April 2013 - Volume 106 Issue 6

The Horseshoe APRIL

2013

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DENTON

HIGH

SCHOOL,

DENTON,

TEXAS

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VOLUME

106

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ISSUE

“Her #1 characteristic was her love and compassion for the kids. She supported everything they did.”

- Ms. Janis Wohlgemuth “She was a great counselor. She cared a lot about her students and was always a person I could turn to in a time of need. She will be dearly missed.”

- Jada McCall, 10 “She was one of those people who always smiled. She inspired the kids to do their best.”

- Mr. Dewey Christian “She went out of her way to help other people, and that set a great example. She devoted her life to what she loved, and she always found a way to help people.”

- Alex Meimers, 11 “She was one of the original Broncos. Her enthusiasm was incredible.”

- Ms. Renee Koontz “There was never a bigger Bronco fan.”

- Ms. Marlene Nobles

Dottie McEuin: 1944-2013 Page 6

Girl makes Fillies on third attempt (Pg. 2)

Eckel overcomes obstacles with ease (Pg. 7)

Why DHS is not ghetto (Pg. 8)

Khoury makes UNT All-Century Team (Pg. 10)

Amadi, Pena, and Wilson dominate track meet (Pg. 11)

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2 NEWS/FEATURE Third time’s the charm DHS dominates AĕėĎđ 2013

Floribel Núñez Staff Writer

The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.

Being a Fillie is not a privilege, it’s an honor.

The tryout process is grueling and it can even lead to tears, but it all pays off in the end.

To be a Fillie, you have to have a great memory, be respectful, and you have to want it all. Junior Tally Hicks felt she had the drive and was first inspired to join Fillies her freshman year.

“I’ve always wanted to be a Fillie and I’ve always loved to dance,” Hicks said. “It’s a way for me to show my feelings and for me to be able to be myself without people judging me.”

Hicks likes to express herself through dancing, and this is the main reason she tried out.

“I waited with her outside of the school to hear whether she made it or not,” Hicks’ mother, Jessica Nakos said. ”I brought sunflowers to try to cheer her up should the results not be what she wanted to hear.”

Unfortunately, she was unsuccessful in her tryouts the first time around.

“I didn’t see my number on the list and I realized I didn’t make it,” Hicks said. “I cried because it was heartbreaking.”

However, this didn’t stop Hicks from giving

it a second attempt.

“Seeing people that tried out with me the first time make it made me want to be a part of Fillies even more,” Hicks said. “It motivated me to try harder the second time around.”

She tried out again at the end of her sophomore year but ended up falling short for the second time.

“My second tryout, I kind of expected not to make it,” Hicks said. “I felt I didn’t even do as well as my first year.”

Though Hicks didn’t make the cut for a second time, she still attended most of the Fillies’ performances and was even a part of their annual Fillies Follies show this year.

“Not being a Fillie affected me throughout the school year because I went to all the football games and I was in Fillies Follies this year since I was in dance,” Hicks said. “It wasn’t good enough for me, though. It was like a reminder that I didn’t make it, and it inspired me even more to try out again.”

Hicks’ mother shared her daughter’s pain, but wasn’t sure how to console her.

“There is nothing worse than seeing your child hurt and not being able to do anything to fix it,” Nakos said.

Hicks nearly gave up on her dream of being a Fillie, until she received some words of encouragement from senior

district contest W h i l e most students were still sleeping, a handful of dedicated Broncos arose on the morning of March 23 to represent Denton High School at the District 5-4A UIL Meet at Guyer High School.

Of the 21 students that competed, 16 advanced to the regional meet in Abilene, Texas, to be held on April 1920, with a shot to advance to the state meet in Austin the last week of May. To advance to the regional meet, a student must finish in the top three of their individual event or by being a member of the first place team. Those who earned a place in the top six gainedpoints toward the team total and helped the Broncos to a second place finish behind Trophy Club Byron Nelson.

“It takes a lot of time to be successful and all of the hard work they have put into it shows a lot of dedication,” UIL coordinator Fred Mueller said. “I was pleasantly surprised we had as many kids advance as we did. This is the first time in recent years Current Events and Literary Criticism have gone, which is great.”

Emily Fu is among those advancing, placing 2nd in both Editorial and Feature Writing.

“At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t familiar with the events, so I was glad to become more familiar with them and qualify,” Fu said.

“It’s competitive because I’m not in journalism and others have the advantage. There is a time limit, so you have to think fast.”

Varada Salimath, who fin-

Evie Clark Staff Writer

Dancing to her own beat, junior Tally Hicks made it into Fillies after two unsuccessful tries. (courtesy photo) Jamitrice Keating-Lynton, captain of the Fillies.

“I didn’t plan on trying out for the third time,” Hicks said. “Jamitrice talked to me at mock tryouts, and I decided that I had to be a Fillie.”

At her third Fillies tryout, Hicks gave it all she had and ended up making the squad.

“When I found out that I made it, I started crying and jumping around,” Hicks said. “I couldn’t believe I was actually going to be a Fillie.”

Sharing the joy with her daughter, Nakos said their whole church was behind Hicks.

“My husband and I, as well as her sister, Brooklyn, prepared for the

worst, but prayed for the best,” Nakos said.

“With a huge amount of support and love from her family and church community, she found out on Friday night that she had made it and everyone at church congratulated her as soon as they saw her.”

It was Hicks’ drive that led her to become a Fillie, and according to her that kind of determination can lead you to do great things in life.

“I’ve tried out for other organizations all through high school, but Fillies is the only thing I really wanted,” Hicks said. “It just goes to show if you really want something and put your heart into it, you will be able to do anything in life.”

If you’ve got a story idea to share, please send it to ideas@dhshorseshoe.com.

ished second individually in both Spelling and Vocabulary and in Current Events, is also moving on in multiple events. She helped both teams earn first-place team trophies.

“In Current Events, I had to review world affairs and politics, and for Spelling, I had to study the word list,” Salimath said. “It took a great deal of hard work, but afterwards, it was fun to have won and to have all the hard work pay off.”

Others who advanced to regionals include William Root, who came in first in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Number Sense, and second in Literary Criticism; and Emily Hu, who finished second in Computer Science and third in Mathematics.

“I was excited to have been on the teams for it,” Hu said.

“It felt like taking a test, but I wasn’t nervous. We were expecting to win.”

Students that also advanced to Abilene include Mwape Chintankwa, who placed first in Literary Criticism.

