The Crusader - Issue 3 - December 2012 by Cardinal Gibbons High School

Merry Christmas!

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

Volume 12, Issue 3 December 10, 2012

Phase one of Vision nears completion

Photo by Dan Jukic/Gibbons Media

Photo by Caleb Maloney/The Crusader

The new arts and athletics wing will open for use in January 2013, when Gibbons returns from Christmas break. Steel began to go up in April 2012 (left). Workers install landscaping, one of the final steps before completion, in front of the new fine arts rooms on Tuesday (right). Both images show the corner of the building from the new driveway.

Ellyson Williams Editor-in-Chief After years of planning and eleven months of construction, phase one of Building the Vision is coming to an end. What has been a construction site since January 2012 will be open for student use in January 2013 when students move into the new classrooms and facilities of the arts and athletics wing. According to Assistant Principal of Student Life Mike Curatolo, there will be a formal blessing by Bishop Michael Burbidge during the Catholic Schools Week Mass on January 31, after which he will tour the new building. A formal building dedication will take place during the first school Mass next September. According to Principal Jason Curtis, a large number of people helped plan the building. Some people chose architects, some chose contractors, and others focused on planning. The Leadership Team—a group of people formed from school faculty, staff and administration—really started the planning and figured out how the new building would reflect the mission statement of the school, according to Curtis. “[We] went through a process

and talked about how they wanted the building to feel,” said Curtis. Needs for the school were identified six or seven years ago. “We wanted the building to accommodate what we want to do in the future,” said Curtis. The need for an addition began with the needs of the students, many of whom stay on campus for activities or just to hang out long after school hours are over, according to Curtis. There seems to always be something happening on campus, and Building the Vision planners wanted to encourage that. “Space allows people to do things. It doesn’t make people do things,” said Curtis. And plenty of space is what students are going to get. Here’s a rundown of all the changes and additions in the new arts and athletics wing: •A multi-purpose room will be used for health/PE classes, and wrestling and even cheerleading practice, thanks to the high ceiling. •A new, much larger weight room. •An auxiliary gym, which has six basketball hoops and the possibility of the addition of bleachers later, although there will not be any to start with.

According to Curatolo, the auxiliary gym will be used for various practices, wrestling meets, intramurals, among other activities. •One of the main features of the new building is the extensive use of natural light. Large windows run down both sides of the wing and the new entry features glass from doors to ceiling. •LED lights will keep the building brightly illuminated but energy efficient at night. •The art and photography rooms, located next to each other, will also provide plenty of natural light to students thanks to windows spanning the length of the rooms. •In addition, the art room contains track lighting in the middle of the room to better illuminate displays for stilllife drawing. The art room will also have two new kilns. •A studio theater with a grid ceiling system, a metal grid which spans the entire theater and allows students to move safely above the theater in order to adjust lighting. This is a safer system than having students on ladders or catwalks. •The studio theater also allows versatility in the placement of the actors and audience during a show, thanks

to a floor that can be reconfigured depending on the needs of the show. “The idea is to have an intimate theater,” said Curatolo. The studio theater will be used for small plays, theatre classes, and the JV theater program. •The existing theater, now to be called the “main theater”, has been fitted with “airlocks”, an area between the external and internal doors which will reduce noise and light when people enter or exit the theater. •The new dance room is larger than the old one and has harlequin floors, which are designed to reduce dancer injury. •The new music rooms, one of which will be used for guitar and chorus classes, have acoustical tiles mixed into the ceiling that reduce echo and improve sound. The other music room will be used for percussion and band. Both feature the room-length windows, as well. •There will also be a fine arts courtyard where a band can set up and play, which will be used for various events. According to Curatolo, the courtyard will be used during football games to entertain the fans that have to walk by it to get to the field.

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Students express generosity through annual Christmas Toy Drive

Theology teacher Patrick While students are given an Marisa Casson Dmytriw’s sophomore theology class incredible opportunity to donate, they Design Editor broke a record, as well, donating also get to share in a classic Gibbons The Gibbons community $1,502 dollars worth of donations, the event. supported the 18th annual National highest amount ever to be collected by “There are so many aspects of Honor Society Christmas Toy and a single class. Dmytriw’s class also won the Christmas Toy Drive that I love. Clothing Drive in record-breaking the per-capita-collected with $46.94 But my favorite memory of last year’s fashion this year, collecting $24,154 dollars per student. drive was delivering the toys to the dollars worth of donations, more than Dmytriw said that the key to Hispanic Center. Seeing the grateful any previous Toy and Clothing Drive raising so much money was not about faces of the Center’s workers as we total in Gibbons history. pushing the completion aspect, but piled in with bags of presents made Each homeroom class adopts a about reminding the students that this our impact tangible in my mind,” said child, buying clothes and toys for him child’s Christmas depended on them. National Honor Society president or her in hopes of gifting a Christmas to “I just pushed the idea that this Karthik Sundaram, in an interview via remember. A total of 50 children from kid’s Christmas was depending on Facebook message. either the Diocese of Raleigh Hispanic us and it’s important to help those in NHS moderator and librarian Dale Family Center or the Charlie Gaddy need. What I do was have everyone Foushee is always overjoyed with the Children’s Center will receive the gifts sign up for an item or category to passion the students display for the that Gibbons community members hold everyone accountable which gave gifts they give. Photo courtesy of Dale Foushee purchased. everyone a sense of ownership. Each “My favorite part is when the NHS Homeroom classes adopted 48 day, when they brought in gifts, I had students bring items in and they are so Theology teacher Patrick Dmytriw’s (left) sophomore theology class contributed children, while, collectively, any faculty everyone do a show-and-tell, which got excited,” said Foushee. $1502, a record for most donations by and staff member without a first period people really excited,” said Dmytriw. a single class, with the help of NHS reps class adopted two children. like senior JB Collins (right). Check us out online at www.cghsnc.org/newspaper and follow us on Twitter @newspapercghsnc Page design by Executive News Editor Caleb Maloney

News

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December 10, 2012

FromVision to reality: A look back by month

May

April

Photo by Caleb Maloney/The Crusader

After site preparation was completed during the winter, the first steel beams of the arts and athletics wing went up in April. In this view, the exterior wall of the existing theater is visible on the right along with the roof of the studio theater and auxiliary gym.

In May, the roof and exterior bricks were installed. This view is from the existing road, looking into the end of a fine arts room (right, with brick) and auxiliary gym (center).

August

June/July

Photo by Dan Jukic/Gibbons Media

In June and July, the exterior walls were nearly complete. This view is of the future front driveway and fine arts rooms. The open spaces are windows into the classrooms.

Photo by Dan Jukic/Gibbons Media

In August, exterior brick work was completed. This view is from the former athletics parking lot side. The future driveway into the lot is where the vehicles are parked here.

October

September

Photo by Caleb Maloney/The Crusader

In September, the exterior work was nearing completion and interior work was progressing quickly. This view is of the exterior of the auxiliary gym (grey area) from the existing road. The sets of doors on either end allow access to the gym and to the hallway between the gym and classrooms on either side.

Photo by Caleb Maloney/The Crusader

The future face of Gibbons took a major step forward in October. The future front entrance to the school is visible to the right (grey area and white supports) and the distinctive entrance rises above it. The new front driveway is in place along with the first windows of the new dance room.

November

December

Photo by Marisa Casson/The Crusader

The new front entrance approaches completion as all the glass is installed in the windows and doors. The distinctive “swoop” above the new lobby is visible to the right (outlined in yellow). Soon, a large cross—donated by the Class of 2012—will top the roof.

Continued from page 1 The existing building will also go through changes, due to Building the Vision. The current front entrance will lose the brick awning over the summer, and a raised drive will be added to the front of the new entrance. The current entrance will also be reduced to one set of doors. Inside, the hallway leading to the cafeteria will be widened about four feet, and a new set

of bathrooms will be installed near the current attendance office. The bathrooms across from the cafeteria will be removed. Another of the internal alterations will be a remodeling of the library, featuring a direct path to the courtyard between the existing building and the new academic wing still under construction. “It [will] look a little more like a college library…which is good for a campus,” said Curtis.

Page design by Executive News Editor Caleb Maloney. Captions by adviser Dan Jukic.

Photo by Caleb Maloney/The Crusader

This view is from the faculty/staff parking lot (former athletic lot) of the new multipurpose room (left windows) and fine arts classrooms (right windows). Note the taller roof to accommodate cheerleading practice. With interior and exterior work nearly complete, the arts and athletics wing is nearly ready for use.

Phase Two, consisting of an academic wing including additional classrooms and the student Learning Commons, is currently under construction and will be finished by August 2013, in time for the new school year. For more information and many more photos of the construction, please see the Building the Vision home page at www.cghsnc.org/buildingthevision

online News

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Sustainability Day raises awareness

Gibbons supports the eco-friendly movement

Photo by Megan Yates/The Crusader

Seniors Kristin Twomey (left) and Melissa Cox hang out with Can Man during Sustainability Day on November 6. Can Man was there to help raise awareness about the importance of recycling.

Caleb Maloney News Editor Despite a cold and gloomy day, many students took advantage of the opportunity to learn how to be more environmentally aware during the third annual Sustainability Day on Tuesday, November 6. Sustainability Day provided students an array of displays and handson activities involving environmental issues and many students, faculty and staff visited the displays in the temporary front parking lot and in the lobby during their lunch period or science class. Though displays in previous years featured some type of electric vehicles, this year three of the major electric cars currently on the market were on campus for students to compare and

learn more about. Students could sit in and examine an electric-gas hybrid Chevy Volt, an all-electric Nissan Leaf, and the all-electric plug-in Toyota Prius. Electric cars were not the only feature, however. There was also a focus on local sustainable food production such as employed by the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Farm and Raleigh City Farm. Science teacher and organizer Barbara Gamblin said one of the main goals of Sustainability Day is to help everyone realize that our environment is changing, for better or for worse. “I think the main goal is to help everyone realize that change is upon us in terms of the environment— the planet is changing and we are beginning to see it in droughts and

intense storms,” said Gamblin. Gibbons students also showed their interest in the environment by making their own displays for their peers to visit. The Mountain Biking Club came out to show other students how they refurbish used bikes. They also gave talks about how it is important to ride bikes in regards to helping keep the environment clean. “We started collecting and refurbishing the bikes to educate students how to properly maintain and repair a bicycle while also highlighting alternative transportation ideas,” said senior Michael Marchetta, a member of the Mountain Biking Club. Other supporters included the Global Crusaders, the Health Club, and senior Reid Luihn who made an exhibit on Photo by Jordan Watkins/Landmark Yearbook recycling recycled paper. “It has always been my Seniors Olivia Perry (left) and Stephanie Whitehope that students would cross try out the “Blender Bike,” a bike that uses become excited about the day the energy created from peddling to power the and want to help or present an blender. exhibit,” said Gamblin. Like the previous two years, the school year. It is more than a day. It iconic Can Man wandered throughout is about a change that we all must campus to remind people to recycle. make sooner rather than later,” said The blender bike also returned, Gamblin. “We are nowhere near done, which allows students to peddle on a but we have a great start, and I am stationary bike while the energy that very excited.” is created makes a milkshake in an attached blender. Like these stories? Senior Matt Wacenske also recognizes the importance of taking Stories on pages 3 and 4 care of the environment. were first published on The “We all like living in a clean world Crusader Online! [and] breathing clean air, and by protecting the See www.cghsnc.org/ environment we can keep newspaper in between print ourselves happy and the world happy,” issues to keep up with all the said Wacenske. Gamblin hopes Sustainability Day news at Gibbons! can become more than just a one day event, but rather a year-long task. Don’t forget to follow us on “One thing I would like to continue Twitter to work on is to carry the theme of @newspapercghsnc Sustainability Day throughout the

Halloween costume contest sparks creativity

Photo by Darsey Williams/Gibbons Media

Seniors Nick Despotes (left) and James Becherer (right) hang out with Principal Jason Curtis (middle) during the Halloween Costume Contest.

