Blue and Gold December 14, 2009 by Findlay High School

Five seniors tell their fascinating stories page 3

Teens need help to break addictions

Senior travels to New Zealand for international unicycling events

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blue & gold

Swimmers get ready for first invitationals

Volume 87, Issue 3 Friday, December 18, 2009 1200 Broad Ave., Findlay, Ohio, 45840

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Students come back to Smokers’ Corner Administrators plan more patrols of area n

By Emily Rivest

After moving down the street earlier this fall, student smokers are migrating back to the corner of Broad and Swing Avenues. After increased patrols by administrators and a new line-of-sight policy, students left Smokers’ Corner but they are now returning. The cold weather could be one possible reason for the increase at the corner, as students only began coming back as winter came and the temperatures dropped. “I do not know if the weather is having anything to do with it,” Assistant Principal Nate Sorg said. “Maybe the students just don’t want to walk as far down the street when it is so cold outside, so they stay closer to the school, on the corner.”

Fewer patrols However, Sorg thinks there may be a more likely reason for the return. He said administrators may have believed the problem was solved, so they stopped patrolling as much, just like how sometimes drivers speed when they haven’t seen a police car in a certain spot for a while because they get more comfortable. “With anything you kind of get comfortable,” he said. “We were going over there daily but maybe we need to go back now. “I believe we got a bit relaxed, thinking our efforts were successful but maybe we need to concentrate on there more. It is something we need to continue to be aware of.” Principal Victoria Swartz also agrees there is a problem. “I have noticed that the number of

students at Smoker’s Corner has increased and that we have not done enough to police that area as an administration,” Swartz said. “I do know that the assistant principals have a plan to increase their presence there to help deter students from standing on or near the corner. “I would be interested in seeing how the students feel about smoking on the corner. It might make for an interesting survey.”

Still successful Despite the recent increase, the new policy has been successful. “In some cases, students were smoking and when they’ve come back to school, we have searched them,” Sorg said. “If they were uncooperative with us at all or had anything with them we may have disciplined them by closing their lunch or even giving them an in school suspension.” Even though it seems there are more people on the corner, they may not actually all be students. “It is not just more students over there,” Sorg said. “It may be past graduates, older boyfriends or girlfriends, older friends, we’ve even seen parents over there. “It may be more people, but it may not be more students.”

Smokers agree No matter who is on the corner, students smoking there agree with Sorg that the decrease in administrator patrols and discipline led them back. “They don’t get us in trouble any more, (the) cops maybe, but the principals don’t,” senior Josh St. Louis said. “The whole thing is really stupid. “It’s not fair, people are going to smoke regardless so they should just let us smoke here (on the corner).”

Kiss Me, Kate auditions scheduled for Jan. 11-13 n

Musicians leave next week

Marching band prepares for upcoming Orlando trip

By Emily Rivest

Tryouts for the musical Kiss Me, Kate will be Jan. 11-13 after school in the auditorium. For anyone who missed yesterday’s meeting after school, informational packets can be picked up from co-producers Andy Cantrell, Craig VanRenterghem or producer Debbie Benson. The directing cast picked the show for many reasons. “We wanted a show that would have several great leads, both for guys and girls,” co-director Andy Cantrell said. “We were looking for a show with big production numbers, strong characters and would feature the chorus that was not only vocally demanding but a tough acting show.” In the musical an acting troupe puts on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and their lives have many similarities to the show. Cantrell thinks students will still enjoy the musical, even though it is an older show, first performed in 1948. “It’s a fun fast-paced show,” he said. “It really explores the dynamic between men and women and that’s fun stuff.” This fun aspect will make the show different from last year’s Les Misérables. “It’s a comedy with some really good music,” VanRenterghem said. “It will stand out a lot from last year’s musical because Les Mis was definitely not a comedy.” Even with the jokes, this will be a difficult show for the cast. “It’s a very vocally demanding show,” VanRenterghem said. “It s a different style of music. It’s a lot of jazzy music which some kids are not used to singing.” Kiss Me, Kate will be March 19-21 in the Central Middle School auditorium.

A senior girl smokes a cigarette on the corner of Swing and Broad avenues. Earlier in the year, a new line-of-sight policy drove students away from Smokers’ Corner but decreased patrols by the administration and security are bringing them back. photo by Katie Trinko

THEY’RE BACK

BAND

Senior Eric Smith plays his mellophone during one of the marching band’s halftime shows. The band heads to Orlando, Fla. Dec. 26 to play in three parades, including the Orlando Citrus Parade, which will be broadcast on WTVG channel 13 at 10 a.m. Jan. 1. photo by Katie Trinko

By Leah Cramer

Senior Stephen Krueger has been waiting for this ever since he was a freshman. Every four years the band furthers their musical experience by taking a trip and this year they will be participating in activities in Orlando, Fla. from Dec. 26- Jan. 2. “It’s the one thing I’ve been waiting for the whole time I’ve been in band,” Krueger said. “The anticipation has definitely been building and has reached it’s highest point now that it’s so close. “It (the trip) is the icing on the cake for us seniors.” One opportunity they will have is performing in three parades, Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios, Disney World’s SpectroMagic Parade and the Orlando Citrus Parade, which will be broadcast on WTVG channel 13 at 10 a.m. Jan.1. “Getting to march in a parade that will be on television is really exciting because our parents back home will be able to watch it,” Krueger said. “It’s a cool way to show our Trojan pride.” In order to prepare for marching in the parades, band members have been practicing on their own as well as during class. “We rehearse all together during ninth period, but the students understand the importance of individual practice outside of official rehearsal,” director of bands Tim Mattis said. “Every single person’s contributions are important.” The parades are not the only reason for the Florida trip. The band will also attend a Magic Music Days Performing Arts Workshop, Disney’s You’re Instrumental. With this program they will get to work with Disney technical producers to rehearse and record background music from a segment of a Disney movie, then watch it played back with their sound recording. “It’s a neat preview for what it’s like to be a professional musician,” Mattis said. “For many of our students who are considering careers in music, it gives them a glance into a real world experience.” However, the trip will not be all hard work, they will visit EPCOT Center and Animal Kingdom at Disney World, among other attractions on their trip. “We’re going to visit a lot of places that I otherwise never would have gotten the chance to go to,” sophomore Shelby Fletcher said. “Another thing that’s really great about the trip is that I get to experience everything with all my band friends.”

Top

news stories of the

decade in a random poll of 100 students

2009 A transgendered man gives birth to two children.

2009 Politicians work towards health care reform.

2009 Global economy collapses.

2005 Hurricane Katrina kills over 1,800.

2009 Michael Jackson dies.

2003 U.S. invades Iraq, removing Saddam Hussein from power and executes him.

2009 President Barack Obama first African American president. 2007 Shooting at Virginia Tech becomes deadliest in nation’s history.

in the know Want to know what the band will be doing in Orlando? Here’s their schedule. Dec. 27 Hollywood Studios Dec. 28 Attend Magic Music Days Performing Arts Workshop Dec. 29 Universal Studios March in “Macy’s Holiday Parade” Dec. 30 March in “Orlando Citrus Parade” televised on WTVG channel 13 at 10 a.m. Jan. 1 Dec. 31 Magic Kingdom and watch fireworks March in “SpectroMagic Parade” Jan. 1 Spend day at Cocoa Beach Jan. 2 Animal Kingdom

2001 Sept. 11 attacks kill 2,976

2003 Bird flu, swine flu, Mad Cow Disease and SARS infect the world.

“PDA (public display of affection) is gross and students need to go into the privacy of their own home. It’s just disgusting to watch in general.” junior Amber Samimi

page

opinion

second time limit on hugs at a Mesa, Ariz. high school as part of the district’s policy on PDA

Friday, December 18, 2009

Staff policy

OUR VIEW

Blue & Gold is a monthly student publication for the students of Findlay High School. Blue & Gold is a public forum which is funded by advertising.