“I’m so proud of myself,” Chintankwa said. “I didn’t even think I would make it to regionals. I screamed in shock when I found out I made it.”

Omar Akram, Rebecca Fu, Anna Mitchell, Miles O’Keefe, George Roberson, and Yiming Su also qualified individually. Alex Elizalde, Jared Davis, Brandon Shields, and Kevin Ye qualified with teams.

“This is the most kids we have taken to Abilene for the regional meet in about three years, and I’m really proud of that.” Mueller said.

NEWS/FEATURE

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AĕėĎđ 2013

Tarango shares life lessons for struggling teens Brandon Shields Staff Writer In the world we live in, it’s easy to feel like we can’t accomplish the goals we set into motion. We go to school and all that negativity spreads like a cold.

But our cure is Ninfa Tarango, first year Spanish teacher. Tarango’s story proves that beyond the negativity and through hard work, no matter what the world is like around you and no matter how difficult your situation is, you control your own destiny.

We can all relate to her struggle and desire to overcome it. Born in a small town in Texas, Tarango was raised by her grandparents and her mother. She had a hard childhood.

“My mother was in and out of my life, and I depended heavily on my grandparents,” Tarango

said. “I always knew they supported me in all of my choices and they were my source to fall back on. Despite the hardships, I had to move around a lot, making it hard to make friends or keep them. I had to transfer in and out of a lot of schools.”

Staying on her feet with the variables, she sought out constants, or people who would be there for her in her times of need. For her, they were teachers. No matter how many times she transferred school to school, teachers were nearby, teachers helped, and teachers believed in her.

“I enjoyed going to school so much,” Tarango said. “The environment allowed me to get so much stress off my mind. I loved so many of my teachers because they were there for me. I depended on them; they were almost like par-

ents to me,” Tarango said.

Tarango was no stranger to hard work. She excelled in school, but faced one daunting challenge in particular. It was a challenge that was larger than life. It was another life.

“I became pregnant at the age of 18,” Tarango said. “My family and friends began to doubt me.

I wasn’t going to have it.”

She gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Nico.

“After I had Nico, I could see all the challenges that awaited me,” Tarango said.

“But the way I saw it was I wanted a better life for him. Even more so than that of my own life, Nico made me even stronger.”

“I went out seeking answers from teachers and my counselor for ways to apply for college,” Tarango said. “They acted like, since I was Hispanic and pregnant, I had no chance in

college, like I was like everyone else; a statistic. Instead of letting them have their way, I sought out the answers myself. I figured out that SMU was not too far and they would give me financial aid due to my grades and situation. After I acquired this information, I gave the tools to my counselor because, when I asked her about college applications, she said she didn’t know. It was her job to know such things, so I made sure that the next time someone, asked she would have the answer.”

Overcoming most of the obstacles she faced, she graduated high school with a ticket to college.

“I sent my graduation letters to those who doubted me, to let them know that I could accomplish my goals,” Tarango said. “It was to let them know that the only thing that was go-

Miles Ahead: After competing at State in March, junior Miles O’Keefe quali ied for BPA Nationals, which will take place in May. His event is Fundementals of Web Design. “I would not mind being the next Mark Zuckerberg,” O’Keefe said. “I would not mind that at all.” To read the story, visit our webpage, dhshorseshoe.com

ing to stop or inhibit my life would be me.”

Tarango then enrolled at SMU with a full ride. Challenges always awaited her, but she had the willpower to side-step them.

“Of course while I was in school I still had to take care of Nico too,” Tarango said. “My grandparents and friends played a big role here. We almost had to tag-team as I would take care of Nico and then go to school. I ended up exhausted, but in the end I knew it was all worth it.”

She graduated college and got a job at Denton High, fulfilling her dreams to become a teacher.

“I found out my old principal, Mr. Ford became the principal at Denton High,” Tarango said. “I sent him a message and he remembered who I was. I came in and we talked and there was a job open.”

Prinicpal Ford hired her because he thought she could relate to students.

“She was energetic, very caring, very nurturing, and always wanting to do her best,” Ford said. “She’s really got a passion for kids.”

“Every day, I strive to make an impact on every student’s life,” Tarango said. “Because knowing that I had some sort of impact is all worth it, knowing that I made someone’s day better than it started makes me feel good.”

She wants students to walk into her class and not feel affected by outside forces.

“I want to give them the opportunity to learn and all have an equal chance, no matter what their background is, and give everyone a good future, no matter what those who don’t believe in them say,” Tarango said.

Do the Honors: Kicking off the NHS induction ceremony, sponsor Don Place lights the ceremonial candle. “I’m glad to be apart of an organization that helps the community,” new member Omar Akram said. To read the story, visit dhshorseshoe.com

FEATURE 5 Student’s mother overcomes financial No split ends // hardships to follow her dreams AĕėĎđ 2013

Taylor Brown Assistant Editor As children, we’re told to dream, but as life goes on, we often lose sight of those dreams because life obstacles tend to get in our way. Small business owner Kristi Bennett overcame these obstacles and saw her dreams come true twelve years ago at the age of 26, when she opened up her own salon, HeadRush.

Bennett, the mother of senior Mikaela Whitley, was slated to work at a salon in Dallas, but after 9/11, she chose to stay closer to home.

“I had an apprenticeship setup to work at Jean Philippe Salon in Dallas, but I decided to work closer to home in Denton,” Bennett said. “It was just a precautionary move at the time, but it turned out to be one of the

best decisions I’ve ever made.”

Though Bennett finally figured out her dreams, she knew opening up a salon wouldn’t be a piece of cake. Bennett and her daughter battled financial hardships and lack of quality time with her daughter.

“Mikaela sacrificed a lot of her own time so I could build my dreams,” Bennett said.

“There were days when I could only take off enough time to bathe, feed, and put her to bed. We saw better days.”

Whitley can recollect on the tougher times, but recognizes the product of those events and is proud of all that her mother accomplished by following her dreams.

“It wasn’t always easy for us,” Whitley said. “While she was in school, we didn’t have a lot of money, but

Kristi Bennett cuts a client’s hair during an afternoon visit to HeadRush. (photo by Cynthia Pantaleon)

we made it through.

I’m proud of all she’s done.”

Despite their strug-

customers the best service possible.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about see-

“We host over 200 people, hold silent auctions, sell tickets, and present a runway

Kristi Bennett makes small talk with a client who has attended her salon since its inception in 2001. (photo by Cynthia Pantaleon) gles, Bennett persevered and opened HeadRush for business in 2001.