Andrew Schnittker Staff Writer

Even at Gibbons, it isn’t every day that you see the Avengers swimming in the Red Sea chasing an ostrich racer. But on Halloween, things get especially creative, as over 100 students participated in the annual Halloween costume contest in an effort to win a cash prize. Costume highlights included groups of students dressed as The Avengers, Scooby Doo and his gang, and Moses “parting” a Red Sea made up of students dressed in shades of red. Students said they enjoyed dressing up for Halloween for different reasons. Some, such as sophomore Andrew Orlikoff, who dressed in an inflatable ostrich costume, simply enjoyed receiving free candy. Others said they enjoy giving out candy, while others liked the opportunity to dress up as anything they could possibly think of. “I like Halloween because you can give out candy and it makes kids happy,” said sophomore Caroline Page design by Editor-in-Chief Ellyson Williams

Photo by Ashley Hebert/Landmark Yearbook

(from left to right) Juniors Nick Witham, Daniel Miles, Brandon Dini, James Daw, Rachel Herbert, Cathy Gaff dress as Scooby Doo and his gang for Halloween.

Hill. Others enjoy the opportunity to exercise their creativity and be someone or something else for a day. “I like Halloween because you can dress up as whatever you want for one day,” said sophomore Brett Ridenour. When asked about his favorite part of Halloween, senior Patrick Domville, a member of the Red Sea, said, “seeing all the other people’s costumes.” Besides being a fun opportunity for students to be creative and to have a break from the regular day-to-day life of high school, senior Dom Vellucci, executive student council president, said there’s another important reason for the Halloween costume contest. “It all comes down to keeping people excited through the fall. Sometimes after the first pep rally and homecoming, there is a decrease in the energy level of the school. This is a good way to boost the energy level,” said Vellucci. There was also the possibility to win a cash prize,

the money for which came from the money collected as students purchased $1 wristbands which allowed them to dress up for Halloween. The winners were announced during afternoon announcements on Halloween. From the students chosen by the teacher judges, senior Paul Spencer, who dressed as a hockey player on roller skates with a puck lodged in his forehead, was the third place winner. Freshman Heather Rahl, who was dressed in a dead bride costume, was the second place winner. Senior Nick Hackett, who dressed the part of Moses, along with everyone who was part of his Red Sea, won first place. The student judges chose sophomore Orlikoff as their third place winner and selected Vellucci, along with seniors Nick Despotes and James Becherer, who dressed as Q-tips, for second place. The first place winners from the student judges were a group of juniors dressed as Scooby Doo and his gang. Daniel Miles dressed as Shaggy, Brandon Dini was Scooby, Cathy Grath dressed as Velma, Rachel Hebert dressed as Daphne, and Nick Witham dressed as Fred.

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December 10, 2012

Students live in a box for a night Gibbons welcomes Anthony Palumbo Contributor While most students were still sleeping on Saturday, October 20, 21 Gibbons students arrived on campus to set up a camp site on the football field. This was not just any camp out, however. These students were preparing to sleep in a box for the night to experience what it is like to be a homeless person for a day during the annual Box-A-Thon fundraiser. Box-A-Thon is an outreach service project that was created by Director of Outreach Agnes Penny to help those in need in Raleigh. All proceeds go to the Shepherd’s Table Soup Kitchen, to which Gibbons provides volunteers every Monday of the year. “Doing this service project is my indirect way of helping those people that won’t accept help. It is a great way to raise awareness for this sad subject. This makes me want to do it year after year because I know I am helping people,” said Penny. Penny says the inspiration for the Box-A-Thon came from personal experience. “As a young girl I grew up with poor people on my family’s farm. I had no clue that they were homeless because of their amazing attitude towards everyone. One day I went to their house and saw how they were living; I was in shock. I immediately tried to help but they would not accept my family’s help,” said Penny. Students are required to raise a minimum of $300 to participate. Two student leaders, seniors Maeve Mense and Nathan Godwin, were designated to lead and coordinate the event, which consisted of multiple events throughout the day and night. Students said the early start was worth it. “I didn’t mind getting up early, because I woke up knowing I was going to do something good that day, and affect someone’s life,” said sophomore Shay Bland. After everyone set up their boxes, participants took part in a short prayer service where each received a name tag and a story of a homeless teen. Students were encouraged to pray for that person throughout the day.

Photo courtesy of Agnes Penny

The group of students then boarded buses and departed for the location where they would be working throughout the day. The students worked at a site that is run by Rebuilding Together, an organization who helps families that cannot afford to make repairs on their house. Everyone buzzed with energy, knowing they were able to help this family in need. After a short introduction, the participants received crow bars, hammers, and work gloves to take the siding off the house. “Working on the site was so much fun. Being able to help rebuild a house for such nice people is an amazing experience. And on top of that seeing their face after [we] were done, just provided for a rewarding day,” said sophomore Danielle Rozansky. Once Box-A-Thon participants had finished their work at the house, they headed out on a bus tour of common homeless spots throughout downtown Raleigh. Some of the stops were the Raleigh Rescue Mission, Homeless Shelter for Men, and the Raleigh Women’s Shelter. The students attended Mass at downtown’s Sacred Heart Cathedral. After Mass, the group returned to Gibbons for a special meal of hotdogs and hamburgers provided by the Knights of Columbus from St. Raphael’s church. Following dinner, students gathered at the Chapel where they were greeted by a guest speaker, Christopher Rowland. Rowland talked about the many hardships he endured to get to where he is today. Rowland told the group he was once one of the people roaming the streets of Raleigh, looking for a place to stay or something to eat. Through perseverance and knowledge, he is now a professional writer and has published ten books. Many of the Box-A-Thon participants were touched by Rowland’s inspiring story. “Hearing Chris talk really changed my point of view on homelessness. [I learned] it can happen to anyone, no matter what walk of life you come from and it could happen because of one small mistake or decision,” said Mense. The group then made its way to their home for the night—the football field—where they stayed for the rest of the night. Everyone was greeted by a fire set up for them to roast marshmallows. After devouring their treats, the students went up to the bleachers and observed fireworks, courtesy of the North Carolina State Fair taking place nearby at the State Fairgrounds. For the final event of the evening, the students gathered around the fire for the talent show. The various acts included Penny singing her “Rabbit Soup” song, Mense singing “Someone Like You” by Adele, and a cultural dance put on by a group of sophomores. The night ended when Penny turned off the lights to the stadium field, and everyone was tucked away in their boxes. Just a few hours later, the students were up. There was a short prayer service to reflect on the amazing experience and the students were asked to clean up their boxes and head home.

Freshman Leah Mann (on ladder), senior Kathleen Mills (left) and junior Olivia Mann (right) work with Habitat during a Box-A-Thon activity on October 20.

new Director of Technology

Photo by Ellyson Williams/The Crusader

New Director of Technology Lesley Coe comes to Gibbons from Franklinton County schools.

Ellyson Williams Editor-in-Chief Q: Where were you before Gibbons? A: I’ve been in Franklin County schools for the last 12 years. Q: What is your position here and what do you do? A: I’m Director of Technology. It has two really big parts. I oversee and make some decisions about the technical side of technology and establish instructional integration into classrooms. Q: What changes do you plan on making here? A: I don’t know yet. I want to find things that fit with the culture of the school. Q: What are you most excited about? A: I just like it. I like that people play guitar and piano in the hallways. Students like to be here. Q: Is there anything else you want students to know about you? A: I want to meet people—students too. I want to be part of this family. I want to do things with students because I’m not assigned to a classroom.

Open House welcomes prospective students and parents Stephanie Todd Staff Writer On Sunday, November 4, the gym was swarming with excited prospective students and parents alike for the annual Cardinal Gibbons Open House. “This is our first choice as a high school because of the reputation of the school,” said Clint and Hope Pete, whose daughter, Charlotte, currently attends Saint Raphael’s as an eighth grader. “It has a very positive environment,” agreed Jackie Temperato, mother of sophomore Jordyn and 8th grader Schuyler, who attends Our Lady of Lourdes. For those who are not quite sure of their thoughts towards Cardinal Gibbons, Open House is a wonderful time to form an opinion. It provides an opportunity for the prospective students and their families to check out the school; the gym is set up with dozens of teams and clubs for these possible peers to talk to coaches or club moderators. This event gives students a chance to jump right into the activities they are interested in. “The best part about Gibbons is all the opportunities and activities I can participate in.” said 8th grader Tripp Fraley, who is interested in being a part of Gibbons’ football program as well as “tech stuff.” He was given a chance to gain perspective on the hobbies he is looking forward to being a part of. Although Open House is coordinated by head of National Honor Society and librarian Dale Foushee, Assistant Principal of Student Activities Michael Rogosich, Assistant Principal of Instruction Nancy Barkan, and Director of Admissions Marianne McCarty, on the actual day of the event, students are mainly in charge. Students stand at the aforementioned tables in the gym, give tours, and answer questions about the construction. “[The purpose of Open House is] to introduce Gibbons to prospective families and to spread Page design by Editor-in- Chief Ellyson Williams

Photo by Darsey Williams/Gibbons Media

Senior Jordan Watkins presents the Landmark yearbook display at the annual Open House on November 4.

