Final 08-09 Edition 7.indd

viking saga
the
east lyme high school
december 2, 2008
volume 42
edition 7
east lyme, ct
Smiles Around
the World
Students raise money for
Operation Smile
by Karie Simmons
r.thanabal/saga
r.thanabal/saga
The ELHS boys’ soccer team had a remarkable post-season, advancing to the state finals. Above,
Phil Ziegler fights hard for the ball and the team prepares for the game.
Fairytale Season Ends
East Lyme boys’ soccer team falls
in Class L state finals
inside
with a strained MCL. “Even if we’re down
five to nothing, we’ll still play our best.”
by Raj Thanabal
The Vikings found themselves facing an
As the final seconds ticked off of the early 2-0 deficit, with Wethersfield scoring
clock, the East Lyme boys’ soccer team goals in the 19th and 27th minutes. East
began to realize their impending fate: There Lyme would finally get on the board in
would be no happily ever after on this cold the 55th minute, after Ziegler intercepted
an errant pass from the Wethersfield
and blustery day.
“We played our hearts out, but it just goalie and easily scored in the one-on-one
situation. He would
wasn’t
enough,”
said senior Dominic
‘We’re always going to play later score his
second goal of the
Cassarino. “They
our hardest...Even if we’re
game, and his 30th
got one more goal
than us and it’s a down five to nothing, we’ll still of the season, in
the 76th minute on
game of numbers.”
play our best.’
an assist by senior
The Vikings fell 3- junior Phil Ziegler
Derek Johnson.
2 to Wethersfield in
This game was
their November 16th
Class L state final matchup at Willowbrook especially important for the seniors as it
Park in New Britain. Although Wethersfield was the final time that they would ever don
scored a goal in the 67th minute to make a maroon and white soccer jersey.
“Knowing this was our last one, we
the score 3-1, the Vikings maintained
their hard play and went on an all-out just had to leave everything on the field,”
said Cassarino.
offensive assault.
“I’ve been playing with these guys for
“We’re always going to play our hardest,”
said junior Phil Ziegler, who was playing (continued as Soccer on page 9)
4
giving during
the holidays
7
inside the life of
college freshmen
The Rotary Interact Club is going global
to help bring smiles to thousands of children
living in third world countries.
The club has joined forces with Operation
Smile, an organization fighting to repair
children’s cleft lips and cleft pallets around
the world. With a cost of $240 per child and
an operation lasting only about 45 minutes,
a life can be changed forever.
“Here, these are simple problems that
you can fix easily, but in other countries
you can’t,” said senior Jenna Lussier.
Operation Smile was founded by
plastic surgeon Dr. William Magee and his
wife Kathleen when they discovered the
overwhelming number of cleft lips and cleft
pallets in the Philippines. Now, hundreds
of student clubs and organizations across
the nation are contributing to the efforts of
Operation Smile.
“Originally, Survav Sakya and I wanted
Operation Smile to be its own club,
but then Ms. Meier said we could join
Rotary Interact and it could be the club’s
international project,” said Rotary Interact
co-president Joseph Wawrzynski.
Since then, the club has been working
toward raising money in hopes to pay for
ten children to have facial reconstructions.
For the past few weeks, the Rotary
Interact club has sold food in the commons
after school. The group also plans to rake
leaves, host a benefit concert, and hold a
carwash at Wal-Mart, who will match
their funds.
“We have raised over $1,000 so far,”
said Wawrzynski. The club hopes this is
just a start.
9
sports
scholarships
10
black sheep
pub review
opinion
december 2, 2008
say what you
ellie kleinhans
2
around his neck and screams “super why!”
at the top of his lungs. He even jumps
off of couches onto cushions, pretending
he can fly.
Then there is the 8-year-old, who watches
baseball, namely Red Sox games, whenever
he isn’t outside playing catch or homerun
derby with the next door neighbor and me.
He talks about growing up and wearing that
red and white jersey with his name stitched
across the back.
Children tend to glue themselves to the
television, eager to watch various shows
that grab their attention. They imitate the
characters and people that they see on the
screen and eventually dream to be just like
them some day.
During the summer, I babysit kids
who have dreams to grow up and become
something big. The 2-year-old impersonates
the baby superhero on the show Super Why.
So he runs around the house with a cape
While these two and many other
children talk about becoming
heroes and sports stars some day,
only a few actually will. Through
hard work and determination,
three East Lyme High School
seniors have turned their dreams
of playing sports at the collegiate
level into realities.
Cashel Gaffey, Carly Thibault and Kevin
Bartlett have committed to playing the sports
they love for full or partial scholarships at
Division I colleges. It is their dedication
that sets these student-athletes apart from
the rest of the pack. They stay after practice
for hours, trying to perfect their game. They
opt out of social events with their friends
to go to the gym or a tournament. Gaffey,
for instance, has missed the Homecoming
dance three years in a row for out-of-state
softball tournaments.
For the past four years, each of these
student-athletes have excelled in the sports
they love at the high school level, and next
fall their hard work will finally pay off—
colleges will be paying for them to play
and receive an education.