“My passion was always in hairdressing,” Bennett said. “I didn’t ever want to do anything else.”

Bennett can even remember wanting to be a hairdresser as far back as her childhood.

“I knew I wanted to be a hairdresser early on while I was in middle school,” Bennett said. “I used to tie-dye my Barbie dolls hair with Kool-Aid, so that probably played a part in my future career.”

Kool-Aid turned into chemicals, and since then, Bennett has strived to give her

ing the clients happy and seeing our staff grow and excel,” Bennett said. “If our clients aren’t happy, we haven’t done our job.”

Bennett has made it a point to thank her customers by hosting an annual customer appreciation event.

The event is complete with free chair massages, a dessert bar, and door prizes for everyone.

“Instead of sending out discount cards to our clients, we thought it’d be a better idea to hold a client appreciation party,” Bennett said. “It’s our way of saying thank you to the amazing customers we have.”

Bennett also gives back to the community through charity events held at HeadRush such as the annual ‘Hair in the Arts’ show.

show,” Bennett said.

“Each year we have a different theme for our show and pick a different charity to sponsor. This year we chose to benefit the Denton Animal Shelter.”

In its first year, Hair in the Arts raised $3,000 to benefit breast cancer research. This year Bennett is aiming to raise $10,000. Clients, staff, and even some DHS students volunteered all for the cause at this event last year.

“We helped set up the lights, the cotton candy machine, and the popcorn machine,” junior Mary Tucker said. “It was an awesome experience and felt good to help out.”

Every year, HeadRush asks its customers to nominate someone who deserves a

makeover, and a member of the staff will give them a cut, color their hair, and do their makeup free of charge.

“This lady came in and one of the staff members was doing her hair, and when he was done with her hair, she started crying and told us how she had saved up for four months just to get her hair done and said she felt like a whole new person,” Bennett said. “If we can make someone feel that good about themselves in two hours, we need to give that feeling to people who don’t think they can’t afford it.”

The way Bennett has given back hasn’t gone unnoticed by the customers. Junior Mango Qualls is just one of many who became captivated by the upscale, yet comfortable environment HeadRush offered and enjoyed her experience even more when she met Bennett for the first time.

“I first met Kristi last year when I went to HeadRush the first time,” Qualls said.

“She has a character that makes her salon homey. It’s just a really comfortable environment. She’s almost like a mother, but she’s also like a friend. All of the workers are really friendly to each other like a family, I would definitely recommend the salon.”

The buzz about HeadRush has not only gotten around to students, but teachers as well. French in-

structor Shelli Webb also became a loyal patron of the salon after seeking out a change.

“I heard about HeadRush while looking for a new salon after my old hair stylist disappointed me,” Webb said. “Mikaela is the one that told me about HeadRush, and I fell in love.”

Webb also cites Bennett as one of the many reasons she continues to frequent the salon.

“Kristi’s so cool, I love everything about her,” Webb said. “I really love the way the staff members aren’t afraid to ask her questions and how they share a teacher-student relationship, it’s really awesome.”

HeadRush continues to grow, and though the future of the salon is uncertain according to Bennett, one thing is promised, that she will see her daughter go on to accomplish dreams of her own, even if they don’t involve operating HeadRush.

“I’d only want Mikaela to run HeadRush if it’s in her plans,” Bennett said. “I want her to find her happiness within her own dreams, not mine.”

And because of her mother, Whitley plans to open up her own small business one day.

“My mom inspired me to want to open my own motorcycle shop,” Whitley said. “She makes me want to be a better person in every sense and follow my dreams.”

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FEATURE AĕėĎđ 2013

DHS remembers Dottie McEuin George Roberson Editor-in-Chief

On March 28, her 69th birthday, Dottie McEuin passed away after suffering complications from a heart attack, which sent her into a coma.

She had been a Bronco for nearly all of her life.

“She was Denton High,” DISD director of student support services and former DHS principal Darrell Muncy said. “She was an incredible advocate for our campus. As a 1962 grad, a teacher, and a counselor, she was a spokesman. I can’t think of anyone who had greater DHS spirit.”

English teacher Julie Love considered her a good friend.

“Dottie was a go-to person,” Love said. “If I had a

Q&A

problem, she was the first person I would call. I was so hopeful she would get well. When I heard that she was not going to recover, I was devastated.”

Assistant Principal Howard Palmer remembers McEuin as genuine.

“Dottie was always positive,” Palmer said. “I remember that Dottie had a heart for the kids. She loved everyone who came to her door, and she treated everybody with respect and tried to help them with their problems.”

Muncy and McEuin collaborated one year when they were 9th grade administrators together.

“I think we did great work,” Muncy said. “I have a lot of fond memories.”

Dr. Doretha Hudspeth, her colleague of 13 years

in the counseling department, remembers her as an ambassador for DHS. “She was engaging,” Hudspeth said. “People relied on her. Nobody else had the kind of connections she did. It’s like she’s always been here.”

She fondly remembers some of those connections, in particular.

“She knew all the oldtime families in Denton, so if their kids of grandkids came through Denton High, she’d know them and have stories about them,” Hudspeth said.

Hudspeth was struck by how much McEuin loved her family.

“Each time her daughter-in-law had a child, she’d take off two weeks and go to Kentucky to help with the baby,” Hudspeth said.

“She was always there for her kids.”

“Her kids” isn’t limited to just her biological children; it also refers to her students, whom she took great pride in.

“She made an effort to support students at every level,” Muncy said. “From Prom to Homecoming, and volleyball to football, if there was an event, she was there to support these students.”

Muncy found the memorial service that was held a few days before her passing moving.

“The photo sequence in which they showed all the DHS clothing Dottie owned summed up her involvement with DHS,” Muncy said. “She was truly passionate about that school and those stu-

Mrs. McEuin’s yearbook photo from 1962.

dents.”

Dr. Hudspeth says that Ms. McEuin’s passing is a loss for all of the Denton High family.

“As a department, to think that she won’t walk through those doors again is kind of tough,” Hudspeth said. “I won’t get to say ‘Hey, Dottie!’ anymore.

But it just hurts my heart that she won’t get to see her seniors graduate.”

McEuin’s death was so sudden and unforeseen that Hudspeth is concerned Denton High hasn’t gotten closure yet.

