GRAD MASTER.indd - St. John`s Prep

The Class of 2008
2
The Concordia
News
Graduation 2008
The Concordia
News
The Concordia
Senior Staff
Editor-In-Chief
Ryan Fanning ’08
News Editor
Rajesh Reddy ’08
Opinions Editor
Dave Liakos ’08
A&E Editor
Dave Lewis ’08
Sports Editors
Joe Hines ’08
Marc Pesaturo ’08
Chris Remeika ’08
Faculty Moderator
Mrs. Kirstin McEachern
Contributing Seniors
Ricky Barnes ’08
Ross Carman ’08
Cam Cronin ’08
Andrew Etherington ’08
Spensah Hill ’08
Sam Hollands ’08
Pat McBride ’08
Don Granese ‘08
James Lohan ‘08
Kris Mitchell ’08
Mike Mullavey ’08
Zach Neve ‘08
Jeff Pan ’08
Luke Sellinger ’08
Albert Trifone III ’08
Dear Mr. and Mrs. _________:
Your Child has Senioritis.
school related activities. Students with
Senioritis will often find themselves at
By Patrick McBride ’08
the end of the day saying, “What the hell
did I do today?”
Every year high
Although it is a disease, Senioritis is
school seniors around also a privilege. College-bound seniors
the United States catch who have worked hard throughout their
hold of a fast spreading high school careers essentially gain
malady called Seniori- the benefit of not being forced to study
tis. Senioritis is a term as hard, or at least they think so. High
used commonly to describe the decreased school teachers will notice this decline
motivation toward school work displayed in performance and some will care, while
by students who are nearing the end of others won’t. Students who have worked
their high school and even college careers. their butts off for the past three and a held
Senioritis is most commonly found in a years deserve a break, don’t they?
student when he or she has applied to all of
Many seniors look for that first semester
the colleges and universities that they are to end permitting their slacking to begin.
interested in, and their first semester grades While all other underclassmen are busy
have been sent off.
studying for vocabulary tests and writing
Symptoms of Senioritis include procraspapers, the seniors
tination, laziness,
“Many seniors fall under the get to relax. Three
slowness, apathy
and a half years of
towards
school
spell of Senioritis in
solid work, not to
work, and a tenmention the stress
January
and
their
laziness
dency to not atof college applicarries, and often grows
tending all classes.
cations. These seMany high school
stronger as graduation grows niors need a break.
and college stuBut the question
nearer and nearer.”
dents find themis, how much of a
selves in a type of
break?
lame duck situaSenioritis can
tion: their plans are made, and a new chap- occur during any point during a senior’s
ter in their life is about to begin, therefore, final school year. Many students who
finishing the current chapter (completion applied and were accepted to a college
of the second term waiting for graduation) under the early decision plan have been
becomes a mere formality.
able to relax in their studies since midSenioritis has been around since the early December. This is while other students
1940s beginning when smart students real- who applied regular decision to colleges
ized that they didn’t have to work as hard are stressing out, and trying to keep their
once they had been accepted into college.
grades up so that they can look their best
There are many different levels of Se- for that special college they want to go
nioritis. They vary from not doing home- to. But once those second quarter grades
work, to not going to school on a given close, many students take a step back,
day. Many seniors fall under the spell of and they should. Up until that point most
Senioritis in January and their laziness car- seniors have done everything in their
ries, and often grows stronger as gradua- power to boost their grades and distintion grows nearer and nearer.
guish themselves as adequate college apAs Senioritis gets into full swing, most plicants.
students see their second semester grades
Students of different caliber and of difdropping, but not too low. The A students ferent mindsets take Senioritis to differwill be satisfied with B+’s and the B Stu- ent levels. Some students can come to redents will be satisfied with the C+/B- alize the very harsh consequences of not
grades. Many students are infected with doing any work at all during their third
Senioritis far worse than others. Even and fourth quarters of senior year. Minor
the most dedicated AP students will look consequences of Senioritis, aside from
themselves in the mirror and ask, “Why are grade slippage include detention. In some
you still trying?”
serious cases, the consequences when
Aside from affects of failing to complete students let their grades drop are that colhomework or study, Senioritis has a num- leges that they have been accepted to may
ber of other affects on students. Senioritis take back their offers of admission.
most commonly causes a grave amount of
Those who experience Senioritis are ofsleepiness. Whether it is oversleeping in ten shocked when colleges and universibed or sleeping through a lecture in third ties send them a letter the summer before
period history, students just seem to be sav- their fall semester starts telling them that
ing their energy for college in late August. they can no longer attend the college due
Tendencies of students with Senioritis also to failure in the academic rigor that they
include: coming to school later and later promised in their interview or admissions
each day, a lack of ambition, constant la- application. Also a decline in attendance
ziness, lack of work ethic, daydreaming for extra-curricular activities and inabout college, daydreaming about summer, volvement in community service can also
spring break, vacations, among other non- cause colleges to reconsider scholarship
offerings. Some students seem to forget the
actual purpose of attending school. Although
this is a very rare consequence of Senioritis,
the results can be devastating.
Guidance counselors are often worried
about their students and their grades nearing the end of senior year. They dread the
thought of a student telling them the news of
their acceptance to a college being rescinded
due to poor grades. Although this notion is
often from very prestigious colleges and universities around the country, it does happen.
“Typically the Ivies will send us a letter
as a warning,” said Mrs. Comitto of the St.
John’s Prep guidance office. “They just want
to remind those students to keep up their
grades.”
Most college acceptances are conditional
on the “successful” completion of High
School, including graduation. But different
colleges have different interpretations of
“successful”.
Ms. Karen Jay, an admissions counselor
at the University of Southern California, explained her school’s policy.
“Yes, admission decisions have been taken back, though they are very rare,” Jay said.
“At USC we don’t send out letters of warning. When we look at a student’s final transcript and if we see a D or and an F it is an
automatic sign to remove that student from
our incoming class.”
“It’s a common trend for a student’s grades
to dip. We accept C’s, but anything less than
that, we unfortunately must take back our offer to attend” she added.
At the University of Southern California the standards of admitted students are
high, but other colleges not of that stature
have similar conditions for accepted students. At the University of New Hampshire
– Durham, it is not uncommon for students
to be sent probationary letters involving their
acceptance. The letters states that because of
the downward trend in grades which a senior recieves during his or her final semester
are the student will be placed on academic
probation. These probationary letters inform
students that once they attend UNH that they
will be on academic probation. This requires
them to maintain a certain grade point average (GPA) to continue their enrollment at
the university. If they fail to meet these standards the student will be removed from the
school.
Today, the only known cure to Senioritis
is graduation. Once a student has graduated
(and high school students pay their tuition
fees for the upcoming school year) they are
technically cured of the terrible malady. Senioritis has been a long standing tradition
at high schools and colleges around the nation. Students who worked hard can take it
easy for a few months before they graduate,
and why shouldn’t they? So I hope that your
case of Senioritis was worth it, but don’t forget that it’s not a diploma that your college
wants to see before they let you come in August, it’s the transcript.
Meet Your Valedictorian:
RJ Powers
Graduation 2008
News
The Concordia
By Zack Neve ‘08
You would never know speaking with RJ
Powers that he is this year’s valedictorian. I
mean this in a good way: he is a regular teenage boy just trying to survive high school
and make it to college.
RJ was originally forced to go to SJP out
of the North Reading Public Middle School,
but he has made it work for him here. Although he had never read a single book in Mr. Furlong’s class this
year, since he only “bought three out of twenty all year”, he still
manages to keep his grades up.
“It is a remarkable achievement” Stated Dr. Moran, “It speaks
to RJ’s character that he downplays it. He isn’t someone to brag
about being the valedictorian.” Besides being an easy-going guy,
RJ is ending his senior year with a womping 4.5 GPA and scoring a
2280 on the SAT. RJ plans on attending John Hopkins University
as a Bio-Medical Engineering major.
In his spare time RJ likes to play piano and guitar when he is not
working at Home Goods in North Reading. He also takes up martial arts as a hobby at the local North Reading Martial Arts dojo.
Along with being a yo-yo master, RJ also enjoys playing pingpong. His yo-yo skills are not to be taken lightly though.
“I am the yo-yo champion of the world, don’t forget that,” RJ
states.
“He even cuts his own hair!” yelled fellow senior, and friend,
Erick McCarthy.
“At this point senior slide has kicked in; I don’t even take my bag
inside,” laughed RJ.
RJ is proud to be one of the few to beat “Through the Fire and
the Flames” by DragonForce on expert level in “Guitar Hero III”.
Led Zeplin and Jimmy Hendrix have inspired RJ to rock out on his
guitar as much as possible.
And finally when he was asked about his teachers, he states Mr.
Dupree was the most influential teacher in his career at SJP. Simply because, as RJ claims, “he is the man.”
By The Numbers
4.5 - Total GPA at
the end of Senior
year
6 - AP Classes
Taken
2280 - Score on
SAT
0 - Number of yoyo masters better
than RJ
List of 2008 College Attendance
First Number Denotes Acceptances, Second Denotes Attendace
Compiled by Mrs. Commito and Mrs. Leonard
American University 10/1
Appalachian State University 1/1
Arizona State University 2/1
Bates College 5/4
Bentley College 11/3
Boston College 37/22
Boston University 47/14
Bowdoin College 5/4
Brandeis University 7/2
Brown University 4/1
Bryant University 9/2
Champlain College 4/2
Clark University 3/1
Clarkson University 2/1
Clemson University 9/1
Coastal Carolina University 1/1
Colby College 3/2
Colby-Sawyer College 2/2
College of Charleston 1/1
College of the Holy Cross 9/3
Columbia University 1/1
Connecticut College 4/3
Dartmouth College 2/2
Eastern Connecticut State University 2/1
Eckerd College 1/1
Elon University 7/5
Emerson College 4/2
Emmanuel College 3/2
Endicott College 7/1
Fairfield University 33/5
Florida Gulf Coast University 1/1
Florida Institute of Technology 2/1
Fordham University 16/4
Franklin Pierce University 3/1
George Washington University 12/5
Georgetown University 6/3
Gonzaga University 2/1
Gunnery School (Prep) 1/1
Hamilton College 2/2
Harvard University 3/1
Hobart & William Smith Colleges 4/2
Hofstra University 13/1
Ithaca College 6/1
Johns Hopkins University 4/2
Kenyon College 2/1
Lafayette College 2/1
Loomis Chaffee School (Prep) 1/1
Loyola Marymount University 2/1
Maine Maritime Academy 3/1
Marquette University 5/2
Massachusetts Maritime Academy 4/2
Merrimack College 25/3
Middlebury College 1/1
New England Institute of Art 1/1
New York University 3/3
Northeastern University 39/11
Northfield Mount Hermon 1/1
Norwich University 2/1
Pennsylvannia State University (Univ. Park) 9/1
Pepperdine University 1/1
Phillips Exeter (Prep) 1/1
Providence College 30/9
Purdue University 4/1
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 9/3
Rhodes College 2/2
Roger Williams University 16/5
Rutgers University/Newark 1/1
Saint Anslem College 30/6
St. John’s University 6/2
Saint Joseph’s College (ME) 3/2
Saint Joseph’s College 3/1
Saint Joseph’s University 3/1
Saint Michael’s College 20/5
Salem State College 8/2
Salisbury School (Prep) 1/1
Salve Regina University 8/3
Santa Clara University 3/1
Seton Hall University 2/1
Stanford University 1/1
Stetson University 2/1
3
Stonehill College 32/10
Suffolk University 29/6
Swarthmore College 2/1
Syracuse University 20/3
The Kent School (Prep) 1/1
The Taft School (Prep) 1/1
Tilton School (Prep) 1/1
Trinity College 5/4
Tufts University 6/3
Tulane University 2/1
United States Coast Guard Academy 1/1
University of Arizona 4/2
University of Colorado, Boulder 12/4
University of Connecticut 19/5
University of Denver 2/1
University of Maryland, College Park 2/1
University of Massachusetts, Amherst 41/4
University of Massachusetts, Boston 1/1
University of Massachusetts, Lowell 11/6
University of Miami 4/1
University of New Hampshire 58/17
University of Notre Dame 2/1
University of Rhode Island 14/1
University of San Diego 5/1
University of Tampa 5/2
University of Vermont 39/6
University of Virginia 1/1
University of Wisconsin, Madison 1/1
Vanderbilt University 2/1
Vassar College 4/1
Villanova University 19/4
Wagner College 1/1
Wake Forest University 1/1
Wentworth Institute of Technology 5/2
Western New England College 3/1
Wheaton College 3/1
Williams College 1/1
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 19/2
Yale University
4
Opinions
The Concordia
Graduation 2008
The Concordia
Opinions
A Brotherhood
of Eagles
By Ryan Fanning ’08
school to sit with at lunch. Once I got to my French class,
however; my fortunes started to turn south once again.