If they continue the work ethic that they
have displayed throughout high school,
these East Lyme athletes will make new
marks in college just as they did here. And
years from now, some of them may move
on to an even more advanced level of play
and be the people on television that my kids
watch profusely and admire.
Freshman Class President: Candidates
Olivia DeLea... in her words:
- Good leadership skills and persuasiveness can lead
the Class of 2012 into a good four years
- Determined, decisive, responsible, and personable
- Planning fundraising events is most important
- If elected, she will work for a volleyball tournament
that can start raising money for the class
Kelly Sheehan... in her words:
- Anyone could approach her with any questions,
concerns or ideas that they may have
- Very responsible and promises to do whatever
she can to follow through with any goals she sets
- Main goal is to raise funds for the future
- Working as hard as possible for a great prom
the viking saga
all photos and information by Kate Kielty
opinion
december 2, 2008
emily newton
need to say
Most people only care about first
place. The stars are the ones who make
it in the newspaper, the stars are the ones
who become professional athletes, and the
stars are the ones who get the majority of
the attention.
Stars can have an large impact, but more
often than not, the team who encourages
each other come out on top.
This team ideology was evident at the
November 1st Girls’ Swimming ECCs.
East Lyme won the meet to become ECC
Champions despite Fitch winning every
single individual event. Comments in The
Day said, in more or less words, that East
Lyme did not deserve this Championship
title.
As the fall sports season ends and the
winter one begins, I have reflected on what
it truly means to be a part of a team.
The first is the meaning of “team.”
In a true team, everyone improves and
contributes to the outcome. Whether that
is by saying “good luck” before a race,
or being that extra energy at the end of
practice, everyone participates within the
team. A team can have stars, but it should
stray away from having top guns who
dominate everyone else.
In a true team, everyone works together.
Egos are put aside, for if someone thinks
they are better than someone else, or if
the coach designates all his time to one
group, the team will fail. Everyone is
treated fairly and works towards a common
goal. Different people are in control with
What do you (freshmen) think?
“Someone that can organize
events to raise money for
our class.”
Lauren Favalora
k. kielty/saga
“ I want a good leader and
someone who is dependable
and will make good decisions.”
Tara Hughes
k. kielty/saga
I want somebody who will be
looking into doing the right
thing and not to win brownie
points for the senate.”
Anthony Patrone
k. kielty/saga
3
different captains leading practice each
day. Leadership must come from different
sources within the team.
The true team is always there for each
other. They truly understand the pain and
suffering of their teammates.
As one of our swim team
mottos, we say: “Don’t mess
with us. Because we are tighter
than our suits… which are four
sizes too small.” It is up to the
teammates to be that shoulder to
cry on, or be the extra oomph to
lead a tired teammate through a
long practice.
When a team truly acts like a team,
success will result. Remember: it is about
teamwork and the friendships you make
within the team. Do not worry so much
about performance. When it boils down
to it, you are not going to remember your
record; you will remember the lifelong
friendships you formed on the team.
viking saga staff
Editors-in-Chief
Ellie Kleinhans
Emily Newton
Staff Writers
Stefan Aleo
Hannah Barner
James Compton
Managing
Shane Davies
Alex Addabbo
Sam Deabay
News
Natalie Kazierad
Ramona Ostrowski
Charlotte Kenyon
Kate Kielty
Features
Amber
Lamha
Kit Brown
Maeve Mchugh
Sports
Emily Mooradian
Brendan Welch
Karie Simmons
Entertainment
Kiersten Sinko
Andrea Chrunyk
Raj Thanabal
Dana
Tricarico
Back Page
Advisor
Matt Heath
Jeff Beale
Have an Opinion?
Let us know what you
think!
Send it to
[email protected]
the viking saga
4
december 2, 2008
the
Gift of Giving
news
The Shoreline Food Pantry seeks donations
LEO Club collects toys for Care and Share
by Kiersten Sinko
by Kate Kielty
The holiday season is
approaching. This is a time that
many choose to spend feasting
with their families.
Unfortunately, many people
do not have the chance to enjoy
this festivity. Especially with
the stock market fluctuating,
(SPF), a teen youth group
from the First Congregational
Church of Old Lyme, is helping
supply foods for these families.
They encourage all to donate
canned foods, especially since
Christmas is coming soon. There
will be a box located in the main
Little children love presents,
but many families cannot afford
them. The Shoreline LEO Club
has been collecting toys so
that every child can get what
they deserve.
“LEO Club is a community
service group, so we try to
k.sinko/saga
The Shoreline Food Pantry is still needs donations to meet the
holiday need.
an increasing number of people
have had a hard time putting
food on their tables this year.
The Shoreline Food Pantry
is a way for residents to donate
food to centers located in Old
Lyme, Clinton, Westbrook and
Old Saybrook.
“Our food is now running low,
and even with holiday seasons
coming up, supplying everyone
may become a difficulty,” said
Sherrie Weiss, the president of
the food pantry in Old Lyme.
The Senior Pilgrim Fellowship
office from after Thanksgiving
to December 19th.
“One-hundred and ten people
from all different towns come
every week to pick up food
for their families,” said Weiss.
Donating canned goods would
not only help out these people,
but for all those in their families
as well.