District should invest in random drug testing Program must focus on helping athletes

Letters to the editor

As an open forum for students, letters to the editor are welcomed by the staff, but we request that they be 300 words or less due to lack of space. All letters must be signed. Blue & Gold staff reserves the right to edit letters without changing the meaning. Letters may be dropped off in room 286.

By implementing random drug testing for athletes, district administrators will be taking a major step in showing they care about students’ well being. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, around 50 percent of all high school seniors have used drugs at least once. These statistics suggest it is extremely likely some students at the high school are also abusing illegal substances and subject to the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol. Yet, under current high school rules, no student involved in extra-curricular activities is allowed to use alcohol or any illegal drug at any point throughout the year. An easy way to further enforce this policy would be to implement random drug testing in school activities. Testing all students in extra-curricular programs may not be a realistic option right away, but implementing it for athletes could be a good start. That being said, the purpose of drug testing should not be to “catch” and punish teens, but to help them. Principal Victoria Swartz makes a valid point in saying the testing should focus on helping troubled teens get into therapy rather than legal trouble. However, such a beneficial program comes at a price. For example, Sports Safe Testing Service, a company out of Powell, Ohio, charges around $27 per test. There is no doubt this is a costly program, but letting student athletes slip into drug abuse and possibly addiction seems a heftier price to pay. Though there are financial issues, the Department of Education offers federal grants to help fund drug testing programs across the country. There is no simple solution to the problem of student drug abuse, but implementing random drug testing will benefit high school athletes by finding and helping them before it is too late.

Staff editorials

All editorials without a byline reflect at least two/thirds opinion of the Blue & Gold staff but are not necessarily the opinion of the administration. Contact us

Blue & Gold 1200 Broad Avenue Findlay, OH 45840 (419) 427-5474 About us

Three easy tips to help you stick to your New Year’s resolution n By John Sisser

Like millions of others, I see ringing in the new year as a clean slate to set ambitious goals. That is why it comes as no surprise that I will be making a New Year’s resolution this January. Unfortunately, when it comes to resolutions, most seem to lack the will power or determination to follow through with

what’s the problem

their year’s goal. According to CNN, about 100 million Americans will make a New Year’s resolution. Among the most common are the typical losing weight, eating healthier, quitting smoking and saving money. While all of those goals are just fine and dandy, roughly 80 percent will fail at completing their resolutions. But maybe not all hope is lost. Here are a few tips I’ve come across to help me stick to my New Year’s resolution. Be specific. Though all resolutions are made with good intentions, you may find it difficult to follow through if you do not set a definitive goal.

Let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to get in better shape, or eat a little healthier? But a monthly trip to the gym isn’t exactly exercising more, and ordering that burger on a wholegrain bun doesn’t constitute “healthy eating.” Plan on making a clear resolution where you can measure your progress everyday. Instead of saying you will eat better, try to have three servings of vegetables each day. Rather than making a resolution to get in shape, try to exercise three times a week. Be realistic. Too many times, people make impossible resolutions that set themselves up for failure. If you don’t need to lose weight, don’t make that your resolution, and trying to abol-

ish all junk food at once is probably not very realistic. Aim high, but just don’t go overboard. Develop a schedule. According to a study by Franklin Covey consulting firm, 40 percent of people who break resolutions say they are too busy to follow through. Before making your resolution, create a plan of how you will achieve your goal. Make sure you understand just how much time you will need to devote. This will lessen your chances of breaking your resolution due to other commitments. Keep these tips in mind, and maybe we all stand a chance at sticking to our resolutions through the year (or at least we can make it through January).

letters

to the

editor

Golfer will make comeback Dear editor, I play golf for Findlay High School. It is my passion and my first love in life. Much of my desire to succeed in golf I owe to Tiger Woods. He is without question the most recognized athlete of my generation. He has achieved this level of recognition through his grueling practice on the golf course and in the gym. His miraculous skills are testament to his work ethic, imagination and refusal to lose. This mindset inspires me to work hard and achieve my golf goals. The recent allegations against him are disappointing to say the least. However, we are all human and make mistakes. I hope and believe that he will own up to his behavior. This,

YOUR VIEW

in time, can only make him a stronger father, husband and golfer. Right now, the media must give him the privacy he needs to mend this ordeal with his family, friends and fans. We have not seen the last of Tiger’s brilliance. This was a huge double bogey in his life, but there are many more birdies in store for Tiger’s legacy junior Lauren Mains

Displays of affection go too far Dear editor, Do you think the Public Display of Affection at our high school is just straight up disgusting? Well I do! Why is it that couples cannot go 40 minutes without each other? It is

ridiculous! You do not need to be making out every moment you are together. If you do this because you want everyone to know you are together, you can save yourself the effort because I guarantee word will get out that you are dating. Secondly, who wants to see this? The answer is no one. You are just clogging up the hallways anyway, so maybe you should just give it a rest and save students the feeling of nausea. Sure, hugs are fine, but anything past that is a bit risky. So in the future, it would be very nice of you to take into consideration the people around you. For their sake, it would be nice to not want to throw up every time they walk down the hall. junior Rosalee Wohl

Landfills are harmful to society Dear editor, A problem that has come to my attention is the growing number of landfills. What started as a good idea to just bury all of our trash in the ground to let it decompose is now a fullblown calamity! With so many landfills, the surrounding countryside has started to smell bad. The main problem that has to be addressed is that we live in a throw-away society where people don’t think twice before tossing something in the trash. We need to have everything recyclable and have nothing disposable. This would obliterate the need to have landfills and would create a better world to live in. junior Derek Blubaugh

Should athletes have to undergo random drug testing? “If it were drug testing on everyone then it would be fair, but if it was just on athletes it wouldn’t be. Athletes aren’t the only students in the school doing drugs." junior Layne Martin

“They shouldn’t have to because it is really expensive and costs a lot for just one test.” junior Tres Waldman

“No, because drug testing is too expensive and the district needs money for other things.” junior Jordan Casati

“Yes, because why should we give kids the opportunity to play if they are going to abuse the rules.” junior Levi Bruce

“The school should do drug testing to keep drugs out of the building.” freshman Carlie Bodart

“They probably should have to, not because it’s a problem but all of the athletes signed a contract saying they wouldn’t do drugs.” senior Paige Madden

Blue & Gold is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, Quill & Scroll and the Ohio Scholastic Media Association. The staff John Sisser Editor in chief Kim Maples Feature editor Emily Rivest News editor Lexi Perrault Sports editor Katie Trinko Taylor McGonnell Co-photo editors Sam Malloy Advertising editor Hannah Gray Katie Logsdon Brady Miller Morgan Grilliot Abby Kehres Kieley Ray Photographers Maggie Malaney Leah Cramer Michaela Marincic Reporters Emily Lentz Autumn Simmermeyer Artists Jim McGonnell Adviser

“Tiger Woods was the most fascinating person this year because he was an under-the-radar celebrity until the car crash brought the skeletons out of his closet.” junior Sam Misamore

entertainment

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or more women claimed to have had an affair with golfer Tiger Woods

fascinating

Friday, December 18, 2009

five

seniors

Five upperclassmen stand out in the crowd n By John Sisser

It’s hard to determine what exactly it is about someone that makes them “fascinating”. It could be someone’s fame and money. Or maybe it’s their talents. Or for some, it’s just strange things that have happened to them.