On the morning of my first
I had never taken French before, yet I was placed into
day at St. John’s Prep, in Au- Honors French based on my grades in my classes in midgust 2004, I was harboring dle school and my placement exam scores. Once the bell
strong feelings of nervous- rang, the teacher sprang up from his desk, and began talkness and eagerness. I could ing in French. I assumed that the French would stop at
not wait to start high school, some point, and he would speak English. The only probbut at the same time, I was not lem was, he didn’t, and it seemed as though I was the only
sure if I was ready for such one who didn’t understand him. Not only did I not undera big transition. All I knew stand what he was saying, Mr. O’Loughlin’s mannerisms
for certain, as I walked up seemed quite gruff, and even violent.
the steps
My first day of high school at
in rear of
St.
John’s Prep was turning into
“The adventure that I knew
Brother Benjamin Hall, was that the
a
complete
disaster. As I opened
would be the Prep Experience
next four years would be an adventure.
my French book to the back covhas not been a solo expedi- er to tape on a copy of the Notre
Little did I know, but that first day would
tion by any means. In fact, Père (The Our Father), I noticed
exemplify the meaning of “adventure”.
Everything that you could imagine
the very nature of the Prep a small, scribbled phrase, “Libwould go wrong on your first day of Experience necessitates that erté, Egalité, Fraternité.”
high school did. Because I had so many you travel as a pack of three
Now of course, not undertextbooks, I thought that it would be
standing
a word of French or
hundred strong, an adventure
a good idea to take most of them into
having taken a Mr. Smith hisbound by fraternité.”
school during Eagle’s Wings so that I
tory class, I had no idea what
would not need to cram them all in on
that meant. Four years later, not
my first day of classes.
only do I understand the historiUnfortunately, due to a clerical error, my locker was as- cal significance of that slogan, I understand its practical
signed to myself and another student, a sophomore. When significance.
I got to my locker there was a different lock on it, and it
While the administration and my teachers helped me
was impossible for me to open. Frantically, I checked my through my problems of day one, it has been the brotherschedule to be sure that I was at the right locker. I had no hood at St. John’s, the fraternité of classmates, that has
idea what to do.
helped me through the majority of the remaining five hunConfused, but knowing that I had the books for my dred-odd days.
classes through lunch, I went to sit down in the library. I
Whether I needed help studying for a test, or I needed
thought that the comfy chairs were incredibly cool, so I help getting through something completely unrelated to
chose one of those chairs, picked up a book and pretended school work, my classmates, my brothers, my friends, have
to read while I admired the library that would be a part of been there to support me since that miserable first day.
my life for the next for years.
The adventure that I knew would be the Prep ExperiGiving myself enough time to find my first period class, ence has not been a solo expedition by any means. In fact,
I left the library and casually put my hands in my pockets. the very nature of the Prep Experience necessitates that
“Oh no!” I immediately thought to myself, “Where’s my you travel as a pack of three hundred strong, an adventure
cell phone?!?!”
bound by fraternité.
The brand new cell phone that I had received for my
birthday only a month earlier was no longer in my pocket.
Once again unsure of what to do, I decided to go to my first
class. “Better to lose a cell phone than be late for your first
period of high school,” I decided. I continued the day with
a pit in the bottom of my stomach, worried about all of my
books and my phone.
Besides these problems, my first few classes had gone
fine, and I had even found some friends from middle
Thank You,
Ryan Fanning
The Concordia Policy Statement
The Concordia, the student newspaper of St. John’s Preparatory School, is a public forum, with its student
editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents.
Editorials express the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board or the student population.
Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be published as space allows. Letters may be submitted to Mrs.
McEachern’s mailbox or via e-mail at [email protected]. Letters must be signed, although the staff may
withhold the name on request. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters
are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy, and disruptions of the school process, as are all contents
of the paper.
Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be
construed as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.
The Prep
Experience
By David Liakos ‘08
During our past four years
at St. John’s, the Class of 2008
has heard the phrase “the Prep
experience” countless times –
in speeches by Dr. Skip Shannon, Principal Hardiman, and
the rest of the administration;
at school-wide and class meetings; at activities and service
opportunities like PULSE,
PLI, or Danvers to Duran; in
newsletters and other items of school literature sent to our
homes; and in the classroom from demanding teachers,
like Mr. Dana Smith, who know and even define what it
means to be a member of our community. We have heard
the phrase so many times by now that we have perhaps forgotten what it means; more likely, we have never known
exactly what the Prep experience actually is. As our final
days at St. John’s draw to a close, and the countdown to
graduation reaches single digits, we should reflect upon
what the Prep experience means for us as both a community and as individuals.
Consider the phrase itself: “the Prep experience.” Now
that we have been at St. John’s for four years, we should all
know by now what it means to be at the Prep: the demanding academics; the sprawling campus; the preparation for
and living out of the college admissions process; the clubs,
activities, and athletics which dominate our campus; the
teachers and staff with whom we have formed close ties;
the friendships which by now we see will far outlast even
those years of sitting next to one other in the cafeteria; the
commitment of our classmates and faculty to social justice; in short, that strong and palpable sense of community
which we all recognize but cannot define.
I know all these things, as I’m sure many of you do too.
Yet I can’t help but feel that “the Prep experience” isn’t
solely the sum of those parts. We know what “the Prep” is.
But what is experience? Experience is the act of standing
in a shifting landscape, watching it change every second
and seeing yourself transformed in the process. Our last
four years have been the most significant period of change
in our young lives. Simply looking at your senior portrait,
and contrasting it with your freshman picture (probably
not your best likeness), will tell you that. But more importantly, we have all of us gained an emotional maturity, a
heightened sense of self, a more sensitive and keen intellect, a greater self-awareness. This is all part of our community’s shifting landscape.
By our very presence at St. John’s, we have transformed
that landscape. We have been the driving force behind this
so-called “Prep experience” by simply participating in it,
by devoting our time, our talents, and our very lives to
it. We have been afforded this opportunity by all the factors here at St. John’s that I mentioned earlier (the “Prep”
half of the equation), and our own transformative journeys
have molded and guided it (the “experience” half). I consider myself grateful to have been allowed to participate
in this Prep experience with all of you. It has been quite a
ride, and I thank you all.
Thank You,
Dave Liakos
Opinions
Graduation 2008
The Concordia
What SJP Has Taught Me
By Jeff Pan ’08
Over the past 4 years at Saint John’s
Preparatory School I have made countless friendships, have strengthened old
ones, and I have had the opportunity
to work with the most engaging and
enthusiastic teachers.
I look back at high school and there
were days when I couldn't wait to get
out of there. I thought about the Prep
and all the memories I had there. I
thought about Boston University and how much fun I'm
going to have there.
Here I am graduating, those long days in class are over,
and all I'm thinking about are those long days in high
school; the memories intertwined within those days are
what we're all clenching on to, trying hard not to lose.
Isn't it funny how as freshmen all we thought about was
senior year, and now we're seniors and all we think about
is freshman year, and how college is going to be a blast?
It's true.
We spend too much time thinking about the past and the
future, and we tend to miss what's right in front of us. Life
moves fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a
while, you might miss it.
High School is where I finally felt like I was part of
something important. Anne Frank once said “we all live
with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.”
At St. John’s I felt I was part of something, something
larger. Something indomitable. Something awesome. We
planted ourselves at St. John’s, and it was here that the
world came round to us. My actions affect the world. College is a bigger stage, and after that we are the world.
Everyone that's making changes and discoveries right
now are going to be done when we’re ready to take control, and that day is coming fast. St. John’s has indeed been
a microcosm of society. We've dealt with wins and losses,
successes and failures, joys and pains. We think we might
know who will be successful and who will fail.
But in reality, anything can happen. Just because 5% of
the class is going to Ivy Leagues, doesn’t mean they will
be more successful than those going to state colleges. We'll
know how to handle anything that's thrown at us. Whether
we see it now doesn't matter, but the fact that we are well
equipped to succeed in the real world does.
I look at the Class of 2008 and the mold that we were
supposed to fill. We were supposed to catch the spirit and
have no cliques. Our class was stubborn and narrow-minded, and that's what I like most about us.
I remember freshman year, looking over my shoulder all
I saw was the waist of a towering senior, ready to sock my
face. But we prevailed; now we are the seniors. Over four
5
years we slowly opened up, with the help of sports teams,
teachers, and clubs.
I don't know if we fit the mold of the perfect high school
class, but I don't care. I love this class, and I wouldn't
change a thing about it. High School is what you make
of it, and looking back I think we did a pretty good job.
I know my shell is long gone, and I know that there is a
spirit in this class. It's a spirit that we created for ourselves
and nobody else, and it's what made high school great.
I have made friends and I have lost friends over the past
four years. I have been molded by all of these people. Ms.
Muhilly, Mr. Dankert, Señora Witwicki, Coach Mathison,
Mrs. Martin, Mr. Dupre, and many others-just because I
didn’t mention you doesn’t mean I forgot you, yes, you
too Mr. Hussey.
These people showed me how to grow up and be a man.