Photo by Jennifer Rilley/Gibbons Media

(From left to right) A visitor to Open House visits the Surf Club display presented by senior Nathan Godwin and junior Lauren Morris.

excitement throughout the community,” said McCarty. Another attraction is the tours given by NHS members. In these tours, visitors were able to get their first educated look around the school. These informative tours offered the opportunity to all to ask questions and learn the layout of our school. Foushee coordinated such tours. Back in October, NHS began sign-ups for these tours and had over 200 members volunteer. “It is a time to see the wide array of educational, spiritual, extracurricular, and sports activities that are offered; but more importantly, it is a time to see who we are through our students,” said Foushee. “I wanted people to get to know Gibbons from a students’ perspective,” said junior Kaitlyn Peeples, who was a tour guide with NHS. Gibbons, though smaller than most public schools, is still far larger than the one hallway most Catholic middle school students are coming from. Hopefully, Open House reassured the 8th graders that they will not be wandering the halls mindlessly. Many parents expressed their excitement for the Building the Vision project that has been going on to build a new gym and extra classrooms, among other facilities. “I am very excited and can’t wait to see what it looks like; anything new is great,” said Temperato. Due to this same construction, Open House was forced to alter the process that has been set in stone for some time now. “Because of the construction, we had to improvise. It was a kind of different flow; we had to get used to a process that we weren’t used to,” said McCarty.

December 10, 2012

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Celebrate the real meaning of Christmas with family Commercial Christmas overshadows the true meaning of the holiday Sean Feick Op-Ed Editor Every holiday season, it seems, we are bombarded by the media and the ad campaigns of most major retail stores with more and more images of what Christmas “should” be: a charming family opening their new, shiny presents while sitting under the shadow of a gaudily decorated plastic evergreen. What’s the problem with this scenario? Nothing, unless you count the risk that by putting so much time and effort into the buying of material things to celebrate the holiday season, you lose track of what it was originally meant to be about: the spending of quality time with those we care about most and the celebration of the birth of the infant Christ into the world. Coming from a family with two divorced parents who live in different states, I have always had the experience of coming home from the holidays after not seeing most of my family for months at a time. To me as a little kid, this was the best part of the holiday season and for a while made me almost forget about the presents that I would soon be getting. Now that I am older and I see other people going crazy over what they should be buying for the holiday more than for whom they should be buying gifts, I can now really appreciate how special my experience has been during the holidays. The idea of a “commercial” Christmas is a relatively new idea, only really coming about since the age of the television and Internet which allowed manufacturers to take hold of the public’s imagination and introduce a type of Christmas that stressed the need for the latest gadgets and trendiest clothes. Once this notion was in many consumers’ heads, the idea of “Black Friday” sales became popular starting on the first day after Thanksgiving that enticed customers to do their Christmas shopping en masse, leaving little personal thought to be given to the people for whom we are actually buying these fancy gifts. Of course, what is even more surprising and depressing about the new “spirit” of the holidays is how the original purpose of Christmas is totally obscured by all this buying and giving hubbub. I mean, “Christ”mas began as a way to celebrate the birth of Christ as the savior of the world, and everything else we try to assign to this sacred day

really only gets in the way of celebrating the most meaningful part of the holiday: Jesus. The holy and sacred side of Christmas is an important part of our Catholic faith, and should be an important part of any of our personal holiday festivities. In the end, it is not what you buy for someone that makes a difference, but rather who is giving the gift and what it means to them coming from you. So, for this holiday season, spend less time out shopping for the perfect gift and more time having fun with the perfect people. Like I have for so many years, you will find that the best gift you can really receive for Christmas is the good times you spend with your loved ones.

Real or Fake Peppermint or Christmas Tree? Gingerbread?

Patrick Dmytriw

Real

Peppermint

Rachel Zajdel

Real

Gingerbread

Theology Teacher

Home Alone or Elf?

Favorite Christmas Song?

Home Alone

“Little Drummer Boy”

Elf

“Feliz Navidad”

Rayburn McCulloh Real

Peppermint

Elf

“Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer”

Andrew Orlikoff

Fake

Gingerbread

Elf

“White Christmas”

Erica Skowron

Real

Peppermint

Elf

“Let it Snow”

Nick Lefevre

Real

Gingerbread

Elf

“Sleigh Ride”

Junior

Sophomore

Freshman

Junior

Page design by Op-Ed Editor Sean Feick and contributor Anthony Palumbo

Vision puts student needs first

It’s hard to believe time that has passed so quickly but in January 2013, the first phase of the Building the Vision construction project will be completed with the opening of the arts and athletics wing (see pages 1 and 2 for details). This new building was built with students in mind, and students should appreciate all the people involved in the project and the time and energy so many took to improve Gibbons. The Gibbons administration listened to students’ needs and gave them what they needed. So many of the new additions and changes came directly from the experience of Gibbons students. For example, freshmen won’t remember this, but everyone else remembers getting out of a dance show or play in the auditorium and being crammed into that tiny lobby waiting to congratulate the performers. People could hardly move. Someone saw that, and now there will be a huge lobby outside the theater. Someone noticed how Gibbons students stay on campus long after the school day ends, for a number of different activities, and now there will be more open space to just sit and hang out. Everyone now will remember funneling down the tight hallway to the cafeteria during lunch periods. Anyone who wasn’t going to lunch knows the frustrating feeling of trying to get to class but being blocked by the onslaught of people. Someone saw that, too, and now the hallway by the cafeteria will be widened by about four feet. Someone saw the difficulty of sharing the gym between different sports teams, and they added a whole new gym to accommodate everyone. Someone saw how the cheerleaders had to use the cafeteria for practice, or how the wrestling team lost its mat room, so they built a practice room for both sports with a ceiling high enough to allow cheerleaders room to practice. Someone saw our thriving fine arts programs and added a studio theater and new visual arts and music rooms to allow these programs to grow. This building was made for all of us. Many students were here at the start of it, and now all of us will get to experience at least half of the finished product. What seemed so far away at the groundbreaking ceremony in February is now right around the corner. Believe it.

Art courtesy of www.noistar.com

This cartoon represents the ironic nature of what a “commercial” Christmas has become in our country today in a parody of the famous Uncle Sam poster.

The World According to . . .

Senior

Staff Editorial

Re-established 2001 Continuing a Gibbons tradition of journalistic excellence

Ellyson Williams Editor-in-Chief Marisa Casson Exec. Design Editor

Matthew Talbot Exec. Variety Editor

Caleb Maloney Exec. News Editor

Megan Yates Photo Editor

Cheyenne Wood Sports Editor

Sean Feick Op-Ed Editor

Staff Writers: Erik Borchers, Rebecca Camak, Brennan Doherty, Davis McDaniel, Andrew Mihok, Preston Moser, Andrew Schnittker, Stephanie Todd, Tyler Welch, Emmett Williams, Caroline Young Contributors: Kathryn Baker, Daniel Diehl, John Huml, Shane Humphrey, Anthony Palumbo

Dan Jukic Adviser

Editorial Policy

The Crusader is the official student newspaper of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, The Crusader will not purposefully publish any material that contradicts the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Crusader will endeavour to publish only the truth, to the best of its ability. The Crusader will not purposefully publish any stories that are libelous or disingenuous nor any images which diverge from the essential truth of the captured image. Only images legally obtained or for which permission has been granted will be published. The Crusader is the product of class work and as such is subject to prior review by the adviser and administration. Regardless, the commentaries contained herein are the opinions of the newspaper staff only, and do not necessarily reflect those of the faculty/ staff or administration. The Crusader editorial board as a whole will be responsible for determining editorial opinions, which represent the opinions of the majority of the editorial board. No single member of The Crusader will be held responsible for editorial content decisions. All submissions to The Crusader will be considered for publication either in print or online but may be edited for space and content. Please contact The Crusader by email at newspaper@cghsnc.org.

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Election prompts rudeness

December 10, 2012

Editorial Cartoon

Election commentary goes too far Marisa Casson Design Editor For the first time in my seventeen years of life, I paid attention to the presidential election this year. With many of my classmates old enough to vote and the realization that I would be voting in the next election, I decided it was time to start becoming active in politics. But I was so disappointed to see how the election brought out such disrespectful sides to people I know. Although I watched the debates and kept up with the news, I was not partial to either candidate, knowing that I wouldn’t actually have to make a decision on one candidate just yet. What struck me the most out of everything was how active high school students, particularly seniors, were at expressing their views on social media, particularly Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. At first, I had great respect for anyone who posted their opinions, because in my mind, it meant that they were up-to-date on the candidate’s political issues, were watching the debates, and had formed well-informed opinions. But I realized that these people were the exception and a lot of the posts I witnessed were filled with hate towards people who did not share the point of view of the poster. The use and effect of social media was an important component to this election and offered an outlet for people to get news instantly, but it also gave people a place to publish their negative and harmful comments. I learned that everyone should be more caring towards others when discussing matters as serious as our nation’s struggling economy or national defense. This is no time for jokes or rudeness. Political issues are always a sensitive subject. Even adults struggle to finds ways to appropriately talk about it. But the vulgar language, belittlement, and aggression I witnessed will not solve any problems and will only serve to make matters worse. I learned that people have to stay level-headed when discussing politics and remember that everyone is not on the same level of experience with political issues. I hope that four years from now, we all try to better understand where others are coming from, especially when they disagree with our position. Daniel Diehl Contributor

Gibbons mock election contrasts U.S. results On November 6, Gibbons ran its own mock election, organized by librarian Prudence Scott. Students were polled during their homeroom

classes and were grouped by gender and class year. Romney won in a landslide, garnering almost

Gibbons Mock Election Results

two-thirds of the vote, with Obama receiving about a quarter. Undecided or obviously fake votes were not counted. Freshmen Girls

Freshmen Boys

52 80%

Percent of students

106

60%

107

Romney Obama

Obama

Sophomore Girls

Sophomore Boys

40%

Romney

41 Romney Obama

Romney Obama

20%

Junior Boys

0% Overall

Obama Freshman

Sophomore

Romney Junior

Junior Girls

28 80

Romney Obama

Obama

Senior Senior Boys

Romney

Overall 63%

Freshman 73%

Sophomore 60%

Junior 76%

Senior 69%

Obama

28%

27%

40%

23%

31%

Page design by Op-Ed Editor Sean Feick

Romney

Senior Girls

38 81

Romney Obama

Graphs by Op-Ed Editor Sean Feick and Executive Design Editor Marisa Casson

The Crusader 7

december 10, 2012

Juniors transition to upperclassmen

Junior Mass, a night for all to remember

Photo by Ashley Herbert/Landmark Yearbook

Principal Jason Curtis gives Michael O’Dowd his certificate at the Junior Ring Mass.

Sean Feick Op-Ed Editor To mark their transition to the role of upperclassmen at Gibbons, the junior class came together to celebrate the special Junior Mass on Thursday, November 8 at St. Michael’s Church in Cary. At this Mass, each member of the junior class brings an item, usually their class ring but sometimes another possession with special meaning to them, to be blessed during the Mass. According to Assistant Principal of Student Activities Mike Rogosich, the Mass is supposed to be a celebration of the junior class in the context of our mission and to mark the passage of time as they become part of the leadership of the school.