Each year, talk show host Barbara Walters compiles a list of 10 fascinating people to interview. Though we may not have some of the big names that cracked Walters’ list, here are five fascinating seniors that made ours.

Lautermilch more than typical high school overachiever Cole Lautermilch is currently ranked first in the senior class. He is also the president of National Honor Society. And the secretary of the St. Michael’s Youth Board. And an Eagle Scout. Get the picture? Simply put, Lautermilch does it all. Whether it’s planning a Junior Statesmen

of America event or heading to Quiz Bowl practice, Lautermilch is busy to say the least. Somewhere between balancing schoolwork, 10 extra-curricular and community activities and applying to colleges like Harvard and Yale, Lautermilch finds time to sleep. It may not be Lautermilch’s involvement in these clubs but the leadership positions he holds that make him fascinating.

The senior is president, co-chair or secretary in many of the organizations he’s in. However, when he isn’t racing to the next meeting or up late doing homework, Lautermilch enjoys playing guitar. “Music has always been something I enjoyed,” he said. “I always listened to a lot of music. I’ve played guitar for a couple years and recently I started playing bass. I took les-

sons for awhile but then I stopped and just played on my own.” While he does have free time to relax, taking on so much can be stressful. But Lautermilch thinks what he gains is worth the effort. “I enjoy all of it,” he said. “I wouldn’t do all these things if I didn’t. Sometimes it’s tough to balance, but that’s just a trade-off.”

Senior to pursue cooking passion in college Melissa Eier is not your everyday high school band geek. Eier has another, more unique passion: cooking. “I was inspired by my dad,” she said. “Growing up, he always cooked and I tried to help, so I always had a passion for it. “I cook for everyone; fam-

Melissa Eier

“I really want to go to culinary school,” Eier said. “I’ve applied to the Culinary Institute of America in New York City. If I get accepted I would go into their Baking and Pastry Arts program. “In 10 years, I see myself probably in a big city with lots of restaurants, or ‘job opportunities’. Ultimately I would like to own my own bakery.”

ily, friends, the swim team.” For Eier, cooking relieves the stresses of her busy life. “It provides a release for me,” she said. “When I cook, I don’t have any stresses. I’m always in a good mood when I cook.” While most seniors apply to state colleges and universities, Eier plans to follow her passion.

“

Cole Lautermilch

It provides

a release for

me. When I cook I don’t in a good mood when I cook. senior Melissa Eier

Time management skills help Alexander balance athletics, academics Michael Alexander was seven-years-old when he started wrestling. He may not have known then he would ultimately be one of the best high school wrestlers in Ohio. This year, Alexander is on target to possibly break every wrestling record at the high school and win a state championship. “When I was younger I did wrestling in the winter and then I did baseball, soccer

and even some basketball,” he said. “As I’ve gotten older, wrestling has sort of grown to where I wrestle all year now. “My dad wrestled through high school and college and I started in a youth program. I would watch my brother wrestling with all of the older kids and then I would wrestle with them.” Alexander was raised in a wrestlingoriented family. Along with his father’s high

school and college wrestling career, Alexander’s brother, Matt, won the state championship in 2008. While the senior is an exceptional wrestler, he also has a passion for his schoolwork and plans to major in chemical engineering in college. As a member of the wrestling team, the football team, National Honor Society and other clubs, finding a balance between ath-

letics, academics and extra-curriculars can be difficult, but this senior finds a system that works for him. “I’m big on time management,” he said. “I want to be able to do everything, that’s what drives me. I’m kind of a perfectionist with schoolwork, and I always want to succeed in athletics. I just work hard at it, Michael Alexander there is no magic trick.”

Opperman aspires for role in national government between the parties. That would definitely be one of my bigger goals. “There is so much partisanship in government. They should be united under one country instead of under one party.” Over the summer, Opperman participated in an internship in Washington, D.C. at Georgetown University. While in the capital, he stayed on campus and met with various representatives,

Whether it’s working with the Army Corps of Engineers to solve the city’s flooding problem or debating hot topics at a Junior Statesmen of America meeting, Luke Opperman is surrounded by government and politics. “I really just like the nuts and bolts of government and all the processes within it,” he said. “I want to bring stability because there’s a huge gap

Luke Opperman

including Ohio congressman Jim Jordan. But the train doesn’t stop there. Opperman plans to pursue a career in government with a run for mayor in the next 10 years. “I want to go to the University of Findlay and major in political science or liberal arts,” he said. “Then, I’m looking at law school or graduate school or jumping right into local government. I want to get to the national level eventually.”

“

There is so much partisanship

in government. They should be united under one country instead of under one party.

TOP

turn out and then seeing a finished product. I really love being able to inform and entertain people at the same time.” While most stories require planning and editing, some are more important to Lammers than others. “A huge story for me was my story on Smokers’ Corner,” she said, “because with that story I felt like more than a high school

journalist. That story wasn’t like covering the captain of the soccer team, it felt like a real broadcast segment.” Video courses have paid off for Lammers. The senior, along with the 2aToday staff, has racked up several national awards, including a Pacemaker award in November. For college, Lammers plans to attend either the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music

Christmas Cheers relaxing, perfect for holiday season

Invictus slow, but inspiring

a decade in review

• Apple releases iPod • Facebook connects people across globe • YouTube creates instant celebrities • Harry Potter movies entertain millions • Rockband, Guitar Hero make gaming debut • American Idol airs eight seasons • Pixar movies fascinate kids and adults alike • Survivor revolutionizes reality television • Apple manufactures the iPhone for AT&T • The Dark Knight earns over $1 billion worldwide

n By Maggie Malaney

Title: Invictus Starring: Morgan Freeman (The Dark Knight) and Matt Damon (The Bourne trilogy) Plot: South African president Nelson Mandela (Freeman) asks head captain of the rugby team (Damon) to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup and bring the country, separated by the apartheid together. Why see it: Invictus, gives an inspiring view on how a sports team brings a nation together. Though it’s slow in parts and lacks suspense, director Clint Eastwood does a great job capturing the leadership Mandela possessed as president. Viewers may want to brush-up on the rugby rules though, to get the full effect. Grade: A-

Holiday Classics Marathon: Catch

to check out

or the University of Toledo to further her film education and ultimately pursue a career in video productions. “I would love to have an occupation fully committed to video,” Lammers said. “I don’t know if I’ll go the Hollywood route or go into broadcasting. Either way, I’ll be doing something I love.”

n By John Sisser

Title: Christmas Cheers Artist: Straight No Chaser Last release: Holiday Spirits Why buy it: Like most a capella groups, Straight No Chaser offers perfect harmonies to catchy tunes. This band goes further by adding their own, comedic, renditions of Christmas classics. The absence of instruments doesn’t make this album boring, but is relaxing. Though some of the tunes blend together after awhile, Straight No Chaser is good at including a variety of Christmas songs to keep things exciting and fresh. Download this: Christmas Can-Can Grade: A

Freeman

A Christmas Story Marathon: Watch

24 hours of your nonstop Christmas favorite holiday favorites on ABC Family on Christmas Eve movie on TBS. The starting at 7 a.m. and tradition starts Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. running until 10 p.m.

