The Paw Print - Schodack Central School District

The
Paw
Print
Spirit Week’s true colors
Maple Hill High
School’s Newspaper
October 2012 Issue
Spirit Week Episode I:
The Freshmen Menace
By Seanathon Smithsonian
Spirit Week, like the stock market, had highs and lows this year, but
ultimately the excitement was over and things were back to normal the
following Monday.
The week started off with Pink Day, promoting breast cancer awareness. News correspondent and aspiring poet Raphael De’laghetto was exasperated by this. “I had to wear my mom’s sweatshirt- it was the only pink
thing in my house,” he said. Raphael was not the only one facing this problem. Several boys lacked pink clothes to wear. Still, many girls enjoyed it
and a good cause
was promoted by
the school. Maple
Hill raised money
to find a cure for
breast cancer by
selling bracelets and
hair extensions.
Tuesday
was
Cartoon Day. Some
were dressed as
groovy characters
from mystery cartoons of the 70’s, some were dressed as characters from TV shows nobody’s ever watched before, and some were dressed as superheroes who
accidentally put their undergarments over their trousers. Cartoon Day
revealed a lot of things to us, some which we didn’t really need to be
aware of at all.(continued on page two)
Presidential Race
The votes are
in at MHHS
Student Results
Barack Obama: 142
Mitt Romney: 63
Staff Results
Barack Obama: 22
Mitt Romney: 11
See more details on page 3
PERSPECTIVE
The Paw Print
The two sides of Spirit Week
Editorial Staff
Kayley Fountain, Paul Scott,
Aubrey Kirsch, Marc Contento,
Gabe Dingman, Eleanor Haase,
Lauren Moulton, Izzy Finkle,
Gabi Sanchez, Sean Smith,
Siobhan Sorensen, Ted Tobin
Contributors
Audra Colliton, Conor
Flanagan, Kerry Golden,
Alysa Kelly
Advisor
Mrs. Wollner
Paw Print seeks opinions
If you have an opinion, please
write to the Paw Print. Articles should be brought to
room 256. Let us know what
you think.
By Isabella Finkle
Spirit Week is the most anticipated
week every school year for some students. But for others, they could care
less.
During this year’s Spirit Week it was
evident that many students just didn’t
participate. But why? Why no school
spirit?
After speaking to several students from both sides it was clear that there was
more to this issue then you would think.
“It makes me upset, not angry, that people in this school won’t just let loose
and have fun dressing up and stuff” said senior Valeria Quint. “…anytime you ask
them why they don’t participate the answer is always ‘I just don’t care’ or ‘this
school sucks… ” she added.
Another senior who participated in all the events said “… I don’t understand
why they don’t participate. They are missing out on a time to bond and become
closer with their classmates….you get one chance at being in the high school and if
you choose to be lame and not participate that is your choice.”
When I spoke with some students who did not participate in Spirit Week, there
were a variety of responses. Senior Emily Chittenden said “I felt that a lot of the
themes that were picked this year could have been better….”
Another student said “…I can’t see the point of going out and buying all these
silly outfits for a day, it’s not worth the frustration.”
An underclassman said “… the shirts for spirit day are always stupid…The seniors win everything so what is the point in even trying? A group of freshmen said if
they knew how crazy some of the upper classes got with the dressing up, then they
probably would have went all out, too.
So, now being able to see both sides of the story, it is easier to see how participants and nonparticipants feel about Spirit Week. Maybe in spirit weeks to come,
students should get involved with the planning and reach out to their classmates
and try to spread a little bit of that school spirit .
Continued from page 1
Spirit Week, as usual, did not fail to disappoint. Surely this will be a
Spirit Week to remember for all time.
Color Wars, a staple of Spirit Week, followed Cartoon Day. As usual,
the freshmen wore the hideous color of orange, the sophomores wore
the sickly color of green, the juniors wore the repulsive color of yellow,
and the seniors wore the royal, absolutely beautiful color of purple. In
typical senior fashion, it was revealed that the seniors utterly dominated
the other classes, especially the juniors.
Thursday was Celebrity Day. It was another chance for the students
to go beyond regular school attire. People were dressed as actors from
TV shows and movies from recent times and not-so-recent times. Some The editorial staff of the Paw Print represents students from
people were supposed to dress up to match other people’s characters, all four classes.
such as Nick Benevento, but they were too lazy. “Sorry Sean, I couldn’t
As with basically every other pep rally in Maple
find anything,” he said. Yeah, right.