“We give to anyone who
comes in need. No one, no
matter who they are, is said ‘no’
to. We give food until we cannot
give anymore,” said Weiss.
Want to help?
Stop by the main office to drop off food and
toys to help support families around East Lyme.
the viking saga
kid’s boots can be donated to
Care and Share.
“You would be surprised
by how many people in our
community need our help,”
said Hills. Over 100 families in
East Lyme and Salem will sign
up to receive Thanksgiving and
k.kielty/saga
Care and Share’s current stock of holiday toys for parents in need to
choose from.
do what we can with the
community,” said LEO Club
advisor James Harris. This will
be the seventh year the LEO
Club has put a box in the main
office for donations of new or
gently used toys that will be
given to Care and Share.
“Mr. Harris and his LEOs
have done a lot for us and have
always brought us many toys
for the holiday season,” said
May Hills, past president of
Care and Share. Throughout the
East Lyme school sys tem, 200
to 300 toys are usually donated
each year.
Along with toys, winter
jackets,
sheets,
blankets,
towels, food, toiletries and
Holiday baskets this year.
Soon after December
5th, Care and Share will be
collecting the boxes from the
schools. Then, the toys will be
displayed so that people from
the area can choose ones for
their children.
“People are so grateful that
we can help them,” said Hills.
“It is very rewarding.”
As the holiday season starts
to roll around the corner, more
families decide that they need to
turn to Care and Share. Receive
the gift of giving this year by
helping out the needy families
in the community and giving
children the presents that they
will remember and appreciate.
news
december 2, 2008
5
Walking for a Cause
East Lyme Middle School raises
over $40,000 for cancer research
by Kate Kielty
*all photos submitted by Mr. Gionet
ELMS students participating in the walk-athon they hosted in October to raise money for
cancer research.
On October 11th, hundreds of students
from East Lyme Middle School spent their
morning circling around the track at the
high school. They were not running a mile
for a fitness test; rather they were walking
to raise money for the Terri Brodeur Breast
Cancer Foundation for cancer research.
“The reason why we chose the TBBCF
is because 100% of the donations go to
research. If we sent the money elsewhere
then a certain percentage of the money would
have ended up going to the organization,”
said ELMS math teacher Jay Gionet who
organized the walkathon along with fellow
math teacher Christina deCastro.
The goal of this was to raise $25,000,
but in the end, they managed to raise a
whopping $40,163. “It made me feel really
good that I was helping out for a good
cause,” said fifth grader Lauren Eberle who
was one of the 415 students to participate
in the walk.
“I think [the amount of money raised] is
spectacular!” said Ms. deCastro. “It wasn’t
just the kids at our school who walked,
Same Old Story
North Gym floor may
be once again take turn
for worse
by Dana Tricarico
The memories of an entire
school year with only one
functioning gym have finally
seemed to fizzle out. Physical
Education classes have reunited
themselves with the North Gym.
Noticeable changes, however,
in the wood floor seemed
to have appeared leading to
one important question—is
the history of the gym floor
repeating itself?
Stepping into the North
Gym, it is clear that something
is different from the freshly lain
floor we came to quickly love.
The spaces between each tile of
wood are beginning to buckle,
pressing upwards and creating
a ripple effect. This is most
prominent by the bleachers
and the entrance. Physical
Education teacher Jack Biggs
said that this is occuring because
beneath the bleachers moisture
is still accumulating from the
initial problem last year. “They
ripped out all of the floors but
the part under the bleachers, so
the moisture is now seeping out
onto other parts of the floor,”
Mr. Biggs said.
“We are turning the heat
either. We had ninth graders from the high
school that were in the walk last year come
and help out too.”
Overall the walk-a-thon lasted about
three hours, during which each student
walked an average of seven and a half
miles. In social studies classes, the students
learned that their total mileage of 3,115
miles is about the distance from East Lyme
to the northern tip of Greenland.“We tried to
involve the walk-a-thon into the curriculum
as much as we could,” said Mr. Gionet.
The idea to hold a walk-a-thon first came
out of a math book that talked about linear
equations. All students who participated
were given the slope-intercept formula
(y=mx+b) and found out how much they
raised by plugging in their donations,
pledges, and the number of miles they
walked. This triggered the name of the
fundraiser: “Finding Solutions to Cancer as
We Find Solutions in Math.”
Although this was only the second year
that the walk-a-thon had taken place, the
math teachers at ELMS are looking forward
to “making it bigger and better next year.”
Mr. Gionet said that by involving other
schools, such as ELHS, they hope to reach
their new goal of $50,000.
businesses and houses
as well.” In order to try
and slowly dissipate the
problem, fans are run
at night with dry heat.
However, Mr. Hewitt
explained that a solution
for the curling of the
wood floors is simply to
invest in air conditioning
in the gym rather than
restart the whole process
e.kleinhans/saga
all over again.
