Middle School Magazine

MIDDLE SCHOOL MAGAZINE

SPORTS

WHAT’S NEW GREEN WAVE

THE FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOOP

THE GREAT PUMPKIN

NBA TRADE: DAMIAN LILLARD TO THE BUCKS

FOODIES’ CORNER: DAVE’S HOT CHICKEN

A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:

An in-depth analysis on the Battle of Gettysburg First Edition

October 2023

WHAT’S NEW GREEN WAVE GREAT PUMPKIN RACE

By Brayden Bonetti ‘28 For the past couple years, Delbarton School annually hosts a school wide contest to find the Great Pumpkin, a small real-life pumpkin that is hidden somewhere on campus. Mr. Theroux, Science Department Chairperson, provides clues in the form of daily riddles on the glass near the pendulum in the Science Wing. The annual school-wide contest for a giant bucket of your favorite Halloween candy gets every student excited for the upcoming holiday. Also up for grabs, are long lasting bragging rights for being the one who locates the elusive pumpkin!

Last year, sophomore Zach Gordon, worked hard solving riddles and scouring the campus to fin The Great Pumpkin. Zach, after days of searching, found the pumpkin in Mr. White’s, Head of Mission and Ministry, office. Zach has shared 3 tips on how to find the Great Pumpkin.

1. Keep and open mind when analyzing the clues. Delbarton is a very large school, there are many places one single clue could lead to.

2. Pay specific attention to the format of the clue as this will always narrow down the possible hiding places of the pumpkin 3. When you don’t find the pumpkin, do not doubt that area. Zach first went into Mr. White’s office and was not able to find it. Later, he came back, and with further searching, he was triumphant.

FOODIES’ CORNER DAVE’S HOT CHICKEN

By Ajay Tolia ‘28

Imagine being famished around 8 PM, while in the car driving around on a road trip with your family. You ask your Dad what’s for dinner and he responds with “whatever we can find on our way home”. We all have probably faced this situation at some point in our lives. I believe that I have found the best fast food chain to solve this dilemma. The food is the pinnacle of flavor, king of seasoning, and the definition of Nashville-style hot chicken. It’s Dave’s Hot Chicken.

I faced an obstacle like this recently. My family and I were driving home after a bus day and we arrived at Dave’s Hot Chicken. I had only ever heard about the food chain online, so I directed my family into the plaza to grab dinner. Once walking in, the glamorous scent of spicy chicken sandwiches filled my nose. I ordered chicken tenders and fried sliders topped with kale slaw and a generous amount of pickles. I also received a honey packet with the meal. On the slider, I realized that the food chain had not skimped the amount of pickles like many other food chains would. The chicken was expertly crafted seasoned with garlic. The rest of the food was seasoned perfectly and crafted beautifully.

In summary, I would highly recommend Dave’s Hot Chicken to any chicken aficionado. Sadly there is only one location in New Jersey (as of Oct. 24, 2023) which is in Wayne. It is totally worth while and you will be completely satisfied. Dave’s Hot Chicken is in the conversation for the GOAT when it comes to a delicious chicken sandwich.

SPORTS FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOOP

By Connor Glory ‘28

Now that we are a month into the NFL season we are starting to see players that are league winners and league busts, but there are a good amount of players you should not give up on and some players you should trade. Here’s is the scoop!

Waiver Report Now that we are entering week 5 we have a lot of sleepers that have been picked up such as Kyren Williams and Puka Nuka but there are more hidden gems still on the wire.

Marvin Mims, The Broncos rookie wideout has shown some serious flashes and big play ability with 26.3 points in week 2 and 16.6 points in week 3. He is the only roster in 17% of leagues you should pick him up.

Jayden Reed, another young receiver Jayden Reed had an outstanding week 2 with 19.7 points he has kept a steady pace since with 9.3 and 10.5 points the past two weeks I would pick him up in your league with a 22% roster rate.

Darnell Washington, With Pat Freiermuth out for multiple weeks Washington takes over that starting role and the rookie at Georgia can really make a splash although he has not had a lot of points yet he will be more involved and is a target right away with a 0.4 percent roster rate he is a easy pick up.

Trade For and Trade Away Trade For Three targets I would go for before the trade deadline Adam Thielen - He has been a outstanding player for fantasy managers but people might believe his production wont continue… It will. The Panthers are trying to build around Bryce Young and Thielen will be targeted over and over and over again.In week 5 and 6 he had 33.7 and 34.5 points.

Tank Dell/ Nico Collins The Texans two best receivers are going be fantasy winners if they keep up there production CJ stroud has been playing phenomenal and his top two receivers are racking up fantasy points with Dell having 20 and 31.5 points In weeks 2 and 3 and Collins having 33.6 and 41.8 points in weeks 2 and 4 respectively.

Tutu Atwell Now Atwell is the biggest question mark on this list as once Kupp is back he might have a reduced role but so far he has been playing amazing and putting up 15 points a week. With 23.9, 15.2,17.2 point in the first 3 weeks he is a nice addition to any team.

Trade away Najee Harris, Now this is pretty obvious but the Steelers Oline has been terrible and Harris is now splitting carries with Jaylen Warren. Don't be fooled by the 15 points last week. Trade Najee away now.

