The Crusader - Issue 2 - October 2013 - Homecoming - Cardinal Gibbons H.S.

Homecoming court members (from left) seniors Alexa Pursley, John Cunningham, Morgan Reid, Dante DiMaggio, Tatiana Soto, Cameron Steele, Hannah Haskin, and Andrew Cochrane, and juniors Stephen Scott, Kathryn Wright, and Megan Goudy gather on the field after the Homecoming ceremony.

Volume 13, Issue 2 October 18, 2013

Cardinal Gibbons High School - 1401 Edwards Mill Rd Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Homecoming night celebrates Gibbons’ past

Photo by Nicole Howren/Gibbons Media

Homecoming king and queen Brandon Bales and Davis-Ann Bilodeau ride off the field after the Homecoming ceremony at halftime of the football game against Cedar Ridge.

By Anthony Palumbo News Editor Homecoming weekend featured many people creating new memories and looking back fondly at old times at Gibbons.

In addition to the traditional football game , the naming of the Homecoming court, and the announcement of the Homecoming King and Queen on Friday, September 27, the following weekend consisted of alumni activities and reunions, as well.

For many of the alumni who got to see the new campus additions during Homecoming and alumni weekend, it was a trip back down memory lane.

Being able to come back into contact with so many pieces of Gibbons history which are now featured at the school has made the new Gibbons campus a place where Gibbons memories will never perish.

“Seeing all the new pieces of history was very moving and nostalgic.

Everything old is really new again.

Now the new campus feels more like ‘home’,” said Leslie Bryant ’82.

Bryant was one of roughly 250 alumni who were involved in one of the many activities that took place between Friday, September 27 and Sun-

day, September 29. Activities included Homecoming night festivities like the alumni reception before the game and at halftime, the alumni tailgate, the football game itself, individual class events, and the Sunday Family Fun Picnic.

Homecoming activities kicked off with tailgating which was especially notable because of the large alumni presence on campus for this first year with the newly expanded and renovated spaces open for use.

For many current students it was neat to see how members of the Gibbons family who have already graduated, interact with existing, and even future, Gibbons students.

“It was really great to see so many members of the Gibbons community past present and future, come together for the sole purpose of showing school spirit. It’s inspiring to witness alumni and elementary schoolers, as well as current Gibbons students, together as a community,” said junior Kathryn Baker.

Adding to the tailgating atmosphere, the drum line, led by percussion teacher Hal Sargent and junior Katherine Gora Combs, marched through the parking lot playing their

pre-game beat to signal that the game would soon begin.

The night was highlighted by the 56-28 Gibbons win over conference foe Cedar Ridge.

At halftime, the Homecoming court was presented on the field and the Homecoming king and queen were announced.

Receiving the honors were seniors Brandon Bales and Davis Ann Bilodeau. After they were crowned, they left the field riding on the back of a red convertible, waving to the crowd.

The Homecoming court is nominated by a vote by the upperclassmen.

Juniors can nominate two boys and two girls and seniors can nominate five boys and five girls. The homecoming court is then interviewed by a committee of students and teachers, who then choose who the king and queen should be, based on a number of criteria.

According to Mike Rogosich, Assistant Principal of Student Activities, this allows upperclassmen input on who they want to represent them before the school,.

“We have it as a way to honor some seniors and allow the senior class to put their peers whom they choose on a pedestal. It gives them the chance to say, ‘This is who we really think exemplifies what Gibbons is all about’,” said Rogosich.

The court included four members who were nominated last year in seniors Dante DiMaggio, Morgan Reid,

Cameron Steele, and Hannah Haskin, along with juniors Kathryn Wright, Stephen Scott, Meghan Goudy, and Stephen Albright. Seniors John Cunningham, Tatiana Soto, Andrew Cochrane, Alexa Pursley were the final nominees.

The court was then led out

by Katherine Nanney/ onto the field Photo Landmark Yearbook

by David Mills Homecoming court (son of athletic members juniors trainer David Steven Albright and Mills), Miran- Megan Goudy process the field for da Rogosich onto the Homecoming (daughter of as- ceremony. sistant principal Michael Rogosich), and Riggin Wright (daughter of football coach Steven Wright).

The halftime ceremony was kicked off by alumna Bonnie Graham ‘63 singing “America the Beautiful.”

The turnout for the first night of homecoming/alumni weekend turned out to be a success, full of nostalgia from seeing the old history incorporated into the new building.

Continued on page 2

Photo by Rachelle Garbarine/Gibbons Media

Gibbons alumni from the class of 2008 gathered together in the new Crusader room to celebrate their 5 year high school class reunion.

Shortened Spirit Week still brings the fun

Themed dress-down days, tie-dye, car decorating highlight the week

By Stephanie Todd News Editor A flurry of activities ranging from tie-dye-stained hands on Wednesday to the buzz of pep in the hallways on Friday marked this year’s Spirit Week. which took place September 24- 27.

“You have to think about all the components that have to come together. You’ve got Homecoming court, dress-down days, car decorating contests, chili challenge and alumni events,” said Mike Rogosich, Assistant Principal of Student Activities, summing up the crazy commotion that goes on this special week each year.

“I loved Spirit Week because it was fun to see all the classes coming together and getting pumped for Homecoming,” said junior Laura Hart.