”

senior Luke Opperman

2aToday/The Vid producer racks up national awards for broadcasting When most people think of cheerleaders, they think of the preppy and popular girls. But Carrie Lammers hates stereotypes. Lammers, a self-described “video geek” and a varsity cheerleading captain, is the producer for the high school’s video yearbook, The Vid and broadcast, 2aToday. “I love video so much,” she said. “I like starting a story, having no idea how it will

”

have any stresses. I’m always

Carrie Lammers

Hits and Misses There are over 140 million videos estimated to be on YouTube. Lucky for you, we’ve sorted through some to find which videos are worth a watch and which ones fail miserably. Read on:

Check it out Title: Guerrilla Handbell Strikeforce How was it: It wasn’t necessarily funny, but this short video takes the typical job of the Salvation Army bell ringer one step further.

Could have been better Title: 12 Days of Christmas (Indian style) How was it: It’s kind of long and sort of derogatory, but this song has its moments. Try to check it out.

Sherlock Holmes movie: Check out this remake of a detective classic starring Robert Downy Jr. on Christmas Day.

Avatar movie: The director of Titanic returns with this highly anticipated sci-fi film in theaters tonight, Dec. 18.

Guitar Hero Van Halen: Want to rock out with your favorite 1980s band? Pick up Guitar Hero: Van Halen Dec. 22.

What a waste of time Title: The Gloomers Holiday Extravaganza How was it: An animated take on A Christmas Carol, this long video is boring and lame. Skip it.

“Coats for Christmas was an eye-opening experience because it made me realize how silly and picky I am when I shop. They were just happy to have a new coat.” junior Eliza Bauler

1,000

page

extra coats from Coats for Christmas will be donated to the Cherry Street Mission in Toledo

newsfeature

Friday, December 18, 2009

Students find Charity gives coats to less fortunate career help with program

KEEPITBRIEF

SEASON OF GIVING

Benefit concert raises funds n By Michaela Marincic

Not for Sale club members will host a benefit concert January 8 at 7 p.m. at New Life Assembly of God to raise funds for organizations such as Gracehaven and Second Chance, which increase awareness of human trafficking and help those involved in it. “It is not just in Cambodia, Thailand and Europe, but it is in America,” President Hannah Gray said. “If you read the Toledo Blade, there have been articles about girls being sold by their parents to do sexual acts, and that is a form of modern-day slavery.” Students will perform songs and poems. “The theme is freedom,” Vice President Tee Redd said. “All of the performances will be about freedom and changing the world.” Tickets for the concert can be purchased for $2 in the SAC office, at Coffee Amici, from any Not for Sale member or at the door for $4.

n By Emily Rivest

Paper, 2aToday go online n By Emily Rivest

Blue & Gold and 2aToday’s new website www.blueandgoldtoday.org is up and running and will provide students with a source of updated school and sports news. The site features polls, updated sports scores, blogs and multimedia, such as video segments, slide shows and photo galleries, which offer pictures for sale. “Students will be able to give their input on everything,” editor in chief John Sisser said. “We have comments for all stories and videos, blogs and just a bunch of different ways for people to voice their opinions.” The site will supplement stories already covered by the paper and video yearbook. “We are trying to produce similar stories to what goes in the paper or in The Vid (video yearbook) for the website,” producer Carrie Lammers said. “We’re also doing fun ‘how-to’ videos to show seasonal activities students can do and we’re going to have teases for stories in The Vid.” The staff welcomes feedback on the site. “The site has a box where you can send in ideas for things for us to cover in both the paper and/or the website so that will give us new topics to look at,” Sisser said. Stop by room 286 and talk to teacher Jim McGonnell if you want to help.

Student Council helps kids n By Michaela Marincic

Student Council donated $1,200 to Clothe-A-Child, which bought winter clothing for six Findlay City Schools students in tight financial situations. Overall, Clothe-A-Child provided 89 primary and elementary school students with $200 each this holiday season. Each child spent their money at Kohl’s with the assistance of one Student Council member and one adult volunteer. Student Council member Kristin Schmidt contributed further by giving each student a bag with items such as personal hygiene products, a free kid’s meal from Applebee’s, a coupon for a free Frosty from Wendy’s, granola bars and chocolates. “I left knowing that I had just made his (her student shopper’s) night better,” Schmidt said. “The stress of putting together the goodie bags was worth it.”

GIVING

Juniors Jerry Kindig and Michael Popovec help a little boy find a new coat at the 21st annual Coats For Christmas event at Glenwood Middle School. Coats For Christmas distributes donated coats to those in need without financial requirements. Launched in 1987 by Paul Kramer, owner of City Laundry and Dry Cleaning, the project is now supported by Hancock Leadership Alumni Association and Emerging Community Leaders Investing in Philanthropic Service (ECLIPSe). This year they collected 3,500 coats and distributed 2,300 of them.

photo by Katie Trinko

Broadcast wins award

Blue & Gold staffers place nationally

n By Maggie Malaney

2aToday staff members won their second Pacemaker, the top award in scholastic broadcasting, from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Newspaper Association of America Foundation at the Journalism Education Association/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. Producer Carrie Lammers was surprised when their show won. “It was a one-of-a-kind experience,” Lammers said. “Normally, you get that nervous feeling before an awards ceremony, but I didn’t get that this time. I really didn’t expect it. It was amazing and beyond words.” Assistant producer Jimmy Eckhardt is working towards future competitions. “We’re going to use this award to push us to keep working hard and make segments that our viewers, as well as judges, will like,” Eckhardt said. “I plan on staying more focused, contributing more, working harder, getting better stories and more information on the stories to benefit the viewers.”

