaves a foster home, it can
be difficult for them and their foster family.
“The process is different for each child,”
foster parent Trace Roth said. “When
they’re ready to go there’s a whole range of
emotions in everybody.
“If the child’s only been with you a
short while then there’s usually not much
attachment, so it’s easier to let them go. It’s
always harder when you’ve had the child
for a long time.”
Children can be placed in foster care for a
variety of reasons.
“There are many reasons a child may be
in foster care. The most common is some
form of abuse or neglect,” Shaw said. “We
try to work on having visitations with their
family members because the transition from
one home to another can be very difficult for
a child.”
Roth has had all kinds of kids living with
him. When he was in elementary school his
family provided care for high school kids.
Now they are in charge of a five-year-old, a
one-year-old and a three-month-old.
“It’s usually nice taking care of them,”
Roth said. “Of course it depends on the type
photo courtesy of the Roth family
Big hearts
The Roth family has been providing children in foster programs with a safe place to call home for five years.
Due to security reasons within the foster program, no pictures of foster children can be published.
of kid it is. It can be a challenge sometimes,
especially if they’re young and need a lot of
attention. Sometimes you can’t go out with
your friends or do the things you want to all
the time because of that.
“Kids can also have a hard time
transitioning into a new place, so that affects
how they are too.”
A lot of times a child can be placed in a
community or neighborhood that is very
different from where they used to live.
“This means the child has to adjust to a
new family, school and family traditions,”
Shaw said. “Sometimes this can be
frustrating and can cause them to act out,
like being disobedient or getting into trouble
at school.”
Roth said foster kids who are teenagers
are more difficult than younger children.
“They’ve already had a lot of time to
develop as people,” Roth said. “Depending
on their previous situation, that could mean
they might have a bad attitude or that they
don’t have much in the way of morals.
“Kids that are still young that come to us
have not developed much, so they’re easier
to influence positively.”
To be able to foster children,
prospective parents have to go though
foster care training and a background
check before they can take in any kids.
“There is always a need for
visit www.difoster parents in our community,”
versionfostercare.
Shaw said. “If there is any
org if you
interest in helping to foster
or
someone
a child, families should
you
know
contact our agency for more
is interested in
information.”
making a
To apply to be a foster
difference
in a
parent you must meet certain criteria,
child’s
life
by
such as having the right amount
becoming
of living space and meeting the
a foster family.
requirements of the Ohio Department
of Job and Family Services.
Diversion’s website has all the
information on fostering children, so
if you are interested that’s a good place
to start.
By Ashley Lazar
Teacher Karen Ouwenga is a single mom.
But her story is one of kindness, not
controversy
Owenga, a foster parent, cares
for two sisters and a little boy, whose
biological parents are unable to handle the
responsibilities of raising them.
She received the first girl, who is now
seven months old, in June; and the now
four month old boy in September. The most
recent addition to the family is the girl’s 19month-old sister who came in December
While the kids are in foster care, their
parents are given two years to get their lives
in order.
The program she is involved in, called
foster-to-adopt, gives her the opportunity to
become the legal guardian of the children.
“If the parents have not cleaned up after
two years, the foster parent, which in this
case is me, gets the first dibs in adopting
the children,” Owenga said. “I really hope
to keep the ones I have, but if I can’t, I will
continue taking in more children.
“A lot of what I’m doing as a foster
parent is funded by the state, so it makes the
adoption process a lot less expensive and
much easier.”
To help care for the kids she already has,
Owenga is given $150 Kohl’s certificates for
each child in the spring and fall, along with
coupons for food.
The kids get weekly visitation with their
parents in a neutral meeting spot called the
Harmony House. “I take the kids in through the back door
and the parents come in through the front,”
Ouwenga said. “A worker then takes the
kids to the parents so there is never any
interaction between me and them.
“Part of the program’s security is that
neither the foster or biological parents know
each others names. Sometimes parents do
not want others taking care of their kids.”