Students are disappointed by the floor
Although it is clear
buckling. Could this mean another year
the gym floor is shifting
without the North Gym?
and changing shape, it is
on to get the moisture out,
still functional. Nothing
because humidity is making is known for sure about the
the wood swell,” said head next steps to fix this problem,
custodian Mike Hewitt. “This but certain measures are being
is a common problem that is taken to try to eliminate this
seen not only in schools, but issue for now.
the viking saga
6
features
Elite in the Streets of New York City
december 2, 2008
East Lyme-based dance team Street Elite auditions for MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew
www.easternctballet.com
Members of ECB’s Street Elite being filmed
themselves and then I came in to clean it
up,” said Ms. Girard.
Before leaving for New York City,
the team gave ECB dancers, friends
and family a preview of the dance.
Junior Taylor Unwin, a ballet, jazz and
modern student at ECB saw the piece.
“They were so good, really together
and had great energy,” she said. “It was
really cool.”
by Charlotte Kenyon
On October 18th, the Street Elite hiphop dance team, made up of four local
18-year-olds and one local 24-year-old,
left the studios of Eastern Connecticut
Ballet (ECB) for New York City to
audition for MTV’s show, America’s
Best Dance Crew.
Director of the Street Elite Beth Girard,
who was formerly a dance major and
Patriots cheerleader, was sent an email
with information about the audition. “It
was a month before the audition and
five guys on my team wanted to go for
it. They choreographed the entire piece
‘We are definitely
hopeful to go on the
show and it would be an
insane opportunity.’
-Street Elite Member Ryan Spanich
“The audition was pretty nerveracking because we had time for only six
rehearsals in a month of time,” said 24year-old member, and hip-hop instructor
Ryan Spanich. Despite lacking rehearsal
time, the team made the first cut. “We
were asked to do the piece twice in a row
Meet the Stars:
by Samantha Deabay
a.addabbo/saga
Freshman Kaitlin Simpson
Arabian, snow
and then had to show them our ending
again.” Afterwards, the team had a 20minute interview with the producers
of the show. “When we were leaving,
the producer said we really impressed
them and were going to be considered,”
said Spanich.
The team will find out whether they
will be one of the nine crews accepted
for the show by late November.
“We are definitely hopeful to go
on the show and it would be an insane
opportunity,” said Spanich. “We are a
different group than most, with different
backgrounds, ages and lifestyles that
are able to come together and form
something great.”
The diversity of talent has served the
team well in the past. The Street Elite
has an undefeated regional and national
record, and came in 12th at the world
competition last season.
More than anything, “I really like seeing
them progress and master something
that before they could not do,” said Ms.
Girard. “That for me, as their coach, is
more important than winning.”
Student-dancers from Eastern Connecticut Ballet perform key
roles in The Nutcracker at the Garde Arts Center
a.addabbo/saga
Freshman Sarah Chan
Spanish, snow
a.addabbo/saga
Freshman Zoe Pettit
Spanish, nutcracker
s.deabay/saga
Junior Diana Garofolo
Merliton lead, soldier doll
s.deabay/saga
Junior Charlotte Kenyon
Mother, snow, Spanish
Come See the Show!
s.deabay/saga
s.deabay/saga
a.addabbo/saga
Junior Taylor Unwin
Senior Kate Citron
Senior Melissa Chmielewski
Mother, flowers, snow Snow, Chinese lead, flowers Snow, Chinese lead, flowers
the viking saga
Saturday, December 13th
1:30 & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 14th
1:30 p.m.
For tickets and information
visit www.gardearts.org
features
december 2, 2008
A Blast from the Past
ELHS grads share their freshman college experience
Siusi Power is a freshman
at Northeastern University
in Boston, a large school
with approximately 15,000
undergraduates. She is an
athlete swimming Division I.
Ryan Donahue is a freshman
at Sacred Heart University
in Fairfield, Connecticut,
a medium-sized school of
approximately 5,000 students.
There, Ryan is actively involved
in club rugby.
by Dana Tricarico
Jesse Sweeney goes to SUNY New
Paltz, a small school in upstate
New York with approximately
6,000 undergraduate students.
He is involved with Division
III swimming.
VS: What do you like about
playing a sport in college?
JS: I basically only hang out
with the team. They are a
family and we all get along so
well. There is a swim house that
we go to on weekends, and it’s
easier to get around and become
accustomed to the school with
older kids telling you about
anything you need to know.
I love being on a team and I
don’t think I would have nearly
as much fun without them.
Viking Saga: What are the
advantages and disadvantages VS: What are the benefits of
of its size?
its size?
SP: A large
school is great
because you meet
new people all
the time. There
are also plenty of
things to do on
campus and the
classes are fun.
One
negative
I can think of
Photo submitted
is if someone
Siusi and a friend from the
has a [class in
Northeastern
Swim & Dive team
a] large lecture hall,
bond
before
a meet
it can be hard to get
the attention they may need if RD: There is a
they are stuck with the material good student to
and need help, as it seems less teacher ratio, so
personal with more people in there is more
the [same] time.
individual help
in
subjects
Photo submitted
VS: What are the positives and you might not
Ryan with a friend from his rugby team
negatives of playing a sport?
completely
VS: How do you feel ELHS has
SP: You’ll meet people who understand.
prepared you for college?
you have a lot in common with,
and you become efficient with VS: Are you involved in any JS: I find myself constantly
your homework as you manage extracurricular activities at thinking about what my past
teachers have told me and
your time well because of your Sacred Heart?
busy schedule. You also get to RD: I am in club rugby. It’s a how to apply it to what I am
travel with a team and go on good way to stay busy but it learning now. I have a great
a training trip which are both is good because you do not prior knowledge to a lot of my
really fun! A negative is that have to stay within the same classes. East Lyme has a really
you can miss out on many restrictions that NCAA athletes good educational program,
and without discovering other
activities with people who are have to.
peoples’ experiences, it’s hard
not doing a sport, because you
are traveling often.
