News that Stands Out
THE KNIGHT TIMES Official Student Newspaper of Episcopal High School
February 2022
4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, Texas 77401
EHS declares new registration rules
www.ehshouston.org
Volume 37, Issue 7
Basketball team proves clutch in championship Knights continue to set precedents on and off the court
CAMPBELL RICHARDSON Staff Writer While the next school year may seem far away, it really is closer than students think. Next month applications for next year’s classes for current freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and future EHS students will begin. As this is their last year at Episcopal, seniors will instead be busy with college counseling. In advisory on March 1, advisors will look over students’ graduation requirements, registration instructions, and scheduling worksheets and introduce the registration process. The next day, an online form will be open and available on MyBackpack to fill out for classes. It is recommended to fill out the form as soon Episcopal is adapting to an evermore online world by offering online registration options to students. Photo courtesy of PCMag.com. as possible. Students have until March 11 to finish and submit their classes. Required core academic courses such as history or English will be automatically set as the default option and already part of the schedule unless an alternate class is selected. Certain courses require prerequisites or instructor approval. To apply for honors classes and other non-level classes, an appeal is needed to be accepted, and the form will provide the option to request a preferred class. For honors history, English, and world language, a written sample will also be necessary along with the MyBackpack form. Some art classes require an independent appeal, audition, or interview with the respective course director that will not be provided on the form.
INSIDE Kaia “The Machine” Chambers
Learn about the goals of this UPenn women’s soccer commit
PAGE 2
Kanye West Understand the mental process and tribulations of a musical genius
PAGE 7 Monopolies Engage with the economically cutthroat nature of the gaming industry
PAGE 10 Features ........................ Culture ......................... Entertainment ............... Special Feature ................ Opinion ........................ Sports...........................
2-3 4 5 6-7 9-10 11-12
The boys basketball team gathers with its well-earned SPC trophy. The Knights defeated Greenhill in the finals of the conference tournament with a score of 56-55. Photo courtesy of EHS Sports. JAZZMIN DUNCAN Opinions Editor
The Episcopal boys basketball program returned from Dallas with an SPC Championship. Along with girls basketball and wrestling, who were SPC runners-up, and girls soccer, who placed in the top three, all the Knights teams that competed gave a valiant effort. The programs are clearly thriving with the promise of more success in the future. Learn more about Winter SPC Results on Page 11
EHS community enjoys annual fundraising gala YANA SHARMA Staff Writer Episcopal High School’s Auction Gala took place on Friday, February 18, 2022, at the Hildebrand Athletic Center following an online auction which kicked off the fundraising campaign. Preparations for the gala were part of a long process. It started from the end of last year’s gala in March 2021. The gala consisted of catering from Jackson Company Catering, offering magnificent food. Decorators came to the campus to transform the gym to a stunning ballroom setting. Each year, the gala hopes to raise around $1 million in donations. EHS galas began in 1984 and have resulted in huge donations to the school. It started as a very small event with a small group of families. It soon expanded and was held at a few country clubs around Houston before it became bigger and an on-campus gathering after Hurricane Harvey. The theme this year, disco, really made this gala stand out. One thing that separates this gala from all its predecessors is the dress code and attire. The gala consisted of cocktail attire with a bit of a dazzling disco flare.
Every year, the EHS community hosts a fundraising gala that raises money for various causes. Photo by Ms. Lauren West.
Features ∙ Page 2
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
Alum Tanner Witt reflects on his EHS experience CONNOR SMITH Editor-in-Chief With such a tightly-knit community as Episcopal High School, many teachers and students alike keep in touch with alumni once they leave for college. Many of these alumni go on to find success in college, whether through the sciences, the arts, or even sports. One of the more successful athletes Episcopal has recently produced is a graduate of the Class of 2020, Tanner Witt, who is currently playing baseball for the University of Texas. Last year during the NCAA championship, the UT baseball program got to the semifinals before a close loss to Mississippi State. During these games, Tanner Witt pitched against No. 3 Tennessee, when he threw 78 pitches and brought the team an important victory. When asked about how the Episcopal baseball program prepared him for this moment, Tanner said, “The core values at EHS are something that has stuck with me and will continue to stay with me
throughout my career. ADAPT. Attitude, Dependability, Ability to execute, Poise under pressure, Toughness.”
Tanner also mentioned how the culture of the Knights baseball team allowed him easily to transition to the University
Tanner Witt, now a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, continues to dominate the collegiate scene with his pitching. Photo courtesy of hornsillustrated.
of Texas. He cites his experiences with Coach Fox, Coach Hofmeister, and his teammates as the best preparation for his baseball career. In terms of goals for his career, Tanner said, “We have a goal of five championships throughout the year… my goal every season is to be the last team standing.” While Tanner’s focus now is preparing for the upcoming baseball season, he understands the importance of his education. He calls Episcopal a “college preparatory school for a reason,” saying that the study habits and time management skills he learned have helped him be successful in his education and life in general. Tanner Witt certainly lives an interesting life at the University of Texas, most of which he credits to his involvement in the Episcopal community. When asked about advice he would give to underclassmen, Tanner said, “Baseball is a failure sport, and life can be tough at times. Just always remember that through all the ups and downs, you are never as far off as you think you are. I will always be a Knight. EK nation forever.”
Senior Kaia Chambers: EHS’ Chicago opens March 4 latest soccer phenomenon CONNOR SMITH Editor-in-Chief
CHRIS LAHOTI Editor-in-Chief This month’s student athlete spotlight shines on Kaia Chambers, a senior on the EHS varsity girls soccer team. Kaia has played club soccer at the national level for multiple clubs over a committed twelveyear journey. Kaia began playing soccer around the age of five years old, along with ballet. After an eight-year dual stint, she made the decision to pursue competitive full-time soccer in sixth grade. Her primary introduction to higher-level soccer came with the Express Soccer Club, where she developed the foundation for much of her skill today. After a seven-year career, Kaia transferred to the Houston Dash Development Academy, an elite program composed of a few handpicked stars that travel across the country. By the time the Development Academy shut down three and a half years later, Kaia had found and settled into her final organization: the Albion Hurricanes Football Club. Since then, Kaia has played for the Hurricanes at the Elite Club National League level, the
single most competitive youth soccer league in the United States. Kaia joined the varsity girls soccer program her junior year, helping them achieve multiple top placements at the Southwest Preparatory Conference Championship and receiving both the MVP award as well as designation as the team’s captain. Being able to support her school alongside a tightly knit group of peers contributed to her two memorable winter seasons. “One of my favorite moments at EHS soccer was beating St. John’s last year,” Kaia remarked in reflection of her time at EHS. “We all worked as a united front, and it was fun to play against such a competitive team.” Kaia has committed to the University of Pennsylvania to play soccer at the D1 level. In regard to her future, Kaia replied, “Although college will probably be the extent of my career, I really want to help Penn win the Ivy League.” Having played soccer for most of her life, Kaia has made a plethora of memories both in club and school soccer. Now that the school season is over, Kaia plans to enjoy the last moments of her club soccer journey before turning her focus towards the D1 level at UPenn. Photo courtesy of Kaia Chambers.
Ranker.com lists the musical Chicago as the #2 most popular Broadway musical of all time. This spring, Episcopal High School is lucky enough to perform Chicago: High School Edition in the Underwood Theater. For those who have never heard of the musical or the movie adaptation, which won Best Picture in 2003, here is a little background. Chicago is the second longest-running show on Broadway and is based on the 1926 play of the same title by Maurine Dallas Watkins. The show follows the lives of two murderesses, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, and the events surrounding their lives after killing their respective lovers.