While Owenga anxiously waits to find
out the long-term fate of her kids she is kept
busy doing normal mom duties.
“The kids go to day-care during
weekdays and I am with them in the
evenings and on weekends,” Owenga said.
“I’m single, I have plenty of space and I
want to help kids.
“The best part of foster parenting is
getting to see the kids’ ‘firsts’. The first time
my little girl smiled, it was amazing.”
QUOTE ME
“My favorite part about Valentine’s Day is the kisses, because
you just can’t get enough of them.”
USELESS INFO
Junior Ryan Wolfe
Friday, February 1, 2008
page 6
Pick your perfect cupid
n By Ashley Lazar
Let’s face it, not everyone is bestowed with charm and good looks. However, these aren’t the only things you need to win
the heart of those you love. In fact, you might already have what it takes. Athletes, brainiacs and rockers can get just as much
lovin’ as anyone else. No matter what your interest, there is a Cupid out there to win your heart.
Junior Skyler Roberts
Senior Chris Atkins
Senior Alan Smith
Junior Katie Chicotel
Senior Jeff Karhoff
Geek Cupid
Jock Cupid
Rocker Cupid
Diva Cupid
Classic Cupid
Comes with: World of Warcraft cheat
codes, latest computer system updates,
2GB flash drive.
Comes with: Football, soccer ball,
baseball, tennis ball…..well you get it.
Comes with: Guitar, notebook of
songs, host of roadies.
Comes with: Perfect hair, make-up and
major attitude.
Comes with: Bow and arrow, flowers,
box of chocolates.
Typical date: Helping you study for
your Calculus test, then watching Bill
Nye the Science Guy reruns.
Typical date: Front row tickets to the
state championship game…that he’s
playing in. Unlimited concession stand
snacks included, just put it on his tab.
Typical date: Standing in front of the
stage screaming his name during his
band’s concert.
Typical date: Couples’ massage and
manicures, followed by dinner at a
five-star restaurant.
Typical date: Picnic lunch in the park,
romantic movie and a kiss goodnight.
Secret weapon: Ability to to calculate
what color your children’s eyes will be.
Secret weapon: His body, or as he calls
it his “temple.”
Secret weapon: Musical talents allow
him to serenade you with love songs
he writes.
Secret weapon: Her dazzling smile and
playing hard-to-get.
Downfall: May be too distracted by the
latest studies in nuclear engineering to
remember your date.
Downfall: Thinks that watching
late night Sportscenter and drinking
Creatine shakes is a romantic date.
Pick-up line: “If I can’t take you to
dinner, at least let me fix your laptop.”
Pick-up line: “How you doin.”
Will shower you with gifts of: new
Halo installments and your finished
chemistry homework
Downfall: Constant gossiping on
her pink cell phone gets annoying,
especially in the middle of dinner.
Takes six hours to get ready.
Downfall: Musical talents allow him
to write nasty songs about you after
the breakup, which will be all over the
radio when his record goes platinum.
Will shower you with gifts of: His old
jerseys for you to wear to the game and
a picture of him sinking the winning
shot during the championship game.
Pick-up line: “I wrote a song for you.”
Pick-up line: “If you’re lucky you can
date me.”
Will shower you with gifts of:
Autographed photographs and CD’s to
sell to fans after he’s made it big.
Will shower you with gifts of:
Nothing. She expects you to buy her
presents, and lots of them.
Unique gifts will surprise your valentine
n By Molly Corbin
This Valentine’s Day it’s all about the unique, yet, personal gift.
Set aside the traditional box of chocolates and dozen red roses and
consider these gift ideas.
If you want to put a new twist on the typical
chocolates you could go to www.mymms.com and
personalize your own M&M’s for your valentine, a 1.75
ounce bag costs about $4 with shipping and handling.
Buy a digital photo keychain, about $20, and
download pictures of you and your special someone,
that way they will always have something to look at
when you are not together.