“The staff didn’t get to say goodbye,” Hudspeth said. “We need to do something to say goodbye.”

PALS is putting together a fun-run/field day in which teams can participate in competitive events. All proceeds will go towards buying a bench to go outside the front of the school as a memorial to McEuin. The event is scheduled for April 26.

“She bled purple and gold,” PALS member Kallie Smith said. “That’s wonderful and we should recognize and celebrate her.”

Teachers and students smoke together in the back of the school, there is neither a fieldhouse nor a band hall, and Mr. Ford’s office is just a concrete slab. This is what Denton High was like when Dottie McEuin attended. McEuin spoke to us about the old DHS, the new DHS, and the future of DHS in this interview from April of last year.

What was it like growing up in Denton?

Chester Strickland was my superintendent.

John Guyer was my principal. Carroll McMath was my band director. A.O. Calhoun’s wife was my ifth grade teacher. The names you see around Denton? I knew all those people.

What can you tell me about your graduating class?

Our class had 236 people in it. We pretty well knew the people from our own class since irst grade. We knew when a new kid was on campus within one day.

We had ive national merit inalists. We had two millionaires. Our class was the troublemaker class. Seems like all of the troublemakers turned out to be attorneys.

We had pep rallies every Friday. We would attend all the games, whether they were at home or on the road.

How have things at DHS changed over the years?

The facilities have changed tremendously. We only had 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, and Calhoun was Denton Jr. The trees were tiny. Girls could not wear anything but skirts or dresses.

Boys all had either crew cuts or duck tails. And the boys always wore jeans, shirts that were tucked in, and belts. And most of them were farmers.

There was no AP, just regular classes. We had no air conditioning, only windows. There were no girls’ athletics. There was only one lunch, and the school’s total student population was around 1,100.

There’s much more diversity at DHS now.

What was it like being a class sponsor?

For a few years after Ryan opened, DHS was 9th grade only, and all of the others were over at Ryan. I was the irst class sponsor when the school started graduating kids again, and that class had a unique feeling to it.

What hopes do you have for the future for DHS? I want the pride to come back. I want Denton High School to be known in the community not for what was done in the past, but what’s being done. The Fine Arts department is to die for. We have the highest ACT/SAT scores in the district.

I’m hoping we can be great in other areas, too

The Horseshoe would like to express deep condolences to Ms. McEuin’s family.

FEATURE

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AĕėĎđ 2013

‘It’s all I’ve ever known’ // Why Marinna Eckel says her life is perfect Jordan Gill Standards Editor Marinna Eckel can do more with one hand than most people could do with five.

Born with a rare disease, Marinna came into this world missing one hand.

This disorder is called Symbrachydactyly, which is an underdevelopment of the bones in the wrist and hand. One in 40,000 children is born with it.

Marinna was adopted from Shanghai when she was only 2 1/2 years old.

Her brother, Josh Eckel, was also adopted from China, but they are not biologically related.

Marinna has been going to DHS since her freshman year and her “special hand” has never stopped her from doing what she loves.

She is involved in many clubs, including FCA, Class of 2014 Officer, ASL Club, PALS, and Athletic Training.

“It does not affect me being so involved in school,” Marinna said. “I find some difficulty, mainly with athletic training, just wrapping and stuff, but I find a way to do it.”

With a passion for helping people and doing the best she can, Marinna always finds a way to complete a task, although it may take a little longer than most people.

“Whenever I find something I can’t do, I need to figure out how to do it,” Marinna said. “I always find a way to do it, but it’s a challenge.”

Marinna thinks of herself as just another student.

“I hope people don’t treat me differently because I don’t want to be in the spotlight and get special treatment,” Marinna said.

Marinna’s brother, Josh, is 15 years old and is a freshman here at DHS. Adopted from Hefei, China

at five years old, Josh also has a disability and can relate to his sister Marinna.

“I was not born with this disability; I was burned in a fire when I was about 3 months old,” Josh said. “I don’t feel like I’m treated any differently. I’m good.”

Josh is also very involved at school.

“I’m in band and jazz band, and I’ve been playing the trumpet since 6th grade,” Josh said. “My condition does not make it any more difficult to be involved in school.”

With his grades and passion for the trumpet, Josh has big plans for the future.

“When I grow up, I want to be an engineer for NASA or a professional jazz musician,” Josh said.

Living at home with Marinna, Josh says that her biggest challenge is all the stress that comes from school. It’s no different living with a sister with a special hand, according to

Junior Marinna Eckel says her ‘special hand’ doesn’t stand in her way. (courtesy photo) him.

“It’s just like living with a sister with a regular hand; there’s not much of a difference,” Josh said.

“Sometimes, I don’t even notice.”

Marinna has found some advantages to having this disability.

“There are some positives,” Marinna said. “You join a whole other community of people who are just like you and you get to meet new people. I go

to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and they have a hand camp for kids who have a special hand like me.”

She has been attending this camp since she was 14 and she has loved it.

“There’s HD2, which is the camp that I’ve been going to for 5 years,” Marinna said. “I also went to the little kid camp. It’s just a camp for kids, with no parents there, at Peaceful Kingdom in Killeen, Texas.

It’s a whole week in the

summer and it’s a time to be yourself with other kids who are just like you. They have anything you would see at a regular camp, but they have certain things that will help you if you need it.”

Marinna’s favorite part of the summer is attending this camp. She loves meeting new people and sharing experiences with them.

“It’s good to be involved in this camp because you can talk to people who are older than you, with a special hand, who have experienced the same things as you,” Marinna said. “They understand me completely.”

Marinna is very content with her life.

“I find ways to do what everyone else can do, I know I’m different but I don’t feel sorry for myself,” Marinna said. “I make the best out of it and I have fun with it. My life is perfect the way it is and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

German students experience American culture Adapting to American culture for two weeks, German foreign exchange students Jana Lindacher, Marie Grebner, Franziska Reitz, Sarah Dippe, Nico Dirschbacher, Sebastian Walla, David Shigalkin, Gabriel Schlemmer, are experiencing what it’s like to be an American.

The eight exchange students arrived from the small town of Haßfurt (pronounced Hassfurt) on March 30 at DFW International Airport. The students, along with two teachers, have been staying with their DHS host families while in the US. “Going to the United States was a little bit difficult because we don’t speak English regularly,” Grebner said. “After a few days it got easier as we became more accustomed to it.”

The students joined the German-American Partnership Program, which gave them a choice to either travel to Spain or America.