All of my teachers played a big part in making me who I
am, and to all of them I am truly grateful.
To my parents and family, I can't thank you enough for
making me come here. To Ms. Muhilly, thank you for
showing me what the English language is. To Dom, thanks
for being a truly good friend.
And to my class. I think it's safe to say that these past
four years have been a roller coaster, but I couldn't have
picked a better bunch of misfits to take on the ride. Thank
you class of 2008.
Not My Legacy, The Prep’s Legacy
By Rajesh Reddy ’08
After I was asked to
write an article about
my time here, I felt
rather surprised about
my lack of nostalgia.
With a few short days
away until graduation,
it would seem that I
should have some sort
of tender emotion for
the Prep, maybe a grand emotion or two.
It’s a bit funny to me that I don’t have
some wonderful code of principles to extol to a reader, and I can’t say I’m not glad
for that. It’s taken me four years to admit
my shortcomings, and the process of selfrealization is, I must say, the best education I could ever have. Sure, I’m proud
of certain accomplishments, but that’s not
a legacy I leave to St. John’s. Frankly, I
have no legacy to leave SJP, and I don’t expect to be remembered in the same way I
will remember the Prep. Four years ago, I
was intent on leaving my name to the Prep
for posterity, as if “Rajesh” would become
some sort of sweet memory in the school’s
collective consciousness. At this moment,
I believe that there is no such thing as a
personal legacy, but that does not mean I
am not proud. I can say without hesitation
that I am honored to be a member of a Prep
class, especially this one.
As I ponder what to savor about my
time here, I try and ask myself: What is the
Prep experience? I’m not too sure if there
is such a thing. Sure, there is PLI, Pulse,
Eagle’s Wings, athletics, and academics.
Certainly, the ingredients for an experience
are all there, but that does not mean the experience exists. One can have all the com-
ponents to write an essay in one’s mind, but
that doesn’t mean the essay thus exists.
Nevertheless, I did have an experience
here, and it has been first and foremost a
personal and intimate one. In considering
my time here, I realize that all things pass
– all those activities come and go, whether
they are athletic seasons or community service trips. Everything seems so finite, and
everything seems to constantly change.
As the school year comes to an end, I find
these truths make me pause. I came to this
institution anxious, and I leave it anxious.
But change is good, and I am not the self I
was four years ago.
This, I realize, is the Prep experience:
change. A graduate a couple years ago
recounted to me that the Prep made him
someone; he learned how to be conscious
of himself. I can say with all certitude
that the greatest lesson I have learned over
these four years is that I know nothing. Too
many people spend too much time lauding
what they know – I was one of those people. I thank my teachers for helping me
come to terms with my ignorance, because
without this understanding, I would be the
same freshman in college as I was in high
school. It was not until I let myself change
and be changed that I came to myself.
So, to all those transitioning into senior
year, I have very simple advice: don’t be
ashamed to admit your flaws – it’s the only
way we can progress. As for me, this school
has helped me recognize that I know very
little, and furthermore it has helped me recognize what I do want to learn. This lesson
has been my own Prep experience. Four
years plus one good lesson – that is my
Prep legacy.
The Prep Goes Behind the Swoosh
of not only improving the conditions of their own employees, but in the global market as
well. The report provides large quantities of information and statistics concerning their
The first annual Day of Peace accomplished something I’ve nev- work force, yet falters to provide exact plans for how Nike will remedy the situation, uner experienced in my four years at St. John’s: held the attention of fortunately utilizing vague language. This skirting of the issue does not come unexpected,
almost 1300 people for nearly
a growing trend in the modern business market.
two hours.
Keady’s solution includes urging Nike to raise
If you’ve ever attended a spethe price of each shoe by a mere fifty cents that
cial event at the Prep, you know
would, in turn, lead to higher wages for workthat two hours in Memorial
ers. While this sounds plausible on the surface,
Gymnasium means a lot of talk,
I somehow doubt the answer is that obvious or
sweat, and daydreaming; howeasy. Keady would like us to view Nike as mereever, Jim Keady overcame the
ly greedy and that their athletes, such as Tiger
typical pitfalls of a boring preWoods do nothing but take their money and run.
sentation and delivered an interesting, yet sometimes
Noted economist Dave Liakos would categopuzzling account of his dealings with Nike and their
rize this as, “a bit shrill.” There is no denying that
labor situation in Indonesia. I commend the campus
Nike and its superstars like money; who doesn’t?
ministry organizers for their efforts and a successful
But to say that they are so self-involved that they
inaugural Day of Peace.
blatantly ignore the existence of labor injustice is
Nike continues to dominate the athletic market as it
simply false. Tiger knows there are sweatshops,
has done for decades, claiming to provide the absolute
knows that Nike probably could do more for its
best products to enhance your performance. Where
employees, and also knows that his influence
do those Jordan’s and ID’s come from? According to
could help to bring about change; but, Tiger also
knows that Nike pays his salary and that if he
Keady, sweatshops.
wants to continue earning what he does, that he
As promoted on their corporate responsibility webmust maintain certain opinions concerning consite, Nike maintains four goals that include designing
for a better world, becoming climate neutral, unleashtroversial issues.
ing potential through sport, and improving conditions
Tiger is not Indonesian, and is as he puts it, “just
in their contract factories. That last one tends to be the
a golfer.” Through the Tiger Woods Foundation,
Tiger makes a difference in the lives millions of
focal point in discussions of social justice.
young people. This, however, is not justice, its
Nike states that their greatest responsibility as a
global company is to, “play a role in bringing about
charity, as Keady noted.
positive systematic change for workers within our
This signifies his most compelling point. Inown supply chain, and in the industry overall.” Keady uses an upturned Nike Swoosh as a “frowny face” as a logo for his stead of looking to Phil Knight and Tiger Woods,
Keady argues otherwise in his documentary, Behind organization, which chastizes Nike’s business practices (Logo courtesy of we must look at our own efforts of promoting
the Swoosh, providing video evidence of the hard- www.behindtheswoosh.com).
justice.
ships Indonesian factory workers must endure in Nike
How can we as individuals change the climate
of injustice that exists today? If St. John’s continues in its efforts to promote peace, we
sweatshops.
Phil Knight and Nike have produced a thirty-five page report regarding the workers in will undoubtedly discover new and more effective ways of alleviating global injustices.
their contract factories, outlining the goals they hope to accomplish by 2011 as a means
By Mike Mullavey ’08
6
Opinions
The Concordia
April 2008
A Reflection of What Seemed Like 100 Years
By Albert D. Trifone III ‘08
At this time of year, people often ask,
“How did you like high school?” The
answer is one of my favorite stories to
share.
I still remember freshman year. Of all
of my classes, I think I was most excited
for Latin. However, having taken only
Italian, Latin was difficult at first.
To this day, I still remember every room number and
having religion and Latin in the Ryken annex trailers. The
first few weeks were a pretty tough adjustment, but after a
while I looked forward to going to school today. Summer
really did come quick.
When I looked back on that year, I realized I had not
done many things. I had only done one club, I hadn’t
joined any sports, and I went to no dances or social events.
I tried to change that sophomore year.
When I went to the used textbook sale that August, everyone was saying hi, and it was nice to have that feeling
of coming back to school with some great friends.
That year I ended up joining the Greek and Latin club
along with returning to Amnesty International, and I got
involved in the arts. Ms. Malone’s class was one of my favorites. Every day I would look forward to going there and
creating, my dog Ranger being the inspiration for most of
my work. He is one of the most photogenic dogs I have
ever met.
If it were not for that class, I would be a bundle of
nerves, even more so than I already am! Sophomore year,
I opened up a little more to faculty and some more peers.
Things were getting better and classes were going pretty
well. After school I would do homework in Ms. Solomon’s
room after leaving the art studio.
Ms. Malone’s constant positive feedback helped develop my skills so I could join the honors portfolio class down
the road, which was more like a personal studio full of
some of the greatest friends I may ever know.
Junior year, I was in constant motion. National Honor my favorite extracurricular activity by far. There were
Society kept me busy enough to win the award at the end rehearsals once a week, and it was fully choreographed
of the year. There was not one day where I left school be- with an awesome choreographer, Heatha. Ms. Harney, Ms.
fore 4:30. Between an accelerated level art class and all of Patrikas and Ms. Bates did a stupendous job organizing
the new clubs I was in, it was very busy.
and creating this fun opportunity. We had designer clothes,
Friendships were continued, especially in the main of- a full runway, an 800-member audience, lights, and specfice. I worked with Mr. Marinelli, Mrs. Carroll, and Mike tacular sound. I actually had to learn how to disco for one
Ortins ’08 every day in the main office. It was a great ex- of the scenes. Every time I hear “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee
perience. You also get to know about almost everything Gees, I will always think of standing in front of 800 people
that is happening around school.
discoing in the 21st century. Between
Here, it is hard to miss a beat. After
the fashion show and the Drama guild,
“I
honestly
do
not
know
some of the year went by, I decided to
the year was packed full. Ms. Greenhow to say goodbye,
start a new club called the Architecwood, a new faculty member on camtural Designs Club. It went pretty well.
pus, took us to the finals in the New
so
I
will
not.
We made some models of houses and
England Drama Festival. Brother Ron
buildings here and there. Because of
I will say thank you for and Ms. Greenwood really know how
Ms. Malone’s great effort and help, we
to get things together, because between
everything.”
restructured the next year’s club. Honthe actors and the crew, both plays,
estly, this was one of my favorite things
Crazy for You and The Odyssey, were
to do.
simply brilliant.
For my senior year we decided to focus more on eleAs May approached, The Drama guild had its last meetments and actually planned on doing some installations for ing, the fashion show was over, Portfolio had its art exhibiRyken Center, hopefully to be ready for the fall of 2008. tion, clubs had farewell parties for the seniors, we prepared
After the junior prom in Boston and the end of the year for finals, and braced for the final farewell at Commencefestivities, that summer vacation was here once again.
ment. Four years finished off with a grand finale. I could
Senior year is supposed to be the most fun out of all the not have asked for anything more.
years in high school. Well, once your college applications
As for my classmates, it has been a pleasure being a part
are complete, it is, but it’s also the busiest. I joined the of such a wonderful and bright group of young men such
Stage “KROO” of the Drama Guild and again the Greek as these. Thank you to all of you who have been kind to
and Latin club, became president of Amnesty International me; I had a blast. And for my brother Anthony and my
and had a great group for the Architecture club, along with cousin Taylor, who will be sophomores next year, good
having the experience, which can never be replicated, of luck. Faculty, staff and administration, please keep doing
being in the honors portfolio class. This group was by far what you are doing. You are constantly changing, growthe best “class” I have ever been a part of. The chemistry, ing and shaping into something great. If it were not for all
as Ms. Malone says all the time, was 100%, and I could of your lessons, guidance and presence, St. John’s would
not agree more.
be a very different place. I honestly do not know how to
The fashion show was another great experience. For say goodbye, so I will not. I will say thank you for everyanyone who may be interested in having a ton of fun out- thing.
side of school itself, the “Reflections” fashion show was
The Unexpected Impact That is Grundy, VA
By Cam Cronin ‘08
The moments that have
had the most impact on
me at St. John’s Prep have
occurred neither under a
big white tent nor in the
confines of a classroom.