Spirit Week is a favorite among many in the Gibbons community, with costumes in sight each day and excitement in the air, helping everyone get excited for the Homecoming football game and activities.

Every year the Executive Student Council comes up with original ideas for themed days for students to dress up.

“Honestly, Spirit Week is my favorite week of the year. It’s a change of pace to see everyone come together as a family to ignore the stress of school,” said senior Andrew Cochrane Executive Student Council President.

“My favorite part about Spirit Week is getting to see how creative people are and how much school spirit everyone has,” said sophomore Nicole Davis.

The theme days this year were Thrift Shop Tuesday, Wild West Wednesday, Childhood Thursday, and Tie-dye Friday.

There was no school on Monday of Spirit Week this year due to the Triangle Area Diocesan Catholic School Conference but the extra day off only added to the festive feelings, despite there being one less themed day than normal.

“It was good. Everybody loves having a day off from school,” said freshman Nicole McCormick.

Thrift Shop Tuesday was a day in which students rocked their goodwill finds.

“My favorite day was Thrift Shop Tuesday because it was so original and there were so many options for what to wear,” said junior Jessica Henion.

Photo by Ashley Herbert/Landmark yearbook

Junior Marisa Jerden during the Girls Gridiron game on Tuesday of Spirit Week.

Check us out online at www.cghsnc.org/newspaper and follow us on Twitter @newspapercghsnc Cover Photo by Rachel Hebert/Gibbons Media

Page design by Managing Editor Sean Feick

The Crusader 2

News

October 18, 2013

Learning Commons comes to life NHS welcomes new members

By Anthony Palumbo News Editor

Photo by Sean Feick/The Crusader

Students enjoy the new furniture in the Learning Commons to work and hang-out.

By Sean Feick Managing Editor The finishing touch on the Learning Commons in the new academic wing was completed when new tables and chairs were installed in September, creating a place where students can gather to study, work, or just hang out.

The new space, featuring floor-toceiling windows facing the quad and library, now includes several sets of modern chairs and tables.

“When I see students before school playing chess, after school playing ping pong, during lunch periods studying for tests together, it looks exactly like a great college library should look like,”

On Sunday, September 29, 228 juniors and seniors capped off a busy Homecoming weekend with their induction into the National Honor Society.

“Being inducted into NHS was an almost surreal experience. After working so hard at Gibbons my first three years, it was so rewarding being able to walk up on stage and receive my certificate,” said senior Rachel Hebert.

Parents and students assembled in the Father Price Gymnasium where parents looked on as their children walked across the stage and received their certificates.

“My hope is that the students who were inducted feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments, as well as an excitement and enthusiasm towards being involved in all of the activities and opportunities that NHS offers here,” said NHS moderator Jen Cipriano.

Not only is this experience a big

said Mike Rogosich, Assistant Principal of Student Activities.

The space, which according to Rogosich was loosely based on the example of several college libraries, is used by students throughout the day, including during class.

Many students have already started to appreciate the new area as a place to relax and hang out.

“It has a lot more places to hang out with people. There’s a lot more furniture so it’s a great place to study,” said freshman Bennett Schuman.

While some note that, though new, it seems to fit right into Gibbons.

“It reminds me so much of how the old fades into the new,” said junior Xander Saleh.

Homecoming brings alums back continued from page 1

“A highlight of the evening was when the class of 1963, who was celebrating their 50th reunion, realized that the floor in the Crusader Room was the same floor as the gym on the Western Boulevard campus. Many of them had not seen that flooring since they had graduated from high school 50 years ago,” said Joey Hoying ‘99, Alumni Coordinator.

Hoying was involved in setting up many of the alumni events that occurred on Friday, but most importantly he was in charge of the reunions on Saturday and Sunday. Classes with reunions included ’63, ’66, ’68, ’83, ’88, ’98, ’03, and ’08.

On Saturday, individual classes held their reunion events, ranging from a fancy restaurant atmosphere to a get-together at a classmate’s house.

On Sunday, some alumni returned to campus for a picnic & tours of the new additions along with kid’s games including a bounce house.

Sunday was kicked off with the Family Fun Picnic in the new pavilion on campus where alumni could view the beams of their old gym, which holds up the roof of the pavilion. Being able to see all aspects of the old Father Price

Gymnasium which are now included in the current building, including the baselines, floor, and beams, brought many alumni back in time to their high school days.

“For us the old gym was a multipurpose center. It housed our sporting events, drama events, school dances and just about anything you could think of. Seeing the center court served as a reminder of the commitment of the administration to preserve the pieces of history from Western Boulevard and translate them to the Edwards Mill campus for current students to be a part of,” said theology teacher Gary Meyerl ’82.

Homecoming weekend really allowed for the alumni to take a step back and realize how fortunate these current students are, but it also allowed them to really reconnect with the Gibbons community.

“The alumni who returned for Homecoming Weekend were amazed at the facilities we have today. They spoke of how blessed and fortunate the current students are and the different opportunities that will be available to them during their high school careers,” said Hoying.

Photo by Rachelle Garbarine/ Advancement

Gibbons alumni pose for a group picture in the new Crusader room during Homecoming on Friday, September 27.

Page design by Online News Editor Erik Borchers

deal for students, but it is also an emotional moment for parents, too.

“I looked out in the crowd after I received my certificate to see my mom in tears. It was really something I will never forget,” said Hebert.