Ryan Carr Online Editor

“I was more curious about how the United States is,” Shigalkin said. “And I still am because I haven’t seen everything here.”

German instructor Sandra Dieckman enjoyed exposing her students to actual German kids their age.

“They interacted with all of my classes, and they were really surprised by the kinds of questions that my students had,” Dieckman said. “We also had them go through a typical school day here, because their school day is completely different compared to ours.”

One obstacle the students have had to adjust to is the school day. Back in Germany, classes last 45 minutes compared to the hour and a half at DHS. “Our classes are shorter and we have a lot more classes,” Dippe said. “Sometimes we have nine different classes in a day.

The classes here are not as strict and the sports are very different.”

Despite the time adjustments, the stu-

dents were given the opportunity to explore classes based on their interests.

“I chose Latin, Math, History, and German,” Walla said. “It is interesting to see how Ms. Dieckman teaches German. It’s kind of difficult because she mixes the language up sometimes.”

The students were given an opportunity to travel to the US, and they jumped on it.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to get to go to America,” Walla said. “It’s difficult to go on vacation because it’s expensive.”

Each of them has been collecting keepsakes, souvenirs, and memories to take back with them to Germany.

“I am going to take back a cowboy hat, a big bottle of Tabasco, and some super sized things because big things are typical for Texas,” Shigalkin said.

Their host families are a bit different than their real families. Their community, school, and religions are all different.

“My host family is very religious,” Shi-

galkin said. “They read the Bible together as a family, once a week and discuss the content.”

Junior Davida Rios and her family enjoyed showing Sarah Dippe around DallasFort Worth while they hosted her.

“We got to do different activities with her and take her around North Texas,” Rios said. “It was a fun experience to be a host family.”

Rios savored the occasion to have someone closer to her age around the house, in fact, Dippe became like a sibling to her.

“It was different because she was almost like a sister,” Rios said. “The only real difference between us was her accent and the minimal language barrier. It was really fun having her around.”

This summer, Rios will travel to Germany and be hosted by Dippe’s family.

“I can’t wait to see the different architecture and landscape,” Rios said. “It’s an exciting feeling that I will be taking in a whole new culture.”

8

OPINION AĕėĎđ 2013

Taylor’s Take: We are not the ‘ghetto’ school Moving to Denton in my junior year, I was extremely anxious. Coming to a brand new school made my nerves go absolutely crazy. I was to start at DHS on Aug. 22, 2011, and even though everyone

Taylor Brown Assistant Editor

in my family told me I would be fine, I got cold feet and didn’t really start until two days later. As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. The unity and pride of Bron-

co Nation took me in with open arms and made me feel like I was at home.

So why does it seem like everyone takes DHS for granted?

Most everyone I talk to describes our school as ‘ghetto,’ or ‘trashy.’ Physically, our school may not be the nicest compared to our two counterparts, and yes we are the oldest high school in Denton, but we have something Ryan and Guyer doesn’t, tradition.

The history of DHS is interwoven through each crack and crevice of the school; it’s written on the walls, literally.

Purple prints run along our walls telling the stories of the former Broncos who walked the halls before we did. They tell the history of two Miss America’s, multiple NFL players, and an Olympian. We have over 120 years of history behind us, something our rivals can’t match.

While Ryan and Guyer may be superior when it comes to most sports, many fail

to see the true importance of school. DHS academics have proven to be the best in the district year after year. The International Baccalaureate program allows our students to craft their academic future with more options offering higher standards. Not only do we have IB to speak for us, but our UIL teams have beat out our district rivals multiple times throughout the years. Denton High has excelled in UIL events such as Computer Science, Mathematics, and Spelling and Vocabulary. Academically, DHS can’t be touched.

Our Fine Arts department is among the best in the state. Band, Choir, Orchestra, and Theatre are all proficient when it comes to receiving the highest scores at UIL competitions. Not to mention, all Fine Arts organizations receive massive support from everyone when it comes to their performances. For example, this year’s musical put on by all members of the department performed to the tune of

multiple sold-out shows. The band has also made its mark as best in the area. Not only have they brought back sweepstakes from UIL many times, but our nationally acclaimed jazz bands have performed with many accredited musicians such as Bobby Burns Jr. of Earth, Wind, and Fire, the Grammy award winning band Brave Combo, and the six-time Grammy nominated University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band. Once again, when it comes to Fine Arts, DHS is superior.

Denton High is unlike any other school in the district, and unlike any other school in the world. It’s the school that welcomed me in with caring arms, and the school I lovingly call home. Regardless, there will always be naysayers who try to point out our flaws. But we have to remember, our imperfections are what makes us unique.

So are we flawed? Yes. But that’s what makes us, Denton High School, the premier school of Denton ISD.

Subway has no place on the square The Denton Square encompasses almost everything I adore about Denton: local businesses, a place that celebrates music and visual arts, and an overall laidback, friendly atmosphere. Simply, it’s unique. So when I stumbled upon a photograph of a permit for a new Subway, which is slated to open in the Texas Building across from Recycled Books, I was a little upset.

Not only do we already have numerous Subways in Denton, but a large commer-

cial business does not fit on the Square.

The vacant building could provide more fitting possibilities for the area, like a new venue or new restaurant, something that would enhance the music and art scene and continue to make Denton one-of-akind. By using that space for a Subway, hopeful business owners cannot provide new concepts that would add to the atmosphere of our city.

The addition of a Subway would also interfere with the success of the Square’s

Stop being trashy I open the door and walk in and it smells like soaked mops and sweaty shoes. No, I’m not getting ready to wash the athletes’ clothes after a week of practices; I’m in the restroom.

I don’t touch the toilet seat because the seats look like they have been smeared with fecal matter. To add to that, the stalls don’t even completely shut, limiting the privacy you have, as you’ll always get peepers looking through the cracks.

Plus, while I’m doing my business, I see unnecessary writing on the walls. I don’t care you were in the stall on Feb. 3. I don’t need to see scribbled drawings of genitals.

Floribel Núñez Staff Writer

What even. Stop being ratchet.

We need to be considerate of our school.

Seriously, flush the dang toilet, people.

That’s what causes it to get clogged up and nasty in the first place. And can you not pee inside the toilet?

Maybe we should start putting pottytraining books inside the stalls. I would at least like to wash my hands sometimes, but there is no hand soap or paper towels because people feel the need to use a pound of tissue and soap and spill it on the floor.