A dozen cookies arranged in a flowerpot, around
$32 at www.cookiebouquets.com, are made to look like
a bouquet of red roses and are a sweet and tasty way to
show your valentine how you feel.
Ooh-la-la pillowcases are a great way to
personalize a message to your valentine, you can put
two names on the pillowcase along with any design
you want for about $13 including shipping.
1016 Tiffin Ave.,
Findlay, OH
(419) 424-1114
M-T-TH-FR 9-5
WED 9-8 SAT 9-4
SUN 1-4
Elegance, Style & Sophistication
Featuring Special Occasion & Prom Gowns
PROM 2008!
MOREY’S
Books & Coffee
$1.00 Off Purchase
(min. $3.00 purchase required)
...where coffee and comfort come to meet.
Come visit us at one of our two locations:
1691 Tiffin Avenue 414 South Main Street
Findlay, OH
Findlay, OH
Example problem
and solution
Secret weapon: Uses his charm and
love arrows to make any girl swoon.
Downfall: May get beat up by the
other Cupids for stealing their dates,
diaper attire not always acceptable at
fancy restaurants.
Pick-up line: “Let’s make like fabric
softener and snuggle.”
Will shower you with gifts of: Corny
Valentine’s Day cards, candy hearts
with cheesy messages, teddy bear
holding an “I love you” heart.
Takegaki
the new
Sudoku
Takegaki is Japanese for “bamboo
fence.” The grid
represents a plot
of land. Your goal
is to enclose a part
of the land with a
continuous fence.
Each number on the
grid represents the
number of line segments that must appear along the sides
of that numbered
square.You can use
horizontal or vertical
lines that connect
dot to dot to make
one continuous loop.
JAC & DO’S PIZZA
A lot of small slices,
A lot of big taste!
1905 Tiffin Avenue • Findlay, OH • (419) 422-0070
QUOTE ME
“This year tournaments will be just the same as last year. No one believes in us, but us.
We love being the underdogs, because we can come out and surprise people.”
Senior could break mom’s school record
Mosser focuses on state meet
n
Mother and coach
Diane Mosser
offers some advice
to her daughter on
one of her dives.
Mosser holds the
school record for
most points in a
meet with 218.
By Ashley Sottoway
Her heart races as she steps to the edge
of the board, she peeks down at the pool of
water that’s about to engulf her, possibly
stinging her body like a thousand needles if
her dive isn’t perfect.
But even though standing on the edge
of a 9.3 ft high platform with 17, 370 gallons
of water beneath adds a little bit of fear to
the equation, there are still several things
senior Tori Mosser has to focus on.
Twisting and flipping this way and that
through the air, the
senior’s hope of a
state appearance
are at stake, as well
as the possibility of
breaking a record.
Oh and by the
way, the school
record … is infact
her mom’s.
The record for
total points in a meet
(218), belongs to Tori
Mosser’s mom and
diving coach Diana
Mosser. In her final
season, her daughter photo by Lynn Young
stands just 15 points
away from breaking it.
But the record is not Tori Mosser’s main
concern right now.
“It’s not my top priority to break my
mom’s record,” the senior said. “My goal is
to reach perfection in all of my dives. State
is my focus.
“Last year I was eighth in districts,
which put me five spots away from state.
This year I hope to be in the top three.”
Where rivalry between a mother and a
daughter may be typical, in this case the
Mosser’s outlook is different.
“I don’t think Tori is really pushing for
the record so much,” Diana Mosser said.
“For her, diving has become more a fun,
relaxed sport that she likes because of the
self-satisfaction and thrill that comes from
each meet and each new difficult dive she
attempts in practices.
“She wants more to end the season
knowing she performed her best and had
fun, rather than being so focused on one
thing that she can’t enjoy it anymore.”
Trying to keep the fun in the sport
for their last year together, the duo has
managed to make their daughter-coach
relationship work.