Students can qualify for NHS during sophomore year if they get a 3.5 grade point average or above. But students also can apply to NHS at the end of the first semester of junior year, and accepted students are inducted at the beginning of their senior year.

When a student applies to NHS they are required to make an application listing all their extra-curricular activities, and their class selection.

The application is then read over by the academic council, which is made up of a group of teachers who judge the student based on character, leadership, and service.

“I think our goal for NHS here at Gibbons is to identify students who exemplify those qualities and to provide them with opportunities to use those qualities to benefit not only our school, but also the community,” said Cipriano.

Photo by Mike Koppinger/ Landmark Yearbook

Principal Jason Curtis congratulates new NHS inductees during the NHS induction ceremony on Sunday, September 29.

Spirit Week connects Gibbons continued from page 1 Wild West Wednesday featured many students opting for the cowboy look though a cactus was not out of the ordinary, evident by junior Katie Hall’s costume.

“Wild West Wednesday was so much fun. It’s interesting to see what people do with it because there are so many options. It’s like being a little kid at Halloween again and we [can] dress like cowgirls and Indians,” said junior Meg Daly.

Thursday was Childhood Day and students were encouraged to come to school dressed as anything reminiscent of their early years.

Some wore onesies and brought pacifiers while others still came to school sporting costumes of childhood friends such as Mickey Mouse or, as exhibited by a group of senior girls, the Seven Dwarves.

For some, Childhood Day was an excuse to go all out.

“Childhood Day was a day I really pushed to have for Spirit Week this year. I mean, the sky is the limit on this day. Once I saw the Tubby outfit at the store, it was a match made in heaven.

I’m very glad it was a hit amongst the community,” said Cochrane, who wore a purple Teletubby costume all day.

His outfit was one of the costume winners of the day.

Friday was Tie-dye Day thus bright colorful clothing was apparent everywhere, including on shoes, socks, shirts, and even pants. Many students took advantage of the tie-dye event run

by English teacher Julie Perry which took place after school on Wednesday on the campus green in the front of the school.

“Tie-dye Day was probably my favorite, only because we had a big school event that Wednesday where we had teachers and students tie-dying together. [Junior] Cheyenne Pieronne was tie-dying extra shirts to give to

kids at tailgating. That’s where it all comes together,” said Rogosich.

It was moments such as these where Spirit Week extends beyond the fun and games and truly emphasizes Gibbons as a community.

“A lot of faculty and staff really support spirit week here and understand that kids need something more than pure academics. We understand there is more to life than SAT scores, there is more to learning than SAT scores,” said Rogosich.

Students feel the involvement of the whole community was a key to this’s year Spirit Week.

“What makes Spirit Week so much fun is to see everyone participating,” said Henion.

“It was definitely a success. Never have I seen so many people participating in all the fun,” said Cochrane.

Photo by Nicole Howren/Gibbons Media

Senior Dante DiMaggio leads the team before the Homecoming game on Friday, September 27, capping off Spirit Week.

October 18, 2013

The Crusader 3

Pep rally wraps up homecoming week

Event gets students pumped for homecoming game

By Rebecca Camak Inside and Out Editor All of the fall sports teams, student body, and of course assistant principal Mike Rogosich gathered together on September 27 for the first pep rally of the year.

Taking place in the Father Price Gymnasium, Gibbons packed all four grade levels for a celebration of fall sports and a preview of the homecoming football game that took place that night.

“I thought it was one of the best pep rallies yet,” said senior Lucy Barreto.

All the fall sports were recognized, with a few words from the captains, and a spirited slideshow of pictures of fall sports teams was paired with intense pump-up music.

The pep rally skits were compiled

together with help from Green Army Generals. The skit started off with a “non-spirited” Gibbons, while a tour group went on a journey to try and find the spirit of Gibbons.

“The skits were my favorite, they are always out-of-the-box and deal with the hot trends that are going on right now, which makes them more relatable and funnier,” said senior Alex Ingerson.

The tour group then traveled to the land of minions and hung out with the cast of Despicable Me, where they obtained the spirit. They then traveled to vine world, and eventually arrived back to Gibbons to distribute the spirit to the school, and awakened the cheer and dance teams.

Photo by Rachel Hebert/ Landmark Yearbook

Mike Rogosich, assistant principal of student activites, starts the pep rally with a prayer.

Photo by Madyson Kneer/Landmark Yearbook

The dance team preformed their signature wrap-up dance with other students and athletes. This year’s dance was hip hop themed.

Photo by Mike Koppinger/Landmark Yearbook

The band deparment showcases all its hardwork so with some special preformances at the pep rally. Led by Hal Sargent, precussion teacher, the students fill the gym with renditions of pop songs, as well as the infamous drumline solo towards the end of the preformance.

Page design by Inside and Out Editor Rebecca Camak, Editor-In-Chief Brennan Doherty and News Editor Erik Borchers.

Photo by Rachel Hebert/Landmark Yearbook

Senior Trevor Lenzmeier and math teacher Jenifer Cipriano act as a couple touring Gibbons in the pep rally skit.

Photo by Katherine Nanney/ Landmark Yearbook

English teacher Michael Friedman and students act as characters from the hit movie “Descpicable Me”. Students dressed as minions and Friedman as the mad scientest.