Do not blame the custodians for the nasty messes left in the restroom. Start taking care of it yourselves. Let’s try to be clean.

shops. Some restaurants and entertainment off the Square can be a little pricey, so a cheap option like Subway would definitely attract a lot of business away from the local shops. Economically, I can understand the appeal, but the ability to support local businesses that value their customers and the community is more rewarding. Getting to know owners and regulars at different places is one of my favorite aspects of the Square, and I value the relationship I have with those people

Emma Pattison Contributing Writer

more than I do a sandwich I could get down the road. We should be adding to that personal environment, not subtracting from it.

Based on negative feedback, it’s obvious that commercial growth is not what is important to Denton. Though our city is growing, that doesn’t mean we have to replace our historic areas with “modern” shops. We should be creating opportunities for our community – ones that allow the uniqueness of it to thrive.

The Horseshoe 1007 Fulton Denton, TX 76201 940-369-2150 Editor-in-Chief: George Roberson Assistant Editor: Taylor Brown Sports Editor: Chandler Elsbecker Online Editor: Ryan Carr Standards Editor: Jordan Gill Entertainment Editor: William Crouch Staff Writers: Dimitrios Aerts, Isaac Bowen, Mwape Chintankwa, Evie Clark, Amber Cowles, Dylan Curtis, Johnny Fletcher, CJ Mauricio, Floribel Núñez, Tanneth Oxford, Brandon Shields, Jackie Wostrel Photographers: Alex Meimers, Austin Pugh Graphic Design: Cynthia Pantaleon Adviser: Mr. Greg Bogomol Principal: Mr. Dan Ford

The student newspaper of Denton High School is published by the publications staff. The ideas expressed in this publication and on the Opinion page are solely those of the individuals providing them, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire staff, adviser, faculty, administration, or the Denton ISD Board.

DHS is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, National Scholastic Press Conference, and Columbia Scholastic Press Conference.

Find us online at www.dhshorseshoe.com, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

A version of this issue formatted specifically for the Internet can be accessed at issuu.com/ dhshorseshoe.

ENTERTAINMENT

9

AĕėĎđ 2013

The Great and Powerful Prequel Mwape Chintankwa Staff Writer A cocky and selfish magician lacking morale who goes by the name of Oz is caught in the middle of a fight with one of his fellow entertainers. He escapes the threat by getting into his hot air balloon, which catches the winds of a tornado and transports him to the wondrous land bearing his name, Oz. There, he is told that he is the key element in fulfilling the prophecy to free the Land of Oz from the threat of the Wicked Witch.

This magician from Kansas knows he is not the long awaited wizard. Nevertheless, he goes on the journey to defeat the wicked witch. Along the way, he comes in contact with strange people in need of his help, such as a monkey with wings and a china doll girl who reflect important people Oz knew in Kansas. Throughout his journey, he struggles between doing the right thing and the easy

thing. Through his deeds, the inhabitants of the land begin to have faith in him. In the end, Oz performs one final trick that baffles all the people and betrays the man he was thought to be.

Oz the Great and Powerful is a baffling and a great prequel to the wonderful classic from the 1930s. The well-known Emerald City makes an appearance, alongside new landscapes which were manifestation of pure imagination. The plot offers a new perspective and insight to a beloved classic with wicked twists that leave the viewer in awe. There were particular parts in the movie were the acting lacked the intensity the rest of the film had, particularly the acting provided by Mila Kunis, but the concept of Oz cannot be tarnished by just a few terrible moments. “Oz the Great and Powerful” was absolutely fantastic!

What’s app?

The perks of reading ‘Perks’ “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is an emotional and heartwarming book that reflects on our daily high school lives that also shows us how cruel and realistic our adolescent lives can be.

The book is about an incoming freshman named Charlie whose friend had just recently committed suicide and is now faced with going through high school by himself.

Fortunately for Charlie, he becomes friends with a free-spirited senior named Sam and her sarcastic, but loving stepbrother Patrick, as he learns through the year the meaning of friendship,

CJ Mauricio Staff Writer

The best and most popular apps as picked by our entertainment staff

Vine

Wanelo

Snapchat

4 Pics 1 Word

Vine is an app that allows you to make short looping videos in an easy way for your friends and family to see. On Vine, you can follow your friends and family and instantly post your videos to Twitter and Facebook.

Although Vine is a new and trendy app, it does have its drawbacks. If you have an Android, Vine isn’t available to make videos even though you can view them. You are also not able to make a video using the front camera on the iPhone.

App Price: Free

Wanelo is basically Pinterest with a little kick. It is an online community for all of the world’s shopping, you can buy almost everything you see. How does one Wanelo?

-Collect Products, start with what’s trending today or follow some stores, people then check out your feed.

-Post Products, anyone can post any product from any online store. -Sell Products, store pages are created when enough members post products from a new store.

App Price: Free

Snapchat is a popular app that is used to send a picture to a friend that you are unable to save. The picture only stays for 10 seconds (or less). It is growing in popularity, as people all over are sending a quick preview of an ugly face to their buddies. The catch is: once the picture is opened, it can never be opened again. You can even video Snapchat and use your front camera. It’s a very fun app to use and many people are hitting download right now.

App Price: Free

4 Pics 1 Word gives you four pictures that are described in one word and requires you to figure out that word.

For instance, a landscape with fallen snow, a white teacup, a smile with white teeth, and a dry erase board would be the clue “white.” It is easily a multiplayer game; if you can’t figure out the word you can pass your phone to a friend to try or you ask on Facebook. It’s a challenging game that makes you brainstorm similarities.

App Price: Free

trust, and love.

The book focuses on high school life through a diary written by Charlie as he describes the events of the books through his own perspective. It’s a story about two teenagers who are helping a freshman find himself and helping him accept the way he is. The book shows the issues of what high school students have to go, through including drugs, sex, abusive relationships, and coping with the past.

Author Stephen Chbosky magnificently crafts a very realistic story that is not only dramatic but also relatable to our lives.

10

SPORTS AĕėĎđ 2013

Khoury selected to UNT All-Century Team Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor Growing up in Nazareth, Israel, Iseed Khoury had an obsession: the game of soccer.

“It was all soccer, from the first day I can remember,” Khoury said. “That’s all I ever did, was play soccer. That’s what the kids around the block did. So we hung out after school and played soccer till it got darker than dark. And we’d go home, sleep, get ready to go to school the next day, and look forward to the afternoon, when we’d play soccer again. That’s what we did seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

When a young Khoury saw Pelé and George Best on TV, his eyes lit up.