For some, the Mass represents a transition to their new positions – role models for the underclassmen – and to their newfound leadership of the school. “It’s kinda a rite of passage for us. We are becoming the leaders of the school; the role models for the [freshman class],” said junior Lauren Keeling in a text interview. During the Mass, Gibbons’ Assistant Principal of Spiritual Life Fr. Romen Acero gave a special homily meant specifically for the juniors, and later emphasized the need to give thanks to God for all the success that the class has been given as they move on to this new chapter in their lives. “It is a way to recognize that we are growing together as a community of faith,” said Acero.

Gibbons art awards Ellyson Williams Editor-in-Chief

“I made a coil pot with a lid; it was made out of Little Loafers white Over Thanksgiving break, artwork clay. My pot was fired to Cone 6 Glaze from five students was displayed in temperature and I used Copperhead the 43rd annual Carolina Designer and Iron Red glazes. I made it by Craftsmen’s Fine Designer Crafts rolling out a slab of clay and pressing it into a metal bowl. Then I gradually Show. The students selected to showcase added layers onto the top of the pot their art were senior Mathilde Sellars, with clay coils I extruded. After all the senior Tim Rozansky, junior Kitty layers were finished, I smoothed out Gibbons, senior Brandon Woolard, the entire pot and it was fired to Cone 6. Then I applied Copperhead glaze and senior Emmary Williams. Sellars made a raku fired vase that all over the pot and after that dried I applied the Iron Red. After all that was displayed at the event. “I threw the vase on the wheel and dried, the Coil Pot was fired to Cone 6 bisque fired it. Then I applied raku Glaze temperature,” said Rozansky. Being selected for the display was glaze and put it in the raku kiln that Ms. exciting for Rozansky as well. Dason and other students built. Raku “I felt really proud that firing heats up the clay to a my work was selected to be very high temperature in a displayed at the Carolina short amount of time. Then Design Art Exhibit. Even the pieces are removed though I didn’t receive an from the kiln and placed in award, it was an award metal cans filled with strips in itself to be recognized of newspaper. The rapid along with other young decrease in temperature artists in the show,” said creates a vibrant pattern Rozansky. with the glaze that ended Two students, seniors up being a rainbow on my Blair Torres and Rachel vase,” said Sellars. Mintel, also won awards Having artwork in an at the 24th Annual Young exhibit is exciting for artists. Arts Exhibit hosted Visual Photo courtesy of Mathilde “I thought it was great Sellars Arts Exchange. to have my vase in the show, Mathilde Sellars’s Torres submitted a piece and I loved being able to show artwork that was named “Running Pack!” my art in a place with so many featured in the made out of colored pencil other people my age. Usually I show. and paint on dictionary pages only show my work to friends and family, so this was a nice change,” and red paper. “When I found out about the said Sellars. Williams submitted a photograph award, I was surprised to get the Best of a headpiece made out of natural in Show and excited to get both awards in general…I am not only honored elements. “My piece has received a regional to get the awards, but also just to be Scholastic Art Award and been shown displayed among all the great work,” in the North Carolina Museum of art, said Torres. Mintel submitted a series of her art so it just made sense to submit it to a pieces. She won second place and the craft guild.” Gibbons submitted a large face $500 Margot-Richter Scholarship. “I was so excited when I found out made out of paper maché newspaper, Woolard submitted a glazed bowl, and I won and that my art was going to be Rozansky submitted a clay coil pot and displayed in the gallery,” said Mintel. lid. Page design by Executive Variety Editor Matthew Talbot

Photo by Amanda Twomey/Landmark Yearbook

From left to right: Maddie Majewski, Caitlin Dezwaan, Savannah Mann, Madeline Walsh, Mary Catherine Prosser, Ashley Do, and Emily Adams.

“It was nice to see how many people actually took their time out for us. Fr. Romen put so much work into his homily just for us juniors and it was so sweet to see all of that,” said Keeling. To help prevent school work or sports practice from getting in the way of attending this special ceremony, all juniors were excused from classes the day following the ceremony and coaches were asked to end practice in time for the juniors to get ready on Thursday.

Photo by Megan Yates/The Crusader

Alter servers processing into Junior Mass at St. Michaels Church in Cary.

Gibbons’ hidden gem, the Bettigole Festival Rebecca Camak Staff Writer The Bettigole Music Festival is one of the many hidden gems we have here at Cardinal Gibbons, according to band teacher and festival organizer Donald Martin. The annual festival features music from the Gibbons music programs, including band, percussion and strings, along with guest performers. This year’s festival took place Sunday, November 10 and was a success despite having to use the gym rather than the theater, as in previous years, according to Martin. “I thought the turnout was very good and I would love for more people to attend,” said Martin. The Bettigole Music Festival provides students an opportunity to experience and enjoy the work of the Gibbons music students. “My favorite part of the Bettigole Festival was that along with the percussion classes, we were able to hear and see the string/violin group as well as the other performers who did a fantastic job,” said junior Danny Geiger, a student in the Percussion 2 class. Though the Bettigole Music Festival is not well known within the student body, it was organized by the music department and started by Martin in 2007 to honor former Gibbons principal Br. Michel Bettigole. Br. Michel, as he was known to all, was principal from 1994-2006 and was a strong supporter of the fine arts programs at Gibbons. The festival was created to feature the many different musical programs including the five percussion classes the string ensemble, the wind ensemble and the music club. Also, different bands and groups participated including the St. Mary Magdalene Band, Our Lady of Lourdes

Band and the N.C. Pipes and Drums group. Students enjoyed the diversity of the different music groups that performed but most students liked the bag pipes and drums the most. “The bagpipes added a different atmosphere,” said freshman Philip Godwin, a member of the Band ensemble. Forty music students performed in the festival and all played their best pieces as well as their favorite pieces, according to Martin. Many students said they were impressed with the well-organized, specialty showcase. “The music program is great. I’ve met a lot of upperclassmen through the program here and I’ve really enjoyed it,” said freshman Stephen Shank, a member of the advanced strings class. “The festival this year was great, and the thing I love about arts at Gibbons is the fact that all the areas are so connected and we are able to incorporate many different areas of art in just one concert,” said sophomore Katherine Combs.

Check out The Crusader online for more articles and adtional information at cghsnc.org/insideout

MAESTRO

The Crusader 8

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December 10, 2012

1. Portable iPhone extended battery J.Crew 2. Glitter envelope inserts-Etsy 3. Rhinestone Frame Post Earings ($10) - Nordtrum 4. Lauren Condrad Beauty - Barnes and Noble

Hipster Girl

Christ Wishlist

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Worried about what to get your The Crusader wishlist is here to h person you are buying for, whet trendy girl or a preppy, indie or s great ideas that anyone

2. 3.

See an item you are dying to buy www.cghsnc.org/crus

4. 5. 6. 1. Owl iPhone Charm - Urban Outfitters 2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower Barnes and Noble 3.Galaxy Leggings - Etsy.com 4. Single Stud Ring - GypsyWarrior.com 5. Hook and Cord Bracelet - theFancy. com 6. Triangle Necklace - Etsy.com

Page design by Photo Editor Megan Yates and Design Editor Marisa Casson

T r e n d y G i r l

1. Sky nailpol collect 2. iPh Society 3. Sta

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- Alimo 3. Stud Bead B Alimon

MAESTRO

December 10, 2012

The Crusader 9

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1. Aztec print scarf J.Crew 2. Funny Band-aids Urban Outfitters 3. Superhero USB flash drive ThinkGeek.com 4. LED skateboard theFancy.com 5. Knit Hat - Etsy.com

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1. Desktop Table Tennis - Urban Outfitters 2. Nike Dri-Fit Socks - Nike 3. You had me at bacon cuff links Etsy.com 4. Lacrosse Tie Vineyard Vines

The Crusader 10

INSIDE & OUT

Sr. Laura assists with retreat programs

Photo by Alexis Tyndall/Landmark Yearbook

Sr. Laura Downing, IHM is responsible for two of the four retreat programs as the new Associate Director of Retreats.

Tyler Welch Staff Writer Sr. Laura Downing, IHM, a theology teacher at Gibbons since she began working here in 2008, took on a new role as Associate Director of Retreats in August. Sr. Laura has gone from teaching five classes to teaching two classes since accepting her new position to allow her time during the day to work with students on planning and organizing upcoming retreats. Sr. Laura works with Director of Retreats Crista Anders to administrate the retreat programs at Gibbons. Sr. Laura leads the sophomore and junior retreat programs, Mosaic and Quest, respectively, while Anders heads the freshman Prism and senior

Kairos retreat programs. The next Mosaic retreat will be in April 2013 and the next Quest retreat will be February 8- February 10. Sr. Laura is leading a retreat day for some future Gibbons students – sixth, seventh and eighth graders from St. Thomas More’s middle school. This will be the first time that Gibbons juniors will lead a retreat. This program will give juniors a chance at practicing leadership. The Crusader sat down with Sr. Laura to talk about the change and see how it’s going. Q: What is your favorite part about retreats? A: My favorite part about retreats is when kids start thinking about deeper things, and also watching each student grow in the process. Q: How do you like your new position? A: I love it. I’m still getting used to it especially the change in hours throughout the day. Q: What is your favorite part about Quest? A: Quest is very meaningful and it means a lot to me that the kids have fun, but overall I love working with the team members. I love watching seniors take over the leadership roles and I love watching the students grow. Q: What is your favorite part about Mosaic? A: The best thing about Mosaic is getting away from school, meeting new people and the kids having fun. Q: What are your hopes and goals for your new position? A: My goal is for everyone who wants to go on a retreat can do so and I want it to be something they naturally want to do.

December 10, 2012

Behind the scenes of Mass Emmett Williams Staff Writer Starting at around 7:00 p.m. the evening before every all-school Mass, Tech Theater students spend the better part of the night transforming the gym into worship space for the Mass. Tech students get together, divide up into groups, and get to working on the massive task of setting up for the all-school Mass. Tech Theater’s duties usually fall into a few distinct stages, spread out between the night before the Mass and the day of the Mass itself. First, the group gets together at around 6:30 and eats dinner while going over the task ahead. Then, they divide into two or three groups. Some construct the large San Damiano cross which hangs from the ceiling by using the scissor lift to attach the pieces and hang the whole cross near the ceiling. Others then hang the backdrop above the stage, around the

cross, also using the scissor lift. Students on the floor then lay out the mats on the gym floor as the backdrop is hung and after that, chairs are laid out and the stage is assembled. The whole process takes around four hours, with the time progressively dropping throughout the year as the students get more accustomed to the task. “It’s kind of satisfying when it’s all done, and generally speaking the crews are pretty fun,” said Tech Theater teacher Lexie Dillon (nee Nichols). But the best part for many Tech students comes the next day when they get out of classes all day to break down everything they set up the previous night. “[My favorite part is] I can get out of, like, everything,” said Senior Evan Lang, who has been a part of Tech Theater since his freshman year. The setup crew is composed of most of the classes of Tech 2, Tech 3, and Tech 4.