FINDLAY / FOSTORIA

CRUISIN’ 2

Through the Honors Career Mentorship Program, students can learn if they have what it takes to succeed in a possible career field. Eligible juniors and seniors who go through an application process can spend 18 hours over two months with a professional in their field of interest. “It helps students by giving them a ‘realworld’ experience in the career they think they want to pursue,” Judy Withrow, Coordinator of Gifted Services, said. “The mentorship is successful if a student discovers that it is the field of their ‘dreams’ but also if they discover it is not a career they would be happy in for their working years.” The program also helps students begin networking and learning about the less obvious aspects of the career. “Students find out about the best colleges for their career,” Withrow said, “begin to network with people in the field, work with many people who share their expertise in their specific job as part of a team, learn the expectations of that particular profession, etc.” Junior Maddy Herron is finishing her mentorship with environmental lawyer Ginny King from Marathon. Herron’s session, which ends Jan. 12, is the first of three. “It has exposed me to the field,” Herron said. “I’ve got more in depth experience and understanding of what the job would require. I’m not saying this is definitely what I’m going to do, but it is a possibility now.” Not all students discover they want to pursue their field of interest, however, the mentorship can still be a positive experience. For example, last year, senior Krystan Krucki discovered that teaching wasn’t for her. “I realized I didn’t like children very much and I didn’t want to give that amount of time to grading papers,” she said. “It was definitely a good experience though. “If I hadn’t done it, I would have gone to school to become a teacher and would have discovered I hated it after I got a job. Now I know it’s not for me.”

HONOR

Producer Carrie Lammers is awarded a national Pacemaker. 2aToday won the highest award in scholsatic journalism. photo courtesy of Carrie Lammers

Two Blue & Gold staff members won superior awards in the National Write-off Contest from the Journalism Education Association (JEA) last month. Editor in chief John Sisser and feature editor Kim Maples ranked superior in the newswriting and newspaper layout categories, respectively. The two were honored at the JEA/National Scholastic Press Association Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. “I went to a competition last spring and didn’t get anything; so to get a superior at the largest convention ever is really a confidence boost for me,” Maples said. “I’m really glad to know out of a room full of other (student) journalists, I was one of the two best in the country at newspaper design.” Four other staff members also won national awards. Photographer Katie Logsdon received an excellent for her entry in the sports photography category, while honorable mentions went to co-photo editor Katie Trinko for photo portfolio and sports editor Lexi Perrault in sports writing. “They (the awards) are a good gauge that we are doing the right things and our program continues to be competitive with the best journalism programs in the country,” adviser Jim McGonnell said. Blue & Gold also took 10th place in the 9-12 page Best of Show newspaper category.

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“Kids drink on New Year’s because Findlay doesn’t have anything for teens to do. I know people that drink on New Year’s because it’s just another excuse to have fun and get drunk.” junior Kyle Hamilton

feature

Friday, December 18, 2009

percent of people who began drinking at 13 or younger became alcohol dependent later in life

5 page

Teenagers find alcohol addiction hard to break Professional help available to quit by the

By Kim Maples

Far-reaching disease

N numbers

5,000 4 16.6

people under 21 die each year due to alcohol-related causes

times more likely to develop dependence on alcohol if you begin drnking before 15

1.5

percent of adolescents who received help for drinking problems sought it themselves

million adolescents were dependent on or abused alcohol in the past year

12,517

Ohio adolescents admitted to substance abuse treatment reported alcohol use source: 2003-2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

ew Year’s Eve usually means excessive drinking for senior Ted (name changed to protect identity). Even though he is trying to cut back on alcohol, this New Year’s Eve will most likely break his resolve. “I know a couple buddies already are going to drink,” he said. “I won’t do well because it’s New Year’s and my senior year. I’ll probably end up drinking anyway.” His long-time habit is hard to kick. When he was only 14 years old, Ted began to drink while at a party. “I saw some of my older friends drinking and I thought, ‘Oh that’s cool. They’re doing it, so it must be fun,’” he said. “I don’t feel like I was pressured. I just did it (drank) because it was kind of something I wanted to do.” Now, Ted drinks with his friends, a couple of whom are old enough to buy alcohol legally. “It’s fun and something to do,” he said. “Whenever I drink, I have a lot of fun because I’m more wild and crazy.”

Feeling the pressure Ted’s reasons for drinking are common according to Monica Clark, a Drug and Alcohol Counselor at the Family Resource Center. “Friends are a large influence,” she said. “It’s something fun to do and makes them feel grown up. A lot of times they grow up in a home where they learn problem drinking, or excessive drinking, is acceptable. “It doesn’t mean that they (family member) are an alcoholic, but their behavior causes problems, like if they couldn’t pay the bills.” Even the “crazy” feeling Ted enjoys is due to physical effects of alcohol on the brain. “The inhibitions aren’t there. Anything goes,” Clark said. “When you’re under 18, the part of the brain that controls decision-making isn’t developed, so we see less responsible behavior and poor choices. “That ultimately leads to negative consequences like promiscuity, deciding to drive and using drugs.” Though Ted said he’s never done anything like this, he’s witnessed the effects of alcohol

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on others. “They sometimes hook up with a person of the opposite gender and they do something they both regret,” he said.

With 75 percent of high school students having at least one drink in their life, according to the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior survey, there are a lot of poor choices being made every day by teen alcohol drinkers. “Alcoholism is a disease, like cancer,” Clark said. “The longer it goes untreated, the worse it gets. The earlier a person abuses alcohol, their risk for developing alcoholism skyrockets. “It affects every domain of the person’s life: grades, relationships, self-esteem and more.”

Catch it early The best way to prevent future alcohol abuse is if it is caught early and disciplined. “If the consequences aren’t severe enough, they (teens) don’t feel they’re doing something wrong,” Clark said. “If the parent is not willing to discipline their child, they can expect to see more of that same type of behavior, and it will only escalate.” This may be true for Ted, who says his parents caught him drinking when he was 16, but never punished him. “They were pretty cool with it,” he said. “It was surprising to me, because I thought they would be mad. “If they had punished me, it definitely would have made me stop.”

Quit it Instead, Ted continued to drink, though he doesn’t believe he is addicted. Recently, he decided to cut his consumption to “every weekend or so” because of the physical toll. “It’s not as easy as I thought it was going to be, but I’m still working on it,” he said. “Every time I’ve gotten drunk, I haven’t felt very good, and it made me not want to drink.” According to Clark, Ted has already reached the first step of recovery: admitting there is a problem. “Seek out help or reveal it to someone you trust, like a friend, parent, doctor or coach,” Clark said. “You need to get in touch with a professional in order to get the help you need. “Alcohol is a drug, and drug addiction is not something that goes away on its own.”