VS: How do you feel East Lyme to grasp.
High School has prepared you
VS: How do you get along with
VS: Was it hard getting adjusted for college?
to being away from home?
RD: I feel like East Lyme High your roommate?
SP: I did not think it was very School offered a lot of hard JS: He does not swim and it is
hard as I am only two hours classes to help prepare me for a bit tough since I have to get
away and can make frequent college, but no high school can to bed early whereas he goes to
visits home.
really compare because college bed at like 4 a.m. or 6 a.m., but
I have found ways around it.
is a lot harder.
7
Artists on
the Verge
Budding talent emerges
from ELHS art classes
by Hannah Barner
Degas, Van Gogh, Da Vinci,
Monet and Picasso. Soon to join
the ranks of these great artists
are East Lyme High school
AP Art student seniors Caitlin
Gebhard and Mark Griffith.
Though both students have
done several pieces of art
during high school, their work
in the AP Art class has gotten
the most attention. Griffith’s
reflection art project is an acrylic
painting depicting different
parts of Griffith’s face in many
rain droplets on the windshield
of a car with baseball fields in
the background.
“I was driving in my car
during the summer and it
was raining. I wondered if I
could see my reflection, and I
couldn’t,” explained Griffith
of his inspiration. “I started
sketching the idea in my
sketchbook after that.”
Gebhard’s concentration
project, which focuses on one
concept with many art pieces
coming from that one idea, has
also been drawing admirers.
“I’m focusing on different
fears people have, the real
versus the unrealistic,” stated
Gebhard. “It’s very surreal
using mixed media [i.e. cartoon
characters,
acrylic
paint,
magazine clippings].”
One specific painting Gebhard
has completed is the fear of
standardized testing which is a
drawing of a monster made up
of bubble answer sheets.
Though neither Griffith
nor Gebhard plan on pursuing
art as a career, both plan on
continuing their passion for the
remainder of their lives.
“I love art,” said Griffith.
“It’s interesting and it’s when I
can be creative.”
the viking saga
8
december 2, 2008
WELCH’S
(legal)
JUICE
sports
Heart of a Champion
Sophomore Angel Ortiz proves that raw talent is only half the battle
by Alexandra Addabbo
www.thesportsbros.com
Rivalries have always been one of the
most enjoyable trademarks of college
football. The passionate hatred between
the likes of Michigan and Ohio State is
unmatched in any sport. The overrated
and glorified SEC is often noted for
the intensity of its rivalries, but as was
proven on Saturday, November 8th,
things can get really out of hand.
A man and his wife were shot dead
in Alabama after an argument over the
Alabama-LSU football game that had
taken place that day.
Let me say that again. A man and his
wife were killed. Over a football game.
Alabama is notorious for its borderline
creepy obsession with the Crimson Tide.
The annual matchup between Alabama
and the Auburn Tigers brings the state
into its own civil war. But killing over
any rivalry is overdoing it to a degree
that defies all logic, even in Alabama.
Not only is this terrible for the SEC,
it’s terrible for college football. For
all rivalries. As I wrote two editions
ago, sports are meant to bring people
together. Rivalries in particular have a
special way of highlighting this quality.
As a Red Sox fan, I feel more connected
to Yankee fans than I do to Phillies
fans, only because of the unique rivalry
Boston and New York share.
But never is blood spilled over it.
Sports rivalries give us a chance to
channel our emotions and frustration
in a healthy way. I would much
rather chastise someone for being an
Oakland Raiders fan than for some
personal offense.
The idea that two people could be
killed over a sports rivalry is an affront
to everything sports are supposed to
stand for. Our teams can battle on the
field so that we don’t have to.
That’s the juice.
This is the opinion of Brendan Welch
the viking saga
Most sports stars start young, beginning grade, Angel played on a basketball team
to perfect their craft in their local youth for the first time. “I was pretty nervous
leagues, but with enough passion and work and didn’t know what to do,” said Angel
ethic, a star can be born at any age. Take, of the experience. “I didn’t want to make
for instance, sophomore Angel Ortiz.
a mistake.”
Angel’s childhood was eventful to say the
Arriving at the high school last year,
least. He was born in Puerto Rico and came Angel immediately turned heads when
to New London with
he received varsity
his family when he
playing time as a
was six months old.
freshman. Dedicated
“It was pretty
to improving his skills,
intense,” he said.
he is expected to be an
“Gun shots every
evens more powerful
other day, police
force for the Vikings in
officers always came
his sophomore season.
to our neighborhood,
“It’s a testament
drugs everywhere. I
to the time he puts
tried to stay away.”
in,” said boys’ varsity
While living
basketball head coach
in New London,
Dan Spellman.