“It’s fun to have my mom as a coach …
most of the time,” Tori Mosser said. “But I
have taken lessons from other people and
have gone to camps and things to help
me as well. At times it’s really easy to get
frustrated and mad at her for the simple fact
that she is my mom.
“Practicing with other people and
camps has helped, because it’s easier to
take everything in and take criticism from
other coaches. No one wants to hear what
they are doing wrong at home and at diving
practice all in the same day.”
While the extra practice and advice does
help, the success divers have comes from
their attitude and confidence.
“Diving is a 100 percent mental sport,”
Tori Mosser said. “It comes down to how
strong you are when facing challenges and
overcoming the fears of learning new and
more difficult dives.
“The coaches can’t take away that fear.
They teach technique and help us perfect
their dives, but if we don’t push through
the challenges and get over the actual fear
of the sport, odds are we won’t have much
progress in the sport.”
Luckily, Tori Mosser has been able to
defeat the fear that comes with attempting
some difficult dives.
“I’ve been able to work through a lot of
the things, I was once scared of trying my
1 ½ full twist,” the senior said. “At first
you’re always a little nervous to try new
dives that are difficult.
“If you have hit the water the wrong
way and it hurts, it’s scary to get back up
there and try again. That’s why technique
is so important. If you want to do well,
you’ve got to first overcome what your
head is telling you.”
With her recent third place finish in the
Greater Buckeye Conference with a total of
179.8 points from six dives, Tori Mosser is
looking ahead to state.
“There are several things I have to work
on,” the senior said. “My hardest dive is the
1 ½ full twist. It’s harder to practice because
we use a dry board, which is a type of
harness we use a lot on twists.
“I have to make sure also that I don’t
break position on any of my dives, because
not only does that hurt your score, it doesn’t
feel too good when you hit the water. My
front double is my strongest. State is a good
possibility this year.”
The state diving championships are
February 22 at the C.T. Branin
Natatorium in Canton.
In three
weeks the
senior hopes to
see her goal reached as she climbs the steps
to not only the top of the diving board, but
also the winners’ stand in Canton.
n
By Ashley Sottoway
With almost identical scores as previous years in the league
swim meet, one factor for the girls made a flip in their favor.
For the first time in four years, the girls’ swim team put
Napoleon’s league championship streak to rest, giving them the
extra confidence for the last part of their season.
“The title is not only something the girls deserve, but it has
helped to give them the extra boost at the end of the season,” coach
Jeff Wobser said. “It opened up some opportunities for us because
now we know we’ve got everyone on the same page.”
The team’s goal is to send the 200m freestyle (1:43.31 minutes)
as well as the 400m freestyle (1:40.64 min) relays (seniors Annie
Donovan and Church; junior Amy Zelinsky and sophomore Jess
Braddock) to the state to win the relays’ fourth All-Ohio honor.
“The girls already broke records in those relays,” Wobser said.
“With the experience from state last year, and the success that they
have had so far this year they should have confidence going in.”
Aside from the relays, Donovan also hopes to end her high
school career with some individual achievements.
“I want to place in the top three for the 50m free,” Donovan said.
“I hope to receive the All-Ohio award in the 50m and 100m.
“I also hope to become an All-American, placing in the top 160.”
The state swim meet is February 22 at the C.T. Branin
Natatorium in Canton.
Underdogs may surprise seeded teams
By Marc Wadsworth
Going into the postseason the girls’ basketball team likes their
underdog status and hopes to surprise some of the top dogs.
With a record of 6-11, the girls are looking to cause some upsets.
“We have everything to gain going into the tournament,” Senior
Ashley Sottoway said. “Teams with a perfect season could get
knocked off at the beginning of the tournament, and in turn their
season paid off very little. We have a chance to prove everything we
learned by having such a tough schedule.”
The girls plan to use the experience from this season to do well
in the tournament.