Many of them haven’t
even occurred physically
at St. John’s.
My most memorable experiences at St.
John’s have occurred at Tsongas Arena in
Lowell, Mass. and at St. Francis House
in Boston, Mass. and at Rivier College in
Nashua, New Hampshire and at a church in
Grundy, Virginia; but they all most importantly took place in the company of great
friends, leaders and mentors.
So many times, these powerful experiences seemed like anything but at the time,
just an opportunity to spend time with great
friends and do some good along the way.
The following is a somewhat disjointed
journey through my experience of the Virginia Service Project:
Amidst the distinctive smell of coal
mines, or the symphonic squawking of
chickens, or even the horrible taste of over-
ly processed lunch meat and stale bread, I
cried with friends. About halfway through
the week while on a lunch break Donna
came out of the house and asked any of us
if we wanted a drink or anything else to go
with lunch. Some of us declined and some
of us accepted, and she returned with water
or a soda for us.
Somehow we meandered to the topic of
God and faith. She began to speak about
how she had faith in God even after her
husband Steve had lost his arm in a motorcycle accident, and her unrelenting trust
and belief in God struck me more than any
story or second hand account of anything
ever has.
Donna talked about how she loved going
to Church and hearing the choir sing, and
being the shy and reserved people that they
are, my classmates perked up and said,
“Oh, Cam is a great singer, and sings all the
time at school!” Then everyone suggested
that I sing a song. My mind seemed to be
shutting down on me, and I didn’t know
what to sing. Then I sang the one song that
I really remembered, an original piece that
I sang at my grandmother’s funeral just
eight months earlier.
After I finished, everyone applauded, but
then something happened that caught me
by surprise. Donna sang a favorite modern
Christian song of hers. As the words and
notes spilled out of her mouth, I suddenly
felt the first inklings of a sort of revelation.
Her voice was filled with passion and comfort; the air became infected with love, and
we were all affected, some of us moved to
tears.
Later in the afternoon as some of us
crawled under the house only to be met by
those who jumped down through where the
floor had existed only hours ago, I began to
realize what I was truly experiencing.
The seven of us stacked cinderblocks
shoulder high to support the new floor that
we would install tomorrow. We eventually
got the big job done and felt so accomplished and extremely happy that we could
help the family that we had come to love
over the week. When the days of the week
began to wind down, we were all ready to
return home, but heartbroken by the ultimate realization that we would be leaving
Grundy.
Before we finished our final day of work
on the house, Donna and Steve, spoke to
us on their front lawn. They thanked us
for the labor that we had done for them
and Donna gave us all big hugs before we
left. However, when I walked past Steve,
who had not said much to us all week, and
I awkwardly shook his left hand, he smiled
at me and said, “Thank you for the hope
that you’ve given me.” Coming from a
man of few words, this short sentiment was
the most powerful statement that I have
heard to this day.
On the long ride back home I started to
wonder if my expectation of being transformed had been realized. I discovered that
I am a much more tolerant of differences in
people that I meet now, and that I have a
renewed faith in God and other people.
However, the most important revelation
that I gathered from my experience in Virginia is that the smallest action can cause
the greatest reaction, especially when people simply make an attempt to better the
lives of their neighbors.
St. John’s facilitated the service trip, but
the people made it. My story is not sensational or fantastic, it is ordinary here,
which speaks volumes on what my fellow
graduates and I have already done and will
continue to do to make this society that we
live in a more just and accepting place.
“I became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart
of the world.” - Henry R. Luce
Joe Hines
Dave Liakos
Rajesh Reddy
Ryan Fanning
Dave Lewis
Marc Pesaturo
Chris Remeika
You all have left an indelible print on the heart of St. John’s Prep.
May you continue to do so wherever your travels take you.
– Mrs. McEachern
Feature
April 2008
The Concordia
Compiled by Luke Sellinger ’08
Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve
--Ryan Gavin: Freshman Year
I listened to this song a lot after reading Catcher in the
Rye and I liked the connection between the two.
I Feel Home by O.A.R.
--Matt Cullen: As We Graduate
Whatever mood I'm in, this song always puts a smile on
my face when I remember all the great friends I've made
at the prep. St. Johns has been the best of homes these
past four years and I want to thank everyone for being
such a great family.
The Unbreakable by Have Heart
Be by Common
--Dave Lewis: Senior Year
--Zach Blair: As We Graduate
It’s a summary of my lifestyle in music form. One phrase
from the song “Just love the world that won’t love you
back” is not only my yearbook quote but my life motto.
The song explains my identity.
It is possibly one of the best written rap songs that I
have encountered. It has a positive view of the future but
emphasizes putting value on the present; very appropriate
for graduation.
World Hold On by Bob Sinclair
Razorblade Salvation by Jedi Mind Tricks
The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens
--James Lohan: Junior Year
It’s a song about being so desperate but then refusing
to give in because you see the few good things and the
responsibilities life holds
--Vishrut Patel: Sophomore Year
Better Than by The John Butler Trio
--Joe DeLorenzo: Junior Year
I heard it on the radio junior year, and I liked it so I used
it on some of my sophomore retreats.
Baba O’Reilly by The Who
--Matt Anthony: Freshman Year
I first heard it freshman year after reading the short story
“Teenage Wasteland” in English class. It set a tone for all
four years.
Champion by Kanye West
--Luke Harmeling: Senior Year
I think a lot of people liked “Graduation”(Kanye’s most
recent album) and not only is it a good song but it has
inspiring lyrics.
--Alex Quadros: Sophomore Year
It reminded me of the previous summer that I spent in
Europe. It was a very fun summer. Also, it provides a
good message relating to the war on terror.
This song describes my experience of that year, and my
overall experience over four years. And Danny Vascy
sang it on Xbox Live.
7
Senior Week
Paul El-Hashem ’08 stands out on the dance floor in his pink vest and tie (Photo courtesy of Terry Bleiler).
Giovanni Maffeo ’08, Sam Gamer ’08 and Doug Wilson ’08 play blackjack
with their lovely dates at the Senior Celebration (Photo courtesy of Terry
Bleiler).
Dan Campbell ’08 and Pat McBride ’08 hang out at the senior celebration after the
prom (Photo courtesy of Terry Bleiler).
Colin Shannon ’08, his lovely date, and Matt Cullen ’08 hang
out on the tennis courts at Senior Celebration (Photo courtesy of
Terry Bleiler).
Jake Blaquiere ’08 and his lovely date relax at the Senior Celebration (Photo courtesy
of Terry Bleiler).
Activities 2008
Kyle Shafman ’08, Joe DeLorenzo ’08, and Nick Guidi ’08 enjoy each others’ company while smoking
cigars on Senior Send-Off Day (Photo by Ross Carman ’08).
Don Granese and Christian Thompson pose with their lovely
dates at the senior prom (Photo courtesy of Terry Bleiler).
Peter Pigulski ’08 swims in the pool at the Boston Sports Club during Senior
Celebration (Photo courtesy of Terry Bleiler).
Nick Celetti-Nissenbaum ’08 calls out his next opponent, who looks on in fear, as
they prepare to duel on the sumo mat (Photo courtesy of Ryan Fanning ’08).
Ryan Fanning ’08 and his beautiful date take a quick break from dancing during
the senior prom (Photo courtesy of Johnny Dannemiller ’08).
Chris Haight ’08 and Joe Gurski ’08 celebrate their last few days as St. John’s Prep
Eagles on Senior Send-Off Day (Photo by Ross Carman ’08).
ANSWERS:
Compiled by Ryan Fanning ’08
ACROSS:
5. MERCANTALISM—This word
frustrates Mr. D. Smith
6. EDLINE—Online Grade Service
8 . RY K E N — T h e o d o r e J a m e s
__________.
15. DIMARCHI—”Do Math. Do
Physics.”
16. TRAILERS—Where we had
Foreign Language and Religion our
Freshman year.
17. GIBBONS—Name for the Baseball
Field
18. ONEILL—Only teacher with a
room/building named after him
19. BOYLE—Lit himself on fire to
begin sophomore year
20. CRONIN—Football Stadium’s
name
25. XAVERIANHOUSE—Where the
Brothers live
27. PEACELABYRINTH—Created by
Prep geometry students
28. SPIRE—Sits atop Xavier Hall
29. EAGLEEXPRESS—ID Card
DOWN:
1. KANEBTHEATRE—Auditorium’s
real name
2. PAWLOWSKI—Senior Class
President
3. FIVE—Number of tennis courts
4. KLEIN—Gives “Big Boy Tests”
7. RICHARDS—You tuck in your shirt
when you see this Dean coming
9. POLIMENO—Name of the “Silent
Room” in the back of the Library
10. HUSSEY—Red-bearded math
teacher
11. SHANNON—Doctor with a
Corvette
12. ONE—Number of computer labs
with Apple computers
13. STPIERRE—”Take it outside!”
14. EAGLE—It’s a Great Day to be an
__________.
21. THEEAGLE—Old name for the
newspaper
22. BUSH—Who did Prep students
elect in the SJP mock 2004 Presidential
Election
23. BENJAMIN—First Headmaster:
Brother __________
24. THREE—Number of Deans of
Students the past four years
26. NINETEEN—Number of AP
Classes offered
30. LYNCH—Beloved German teacher
and Yearbook Moderator
quotes, Identify the speaker.
or other punctuation marks (apostrophes, periods, etc). Write out all numbers. For
For names of teachers and students, use last names only. Do not include spaces
Solve this Prep-themed Crossword Puzzle!
A Senior Crossword
10
The Concordia
Feature
Graduation 2008
Arts and Entertainment
Graduation 2008
The Concordia
11
The Concordia
A&E
Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers
By Sam Hollands ’08
The great American South, a
mixture of romantic cultivation
and sagging despondency, is both
panoramic and castigated. The
south is a place of antiquated lore
and warm evenings haunted by the
phantasms of an oft-ugly past. It's
the geographical area where whisky nights and Baptist mornings
butt heads with an uncommonly
alluring ferocity. It's a culture rich
with gallantry but stained with a history of detachment,
melancholia, and defeat. And so, the music that comes out
of the South has always possessed, to one degree or another, an aggrieved grittiness - endearingly downtrodden
and tepidly hopeful. Boom or bust, but don't you dare let
your dreams intersect with your substantiality.
Such legacy has spanned and defined the careers of musicians ranging from Robert Johnson to Johnny Cash. It's
a conundrum that reaches back to the reconstruction era: a
historical study of perpendicular values and heart wrenching realities that have a tendency to be voluptuously beautiful.
Today, we label this genre with a variety of ubiquitous
terms: contemporary bluegrass, alt-country, southern rock,
cowpunk, folk country. But this legacy - of pain and pride,
torture and redemption - has set the stage for an escalating
series of tensions among those vying to assume a place
with the hollowed names of the past. And with good cause,
it would seem.