Angel satisfied his
“It’s obvious how
athletic appetite with
much he likes it
baseball, football and
because he’s playing
boxing. He might
on a team 24/7. He
have gone on without
never really has an
ever picking up a
off-season. American
basketball had he
Athletic Union teams,
not stumbled upon
fall league… all the
the sport one day at
time
he’s
always
the beginning of his
playing and it shows.
eighth grade year.
From last year to this
“When I was
year he has gotten
walking to boxing
remarkably
better,”
b. welch/saga
practice I saw kids
said senior and captain
Angel’s tenacity on the court and intense
playing so I tried it.
Mark Sheehan.
practice schedule are turning him into a star.
They said I wasn’t
Angel’s work ethic is
good so I went back after my practice unparalleled. To improve his shot, he takes
and started playing. Then I just liked the a staggering 500 shots a day. “I keep track
game,” said Angel. “You don’t get bored. in a book,” he said. “I write down how
It’s not like baseball where you have to many I make and how many I miss.”
wait for every pitch. It’s more fun, it’s
Though it was difficult to leave his family,
really active.”
Angel still feels he made the right decision.
Around that time, Angel made a tough Now he has a real shot at accomplishing
decision that would change his entire life. his dream: earning a basketball scholarship
While only in eighth grade, he chose to to college.
leave his home and his family to come live
“The message about Angel is a great
and attend school in East Lyme.
story and I hope it has a happy ending
“I decided to move out of my house for him beyond just high school,” said
because I was getting suspended a lot. When Spellman. “Where he was a few years ago
I was in seventh grade I was absent 82 times to where he is now is night and day. He’s
and I was tardy 63 times,” Angel said.
just one part of what I hope will be a very
When he came to East Lyme in eighth successful basketball program this year.”
9
sports
Vikings at the Mountaintop
december 2, 2008
East Lyme High School athletes headed for the upper echelons of college sports
by Emily Mooradian
Kevin Bartlett
Carly Thibault
Cashel Gaffey
University of Albany
Division I Baseball
Monmouth University
Division I Basketball
Seton Hall University
Division I Softball
e.mooradian/saga
UAlbany first contacted Kevin in August
of his junior year.
“They saw me at a showcase and a couple
days later they called. They said they saw
me play and were interested and asked me
to visit,” Kevin said.
Intrigued by the prospect of pitching at
college baseball’s highest level, he visited
the college in September.
“I liked the kids on the team, they’re real
nice, and I’m excited about next year,” said
the 12-year baseball veteran.
“I always hoped to [become an NCAA
athlete] but it’s really tough to do so I was
never sure if it would happen, but I’m
happy that I’m getting the chance, and I’m
really excited to play at college level and
have some of my tuition paid for at the
same time,” Kevin said.
(Soccer cont. from front page)
many years now,” said senior Matias
Francone, who made 13 saves in the
game. “There’s no doubt that I’m going to
miss this.”
The Vikings, who won the Class L
champio nship in 2002, returned to their
past glory after going a mere 7-9 last year
and a dismal 2-14 the year before. This
season, however, the Vikings rode their
experience to success.
“Our improvement is a testament to the
kids,” said Coach Paul Christensen, who is
in his 21st year of coaching at East Lyme.
“They’ve worked really hard and scored
on their chances this year. Even though we
lost, I couldn’t be any prouder of them.”
e.mooradian/saga
All-ECC’s, All-State Honorable Mention,
Norwich Bulletin All-Area… With her
hefty resume, it’s no surprise Monmouth
was interested in recruiting Carly.
“They called me saying, ‘We recently
saw you play in a tournament, we’re
looking for a point guard. We liked what
we saw,’” said Carly of the phone call she
received this summer.
During a visit to the university, which is
located in West Long Branch, New Jersey,
Carly immediately knew that Monmouth
was the school for her.
“[Going to a D1 school] has been my
goal since I was six or seven,” she said,
adding that it was, “The best feeling in the
world,” to have D1 colleges offering her
scholarships and knowing that her dream
was becoming a reality.
e.mooradian/saga
The two-year captain, and two-time
All-ECC’s softball player was quickly
rewarded for her hard work. In contact with
Seton Hall since her freshman year, Cashel
verbally committed to the school last May.
Seton Hall was her first choice, and
she was ecstatic when she heard about
the scholarship.
“I’m in love with Seton Hall. The
first time I went there I took a tour and I
remember the girl who was my guide knew
like everyone on campus. I really liked
that it wasn’t like a one in a million thing,
I think that was one of the big things that
drew me there,” she said.
“[Playing at a Division I school] has
been my dream since forever, but I never
thought it would happen, and it’s really
cool that it did.”
the viking champions
East Lyme High School’s ECC All-Stars
BOYS’ SOCCER:
- Phil Ziegler
- Gary Power
- Derek Johnson
Sportsmanship Award: Bobby White
GIRLS’ SOCCER:
- Jillian Rix
- Kennedy Nickerson
Sportsmanship Award: Nina Fiorillo
SWIMMING:
- Noelene Power
- Dana Tricarico
- Emily Newton
Coach of the Year: Jack Stabach
FIELD HOCKEY:
- Amanda Barbeau
GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY:
- Brianne Mirecki
the viking saga
10
A
entertainment
december 2, 2008
n
i
l
b
D
o
f
w
u
o
e
n
t
t
s
D
o
wn
Ta
Black Sheep Pub opens in
downtown Niantic
by Kiersten Sinko
With its deep Irish ethnicity, The
Black Sheep Pub, located across from
Constantine’s restaurant in Niantic, is
the new stand out place to go due to
its originality.