MAESTRO

The Crusader 4

Gibbons Club KICKB

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As the club presence at Gibbons continues to grow, so does our coverage of clubs here at The Crusader.

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With that in mind, our staff presents Club Hub, the place to learn about and find out more about how to get involved with the clubs at Gibbons.

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Perhaps you might be more interested in a certain club after reading about it. Students in the Media I class are covering a club of their choice every issue.

As the year moves on, expect more coverage of clubs here at Gibbons in the paper and on each club’s website page at www.cghsnc.org/ clubs. !

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Photo by EJ Walsh/Gibbons Media

Bocce is an Italian sport where you throw or roll colored balls (“bocci”) towards a target ball (“pollino”).The club plays Wednesdays on the campus green. All are welcome!

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Moderator: Dan Jukic

Contact: Senior newspaper Editor in Chief Brennan Doherty, senior yearbook editors Maryanne Fisher and Maddie Smith

German Club

Moderator: Stefanie Lang

Club profile

Officers: Senior Cody Nagy, junior McKenize Shrick, junior Joey Edmond

Margaret McFarland Media 1

Club profile

The new Gibbons Media Club is for any students who are interested in being a part of Gibbons yearbook, newspaper, photojournalism, literary magazine, and creative video.

“Students who are interested in any of our media programs will learn more about all of them by coming to Media Club,” said club moderator and media/newspaper teacher Dan Jukic.

Students who are members of the Media Club can expect to learn both how to cover events for Gibbons media and also about the use of social media tools.

“Media Club can be for anybody who is interested in learning how to cover events,” said Jukic.

According to Jukic, one hope for the club is that media coverage will become more efficient by having media students report one event for multiple Gibbons Media outlets. Also, Jukic is working with the drama programs to have freshmen and sophomore drama students who are willing to report on their own projects also be a part of the Gibbons Media Club so that better information can be shared about drama productions.

The club meets every Wednesday after school in room 107 but interested students can stop by room 107 any time. Contact Dan Jukic, the moderator, with any questions at djukic@cghsnc.org.

Kylie Hopkins Media 1 Spanish teacher Stefanie Lang, moderator of the new German Club, is looking forward to German Club this year. Students of all grade levels are able to join German Club, and you don’t have to know German to attend.

“Students have been asking me to start this club for years,” said Lang, when asked about how the idea got started.

Forty-two students attended the first meeting in room 213, giving the club a great beginning; though anyone is welcome to join, even if they missed the first meeting. German Club has two co-presidents, senior Cody Nagy and junior McKenzie Shrick, and a treasurer, junior Joey Edmond, who potential club members can contact with any questions that they have about German Club.

“Meetings will have monthly themes. [In October] we are going to have an Oktoberfest celebration,” said Lang.

Lang talked about how German food will be incorporated into the club, and all of these elements combined can provide club members with a great insight into German culture.

Off campus meetings will also be a part of giving students hands on experiences to get them involved in the German culture and lifestyle, thus giving them the opportunity to increase their knowledge and expand their cultural viewpoint of Germans and their way of life, according to Lang.

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Page Design by adviser Dan Jukic. Intro by Editor-in-Chief Brennan Doherty. Profiles by Media I students.

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October 18, 2013

The Crusader 5

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Ping Pong Club

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Gibbons Ping Pong Club is for any students or faculty who enjoy or want to learn how to play Ping Pong.

“Not everybody can do certain skills. If you are willing to learn how to play Ping Pong, you can find your niche,” said Gary Meyerl, club moderator and Theology teacher.

“My hope for the Ping Pong Club is for the club to keep growing. Being a part of the club has been a fun way to relax and have some competitive fun after school,” said sophomore Jim Mantyh, co-president of the club.

The club meetings generally have a high turnout, so they are always looking to get more tables, paddles, and balls.

Ping Pong Club meets on Wednesdays after school in either the Learning Commons or the cafeteria. Everybody is welcome. Contact sophomore club leaders Jim Mantyh, Jacob Do, Drew Heffring, or email club moderator Gary Meyerl at gmeyerl@cghsnc.org with questions.

Jason Curtis is not only Gibbons principal, but also the moderator for Surf Club. This fun, student-initiated club is all about “teaching people how to surf,” said Curtis.

About 100 students gathered in the cafeteria for a brief meeting about the upcoming year in August. The first surf trip of 2013 took place on September 28 at Wrightsville Beach.

If you don’t know how to surf, no worries. Members will be taught about the ancient Hawaiian sport of he’enalu or “wave-sliding.” Surf Club provides surf lessons and board rentals for beginners, as well.

This club is open to all students, faculty, and staff members of all skill levels.

Email moderator Jason Curtis jcurtis@cghsnc.org for further information.

Photo by Julia Ryan/Gibbons Media

Ping Pong Club welcomes new members of all skill levels.They can be found playing in the Learning Commons most Wednesdays after school.

The Surf Club during their first surfing trip of the year.

Photo courtesy of Surf Club.

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Lancer Club

Moderator: Pat Gallagher Club profile Tori Canada Media 1

The Lancer Club allows students to do service for both their community and church organizations. Students are also given the opportunity to participate in social activities.

Lancer Club gives it members the opportunity to explore possible careers and colleges in health care and social work, by allowing its members to work with the different groups in our community, according to www.cghsnc. org/lancerclub.