Morton, and the sympathetic reporter Mary Sunshine fight for the spotlight in the jazzy city that is Chicago. Everything from murder and corruption to celebrity status will be put on display in this production. With a great variety of jazz songs, Fosse dancing, and flamboyant costumes, many students are excited to be a part of this historic performance. For many students, this is the first musical they have done in the theater since live shows opened late last year. Senior Abigail Klinkerman, who plays Velma Kelly, said, “I’m excited for my first musical in the Underwood Theater since I was a sophomore.” It has been a long time since EHS Onstage has held an in-person musical, and the entire cast eagerly awaits opening night. With a strong group of experienced upperclassmen and a talented freshmen
The cast and crew of Chicago: High School Edition. Photo courtesy of Mr. George Brock. Throughout the musical, characters like the charismatic and charming lawyer Billy Flynn, the faithful and forgiving husband Amos Hart, the strict warden Mama
cast, the entirety of EHS Onstage is ready to perform Chicago: High School Edition March 4-6 in the Underwood Theater. Get excited and enjoy the show!
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
Features ∙ Page 3
EHS says farewell to Mr. Hunt and Ms. Davidson LEANA GREENE Production Editor You may know him as the man whose class is at the corner of the hallway or the man who writes inccredibly elaborate mathematical proofs. To me and many
of the students who have him as their teacher, he is well-known for his math prowess and eclectic tie collection. He is the chair of the Mathematics Department Mr. Michael Hunt. Having taught at the school for fourteen years, Mr. Hunt has devoted his all into teaching his several BC Calculus and Plane Trigonometry classes. Students walking into his room are always greeted with a beaming smile before sitting down for a thorough, complete lesson plan. Besides becoming one of EHS’ most beloved teachers, Mr. Hunt was a part of
the United States Coast Guard for twentyfive years. He commanded two ships and a shore unit during his time in the service. Regarding that tie collection, students can expect everything from cartoons and wild patterns to math-themed offerings. Mr. Hunt’s favorite ties are holiday themed. When the holidays come around, Charlie Brown, The Grinch, and snowmen come on display. For Valentine’s Day, pink and red hearts draw your eyes. During the month of March, green fourleaf clovers promise good luck from his diverse repertoire. Mr. Hunt will be greatly missed by the EHS community. He has left a lasting reputation of success and cameraderie within the Math Department.
Mr. Hunt stands proudly with his festive ties. Left, Valentine’s Day hearts. Above, around the world with his “It’s a Small World” tie. Photos by Leana Greene.
Over the next couple of years, Ms. Davidson hopes to play the harp. When she was a student in high school, she was Episcopal High School teachers are a never able to afford one. In November, crucial part of the campus community, she found a company based in Pakistan and it is sad when one of the faculty ends that sold the instruments at an affordhis or her time at EHS. With their deparable cost. She ordered one and had it ture, it is important to recognize the good shipped to Houston. She says that she is memories they have created during their going to practice frequently and travel time here. to the “stans” (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ms. Alice Davidson, a beloved history and Kyrgyzstan) when covid is no longer teacher at EHS for 32 years, says that her around. most cherished memory while working at She will miss her students and the daily Episcopal conversations was seeing she has with all three of them about her daughtheir lives. ters graduate. She will miss She has also her colenjoyed visleagues and iting China her routine with students of going to several times work. She during Infinds fulfillterim Term. ment daily, Every day, watching as she looks her stuforward to dents ‘get’ seeing her a concept. Ms. Davidson teaches one of her World History I class- She loves the students, who she says es. Photo courtesy of Karma Elbadawy. gratification are always of knowing in a good mood and ready to learn and that her explanation has made something discuss. She appreciates hearing them easier for a student. say “thank you” at the end of every class Ms. Davidson will be missed dearly, and period and enjoys their constant optimism Episcopal High School is very appreciatoward class. During her time at Episcotive of her undeniably, hard work and pal High School the biggest lesson her commitment to the school, the students, students have taught her is patience. and its mission.
MORGAN HEROD Staff Writer
Linear Algebra: An Episcopal math class of the next degree LEANA GREENE Production Editor Every year members of the studentled organization Diversity in Action can participate in a week-long conference called the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC). SDLC is a worldwide conference led primarily by students from all backgrounds with the purpose of helping young people “develop crosscultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of networking principles” (SDLC). This year, Chandler Hollis ‘23, Anayla Wilson ’23, Raigan Clay ‘23, Breylan Thompson ‘24, Ethan Lahoti ’25, and Isabelle Song ’25 attended the conference, which was virtual because of covid precautions. Hollis and Clay addressed the community in Chapel about their experience and lessons learned. Both felt a new sense of belonging. While they know there is a whole world out there to experience, the conference was a nice reassurance
among others like them. Ethan Lahoti had the opportunity to attend the SDLC during a chaotic time of his first midterms at EHS but would not take back the experience for anything. He got to meet people from “different races and cultures from all around the world” to discuss struggles and achievement regarding diversity in their communities. He explored his own identity and how he wants to define himself in the world. He would like to challenge everyone to consider and live by the SDLC’s 2021 motto: “Believing and belonging in our schools; Reckoning with injustice; Reconciling with love.” Admission Director and DIA advisor Ms. Spooner took part in the People of Color Conference, which aims to guide faculty and staff in supporting students of diverse backgrounds on campus and in the classroom. Ms. Spooner encourages students to participate in SDLC because it “gives the students a unique opportunity to meet other students from across the country and have authentic conversations about who they are.”
Chandler Hollis, Raigan Clay, and Breylan Thompson, and Izzy Song spoke in Chapel about their experience at SDLC. Photo courtesy of Ayesha Spooner.
CHRIS LAHOTI Editor-in-Chief As part of the four-pillar system, Episcopal High School has consistently exemplified the ability to provide each and every student with an academic plan replete with challenges and growing opportunities. Students are given the chance to pursue any subject to the fullest extent while still maintaining a well-rounded academic portfolio, and graduate with several AP and honors classes under their belts. Yet, in more recent years, a certain few completed an accelerated path in the honors math curriculum. For them, EHS offered a taste of college-level math: Linear Algebra and Differential Equations Post AP course. Math teacher Dr. Joanna Papakonstantinou created the course and has led the instruction each year since its first offering in 2015. The course provides these select few students a rigorous experience in higher-level math. The current class consists of seniors Christophe Merriam, Karma Elbadawy, Craig Choi, Zack Donovan, and Chris Lahoti. The course provides an introduction to linear algebra and differential equations, with each topic split into the course of a
semester. Combining principles from previous years, students engage in problem solving, deductive reasoning, and proving mathematical theorems in a collaborative, innovative setting. Covered topics include matrix analysis, ordinary differential equations, and creating mathematical models of real word applications. As a supplement to in-class instruction, the students have learned programming languages like MATLAB, a programming and numeric computing platform used by millions of engineers and scientists in industry and academia to analyze data, develop algorithms, and create models. Additionally, the class has attended several math seminars and traveled to Rice University to participate in its Data 2 Knowledge showcase. The students had opportunities to engage with undergraduate and graduate students, professors, and industry professionals about the practical application of their knowledge to relevant social and economic issues. Senior Christophe Merriam said that “this class has been challenging but really fun as well as very eye-opening to what to expect in college and beyond. I am very fortunate to have been given this unique opportunity.”
The class went to Rice University to participate in the D2K showcase and support EHS alum Gloria Ni. Photo by Dr. Joanna Papakonstantinou.
