The Hill - December 2022

New Teachers and Staff

By Benjamin Gong ’26 and Declan Carroll ’27

Mr. Hargrove

Mr. Hargrove comes to Belmont Hill to teach Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. He will also be an assistant coach for third hockey and varsity lacrosse. In high school, he played soccer, ice hockey, and lacrosse, even playing lacrosse at Williams College while getting a BA in economics. He then went on to get an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Before teaching, he worked in management consulting for Bain & Company, where he helped teach students about consulting. He then taught precalculus, honors precalculus, AP statistics, and economics at Salisbury School.

Mr. Fulham

Mr. Fulham joins Belmont hill as a one-year teaching fellow for the English and science departments and will coach varsity football and work in the theater department. At Middlebury College, he got a BA in environmental studies with a minor in English and American literature. During his time at Middlebury College, he participated in multiple plays and was a founding member of Middlebury’s sketch comedy group.

Mr. Payne ‘18

Mr. Payne returns to Belmont Hill after graduating from Tufts University with a BA in sociology with a minor in Africana studies. He will be a one-year teaching fellow, working in the theater department and English. Mr. Payne had co-taught English classes for rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders before and worked with teens many times over his career.

Ms. Bradley

As a one-year teaching fellow, Ms. Bradley joins Belmont Hill. She will teach four art sections and manage the school’s art club. She holds a BFA in painting from the Pratt Institute. She has taught in the Belmont Hill summer program and has experience in ceramics and drawing.

Mr. Ojeni

Mr. Ojeni joins Belmont Hill, where he will teach Spanish and participate in the Belmont Hill Residential Life Team. He will be helping out in the theater department, and he plans to coach tennis or squash next year. Mr. Ojeni comes from Stanford, where he taught English as a second language and was a resident director. He has a diploma in acting and a Master of Arts in teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language. He also has a BA in Spanish and Hispanic studies and theater with a minor in English.

Ms. Wallace

Ms. Wallace comes to Belmont Hill, where she will teach four sections of English. Prior to Belmont Hill, she taught 11th and 12th grade English. She also redesigned the AP English Language curriculum at the Community Charter School of Cambridge. She holds an EdM and an AB Honors in history and literature with a secondary in the classics from Harvard.

Mrs. Phinney

Mrs. Phinney comes to Belmont Hill as an associate director of College Counseling. She is an Olympian and has taught neuroscience. Before Belmont Hill, she was a head coach for many varsity programs and a college consular at various schools. She graduated from Deerfield, Harvard University, and Harvard School of Education.

Mr. Speer

Mr. Speer joins Belmont Hill, where he will work in the mathematics department, teaching four sections of math and will coach varsity tennis. Mr. Speer holds an MS for teachers in mathematics and a BA in mathematics and music. Before Belmont Hill, Mr. Speer taught multiple math classes and won the 2020 Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Mathematics Teaching from the Mathematical Association of America.

Mrs. Folan

Mrs. Folan returns to Belmont Hill, where she will work in the Academic support department. She and her husband (Peter Folan ‘93) have been dorm parents in the Underwood House, where she connected to the Belmont Hill community. Mrs. Folan has taught in Belmont public schools and multiple elementary schools. She holds an undergraduate degree in elementary education with a Master’s in education focusing on reading.

Mrs. White

Mrs. White comes to Belmont Hill to be the director of Health Services. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Bunker Hill Community College, a BA in nursing from UMass Boston, and a BA in sociology from Wheaton College. She has experience in medical management for kids and teens. She previously cared for 543 students’ medical needs at Shady Hill School.

Left to right: Ovie Ojeni, Jamie H. Phinney, Dixon T. Hargrove, Emi White, Paige Wallace, Daniel Fulham, Donavan Payne ‘18, William Speer, and Sarah Bradley.

The Belmont Hill centennial is coming up, and there already are a few changes to campus, but a lot more is to come. In October 1923, the Belmont Hill School was founded as a small school at the top of a hill for boys who lived near it, as an alternative to the school at the bottom of the hill in Belmont Center. The school started small, with the Shaler House (now Howe House) and the Bolles House (now Makerspace). Then as expansions continued, the campus shaped more and more into what it looks like today. Some buildings were even repurposed. At some point, the art building was actually the largest basketball gym in the ISL.