The next event for Lancer Club was the Busch Gardens trip, which took place on September 21. This trip included sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

One of the sophomores who attended the trip was Kathryn Burns.

“I love Busch Gardens! I can’t wait to ride the roller coasters,” said Burns, before the trip.

The students aren’t the only ones excited, moderator and Theology teacher Patricia Gallagher said in a letter to participants, “The chaperones and I are very happy you decided to come with us and are very much looking forward to spending the day with you.”

Any student at Cardinal Gibbons can be involved in Lancer Club. To get involved contact moderator and Theology teacher, Patricia Gallagher at pgallagher@cghsnc.org.

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National Honor Society Moderator: Jen Cipriano Club profile Jackie Kirsch Media 1

The National Honor Society (NHS) does service projects throughout the school year. Each member is required to do two service projects, benefiting the school and the community, per semester. NHS has one meeting a month after school.

The major service project that NHS organizes is the Toy Drive at Christmas for under-privileged children, according to math teacher and NHS moderator Jen Cipriano.

In order to become a member of NHS you must be a junior or senior, and can join by filling out an application in which you write an essay and are evaluated in the areas of leadership, character, and service by faculty members.

Any junior or senior with a 3.5 GPA or above can apply.

NHS not only tries to build the academic character of students, but also “To promote scholarship, leadership, character, and service,” said Cipriano.

“It is a very fulfilling experience,” said Gabby Wells, senior member of NHS. Interested in NHS? Contact club moderator Jen Cipriano at jcipriano@ cghsnc.org.

And that's not all of them!

See the full club listing at www.cghsnc.org/clubs!

The Crusader 6

October 18, 2013

‘Grease is the word’ around Gibbons

JV drama prepares for opening night of year’s first production

By Caroline Young Arts & Entertainment Editor

Make way for “Grease Lightning”this year’s fall production is the musical Grease, which is being staged by the JV drama program.

The show opens on Thursday, October 24, with a 7:30 p.m. show in the main theater.

The cast consists of 25 underclassmen, featuring sophomores Riley Hough and Cristina Duchesne playing the lead roles of Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson, respectively. The one upperclassman is senior Jason Adas, who is joining the cast in the role of Teen Angel.

The students began auditioning for the show in late August. General auditions were hosted, and then callbacks for the individual characters occurred after the cast list was posted. Rehearsals began in early September.

“I did not expect it (being cast as Sandy). I was so excited. Rehearsals have been going pretty well. Everyone is really excited and happy,” said Duchesne.

“I was especially (excited) when I saw the cast list. There are a lot of freshmen in the cast and that allows for

more people to be a part of the drama program, which is what we need,” said Hough.

Of the relatively small cast, nine members are freshmen. Freshman Jane Vista had never experienced Gibbons drama before joining the cast of Grease as Marty.

“It’s bigger than I expected it to be, but it’s a lot more fun,” said Vista.

“I’m having a lot of fun with it. It’s a great way to get involved with people from school,” said freshman Catherine Zachary, who is playing Rizzo. “I’m so excited, but at the same time I’m really nervous.”

The play is being directed by drama teacher Michelle Giannini. Dance teacher Brooks Owens is choreographing the show and drama teacher Kevin Ferguson is the producer.

“Rehearsals have been excellent.

The cast is very impressive. They’ve learned the blocking and the music in two and a half weeks,” said Giannini.

“I’m excited for the underclassmen to be doing so well; musicals are hard.

Every time I walk into rehearsals I get excited because they’re doing such a good job,” said Ferguson.

Ferguson is also the director of the

Photo by Caroline Young/The Crusader

Photo by Caroline Young/The Crusader

The cast of Grease has been working hard to bring all aspects of the show together.

Above, the Greasers work on the musical number “Grease Lightening”.

varsity show Our Town, which was recently cast and will be opening in late November.

One of the most interesting props used in Grease is the car that will be used in the number “Grease Lightening”. The show managed to get the front half of a car sent down from New York City to use in the show.

As the opening date grows closer, the cast of Grease grows both more excited and more anxious about putting on the show for the Gibbons community.

“Rehearsals are getting more pressured since we’re getting closer to the show, so it’s getting stressful, but at the same time everyone is having fun,” said Duchesne.

“We’re anxious. I think at this point we just want an audience. They’re ready for an audience. We’re also very excited. It’s that stressful cram time,” said Giannini.

Despite the stress, the entire cast is eagerly waiting for the thrill of opening night.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the upperclassmen and teachers reaction to a JV show. Being JV sometimes

discredits us, and I’m just excited to show them that we’re better than they give us credit for,” said Hough.

One of the most enticing aspects of the show is its familiarity. From Greasers to Pink Ladies and school dances to drag racing, Grease has characters and songs that are recognized by people of all ages.

“I think the audience is going to get excited when ‘Summer Nights’ starts, since it’s an iconic song.

They’re going to want to sing along.

Oh, and when they see the car,” said Giannini.

“On opening night, I’m looking forward to the audience and that we get to bring to life a show that everyone knows. We get to have fun on stage and portray the characters from Grease,” said Duchesne.

“I’m just excited for the audience to see it and the audience’s reaction to it. It’s an iconic show and I feel like the cast has brought a lot of truth to the characters,” said Giannini. “This cast is like a huge family; they’re very close. I think they would go up tomorrow if they could they’re so excited.”