Is the future cradled in the arms of Ryan Adams and Gillian Welch's synthetic dissymmetry or will it manifest itself
in the cornbread huskiness of groups that idealize these
fundamental elements of the south? Or will the "future"
emerge from somewhere less contrived, and undoubtedly,
less heralded?
Lucero, which means blazing star in Spanish, has been
poised to grab the reins of contemporary alt/country since
their 20001 self titled release. The past 6 years has seen the
Memphis area band - spearheaded by singer/songwriter
Ben Nichol's fractured vocals - release an able-bodied discography of textured and non-cyclic music. Lucero has a
reputation for continually deconstructing and remobilizing
their sound in order to create distinctly separate albums.
2002's Tennessee was vociferously less linear than Lucero, 2003's That Much Further West was littered with masculine guitar riffs and Replacements-esqe antipathy, and
2004's Nobody's Darlings was an enigmatic self-pitying,
and - ultimately - guts and blood rock and roll album.
Which brings us, finally, to 2006 and the band's upcoming
release of Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers.
Immediately upon Lucero's precursory internet release
of the song "I Can Get Us out Of Here Tonight," pundits
were conflagrant with the fact that - gasp - the band would
dare create a song with semblances of Bruce Springsteen's
patented Asbury sound. Simply put, Southern music should
be too proud to stoop to level of incorporating recognizable, East Coast nuances.
Imagine, then, these same critics' surprise when they
heard the rest of the album - undeniably swollen with
Boss-styled keys and Nichol's vocal delineation leaning
increasingly towards Springsteen's oral stylings.
Before we delve into the specifics of this reemphasized
June Movie
Previews 2008
By Kris Mitchell ‘08
With the summer fast approaching,
the movie theater blockbusters are just
around the bend. And of course, that
means a lot of sex and violence in the
near future. Okay, maybe not JUST sex
and violence, but you get the picture.
Here are some of the June movies that
are worth viewing:
Kung Fu Panda by Dreamworks
Animation Inc.
This new animated feature-length film stars
Jack Black (featured actor in School of Rock
and High Fidelity) as Po the panda, among
many other talented actors and actresses
Lucero, however, we should first examine the causal reality of any band or self-respecting artist who chooses to
meander into the axiomatic and uncurbed musical world
of the seminal Bruce Springsteen.
The blunt reality of the situation is that any incorporation of the Asbury sound - whether it be bright keys, bluesy
song architecture, or the "larger than life" vocal delivery can't be a bad thing. The Boss acquired his pseudonym
by being, well, the The Boss. Nearly infallible in scope
and monumental in size, Springsteen invigorated an entire
generation.
With irony, then, Lucero has reinvented the southern
sound by infringing upon the local sound of a place that
is, both literally and figuratively, thousands of miles away.
Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers attacks the listener
straight off the starting block with "What Else Would You
Have Me Be." Seconds into the album, guitarist Brian Venable's muscular riffs are intersected with irradiated keys
and Nichol's torn vocals. Away we go. "I gave you everything I stole/Then you stole your heart away from me."
The song sets the stage for an epic of an album, a metaphorical barn-burner that is touchingly heartbreaking. Because, despite its east coast swagger, Rebels, Rogues &
Sworn Brothers is southern rock. Lost loves, blue collar
daydreams, empty bottles. The second track of the album,
"I Don't Wanna Be The One," displays a similar operational mechanism: Drummer Roy Berry's drumming provides a thick backbone for the band's bulky brand of grain
alcohol fueled musings.
The album steadily picks up steam. The following two
tracks, "San Francisco" and the aforementioned "I Can Get
Us Out Of here", sparkle and balloon with triumphant idiosyncrasy. You start to get the feel that Rebels, Rogues &
Sworn Brothers is like an 18 wheeler being ghost ridden
down a mountain. Try as you might, this baby aint stopping. Then, BAM! The album comes to a screeching halt
with, perhaps, the worst song Lucero has ever produced.
That's right, the unthinkable metastisizes before the
listeners ears with an unfortunate and long-winded buoyancy. For lack of a more incisory phrase, the track "1979"
is simply awful. It's the longest song on the album and
almost painful to listen to. Venable's guitar is completely
overshadowed by the use of off-kilter keys and Nichol's
ridiculous lyrical musings.
For that matter, his attempts to be nostalgic fall flat on
its face. "It was 1979/Just skin and bones/Your favorite
dress/motorcycle boots." He is obviously trying to conjure
images of a lovelorn boy and the former but not forgotten
apple of his eye, but the final product seems to better describe a skanky whore ala Courtney Love. And then, just
when the song seems that it can't get any worse, the track
is lit up with a cheese ball synth and Skynard-style ballad
guitar.
The "1979" detour is, luckily, just that - a detour. The
ensuing songs, "Cass" and "The Mountain" rebound quite
nicely. Both tracks are quirky and addled with hickish
lyricisms (specifically in "The Mountain" when the ever-humble Nichol's promises to "Buy a mountain for me
and you") and swampy guitar/bass interplay. The eighth
track, however, is the highlight of the album. "Sing Me
No Hymns" is furiously gutter, uncouthly and powerfully
despondent.
At around the 2:30 mark, Venable, bassist John Stubblefield, and Berry work with each other to gradually build a
wall of sound that falls in a sonic crescendo before giving
away to a recklessly intense guitar solo. It is here, specifically within the closing solo, that that Rebels, Rogues &
Sworn Brothers climaxes. But fear not, because while this
is where the album peaks, it does so only in terms of song
tempo, not quality.
Out of the four remaining tracks, "The Weight of Guilt,"
She's Just That Kind of Girl," "On The Way Back Home,"
and "She Wakes When She Dreams," "On The Way Back
Home" is the most memorable. Perhaps the most emotionally touching Lucero song since the self titled's "Hold
Fast," it's eloquent in a retrospectively gentle way. The
composition of the music, coupled with Nichol's vocals,
creates a multicultural sadness that pours on the heartbreak
without being melodramatic or trite.
It very well could have been the send-off song of the
album and, most likely, it should have been - because here,
the band's emotional side is boiled down to reveal a basal
core of personal, yet less-than-unique tragedy. We all bear
the burden of second-guessing our youthful decisions.
Such introspection is part of getting older, part of assimilating and developing the collective retrospection known
as "experience." Ultimately, that's what makes the song so
great.
One gets the sense that for the members of Lucero this
is their only chance. Their hope for future success relies
on their ability to capture what drives them. The question, then, becomes: what drives Lucero? They write of
hometown Memphis with equal parts disdain and affection. They speak of their travels on the road with similar
sense of wariness. In many ways, Nichols seems unsure of
himself and his purpose. In his songs, he constantly fights
the urge to give up and wash his inabilities away in the
metaphorical bottle.
But throughout it all - the trials, the tribulations, long
nights on the road - the band maintains its frank and simple
outlook on life. Sure, Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers
has a couple less-than-memorable songs and one really
terrible one, but at its core, its hardworking, gritty music.
Music lovers around the world appreciate Cash and Johnson not so much for their individual musical output or the
varying nuances they assumed throughout their careers,
but rather for their ability to capture a specific reality with
startling accuracy.
It may have not always been the prettiest or the most
congenial, but it was painted in the broad and unforgettable strokes of brazen regionalism. And that, above all
else, is what made American bluegrass/country/southern
rock so undeniably powerful. On Rebels, Rogues & Sworn
Brothers, Lucero has recaptured that magic in a way that
grabs your chest and steals your breath.
Yes, Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers bears a tangible amount musical of similarities to Bruce Springsteen.
Above all, Springsteen's legacy will be his everyman honesty. And it is here, that Lucero shares the most in common
with the legendary boss of Asbury Park. The search for
true candor in music has become something of cliché.
Every slick A&R rep trumpets the next big thing as possessing an uncommon sense of honesty. But honesty, like
all humanistic virtues, cannot be forced. It can simply be
created. Impossible to pinpoint with accurate description,
it falls into the category of "I know it when I see it." And
here, you see it. Or, rather, hear it. Throughout their career, Lucero, has earned the right to hang in the rarified air
of legends past and Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers is
merely a reminder of such.
making this movie a celebrity blowout. After watching the
preview, it seems entertaining and funny, and it will please
most audiences hopefully, especially the children (but I
suppose there are a couple laughs in there for the adults
as well). As to if it will be a classic like the Pixar films,
who knows.
Especially since the Abomination is on the loose! Oh, and
Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings) is his girlfriend. But the
Abomination, guys, think of it!!!
The Happening by M. Night Shyamalan
Featuring Mark Wahlberg (remember the
guy in the Departed who doesn’t die?), this
film is hopefully going to be the magic that
was Shyamalan’s movies ages ago, like the
Sixth Sense and Signs. Airborne death just
has this eerily terrific ring to it.
The Incredible Hulk by MARVEL
So the Hulk returns to the big screen after
its first attempt. The green World Breaker,
played by Edward Norton (who starred in
American History X and Fight Club), will
not disappoint fans, as there is more of a
script attached to the film this time around.
Get Smart by Peter Segal
Based off the orginal TV show by Mel
Brooks, Get Smart takes you into the world of
Agent 86, played by The Office’s Steve Carell,
and Agent 99, played by Anne Hathaway. So in
other words, this is probably going to be comic
genius at its best.
The Love Guru by Marco Schnabel
Pitka is here! And he is giving YOU
advice on your love life, because he
knows you need it. Mike Myers returns to
the big screen to introduce us to his first
original character since the Austin Powers runs. Although Myers usually isn’t a
disappointment, the trailer didn’t make
me laugh, which isn’t a good indication.
Let’s hope they saved the funny parts for
the actual film
12
The Concordia
Arts and Entertainment
Graduation 2008
The Last Great Live Band
Pearl Jam has been one of the most consistant rock acts since their debut album Ten was released in 1991. Here they preform in Chicago (Photo courtesy of www.pearljam.com).
By Ryan Fanning ’08
How many bands, after eighteen
years as a world-renowned group,
still go out and play every concert
as if it could be their last?
Very few bands from the early
1990’s are still together, let alone
touring. Pearl Jam is the exception
to this disappointing trend.
I would argue that many bands
don’t play thirty song sets ever in
their careers, perhaps maxing out at twenty songs in a
night, even if they are still young and energetic. Pearl Jam
has consistently played an average of thirty songs per concert night-in and night-out throughout their eighteen year
career.
Not only does the band play such long shows, but they
maintain a constant, electrifying energy throughout each
and every song, during each and every show.
Each concert they play is just as exhilarating as the last,
whether they are playing their third show of the tour, or
their eightieth, the band plays an unbelievable show. I
have had the good fortune to attend one show at the Garden in Boston on the first leg of the tour for their epony-
mous album Pearl Jam my sophomore year, in 2006.