Photo by Emmett Williams/The Crusader

Senior Rob Swinarski (on scissor lift) and tech theater teacher Lexie Dillon assemble the San Damiano cross while theology teacher Joe Sebik lends a hand.

Easy and chic looks for holiday parties Classic look Trendy look Who isn’t looking for a snazzy outfit to wear to all of the holiday events? Here are four easy looks for anyone who needs a little help in order to look their best.

Matthew Talbot Variety Editor

Girls: Dress: J. Crew Jules Dress in Tropme L’Oeil Lace paired with Shoes: J. Crew Janey patent flats in black Watch: Nixon “They Player” bracelet watch in gold, Nordstrom Bracelet: Alimonada Neon Elastic bracelet in pink Necklace: Tasha Collar necklace in jet/ gold, Nordstrom

Page design by Executive Variety Editor Matthew Talbot

Boys: Top: Grayers Fair Isle wool sweater in navy, Nordstrom Pants: J. Crew Vintage Cord in 484 fit in cinder, Nordstrom Shoes: Cold Haan “Air Grant” Loafer in dark brown croc print, Nordstrom Watch: Vince Camuto Square Dial leather strap watch, Nordstrom

Boys: Top: Gap Flannel square plaid shirt in coral garden Pants: RVCA “Daggers” slim leg jeans in black, Nordstrom Shoes: ALDO “Troyer” Boot, Nordstrom Watch: Nixon “The Corporal” bracelet watch, Nordstrom

Girls: Top: Vince Shirttail top, Nordstrom Skirt: Lily White faux leather knit skirt in black/magestic plum, Nordstrom Shoes: BP. “Mayfield” oxford in black/pink, Nordstrom Watch: MARC BY MARC JACOBS “Henry Dinky” bracelet watch, Nordstrom Necklace: Alimonada “Three Spikes” in silver

December 10, 2012

The Crusader 11

Classic 007 with a twist ‘Loco’ for Lana Del Rey

Skyfall premiered on November 9 in the United States, making $245.6M and earning a 92% Rotten Tomatoes approval.

Matthew Talbot Variety Editor From the moment the previews ended and the film started, Skyfall was completely and utterly captivating. The thrills began from the first scene and the intensity never stopped until the closing credits. As soon as Adele’s smoky voice started to sing the theme song, I knew I was in for a fabulous movie experience. The iconic “Bond” psychedelic title sequence and introductory credits played to the song while dancing and swirling doubles of smoke, blood, targets, water, and girls cycled on the screen. James Bond, as played by Daniel Craig in this most recent incarnation, is back and better than ever, in this third movie of the latest Bond. Craig’s Bond hits all most important parts of the iconic MI6 agent. He drives a luxury car, wears a chic designer suit, attracts gorgeous

women, travels to an exotic location to complete his mission, and always takes the kill shot. This movie features all of the above and more, since it wouldn’t be James Bond without the blood and drama, but Craig also shows a more vulnerable side of the character. On the outside, Bond appears just as strong and fit as he’s always been, but internally something has changed. James isn’t the same man he used to be. He has become a little worn and has aged, albeit it very gracefully. He is not as powerful and accurate as he used to be. It seems as if the world of espionage has taken its toll on the martini-drinking lady-killer. Yet he still continues to save the world, one counterintelligence mission at a time. This vulnerable side is exposed because Bond has to go back to a place that brings up bad omens for him. Clues to Bond’s connection to Skyfall are in the theme song: “Skyfall is where we start, a thousand miles and poles apart. Where worlds collide and days are dark…” The title references his childhood home where his parents were killed and where he will have to deal with the past to survive. Although everyone loves a good hero, people love a good Bond villain even more and Silva, played by Javier Bardem, provides another classic Bond villain. Silva is an ex-MI6 agent who is out for vengeance against the agency that burned him. He uses cyber-terrorism as his signature and pulls out all the stops to get his revenge. Silva is so frightening that it is almost comical at times. He’s so wicked that he’s borderline psychotic. The contrast between the two characters makes for a captivating and exciting story. All and all, I absolutely loved this movie. It was intriguing and kept me interested for the entire length of the film. I didn’t even check my phone once, which is a feat by itself. If you don’t see Skyfall, you’re definitely missing out on one of the most entertaining movies of this holiday season.

Matthew Talbot Variety Editor

“The Paradise Edition” adds eight additional songs from the orignal “Born To Die” album.

As soon as I saw the H&M commercial and heard her iconic voice singing, I was sold. I was consumed by it. I couldn’t stop watching. She was singing “Blue Velvet” into an old fashioned microphone and swaying back in forth in an oversized pink sweater. Lana Del Rey is beyond chic and her sound is exceptional. Del Rey’s album Born to Die was originally released on January 31, 2012. However, she re-released it with eight new tracks on November 13, 2012, titling it Born to Die (The Paradise Edition). Buzz about the second release consumed the internet. Everywhere I looked people were psyched for the re-release. Various “leaked” tracks surfaced but turned out to not do the actual songs justice. I loved the original album and had it on repeat continuously but The Paradise Edition completes it. One of my favorite songs on the album is titled “Carmen”. It describes a girl who everyone idolizes and wants to be, but she doesn’t even want to be herself. “The boys, the girls, they all like Carmen. She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes; she laughs like god, her mind’s like a diamond…” She lives the

life that everyone thinks is fabulous and flawless, when in reality it is the complete opposite—a hot mess. I love how raw and powerful the song is. “Baby’s all dressed up with nowhere to go, that’s the little story of the girl you know. Relying on the kindness of strangers; tying cherry knots, smiling, doing party favors…” “Bel Air” is the other song on the album that stood out to me. The song is just so sweet and peaceful, the chorus hums “Roses, Bel Air, take me there; I have been waiting to meet you. Palm trees, in the light, I can see, late at night. Darling I’m waiting to greet you…” It’s a sweet and subtle love song. She simply wants to ride around with her lover but the city holds her back, “Gargoyles, standing, at the front of your gate, trying to tell me to wait, but I can’t wait to see you.” The piano in the background is soft and personal; it’s as if she’s purposely singing to whoever is listening. Del Rey’s sound is just so unique (I do realize how cliché that sounds), but there is honestly no other word to describe it. Her voice is smooth yet sultry. No matter what she sings, every word projects with zeal. Not only is her sound mesmerizing, her lyrics are also interesting. You can listen to her work and enjoy it without knowing what the song is about. Once you look up the lyrics to any of her songs, your eyes open to what Del Rey is actually singing about. That is the beauty of an “off-the-beaten-path” artist turning mainstream. Their songs aren’t just auto-tuned nonsense created for the purpose of just making money and pleasing the majority. You can really sense the work put into the lyrics, something many artists seem to forget these days. I suggest downloadingBorn to Die (The Paradise Edition) on iTunes as soon as humanly possible (if you haven’t already)! You’ll become obsessed just like everyone else listening to Lana Del Rey’s work.

Top four must-see holiday movies

Rebecca Camak Staff Writer

The Hobbit: Date of Release: December 14th Director: Peter Jackson Key Actors: Ian Mckellen, Martin Freeman, and Elijah Wood. Plot Summary: “A curious Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, journeys to the Lonely Mountain with a vigorous group of Dwarves to reclaim a treasure stolen from them by the dragon Smaug.” Page design by Executive Variety Editor Matthew Talbot

Playing for Keeps:

Les Miserables

Life of Pi:

Date of Release: December 7th

Date of Realase: December 25th

Date of Release: November 21st

Director: Gabriele Muccino

Director: Tom Hooper

Director: Ang Lee

Key Actors: Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel and Dennis Quaid.

Key Actors: Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Hugh Jackman, Helena Bonham Carter, and Russell Crowe.

Key Actors: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan, and Khan.

Plot Summary: A former sports star who’s fallen on hard times starts coaching his son’s soccer team as a way to get his life together. His attempts to become an adult are met with challenges from the attractive soccer moms who pursue him at every turn.

Plot Summary: In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.

Plot Summary: “A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor ... a fearsome Bengal tiger.”

Arts & Entertainment

The Crusader 12

December 10, 2012

The Repeater Arts Spotlight

‘Marley’s Christmas Carol’ first Christmas show Christmas Events Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Show dates (sold out)

December 7 at 7:30 p.m. December 8 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. December 9 at 7:30 p.m. Location: Plant Ops

Fine Arts Holiday Festival December 9

3:30 p.m. String ensemble, Percussion ensemble, & Noteworthy. 7:00 p.m. Wind Ensemble featuring Kevin Ferguson narrating ‘Twas the Night before Christmas and CGHS Guitar Ensemble. Admission is FREE Location: Cafeteria Courtesy of Gibbons Drama

Cast members in the intimate candlelight in which the play is staged. (Top row from left to right): sophomore Tim Kowalczyk, sophomore freshman Tim Malbeouf, freshman Brooke Smaltz, sophomore Jackson Feathers. (Bottom row from left to right): freshman Penn Harrison, sophomore Jordyn Temperato, and freshman Samantha Rahn.

Emmary Williams Contributor The Repeater talked with drama teacher Michelle Giannini about the JV drama Christmas production, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol. All shows were sold out.

the room will look drastically different. There will be black draperies lining the walls and all of the lighting will be candlelight. We are creating an intimate and dark setting to match the tone of the show. 3. Describe the process of putting the play together (from concept and actor selection to rehearsal and first night). After we decided on Marley, our first job was to come up with a concept for the show. Mr. Ferguson and I knew that we would be performing in Plant Ops, so we needed to find a unique way to make the story fit the space. We decided on using candles, darkness, and a minimal set to create an intimate setting. After creating our concept and vision for the show, we held auditions. I was looking for actors who could bring something new to the classic Dickens’ characters, Scrooge and Marley. The actors went through auditions, as well as a series of callbacks in which I worked with them on material from the show to see how well they could take my direction. After the show was cast, we began rehearsals and have rehearsed

1. Why did you decide to do your first Christmas play this year? [Drama director Kevin] Ferguson has wanted to do a Christmas play at Gibbons for the past several years and stumbled upon this show over the summer. It takes a unique perspective on a classic Christmas story. With the new theater being built this year, we thought it was the perfect time to try something new and different. 2. How will the show be different since the theater is not available due to the construction? Because we do not have a theatre right now, we are performing the show in the Plant Ops…though

daily for the past three weeks. Over the next week we will add in the technical elements—lights, sound, props, and costumes—to bring the show together and get it ready to be performed for an audience! 4. How many students are involved (actors, costumes, directors, tech)? 17. 10 actors, 2 assistant directors, 1 stage manager, 1 production manager, 2 technical assistants, 1 sound designer and several of the tech theatre classes have also helped by building props and creating sound cues. 5. Will you do a Christmas show again next year? While it’s too early to decide for sure what our season will look like next year, we like the idea of having a yearly Christmas show. Of course there are lots of other factors involved including space and timing, but it is something we are considering. Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol was staged in Plant Ops. The actors’ playing space is a center aisle that is surrounded on all sides by the audience. Narrators are placed in and around the audience and come in and out of playing narrators and character, often narrating the character they play.