Hill
history, the seniors won most events, including
Friday was the pep rally, and it is still debated whether the best part
the hula-hoop contest, the relay race, and the most
of it was the pep rally itself or the fact that all classes were cut short.
intense tug of war match in Maple Hill history.
Page 2
The best chili in town—Castletown that is
By Aubrey Kirsch
The high school’s new librarian, Mrs. Naumovitz, isn’t so
new to the district. In fact, some of you may remember her as
the middle school librarian a few years ago. Some of her top
priorities include teaching us how to use data bases and the
internet as a research tool and bringing in current literature for
students to enjoy.
Mrs. Naumovitz would like the library to be a welcoming
environment for students, but does have a list of library rules.
These include sign in when coming in for study hall and make
sure you have work to do, no food in the library, the reading
areas (the couches) are only for reading and homework, so No
hanging out there, No stealing books and no study hall students
if there is a class in the library. The library is open before
school starts, but there is no consistent schedule after school.
As for personal facts, Mrs.
Naumovitz likes the author John
Green at the moment, and likes
“typically whatever I’m reading currently.” She like realistic fiction.
Mrs.
Naumovitz
questions
whether or not people check the due dates in the back of their
books. She prefers the computer catalog over the older, paper
styled catalog. While our library is ordered by the dewey decimal system, she noted seniors will encounter the Library of
Congress system in colleges which is “organized very different
compared to a public or school library,” she said.
Presidential Election Results
by Kayley Fountain and Paul Scott
Last Thursday morning ballots were handed out to every
classroom asking students who they wanted to win the
presidential election in 2012.
After going through all the ballots the Paw Print has the
official results. President Barack Obama and Vice-President
Joseph Biden were the winners with 142 votes. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan took second place with 63 votes. Other
top vote-getters were Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, Mr. Bacon
and Sierra Pizzola.
Recently, Mrs.
Naumovitz was the
winner
of
the
MHHS Faculty and
Staff Chili contest.
When
asked
what it was like
winning the chili
contest she responded, “I went in
knowing I had very
good chili, and that
the chili would
speak for itself, but I
was sad for Mr.
Frese because I didn’t want him to feel
disappointed when
he lost. I think he
was.”
Mr. Frese had this to say. “Yeah, I’m really excited that
I won the men’s division in the 2012 chili contest. I heard rumors that there was some ballot tampering taking place and I
don’t know if Mr. Agostinoni counted correctly. I also heard
that both the first and second place finishers had help from
their male figures in their life so, it’s kind of a tainted election.”
Go see Mrs. Naumovitz in the library. She can reference
you a book or help you with research projects, and she makes
a mean bowel of chili.
Ralph Nader
Jeremy Price
My dog
Jake from State Farm
Beyonce
Alex Flood
1
1
1
1
1
1
The results are listed below.
Obama/ Biden
Romney/ Ryan
Gary Johnson
Jill Stein
Mr. Bacon
Sierra Pizzola
Herman Cain
Ron Paul
142
63
12
6
5
2
1
1
Kayley and Paul count student votes in room 117. Special precautions were used to prevent ballot tampering.
Page 3
Spirit Week Highlights
Color Wars
By Lauren Moulton
The results are in; the seniors won this year’s color wars!
With 76 percent of the class dressed in purple, the seniors
took home the gold. Along with a year of bragging rights and
ruling the school, they also won a free school breakfast for their
grade.
Following them in second place were the freshmen. The
sophomores
followed
close
behind,
and
the junior
class walked
away with a
m od es t
f o u r t h
place. This
year,
the
teachers
participated
and sported
the
color
blue
and
came in fifth
place.
“I thought the teachers dominated. Except for Mr. Ryan, he
was wearing a grey shirt,” said Mr. Frese.
A junior spoke hopefully of their devastating loss. “I’m
shocked, really. But Freshmen, don’t get too comfortable with
your placing. We’ll make our comeback next year.”
This year’s color wars were enjoyed by all. Those who
dressed up went all-out to show off their class and school spirit.
Each student could earn up to four points. One for what is
worn on their head, torso, legs, and feet. The points were added up during Advisory by each class advisor and were announced at the end of the day.
Pretty (and handsome) in Pink
Monday, October 1 was Pink
Day at Maple Hill. Students and
staff raised hundreds of dollars to
help fight breast cancer.