The atmosphere in the building was to the point of insanity. Once the band began their set, they crowd went
wild. It seemed that everyone at the show knew the words
to every single song the band played, even the rarities.
The energy of the crowd mirrors the energy of the
band, and I
would not be
“Often playing up the building
surprised if
to three encores to be shaking
appeared to
f r o m t h e conclude any given p o i n t o f
view of an
concert, the band o n l o o k e r
outside the takes pride in its live building.
The lead
singers stage
shows.”
banter alone,
discussing
t o p i c s
ranging from
the band’s
history to
politics and the War on Terror, is enough entertainment for
the night, let alone the absolutely brilliantly written and
preformed music.
Often playing up to three encores to conclude any given
concert, the band takes pride in its live shows.
One very cool aspect of Pearl Jam’s live shows are the
number of cover songs they play. Although they have a
catolog of over one hundred and fifty original songs, they
often play up to five cover songs during a concert. Neil
Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” is a staple of their
shows, and is often used to conclude a show.
“Crazy Mary” is another very popular concert tune.
Originally, the song was written by Victoria Williams, who
was then cancer-stricken. Peal Jam offered to preform the
song for her while she was ill.
At one concert that I went to, in Boston in 2006, it happned
to be Bob Dylan’s birthday. In honor of his birthday, Eddie
Vedder, the lead singer, played a short acoustic ser of two
songs. The first was Dylan’s “Forever Young”-- “Not trying
to be cynical”, as Vedder remarked. Then, Vedder began
“Masters of War by himself, and was later joined by the rest
of the band to Pearl Jam-ify Dylan’s classic song.
Even if you can’t make it out to see Pearl Jam play live, the
band makes it easy to listen to their live shows. For a mere
ten dollars, you can download any concert on a given tour
from their website in full. I alone have seven of their full
concerts on my iPod, and I assure you, while it may seem
a tad obsessive, each concert is unique, and deserves to be
listened to in full, from the first song to the last encore.
Pearl Jam will be coming to the Tweeter Center on June
28 and June 30, to conclude their summer tour, and I urge
you to try to attend.
with the Joker, now played by the late Heath Ledger. The
buzz around this movie is intense, with critics seeing this
second encounter between Batman
and the Joker see this film as likely
delving deeper into the dark side of
Batman. Advanced previews and
trailers have effectually dispelled
any concerns as to the quality of
“The Dark Knight’s” Joker, once
played by Jack Nicholson. This
movie is definitely a must see and
undoubtedly the buzz surrounding this movie will only grow as
the July 18th release date comes
closer.
creatures to take control of our world. This flick shows
promise, but might be fare more suited for those who hold
interest in comic-book theatre.
July Movie Previews
By James Lohan ’08
Tropic Thunder by Dreamworks
An all-star troupe of comedians
lead this promising comedy due
out in the second week of July.
Tropic Thunder follows the five
main character; Jeff “Fats”
Portnov (Jack Black), Kirk
Lazarus (Robert Downey
Jr.), Jay Baruchel (Kevin
Sandusky), and Ben Stiller
(Speedman) as actors in a
big budget war film that is
plagued by on set catastrophes. In a twist the action
stars find themselves in the
middle of a real life war
situation. The movie shows
promise and is generally regarded as one of the more
promising comedies this summer.
The Dark Knight by Warner Brothers
In the sixth installment of the Batman series Christian
Bale returns as the cape crusader to once more do battle
Hellboy 2 by Guillermo del Toro
Ron Perlman returns the crimson comic hero, Hellboy. In
this sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s 2004 hit, “Hellboy,”
Perlman leads the B.P.R.D (Board of Paranormal Research
and Defense) against
the dictatorial ambitions
of an evil creature who
treads both the fantasy
and earthly worlds. Luke
Goss, who plays Perlman’s world hopping antithesis, attempts to lead a
“Golden Army” of fantasy
The Long Shots by Fred Durst
This flick, due out towards the end of July, centers on
the true life story of Jasmine Plummer, the first female
player in the Pop Warner league. Jasmine, played by Keke
Palmer, leads her team as quarter back all the way to the
Pop Warner Super
Bowl while being
coached by a former high school
football star, her
uncle, who is
played by Ice Cube.
This true life story
based on the adversity encountered
by Plummer is central to the plot line of finding hope in the most unlikely of
situations, as Plummer unites the struggling Illinois town
of Wallace behind her team, the Harvey Colts. Possibly a
little wishy-washy but the story and the importance of the
events still hold solid ground and promise a decent sports
flick, but definitely nothing too spectacular.
Arts and Entertainment
Graduation 2008
The Concordia
13
Summer Sounds From the Underground
By Dave Lewis ‘08
Hampton Beach, North Shore
Mall, AMC Movie Theatre,
campfires, and Xbox…sound familiar? Instead of following the
same summertime process we
sun-tanned high school schmucks
follow every year, it’s time to venture out. As you count the finals
days until college, do something
you’ve never done before. But
what is that you ask? Did you
know North Shore Massachusetts
hosts one of the, not only most famous, but most lively
music scenes in New England? Hardcore, punk, and ska:
maybe not the most popular genres in the mainstream, but,
in the underground, everything’s opposite.
Have Heart, a Boston band holding down the hardcore
home front, has catapulted the North Shore into, not just
the national, but international hardcore spotlight. With
influence from back-in-the-day hardcore bands like Bane
and Black Flag, Have Heart has morphed straightedge
(anti-drinking, anti-drugs) into something to admire. The
Things We Carry, featuring most of the band’s best songs
like “Armed With a Mind”, “The Unbreakable”, and
“Watch Me Rise”, has been the leading record in the local
scene for the past year or so. After a fairly extensive European tour, Have Heart returns to Boston by mid-summer
for a few shows in Cambridge and in Haverhill before
heading out on the road once again.
The Effort, the local middlemen between hardcore and
punk, recently have been gaining popularity with each
passing day. Their full-length Iconoclasm, released by
Words of War Records on April 1st, has been met with
open arms by local straightedge concertgoers and is available in any Newbury Comics store. These college-aged
musical activists take a radically intelligent look at politics and society with every single song. With influences
from scene leaders Have Heart and Shipwreck, The Effort, with their passionate social justice spin, have inspired
more kids to go straightedge and go radical than any North
Shore band has in a very long time. There have been rumors of a West Coast Tour for The Effort this summer, but
hundreds of local shows throughout the Merrimac Valley
area are a definite.
Also off Words of War Records, The Carrier proves to
be another local band to keep an eye out for this summer.
With members strewn throughout the North Shore, The
Carrier mixes very raw instrumentals with emotionally
charged lyrics. The clash of tough hardcore and vulnera-
ble vocals provides for some of the most fascinating music
currently coming out of Massachusetts. According local
scenesters, The Carrier is definitely one of the most fun local bands to see live. Songs like “Panicstriken”, “Wasted”,
and “Alcatraz” from the band’s most recent album, One
Year Later, dominate their live set. After a fairly extensive
national tour, The Carrier returns to Massachusetts several
times throughout the summer playing Kingston on June
14th and Haverhill on June 21st as well as few other locations that are yet to be determined.
Of a much different musical breed, Mile 21, a Boston
band that hybrids reggae and ska, recently has reached
surprising notoriety. Their classic dance tune “Wasting
Time” has been the anthem of Massachusetts ska scene for
nearly five years now. Much slower songs like “Fool You”
illustrate the band’s awesome admiration for reggae pioneer Bob Marley. The band’s popular song “Vampire” is a
prime example that Mile 21 isn’t just some mock-Marley
reggae band; they can add a unique flavor to a genre that
rarely manufactures successful bands. Mile 21 tends to
play mostly local shows, appearing in Gloucester on May
16th, in Manchester (yes, by the sea) on May 23rd, and
at Cambridge’s famous Middle East Club on May 30th.
Watch out for these scene elders, they’ve been around long
enough to know what their doing and their sure to make
the best of summer ’08.
The Merrimac Valley Hardcore scene, or the MVHC,
as those crazy straightedge kids have popularized it as,
is probably one of the fastest growing scenes in the area.
Edge-Day, a day-long show last summer, featuring some
of the areas biggest straight-edge bands like Have Heart,
Shipwreck, and The Effort, was so successful National Geography showed up to do a documentary on the straightedge subculture residing on the North Shore. Welfare
Records, a hole-in-the-wall in downtown Haverhill, was
a non-name venue just a year ago, but after Edge Day, has
risen to legendary status among hardcore kids.
Ten years ago, Gloucester was the hub of music and,
though a lot of noise is coming out of the Merrimac Valley, the ska headquarters still remains in the old fishing
town under the careful leadership of Mile 21. As the band
begins to record new material and continues playing locally nearly everyday, the Gloucester scene is sure to grow
immensely this summer.
So what’s your musical taste? Where do you fit in the
scheme of things in the underground? Oh wait, you didn’t
even know there was an underground! Well gentleman, its
time to turn off the radio, get rid of Romero and Pebbles
and Matty in the Morning, pick up your shovels and find
your spot in the Massachusetts underground.
Have Heart at the Cambridge Elks
The Effort at Welfare Records
The Carrier at Umass Lowell
Mile 21 in Boston
Artist of the Year: Ben Dulong ‘08
By Nick Clements ‘08
Early this year, I decided to
try and expand my horizons at
St. John’s Prep. Having never
been to one of the artistic showcases in Ryken, I figured I’d
take a shot in the dark and head
out to look at some art. What I
did not know was that the Jazz
Combo class would also be
playing to provide some music
for the night.
I’m a bit of a fan of jazz myself and had high expectations, but, as soon as the band
started playing, I was not disappointed. I was blown away
by their clear love for the music and their unbelievable
talent. One saxophonist stood out, however, and that was
Ben Dulong.
Wearing his characteristic white striped hat, Ben dazzled the entire night, especially through his solos which
added intensity and depth to each of the songs he and the
rest of the Jazz Combo, the Suits, played throughout the
night. Also, this same passion and talent could be found
in his subsequent concerts at the Prep, culminating in the
latest of the year when he played alongside the Canadian
band District of Soul.
Ben Dulong’s year came to a close when he won the
Clark Terry UNH Jazz Festival Award for outstanding
musicianship, a well-deserved award. I would strongly
encourage all people at the Prep to attend a closing Jazz
program to see Ben and the rest of the Jazz Combo if one
comes in the coming month.
Watch out for Ben
next year in Clark
University’s Jazz
Combo
Name: Ben Dulong
Age/YOG: 18, 2008
Hometown: Gloucester, MA
Instrument: Alto Saxophone
Year of Experience: I started when
I was eight years old.
Favorite Song: All Blues, by Miles
Davis. The changes provide a structure that is at once simple for the
beginning of solos and complex for
building upon ideas.
Artistic Idols: John Coltrane...
Mike Tucker, Henley Douglas,
Dave Trooper
Artistic Goals: Record at least one
album. Play some famous bars that
the jazz greats have played. Play at
Preservation Hall in New Orleans.
Continue playing until I die.