The Green Agenda

Daniel Diehl Contributor The Green Agenda is a calendar full of helpful school reminders, game times and locations, and outof-school activities such as concerts and movies.

Sunday

D E C E M B E R J A N

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol 1:00 PM Band Christmas Concert 7:00 PM

Monday

Basketball- 3 Freshmen Men’s 5:00 PM (Away) JV Men’s & Women’s 5:00 & 3:30 PM (Home) V Men’s & Women’s 8:00 & 6:30 PM (Home)

Tuesday

BasketballFreshmen Men’s 4:00 PM (Away) JV Men’s 4:30 PM (Home) V Men’s & Women’s 7:30 & 6:00 PM (Home)

11 BasketballFreshmen Men’s vs. Cary Academy 4:30 PM (Away)

Wednesday

WrestlingV Men’s vs. Ravenscroft 5:30 PM (Away)

Winter Sports Pictures 2:30 PM

Please note that not all sports and concerts are on the list; we chose the ones we feel would be easiest for students to attend.

Thursday

BasketballJV Women’s vs. DA 5:30 PM (Home) Swimming & DivingV Men’s & Women’s 7:00 PM (Away)

Swimming & DivingV Men’s 6:30 PM (Home) V Women’s 6:30 PM (Away)

Friday

Christmas Break Christmas BreakNo School

18 EXAMSPeriods 1 & 6

Christmas Day

19 EXAMSPeriods 8 & 4

20 EXAMSPeriods 7 & 5

Saturday

BasketballFreshmen Men’s vs. Millbrook 10:00 AM (Home)

OPENING NIGHTJacob Marley’s Christmas Carol Jacob Marley’s 7:30 PM Christmas Carol 2:00 & 7:30 PM

Basketball- 15 Basketball- 14 Freshmen Men’s Freshmen Men’s vs. 10:00 AM (Away) Pinecrest JV Women’s vs. Raven4:30 PM (Away) scroft (Away) WrestlingV Men’s & Women’s vs. V Men’s-JV Tournament Ravenscroft (Away) Wrestling6:00 AM (Away)

End of Quarter 2

EXAMSPeriods 2 & 3

The calendar is color coded; green is for Gibbons events and reminders, blue is for sports, pink is retreats and purple is for anything outside of school. This issue’s focus is upcoming school events that students will enjoy.

V Men’s Tournament 9:00 AM (Away)

EXAMSMake-Up Day

Christmas Break- Christmas Break- Christmas Break- Christmas Break No School No School No School

No School

Christmas Break Christmas Break- Christmas Break- Christmas Break- Christmas Break- Christmas Break- Christmas Break No School No School No School No School No School

Page design by Executive Variety Editor Matthew Talbot and Photo Editor Megan Yates, Green Agenda designed by Daniel Diehl, John Huml and Shane Humphrey.

December 10, 2012

The Crusader 13

Golf has strong Men’s basketball starts undefeated season

Photo by Jennifer Rilley/Gibbons Media

The men’s basketball team defeated Cary 58-34 on Friday, November 30. (Standing, left to right) Senior Robert Povlock (4), junior Moses Romocki (21), junior Dante DiMaggio (5) and senior Nick Forbes huddle around coach Marque Carrington. Gibbons and Cary sold “Rock the Beat” shirts benefiting the American Heart Association, like the ones worn by (l-r) juniors Shawn Stankavage, Logan Bugg and Preston Moser.

Brennan Doherty Staff Writer Gibbons men’s basketball opened the season a perfect 5-0 after big nonconference victories over Cary High, Bunn and Cary Academy. Gibbons hosted nearby Cary last Friday, November 30, and the Crusaders earned their third straight win of the young season with a dominating 58-34 victory over the Imps. But the win over Cary was especially big since the team played in front of a huge crowd against a 4A opponent, and the night was devoted to raising money for a good cause.

Gibbons and Cary partnered up with the American Heart Association, and red shirts that read ‘Rock the beat’ were sold throughout the week at Gibbons. The shirts, sold for $10 dollars, were available for purchase at the game, and all the proceeds went to the American Heart Association. “It was nice for the guys to beat a pretty well-known school in the area, and compete against their friends and win,” said Gibbons head coach Marque Carrington. Both teams got off to a slow start on offense with Gibbons up 8-6 after the first quarter. Gibbons found a better flow on offense with 17 points in the second

Brennan Doherty Staff Writer

Women’s Basketball The Gibbons women’s basketball team is off to its best start in years as the Crusaders have earned a 4-1 record with the latest win coming against Bunn on Monday, December 3. Gibbons has a balanced attack on the offensive front, with four different players averaging 10+ points. Freshman Olivia smith leads the team with 15 points per game. Junior Morgan Reid averages 14 points per game, junior Madison Beuris averages 12 points, and junior Haley Glaser averages 11 points as well. Both Reid and Beuris are close to averaging double-doubles as Reid is also averaging 8.8 assists per game, and Beuris is averaging nine rebounds per contest as well. The team hosts Broughton this Friday as part of the Fr. Price Classic at the old Cardinal Gibbons gym at the old Western Boulevard campus. Gibbons finished the 2011-2012 season with a 17-8 record, losing to Eastern Alamance in the first round of the state playoffs.

quarter and headed into halftime up 25-13. Unlike Gibbons, Cary failed to improve on offense after the first quarter, and the Imps struggled to find any sort of rhythm because of tough defense by Gibbons. Cary’s offensive woes continued into the night as the Imps scored just 21 points in the second half. Gibbons put the game out of reach in the third quarter, going up 43-21 after the third. Sophomore shooting guard Justin Reid did much of the scoring during the run and finished the game with 18 points, despite only having five points in the first half. Starting point guard Nick Forbes did a solid job facilitating the ball to his teammates, as did backup point guard junior John Cunningham. Carrington had positive things to say about his guards’ play. “They were awesome, they set the tone, and they did a good job. They did a really good job of finding open guys early and on time,” said Carrington. Carrington said that his team’s defense was key, as well, not allowing Cary to take easy shots, and forcing the Imps to play at a slower pace. We did a good job mixing up our defense a little bit. We contested every shot, we got our hands in the passing lane, and we rebounded the ball well. Cary really wants to run, run, run and get it out but our guys did a really good job of containing the ball and keeping them out of the paint,” said Carrington. Senior shooting guard/small forward Trevor Zaruba scored 10 points in his first game back after missing the first two games of the season because of injury. Junior small forward Moses Romocki also added nine points.

Winter sports seasons begin

Winter sports seasons are in full swing. The Crusader previews each sport, below. Results are through Thursday, December 5. Men’s and Women’s Swimming A year after a very successful 2011-2012 season, the Gibbons men’s and women’s swimming teams are getting back in the pool. The men’s team is coming of another 3A state championship, the seventh straight, and the Crusaders are led by seniors seniors Baily Maloney and Kai Wombacher. Both signed their letters of intent to swim at the collegiate level with Maloney heading to East Carolina, and Wombacher going to Brown. Associate head coach Taylor Blanton talked about the high expectations for both teams. “The high expectations have been there for a while for the guys,” said associate head coach Taylor Blanton. “Certainly the goal is to win another state championship. We’ll have to work very hard to get there, but it’s certainly achievable.” For the girls, the expectations haven’t been as high the last couple of years, but they are certainly going to be higher this year. We’ve got a solid group of incoming freshmen as well as some strong returners so our girls certainly hope to be much more competitive this year, and make a run in the state meet,” said Blanton. Both the Gibbons men’s and women’s teams won the first meet of the season with men’s finishing with a points total of 221, and with the women’s finishing with 214 points. On Thursday, December 6, the women’s team defeated Broughton and Middle Creek and was just one point shy of Enloe. The men’s team defeated Broughton, Middle Creek, and Enloe.

Photo by Katherine Nanney/Landmark yearbook

Junior Morgan Reid leads the women’s team with a 14 points per game average. Page design by Editor-in-Chief Ellyson Williams and Sports Editor Cheyenne Wood

Wrestling The wrestling season has started at Gibbons, and the team is very youthful. The Crusaders have a great work ethic said senior Alex Palinski. Palinski, a senior leader on the team said that the younger members of the team have been eager learners. “We’re a young team, but the guys have really showed a lot of work ethic early on in the season. That willingness to learn, and get better has definitely been a highlight for us,” said Palinski. While some of the younger wrestlers are the team may be developing as wrestlers, the experienced Palinski has one goal, and one goal only: A state championship. “I’m focused on one goal right now, winning a state championship. It’s always been my goal to be the most dominant wrestler in the state,” said Palinski. Gibbons has had one match this season at Green Hope, and Palinski finished first in the 145 lbs weight class. Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Just a month after both the Gibbons men’s and women’s cross country won the 3A state championship for the second straight season, the Gibbons men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams are beginning their seasons. Last indoor track season, the men’s team took home the first men’s indoor track state championship in school history. While the women’s did not win the state championship last year, now-junior Mary Grace Doggett finished first in the 3200 meter run. Senior Nick Tyrey was a part of the Gibbons’ 4x800 relay team that finished first last year.

Contributed photo

Sophomore Leisl Miranda represented Gibbons in the state tournament. She, along with sophomores Ellen Smith and Caroline O’Neil led the Crusaders to a third place finish.