Centennial Preview

by Nathan Zhang ’26

Most students and faculty are unaware of the deep history embedded in the halls we walk in every day, so the centennial celebration will help us understand the school better. A series of events will occur in 2023; In January, there will be a celebration of the arts, including a live performance from Jim Anagnoson ‘64. In March, there will be a celebration for 100 years of athletics including speeches from Mr. Tahan and former athletic directors. Then comes April, and there will be a celebration for academics. In May, there will be a celebration for faculty with past and current faculty speaking about their time at Belmont Hill. Finally, in October 2023, during Belmont Hill’s one-hundred-year anniversary, there will be a

This fall, the Belmont Hill Theatre Program presented two plays. In the Middle School, Belmont Hill collaborated with Winsor School to produce Puffs, a humorous parody of the world of Harry Potter.

celebration for 100 years of Chapel, which will include a special speech from Mr. Schneider. These celebrations will recap the history of the school in a way that will let us all know more about our school. There are also many smaller things that you may have noticed yourself, including a new scoreboard at the varsity football/lacrosse field, and many centennial banners placed around campus. The centennial is certainly an exciting time for the school, and we can all do our part by celebrating the school’s legacy and being our best selves every time we head on campus. For more information on the centennial, type belmonthill.org/ centennial into a web browser.

In the Upper School, the School presented Twelve Angry Men, a classic courtroom drama based on the 1957 film. See the posters below, and make sure to visit a Belmont Hill Theatre production this year!

Queen Elizabeth passed away on the 8th of September this year, resulting in an outpouring of grief across the globe and prompting the condolences of world leaders. At the ripe age of 96, the queen’s death was not surprising to many, but sad nonetheless.

Born in 1926 to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was the eldest child of two daughters. After her uncle suddenly abdicated to marry an American woman, her father was appointed king, and she became his heir. She was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, following her father’s death. As queen, she sought to modernize the monarchy, turning the general public outlook on the monarchy from “an outdated, oppressive system that steals our taxpayers’ dollars” to “a calm, reserved symbol of our national pride and unity.” She was beloved for her appearance as a quiet, unchanging reminder of tradition and continuity during unpredictabletimes. This was aided by her distinct style of clothing, which seemingly

God Save the... King??

By Brandon Li ’26

never changed – a colorful dress coat, a matching hat, white gloves, and her signature black purse. In addition, Queen Elizabeth often preferred to make use of symbols instead of words to communicate her opinion on controversial topics, allowing her to maintain some degree of neutrality among those who disagreed with her viewpoint. For example, while addressing the nation on measures the British government would take after Brexit, she wore a blue hat resembling the flag of the European Union, allowing her to voice her silent opposition to Brexit. Overall, the public persona Queen Elizabeth built up during her reign made her a much-beloved ruler, easing criticism of the British monarchy and bringing it into modern times. However, the world has now turned its attention to King Charles III, the queen’s eldest son and successor. Many are eager to see how the new king will fit into his role, especially given his old age. Whereas Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year-long reign offered plenty of time to develop her public image and leave a positive imprint

on British society, King Charles, who turned 74 this month, may struggle with the same task. However, King Charles is already behind in the race for popularity; his reputation among the British public has already been tainted by his previous cheating scandal with the wildly-popular Princess Diana and his lackluster personality. King Charles may have to focus on improving his public image, as Britons may find it disheartening to rally behind someone they don’t respect. As of right now, polls show that King Charles has an approval rating of just 65 percent among the British public compared to Queen Elizabeth’s 85 percent. However, the same poll showed that just 68% percent of Britons approve of the monarchical system, suggesting that the monarchy is only a few steps away from losing popular support. Will King Charles be able to maintain these ratings? Or will the British monarchy fall as a result of his ineptitude? Only time can tell.

Top Left: Queen Elizabeth

Bottom Left: Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral Serivce Right: King Charles III

China-Taiwan Conflict: (Briefly) Explained

In 1995, China started running publicized military exercises on its coast. This message to Taiwan was that it wasn't a real country, just a rebellious island from an unfinished civil war. China did this because Taiwan was holding its first-ever democratic election. In response to China's "war games," U.S President Bill Clinton sent a fleet of warships through the Taiwanese Straight, asserting the separation of Taiwan from China. Surprisingly, China backed off. Now, if we fast forward to the present, China is trying to intimidate Taiwan again by aggressively sending military aircraft into areas extremely near Taiwan's coast. In early October of 2021, China celebrated its founding when the fly-overs of military aircraft over Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone surged. China sent a message to Taiwan: "you will be ours." The U.S saw this as unacceptable and decided to send a fleet of warships through the Taiwanese Straight. This time, it didn't work, and China continued the violations.