It took my parents some convincing for
them to realize that The Black Sheep is not
only a bar, but a full out restaurant. The
Black Sheep opened on October 23rd, and
I was able to experience this production 10
days later.
With the few amount of days it had been
open, the Black Sheep Pub was booming
with business. To me, 30 minutes seemed
like a long wait for a restaurant that just
opened, and it may need to consider taking
reservations soon if business stays the same,
but as of now, there are no reservations.
After being seated, we were told that
all the furniture inside The Black Sheep
was imported from Ireland. The owner Leo
Roche wanted the restaurant to feel like a
real pub from downtown Dublin. It was
this furniture that really helped to create
this Irish scene.
members, and a few of them stood out. I
The food off the menu is more authentic highly recommend the Pan Roast Breast
and different than what I am used to. With Chicken, the Crusted Wheat Salmon,
a small selection of foods including Lamb or the Grilled Glazed Pork Chop. These
Shepherds Pie and Traditional Bangers three dishes were high with flavor. Plus the
& Mash, it was hard to choose what to portion size was so perfect that it can keep
order. On the
you content, but still
other
hand,
wanting more!
these
types
Overall, The Black
of food are
Sheep Pub really
styles that you
impressed me. While
would order in
it is not the best
Ireland, so it
place to take a date
was only adding
on Saturday night
to the Irish
because of the long
experience.
tedious wait, rather
The wait after
it is a place to bring
we ordered was
your family for a fun
long and tiring.
night out (make sure
Having a new
to plan a good two
business
and
hours when you go,
k. sinko/Saga
new workers is
because the process
hard to get used
could be slow).
Outside the new restaurant in Niantic
to at first, but the wait was still awful. After
If you do go, I also encourage you finish
a bit of interminable waiting, our food was off the meal with the Chocolate Irish
finally served.
Cake. For me, it was the perfect way to top
I tried the different dishes from my family off the night!
Winter Wonderland Fun:
by Charlotte Kenyon
Most agree that winter in East Lyme is
not the most exciting season for a seashore
town. On the bright side, I have come up
with five fun ways to make winter a little
less dull.
If you are interested in skiing or
snowboarding, but would rather
spend more time on the slopes
than in the car, check out Ski
Sundown Mountain, conveniently located
in New Hartford, Connecticut. With two
terrain parks, 15 trails, (14 also lit for night
skiing), and three all day chair lifts, this
mountain is a taste of the season without
the extra drive.
Enjoy or want to try ice
skating? Norwich Ice Rink is
definitely worth the trip. It offers
lessons, free skate and even the opportunity
to set up a personalized hockey game for
$10; this indoor rink provides tons of fun
for low prices.
The holiday season is
rapidly approaching and the
Niantic Light Parade is a free,
local and entertaining event. On
December 14, floats from various local
businesses and stores will be covered in
lights, and sent from the top of Main
Street to the edge of town.
It is a great sparkling and
seasonal show!
Want to put
some heat into the
winter season?
The
Arthur
Murray
dance
studio,
1.
3.
2.
4.
the viking saga
Five fun ways to give
East Lyme winters a boost
located in downtown Niantic, offers a free
hour lesson for those who want to try it
out. They offer salsa, ballroom and several
other dance classes to get your heart rate
going and your temperature rising!
Escape the winter torrents by
heading into a local café. Serving
steaming cups of hot chocolate
and tea nothing can get rid of
chills faster. Find local bands,
poetry readings and even open mike
nights all at these places:
Green Marble Coffee
House in Mystic, Muddy
Waters and Bean & Leaf
Café in New London,
Cabrea Café in Niantic
and Koffee Works in
Old Lyme.
5.
11
entertainment
december 2, 2008
Days of Our Wives
The East Lyme High School awards for
Whose Wives Are They Anyway?
by Stefan Aleo
Whose Wives Are They Anyway
is the hilarious play that the East
Lyme drama students just performed.
Below is a breakdown of their
impressive performance.
Loudest Laugh Moment- The production
was filled with humor and innuendos. An
interesting ‘plot turn’ that had the audience
almost on the floor
was when David’s
wife Laura (Ramona
Ostrowski) wanted
to seduce the grumpy
hotel
caretaker
Wilson
(Brendan
Welch), for revenge
When
Photo Submitted on David.
Ramona seduces Brendan she gave Wilson that
hard stare with the classic ‘one-hand-onthe-hip’ gesture, the audience knew trouble
was brewing from there. Continuous
“relationship twists” ensued, leaving the
audience wondering if the original couples
would ever get back together.