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6 page

“My favorite app is Tap Tap Revenge. It has all the new hit music and it’s just like Guitar Hero on your iPod.” sophomore Karlie Chamberlin

100,000

or more apps are available in Apple’s iTunes store for the iPod touch and iPhone

feature

Friday, December 18, 2009

Apple offers iPod apps for all stereotypes

Geek The

The

Music Junkie

Social Butterfly

junior Sarah Black

senior Morgan Hamm

The

senior Sam Strzempka

The

Bookworm

Jock

senior Jonathan Shaffer

junior Tressa Hutton

By Kim Maples

Lightsaber Unleashed

PocketGuitar

eBuddy

Kindle for iPhone

UFC

Unleash your inner Jedi with this app, designed to allow you to swing your Apple device like a Lightsaber, complete with sound effects. Choose a character and play battle background music. Free

Replace your air guitar with your Apple device. Choose from six different types of guitars and strum the strings just like normal. Add distortion, chorus and delay to create your own rock songs. $0.99

This instant messaging app gives you one buddy list for MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Gtalk and Facebook and allows you to chat with friends. When you aren’t in the app, it alerts you to new messages. Free

The breakthrough reading device is now available on the iPhone. Through this app, you can buy books on Amazon and read them on your device. Adjust text size and add bookmarks and notes. Free

The action of Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts is a touch away, with highlights, videos and photos. For a charge, you can watch live coverage of each UFC event. $0.99

Graphing Calculator

I Am T-Pain

Bump

Reading Light

Paper Toss

Plot multiple equations on an easy-to-read graph and calculate equations on the included scientific calculator. You can even take screenshots of your graphs and email them to yourself. $0.99

The technology formerly kept in sound studios has emerged in this new app that allows you to auto-tune anything. It comes with six T-Pain original beats. Record songs, messages and more. $2.99

Swap contact information and photos just by bumping your phones together. Discover mutual friends and post directly to Facebook about who you exchange with. Free

If paper books are more your style, check out this app that simply illuminates bright enough to light up your pages in the dark. Adjust the brightness and color tone to your liking. $0.99

Relieve your boredom with this classic classroom game: tossing a wad of paper into a trashcan. Choose your difficulty, wind speed and compare high scores with your friends. Free

Flashcards Deluxe

Shazam

Clothing Organizer

Scrabble

ESPN ScoreCenter

Make studying easy with virtual flashcards. The program holds up to 5,000 flashcards and sorts in categories like, “I kind of know” and “I know really well” versus the standard right/wrong. $3.99

Ever heard a song you like and wonder what it’s called? Shazam makes it easy: just hold up your device to the music and it tells you the artist, song, and even lets you find it on YouTube or iTunes. Free

Keep track of all your clothes, even while you shop for new ones. You can create and plan outfits for certain days and it use it when trying to match items in the store with ones you own. $2.99

Use your vocabulary to win big on this virtual game of Scrabble. Play by yourself, with a friend and even through Facebook. If you get stuck, you can sneak a peek at the in-game word list. $4.99

A must-have for sports junkies, ESPN ScoreCenter tells you scores from sports leagues around the world. Tag your favorite team and see their plays, stats, leaderboards and more. Free

LCube

FingerPiano

Type n Walk

Panelfly Comics

iFitness

The classic ‘80s Rubik’s Cube goes digital, so test your skill whenever you like. With difficulties ranging from 2x2 to 6x6, this puzzle will entertain. Choose colors and undo your moves as many times as you want. $0.99

Play classical music pieces on the piano, no experience required. Play with 88 pieces of famous music or create your own tunes in Free play mode. FingerPiano makes piano easy for anyone, and is tinier than a grand piano. $1.99

Tired of running into things while you text? Type n Walk shows you a screen of where you are going while you type overtop it, so you don’t have to worry about hitting things. Just copy the message and paste it where you want. $0.99

Read your favorite comics and graphic novels on the go with this app, which has everything from Marvel to manga. Browse through cover art and flip through pages by simply touching the screen. Free

Get your own personal trainer with this handy app that has pictures, videos and instructions of over 230 exercises. Keep track of your progress, workouts, choose a unique program or add your own custom fitness plan. $1.99

360Live

FreeStyle

Loopt

WordBook Dictionary

Madden NFL 10

Keep an eye on your gamer friends with this app. You can look up your friends’ Xbox Live gamerscore, online status, pictures, avatars, achievements, etc. Never feel out of the loop when you’re away from your console. $1.99

Write lyrics, raps, record tracks and compose songs on the go. If you get stuck, it has 90,000 rhymes available to give you ideas. Choose a background beat and record demos whenever you think of a new track. $0.99

Find out where your friends are, which places they like the most and their recent Facebook or Twitter updates all from your Apple device. Find local events on a map and get special exclusive coupons though the program. Free

If you get stuck on a word, this app is there to help. With 150,000 words, you’re bound to find the one you need, and it will pronounce it for you. A thesaurus is also included, as well as a synonym and antonym finder. $1.99

The popular football videogame is now available as an app, with 2,000 players and 32 teams to choose from. Use the touchscreen to draw your passing route, executing nearly 300 plays to try to make it to the Super Bowl. $6.99

Senior takes unicycling show on international road to New Zealand n

By Michaela Marincic

From the school gymnasium to the international stage, senior Mark Janowiecki takes his unicycling to the ultimate level. For the first time, Janowiecki will compete in the International Unicycling Competition and Convention (UNICON) in Wellington, New Zealand, where he looks forward to seeing a broader range of unicycling styles. “If you go to the U.S. competition, you only see U.S. riders,” the unicyclist said, “but if you go to the international competition, you get to see other countries. Different countries have slightly different styles, like Japan does a lot of spinning and pirouettes.” Janoweicki will compete in freestyle and standard skill, two styles his local

club focuses on. Freestyle focuses more on entertainment than standard skills, in which competitors are scored on skill and mastery, according to Janoweicki. His Beatles-inspired freestyle routine is set to a mix of Paul McCartney songs, complete with costuming fashioned after the iconic ‘60s rock band. “There are a lot of tricks (in his freestyle),” Janowiecki said. “There are wheel walks where you push the wheel with your foot; you can do it with one foot, backwards or standing up on the frame.” For standard skill he will have to do 18 tricks in three minutes while keeping his arms parallel to the floor without quivering the entire time. “It (unicycling) is a challenge,” Janowiecki’s mother, Barb Janowiecki said. “We

see it not as a clown thing, but more like a sport that takes hard work and practice.” For Mark Janowiecki, practice means four to five hours of training every day during Christmas break in preparation for the competition. However, he hopes to not get caught up in the competitiveness of the event, but take time to relax and enjoy the trip. “Competing won’t be the main focus; if I do badly it will not be a pointless trip,” the senior said. “It is still going to be a great experience and a fun time.” On his itinerary are a ferry trip to New Zealand’s southern island, sight-seeing in Wellington, white-water rafting through a cave and a New Year’s celebration, all in the time span of Dec. 28 through Jan. 7. He also hopes to watch other unicy-

cling events at UNICON, especially the trial races. “I want to see the trials because at the world meet a few summers ago, a guy did a back flip on a unicycle for the first time,” Mark Janowiecki said. “(During a trial) he jumped on a stack of palates, jumped off, did a back flip, landed on his unicycle and rode away.” Mark Janowiecki will have many opportunities both to compete with other skilled unicyclists and get a taste of a different culture. “I’m excited for him; he can handle it (UNICON),” his sister Emily Janowiecki said. “This is a great opportunity to experience new places and go to new levels of unicycling. He’s going to have a blast.”

senior Mark Janowiecki

ONE-MAN SHOW

Senior Mark Janowiecki performs his unicycling act at the Homecoming pep rally. Over Christmas break, the senior will compete in an International unicycling competition in New Zealand. photos by Katie Trinko and Taylor McGonnell

“Athletes on drugs or alcohol are bad influences because when you’re on a team you don’t only represent yourself, but also your team.” senior Molly Parsons

sports

Friday, December 18, 2009

percent said they support random drug testing of athletes in a survey of 100 students.