“Those were the people that I looked up to; those were the people I imitated,” Khoury said. “Pele wore number ten, so that was what I always wore when I played. I would watch films on them and try to do the stuff I saw them do. So the five, six, or seven hours we practiced every afternoon, I’m working on something I saw them do. Eventually, when you start doing it enough, you get decent at it. That’s how I learned the game.”

Finding ways to experiment with the game helped motivate Khoury, who took every opportunity possible to show his creativity.

“You show your personality on the field,” Khoury said. “Your maneuvering, your athleticism, your smarts, your decisionmaking, your quickness, your speed – it’s all right there in front of you. And you have fun by being creative, being different, by doing things that are unusual, so it’s just you being in control of a situation.

That’s what I love about soccer.”

Khoury was an accomplished soccer player, so much so that the local professional team asked him to sign with them as a reserve player.

“My father didn’t think that was a good idea because I was too young, and I would be exposed to drinking and all of that stuff,” Khoury said. “But I wanted to play soccer.”

In response, Khoury’s father asked him if he wished to live for a time with Khoury’s brother, who was conducting his studies in the United States.

“I thought, ‘Oh, that would be nice,’” Khoury said. “I thought it was going to be a month visit. I had no idea it was going to be forty-five years.”

Khoury boarded a plane to meet his brother in Dallas.

“It was about two o’clock in the morning,” Khoury said. “That’s the first thing I ever did in this country was eat at Dunkin’ Donuts.”

Naturally, upon arrival in Texas, Khoury would continue playing soccer.

However, few other people were playing.

“It was a foreign thing,” Khoury said. “So when I came to Denton High School, I was determined that we make a soccer team. I didn’t speak the language well, but my sophomore year, we gathered a few people, and we’d play after school in the evenings.”

The following year, the team would approach the administration about playing soccer competitively.

“There were no public schools playing soccer back then,” Khoury said. “But the private schools were.

Recently selected to the All-Century Team, Coach Iseed Khoury kicked the longest field goal in UNT history, a 62-yarder. (photo by Austin Pugh) We joined and played the private schools in their league. I would play and basically coach the team, and we had a teacher who was our sponsor, who had to be with us, or else we couldn’t have a team.

We had begged teachers: ‘Please come do it,” and we had one who agreed. That’s how soccer got started.”

Denton’s foray into soccer would encourage several other local public schools to start their own soccer programs as Khoury entered his senior year. Both years, Khoury excelled, attracting a crowd of admirers along the way.

Two teams from the American Soccer League would ask Khoury to drop out of school and sign with them, but he declined. Meanwhile, a gaggle of college coaches were always on his trail.

“Numerous college coaches – St. Louis Uni-

versity, UConn – came, wanting me to go to their schools to play soccer,” Khoury said. “But I had my brother here, and I really wanted to stay with him.

And at that time there was no [soccer] scholarships in the state of Texas. So UNT offered me a scholarship, and the idea of starting a new program, and making it your own, and getting it started like you did at Denton High School – that was intriguing.”

Khoury signed one of the first college soccer scholarships in Texas with the University of North Texas. However, Khoury didn’t let any possible pressure get to him.

“I’d already practiced with the UNT team for two years,” Khoury said. “So I was ready: I already knew the players, I knew the coach, and I was already practicing with them, so it was not a shock.”

For Khoury’s first game, the Mean Green were playing the University of Texas-Arlington at Texas Stadium.

“We won, three-nothing, and I scored all three goals,” Khoury said. “So it started out good.”

As tended to happen, Khoury again drew the eyes of coaches – however, this time, the attention came from an unlikely source.

“My soccer coach would keep me after practice, and I would work on my accuracy,” Khoury said. “All of a sudden, four, five people were watching. My coach said, ‘Do you know who those people are?’ ‘No.’ ‘That’s our athletic director and head football coach.’”

The coach, Hayden Fry, was impressed by Khoury’s abilities, approaching him after practice one day.

“I finished, and then he walked up and said, ‘Hey, I just want to see how far you can kick the ball,’” Khoury said. “I said, ‘Where do you want me to kick it?’ ‘Anywhere. Just kick it as hard as you can to see how far you can kick this ball.’ I said, ‘Well in soccer you don’t do that –’ ‘I know. I just want to see how far you can kick it.’”

Fry explained to Khoury that he had come to an agreement with the UNT soccer coach to allow Khoury to play kicker for the football team as well as center forward for the soccer team. After the football team’s games on Saturday, they would fly Khoury to the location of the soccer game.

In his time playing football, Khoury would set school records for extra point conversions (69 of 70) and longest field goal (a 62-yarder versus Richmond in 1977). This year,

Khoury was named to the All-Century Team for North Texas football, being voted best kicker.

In 1979, Khoury was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Skyhawks of the American Soccer League.

“At the same time, the Oakland Raiders had signed me,” Khoury said.

“So I went and joined the Oakland Raiders, and that year I was actually the last player cut. I came back when I was cut, and I went to Pennsylvania for two years until both the North American Soccer League and the American Soccer League folded.”

After the leagues folded, Khoury returned to UNT to be a part of the soccer team’s coaching staff.

Khoury’s daughter was attending Denton High School and playing soccer.

“Denton High School was having problems with the girls’ soccer team,” Khoury said. “I knew the principal of Denton High School. He was at UNT one time, and he said, ‘Come on and coach the girls’ soccer team.’ I said, ‘Maybe, someday I will.’ ‘Don’t say “someday,” come coach your own daughter.’ So I thought, ‘Well, that may work out.’”

After a brief interview process, Khoury was hired to be the new coach of Lady Bronco soccer. From 2001 through 2004, the team would make state all four years, winning it all in 2003 and 2004.

For Khoury, the game of soccer has taken over his life.

“That’s the only thing I do,” Khoury said. “That’s my whole life. It’s been my whole life for fifty-eight years. And I guess that’ll be the same way until the day I die.”

SPORTS

11

AĕėĎđ 2013

Taking it to a whole new level Bend it like Broncos Mwape Chintankwa Staff Writer Despite not taking home a gold medal as a team, three track members did advance to the regional meet to be held in Abilene on April 2627.