Anthony Palumbo Contributor The varsity women’s golf team capped off an extremely successful season on October 29, with a third place finish in the state championships. The Crusaders were led by head coach Mike Rismiller and the captains of the team were sophomores Ellen Smith and Caroline O’Neil. These two led the team to a 6-1 conference record and a 15-2 overall record. The team returned 8 of 11 girls from last year. “Having so many girls return and great girls join the team this year made us all really close and helped us have our most successful season. Many close friendships were formed and the season was a great experience,” said O’Neil. The girls displayed a dominating performance in conference play. They finished as regular season champs, which provided them a boost in the conference tournament. In the conference tournament the girls were triumphant, coming in first place. The tournament MVP was O’Neil. “We had a great season. All three years I have been on the team, this year was the only year we won out conference. We all practiced really hard and supported each other and it paid off. I am really proud of how far we went and I know next year we will do even better,” said junior Natalie Zullo. Hoping to build on their recent success, the girls went into the tournament with a hopeful outlook on how they would finish. The Crusaders chose Smith, O’Neil, and sophomore Liesl Miranda to represent them in the state tournament. In the early rounds of the state tournament, the team eased to victory. The tough challenge came when they had made it to the championship round. Smith and O’Neil both finished in the top twelve, and Miranda finished not far behind them. These scores led the Crusaders to a third place finish, the closest opponent behind them being nine strokes back. This victory capped off one of the Cardinal Gibbons women’s golf team’s best finishes yet.

For additional coverage on winter sports check out www. cghsnc.org/ newspaper

sports

the crusader 14

december 10, 2012

Gibbons stand-outs lead teams to success Fall sports athletes earn local, national honors

Photo by Jennifer Rilley/ Gibbons Media

Photo courtesy of Greg Mintel

Photo by Ellyson Williams/ The Crusader

Junior Ade Taiwo was named 2012 N.C. Soccer Coaches Association player of the year.

Senior Haleigh Nelson earned MVP honors of the 3A state championship.

Cheyenne Wood Sports Editor

Junior Shawn Stankavage cheers on his teammates during the Gray’s Creek game from the sideline. Stankavage suffered a torn ACL early in the game.

Haleigh Nelson, senior captain, led the volleyball team to its fourth consecutive 3A State Championship and was named 2012 Most Valuable Player in the NCSHAA finals. The team finished the season with a 20-2 record and ranked sixth in the country and first in North Carolina by MaxPreps. The News & Observer ranked Gibbons second to Leesville locally, likely because of an early-season loss to Leesville. The Wisconsin commit had a total of 336 kills for the season and was named a member of the 2012 All-Metro Volleyball team by The News & Observer. Nelson will be representing Gibbons in the 2012 Under Armour First-Team All-American game in Lexington, Kentucky on November 14. “The season was special because a lot of people doubted us at the beginning, but as a team we set our goal to win states. All of our hard work paid off in the end, and we proved those people wrong,” said Nelson.

Shawn Stankavage, junior quarterback, helped the football team make history this season with two Gibbons firsts. The team went undefeated during the regular season (10-0) and also completed four straight years of undefeated play in conference, winning four consecutive conference titles in the process. Stankavage was named the 2012 Carolina 6 Offensive Player of the year and is also a part of the 2012 All-Conference Team. Gibbons season ended in the second round of the playoffs with a 25-20 loss to Wilson Hunt which went on to lose in the 3A final. Stankavage did not play in the game due to an ACL tear. “This year was special because when I got to high school the sophomores were the ones who took me under their wing. They are the seniors this year and to be undefeated while playing with them was a true blessing! We were a family,” said Stankavage, in a text interview.

Ade Taiwo, junior forward, was selected as the 2012 N.C. Soccer Coaches Association player of the year. Taiwo had a total of 11 assists and 11 goals this season. The N.C. State recruit was also named a member of the 2012 All-Metro Soccer team by The News & Observer. The soccer team lost to Jacksonville 6-2 in the semifinals of the 3A state tournament and so could not defend its back-to-back state championship title. They finished the season with a 17-5-4 record. “This season was more of a rebuilding year for [us]. We lost 19 players from last year and coming into the season I didn’t really believe that [the team and I] would have as strong of a season as we did. I firmly believe that we are going to win the championship next year if players continue to grow and develop in the off season,” said Taiwo, in a text interview.

Kye Rhode, senior soccer captain, finished his career at Gibbons with two 3A state championships and the team finished this season with a record of 17-5-4. Rhode contributed 18 assists and 12 goals to help his team this year. The News & Observer named him a part of the 2012 All-Metro Soccer team. “As a captain, he lead the team and kept the teams’ head up as we struggled early on in the season. Having two players on the all-metro team just shows how much respect Gibbons soccer gets in Wake County with so many good players and programs in the area,” said head coach Tim Healy. Gibbons soccer lost to Jacksonville 6-2 in the semifinals, which went on to win the 3A title.

Mary Grace Doggett, and Sophie Ebihara, freshman,

junior, led the women’s cross country team to its third consecutive 3A State Championship. Both girls were named 2012 All- Metro Cross Country Team by The News & Observer. Doggett was the 3A champion finishing with a time of 18:02.9. She also has two titles from indoor and outdoor in the 3200. Ebihara finished second in the 3A championship with a time of 18:07.4. “This has been an amazing season for me because it is the first cross country season that I have been able to run without being injured,” said Doggett.

Nick Carroll, senior lineman, was named to The News & Observer’s 2012 All-Metro high school football all-star team. As a senior, Carroll played on a defense coached by defensive coordinator Okesa Smith that surrendered just 17.7 points per game. Wright spoke highly about Carroll, and how he deserved the award. “He’s done a tremendous job for us. He’s been extremely talented, and the honor is well deserved,” said Wright. By Brennan Doherty, football beat writer

Seven students commit to play collegiate athletics Ellyson Williams Editor-in-Chief

On Wednesday, N0vember 4, six students of the Class of 2013 signed National Letters of Intent (NLI) to play sports in college. Kai Wombacher committed to swim at Brown University; however, because Brown is an Ivy League school, it does not require an NLI. Bailey Maloney also committed to swim in college, accepting a scholarship to East Carolina University. Three baseball players commited as well. Robbie Thorburn accepted a scholarship to UNCWilmington, and Evan Nations and Tyler Pickard both committed to Charleston Southern. Additionally, Colin McKendry accepted a scholarship to Providence College for lacrosse, and Haleigh Nelson accepted a scholarship to play volleyball at the University of Wisconsin. There will be two more signing periods in February and April.

Photo by Ellyson Williams/The Crusader

Seven students signed their National Letters of Intent to play collegiate sports on Wednesday, November 4 as faculty, staff, friends and family look on. Page design by Sports Editor Cheyenne Wood

december 10, 2012

sports

Football makes history

The Crusader 15

Soccer streak vs. Jacksonville ends in regional final

Photo by Ellyson Williams/The Crusader

Senior linebacker Scott Washle prepares to lead the team onto the field before the 50-17 win versus Union Pines on August 31. Washle helped lead a defense that gave up just 17.7 points per game this season.

Brennan Doherty Staff Writer The 2012 Gibbons men’s football team will be remembered more for the history they made during the season than for the way it all ended. Though the season ended with a 25-20 loss in the second round of the state playoffs at home against Wilson Hunt on Friday, November 9, the Crusaders (11-1) solidified their credentials as a top 3A football program. The seniors on the 2012 team became the first class in Gibbons history to go undefeated in the Carolina 3A conference four straight years while winning four straight conference crowns and also completed the first undefeated regular season (10-0) in school history. Looking back, the first two games of the season against 4A opponents Clayton and Cary provided the blueprint the team would follow all year long: a stout defense and an efficient, sometimes explosive, offense led by first-year junior starter Shawn Stankavage. Gibbons passed both early tests, beating Clayton 20-15, and Cary 15-12 despite Stankavage’s throwing two interceptions in each game. With the Gibbons offense struggling, Gibbons could have easily started out 0-2 if it hadn’t been for defensive coordinator Okesa Smith’s stifling defense. The Gibbons defense set the tone all season, surrendering just 17 points per game on average. “[Defense] is the hallmark of an outstanding football team. It’s one thing to score points, but if you can’t stop an opponent, you’re going to have a hard time consistently winning football games,” said head coach Steven Wright. But scoring points did not turn out to be a problem for the Gibbons offense in 2012. Under Stankavage’s guidance, the Gibbons offense scored 40 points or more on six different occasions, and averaged 36.3 points per game. Despite his early struggles, Stankavage progressed quickly, completing 64% of his passes for 2,911 yards with 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions before suffering a season-ending ACL tear against Gray’s Creek in the first round of the playoffs. Stankavage was named Carolina 3A

offensive player of the year. After the opening two games, Gibbons wasn’t tested again until hosting a 7-1 Orange squad in a matchup that would determine the conference championship. Gibbons held on for a 28-21 victory, clinching its record-setting fourth straight Carolina 3A conference crown. The Crusader defense came through again, holding Orange to just seven second half points to clinch the victory and virtually assure the historic undefeated season. Gibbons entered the first round of the state playoffs against Gray’s Creek unbeaten and ready to test itself against stronger competition. The offense exploded early as Gibbons raced out to a 50-14 lead at the half but the Gibbons defense failed to nail down a victory for the first time all year. Gray’s Creek stormed back, cutting the Gibbons lead to five points late in the fourth quarter, 57-52, before the offense was able to run out the clock, ending the valiant Gray’s Creek’s comeback attempt. A week later, Gibbons faced their personal kryptonite: Wilson Hunt. With Stankavage out, backup quarterback junior Dante DiMaggio, normally a starting wide receiver, got the nod behind center. DiMaggio threw three interceptions but passed for 324 yards and gave Gibbons a chance to win. Hunt proved to be too much and went on to lose in the 3A semifinals against eventual state champion Northern Guilford. In the end, the 2012 Gibbons football team used the combination of a tough defense and explosive offense to secure a place in the history books. “I told them on the field I couldn’t be more proud of them. This team has come a long way. We had to replace a quality group of seniors last year, and these guys stepped in, and ran the table. These guys stepped up and did a phenomenal job,” said Wright.

Re-live the historic unbeaten season on the Football Blog at www.cghsnc.org/footballblog. View football slideshows online at www.cghsnc.org/crusadersports

Tennis wins conference title Anthony Palumbo Contributor

The women’s varsity tennis team suffered a tough loss in the semifinals to Nash Central on November 11, finishing their season 19-7 overall and 10-0 in conference play. The team returned seven players from 2011, but only three played in the top six last year, meaning three girls were competing in the top six for the first time in 2012. The team knew it would be a difficult task to recover from after losing that many seniors, but they were up for the challenge. “After winning States for the first time last year, there was pressure on us to defend our title, even though we lost some of our good seniors. I think we handled the challenge and pressure very well and gave every competition we faced a good fight,” said sophomore Maggie Reilly, one of the returning players from the 2011 squad. “I felt like the match that really helped turn our season around was when we played Grimsley, the reigning 4A State champs. Even though we lost, I felt like our girls played very well and the loss helped us learn and enter conference with an edge on the competition,” said head coach Andrew Tuttle. The team entered conference play as a heavy favorite. The girls exceeded the expectations and only dropped one individual court in conference play. The girls ended up finishing as regular season champs and conference tournament champs. Page design by Editor-in-Chief Ellyson Williams

The dominating performance in conference set up another deep playoff run for the girls. “I think that the whole team played to its greatest potential. We were able to defeat tough opponents, and it made us a stronger team because of it,” said junior Andrea Fitzgerald, another one of the returning members of the 2011 championship squad. In the individual state championships, sophomore Devin Knors finished second in the region, and lost in the quarterfinals. Sophomore Natalie Freeman and senior Caroline Smith finished first in the region but lost in the quarterfinals. The team cruised to victory in the early rounds of the team state championships. Once they reached the quarterfinals, they faced a tough challenge against Union Pines. After the singles matches the team was down 4-2 and heading into doubles. For most teams, their doubles teams are sometimes a weak point, but for Gibbons it is one of the strengths. The first two matches were easily won by the Gibbons doubles teams, which meant the third match would be the tiebreaker. After being down, the third court pulled it together and pulled off a come-from-behind win against Union Pines. Though unable to win the state championship, Tuttle was pleased with his team. “I think our team grew over the season, we had some tough losses at the beginning of the year, but I am very proud of how our team played as we made our playoff run,” said Tuttle.