Random testing could eliminate substance abuse

page

Drug policy for sports, clubs

n By Lexi Perrault

When a captain prepares for a big First game, they hope their in a series teammates are as mentally prepared as they are, but with a high percentage of teen substance abuse, this may be too much to hope for. In 2008, 65.5 percent of high school seniors drank alcohol and 32.4 percent admitted using marijuana, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. With these statistics, a captain should be worried about his teammates, but a possible solution could be weekly random drug testing. “I support drug testing because when I am out on the field I want a player beside me that is mentally and physically ready to play, not one taken over by drugs,” football captain Austin Miller said. Principal Victoria Swartz is also in favor of random drug testing but doesn’t want a student to suffer legal consequences if they test positive. “I do support random drug testing of athletes if it is not used to hold students accountable for legal consequences but to help students,” Swartz said. “They should be disciplined at school but there would also have to be a therapy the child could go through to minimize punishment.” Chris Franz of Sports Safe Drug Testing believes testing is important in athletics. “We corporate over 100 schools in Ohio and we make sure kids know that what they are doing is illegal and harmful,” Franz said. “Every kid doesn’t use drugs or alcohol, but we give them a reason to say no and make the right decision.” Sports Safe Drug Testing charges $27 per test. It tests for marijuana, prescription drugs, like valium, cocaine and alcohol. Van Wert’s athletic director Kent Smelzer

• The possession or use of drugs, tobacco, drug paraphernalia and alcohol is prohibited. • First offense: Participant is denied participation for one calendar year from date of infraction. • Denial of participation may be reduced to 50 percent of scheduled games upon meeting these requirements: • The participant must complete a drug education program.

implemented drug testing at their high school for three years with Sports Safe Drug Testing, but ended the program due to funding issues. “We tested 20-25 students once a week all school year,” Smelzer said. “During that time we had maybe 25 total positive tests. A positive test was not publicized, but I notified the coach and the student had to sit out 20 percent of their season.” Swim team captain Anna Miller believes random testing of athletes would be a positive thing at the high school. “I do support it because people look up to athletes,” Anna Miller said. “Abusing drugs does not show very good morals and that is not the kind of impression that should be given to the younger athletes in our school.” Other students oppose drug testing, such as soccer player Chaze Copeland. “Personally I don’t support it,” Copeland said. “In all honesty, if we randomly tested

Findlay’s athletes, our athletics would probably be destroyed because so many of our athletes have done illegal substances and it would keep a lot of kids from playing.” Anna Miller agrees with Copeland about the amount of positive tests. “I don’t think there will be a lot of positive tests during certain seasons if you test those athletes because they’re smart enough not to do it during their season,” she said. “If we tested athletes who are not in season, we would have many positive tests.” Wrestling coach Ben Kirian also supports random drug testing of athletes but thinks there are underlying reasons why we have not implemented it. “I completely support drug testing of athletes because it would allow you to know for sure if a kid is using and to not have to trust their word,” Kirian said. “The issue is much bigger than everyone wants to believe and this

may be one reason that we don’t test kids. “We do not want proof of a problem and I am not talking about school administration, I am talking about parents.” Even if some parents disagree, Lori Niswander, mother of freshman Austin Niswander, supports drug testing. “I would question why a parent would not want their child to be tested,” Niswander said. “Why wouldn’t you want to help your child? “All schools should test athletes regardless of cost because it would force athletes to make a choice of playing or doing illegal substances.” Board of Education member Jeff Shrader hopes to fix the problem of drug use. “The board would be in favor of finding a solution,” Shrader said. “But personally I would support drug testing in all extracurricular activities because all students in those activities should adhere to the pledge they signed.”

•The participant must serve 20 hours of community service. • Second offense: Participant is denied participation for one calendar year from the date of infraction and must complete the above requirements. • Third offense: Participant is denied participation in all extracurricular activities. For more info, see page 37 in the student handbook .

Wrestlers will face 38 teams at Medina

Small gymnastics team struggles with injuries

n By Michaela Marincic

For the first time, the varsity wrestling team will compete in the Medina Invitational, Dec. 28 and 29. At Medina the wrestlers will face some of their highest-caliber opponents of the season. “This year’s tournament will have 39 teams, of which many are the top Ohio wrestling schools,” coach Ben Kirian said. “The level of competition will be very high, and for the majority of our wrestlers, the best that they have seen all year.” The team will have the experience of the Trojan Duals and Bowling Green Duals going into Medina, as well as the Ironman Tournament for seniors Michael Alexander and Max Gladstone. “It will be pretty tough going from our tournament to Ironman to the BG (Bowling Green) duals then to Medina,” Alexander said, “but at the same time we get a lot of good competition in…We’ll have a lot of experience going in, so we’ll be ready.” However, because of the tough competition at the Medina Invitational, Kirian plans to take only his experienced wrestlers. “It would be self-defeating,” Kirian said. “If they go in and lose two matches, they’re done for the whole weekend. “Or I could hold out and wrestle them in another tournament later to get them in more matches.” But according to Gladstone, Medina should be easy compared to the Walsh Ironman tournament. Only Ohio wrestlers compete at Medina tournament; wrestlers nationwide competed in the Ironman. At Ironman, Alexander finished second in his weight class, while Gladstone defaulted to sixth place due to an injured back. “I feel like I let my coach and parents down,” Gladstone said. “I didn’t show my best to the world, and it’s my senior year, so I don’t get to redeem myself.”

Three things currently hinder the varsity gymnastics team: one knee, one ankle and one foot injury. While coach Joe Dunn expects the injuries to heal by January, the gymnasts already lost hours of practice while recovering. “I could have learned more new skills, but I’ve only been back in the gym for a few weeks,” injured gymnast Alexis Moloney said. “I haven’t had as much time to build up endurance and strength to perform the skills, which could affect my scores at the first competitions.” The injured gymnasts have not been practicing their full routines to avoid further damage, but they still hope to have them ready for the district competition. “Our major goal is to get to state this year,” sophomore Jillian Bendt said. “Last year we were third at districts, and the top two go to state. We were close, and that motivates us more so that state is really our main goal and focus.” Bendt is the only gymnast who qualified for state last season, but she hopes to return with her all of her teammates. But with only five girls on the team, they will have a disadvantage at every invitational. Each gymnast takes on more responsibility since only the top four scores count. “The girls have to learn how to work under pressure,” Dunn said. “It is now more important to make sure each girl hits her routine every time, that she doesn’t fall, stays clean and sticks her landings. “We have to make the routines as perfect as possible.” The gymnasts attempt to pick up extra points by increasing the difficulty of their routines with skills such as new bar dismounts and types of vaulting. “Our best event is probably floor because it has our most difficult skills,” Bendt said. “We’re trying more to get difficult skills in the routines because you get bonus points for them.”

BALANCE

Junior Teresa Selhorst practices her beam routine in preparation for the upcoming season. The gymnastics team will have its first meet on Dec. 19. photo by Katie Logsdon

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Did you know... Findlay gymnastics went undefeated in the Northwest District from 1996-2005.

Luke Kraus, 2009 graduate, is one of eight Trojan basketball players who made 1st Team All-Ohio.