Culture ∙ Page 4
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
JAYLYNN WOOLLEY Staff Writer
r ne or
The Dragon Dance is a traditional dance often performed to celebrate Chinese New Year, Photo by Ms. Lauren West.
C sh ni pa
Chinese Club brought Chinese cultural traditions to EHS with the celebration of Lunar New Year and educated the EHS community about its importance to Chinese culture. The Lunar New Year is a time for new beginnings and rebirth and also marks the introduction of a new zodiac sign, this year the tiger. Each year there is one of 12 animals assigned to the new year, and each animal determines what the year will be like and assigns certain characteristics to the people born in that year. Similar to the Western celebration of the new year, the Lunar New Year marks the start of a new chapter in the lives of many Asian cultures. Although, the U.S.’s new year is based off the solar calendar, which is used by many countries around the world. China and other Asian countries base the start of the year off the lunar calendar, which explains why the date falls a little later than the Western celebration. The Chinese Club helped to expose the EHS community to Chinese cultural traditions such as Lunar New Year during the Mandarin World Languages Chapel. Dur-
ing the service, club members explained the importance of the Lunar New Year and its similarities and differences to the traditional American celebration. While the actual holiday was celebrated on February 1 this year, Chinese Club celebrated Lunar New Year by selling Asian snacks and drinks during lunch on February 2. Boba tea and Asian sodas were a few of the favorites, as well as an Asian-inspired lunch provided by the lunch staff that was greatly appreciated by the community.
S ur Yo
Chinese Club celebrates new year
ESTEFANIA LOPEZ-SALAS Social Media Coordinator
Students learn Chinese calligraphy in the library in celebration of the Lunar new Year. Photo by Ms. Lauren West.
Hay una clase en nuestra escuela que no mucha gente conoce: la clase de Español 5 “Spanish conversation through film” es una clase avanzada de español muy especial porque los estudiantes estudian y analizan películas que son producidas en España o América Latina. El objetivo es entender lo que ocurre “bajo la superficie” de lo que ven en la película. Los temas que abarca la clase son inmigración, La Guerra Civil Española, justicia e injusticia en América Latina, eventos populares actuales y el arte de ser director/a de cine. Por medio de discusiones y presentaciones que los estudiantes preparan, los estudiantes desarrollan una perspectiva sobre los temas de las películas y pueden servir como críticos. La clase está compuesta de Seniors y un Junior. Yael Gonzales, un estudiante en esta clase, dice “siempre disfruto esta clase. Me encanta analizar las películas populares de mi patria y de otros países cercas.” ¡Si esto suena interesante,
únase a esta clase el próximo año! There is a class at our school that not many people know about: the Spanish 5 class “Spanish conversation through film” is very advanced because students study and analyze films that are produced in Spain or Latin America. The goal is to understand what is going on under the surface of what they see in the film. Topics covered in the class are immigration, the Spanish Civil War, the justice and injustice in Latin America, popular current events, and the art of being a film director. Through student-prepared discussions and presentations, students develop a perspective on the film’s themes and can serve as film critics. The class is made up of seniors and a junior. Yael Gonzales, a student in this class, says “I always enjoy this class. I love analyzing popular movies from the country my family is from and other countries nearby.” If this class sounds interesting, join it next year!
Hi, everyone, I am Catherine MacConnell, Co-Chair of the Competition Organizing Committee, and I am here to share the latest math news. February was a productive, fun-filled month for EHS math lovers, marked with contests and receiving competition results. We continue to hold monthly Mu Alpha Theta and Math Club meetings, now in Anderson Lecture Hall, where members participate in the Texas Math League Contest. Regarding the other local, national, and international competitions, congratulations to all the mathletes who competed. We had five teams successfully participate in HiMCM. We also had fifteen members compete in the UH math competition.
Out of the thirty who competed in the national AMC, we would like to recognize the top five scorers in each level. For the AMC 10, the top five are Matthew Kan (top scorer), Daphne Melton, Evan Ringwald, Rishabh Sharma, and Sarah Yates. The top five scorers from the AMC 12 are Craig Choi, Ava Gami (top scorer), Chris Lahoti, Grayson Maki, and Carter Peeler. Also, this month, two teams comprised of juniors and seniors completed the consecutive 14-hour MathWorks Math Modeling (M3) Competition. Save the date for our schoolwide celebration of Pi Day and the International Day of Math on March 10th during both lunches. (More on this next month).
If you haven’t already, follow @ehsmathclub on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with math events and exciting math memes.
Slice of π
The Lily Pad with Lily O’Gorman Beijing held the 2022 Winter Olympics without snow. Yes, you read that right. And besides being impractical and confusing, this snowless snow sport competition is also horrific for the environment. Unsustainability in the Olympic Games is not a new phenomenon; researchers from Switzerland have found that it has been trending steadily since the 80s. But the Beijing Games took this unsustainability to new heights. Thus, environmentalists (and logical thinkers) across the globe have posed questions that have no simple answers: Why would the International Olympic Committee (IOC) select a snowless city to host an event that almost entirely relies on snow? Why is the IOC marketing the Beijing Olympics as the “greenest Olympics yet” despite data proving that it is not? And how can we hold the IOC and the Chinese government accountable for their promises of sustainability? These are good questions, and sadly, I don’t have the answers. But what I do
have is some information about just how questionable the Beijing 2022 environmental policy was. Like I said, this Winter Olympics relied on 100% artificial snow. Artificial snow has been used in the past - in Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018, but never to the extent that we saw in Beijing. Creating enough artificial snow to cover terrain for 109 winter sporting events is an insane proposition, and one that required almost 400 state-of-the-art snow guns. Additionally, producing the amount of snow needed required huge amounts of water - a conservative estimate of two million cubic meters or 49 million gallons of water, according to Carmen de Jong, a geographer at the University of Strasbourg. That alone sets off sustainability alarms, but coupled with the fact that Beijing has suffered from water scarcity for decades, it is downright absurd. Data from the Ministry of Water Resources tells us that Beijing’s water per capita is 20 times lower than the national
average. By the definition of the United Nations, the region is in water scarcity. So why on earth is the IOC allowing 49 million gallons to be used to create ski slopes? Should that be Beijing’s priority? We are already seeing local water resources being impacted by water demands, and local populations could potentially face severe consequences for years. Additionally, the slopes themselves run through a nature reserve - a reality that poses disastrous risks to the surrounding ecosystem. Presenting artificial weather phenomena such as snow to a region that does not contain those elements puts the nature reserve in danger. De Jong commented further on the issue, saying, “These could be the most unsustainable Winter Olympics ever held. These mountains have virtually no natural snow […] To create events without the primary resource it depends on is not only unsustainable, it’s irresponsible.” Sven Daniel Wolfe, one of the coauthors of the previously-mentioned study
on the sustainability of the Olympics, likewise commented on the amendment of nature reserve borders, saying, “There are a lot of indications that power usage for these Games is not ecologically sustainable, and we have also seen reports, in Beijing and in other host cities such as Sochi, of protected natural parks being damaged in order to accommodate new construction. This is not sustainable from an ecological point of view.” Looking ahead from Beijing 2022, we have to ask ourselves questions about what the future of the Winter Olympics and winter sports in general looks like. With global warming continuing at a rapid pace, the number of locations that are physically able to hold the games is decreasing dramatically. Chad de Guzman of Time Magazine summarized up this grim future, remarking, “If this trend continues worldwide, not even artificial snow can save the future of the Winter Olympics in a warming world.”