Chorus teacher Martha Zaldivar helps the cast with vocal warm-ups before beginning rehearsals in the main theater. Zaldivar is one of the many fine arts teachers who has been helping with Grease.

Guest dancer visits Gibbons from NYC

Professional dancer comes to teach students in dance program

Photo from Gibbons Dance Twitter (@dance_cghsnc)

Mishay Petronelli, a professional dancer from New York City, will visit Gibbons on Friday, October 18.

By Stephanie Todd News Editor On October 18, Mishay Petronelli from New York will join dance classes at Gibbons during fifth through eighth periods to bring new moves to the program, as well as share her experiences.

Page design by Arts & Entertainment Editor Caroline Young

The Gibbons dance program is quite celebrated and bringing in guest teachers helps further develop the program.

Petronelli is a principal dancer for the professional dance company Dana Foglia Dance in New York City. Dance teacher Brooks Owens saw Petronelli’s

performance when she was in New York in August, which first sparked the idea of having her visit Gibbons.

“The performance and dances were amazing. I then met her when she was guest teaching at Carolina Dance Center in Raleigh at the end of August, and I took her dance classes,” said Owens.

Owens is very excited about Petronelli visiting Gibbons and she knows that her dance program will represent Gibbons in a good manner.

“I am so excited for Mishay to meet my students and inspire them. I know my students will represent Gibbons very well. I want her to leave feeling like Gibbons Dance is something special- a place to express, create, and just be yourself,” said Owens.

Petronelli, who danced on Saturday Night Live last Saturday, has been in Los Angeles teaching and dancing this month.

Owens is working with two other dance studios from the area to bring Petronelli down to Raleigh, giving her a chance to showcase her contemporary hip-hop style that she will be teaching to the Gibbons students.

“Petronelli’s choreography draws from her diverse training and performance experience and blends classical line and technique with street techniques, athleticism and her own unique approach to contemporary movement,” said Owens.

“I am very excited about the guest teacher from New York. I hope she offers inspiring advice about being a professional dancer in the heart of the city where show business thrives,” said junior Alex Yanoschak, a student in Dance

II.

The dance classes often have guest teachers, bringing new personality and character to the studio.

“Since I started teaching at Gibbons eight years ago it has been my dream to bring an NYC professional dancer and teacher to teach master classes at Gibbons,” said Owens.

While this is the first teacher from New York, there have been numerous guest teachers at Gibbons over the years.

Robert Hartwell who was dancing in Memphis on Broadway was a favorite among students when he came down a couple of years ago.

There is currently a contemporary ballet choreographer, Lindsay Shaw, working with three advanced ballet dancers for the fall dance concert.

In addition, there is Casey Noblett working on a piece for Dance VI. Alumni often come back to teach; Dana Jordan ’12 and Emily Schumann ’13 have both returned this year.

“I’m really looking forward to it.

It’s like sending New York City to Gibbons instead of flying 170 students to New York City to take dance classes.

Who knows, maybe that’s my next goal?” said Owens in anticipation for this class.

For live updates about Mishay Petronelli’s visit, follow the Gibbons Dance twitter account at @dance_cghsnc

October 18, 2013

The Crusader 7

Volleyball remains undefeated with playoffs nearing

Crusaders end regular season with win on senior night

Photo by Sean Biette/Gibbons Media

The Gibbons volleyball team played against perennial power Apex on Saturday, October 5. Gibbons defeated Apex two sets to one. Gibbons also played powerhouse Leesville Road earlier on that afternoon and won in straight sets.

By Preston Moser Sports Editor The Gibbons Volleyball team continued on the trail to a fifth straight state title as they defeated Chapel Hill on Tuesday, October 15 on senior night in four sets.

The seniors that were honored at the game were Cheyenne Wood, Amy Robertson, Erin Quinn, and Bianca Gartner.

With the victory, Gibbons now moves to 22-0 overall, and 14-0 in con-

ference play.

However, Gibbons will most likely deal with some issues that come with being one of the state’s top teams.

Head coach Logan Barber says that winning year after year creates some adversity for the team.

“The first thing is it definitely draws a target on your back. When you play people you definitely get their best shot.

The other part is the kids sometimes

Tennis moves on in state playoffs

get the idea that they’re supposed to win it every year, which is good, but sometimes they can get a little anxious about it,” said Barber.

Earlier this year, Gibbons, the top ranked team in the triangle according to The News and Observer, faced its biggest challenge of the year when they faced two of the triangle’s top ranked teams in Apex and Leesville.

The Crusaders swept the double-

header, defeating Leesville in straight sets and Apex 3-1, respectively.

After defeating Apex and Leesville Road, Gibbons picked up wins over Durham Jordan, Southern Durham and Cedar Ridge.

Gibbons’ victory against Southern Durham clinched the regular season Big Eight conference championship for the Crusaders.

Women’s golf closes out fantastic regular season

Photo courtesy of Greg Greksa

Photo by Nicole Howren/Gibbons Media

Junior Maggie Reilly plays against Wilson Hunt in the first round of the NCHSAA 3A state playoffs on Tuesday, October 15.

Cheyenne Wood Production Editor

The Gibbons women’s tennis team defeated Wilson Hunt 7-1 in the first round of the NCHSAA state playoffs on Tuesday, October 15.