Photo Submitted
The infamous bed
Best-of-the-Worst Relationship- Here
is where the TV sitcom feeling came into
place. The dramatic relationship between
John (James Compton) and Laura (Jenny
Cordero) would easily compare to a scene
from I Love Lucy. Cordero could be the
next Lucille Ball, with her dramatic sobs
s
My
g
n
i
Fa
vorite Th by Andrea Chrunyk
This. Is. Jeopardy!
Those three words send metaphorical
shivers up my spine in an altogether cliché
way. Perhaps it’s the allure of the buzzer,
or the soothing blue color palette, or
that I somehow can pull out the fact that
Zimbabwe is the country that recently
started printing billion dollar notes when
none of the three adult contestants could
come up with it.
While I may never be able
to pinpoint the exact location of
this obsession, all I know is that
the place to be every weeknight
at 7 p.m. is on the couch
watching
Alex
Trebek try to stump
the latest batch
of challengers.
There is so
much to love about
watching the show.
Special
themed
Jingle Jams
e is the item of the
. H er
w
e
:
ek
ings
ria von Trapp,
e th
or
Ma
orit
e
v
O
pr
Lik
s fa
ah
i ng
, I have favorite th
weeks such as Teen Tournament and the
infamous Celebrity Jeopardy are unique
twists on the old favorite. Whatever the
occasion, it’s fun to play along and see how
many questions you can get correct.
Jeopardy! is the only show on television
where you can actually learn something as
you watch. With shows like Deal or No Deal
on the air perpetually sinking the country
into the further reaches of stupidity, it is
refreshing to see a show that caters to the
intelligence seeking people of the country.
So turn on, tune in, and drop out
(who is Timothy Leary?)
to Jeopardy! Just don’t
watch it alone because it
gets awkward if you’re
randomly
saying
Nigeria to no one
in particular. I
would know…
http://x4.putfile.com
The Saturday Night Live sketch involving Will Ferrell as Alex Trebek and
Darrell Hammond as the always difficult Sean Connery
and whines of “OH JOHN!” Compton’s
freeze-frame reactions also add to the
dramatic mix.
When Cordero sobs
endlessly and running haphazardly around
the stage, it is a sure sign the relationship is
over for good.
Best Place for a
MisunderstandingIt would not make
sense to say that any
other set piece than
Photo Submitted
the beds were the
center of attention. James and Jenny
Proportionally, they share and embrace
fit perfectly with the characters. It was big
enough for someone to sneak under, wide
enough for three to fit, and just slightly
outdated enough to represent a relationship
turned ugly.
Overall, the cast and crew did a superb
job. It was a good choice for a production—
the storyline was not overly-drawn out,
the humor was well timed and it was even
borderline edgy in some parts.
The winter concert update for Southern
New England
by Maeve McHugh
TIM McGRAW: December 4th and
5th– Mohegan Sun Arena
He is touring to promote his new greatest
hits compilation and the new single “Let It
Go,” which was released in July. McGraw
has been recording and touring since 1990
and is a great performer. This show is set
to sell out quickly, so do not wait to get
your tickets!
GAVIN DEGRAW: December 5th–
The Webster
Gavin DeGraw came onto the scene in
2003 when his song “I Don’t Wanna Be”
was picked up as theme song for television
show One Tree Hill. Since then he has
been hard at work, releasing a new album
earlier this year, with two singles on the
radio. Now he is going to be in Hartford in
the beginning of December.
THE KILLERS: January 26th–
Agganis Arena
They will be touring to promote their
new CD Day and Age which includes the
single. Their shows are known for their
high energy and good mix of their older
hits like “Mr. Brightside.” So be sure to
get your tickets before they are all gone!
the viking saga
12
back page
december 2, 2008
If you could spend $100 on a
teacher, what would you buy?
“100 Roses for
Ms. Rose.”
- senior John
Loubier
m.heath/ saga
“Mr. Warykas
a bigger ego.”
-junior Danielle
Brown
m. heath/ saga
“A nice
seafood
dinner for
Ms.
Ferryman.”
-senior James
Gordy
m.heath/ saga
“ A new
sweater for Mr.
Capazzi.”
- freshman
Hayley
Chamberlain
m.heath/ saga
“Ms. Moger a
calculator so
she can grade
tests faster.”
-senior Deric
Godfrey
“Why would I
spend it on a
teacher?”
-English teacher
Ms. Poole
m.heath/ saga
m.heath/ saga
Words of Wisdom with Matt Heath
Is the internet a reflection of
teenage life or is teenage life a
reflection of internet? AIM and
MySpace were originally created
for meaningless banter and
weird pictures. Now it seems
like facebook has taken it to
another level by becoming its
own entity. If we didn’t have
it we’d be socially unaware.
With facebook, people no
longer have to ask who’s going
out with whom, what people
are interested in, and thanks
the viking saga
to facebook words “what’s” and “up”
have lost all meaning when put together.
It is almost as if facebook is a
futuristic tool used to make human
interaction a click of a button.
People use it to have discussions,
build friendships and catch up with
relatives all with the click of a button.
Facebook makes us one step
away from being human blobs from
the movie Wall-E, unable to get
up or even move. If it wasn’t for
school, food and sports there would
be no need for a sign out link.
blog.wired.com