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
Entertainment ∙ Page 5
Zachary Levi plays Kurt Warner in new movie American Underdog GABRIEL ODERICH Staff Writer American Underdog is more than just any other sports movie. It’s a movie about arguably the most inspirational story in the NFL, the story of Kurt Warner played by Zachary Levi. The movie begins during Warner’s last year playing college football at a relatively unknown FCS school, The University of Northern Iowa. He had ridden the bench for the large majority at his tenure at UNI, but in his final year, he made a push to get the starting job in hopes that he could achieve his dream of getting drafted in the NFL. Despite his attempts, he went undrafted, and after falling short at a Green Bay Packers tryout, he was left without a job. Warner was forced to bag groceries at a HyVee as he was working to raise two children with his girlfriend Brenda. Luckily for Warner, he was able to get a job with the Arena Football League team the Iowa Barnstormers, and after having a great season, he was able to get a chance to become a backup for
the LA Rams. Warner got the backup job, and when starter Trent Green was injured in the preseason, Warner was left with the Rams’ starting job. Warner was able to defy the odds and win the Super Bowl in his first year on the Rams, representing the climax of one of the greatest underdog stories in football history. Warner would eventually go on to become an all-time great, and in 2017 joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest QBs in history. While all this was happening, Warner was working on helping raise his girlfriend’s children from a previous marriage, whom he later adopted, one of which was blind and left-brain damaged. Eventually, Warner would marry Brenda, and despite the struggles they faced, things would end up working out. The story of Kurt Warner has one clear message - no matter how unlikely success may seem, it is never impossible to achieve something great. The movie is without a doubt one of the greatest and most inspirational sports movies ever made.
Kurt Wanner’s inspirational story, American Underdog, is now in theaters. Image courtesy of Deadline.
with CONNOR SMITH and CHRIS LAHOTI The Pokémon franchise has always had a place in our heart. One of our earliest memories is opening presents on Christmas Day and getting a Nintendo DS along with Pokémon Soul Silver. Sadly, while we have grown up, the franchise has remained stagnant with very few changes to the games, until now. Nintendo’s newest edition into the Pokémon franchise, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, is easily one of our new favorite games. When Nintendo announced this game some time ago, we were the first to cast doubts. An open-world-style game with unique mechanics seemed too good to be true. When we first saw the trailer, we remembered thinking the game was fake because of the quality of the graphics and the vast emptiness of the world. However, as leaks slowly made their way into the public eye, our hopes were revived, and we slowly began to warm up to this exciting new entry into the franchise. The game is amazing; nothing else to
say. It’s hard to remember a videogame in recent years that has made us feel as excited and involved as we did when we began to play Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Everything from exploring the open world, completing missions, and catching every creature we saw felt new and invigorating. Even minute changes like new animations and items allow to Nintendo vastly improve on the original style of gameplay, creating what felt like a completely new franchise. However, there is still improvement to be made. We would like Nintendo to use the full extent of its hardware and update the graphics, something we know is easily possible. While this game isn’t the perfect version of Pokémon, it isn’t far off. We hope that by injecting new life into a slowly dying franchise, Nintendo will allow themselves to make bolder choices, and please fans and critics alike. We highly recommend playing Pokémon Legends: Arceus
and start another. Released on August 29, We all know the infamous Kanye West, 2021, Ye’s but what is Donda created new about huge noise, this American not so much rapper/gospel the album but singer? the title song. After men“Donda Chant” tioning in 2018 is a rhythmic he wanted to beat of his legally change mother’s dying his name to Ye, heartbeat to the it was officially repeated word done in October “Donda,” his of 2021. Ye mother name. recently ended Donda 2 it with his wife released on of six years, February 22, Kim Kardashian produced by West; the courecord comple have four pany GOOD. kids: North, Ye planned to Psalm, Saint, host a Donda and Chicago. 2 event at Ye has not Miami’s Loan taken the new Depot Park relationship of Stadium on the his ex-wife with release date. SNL actor Pete Things became Davidson well. tense when Ye On multiple ocrefused to ancasions, he has nounce anyone gone on social who will be media ramcollaborating pages throwing on the album shade at Pete, but mentioned stating he is a the one artist downgrade and who will not will never be allowed to be Kanye West released his album, Donda 2, on Febru- be included: a part of his ary 22. Photos courtesy of HypeBeast and The New Kid Cudi. Kid Cudi respondkids’ lives. York Times. ed, stating But even he has no interest in being on the album, through all of the relationship drama, Ye has still made time to release a new album calling Ye a “dinosaur.”
F shion Sen¢e with Raigan Clay
Trend resets seem to be the theme as of late in the fashion sphere of influence, and just in time for the fall/winter Paris Fashion week, which begins February 28. Coincidence? I think not. As the weather shifts to cold and brisk, it is the season for standout outerwear, designer boots, and surprisingly, “dad” fash-
tics of the dad fashion with pieces like the infamous cardigan, loafers, khaki Dickies slacks, sweater vests, and button-downs. All the above named complement these pieces with sick jewelry and vibrant accessories and really cool and complimentary color palettes. Many of these influencers were at the
Fashion fanatics go crazy for the start of 2022 Fashion Week with Kenzo. Photo courtesy of Azyaamode.
Image courtesy of Ninetendo.
ion. Silhouettes are moving away from the tighter and fitted styles to oversized and abstract styles. Back to the topic of dad fashion, this aesthetic is an acquired taste and is sweeping celebrity’s day to day fits. Notably, some real influencers of this style are Travis Bennett/Taco, Aminé, Devin Booker, Tyler Okonma, and Dominic Fike. Weirdly enough these are all men…but don’t let the word “dad” fool you; style is indeed a spectrum and is moldable to the consumer. These men really embody the characteris-
fashion show of Japanese fashion designer and creator of Bape, Nigo’s debut “Kenzo.” Nigo is the artistic director of Kenzo and says his vision for “Kenzo san’s is to approach it by creating originality through an understanding of many different cultures. It is also the essence of my own philosophy of creativity.” As the founder of Bape and co-founder of Human Made with Pharrell Williams, Nigo is an experienced fashion guru and plans to elevate Kenzo with his creative input.
Special Feature ∙ Page 6
Beijing Winter Olympics 2022
From 776 BC to 2022 AD, the Olympics has certainly come a long way. But how did it actually start? The Olympics began not as just a sporting event, but as a religious festival held in Olympia, Greece, to pay tribute to the Greek god Zeus. Greek legend tells us that Heracles (known in Roman tradition as Hercules) founded the Olympic Games. Held every four years during its early stages, the Olympics became so influential in Greek history that historians began using the four-year periods between the Games to measure time, calling them Olympiads. The first games only had one event - the stade- which was a short 192 meter footrace. Fifty-two years later came the diaulos (400 meters), dolichos (1500 meters), and pentathalon, and by the late 600s BC, things really began to pick up with events from boxing to chariot racing to wrestling. Requirements to partake in the Olympics were also much different; it was not always an international competition. Actually, it was strictly a national competition, as only freeborn male citizens of Greece were
permitted to participate. Plus, married women weren’t even allowed to spectate. Thousands of years later, thanks to the ideas of Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France, the Olympic Games had a modern revival. With the founding of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in 1894, Coubertin had officially accomplished his goal of bringing the Olympics back to the forefront of sports competition. The first modern Olympics
took place in Athens, Greece, in 1896, and featured only 43 events and all male athletes. By 1924, the Winter Olympics debuted, and over 100 women joined approximately 3,000 athletes in Paris to compete. Today, the Olympics are viewed by over three billion people across the globe with over 400 different events. When you tune in to the next Summer Olympics (Paris 2024), think about the thousands of years of tradition that have made it possible.
Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
USA
character. Along with the death of her father, 2020 proved difficult for Shiffrin because of a back injury and a lessened ability to practice because of the pandemic. Through these challenges, Shiffrin has further demonstrated her athletic perseverance as viewers continue to be impressed with
8
10
7
NORWAY 16
8
13
6
12
14
GERMANY 12
10
5
ROC Prepare to be inspired and amazed by the 2022 Paralympic Games and the athletes' dedication, resilience, and strength. Hosted every two years alternating between the summer and winter events, the Paralympics is an international sports competition featuring athletes with disabilities. Although the games originated from Sir Ludwig Guttmann's attempt to organize a sports competition for British veterans of World War II with spinal cord injuries, they have grown into a global contest with influence stretching throughout ages and territories. The Paralympics features many Olympic sports, some modified to accommodate a range of disabilities.
organizes athletes into competition with others in the same group. For example, in the Winter OlymOne American athlete to watch for pics, Paralympic athletes compete in para-alpine skiing, para-biathlon, in the 2022 Winter Paralympics is Oksana Masters. Born in the wake of para-cross country skiing, para-ice hockey, para-snowboard, and wheel- the Chernobyl nuclear disaster with legs that could not bear her weight chair curling. and other inutero defects, Masters Many might wonder how the has become one of the most famous Paralympics considers the varying American Paralympic athletes in impairments of athletes to ensure rowing, Nordic skiing, and cycling. fairness during competition. To do Her story of overcoming challenges this, the International Paralympic and athletic success continues to Committee (IPC) has developed a move and inspire many across the complex system for categorizing globe. This year, Oksana is one of athletes and determining the extent the favorites entering the Paralympic of impairments. Winter Games in Beijing, and she While it differs between sports, the factors considered include visual hopes to continue her cross-disciimpairment, intellectual disabilities, pline domination. spinal cord injuries, and amputees. After this classification, the IPC
Who is Mikaela Shiffrin? Masters championships. As parents, they passed on their dedication to skiing to their children, namely and most successfully, Mikaela. While they served as mentors and guided her through their athletic experience, Shiffrin's parents primarily contributed to her ski career through their unwavering support. By attending competitions, inspiring her work ethic, and cheering her on in victory and defeat, Shiffrin's parents taught her an unparalleled passion for skiing. The recent death of her father in 2020 has undoubtedly impacted the young athlete in a life-changing way, as she even questioned if she would ever ski competitively again while overwhelmed with grief. Although she was able to overcome that momentary loss of spirit, she still carries his loss, as he was such an integral part of forming her athletic ability and
Final Medal Count
Paralympics
History of the Olympics
Will Mikaela Shiffrin, the most decorated American alpine skier in history, be able to rise to the challenge of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and defend her success? While Shiffrin is only 26, she has managed to smash records and make headlines for her unprecedented accomplishments as a worldwide figure. Heading into the 2022 Olympics, Shiffrin has won 73 World Cup races, six world championships, and two gold Olympic medals. So, how did Shiffrin develop into the athlete she is today? Growing up in the ski capitol, Vail, Colorado, with two parents with ski experience, Shiffrin has always held skiing as a central aspect of her life and childhood. Shiffrin's parents met when her father, Jeff Shiffrin, was working as an anesthesiologist and her mother, Eileen, as a nurse. While Eileen had some informal ski experience, Jeff skied at the collegiate level for Dartmouth and shared with her his love for the sport. Eileen later grew into an outstanding skier, winning national and international
Special Feature ∙ Page 7
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
her ability to raise the bar in multiple disciples. Shiffrin is an athletic threat in Giant Slalom, Slalom, the Super-G, and the Alpine Combined and will aim for gold in all five individual events. While her specialties are the slalom and giant slalom, Michaela will certainly be a name to look out for in each category.
CANADA
4
8
14
SWEDEN
8
5
5
AUSTRIA
7
7
4
JAPAN
3
6
9
NETHERLANDS
8
5
4
Olympic Boycott
As the Winter Beijing Olympics approached, controversy over the American diplomatic boycott became a major topic of discussion. It is important to clarify that only diplomats from the countries participating in the boycott did not attend the games; the athletes still traveled to China to compete. America was not the only nation that did not attend diplomatically - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also pledged to withhold their diplomats. Australian officials did not attend following tensions over new submarines, and spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno announced Japan sent officials in charge of the previous Tokyo Olympics instead of a government delegation. The main reason that the White House cited for its decision is the large-scale human rights violation in Xinjiang. Starting potentially as early as 2014, China has detained over a million ethnic Uyghurs in internment camps to crack down on Islamic and nationalist separatism.
Along with mass detainment, Islamic religious practices have been suppressed, Uyghurs have been forcefully sterilized, and attempts at cultural assimilation have been implemented in the education system. More recently, controversy over the disappearance of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai following her accusations of sexual assault against a former Chinese government official contributed to the boycott. However, the United States and its allies also had geopolitical incentives alongside moral reasons. Over the last decade, China has become a new global economic and diplomatic superpower in competition with the American global hegemony. While an Olympic boycott did not significantly threaten China in any way, it did serve to symbolically distance participating nations from Chinese influence. China Daily, a state media newspaper, called for the future boycott of the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics in response, demonstrating the impact these actions had on global politics.
Contributors: Lily O’Gorman, Isabel O’Gorman, and Campbell Richardson
Knight Shift∙ Page 8
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
Speaks Out
Resident Jester
“Who is your Valentine’s Day celebrity crush?”
Marley Robins “Michael B. Jordan”
Garon Sampson “Zendaya”
Blake Hodgson “Zendaya”
Ty Blevins “Jennifer Aniston”
Cartoon by Lily O’Gorman.
PhotoJ Photo of the Month
The EHS baseball team kicks off its season strong. On February 14, the 2022 season was officially underway. Photo by Lila Henningsen.
Spring Sudoku Puzzle Mia Bhatia “Patrick Swayze”
Robert Irwin “Zendaya”
Caroline Holmes “Thomas Shelby”
Alec Brisch “Gal Gadot”
Mrs. Zipfel “Gordon Ramsey”
Mr. Matthews “Harry Styles”
The Knight Times will award a break cookie to the first five people to correctly complete this puzzle and present it to Editor Connor Smith.
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
Opinions ∙ Page 9
Opinions Football overtime rules should be changed GABRIEL ODERICH Staff Writer After a razor-thin NFL playoff divisional round game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, the NFL’s overtime rule has become subject to a heated controversy. The game became a shootout in the final minutes of the game with the Bills scoring a touchdown for the game’s lead, leaving only 13 seconds on the clock; the Chiefs would tie the game with a two-play drive resulting in a field goal. When the game went into overtime, Kansas City and Buffalo players, coaches, and faithful held their breath, hoping that they would win the coinflip. Unfortunately for the Bills, the Chiefs won that coin toss and promptly had a touchdown drive to end the game. The Bills didn’t get to play another snap during that game, robbing them of the opportunity to try and tie. Once the game was over, several fans felt that the game had been decided by a coin flip, and that the thrilling matchup ended in disgrace as the Bills were robbed of their chance to win the game based on the arbitrary flip of a coin. This sentiment quickly turned into outrage focused on the NFL and its overtime rule. The NFL’s overtime rule is undoubtably faulty to the point that even Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid said that he “isn’t opposed to changing the NFL’s overtime rule,” per CBS sports. Reid proposed that both teams should have an opportunity to possess the ball at least once during overtime, giving both teams a fair chance to win the game instead of allowing a coin flip to determine the games outcome. Another popular solution for fixing the NFL’s overtime rule has been to adopt the NCAA overtime rule. The NCAA’s rule dictates that both teams get a possession, and they begin their drive at the 25-yard line. If both teams remain tied, another pe-
riod of overtime begins, and teams will be required to run a two-point conversion after each score. If the game reaches a third overtime, then the teams will run alternating two-point conversions until a team fails to convert. Adopting the NCAA’s overtime rules would guarantee that the best team on the field wins the game, rather than the team that wins a coin flip.
solely on the defense and not give a team’s offense a semblance of a chance to try and win a game. Beyond just fairness, it would also make NFL games even more interesting to watch. The Chiefs and Bills divisional game was one of the best playoff games of all time and ended in an incredibly anti-climactic way thanks in large part to the NFL overtime rule.