Photo by Jennifer Rilley/Gibbons Media

Junior Chase Rhode fights for the ball in the game against Chapel Hill on October 24. The Crusaders tied the Tigers 2-2 but went on to win the Carolina 3A title.

Andrew Mihok Staff Writer The Gibbons men’s varsity soccer team’s run towards a third straight NCHSAA 3A state championship came to an end with a 6-2 road loss to the Jacksonville Cardinals on November 24. The Crusaders, who advanced to the regional finals after beating Northern Guilford in the third round, finished the season 17-5-4. Jacksonville, 26-1, advanced to the state championship against Hickory on Saturday, November 17 and the Cardinals won in double overtime to win the 3A title. The Crusaders defeated Jacksonville the last two seasons in the fourth round of the state playoffs by scores of 3-2 in 2010, and 3-1 in 2011. Jacksonville was able to get on the board first in the 26th minute with a goal from midfielder Austin Patselas. With momentum on their side, Jacksonville was able to score two more goals in the first half and went into halftime with a 3-0 lead. “The other team wanted it more and it was indicated by the way they came out and how we played,” said head coach Tim Healy. The Cardinals continued their inspired play from the first half and scored a goal within the first ten minutes of the second half to increase their lead to 4-0. Gibbons was finally able to score in the 51st minute with a goal by sophomore Cooper Duplantis but the Cardinals answered right back two minutes later making the score 5-1. The game ended with a goal from junior Ade Taiwo before another goal from Jacksonville closed the scoring. “Jacksonville just had more motivation to get ready,” said Healy. With only eight returning players this year, Gibbons was still able to remain unbeaten against their conference rival Chapel Hill (1-0-1) to help clinch the Carolina 3A conference title. Healy was pleased with the team’s record considering the inexperience of the squad. “We had five losses this year, and I will take that with the tough opponents we faced. It took a lot on our part and there wasn’t a lot of pressure on the new players,” said Healy. As well as being inexperienced, the Crusaders were struck with injuries to juniors Cameron Steele and Ryan Trickett, both of whom were expected to contribute substantially this year. With so many missing players, the seniors stepped up their games. Seniors Kyle Unruh and Kye Rhode led the team in goals this year with 18 and 12, respectively. “There were a lot of great things about this year’s team that were memorable, but mostly I enjoyed developing a strong relationship with the guys and achieving many things that many people thought we couldn’t do. I am never going to forget the memories I’ve made with my teammates,” said Unruh. Gibbons will lose 10 seniors this season but have 16 returning players including Taiwo, who was named N.C. Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year at the conclusion of the season.

View soccer slideshows online at www.cghsnc.org/crusadersports

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The Crusader 16

December 10, 2012

Both XC teams bring home state titles again

Women win third consecutive cross country title

Caroline Young Staff Writer For the third year in a row, the women’s cross country team took home the title of “3A state champion” after a dominant performance at the 3A state meet on Saturday, November 3, at Beason Park in Kernersville, N.C. The women’s team took first place over 15 other teams from across the state, far outpacing second place Chapel Hill, 31-74. Gibbons placed five runners in the top twenty. Junior Mary Grace Doggett took first place with a time of 18:02.82, and freshman Sophie Ebihara finished just behind Doggett at 18:07.36 to take second. Junior Rachel Bartolomeo placed fifth overall and seniors Samiiah Wilson, Katie Magee, and Lauren Velasco placed 12th, 18th, and 41st, respectively. Many of the runners credited hard work and teamwork for their success. “Winning states was an important milestone for our team. It helped to show us that our hard work is paying off. Next season, I look forward to working hard with the team so that we can continue to get better,” said Doggett. “I’m blessed to have Mary Grace as a teammate to work with,” said Ebihara, about her first season running at Gibbons. “I was proud of the girls and how well we ran, as a team, as a pack. We ran for each other,” said Bartolomeo. “I feel like everyone finished with a solid time and a solid placement. As a team we met our expectations,” said Wilson. The women’s team had a rocky beginning to the season since many of the runners were out with injuries, but still managed to be successful in the end. “We started out the season a little

Photo courtesy of Victoria Klimek

Both men’s and women’s cross country teams won the 3A state championship on November 3 at Beeson Park in Kernersville against 15 teams from across the state.

banged up. It took us a while to be a whole team again, but by regionals and states we had the whole team back,” said head coach Nick Mangum. Wilson has been a part of the cross country team all four of her years at Gibbons and finished her career with a third championship. The girls had to work hard, this year especially, but it paid off in the end, according to Wilson. “We’ve become a closer team. We’re basically a family,” said Wilson.

See photos of cross country and volleyball at www. cghsnc.org/crusadersports. See the latest action online at www.cghsnc.org/ athleticscentral Follow The Crusader on Twitter @newspapercghsnc. Follow Gibbons Athletics @ athleticscghsnc

Men come from behind to win

Kathryn Baker Contributer After being considered major underdogs throughout the season, the men’s cross country team took home a second consecutive 3A state title by just five points against conference rival and top-ranked Chapel Hill in a thrilling race. The team arrived at the championship course in Kernersville on November 3 with hopes of beating Chapel Hill, its main rival. After placing second to Chapel Hill by 10 points at the regional meet only a week earlier, the boys came prepared and were ready for the challenge. At the beginning of the season, Gibbons was ranked seventh out of all classifications and Chapel Hill was ranked first out of all classifications. However, the Crusaders did not let their ranking deter them throughout

the season and especially not in the state meet. It was a close race as Gibbons and Chapel Hill ran side by side much of the time but at about the two-mile mark, Chapel Hill went ahead and it wasn’t looking promising, according to head coach Nick Mangum. But when the teams rounded the corner onto the final stretch of the 5k course, onlookers could not tell which team had taken the lead. After two Gibbons runners, sophomore David Edwards and junior Cody Nagy, overtook two Chapel Hill runners near the end of the race, it seemed like there was a chance for Gibbons to pull off the upset. Senior captain Nick Tyrey led the team to victory, placing sixth overall. Senior captain Mario Lund, junior Jake Zawada, Edwards, and Nagy placed in the top twenty. All four of the runners moved up very well in the last mile after being behind at the two-mile mark, according to Mangum. “Our guys were tough in the last mile and really fought well to come back and win the meet when it wasn’t looking promising at the two-mile mark,” said Mangum. The runners were proud of their accomplishment this year. “There is a great amount of satisfaction that comes from knowing we have risen from being ranked seventh to beating out the favorites for the second year in a row,” said Nagy. “We came into this season being considered as major underdogs, but by rising to the top and beating Chapel Hill for the second year in a row, we have shown that we have to be taken into consideration every year no matter where the rankings put us. It really feels great,” said Zawada. The team will lose captains Tyrey and Lund, along with fellow senior captains Harrison Dusek and J.B. Collins, the team’s sixth and seventh runners, next fall. “We’ll have a hard time replacing them,” said Mangum. Staff writer Caroline Young contributed to this story.

Volleyball captures fourth straight title

the area to Leesville Road, likely because of Leesville Road’s early season 3-0 victory over Gibbons. Leesville finished as the runner-up in the 4A final. Gibbons was missing two key starters due to injury and ineligibility in that matchup and went on to lose only one other match, to conference rival Chapel Hill. Even through the adversity of early season injuries and unexpected losses, the team persevered to bring home another trophy for the Gibbons family. “The kids have done a great job, our thing this season was keeping the ‘next man step up’ mentality,” said head coach Logan Barber. Over the years, Gibbons has established itself as one of the best volleyball programs in the state of North Carolina. “Over the last 16 seasons, the volleyball team has gotten to at least the semifinal of the state playoffs,” said sports information director Alex Bass. Gibbons has been blessed with some of the best individual players in the country over the years. Last season’s playoff MVP, Maddie Bugg ’12, is currently playing at Stanford University, and Nelson has signed a national letter of intent to play at the University of Wisconsin next fall.

Photo courtesy of Travis Long/ The News & Observer (permission for use granted)

Junior Amy Robertson (26), senior Haleigh Nelson (21), and juniors Bianca Gartner (30), Cheyenne Wood (leaping) and Erin Quinn (25) celebrate the final point in their 3-0 sweep of Jesse Carson on Saturday, Nov. 3 at N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum. The Crusaders finished 21-2 and captured their fourth consecutive 3A state championship.

Preston Moser Staff Writer Gibbons volleyball continued its dominance in the state of North Carolina with a 3-0 sweep over Jesse Carson at N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum on November 3, extending its 3A championship winning streak to four. Gibbons defeated Jesse Carson in straight sets 26-24, 25-18, 25-20, completing the playoffs with a winning streak of 17 sets in a row after losing the second set to Eastern Alamance in the first round. That set was the only one Gibbons dropped, winning 18 or 19, overall. Page design by Sports Editor Cheyenne Wood

In the semifinals, Gibbons faced D.H. Conley and won 3-0 sending the team to another state championship match. The Crusaders dominated the competition, led by senior team captain Haleigh Nelson. Nelson was named Most Valuable Player for the state playoffs, and later was named a first team All-American, according to the U.S. Volleyball Coaches Association. Gibbons ended the year with an overall record of 21-2. Gibbons finished sixth in the nation and first in North Carolina in 3A, according to volleyball website Max Preps. The News & Observer ranked Gibbons second in

Photo courtesy of Travis Long/News & Observer (permission for use granted)

Senior Chinwendu Ngwadom (left) looks on as junior libero Bianca Gartner digs a Carson attack at the NCHSAA 3A state championship match at N.C .State’s Reynolds Coliseum on November 3. The Crusaders won their fourth consecutive state title in Raleigh in front of a huge crowd of Gibbons students, parents, and faculty.