Page 4
THEME DAYS
Cartoon Day!
Celebrity Day!
Page 5
Spirit Assembly
By Siobhan Sorensen
“Seniors are cheaters.” These are words that almost every underclassman
said after the senior class dominated this year’s pep rally.
Every year the seniors seem to win Color Wars and the majority of the
games of Spirit Week. However, how those games were won is up for debate.
Some were won fair and square like the tug-a-war. Both the senior girls’
and boys’ tug-a-war defeated all the grades and the boys were even able to
beat a team of male faculty. Senior, Jake Davis, was a large part of the boys’
victories. He reveals his secret to be “…all about the intimidation.” These
wins prove that this year’s senior class is the strongest.
But not all of this past week’s pep rally activities were won by the most
honest of actions. Sorry hula hoopers, the seniors dancing got a little too
close to you. Socks on the arms of the wheel-barrowers, however, was incredibly smart on the seniors’ part. Since there were no rules, it was not
technically cheating. Mr. Frese said, “Kudos to the seniors for being creative
and thinking outside of the box.”
This probably made the majority of the underclassmen angry but when it
is their turn to be a senior during Spirit Week they will think of ways to ensure they win. So, don’t make it a big deal. Seniors “cheating” happens every year at the pep rally.
Due to the limited amount of privileges given to the Seniors at Maple
Hill, winning the events at the pep rally is important and how those wins are
secured is at the discretion of the senior class.
Page 6
Decision 2012: Obama or Romney?
By: Eleanor Haase and Gabe Dingman
On Friday, November 1, the Debate Club is sponsoring
a mock presidential debate during Block 1 for the entire
student body. Seniors Conor Flanagan and Alex Flood will
play the roles of the two candidates. Flanagan will be President Obama and Flood will be Governor Romney. What
makes it interesting is that the seniors are not playing the
part of the candidates they support in the 2012 election.
They are both looking forward to the contest and have
been preparing for the past month.
The Paw Print sat down with Flanagan and Flood to
find out about their positions on the candidates and why
they are so interested in politics.
Why do you support Obama/Romney?
Alex: Because once you go black you never go back.
We hold the same political views, and I agree with his healthcare
reform, foreign policy, economic policies and his stance on social
issues.
Conor: Obama hasn’t accomplished the goals he said
he would. There was no deficit cut, unemployment hasn’t
dropped, and he couldn’t pass a budget. Romney has business
experience and can turn things around.
Are there any views of the opposite campaign
you agree with?
Alex: Let me think really hard…no.
Conor: Every American should have affordable
healthcare, pro-choice and gay rights.
How long have you been interested in politics
and why?
Alex: Since 6th or 7th grade during the Hillary Clinton
campaign.
Conor: Since I was 12. It interests me because it runs
the world; decisions can have major impacts on me and every
other generation’s future.
Conor and Alex rehearse their lines for the November 1 debate. As insults fly back and forth across the room Obama
(Conor) and Romney(Alex) prepare to go to battle.
What are you expecting the outcome of the Maple
Hill debate to be?
(Remember: Alex will be Romney and Conor
will be Obama.)
Alex: Mitt Romney will obliterate President Obama.
Conor: I’m going to win! President Obama will crush
Mitt Romney.
Will it be difficult to play the role of someone
you don’t support?
Alex: Nope
Conor: Yes, he’s got a very distinct style, he’s a very
large character. It’s going to be tough to act as the President.
Any additional comments?
Alex: I’m going to make Conor wish he never got his
bowl cut.
Conor: I’m going to make Flood choke on his pretty,
pretty hair.
MAPLE HILL HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE CLUB
PRESENTS
MOCK PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE 2012
NOVEMBER 1—BLOCK 2
Page 7
Behind the scenes of Media Club
By Seanathon Smithsonian
From the Variety Show to Hillstock, Maple Hill’s Geek
Squad has all of your tech needs covered.
The long-standing club always does its best to ensure that
the important events that take place each year at the high
school that require technical help run smoothly. The Morning Show, which airs most Fridays, is media club’s primary
focus. Every show there are multiple jobs behind the scenes
for people to fill for the show to go on. Most people know
about the anchors, including myself and Mr. Alex Pulver, but
what about the people behind the scenes?