The Knight Times Episcopal High School 4650 Bissonnet, Bellaire, TX 77450 713-512-3400 Head of School Ned Smith Associate Head of School Nancy Laufe Eisenberg Principal Kim Randolph Dean of Arts and Innovation Jay Berckley Visual Arts Chair Kate Philbrick Publications Coordinator David Framel Photojournalism Instructor Japheth Storlie Photojournalism Editors Karma Elbadawy Lila Henningsen Photographers Wade Arntzen Syndey Brooks Mya Broughton Olivia Chapman Mckenna Foteh Isabella Goytia Lauren McGinnis Amelia Novotny Jules Weinstein
Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu and Bills quarterback Josh Allen await the coin flip prior to overtime. Photo courtesy of Buffalo News. Some may argue that the NFL’s overtime rule is still fair because it still gives the defense a chance to make a stop. While this is true, it isn’t fair to put the weight of a game
With all things considered, a change to the NFL’s approach to overtime would not only make the game more fair, but it would make it better for the fans.
Co-Editors-in-Chief Chris Lahoti Connor Smith Production Editor Leana Greene Opinions Editor Jazzmin Duncan Copy Editor Lily O’Gorman
HOT TAK ES With Jazzmin Duncan
Monkeys are canonically (in my book) the best animal. They’re intelligent, adorable, and interesting, and it’s time people recognized that. Sure, dogs are cute, cats are funny, all the traditional ‘favorite animals’ are impressive; however, none can amount to monkeys, whose intellect and social structure offer humanity a way to learn more about themselves. While I don’t believe monkeys should be kept as pets, people should get to know monkeys better. It is very easy for many (including myself) to be intimidated by a monkey, especially chimpanzees, after reports of brutal, unwarranted attacks. For example, in 2009, a woman had her face ravaged by her friend’s pet chimp, a news story that scared many Americans. These incidents bring validity to fear of the primate; however, we can learn a lot from
them about ourselves, much more so than other animals. Monkeys have allowed us to discover different things about evolution and our social habits. For example, zoologists and biologists observed various monkey species’ eating habits and digestive systems; discovering a correlation between the monkey’s slow eating and their seamless, efficient digestive system, scientists concluded that human digestion works similarly because of the similar bodily functions of the species. Furthermore, Dr. Dennis O’Neal, a self-proclaimed innovative thinker, was able to apply the fissionfusion style of socializing monkeys use in the wild. Monkeys preferred friend groups grow, shift, and evolve, allowing individuals to become more knowledgeable about social situations, as well as survival tech-
niques. Observing the benefits of this behavior, many businesses have begun strategically placing employees over time to emulate this productive learning and working environment. Monkeys are extremely intelligent compared to other animals (except for the squid and a few others). It’s incredible to see the extent of their knowledge. For example, Hanabi-ko “Koko” the Gorilla knew several words and phrases in sign language and had an awe-inspiring understanding of human perception, interaction, and understanding. This adds to learning more about ourselves from them. Humans are primates, so we can relate on an extraordinary level with those of the same order. They are intelligent and socially evolved, facts that more people need to understand and value.
Sports Editor Cory Kardesch Social Media Coordinator Estefania Lopez-Salas Staff Writers Gabriel Oderich Morgan Herod Jalynn Woolley Isabel O’Gorman Yana Sharma Jake Berlin Kate Freeman Campbell Richardson Raigan Clay
The Knight Times is a product of students in the Episcopal High School newspaper class, who are solely responsible for its creation and editorial content. The opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the Episcopal Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff. Published ten times a year, The Knight Times is a non-profit educational tool. The staff encourages the submission of letters, editorials, and story ideas from the community, but reserves the right to edit and/or use said articles.
Opinions∙ Page 10
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
Opinions Photo courtesy of Hasbro.
Monopolies’ impact on gaming development CONNOR SMITH Editor-in-Chief Unless you are talking about the popular Hasbro board game Monopoly, it’s hard to find people who actively support the process of monopolization. No one is arguing to strengthen Amazon’s monopoly on delivering goods or Facebook’s monopoly on social media. However, there is one type of monopoly that many bat an eye to, and that is monopolies on video games. With gaming being such a prominent part of my life, I wonder whether these growing monopolies on gaming are good or bad for the overall community. In the past year, there have been many bombshells regarding larger gaming companies like Sony and Microsoft buying smaller companies. Recently the news has been concerned with Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision and Blizzard Entertainment, valued at around $69 billion, and Sony’s acquisition of Bungie, valued at $3.6 billion. However, these aren’t the first buyouts of this size to have happened. Earlier in the year, M i c ro s o f t made another huge move in buying the widely successful company Bethesda and their parent company ZeniMax Media, while
Ta k e The CEO of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has spent most of is time with Microsoft encourgaing the aquisition of smaller game studios to bolster Xbox’s strength. Photo courtesy of The Washington Post. Two bought the company Zynga for $12.7 billion, according to The Washington Post. So why are these acquisitions bad for the gaming community? Well, like most monopolies, there is the possibility of less competition. Since the dawn of con-
sole gaming, there has been an emphasis on being on the frontlines of innovation. With companies spending years of hard and dedicated labor on a single game, it’s important to create something that will be the “best” version of its genre. If you spend years on a game that barely compares to another company’s, you have no chance of surviving in the harsh world that is game creation. Some may argue that larger companies like Microsoft now have less incentive to vastly improve on their games, instead just pumping out new titles on an already saturated market. This claim is easily supported by the “biggest” launches of the past couple of years. Major games like Cyberpunk 2077, Anthem, and Fallout 76 were supposed to be the future of gaming, yet they were a bundle of rushed ideas and concepts. They didn’t need to worry about producing an innovative new game because these companies knew consumers would buy the product anyway, as there was no strong alternative. These ideas of less competition also create concerns regarding the concept of exclusives. This practice of making exclusive games for consoles has been around since the beginning. Games like Super Mario, exclusively on the NES, and Sonic the Hedgehog, exclusively on the Sega Genesis, have extreme influences on your decision to buy one console or another. With the number of companies solely owned by Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, who make the Xbox, the PlayStation, and the Nintendo Switch respectively, many videogame enjoyers may feel ostracized from certain titles based on their exclusivity. People who can’t afford to own multiple consoles or a gaming computer may feel anger toward these parent companies and the smaller game developers under them. However, I would argue that exclusives can bring more competition to the gaming world. Throughout my childhood I grew up with an Xbox, the Xbox 360 to be exact. While I enjoyed my fair share of exclusives like the Halo franchise, I always envied my friends who could play the criticallyacclaimed game, God of War, because they owned a PlayStation. In response to the massively successful story-driven game, Microsoft invested in Bethesda in hopes of creating a game to rival the PlayStation exclusive. While buying up these companies
“
Sony knows it can’t remotely challenge Microsoft in a spending war, but even if Xbox and Game Pass become dominant, it would still be one of the biggest and most important publishers. - Rob Fahey
(GamesIndustry.biz)
”
decreases competition amongst smaller developers, the larger competition between these big companies may be more beneficial in the long run. So, what is another reason these quasimonopolies might be good for the general gaming community? Cash. I mentioned previously about the harshness in the gaming developing world, and that remains true now more than ever. Wildly popular studios such as Lionhead Studios, SEGA, and Atari were unable to compete with the growing market and were either bought, bankrupted, or drifted into insignificance. I imagine what a world would look like if these small, yet innovative studios had the economic backing of Microsoft. How far would the game development world have gone?