One week earlier on October 9, Gibbons won the Big Eight conference tournament. The event was held at Orange high school The day before the conference tournament Gibbons celebrated their senior night by sweeping Chapel Hill 6-0. Senior captains Andie Fitzgerld, Millie Piggott, and Catherine Monaco wrapped up their senior season undefeated in conference with a 12-0 record. The team’s overall regular season record is 23-1.

According to head coach Andrew

Tuttle, the team had a successful regular season.

“I feel like it went really well, we played a lot of good teams and had a lot of good outcomes, we improved a lot [from last season],”said Tuttle.

Tuttle and the team have high hopes for the playoffs.

“Our goal is to win the state championship. We lost in the semi-finals last year so that’s been a goal of ours from the start of the season. Win or lose, I want us playing out best tennis of the season in the playoffs,” said Tuttle.

Gibbons will travel to undefeated Eastern Wayne Tuesday, October 22 for the second round of 3A playoffs.

Page design by Sports Editor Andrew Schnittker and Editor-In-Chief Brennan Doherty

Junior Ellen Smith takes a swing during a match versus Ravenscroft. Smith, a captain on the team, is one of the squad’s most talented players according to head coach Greg

Erik Borchers Online Editor The Gibbons women’s golf team has had a great season this year according to first-year head coach Greg Greksa.

“We are undefeated so far this year in conference,” said Greksa.

Gibbons’ only loss of the season came against St. Mary’s on October 8.

“We lost by three overall. It was bad,” said junior captain Ellen Smith.

The Crusaders also tied St. Mary’s earlier on during the season.

The squad is composed of 11 members, down from 21 last year.

According to Smith, the year has been a success not just because of good play on the course, but because of the way the team has bonded together.

“I felt like the regular season went very well. I’ve created bonds with the team. We are all friends outside of golf.

We text and hang out like a family,” said Smith.

Despite having a smaller roster this season, Gibbons is still very talented.

“We have three consistent players: captains Ellen Smith and Caroline O’Neil, and Liesl Miranda. Ellen and Caroline went to regionals last year, hopefully states this year. Caroline O’Neil has been a medalist two times this season and is in position to be selected as player of the year,” said Greksa.

Gibbons played in the conference tournament on Tuesday, October 15 against Carrboro, Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill and Northwood. Gibbons won the event with a team score of 253.

O’Neil led Gibbons with a score of 77, while Smith had a score of 86, and Miranda finished with a 90.

SPORTS

October 18, 2013

The Crusader 8

Men’s soccer improving re- Cross country carries strong start late into season cord after slow start Team coming off shutout win

Photo by Kathleen Larson/ Landmark Yearbook

Women’s team stays dominant

Photo courtesy of Gibbons cross country

Photo courtesy of Gibbons cross country

Senior Cameron Steele fights for the ball with an Orange defender as his freshman teammate Drew Rabil (left) attempts to get open. Gibbons defeated Orange 2-0 on Wednesday, October 2, 2013.

Senior Mary Grace Doggett runs during the Maymont Invitational on September 28.

Sophomore Sophie Ebihara runs at the Adidas Invitational on September 21, 2013.

Andrew Mihok Sports Editor After suffering two loses in the Wake County Cup to Garner and Sanderson to open up the season, the Gibbons men’s soccer team has bounced back and is now 13-4-1.

Gibbons’ latest loss came on the road at conference rival Chapel Hill, but the Crusaders have rebounded with four straight victories.

“The one thing that this team does is they keep getting better. We’ve had a couple things go against us earlier on and we’ve responded each time,” said head coach Tim Healy.

A year following a defeat in the semifinals of the NCHSAA 3A state playoffs to Jacksonville, the Crusaders are looking to get back to the state championship, which they won in 2010 and 2011.

The team is currently ranked 33rd in the state according to Maxpreps. com.

The squad is led senior captains Chase Rhode, Bryan Hall, and Cameron Steele.

Rhode believes that this team will continue to improve and they all have bonded as the season has progressed.

“We have all become a family with

a common goal for a state championship. Everyone brings their own unique personality to the team and I think this will be a fun team to watch when the playoffs come around,” said Rhode.

After the loss against Chapel Hill on September 30, Gibbons has defeated Orange 2-0, Northwood 5-0, Northern Vance 8-0, and J.F. Webb 9-0.

Senior Matt Springer recorded a hat trick in the game against Webb, and Steele and Rhode also both added a pair of goals.

Healy has a veteran group to work with, considering the fact that 19 of the 25 players are upperclassmen.

Rhode believes that the team has grown since their early season struggles and are continuing to improve each day.

“We have continued to get better throughout the whole season and we feel that we will continue getting better in order to win another state championship,” said Rhode.

Gibbons will face Southern Durham Wednesday, October 16th, who is currently 6-4-1.

The Crusaders defeated Southern Durham 7-1 earlier this season.

By Andrew Schnittker Sports Editor The Gibbons men’s and women’s cross country teams have continued their strong starts as the women’s team won the conference championship and the men’s team came in second on Tuesday, October 16.

After two early season meets, the teams had about three solid weeks of training before participating in the Adidas Challenge at Gibbons’ home course, Wake Med Soccer Park on September 21. According to head coach Nick Mangum, there were mixed results at the race, with some boys and some girls doing well.

“We had a little bit of everything,” said Mangum.