The first job behind the camera is the audio board. The
person who works the audio board’s job is to make sure
Pulver and my beautiful, elegant voices do not break the
school’s TV speakers with a loud volume, but at the same
time make them audible. They are also the one who transitions the sound from the computer to the microphone that
picks up our voices.
The second job behind the camera is the person who
operates the video feed. This person transitions what you
see between the computer, and the camera. They also make sure
the background behind the anchors is stable and doesn’t cover the
shining, bright, perfect faces of our anchors. They work closely with
the third worker who operates the computer, who plays the music,
videos and pictures before, after, and during the show.
Features are also an important part of the show. Features are
special videos filmed by people inside or outside media club which
can be about anything from a sports montage to an advertisement
for Mr. Frese’s chili. Media club is always looking for features, so if
you are ever interested in making one, feel free to talk to Ms. Roman or any other member of media club. We’re also in the middle
of filming a new introduction for the show. Clips for that are always welcome, no matter how small.
There’s also several perks that come with helping out at events.
I’m not talking about Call of Duty perks here. I’m talking about real
hardcore perks like getting into events you’re helping at for free,
going to events early, and in some cases, getting out of class early. I’m
not sure what more a student could ask for from a club.
Media Club is an excellent club and it is definitely worth any
student’s consideration to join. Whether you’re tech savvy or not,
there’s something to do for everyone.
Rock and roll
by Audra Colliton
Jerry Garcia found the name Grateful Dead in Funk & Wagnalls’ Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. The term describes a spirit who is thankful to someone who arranged for burial of the spirit’s physical form as an act of charity. Their original
name was the Warlocks, but the name was taken by another band.
Page 8
Volunteers needed in Castleton
By Lauren Moulton
We want you!
If you’re looking for a place to volunteer, the Castleton Anchor should be your number one choice.
The Castleton Anchor is a joint organization composed of
the Schodack churches that are committed to addressing the
needs of the community. The Anchor is a food pantry and thrift
store, combined. To help out this worthy organization, you can
donate clothes, canned foods, toys, and especially at this time of
year, winter gear.
The Anchor takes donations of goods, and then sells the
items for one dollar each. By selling these items for a low price,
people in hard times can get what they need without having to
go over their budget at the grocery store or mall. They can also
buy Christmas presents and winter coats because Santa never
disappoints.
If you want to set up a time to volunteer, call Louann Ingraham at 732-4120, or visit the store directly at 70 Green Ave.,
Castleton, NY 12033.
Not only does volunteering make you feel better about
yourself, it helps your community, too. Volunteering looks great
on applications for the National Honor Society and college resumes. So, why not make your community a better place?
Amanda Todd
By Conor Flanagan
On October 10, 2012, 15 year old Amanda Todd killed herself after three years of suffering.
Amanda’s death came after an unfortunate sequence of events
that left her suicidal. We know a little about what she was going
through because she posted a horrific video explaining everything. After flashing her chest on the internet, Todd was threatened with blackmail to reveal more. When she refused, topless
pictures of her were spread across the internet, and later to her
friends and family. Her life spiraled out of control. She developed
depression and anxiety disorder, got into drugs, slept with a boy
who had a girlfriend, was brutally beaten, and was repeatedly told
to kill herself.
Eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore.
In the days since, online tributes to Amanda have exploded. The
Facebook page “RIP Amanda Todd” now has over 850,000 likes
and “RIP Amanda Todd” has trended worldwide on Twitter. In
death, Amanda may have received more love and appreciation
than she ever did in life.
It’s about time.
That being said, we shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger issues
her death represents. Amanda Todd’s suicide and the events that
preceded it are tragedies. But she’s just one casualty in thousands. There are other teens that went through similar things and
committed suicide whose names will never be known. Whose
deaths won’t matter
In one, perverse sense, Amanda was lucky. She was a beautiful
girl who managed to get an international audience. Sadly, we
couldn’t help her. She’s gone. What we can do, is remember her,
and remind ourselves that there are thousands of kids out there
The Anchor
is open on
Monday from
6:00 pm to 8:00
pm,
Tuesday
from 9:00 am
to 2:00 pm,
Thursday from
9:00 am to 2:00
pm, and is
closed
on
Wednesdays
and Fridays. On
the first Saturday on every
month it is
open
from
11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Come Help out a local group that could really use your
assistance and make an impact in your community. Instead of
sitting back and waiting for things to change, make them. The
change starts with you, so start volunteering!
on the edge of dangerous decisions. Kids that are being harassed by their peers, suffering for old mistakes, and who feel
like their lives are hell.