Another great reason for these acquisitions concerns the consumer’s wallet. One of the best deals in gaming is what Microsoft calls Gamepass. This paid subscription gives consumers hundreds of free games, with a new title added every month. With Microsoft acquiring these well-established studios, I now have access to hundreds of new games with no extra price tag. (This is a plus for me, at least until rival companies like Sony create a new, popular service modeled after Gamepass.) So, in the end, do I support monopolies in gaming? I’m not sure. On one hand, the history of competition in gaming gives me hope that with more funding these game developers can create better, more innovative titles. On the other hand, how much can we, the consumer, trust Big Tech. Just a couple of months ago Xbox almost doubled the price of their online subscription Xbox Live Gold, until consumers and the press pushed back. Also, other large tech corporations like Google, Facebook, and Netflix have attempted to push their way into the gaming world. I most certainly trust these companies in innovating on videogames. While I believe the current competition between Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo is ultimately beneficial for the gaming community, I worry about what new, larger acquisitions could do to the current gaming economy and the game development world. While in an ideal world, I could have access to every game from one device, I understand the need for competition between these global companies. I just hope these growing monopolies don’t go too far and backfire on me.
Global corporation Microsoft and Sony continue to build up their own monopolies in gaming development. Who knows how this will play out for consumers. Photo courtesy of Business Insider.
The Knight Times ∙ November 2021
CORY KARDESCH Sports Editor
Sports ∙ Page 11
Winter SPC Debriefed CHAMPIONS!!!
The regular season speaks for itself when it comes to the boys basketball team. Putting up high scoring games and amazing statistics, this team was very deserving of its SPC Championship win. With amazing young talent as well as a good number of returning seniors, the team expected to do great in the regular season, which they did, setting them up perfectly for the SPC tournament. It was a long and tiring weekend for the team, as it was their first time playing four games in just three days to bring home the winning trophy. Starting against Trinity Valley followed by Episcopal School Dallas, the EHS boys team faced many Division I players that had a lot of height and skill for the Knights to contend with. Although these teams were some of the best in the nation, the EHS
team played very well and quickly turned things around to beat St. John’s, pushing them on to the championship against number two state and nationally-ranked Greenhill. As one of the best teams they played all year, it was a matter of winning each quarter until it came down to the final minute and a half when EHS pushed through to a lead. Running the same concept that Villanova did in their national championship game, the Knights and sophomore Justin Begg were set up to hit a game-winning three-pointer, allowing the EHS boys basketball team to celebrate an SPC championship. “The feeling that we had for our seniors is at its highest.
Those guys had their careers start in the pandemic, so for them be able to persevere and win the championship made it all
the more satisfying for the Class of 2022,” said Coach Jones, giving the school a great wrap to the season.
(Left) Justin Begg lifts up the SPC Championship trophy. Photo by Caylon Mike. (Above) The boys celebrate a win at SPC. Photo by Christian Begg.
Girls soccer captures Second place finish at SPC reflects on remarkable season third at Winter SPC JALYNN WOOLLEY Staff Writer
KATE FREEMAN Staff Writer The girls soccer program made history this year by placing third in SPC, which was the highest in the school’s history. The girls beat Greenhill in their first game but suffered a heartbreaking loss against Hockaday, the number one seed in the North, who went on to win it all. In their last game, against Episcopal School of Dallas, the team prevailed and won 1-0, after finally putting the ball in the back of the net with only five minutes left in the game. The team not only attained third place but achieved a purpose bigger than them-
The varsity girls basketball team ended a fantastic season with a second place finish in the Winter SPC Championship after a tough battle in the finals against long-time rival Houston Christian. After working hard throughout their SPC season to finish with a 9-1 record in all regular-season conference games, the team entered the tournament a second seed, giving them the advantage over lower-seeded teams in the bracket. Senior and co-captain Skyler Witt, a leader of the program, scored her 1000 career point at the Senior Night game against CHSA prior to the tournament, after scoring a total of 463 points in her
senior year alone. Head Coach Courtney Arnold was extremely proud of the effort and dedication the girls put into the program. She said the
Both basketball teams celebrate with their trophies. Photo by Mrs. Witt.
Wrestlers secure runner-up title at SPC Boys soccer hangs hat First female wrestler at EHS, Vogelsang earns third with historic showing
JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer
Ava Gonzales runs to the goal during SPC. Photo courtesy of Girls Soccer. selves. By sticking to and drawing from their core values, the team grew closer than ever and finished the season strong. The amazing coaching staff of Head Coach Rachel Stelter, assistant coaches Bryce Reynolds and Haley Hanson, and goalkeeping coach Jane Campbell led the way with the leadership of a remarkable group of seniors. “We had the honor of an incredible and selfless Senior Class leading, who forever left their mark on this program,” said Stelter.
The EHS wrestling team had an exciting day in Fort Worth competing for the SPC wrestling championship. The skilled group of athletes earned the runner-up trophy for their efforts this season, with many individuals winning their weight class. After a regular season that showed they were a force to be reckoned with, the team faced some tough competition during the tournament, yet six wrestlers made the finals to medal for the Knights. Beau Edwards, Ben Sanders, and Jimmy Guzman placed first individually within their weight classes, a remarkable accomplishment worthy of their efforts this year. The group of wrestlers had put in the work to become one of the most successful in Episcopal’s history, as displayed by their results at SPC. With the coaching staff and team’s sup-
port, Thalia Vogelsang made history by becoming the first female athlete to compete as a wrestler at the SPC tournament. Vogelsang faced the daunting challenge of being the only female wrestler at the event, yet she applied her skills and placed third overall. This year’s EHS wrestling team has made history through their achievements, both within the Episcopal community and the entirety of SPC.
The wrestling squad claimed an SPC trophy. Photo courtesy of EHS Wrestling.
Swimming and diving teams fall short of an SPC trophy CORY KARDESCH Sports Editor With the curtains drawn on Winter SPC, the boys and girls swim teams put up a tough fight. Both teams finished eighth overall, and the diving teams finishing second. Ultimately, it came down to a small points differential.
girls “enjoy[ed] being around each other,” and she is going to miss this group’s special bond, though she cannot wait for what the season next winter will bring.