Experienced wrestlers to compete at Medina

page 7

Volume 87, Issue 3 Friday, December 18, 2009

During this decade, the boys and girls swim teams set nine school records.

madness

Ashley Miller Number: 14 Height: 5’7” Grade: 12 Position: Shooting guard

Clay Paul Number: 3 Height: 5’11’’ Grade: 12 Position: Shooting guard

let the

begin

Shannon Mills Number: 22 Height: 5’9” Grade: 12 Position: Center

Justin Richter Number: 24 Height: 6’1’’ Grade: 12 Position: Forward

Holly Barton Number: 23 Height: 5’8” Grade: 11 Position: Forward

Danielle Sallisbury Number: 33 Height: 5’7” Grade: 11 Position: Shooting guard

Coach: Connie Lyon Years coaching: 7 Overall record: 99-45 GBC titles: 3 Quote: “Our goal is to get better each day and to raise our own level of competitiveness,” Lyon said.

n By Leah Cramer

Hoping Christmas comes a little early, this year the girls basketball team believes a wide range of scoring will stop Perrysburg, who has given them trouble the past two seasons. They lost to the Yellow Jackets the last two years they met them in tournaments, but are optimistic about the upcoming game. “We’ve got to play really good defense and not live in the past,” junior Megan Lammers said. “We have to remember that it’s a new season now. “This time when we play them it doesn’t have to be like the last two times.” The team has confidence that their strengths will help them break a two game skid

after starting this season undefeated. “We have a lot of three-point shooters and guards, so we have good perimeter game,” senior Paige Kutschbach said. “I’m really confident in the team. “If we keep our heads in the game, we will do really good.” Leading the charge against Perrysburg are top scorers junior Holly Barton (14.6 points per game) and senior Ashley Miller (12.2 points per game). “The sum of all our players equals a balanced scoring offense,” coach Connie Lyon said. “Multiple girls have the capability of scoring; we simply need to be patient and look for good shots.”

Grant Birchmeier Number: 4 Height: 5’9’’ Grade: 11 Position: Point guard

C.J. Gettys Number: 41 Height: 6’10’’ Grade: 10 Position: Center

Megan Lammers Number: 34 Height: 5’4” Grade: 11 Position: Point guard

Girls will rely on guards against Perrysburg

Brock Ammons Number: 35 Height: 6’6’’ Grade: 11 Position: Forward

Coach: Jim Rucki Years coaching: 11 Overall record: 1249-706 League titles: 24 Quote: “We are inexperienced, so there’s a lot of room for improvement and growth and we’ll see that by the end of the year,” Rucki said.

Sum it up Girls

3-2

overall record

0-1

league record

Boys

3-1

overall record

0-1

league record

Boys basketball hopes for win over Little Giants n By Lexi Perrault

Walking onto a court where the fans will be loud and obnoxious can be intimidating, but the boys’ basketball team is prepared and looking to win. They face Fremont on the road tonight and senior Clay Paul hopes the Little Giant’s home court advantage will not affect his game. “Their court is really hard to play at,” Paul said. “Their fans can literally stand on the sideline and harass you and it is always packed so the atmosphere is unreal.” Coach Jim Rucki expects the game to be difficult, but hopes their preparation will contribute to a fourth consecutive Greater Buckeye Conference (GBC) championship.

“Even with a league loss to Marion (last weekend), we still have a chance to win the title,” Rucki said. “Last year we won the league with two losses, so it could happen. Hopefully our confidence in each other is growing.” Sophomore C.J. Gettys agrees that the team needs to work on confidence in each other. “Our biggest challenge is our team chemistry,” Gettys said. “We are still getting used to playing with each other and hopefully with more game experience it will get better.” Chemistry isn’t the only improvement to be made, according to Paul. “We need to take advantage of each possession we get,” Paul said. “We need to work on not turning over the ball.”

Hockey seeks revenge on Olentangy

Swimmers prepare for first invitationals

n By Lexi Perrault

n By Maggie Malaney

After a pre-season loss to Olentangy, the hockey team is looking for revenge at the Trojan Invitational on Dec. 26-28 at the Cube. The team will be facing off against Olengtangy, Maumee and Anthony Wayne. “Olentangy beat us, 4-1, in a scrimmage earlier this year and we’re excited to get another chance to beat them in front of our fans,” freshman Patrick Hall said. Coach Dan St. Jean isn’t worried about what happened at the preseason scrimmage. Sum it up “We’ll be aggressive and hopefully beat every team in every aspect of the game,” St. Jean said. “We 4-4-1 have kids with good hockey sense and speed.” overall record Two things are important in determining the team’s outcome. 0-2 “Our work ethic and discipline are our strengths,” league record St. Jean said. “We need to give 120 percent every game we play.” A few key players Hall expects to be at their best each game are brothers, junior Layne and freshman Andy Martin. “They’re very exciting to watch, and create a lot of good plays on the ice,” Hall said. “They have the same mindset on the ice and they’re always looking for good passes from one another.” Though the team does have some standouts, sophomore Mark Roepke thinks the best way to win is with a strong team effort. “A win will give us confidence going into league play and we will need that when we face our rival, Bowling Green,” Roepke said.

After three dual meets, both swim teams are preparing for their first invitationals of the season. Swimmers will compete separately tomorrow because only those who qualified will attend Viking Invitational at Cleveland State University Natatorium. Senior Jonathan Shaffer is looking forward to his first Viking Invite. “We don’t normally compete against teams in the Northeast district, so swimming against them prepares us for state when we’ll see these swimmers again,” Shaffer said. Sum it up Coach Jeff Wobser hopes this meet will prepare his swimmers for state. “Our goal is to get all of our swims in (the) finals,” 1-2 Wobser said. “That will take some outstanding overall record performances, as the best swimmers in the state will 0-1 be at this meet.” league record Also on Dec. 19, the rest of the team will attend the Knight Invitational at the University of Toledo. “Knight gives our newer swimmers a chance to get a taste of what the atmosphere will be like at GBC’s (Greater Buckeye Conference) and junior varsity championships,” assistant coach Tim Lauth said. Having swimmers perform well at both invitationals will help them reach their season goals. “For the girls, our goal is to win GBC, sectionals, and fight Notre Dame for a district championship,” Wobser said. “For the boys, we want to move up to third in GBC, win sectionals and then move into the top five at districts.”

STEAL

Junior Jack Roberson carries the puck out of the defensive zone during a home game last weekend. The Trojans brought thir record to 4-4-1 at Parma Invitational. photo by Katie Logsdon

Top

sports stories of the

decade in a random survey of 100 students

2008 Brett Favre retires, then becomes a New York Jet, then a Minnesota Viking.

2004 Ben Roethlisberger wins two Super Bowls with Pittsburgh Steelers.

2007 Barry Bonds on steroids beats Hank Aaron’s home run record.

2007 Ohio State loses football and basketball titles to Florida in the same year.

2003 Lebron James is drafted by Cleveland Cavaliers at age 18.

2008 New York Giants beat undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

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2009 Usain Bolt sets new 100-meter world record.

2007 Michael Vick gets 23 months in prison for dog fighting.

2008 Michael Phelps wins eight gold medals at Beijing Olympics, the most by any one person.

2001 Woods is first golfer to hold all four professional majors at the same time.