Amanda is gone, but these kids are still here. They can still
be saved, and we owe it to them to try. We need to fight bullying and other contributors to suicide. We can’t keep letting
this happen. Amanda Todd’s death is a wake up call, and its
one we’d best listen to.
Amanda Todd was a beautiful girl. She made a few mistakes
and paid horribly and unfairly for them. Don’t forget that a girl
has died, that many
more have died like
that, and many
others are on their
way. Stop it. Don’t
let it happen again.
News from Guidance
The following are college tips for October from Mrs. Hebert:
- Register for SATs.
- You can retake SATs.
- Visit colleges that you are interested in.
- There are a lot of open houses around this time of the year.
- Look out for scholarships
Check in with your counselor if you have any questions on
applications.
Page 9
Key Club haunted house
By Ted Tobin
Bored on those cold fall weekends? Looking for something to do? Well
then you should come on down to Gould Orchards and check out the Haunted
House, brought to you by our own Maple Hill High School Key Club.
For the fifth year running, this fundraiser to support the activities of Key
Club will be a featured event of the festivities happening at Gould’s Orchards.
The haunted house runs every weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 5. The
haunted house is hard to miss, a large black trailer located near the pumpkin
patch.
A new feature is a choose your own scare option, which ensures that
the haunted tour is as scary, or not, as you would like it. For only three dollars,
you receive a personalized tour of the haunted house, visiting every spooky location offered. As you go, be prepared for many surprises and scares along the way.
The haunted house is the main fundraiser for Key Club. All the money made by the haunted house
goes directly into Key Club’s funds. In return this money is spent to help out various organizations and worthy
causes chosen by Key Club. In a recent meeting, it was decided by members that some of the money would be
donated to Project Eliminate. This is an organization whose goal is to provide vaccinations for infants so they
will not succumb to tetanus, a disease that has claimed millions of children all around the world.
Hundreds have already experienced the haunted house this year and can say that it was an experience
worth checking out. With all the money going to a good cause while providing an entertaining experience, it is
clear that is something worth your time. So if you’re looking for something to do, why not come down to
Gould Orchards and check out the haunted house? I can promise that you’ll enjoy it.
Spooktacular Halloween checklist
By Izzy Finkle
Read this only if you dare.
Carve a pumpkin into a horrifying jack-o-lantern
Gorge yourself with a ghoulish amount of treats
Plan a spine-chilling movie night with the most unearthly of friends
Tell repulsive stories of otherworldly creatures
Join your friends in a hair-raising, shadows around every turn
haunted house adventure
Create the most revolting costume that could scare the souls right out of your friends
Make your friends scream as you scare them with a gruesome trick
Get down with the supernatural at the Halloween dance
Join the werewolves beneath the moon for a night filled with trick or treating
Visit our unearthly friends at a creepy Halloween party
So now with some knowledge of what to do to scare your friends and parents
too. With tricks, treats and scary screams have a great Halloween.
Page 10
Happy Halloween
Happy October!
by Gabi Sanchez
The temperature is dropping, the leaves are changing and Halloween is fast approaching!
Every year it’s necessary to have a movie marathon to get into the Halloween mindset. Whether you prefer the scary movies or
the goofy films from your childhood, these lists are for you.
Top 10 Scary Movies
Top 10 Halloween Classics
Halloween (yes, all of them)
Halloweentown
The Blair Witch Project
Haunted Mansion
The Exorcist
It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
Psycho
Hocus Pocus
The Shining
Nightmare Before Christmas
The Ring
Corpse Bride
Paranormal Activity
Casper
The Strangers
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Silence of the Lambs
Ghost Busters
Night of the Living Dead
Scooby Doo
Go find these movies and plan a movie marathon weekend with your friends! (after you do your homework, of course)
Halloween
Jokes
Q. Why wasn't there any food left after the
monster party?
A. Because everyone was a goblin!
Q. What is a mummy's favorite type of music?
A. Rap music.
Q. Where do baby ghosts go when their mom
goes to work?
A. A scare centre!
Q. What is a skeleton's favorite instrument?
A. The trombone.
Page 11
Maple Hill High School to host program to honor veterans
T
he Schodack CSD is seeking veterans from our community for a
special assembly in honor of Veterans Day to be held Friday, November 9.