“We have one of the toughest schedules in all of Ohio,” Coach
Connie Lyon said. “If the girls communicate and strengthen their
defense we can use other teams’ doubt of us to our advantage.”
In the first sectional game, the girls play Clay on February 12 at
Ostego High School.
On the edge
photo by Lynn Young
Senior Tori Mosser
stands on the end
of the board,
mentally
preparing for her
next dive. In three
weeks, she hopes
to reach the state
diving meet for the
first time.
GBC finish motivates team for districts
Relays hope for fourth All-Ohio honors
n
Friday, February 1, 2008
Senior Christina Cruce
Words of advice
n
SPORTS
photo by Ariel Waldman
Backstroke
Senior Chris Price practices his back stroke to reach his goal of
making his second state appearance of his career. Price placed 20th in
the state meet last year, and hopes to place in the top 16 this year.
By Ashley Sottoway
It seems like a little bit of deja vu after the guys’ swim team
placed fourth in the Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) for the
second consecutive year.
Although they were not satisfied with these results, they plan to
use it to their advantage in upcoming tournaments.
“Because they didn’t place as well as they had wanted, it’s more
of a reason to do well in the tournament to finish out the season as
best as they can,” coach Jeff Wobser said. “We want to get as many
guys as we can to districts.”
As the team hopes to score higher in each meet, perfecting their
strategy and technique is crucial.
“Practices get much easier as we work more just on perfecting
the little things,” Wobser said. “But this is crunch time where things
really get challenging.
“There’s a lot of pressure to do well, with a lot more competition
to go against. We’ve got to really hone in on the technique of our
races and focus on speed with our sprint work.”
Team hosts league tourney
Gymnasts’ goal is state
n
n
By Rich Costello
Despite injuries, key gymnasts look to
find a happy medium between working
hard, pushing themselves and staying
healthy to finish their remaining meets with
their strongest performances.
Though injuries on the five player team
could hurt their chances, two girls have
recovered and are ready to compete.
“I have recently recovered from an ankle
injury,” sophomore Jalyss Zapf said. “By
working hard and keeping myself feeling
well, I am able to contribute.”
The sophomore, a state individual
qualifier last year, plans to stay on track
to make another appearance not only
individually, but as a team.
“The girls are practicing hard and are
hoping to make it to state this season,”
coach Tracy Dunn said, “State will be a hard
competition, but the girls mesh well and if
they work hard there is a good chance.”
Districts are February 23, at Van Buren.
Handspring
photo by Alisha Riley
Practicing her beam routine, junior Kylee
Hards works to perfect her back handspring.
The team hopes to qualify for state after overcoming several injuries.
By Rich Costello
With the Greater Buckeye Conference
(GBC) tournament just eight days away,
wrestlers keep their hopes high on winning
the title.
It is a toss up for who will capture the
league championship between Napoleon,
Sandusky and the Trojans.
“If we prepare well we are confident
that we can win GBC,” 189 pound Matt
Alexander said. “Beyond that, we can
possibly qualify several wrestlers to state.”
To get ready for some of the strongest
competition yet, the guys will work on
staying focused in any scenario.
“Our district is one of the toughest in the
state,” coach Ben Kirian said.“By situational
wrestling in practice, we can overcome
problems and really work on our focus and
not giving up points we previously earned.
“This is important for these meets.”
The GBC tournament is February 9 at
home, beginning at 11 a.m.
Stately Raven Bookstore
1315 N. Main St. • Findlay, OH • (419) 427-2814
The newest, largest and most unique independent
bookstore in Findlay.
Helping hands
Check our website
www.statelyraven.com
for information on:
• Author visits
• Book signings
• Hobby Club displays
• Book Club meetings
• Movie nights
• Special readings
• Receptions
and more...
We are open M - Sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and 1 - 6 p.m. Sunday
BGSPORTS
Time to
splurge
Most athletes know,
two cinnamon rolls
aren’t the way to start
the day during their
sports season, nor is a
can of pop the way to
keep hydrated during
physical activity. We
compared the diets of a
male and female athlete
as they get ready for
tournaments.