Tee Higgins, after a strong week two it seems Higgins has not done anything and with problems with Burrow I would ship him away.

Darren Waller, This Giants team is struggling and I would ship him off before it's too late.

NBA TRADE: DAMIAN LILLARD TO THE BUCKS

By Jameson Ebrahim ‘28

It’s time to Fear the Dear!! Block-Buster alert! Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock you would have heard the news that All-NBA CG (Combo Guard) has been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks of the Eastern Conference. More importantly, Dame Time was Traded from the Portland Trailblazers to the Bucks in a three-team trade including the Blazers, Bucks, and Suns. The Bucks Received Damian Lillard (Via Trailblazers), The Trailblazers received Jrue Holiday (VIA Bucks), Deandre Ayton (VIA Suns), Toumani Camara (VIA Suns), A 2029 first-round unprotected pick (VIA Bucks), pick swaps on the Bucks first-round pick in 2028 and 2030 (Via Bucks). The Suns Received Jusef Nurkic (VIA Portland), Grayson Allen (VIA Bucks), Nassir Little (Via Portland), and Keon Johnson (VIA Portland).

Although, I agree that the Bucks won the trade and will be in championship contention in the near future, many things can still go wrong.

First off, the Bucks lost their best perimeter defender in Jrue Holiday and backup PG Jevon Carter in free agency to the Chicago Bulls. Losing their two top perimeter defenders come playoff time will really hurt them. To make matters worse, last year Damian Lillard finished 142nd in defense. Yes, Dame wasn’t even a top 140 defender in the NBA last-year! I think the Bucks will be able to score at will, but Dame is already 33 years old and both him and Giannis are injury prone. I think the Bucks will be great in the regular season but will have trouble come playoff time. If all goes right, Dame and Giannis both play at an All-NBA level. If Brook Lopez returns to the top of the league in DPOY voting, and Khris Middleton returns to an All-Star level, there might be a chance the Bucks raise the Larry O-B! The Blazers traded Dame which will allow Rookie guard Scoot Henderson, Sophomore Guard Shaeden Sharp, and 24 year old up and coming star Anfrenee Simons have breakout seasons. Each of these guards will have more of an on-ball role which will allow them to build chemistry and complement each other on the court. I’m also predicting that Deandre Ayton will win the MIP this season leading the Blazers to the 7-seed in the West. If I had to give the Dame trade a rating for the Blazers I would give it a A-.

Finally, I absolutely hate this trade for the Suns. Trading Deandre Ayton is really going to hurt them in the playoffs. We have learned over the last decade that defense wins championships. You can’t score 150 and give up 152! The suns who traded for Bradley Beal and KD last year had another playoff meltdown losing to the Nuggets. Although Finals MVP Nikola Jokic cooked Deandre Ayton, he no one else was spared. Now, the Suns are left with Injury riddled Jusuf Nurkic who for sure can’t guard Jokic.

The Suns did sign Bol Bol, but he won’t help on the defensive end so I think that it was a waste of money. If I had to grade the Dame Trade for the Suns then I would give it a C. Nothing about it makes sense. Losing PG Chris Paul and starting center Deandre Ayton (C) for Jusef Nurkic and Grayson Allen, Keon Johnson, and Nasir Little doesn’t add up. I’m predicting that the Suns won’t be a top three team in the West and I absolutely think that this was a waste of an off-season for the Suns.

All in all, the Damian Lillard trade will shake up the NBA for many years to come. Watch out when that unprotected pick in 2029 turns into the next Wemby!

THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG

By Zachary Wan ‘28 The Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was one of the most important battles in the Civil War. It was one of the early Union victories. The three day battle happened between July 1 to July 3, 1863. Surprisingly, the Confederates were winning on the first day. One of the main reasons for the victory was that the Union had a great line defense because the hills they were on formed a fishhook. General George Mead led the Union soldiers during the Battle of Gettysburg. Another advantage for the Union soldiers was that the General Lee, leader of the Confederate Army, thought the fishhook was the shape of the horseshoe. He did not know the battlefield as well as the Union and was not ready for retaliation. The Union, who won, lost 3100 soldiers and the Confederates lost about 28,000 soldiers, which was about a third of Lee’s army. This battle was called the turn point of the Civil War and had the most casualties in the war.

Fun Facts Only one civilian died in the battle because both sides spent time protecting the civilians.

Mary Virginia “Jennie” Wade was killed on July 3 when she woke up to knead dough for the soldiers. A stray bullet hit her in the back and killed her instantly.

At the sight of the battle, there are memorials for all the groups of Union men that served at the battle Maryland’s memorial as both Confederate and Union soldiers on it since it was common for a family to have two men fighting on the different sides, since it was the middle state between the North and South

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

EDITORS

WRITERS

CONNOR GLORY

BRAYDEN BONETTI

ZACHARY WAN

JAMESON EBRAHIM

ROSHAN SEKHER

CONNOR GLORY AJAY TOLIA ZACHARY WAN

*2ND EDITION SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK!

Club Moderator: Mr. Szelingowski