The event, which will take place during Block 2 on Nov. 9,
will feature a panel discussion of veterans from different time
periods speaking to students who will ask questions about their
experiences.
After the assembly, veterans will also have an opportunity to
visit High School classrooms to speak with students. The event
will also feature Congressman Chris Gibson as a panel member.
If you or someone you know is interested in participating as a
panel member, visiting with a classroom or just attending the
event as an honored guest in a special section, contact Mr. Agostinoni in the main office as soon as possible.
This event is sponsored by Time Warner Cable and the History
Channel.
Poetry
Corner
Street Beat
A poem by Raphael De’laghetto
Going to School
My children rise up from your seat
And move in rhythm to the street beat.
Let harmony and rhyme fill your ears
And let music flow like running tears.
A Haiku by Seanathon Smithsonian
Rushing to school
Dang, I’m late for class again
My life really sucks
Let notes of every type and kind
Fill the cracks in your troubled mind.
From every alley and curb and street
Rise up and dance to the street beat.
Time
Let music overcome your fragile soul
Warm away the ice and the cold.
And I promise that when we meet again
All the pain and suffering shall end.
A Haiku by Raphael De’laghetto
Clocks tick, on and on
The hands move in time again
Time passes, my friend
Page 12
Teenage Parties—looking at the MHHS stats
By Siobhan Sorensen
As high school students and young adults, we are faced with many new adventures and opportunities. We are also faced
with tough decisions that may affect not only ourselves at one particular moment but our futures, our parents, and our friends.
Mrs. Balogh’s fourth block Statistics class recently administrated a school wide survey. One of the questions was “What
would you do if you went to a party and drinking was involved?”
The results of this question were somewhat shocking.
As seen in the graphs, as the students moved up in grade levels, they were more likely to stay at a party that had alcohol
then call for a ride, tell their parents, or call the police. The freshmen were the least likely to stay at a party and more likely to
choose one of the other options for remove themselves from that situation.
The junior class, in particular, had the lowest percentages for both boys and girls when asked if they would call the police
or tell their parents.
The class least likely to call for a ride was the senior class which shocked and concerned many of the faculty members. Mr.
Ryan noted that the majority said they would call for a ride except for the seniors.
He said, “The difference is scary and I have to ask, do you know the consequences?”
After seeing the results of how many students would call for a ride, Mrs. Balogh said, “The thing that scares me the most
was that not everyone would call for a ride. I don’t like that kids would put themselves in danger.
Judging by the results, it seems important to remind the
students here at Maple Hill that it is important to act
responsibly.
Ms. Post said, “If you feel that you’re mature enough to
stay at a party with alcohol, then you should be mature
enough to find a safe and smart way home.”
What you do in these situations is your decision, not
anyone else’s. Never feel pressured to stay at a party
with alcohol and always feel that you can call your
parents or a friend for a ride to get you out of that
situation. The most important thing is your safety.
Stats students do the math on a recent survey.
Page 13
HOME-COMING
DANCE
2012
Fall Sports Highlights
Cross Country Teams
Patroon Conference Championships— Boys and Girls
JV teams were undefeated in the championship race
Patroon Conference Championships—Girls Tennis
Overall sectional winners for our division
Patroon Conference Champions— Girls Volleyball
Ranked 5th in Sectionals
Boys Soccer Ranked 5th in Sectionals
Girls Soccer Ranked 12th in Sectionals
Page 14
Fall Varsity Volleyball Team
Maple Hill Fall Sports Weekend
by Kerry Golden and Alysa Kelly
Did you get a chance to go catch up and watch some of your
fellow classmates in the several sporting events that took place
October 5th, 6th, and the 8th? All Maple Hill teams did a tremendous job and the turnout was amazing. All fall sports including
girls’ volleyball, girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ cross country, and
boys’ and girls’ soccer participated in the eventful weekend.
On Friday night, girls’ varsity volleyball did an amazing job
placing second place in the tournament after a close battle
against Tamarac who luckily came out in the end with a win. On
Saturday morning, girls’ JV volleyball did outstanding as well,
after dominating against Waterford-Halfmoon who crushed
them in their previous game. Cross country also did well Saturday morning, with all of the teams placing first overall. Not only
did volleyball and cross country participate in the tournament,
but so did tennis and soccer.