The point differential between fourth and eighth places was only 15, proving how tight every race was, as EHS gave it its all. With the addition of preliminary races taking place before final races this year, the top eight swimmers from each event moved on to the finals. Several swimmers barely missed the cut, placing ninth in preliminaries, while a
large handful moved on. Swimmers such as senior Sam Randall and junior Estefania Lopez-Salas competed in a number of individual events, ranking high, with Randall placing third in multiple events. Relays is the area where focus was put for the tournament in hopes that young talent could carry and improve the legacy of EHS swim.
after one-loss season RAIGAN CLAY Staff Writer
EHS boys varsity soccer had a phenomenal season with an overall regular season record of 11-0-2. allowing the boys to seed number one in the South and ultimately place fifth in the SPC Tournament. The team lost a tough first-round match to Dallas Greenhill. Head Coach Travis Smith is grateful to have had this year’s team and is “happy with how the season progressed.” “From a team perspective, this group of young men is one of the best [I’ve] ever coached at EHS in terms of character and respect,” Smith added. Like any year, the team goal was to compete for an SPC championship. Sophomore transfer Kingsley AgyemanYeboah described the season as “exceptional” and believes that with the group of boys returning, they can go far next year.” The boys fought hard during the season and went up against tough competitors. There is so much potential for the program. and the boys have faith that they only go up from here. The grit mixed with impeccable team chemistry is what fueled this group. Senior leader and veteran Samuel Gonzalez felt “this team has been amazing and they have been able to showcase it throughout the season.”
Sports ∙ Page 12
The Knight Times ∙ February 2022
Sports Season opens for EHS boys lacrosse GABRIEL ODERICH Staff Writer The boys lacrosse season started February 11 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with an away game win over Catholic High School. The next day the lacrosse team would go on to play St. Thomas More in Lafayette, which resulted in a 7-6 loss in a highly contested game. EHS lacrosse head coach Mike Donnelly stated that the “team will face initial growing pains after losing 16 seniors to graduation.” Despite this, many players showed their prowess during the team’s weekend in Louisiana. Many players are coming back to the team for yet another season with Jackson Hearn, Jack Schaefer, Collin J. Bennett, Brady Ray, and Will Lewis leading the EHS offense, along with a new addition to the team, junior Drew Haffner. The defensive effort is being led by Caldwell Graham, Conor Shanley, Hutch
Baseball starts the spring season strong Episcopal girls swing JAKE BERLIN Staff Writer The EHS Knights baseball team is looking forward to a promising spring season as they begin their training this semester. Many of the team’s star players, along with a large portion of the pitching staff, graduated as seniors last year, meaning that this year’s team of unproven athletes will have to establish themselves worthy competitors as they begin to face off against other schools. However, Head Coach Matt Fox believes that the team is very talented. “They’ve established and owned a culture that will win because of who they are,” Fox said, adding that, although rival schools look down on this year’s unknown group of athletes, the team has developed the attitude that they would like to introduce themselves to their opponents as challenging competitors. Coach Fox admits that in the process of growing as a team, “we will make many mistakes along the way because this is a game of failure, but the key for us is to
not be afraid of the mistakes.” The EHS baseball team has already began their training in the hopes that this season will provide them with the opportunity to be recognized as the exceptional athletes that they are.
Even with many seniors graduating last year, the team is ready to compete for SPC. Photo courtesy of Lila Henningsen
into the spring season YANA SHARMA Staff Writer Spring sports at Episcopal High School have just begun and one of these is girls golf. Girls golf practice started February 7, and the team practices in the weight room, the EHS putting green area, and at the Houston Country Club. The girls hope to achieve an SPC win this season. Their first tournament was on February 23 at the Blackhorse Country Club. This season, there are several new and strong players that have joined varsity. The junior varsity program has grown from last season. One favorite part of the season for the team is improving scores to peak in SPC. One thing that separates this year from last year is the SPC Tournament. Last year there was no SPC championship, but this year there will be a two-day tournament in Fort Worth. The girls have already been working toward an outstanding season.
Boys golf continues to raise the bar
talent over the past year. Schools such as Kinkaid, St. John’s, and Houston Christian have gotten talented new freshman golfers that have started to look great and strong at the game. Aside from the typical practice week, there will be about five tournaments for varsity players to divide up and play in. The only change one can expect to see is that the SPC Tournament will no longer take place at The Woodlands, but rather in the Fort Worth area at Pecan Valley Country Club, making it so that the team will have to travel this year.
With tournaments already underway, EHS girls golf tees up for spring season. Photo courtesy of PhotoJ.
After winning four consecutive SPCs, the goal for the 2022 softball team and Head Coach Caitlyn Cain is simple - win a fifth championship. The players have had a great time working with their friends and teammates. Though captains have not been selected,
the seniors have many leadership roles. Their teammates rely on them to lead the group and set good examples for underclassmen. This year’s seniors are Reese Barrett, Camille Walker, Lily Tanner, and Natalie Toups. Assistant Coach Kary Kemble says that, every season the team strives to improve its game. During practice, the girls continue to work on key skills such as hitting,
fielding, and pitching. Coach Kemble encourages players not to focus on their individual performance but rather realize that softball is a team game, and no matter what, they have a whole team for support. This year, the team looks forward to competing against Kinkaid and St. John’s. The softball team has a history of great success, and EHS fans cannot wait to see the team get even better this season!
JAZZMIN DUNCAN Opinions Editor
events. The boys team has also had success this season; with several new and
eager faces, they are ready to climb the ranks as one of the best teams in the SPC.
Returning from Spring SPC 2021 with a girls championship, the Episcopal track team is ready to make some noise in the conference and add to the hardware with boys and girls titles. With two official meets already behind them, the team is excited to continue improving on and off the track as a team. Senior Caylon Mike expressed her excitement to run in the relays again this year. “I hope we can break the record again; it’s our senior year, so it’d be nice to leave another mark before we leave.” Thrower and senior Christophe Merriam also shared this optimism, saying, “The team and coaches are always super understanding; I’m excited to get back out there and see what happens.” Taking this optimistic approach to competition seems to be a successful method, as the girls’ team continues to reign as champions in sprints, distance, and field
For the track and field team, the season has just begun. Whether it be the long jump or the shot put, these students are ready to go. Photo by Margaret Jensen.
CORY KARDESCH Sports Editor
After a winning season last year, boys lacrosse plans to continue their hot streak. Photo by Karma Elbadawy. Coward, and Rhett Davenport, along with goalie Ryan Gatto, who made several major plays that allowed the team to find success in the first game of the season. Notably, seniors Jake Lewis, George Still, and Will Mengwasser are helping to set the tone and be leaders for the younger players on the team.
Girls lacrosse begins the spring with new players, coaching staff KATE FREEMAN Staff Writer This year the girls lacrosse program has a new head coach, Paige Moriarty. She played lacrosse at Franklin & Marshall as an attacker where she was a first-team All-American three times, Attacker of the Year twice, and won All Conference four times. While there, she broke the Franklin & Marshall career points and assists record. She then went on to become an assistant coach at Amherst for two years. Coach Moriarty is looking forward to her first season leading the EHS lacrosse program. By her side will be assistant coaches Emily White, Cassidy Scharping, and Sara Holland. Together they have 20 years of experience playing D1 athletics. The varsity lacrosse team will also be led by its seven seniors: Mac Bechtol, Chandler Black, Kate Freeman, Samantha Hoover, Margaret Anne Krieg, Morgan Rippstein, and Kate Teagarden.
With a second-place overall finish at SPC last year, the boys golf team has a lot of buzz going on around it about what it will look like this year. Starting the season strong at the Strake Jesuit Invitational at Sugar Creek Country Club, the team finished third, with Bradley O’Donnell finishing first individually, shooting a 76. Although there are high hopes, other SPC rivals produced new and young
Softball team hopes to win fifth SPC title in a row MORGAN HEROD Staff Writer
EHS students hit the field as the season begins