By Declan Carroll ’27

In early August 2022, Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. China was angry about the visit and would send hundreds of fighter jets close to the Taiwanese Coast over the next few weeks. The graph shows the surge of fighter jets following the holiday. They also started military exercises right off the coast of Taiwan, one of the most aggressive military moves by China aimed at Taiwan so far. If China decides to take control of Taiwan through a full-scale invasion, China will need at least 500,000 soldiers and will need thousands of ships to transport supplies. However, China might decide that a full-scale invasion would be too risky and go with a charge of one of the smaller Taiwanese islands or even a blockade of Taiwan with China's Navy. These options are complex for China as they could lead to an intervention of the U.S.

Taiwan is essential around the world. Taiwan dominates the market for semiconductors, which are heavily expensive and hard to replicate. Also, Taiwan is the most crucial island in the First Island Chain, which strategically lets the U.S contain the Chinese Navy by keeping good relations with South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Any route the Chinese Navy goes, they go through an American chokepoint. However, if China successfully invaded Taiwan, it would split the chain. If the U.S. didn't defend Taiwan, other American allies in Asia would be more vulnerable to threats from China, possibly switching allegiances. Overall, an invasion of Taiwan would be a disaster for many countries and should be avoided at all costs.

As the ongoing war in Ukraine between Ukrainian and Russian forces continues, a major issue has come to light: war crimes. Recently, UN officials conducted an investigation into the atrocities committed by Russian soldiers against innocent civilians, and a statement was made by the Commission of Inquiry to the U.N Human Rights Council in Geneva. Erik Mose recounted reports of how various Ukrainian civilians of all ages and genders were tortured, maimed, and murdered. On September 15 of 2022, multiple mass graves consisting of at least 445 Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian forces, were found in the Ukrainian city of Izium after it was liberated by Ukrainian forces during the invasion by Russia. Additionally, investigations into the Bucha Massacre uncovered a number of 458 bodies (other reports estimating more than 1000 deaths), including 9 children below the age of 18, with other reports stating 31 were killed; amidst the victims, 419 people were murdered by weapons and 39 appeared to have passed away from natural causes, possibly related to the occupation.

Photos taken at war crime sites showed a number of Ukrainian civilians with their hands tied behind their backs, with reports revealing signs of bullets shot at point-blank range, implying that civilian executions were carried out by the Russian troops.

(Each red line represents one fighter jet going into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone meant to intimidate Taiwan. Aug. 2 to Aug. 31)

Ukraine War Crimes

By Jaiden Lee ‘26

Many corpses were found to mutilated and burnt, and numerous female civilians as young as 14 were raped by Russian soldiers. Additionally, Russian air strikes and bombings have killed countless civilians of Ukraine, a prime example being the Chernihiv bombing, on March 3 2022. 47 people were killed from an onslaught of airstrikes on Chernihiv carried out by Russian forces during the siege of the city. Six unguided aerial bombs (varying reports stating eight) were filmed striking a public square in the city by a dash cam, and the bombing was described by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as a Russian war crime. Other bombing were targeted at vulnerable buildings with people of young age like schools; on May 7 of 2022, a school in Bilohorivka, Luhansk Oblast, was attacked with bombs by Russian troops during the Battle of Sievierodonetsk. At least two people’s deaths were confirmed while authorities are saying the true death toll was nearer to 60.

The attack was denounced by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, and UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres stated publicly that he was "appalled" by the war crime. Liz Truss, at the time the foreign secretary of Britain, remarked that she was "horrified" after learning about the bombing. Additionally, not only schools, but also buildings like hospitals are being attacked; on March 9, 2022, the Russian Air Force bombed Maternity Hospital, a building serving both as a hospital for children and as a maternity ward in Mariupol was bombed by an air strike, killing at least four civilians and injuring at least sixteen, and resulting in at least one stillbirth. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Union head of Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, and minister of British armed forces James Heappey described the bombing as a war atrocity. As to Russia’s response to these horrors, they have denied involvement in any war atrocities, and asserted the evidence of the killings as “fake news” by Ukrainians. However, these claims have been widely debunked as false by various organizations around the world, and they are calling for Russia to claim responsibility. At the current moment, it is clear that the war in Ukraine is a horrific event that must be resolved peacefully as soon as possible, and the many war crimes committed by the Russian soldiers must be held accountable at all costs.