Plans: The Jazz Combo/ Band at
Clark University, perhaps solo/
combo work in local clubs and bars.
Ben Dulong jazzing up the New Orleans scene
with the Jazz Combo
14
The Concordia
Sports
Graduation 2008
The Concordia
Sports
Fall Proves Trying for Prep Athletics
team finished this season with a reAlthough last year’s team had a little
spectable record of 10-4-7, but that was
more success, finishing their season with
not the exact outcome they wanted.
The 2007 fall sports season came a final record of 13-5, the younger golfers
Seniors Nick Marinakis and Doug
with tough losses, one championship, on the team showed great promise for the
Wilson expressed their disappointment
playoff chances, rising stars and prom- future. “It was good to see the younger
with the way things turned out this seaising futures. From this trying season, guys play well this year, and we should be
son, “It was hard to handle the feeling
the Prep teams were able to show their in good shape for next season,” reflected
that we didn’t get as much out of the
resilience to defeat and proved they are Mullavey ’08.
season as we could have. We had a resome of the best teams in the state.
After a great season last year finishing
ally good team and it was tough not to
The Cross-Country team enjoyed a the season with a regular season record of
make it further in the playoffs.”
successful season despite some major 8-3, the Football team looked to continAlthough the team was unable to readversity. They were able to finish ue their success this season. This year’s
claim the state title, they did manage
their season with an overall record of 2-2, and qualified team faced one of the toughest schedules
to do very well especially when they
for the MIAA All-State Championships.
they have seen in a while, and their strong
traveled to Connecticut to play Xavier
Senior Captain Luke Harmeling summed up the season opponents forced the team to fight hard
of Middletown, CT in a game in which
when he said, “Overall the season went pretty well even every week for a victory.
they won 2-0. Against one of the best
with some of the big guns like Julian Gallo ’09 getting
The team started the season off strong,
teams in Connecticut, the team manhurt. We were able to meet most of the expectations and with shutout wins against both Peabody
aged to start the year off with an imporhad a great time too.”
High and Central Catholic, but they were
tant win. “We played better as a team
The team found success early on in the season, winning unable to carry their momentum into
in that game than in any other game of
their first meet against BC High, but could not extend the the next three weeks, falling to Everett,
the season,” said Marinakis ’08.
streak with a tight race with Malden Catholic. Rebound- Brockton, and Dracut.
The team will once again lose some
ing from the last meet, the team was able to beat Catholic
After important wins over St. John’s
outstanding players, but the younger
Memorial; however, they were unable to win their final Shrewsbury, Catholic Memorial, and
guys look promising to fill those gaps
race against Xaverian.
Malden Catholic, the team faced off
and seem ready to bring another state
Although last year’s team had a little more success, fin- against Xaverian in a game that would Cross Country captains Luke
Harmeling ’08, Kyle Packert ‘08
championship to the Prep.
ishing with a record of 3-1, the freshdetermine their play- and Collin Shannon ’08 strike a
With a much younger squad this
man team showed great promise for
off
contention.
They
the upcoming seasons. When they “The season was pretty came ready to play and pose at the New Balance Invitation- year, the Water Polo team had to make
in Rhode Island. (Photo courtesy some adjustments to fill the spots left
tough because we were showed everyone that al
traveled to New York for the Manhatof Kyle Packert).
by the graduating seniors that led the
tan Invitational, the freshman team
they
deserved
a
chance
a lot younger than last
team in the past seasons. They sufwas able to finish first. With most of
at the state title with a
year...It was hard bethe top runners returning next year, the
21-17 win in the crucial Thanksgiving fered tough losses at the hands Phillips Exeter and Phillips
Academy but were able to handle the team from Northfield
team is in a good position to do well in
cause we were a totally Day game.
MT Hermon fairly easily.
the upcoming seasons.
Although
the
team
did
not
win
a
state
different group but we championship, they played very well After losing a lot of strong players, the team struggled
The Golf team found a way to redeem themselves this season, winning were able to play well as over the course of the season and proved but was able to finish the season with a record of 2-3. The
the Division I North Championship aftheir toughness and strength against team had some fierce competition with Phillips Exeter, and
a team.”
although they played very well Exeter proved to be too
ter finishing in second place last year.
some of the best teams in the state.
- Mike Mullavey ‘08
Although they lost most of their key
Senior Captains Derek Coppola and much for them this year.
“We graduated a lot of our good seniors but our juniors
golfers to graduation, the young team
Scott Darby were huge parts of the teams
was able to finish the season with a reoverall success scoring 56 and 26 points really stepped up and were able to help make this season a
spectable record of 9-4-1.
respectively, making them among the league leaders in successful one,” commented senior captain Jon Castaldo.
Even though the team did not have as much success as
They were able to handle their opponents fairly easily points. Even though the team finished with a record of
for most of the season, but were unable to win most of 6-5, they look to make improvements and hopefully bring they would have hoped for, the younger players were able
to prove themselves ready for the upcoming year. “This
the close matches. Key losses came from the teams of a state championship in the seasons to come.
BC High, Danvers, and Xaverian, all by 5 strokes or less;
Following an impressive season last year that culmi- year the freshmen showed that they will be ready to step
but they were able to recover from these losses and win nated in a State Championship, the Soccer team looked to up when their time comes to lead the team,” said Castaldo
a few close matches of their own against Barnstable and defend the title in their most recent season. After finishing ’08.
Although some of the seasons proved disappointing for
Xaverian.
the season at a stunning 22-0-2, the team lost some major
Captain Mike Mullavey ’08 commented on the sea- parts of their starting eleven including Jeff Dell’Orfano, some of the Prep’s fall sports teams, many great successes
came from the year’s trials and tribulations. All the playson, “The season was pretty tough because we were a lot Tim Prior, and Ben Slingerland.
younger than last year, so we had to get used to playing
With these gaps in the lineup, people needed to step up ers worked extremely hard to put their teams at the top of
together. It was hard because we were a totally different and that’s exactly what guys like Sean Bishop ’08, Brett the standings and earned the respect they deserve for their
group but we were able to play well as a team.”
McLarney ’08, and Evan Ersing ’08 were able to do. The dedication.
By Ricky Barnes ‘08
Winter Sports Deliver Three State Championships
The ski team fought their way through a trying season to
capture their second state title in the past four seasons.
(Photo courtesy of Yearbook Staff).
By Marc Pesaturo ‘08
The 2007/2008 winter sports
season brought new faces, broken
records, three state championships,
playoff appearances and complete
dominance in some sports. Ryan
O’Connell ’08, captain of the Basketball team, dominated the court,
the Swimming team toyed with
their opponents, and the Fencing
team barely had to struggle to win.
The Basketball team finished the regular season with
thirteen wins and seven losses and was able to advance
The swim team dominated their competition to
win their third straight title. (Photo courtesy of
Yearbook Staff)
This year’s fencing team claimed it’s fourth straight
state championship. (Photo courtesy of Ricky Barnes)
into the postseason. They started out the year very mediocre, going 5-5 through the first ten games of the season.
From there on, they would win eight more games and lose
just two games.
This stretch of great basketball, which included a five
game winning streak at one point, started with a huge 98-93
victory over Catholic Memorial, one of the top programs
in the Commonwealth. They continued their success into
the North Shore Invitation Basketball Tournament and
easily took home the trophy for the second straight year.
A key member of Prep’s Basketball team’s 8-2 run was
the Senior Captain Ryan O’Connell. O’Connell led the
team in scoring for the second straight year and he also
became the Prep’s all-time career scoring leader when he
passed Matt Symmes (1,242 points).
With the help of O’Connell, the Basketball team not
only made it to the playoffs, but was victorious in their
first round game, something that hasn’t been done since
the Prep beat Acton-Boxboro 62-53 in 2003. They finally
won a first round game when they beat Catholic Conference rival Malden Catholic 59-57. However, they would
lose to Everett 98-77 in the next round.
The Prep’s Basketball team was able to move past the
first round in the playoffs, but the hockey team failed to
get out of the round-robin of the Super Eight for the second straight year.
A new season brought along a new coach for the
(Continued on p 15)
Sports
Graduation 2008
The Concordia
15
2007/2008 Prep’s Unsung Heroes
By Andrew Eiherington ’08 and Luke
Selinger ’08
Soccer 2008 Unsung Heroes:
Hunter Clark ’08, Steve Gaudet ’08, and Doug Wilson ’08
Steve Gaudet, above, was one of the three
unsung heroes for the soccer team (phot
courtesy Ross Carman).
Coach Crowell was quick to offer up
praise for not one of his seniors, but three,
who it can be agreed on, did not get the
recognition they deserved.
Hunter Clark ’08, had he played, would
have surely grassed the headlines of every Prep Soccer article that was printed
last season, but a twice torn ACL left him
sidelined for his whole senior season and
he very easily could have left it all behind
him. Hunter was there haunting the sidelines every single day though sporting an
“exceptional attitude”.
Steve Gaudet ’08 tried out for the JV
squad last year and was cut from the team.
Undeterred, he tried out for Varsity this year
and earned the back starting slot. Steve was
frequently called on to shutdown the opposition’s best player and he did it with an
admirable worth ethic.
Doug Wilson ’08, like Gaudet, was cut
as a junior. With no returning goalie this
season the biggest question Coach Crowell had was all about who would play the
keeper. Doug’s perseverance allowed him
to come back his senior year and earn the
starting goalie spot.
Hockey 2008 Unsung Hero:
Colin Prior ‘08
Georgetown resident and Prep Hockey
right wing Colin Prior ’08 may likely be
the only first line right wing in hockey history to not be consistently covered in the
media.
This year was a bit different though
with Colin being surrounded by the likes
of Christian Cowles ’08 and Dan Haugh
’08 two players who received substantial
deserved press.
Colin though, thanks in large part to his
position, was not as prominently featured
in the papers, and that was ok with Colin
whose quiet demeanor may have led to him
not receiving equal attention.
It’s not like he was undeserving of accolades though.
Colin finished this season with a real
sweet 14-14-28 line that was not too far
behind his other line mates.
Colin really made his presence known in
the final game of the Super 8 against Hingham. This consoloation game allowed Colin and the rest of the hockey team to just
get on the ice and have fun doing what they
do best because the outcome of the game
was irrelevant.
Against Hingham, Colin notched two
goals (one shorthanded) and two assists.
Colin’s senior year was filled with clutch
goals too, as noted by Director of Operations Robert Marinelli and Colin’s coach
for three years.
So why did Colin’s prescence on the ice
go basically unnoticed by the local paperpers? Mr. Marinelli summed it all up when
he said that Colin “let his play do the talking.”
Colin Prior, above, made huge contributions for the Hockey team this year, but
he didn’t get the press that he deserved
(photo courtesy Ross Carman).
Basketball 2008 Unsung Hero:
Andrew Knight ’08
Distracted by the all time leading scorer,
the Prep Basketball, fans may have missed
one of the
best
defenders to
step on to
the court in
the school’s
one hundred year
history.
T h a t
player is senior guard/
forward
Andrew
Knight ’08.