The women’s team performed very well with two runners finishing in the top five. Senior Mary Grace Doggett finished in third place and junior Sophie Ebihara was right behind her, in fourth place.

Junior runner JT Klimek led the men’s team with his 42nd place finish.

On September 28th, the teams raced at the Maymont Distance Festival in Richmond, Virginia. According to Mangum, the race went very well.

“I was very pleased with the result,

our runners were tough, it was a challenging course,” said Mangum.

Doggett came in third place at the event and Klimek had the best finish on the men’s team with a 26th place finish.

On Saturday, October 5 Gibbons competed in the Great American Cross Country Festival at Wake Med Soccer Park. Mangum said the results were not as good as the teams hoped they would be.

“It was a tough day, it was rough.

It was very hot, hotter than usual, and it slowed the results down,” said Mangum.

Though the results were not as the teams wanted them to be, Mangum knows that’s just the way it goes sometimes, and he views it as a learning experience.

“It doesn’t always go the way you planned. It’s not the end of the world,” said Mangum.

While the overall race fell short of expectations, there were individual runners who did well. Senior Mary Grace Doggett finished 9th overall with a time of 18:25.

Sophomore Connor Peeples also finished with a time of 17:00, and Mangum called his the “race of the day.”

By Brennan Doherty Editor-In-Chief

But before Gibbons could build off of the score, Southern Durham’s William Cameron returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, making the score 17-7.

Wright knows that giving up a score on a special teams play is tough to overcome against a team as talented as Southern Durham.

“That certainly took the wind out of our sail’s for a moment,” said Wright.

The Gibbons offense continued to move the ball on its next drive but all movement stalled when Gibbons couldn’t convert on fourth and five on the Southern Durham 15 yard-line.

That seemed to be the theme throughout the game for the Gibbons offense.

Despite gaining over 500 yards of total offense, the Crusaders turned the ball over on downs within the red zone three times “We really moved the ball extremely well. We were pleased with the game plan we had in place and the execution of it. But we had a tough time converting,” said Wright.

After Trowell’s second touchdown catch of the game, Southern Durham led 24-7 and Gibbons looked like they would strike back after a 65-yard catch

by Earl Gill that moved the ball down to the Southern Durham four-yard line, but Gibbons turned the ball over on downs once again.

A 10-yard touchdown catch minutes later by junior Derrick Mason put Southern Durham up by 24 points.

With seven seconds left in the first half, Gibbons scored on a four-yard

catch by Gill from quarterback Shawn Stankavage.

Stankavage’s performance was constantly affected by Southern Durham’s effective pass rush, but the senior quarterback still passed for 324 yards while completing 23 of his 42 passing attempts.

Stankavage did throw two interceptions, though.

The second of those interceptions came as Gibbons’ was driving deep into Southern Durham territory in the beginning of the second half. If Gibbons scored there, the Crusaders would trail by just ten points.

Instead, Southern Durham marched down the field and sophomore running back Jordan Brown scored on a 7-yard run.

Trailing 38-14 in the third quarter, it looked as if Gibbons was completely out of the game.

But after a touchdown runs by junior running back DJ Smith and Stankavage, Gibbons cut the lead to 10 points, 38-28 with over 11 minutes left in the game.

At that point, the Gibbons defense needed a stop desperately, but the Crusaders couldn’t get the Spartans off the field. Gibbons’ fate was completely sealed once sophomore running back Toney Bass scored on a seven-yard touchdown run, making it a three-possession game.

Although his team couldn’t pull of the comeback, Wright was happy with the way Gibbons continued to fight hard in the second half.

“It’s always encouraging. It was nice to see the guys rally despite where

we were in that point of the game. Certainly our guys never quit and I hope that continues to be a trait of the program while I’m here” said Wright.

With the loss, Gibbons falls to 5-2, and the Crusaders are no longer tied for first place in the Big Eight conference.

Gibbons will travel to Northern Vance next week.

Football falls to athletic Southern Durham team 45-28 The Gibbons defense had a tough time stopping a high-octane Southern Durham offense and the Crusader offense struggled to score in the red zone as Southern Durham defeated Gibbons 45-28.

The defeat was Gibbons’ first conference loss since 2008 and it’s the Crusaders’ second loss this season.

Led by junior quarterback Kendall Hinton, the Southern Durham offense scored on all but two possessions throughout the game.

“An extremely talented football team came here and they did a nice job executing,” said Gibbons head football coach Steven Wright about Southern Durham. “We had a lot of opportunities, we were in the football game and we just didn’t quite capitalize when we needed to.”

Southern Durham wasted no time getting things going as they led 10-0 less than six minutes into the game after a field goal and an 86-yard touchdown catch by senior wide receiver Maurice Trowell.

Trowell, a Shrine Bowl selectee, finished the game with two touchdowns total.

Gibbons showed some poise early on in the game as they answered back with a 20-yard touchdown run by senior Peyton Offnick.

As a team, Gibbons did an impressive job running the ball, compiling 206 rushing yards on 33 rushing attempts.

Page design by Sports Editor Andrew Schnittker and Editor-In-Chief Brennan Doherty

Photo by Kelly Brown/ The Crusader

Southern Durham senior wide receiver Maurice Trowell had two touchdowns in Southern Durham’s 45-28 win over Gibbons on October 11, 2013.