Transfer Window Review

by Benjamin Gong ’26 and Eita Fuse ’26

Top 5 Best Transfers of the Summer

1. Erling Haaland (Dortmund → Manchester City)

Haaland has easily been the best transfer of 2022 and possibly one of the greatest ever made. Manchester City bought him for just $66 million from Borussia Dortmund, despite his estimated market value of $165 million. In 10 games, Haaland has scored 17 goals and provided 3 assists in all competitions.

Top 5 Worst Transfers of the Summer

1. Wesley Fofana (Leicester → Chelsea)

This transfer almost seems as if Todd Boehly jumped at the chance to sign Fofana and didn’t look at the price tag. Wesley Fofana cost $88.44m, and during his first few Champions League and Premier League appearances, he has looked atrocious; nothing like the bright young centerback he was at Leicester. Nothing more can or should be said about terrible decision-making.

2. Marc Cucurella (Brighton → Chelsea)

2. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City → Arsenal)

After Man City signed Haaland, Jesus’s departure was inevitable. Arsenal signed the Brazilian for $57.42m. After just two months at Arsenal, his market value has increased from $55m to $71.5m. During this time, Jesus has already scored 5 goals and had 3 assists in 8 Premier League matches. Jesus has fit perfectly into the number nine role at Arsenal. His signing was very timely, as they were in desperate need of a reliable striker.

3. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern→ Barcelona)

After getting tired of farming goals in the Bundesliga, Lewandowski sought a new challenge in a more competitive league and at a bigger club. After breaking the Bundesliga record for most goals in a season in 2021 with 41 goals and a 35-goal season in 2022, Barcelona signed the Polish striker for $49.5m, his exact market value. Though he was a risky signing, as Barca seek short-term success in the 33-year-old, he’s already scored 12 goals and provided 2 assists in all competitions.

After only a singular season playing at Brighton, Marc Cucurella has made his big-money move to Chelsea for $71.83m, presumably starting left bench. A great use of money by the new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, overspending by almost $40m on a player who will be backing up Ben Chilwell. Luckily for him, Ben Chilwell has been out for the beginning of the season, recovering from an injury he received last year. However, once Chilwell is fit again, this irrational use of money will be revealed.

After his first game, Núñez looked like a world-beater, scoring once and assisting another. Now, it seems as if it will take a couple of seasons for him to live up to his $82.50m price tag. With only 1 goal and 1 assist in 4 appearances, as well as having received a red card after prematurely headbutting the Crystal Palace defender Anderson, Núñez looks far from the dynamic goalscorer that he was for Benfica last season.

Matthijs de Ligt looks a bargain for Bayern, considering his age and how well he is playing right now. Although they paid a hefty $73.70m for de Ligt, that number is $4m under his calculated market value. So far this season, he has made 11 appearances in all competitions, scored one goal, and kept 5 clean sheets. He also looks a good fit for Bayern’s system, adding a bit of muscle into their defense that they had lost when Niklas Süle left for Borussia Dortmund. All in all, Matthijs de Ligt looks a good signing, both short-term and long-term.

5. Raphinha (Leeds United → Barcelona)

Yet another attacker adding to Barcelona’s already loaded offense, Raphinha’s transfer of $63.8m was undoubtedly good value. Both Chelsea and Arsenal made bids for the Brazilian valued at $49.5m, but he obviously wanted to choose the biggest club. Chelsea, in fact, offered higher wages and a larger transfer fee, yet Barcelona was still his unmitigated decision. Although his stats haven’t been the greatest in his first few games, his influence on the pitch is indubitable, whether it’s his dazzling skills or curling crosses. Definitely better than some other $63.8m signings (Richarlison).

Honorable mentions- Lisandro Martinez

People were skeptical about a 5’9” center back; however, he seemed to be the perfect replacement of Maguire. The complete opposite of the “captain”- aggressive, quick, passionate, decisive, and consistent. Martinez has been one of the best center backs in the Premier League this season. Martinez transferred from Ajax to Manchester United for $63.11m.

A bit of a controversial one, but apart from the two goals he has scored this season during games, Antony looks ineffectual, which isn’t something you want to see from a $104.5m signing. He hasn’t been involved in play much, doesn’t contribute much defensively, and seems reluctant to take defenders one-on-one, which was a cornerstone of his style at Ajax and one of the reasons he was so sought after. Outside of his two Premier League appearances, Antony also hadn’t been fit enough to play up until the last few weeks. Manchester United will need a lot more productivity out of him, considering how much he cost.