He was
“that other
captain”,
along with
Senior Ryan
O’Connell,
that nobody
knew
or
Andrew Knight’s contriburecognized
tions to the team nearly
went unnoticed (photo courH
e
tesy of Ross Carman).
usually
played in
the shadow of O’Connell and never got the
headlines that he deserved.
This Six foot three inch versatile player
was consistently looked to when it came
to holding down the opposing team’s star
player.
Through phenomenal performances such
as holding Division 1 recruit Jake O’Brien
of BC High to five points, and shutting
down Salem News Player of the Year Mike
Clifford in the championship game of the
North Shore Invitational, Knight solidified
his position as the team’s go to defender.
Coached Dan Letarte weighed in saying
that Knight played such good defense that
he would sometimes sacrifice his offense
in order to play better defense.
This is the only thing that kept him from
receiving a lot of attention from fans and
newspapers alike.
“You need a big rebound, he’ll get it.
You need a big steal, he’ll get it. You need
a big pass, he’ll get it.” Coach Letarte said
about Knight.
Knight was recruited by several Division
three schools and will be attending and
playing basketball at Salve Regina, where
Coach Letarte believes he will excel.
Football 2008 Unsung Hero:
John Whitney ’08
John Whitney, above, did not get the credit
he deserved while being a presence on the
field (photo courtesy Ross Carman).
John Whitney ’08 did anything the football team asked of him. He was the starting
safety, the starting punter, and a wide receiver on many different occasions.
After a junior year of playing wide receiver, Whitney found success elsewhere
on the field. In a secondary that no longer played Derek Coppola at cornerback,
Whitney was the strength of the secondary.
He used a combination of speed and power
to his advantage at any position he played.
The one thing that was most overlooked
about him was the fact that he was more
than adequate for the vacant punting position on the team. He rarely kicked a below
average punt. After trying to punt a football under pressure, one would realize that
punting is not an easy task. It takes tremendous skill to punt the ball, and then go back
out at safety for the next play.
The only person in recent memory who
successfully completed such a task was
former captain Jon Cassidy ’06, who is
now playing college football for Georgetown University.
“John Whitney was very important to the
team. I really don’t know how good the defense would have been without him.” said
senior defensive end Byron Johnson.
When it comes down to who should have
received more praise for performance during the football season, the evidence leads
to John Whitney.
champions for the third straight season.
dramatic fashion as Senior Chris Adam was the hero with
“Coming into this year, our main goal was winning his match tying bout.
Hockey team. Coach Kristian Hanson ’94 took over a states. Our year would have been a
Although the “friendly cup” was
hockey squad with loads of talent and no real expectations loss if we didn’t win states.” Senior
something special, winning the pro“I
thought
how
I
played
on them.
Captain John Castaldo said.
grams fourth straight title has got to be
“Making the adjustment with a new coach was surprisThe Swimming team dominated the this year was great moti- something the Senior’s will remember
ingly fairly easy,” Senior Captain Christian Cowles said. water so much that there was only one vation for my teammates. for a long time. The Seniors on the
“Coach Hanson came in the first day of practice and told us meet where the separation between the
team this year have endured
I did my best to be a lead- Fencing
how it would be and the team bought into what he said.”
Prep and their opponents was fewer
nothing but success, seeing how they
The Hockey team was quick to disprove their doubters then ten. That was an eight point vic- er on the ice and I feel this have won the state championship evby starting the season with five wins, two losses, and one tory over Malden Catholic. All of their
helped toward our suc- ery year of their high school careers.
tie. After stumbling a bit in the middle of their schedule, other meets were won by ten points or
Like the Swimming and Fencing
cessful season.”
going 1-3-2, they picked it up and were able to head into more. Their biggest margain of victoteams before them, the Skiing team
the Super Eight on a six game winning streak.
- Christian Cowles ‘08 was able to take home a state chamry came when they beat Phillips Exeter
During that six game winning streak the Hockey team by 47 points, 116-69.
pionship. Unlike the Swimming and
gathered huge wins over Malden Catholic, Waltham High,
This year, there were many different
Fencing teams before them, they had
and Austin Prep. But they just couldn’t ride that momen- school records broken for the Swimming team. The 50 to overcome a struggle.
tum into the Super Eight. Instead, with their lackluster free and 100 free were both broken by Mark Scalise ’08,
The Ski team didn’t have a good start to their season as
performance, they were stopped short and lost their first with times of 21.51 and 47.95 respectively. Also, the 200 they lost their first game 49-96 to North Andover. They
two games of the Super Eight. They
free relay record was broken with then went on to finish the regular season on a 6-1 record,
did, however, win their consolation
a time of 1:27.64 by some experi- their only other loss coming to the hands of North Andover
“All of the winter sports
game (and their last game of the seaenced swimmers in Scalise, Cast- yet again. They were able to shake off both of their losses
son) against Hingham.
aldo, Tyler Lareau ’09, and Jeff and eventually win the state championship, due to some
teams made it passed the
Cowles, who will play a post-grad
’08.
huge performances by Seniors Jeff Smallcomb and Ethan
regular season and into the Fiore
year at either Avon Old Farms or
Another state champion team Romagnoli.
Kent, played every game like he had playoffs. Three of those teams at the Prep was the Fencing team.
Smallcomb won the slalom at the state championships
something to prove. Cowles finished
They finished with a 17-3 regu- and Romagnoli placed third in the slalom and fifth in the
were
crowned
champions.”
the year with a total of 41 points and
lar season record. Led by the giant slalom. Smallcomb was named the North Shore Ski
was named Catholic Conference Coteam captain Chris Pappas ’08, League Most Valuable Player and was no doubt the key
MVP.
the Fencing team came out of the skier for this year’s team.
“I thought how I played this year was great motivation gate swinging. They started the season on a seven game
All of the winter sports teams made it passed the regfor my teammates. I did my best to be a leader on the winning streak and then after their first loss of the sea- ular season and into the playoffs. Three of those teams
ice and I feel this helped toward our successful season.” son, which came to the hands of Bishop Feehan High, they were crowned champions and the others were sent home
Cowles said.
went on a 9-2 run to close out the regular season.
packing, but that doesn’t take away how hard each player
Unlike the Basketball team and Hockey team, the
One of the best moments of the season would have to worked in order to put his team in the best possible chance
Swimming team didn’t have one problem throughout their have been when the Prep squared away with Concord Car- of winning.
season and postseason. They completed a perfect season, lisle in the “friendly cup”. This “friendly cup” proved to
going 15-0, and reached their ultimate goal of being state be both a close and exciting match. The Prep won 14-13 in
Winter Sports...Continued from p 14
Concordia Sports
Athlete of the Year: Mark Scalise
By Joe Hines ‘08
Throughout the years the Prep has had its fair share
of exceptional athletes. For many their moments of
glory may come after scoring a game winning touchdown or hitting that walk off home run. One Prep senior displayed remarkable leadership, determination,
and hard work to achieve his goals that some deemed
not possible. Whether it was out touching his opponents by a hundredth of a second in the pool or scoring
a hat trick for lacrosse, one athlete rose to the occasion of keeping the Prep winning tradition alive. This
one athlete showed great pride in his accomplishments
and stuck out greater than any other athlete this year
to wear the Prep uniform. Only Harvard bound Mark Scalise ’08 has demonstrated
these qualities.
Scalise started his great athletic season with the swim team. Not only is he the
record holder in five events, two individuals and three relays, but over his career is
his a two time high school All-American and a three time All-American consideration. At the state meet he placed first in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 21.55
and received all American consideration. One of the highlights of his season came
at sectionals at MIT when his 400 freestyle relay broke the meet record as well as
the pool record. This lacrosse season Scalise, a captain, has led the eagles to a 9-1
record as well as a 64th place ranking nationally.
What has your greatest accomplishment been?
I would have to say being apart of the State Championship swim team the past two
seasons.
What is the hardest aspect of swimming?
The hardest thing about swimming is pushing yourself to work as hard as you can
for every race. Every event counts at swim meets and every other swimmer that
you beat is more points for the team.
If you weren’t swimming or playing lax what sport would you play?
Probably water polo, it is a combination of swimming and lacrosse. I played water
polo my freshman and sophomore years (at Philips Exeter) and it was a fun sport.
What has your biggest disappointment been in both sports?
Losing to Billerica last year in overtime in the quarterfinals of the state tournament
was an unfortunate end to the season. The game was a real battle, and to lose in
overtime was disappointing.
Scalise has shined on the field as well as leading the Eagles to their third straight swimming state championship. (Photo courtesy of Jon Bartus ‘08)
As a transfer student did you think you would have this kind of success?
I knew I wanted to play sports when I transferred in and was excited to be able to
play at a school that had such good sports teams.
How long have you been playing?
Istarted playing in third grade. I played on a BBYL (Black and Blue Youth Lacrosse) team
with Tucker Garfield and he and I have been playing together basically ever since.
Who is your Favorite athlete?
Michael Phelps. To be so young and already win so many Olympic medals is an
accomplishment in any sport.
How long have u been swimming?
My mom runs a swimming lesson program at our house in the summers. She taught me how
to swim when I was two or three and I have been swimming ever since.
What
inspires
you the most?
I enjoy playing
sports. If I didn’t
have fun I don’t
think that I would
play. My teammates,
coaches
and parents all inspire me to work
hard and always
put in my best effort.
Where did you first get started?
I started swimming for the Marblehead
YMCA team when I was 8. I swam for
the Bernal Gators out of Bentley College
this past season.
Do you have any
regrets along the
course of your
career in both
sports?
I regret not swimming my sophomore year (at Exeter). Taking the
year off was difficult. I was both
out of shape for lacrosse season and
was a little rusty
when I started
swimming again
junior year.
What club la- Scalise broke a number of school and state records in the pool
crosse team do this fall (Photo courtesy of Jon Bartus ’08).
you play for?
I played on the
Top Gun Fighting Clams with some other Prep lacrosse players; it was fun to have
some friends on the team this summer.
Tell me a little bit about your role on the team?
I play attack, offense basically. I like to score goals.
What kinds of training do you for both
sports?
Swimming helps me stay in shape for lacrosse and lacrosse keeps me in shape for
swimming.
What are your thoughts on college?
I will be going to Harvard in the fall. I
plan on playing lacrosse. Swimming in
college its too big a commitment with
early morning practices and double sessions.
What pumps you up for a game/race?
I try to stay as calm as possible before a
game or race. I feel like I can do my best
when I am relaxed and collected. I feel like getting too pumped up for something can make
me lose sight of the basics and not be able to play my best.
What are your thoughts on this lacrosse season?
We are 4-0. Suspension plagues us. We lost 6 key players for 4 games but we are trying to
fill the gaps and keep winning.
What are your goals for this year?
I would like to make it to the State Champoinship game. We would need to really come
together as a team and play hard to do this but I think it would be a fun game to play in.
Congratulations to all athletes in
the Class of 2008 as they complete
their Prep careers!