The varsity girls placed third as a team overall as Victoria Amadi and April Pena stole the show. Amadi, who took home the gold in the triple jump with a mark of 38’8.75”, had the third best mark in the state. She also qualified in the 100m hurdles taking second place in a time of 15.69 seconds.

“I was surprised I jumped 38 even though I had before, but I just wanted to make it regionals after missing it last year,” Amadi said.

“My goal is to make state in the triple jump and to do that I know I have to jump at least 39 feet,” Pena also grabbed gold in silver as she won

Stretching to clear the bar, Daniel Wilson pole vaults. (photo by Austin Pugh) the 400m dash in a time of 59.40 and second in the high jump at 5.2”.

“In the prelims the girl was only beating me by a second and I was just trying to make finals so I knew I had a good shot to make regionals after the pre-

lims,” Pena said. “This is my third year go to regionals in 400m and high jump. My goal is to make it to state and I plan to work really hard the next two weeks and be mentally ready to run.”

Neither was reaching

the regional meet was a surprise to their head coach Amanda Byers who has witnessed both girls effort on a daily basis.

“These two young ladies have exceeded my expectations this year with their work ethic and drive,” she said.

“They work hard on and off the track though.

They are great leaders as their teammates chose them to be two of our four captains.”

Daniel Wilson was the bright spot on the varsity boys side as they finished sixth as a team.

Wilson qualified for the regional meet by placing second in pole vault with a height of 13’6”.

“It feels really good because I set that goal my sophomore year when I started track,” Wilson said. “My first goal was to make regionals and the second is to clear 15 feet to tie the school record.

It something I think I can accomplish over the next two weeks.”

Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor In 2013, boys varsity soccer finished 5-3 in district play, good enough to earn their first playoff berth in six years.

“In the playoff game we were really excited,” senior keeper Johnathan Penny said.

“We wanted to make a good impression. We dominated the game for the majority of the time, and then in the first half of overtime they got two lucky goals, and we just couldn’t come back.”

Denton was 6-0-1 at home, including an 8-0 victory over

Lake Dallas in the final game of the regular season.

“The team worked as a unit,” head coach Scott Heffley said.

“We lost a few key players, like Josh Harden. He was the difference-maker, but the team played well in his absence.”

While youth was a large part of the team this season, the seniors’ experience is not something they’ll soon forget.

“What I’ll take away most from this season is that our team was probably one of the most hard-working teams in any district,” Penny said. “ Last year we didn’t have a great season.”

Injuries doom season Chandler Elsbecker Sports Editor Competing in what, arguably, ended up being the strongest 4A district in the area, the team struggled to put anything together. Inexperience along with injuries devastated the team.

Eight of the teams district losses came to teams that made it to the third round of the playoffs and two could have possibly gone further if not for having to

play each other. At press time two of the teams are still left and appear headed for a regional final match to go to Austin.

“Were in one of the top districts in the state and if you take away Highland Park our district is the toughest,” soccer coach Iseed Khoury said. “If we can get all of the injured players back that will give us the quality to be able to compete and hopefully fight for one of those playoff spots next year.”

12

SPORTS AĕėĎđ 2013

9 Innings with Luke Satterϐield 1 2 3

6

What position do you play?

Pitcher.

7

What has been your biggest hit?

I hit a home run my freshman year.

If you could do something over, what Rearing back, senior Luke Satterfield sends one down from the mound. (photo by Chandler Elsbecker) would it be and why?

Elementary school because it was fun, easy, and we didn’t have to worry about school If you could add any work. sport to DHS, what would it be?

Where would your dream vacation Hockey. I’ve always wanted be? to play, and if we had it I Somewhere I could go skiing, like Whistler, would be playing.

N.C. I love the snow and being with my family.

5

4

8

9

What is your life motto?

Give the glory to God.

If you could star in a sitcom, what would it be?

“Two and a Half Men.” Because I’m a Charlie Sheen fan.

What’s your favorite place to eat in town?

Chuy’s. They have the best enchiladas.

What will you do after highschool?

I plan on going to the University of North Texas and study teaching. I want to make a difference.

Clerihew makes tennis regionals Miscues cost team CJ Mauricio Staff Writer

Standing on the tennis court at Texas Christian University, senior Alex Clerihew waits to return the ball. He smashes it back across the net, right at the feet of his opponent, and in doing so claims his second consecutive trip to the regional tennis tournament.

Clerihew, who grabbed the second spot in the district 5-4A tennis tournament, will compete on April 15-16 at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene.

“Making regionals speaks highly of Alex’s commitment and dedication to his tennis game,” coach Carlos

Blanco said. “He not only practices in our high school trainings, but he also trains outside our school and plays in USTA tournaments.”

After making the regional meet a year ago, Clerihew worked hard throughout the entire offseason to have a shot to get back once again.

“I worked my butt off all during the summer,” Clerihew said.

“It feels good that my hard work has paid off, now I just hope to take it one step further than last year.”

Knowing half the battle is believing that he can do it, Clerihew feels that with a year under his belt, he’s ready.

“I don’t really know

Brandon Shields Staff Writer

Senior Alex Clerihew qualified for regionals for the second time in his high school career.

how well I’m going to do; it just depends on where you get seeded and who you end up playing,” Clerihew said.

“I’m confident that I can do well as I have an idea of what to expect, after last year.”

While the regionals could be the last stop

as a Bronco for Alex, it won’t be his last time to play tennis at a competitive level, as he has signed to play at Seminole State College in Oklahoma.

“I want to try and leave a mark and set the bar high,” Clerihew said.

In a race that has three teams tied at the top and two just one game behind, there is no room for mistakes when it comes to the district 5-4A baseball race.

A few minor miscues here and there have led to one bad inning in almost each of the nine district games the team has played costing them eight of them.

Their lone victory was a 2-1 decision over first place Azle in a game which they didn’t make mistakes to give up

a big inning. They also played Brewer and rival Guyer to one run games, both of which were winnable without a mistake.

“I have faith, and confidence in our team; I just believe they don’t have enough in themselves,” Coach Glen Harrison said. “We have a good group of guys here; they just need to pull together. We just need to get ourselves together and win.”

Softball --The softball team jumped out to its best start in

recent history going 11-3-1 to start the season, but has struggled during the district 5-4A season.

Having defeated Wichita Falls twice, the team has been competitive in several other district games, but inexperienced mistakes have cost the team.

Their returning pitcher is a sophomore, and their returning catcher is a freshman. With several others coming back with a year of experience under their belt, coach Rhana Ramos is excited about the future.