Kalvin Phillips’ transfer has a similar line of reasoning to some of the previous transfers, that being that Manchester City is overpaying for a player that will be on the bench for the majority of the season. Especially once compared to Erling Haaland’s price ($66m) and his incredible impact so far, Kalvin Phillips ($53.9m) seems a bad deal. If City is going to get good value out of Phillips, it will most likely come in the future.

4. Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus → Bayern)

3. Darwin Núñez (Benfica → Liverpool)

4. Antony (Ajax → Manchester United)

5. Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United → Manchester City)

USA World Cup Preview

On September 23, Japan won 2-0 over the USA, further proving Asian superiority over their counterparts across the Pacific in terms of football. However, this result is more indicative of the state of the USMNT, as they put out a strong team that performed extremely poorly.

The only player who had a semi-decent game was the goalie, Matt Turner (a former New England Revolution player), who had an excellent game, making multiple vital saves to keep the Americans in the match. Turner was the sole bright spot in what was otherwise a drab and dreadful game from the perspective of the States. In fact, the US lost the ball in their own half 54 times in the first 45 minutes; more than one loss of possession per minute. Sloppy and unorganized was the story on the night, as Japan cruised to an easy victory, while the coach Gregg Berhalter looked lost for solutions.

Looking forward to the first World Cup matches in the group stage, Gregg Berhalter will need to make some major changes. First of all, there is the desperate need for a somewhat reliable striker. In the past couple of years, the US has cycled through players including Josh Sargent, Ricardo Pepi, and now the unconvincing Jesus Ferreira, who missed the one opportunity that the US managed to create, heading the ball far over the bar from just a couple yards away. Even now, multiple other strikers are firing in

by Eita Fuse ’26

goals for their club teams, including a resurgent Sargent and most eye-catchingly Union Berlin’s Jordan Pefok, who has started the season with three goals and two assists in 6 games, leading Union Berlin to the top of the Bundesliga. Even so, neither player was selected to the squad for this round of international matches, raising questions about Gregg Berhalter’s decision-making that have become even louder after the loss to Japan.

While that may be the most glaring problem, the defensive side of things isn’t looking great, either. Walker Zimmerman has locked in his starting place (although he did not have a good game on Friday), but his defensive partner is yet to be decided. Berhalter’s job will be scrutinized ever so closely as the World Cup approaches, and a lousy showing in Group B could mean the end of his regime.

Overall, the US’s main goal at the moment should be focusing on getting out of the group stage. While their level of play has been at a low, if they can squeeze out some results against England and Wales (a draw to both allows the US to go through later this week with a win against Iran), it’s plausible that they can make it to the knockout stage. However, in order to do this, they will need to make a whole

Formula 1 Recap

by Bradford Adams ’26

load of changes and fast.

Formula 1 is back! This past March, the 10 teams and 20 drivers we all love suited up again for another action packed, controversy filled, and stunning season. During the offseason, notable news included George Russel, the former Williams driver, signing for Mercedes, Alex Albon returning to the Grid, Valtteri Bottas signing for Alfa Romeo along with rookie Zhou Guanyu, and Kevin Magnussen returning to Haas after a year-long retirement. The season opener in Bahrain showed that the new technical regulations had produced incredible results, with incredibly quick cars looking sleek and modern. The season opened with an incredible race. Reigning World Drivers Champion (Awarded to the Driver with the most points) Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, as well as the lightning quick Monegasque Charles Leclerc, driving for Scuderia Ferrari, duked it out for the opening laps until, with 1 lap remaining, Verstappen’s engine gave out, with him stopping just seconds before the finish line.

Astonishingly, Verstappen’s teammate, the Mexican Sergio “Checo” Perez, also suffered an engine problem and also had to retire on the final lap of the race, producing even more heartbreak for Red Bull Racing fans. The race produced shocking results, showing that the old Formula 1 hierarchy had been smashed. Mercedes and Sir Lewis Hamilton, 7-time world

champion, who had dominated Formula 1 since 2014, winning the Constructors Championship (Awarded to the Team with the Most Points) a record 8 straight times, looked uncharacteristically slow, barely managing to beat out the midfield, and Haas, who had gone pointless in 2021, produced a stunning 5th place, as well as rookie Zhou Guanyu scoring points in his debut due to the Red Bull double DNF. The following weekend in Saudi Arabia, Max Verstappen defeated Charles Leclerc in the quicker Ferrari after a hard fought battle, ending with Verstappen making a late overtake to win the race. However, after another DNF in Australia, Leclerc, who had a 50 point lead in the Championship, looked to be in a prime position to take the title. However, after multiple DNF’s by Leclerc, Verstappen was able to take the lead in the Championship in Spain, the sixth race of the season, by only a few points.