If you came down Maple Hill Road you probably noticed a
large crowd of people near the tennis courts. As part of the
annual Fall Sports Weekend, Maple Hill also hosted a tennis
tournament. Winning in the singles bracket were Valeria Quint
who defeated her Greenwich opponent, and Erin Duffy who
defeated her Schoharie opponent. Also, Valeria Quint and Kayley Fountain won their doubles match in the tournament. In the
overall tournament, the Maple Hill Girls placed second behind a
very tough Ichabod Crane team.
The only sport that had two days worth of competitions was
soccer. The boys’ varsity team hosted a tough Mount Anthony
team from Vermont. They scored two goals in the second half
to advance to the finals on Monday. However, a tough Ichabod
Crane team shut down the Maple Hill boys handing them a 5-0
loss. Jake Johnson was named outstanding defensive player of
the tournament. The junior varsity boys were also successful
beating Mount Anthony 1-0
thanks to a penalty kick by Aidan Carney. The junior varsity
boys also found Ichabod Crane a
tough team to beat and lost by a score of 2-0.
On the girls side, things were also very exciting. On Saturday
the girls varsity soccer team defeated Cambridge by a score of 4
-0. Alysha Cross led the scoring with two goals, while Somer
Connolly and Sabrina Sepowski each added one goal. On Monday the girls would face a tougher challenge when they played an
undefeated Canajoharie team. After a scoreless first half, the
Lady Wildcats found the back of the net with a goal from senior
Alysha Cross for the victory. Some tough defense by Anna Pulver, Lauryn Krupa, Nicole Bureau, Amanda Kern and Lindsay
Mannion helped to keep the Canajoharie Cougars from scoring.
The team was extremely excited about this win as one of their
season goals was to walk away from this tournament champions.
It was only fitting that Alysha Cross be named outstanding offensive player of the tournament.
The weekend was not just a success for the sports teams.
The Maple Hill Booster Club ran many concessions and grossed
a profit of over $5,000. This money will go to help support all of
the sports programs here at Maple Hill. However, the biggest
winner of the weekend was the Roe family as they walked away
after winning the Booster Club mega-raffle. Congratulations Mr.
and Mrs. Roe and thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket
in support of Maple Hill sports.
Episode V: The Wildcat Strikes Back
By Ted Tobin
At the annual Cross Country Kiwanis Glover Invitational, the Wildcats expertly defeated their top opponent of the season, the
Chatham Panthers. The invitational was won by the Wildcats in all four races, boys and girls Varsity and boys and girls JV.
The boys varsity team suffered a loss to Chatham earlier in the season, so this meet was more or less a rematch between the two
teams. For the boys’ varsity teams, Ross Wightman, Chatham’s top runner, has fostered a budding rivalry with Maple Hill’s top
runner, Jordan Healy. Wightman narrowly beat out Healy by six seconds, taking first place, yet his team did not win the race. The
boys’ varsity team runners Adrian Barber, Jake Davis, Leland Axtmann, and Roscoe Quint all scored within the top twenty, providing Maple Hill with a score that allowed them to successfully beat out Chatham. An excellent performance was provided by Axtmann, Davis, Quint, who managed to beat out Chatham runner Evan Rugen, an athlete who had defeated them previously, which
contributed to the team’s success in the race. Ted Tobin and Norman Bullinger ran the varsity race in the absence of two of the
team’s runners and backed up their fellow team members.
The boys team captain, Jake Davis, had this to say about the team’s performance on Saturday: “I was glad that a lot of us on the
team managed to step up and pass some of the Chatham runners that had beaten us last time. Excellent job everybody.”
In girls varsity, the race was won by Kelly Pasko, who was supported by Hannah Riordan in second, and Anna Curtin in
third. These senior girls swept the race, providing a strong opposition on their own home course that the other teams could not
match. The JV race, which was both boys and girls, was won by freshman Nick Bullinger.
Mr. Porter, the Maple Hill physics teacher and running enthusiast, served as a course marker and witnessed the races. He
had this to say: “From where I was standing at the first mile mark, I could see that everyone was running their hardest. I was really
impressed with both team’s performances. Way to go Hill!”
With Maple Hill and Chatham’s rivalry continuing, it is unclear what conference championships will end up like. However, as long as Maple Hill continues to run as well as they did Saturday; they may find themselves the winners.
Page 15
Land-Art
Subtle Text