GOLIATH
Swimmer
Annie Donovan
Davids in a
Breakfast:
Oatmeal, Cheerios
and a glass of milk
Lunch:
Salad and roll with
orange juice to drink
game
Before practice:
Pasta and bread to
load up on carbs
Injury can be dangerous for smaller players
After practice:
Hamburger, milk
and a power bar
shake
n
By Rich Costello
When Forward Nolyn Croy steps onto the ice
he finds himself constantly looking up, not at the
scoreboard, but at the opposing players that usually
tower over him.
At 5’8” 155 pounds, Croy falls 4 inches shorter
and 46 pounds lighter than the average height and
weight of a college hockey player, which stands at
6 feet, 201 pounds.
There are many days in the rink that Croy sees
himself as a David in a Goliath game.
“Size is an issue, hitting players is harder when you
are short,” Croy said “Being short has some advantages
though, even at my size I can still make a big hit happen,
and that can be a big deal.”
Hockey players use their physical strength to knock or
hit other players out of position or off the puck.
“You have to use anything you have to your
advantage,” junior Ryan Chance said “My size is
overlooked in hockey, because I use it to my advantage
with my low center of gravity and physical strength.”
At 5 feet 7 inches, Chance weighs in at 155
pounds, 5 inches and 46 pounds smaller than an
average college hockey player.
By using your angles you
position your body and skate
at the same time,
therefore it is
known
Snacks:
Apples with peanut
butter and carrots
If she splurged:
Ice cream
and pop
Wrestler
Matt Alexander
Breakfast:
Peanut butter
crackers and a bottle
of water on the way
to school
Lunch:
Two turkey
bagel melts with
chips, an apple
and a TLC bar
After practice:
Some sort of snackmaybe a pizza or
granola bar
as using your angles.
“In hockey you have to know how to use your angles,” Chance
said “Using your angles is something that smaller players must
know how to do.
“Moving on the ice revolves around how you move, to use your
angles is to purposely position yourself when you move, even when
you don’t have the puck.”
Having good coordination is only one part of the sport, a hockey
team that functions well together is a big part of the game also.
“We work well as a team and we keep each other playing well,”
senior Mario Campos said “Even if our height and weight average
is lower than that of an opposing team, we can win if we work
together and use our skills together.”
At 5 feet 7 inches, Campos is 150 pounds, 5 inches and 51
pounds lighter than the average college player.
“Size can mean everything in hockey, but if you aren’t that tall
you have to compensate,” Campos said “When I play hockey I am
not concentrating on my faults, I think of the good things that will
help me, not hurt me.
“The only problem with being small is injury,” Campos said
“Being smaller than other players is hard and it can be dangerous
because of the momentum that they hit you with.”
When players get hit, they’re not the only ones who feel the pain.
“Watching Nolyn play hockey isn’t always a pleasant
experience, it can be gruesome when he gets slammed into walls,”
the forward’s mother Jo Croy said. “I still watch him play and have
confidence he knows what he is doing.”
Dinner:
Chicken pasta,
some veggies and
milk or Coolaid
If he splurged:
Pop ... especially
Dr. Pepper
IN THE EYES OF
SENIORS
Sophomore Stephen Perkins, Freshman JoJo Brigadoi,
Senior Mario Campos, Freshman Lance Sims, Junior Nolyn Croy
at FIndlay High School
If you could pick one
pro-athlete to go
on a date with, who
would it be and what
would you do?
“Race Car Driver
Danica Patrick would
be my pick. I’d have her
drive me around so I
could have the time of
my life.”
Garret Bugay
“Tennis Player Maria
Sharapova and I
would take her skiing.
Never a dull moment,
and guaranteed a
great time.”
Ryan Redd
“I would take
Golfer Morgan Presel
on a date. She drives
the ball, oh so hard.”