Now, after some thrilling races, including the upset at Monaco which saw Sergio Perez take a win in a rainy, crash filled Grand Prix, and the incredible action at Silverstone in Britain, which saw lap 1 carnage, Verstappen suffering damage and being out contention for the win, and final lap drama with home favorite Sir Lewis Hamilton making crucial overtakes to finish on the podium, all culminating with the shock of Ferrrari’s Carlos Sainz capturing his

first win in F1. Now, as we led into the Singapore Grand Prix and beyond, the Championship was settled. Max Verstappen has been unbeatable in his Red Bull, the clear fastest car on the grid, winning 5 Races in a row, including his home Dutch Grand Prix. Heading into Singapore, Max had a 116 point lead in the championship after key errors by Ferrari, and clinched the title with victory in Japan. However, off track, the F1 world has been surprised by the announcement of retirement by 4 time world champion and Red Bull and Ferrari legend Sebastian Vettel, as well as the move of 2 time World Champion Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin, and of course the debacle of Oscar Piastri, whom Alpine announced as Alonso’s replacement. However, after Piastri revealed that Alpine had announced him without his consent, he decided to sign with McLaren, surprising everyone.

A Maverick Film

by William Achtmeyer ’26

Top Gun: Maverick is a sequel to the 1980’s film Top Gun, in which Tom Cruise reprises his role as Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a Navy fighter pilot. Released in late May, it was directed by Joseph Kosinski (Only The Brave, Oblivion, Tron: Legacy).

Many years after the first film, Maverick is called back to Top Gun, an air combat training facility, where he is to teach a new group of pilots how to successfully complete their mission of bombing an illegal uranium facility. In the process, Maverick must also come to terms with Rooster, his student and the son of his best friend who passed away in a tragic training accident years

The dialogue got a little cheesy at times, mostly in homage to the VERY cheesy original, but never to an annoying degree. All of the characters are built well and the emotional pay-off at the end is fantastic. The acting and score is great as well– in fact, practically everything about this movie–is excellent.

Top Gun: Maverick also did the unthinkable in modern cinema. It never got political; something far too many films fall victim to now. But Top Gun: Maverick stayed true to its plot and never wasted run time on unnecessary preaching, and audiences liked it better because of that. Maverick gave us a well-written

before.

Top Gun: Maverick is a glowing example of what we need more of in modern cinema. It is wildly entertaining, using a fantastic combination of real stunts and minimal CGI (all of the actors flew in real fighter jets, accompanied by military pilots, in the film).

film, an exciting film, a feel good ending film and most importantly, a fun film. Many movies nowadays seem to be losing their sense of fun. Even Marvel is becoming cheap and boring, but Top Gun: Maverick reopened our eyes to the world of fun and entertaining films and, hopefully, more movies and shows will follow in the footsteps of this example.

SPORTS TRIVIA

by Benjamin Gong ’26 and Jaiden Lee ’26

Which non-quarterback NFL player has the most fantasy points this season (standard), as of week 10?

a. Austin Ekeler

b. Derrick Henry

c. Cooper Kupp

d. Justin Jefferson

e. Joe Mixon

Who holds the record for the most home runs hit in the MLB?

a. Babe Ruth

b. David Ortiz

c. Albert Pujols

d. Barry Bonds

e. Hank Aaron

How many new stadiums were built by Qatar for the 2022 World Cup?

How tall is Muggsy Bogues, the shortest NBA player ever?

The Hill

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jaiden Lee ’26

Benjamin Gong ’26

EDITORS

Which player has the most goals in NHL history?

a. Alexander Ovechkin

b. Gordie Howe

c. Brett Hull

d. Jaromir Jagr

e. Wayne Gretzky

Who won the 2020 Formula One World Championship?

a. Max Verstappen

b. Lewis Hamilton

c. Charles Leclerc

d. Sergio Pérez

e. George Russell

Brandon Li ’26, Ethan Xie ’26, Nathan Zhang ’26

STAFF WRITERS

Bradford Adams ’26, William Achtmeyer ’26, Declan Carroll ’27, Eita Fuse ’26

Faculty Advisor Mr. Conway

KEY (top to bottom, left to right):