Michael Nichols
“For his nice body,
nice biceps and hot
accent ...Tennis Player
Rafael Nadal.”
Annie Johnson
EVENTS
Tonight the girls’
basketball team
faces Fremont Ross,
away at 7:30 p.m.
Hockey hopes to add three wins
n
By Rich Costello
With just three games left, the hockey team hopes to head into
tournaments with confidence.
Because districts will pose a challenge for the guys, their goal
is to end the regular season with three more wins against Sylvania
Southview, Upper Arlington and Toledo St. Johns.
“To wrap up our season, we are looking to win our remaining
games and some tournament championships,” coach Dan St. Jean
said. “We can come out of this season winning, if the team is willing
to push themselves.”
Though they had a rough start, players hope to finish strong.
“Our team hasn’t given up,” sophomore Cy Otto said “We will
keep working hard. We are focusing on our speed, being able to
move quicker on the ice and to play like some of the teams that beat
us earlier this year.”
In the Worthington tournament, they swept four games and
want to finish the season with similar results.
“We need to keep winning like in our last tournament,” Otto
said. “Winning like we did was great for the teams’ confidence.”
Players are hoping to have a strong effort in postseason
tournament to make it as far as they possibly can.
“The main tournament we have left are the playoffs,” senior
Chris Atkins said “There is a chance that we will do well, we have
competed well at all of our games, even ones we have lost.”
Playoffs begin February 15 at Tam-O-Shanter in Toledo and
players are optimistic about their chances.
“Our team is young, energetic, ready to fight and will come out
playing well,” St. Jean said.
This weekend the teams hosts Southview tonight at 7 p.m. and
Upper Arlington on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Cube.
With a young team behind him, junior Ryan Chance faces off with his opponent from Bowling Green. The guys
hope to end their season with three wins, two of those at their final home stand this weekend.
Team sets site on second straight crown
Guys two wins away from winning league
Tomorrow the guys’
basketball team
plays a nonleague
game at Lima Shawnee at 7:30 p.m.
n
The hockey team
plays two home
games this weekend.
Action begins at
7 p.m. on Friday and
5 p.m. on Saturday.
Next Saturday the
wrestling team hosts
the GBC tournament
beginning at 11 a.m.
photo by Katie Kehres
Face-off
Bring it
photo by Lynn Young
Junior Luke Kraus waits for the offense to adjust as he looks to drive into the lane past his
Fremont Ross opponent. The team hopes its shooting will carry them to their second straight
league title as well as long run in postseason tournaments.
By Ashley Sottoway
Pressure still lies on the shoulders of
the guys’ basketball team as they need two
Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) wins to
call the league title their own.
With Lima Shawnee, Whitmer, Fremont
and Lima Senior as their last four regular
season games, the team hopes to make some
improvements to prepare for tournaments.
“The key for our remaining games will
be confidence and our team play,” senior
Garret Bugay said. “These are the kinds of
teams we want to play to get better.
“We should be comfortable in our
abilities and hard work and play together to
make the game simple.”
With several goals in mind, the guys
have both strengths and weaknesses to
work on.
“We have maintained a solid season so
far,” Bugay said. “We play a lot of good
teams that help us move to the next level of
play and get better by pushing the pace of
the game and challenge us to clean up all
the details of the game.
“Our communication on defense will
help us and rebounding will be important
too. If we can improve in those areas and
keep shooting the ball well, we can finish
the season strong and be really successful in
the tournament.”
Even though tournaments are on the
horizon, finishing the regular season is the
guys’ first priority.
“We are taking everything one game
at a time,” senior Nick Condeni said. “We
have to win one game before thinking about
the next, but keeping the end goal in mind
for what we want to accomplish over the
course of the season.
“We want to win GBC first, finish the
regular season with only four losses and
then focus on the tournament, while getting
better in the meantime.”
The guys play tonight at 7:30 p.m. at
Lima Shawnee.