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Do you have a secret admirer? Check out these messages of love! FEATURES,
PAGE 4
ZerOsum spices up South with unique sounds.
Milestones through the decades. IN-DEPTH, PAGES
6-7
A & E, PAGE 8
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2000
South Mecklenburg High School
Volume XXVI
Mock Trial Wins Regional Competition
Snow Sends South Into Flurries By Jennifer Samuels
make up the missed days but
CENTERSPREAD EDITOR
EDITOR IN CHIEF
still pending.
South Meek's Mock Tr ial Team went to Regional Compe tition on November 8, 1999 and, by beating Myers Park in the fi nals, took home the gold. Both J.V and Varsity teams went to
tire Spring Break. The issue is
Charlotte-Mecklenburg stu- §
dents got an unexpected surprise during early January 2000:
-� �
Television stations delighted
in the "late breaking" news of
Charlotte's disaster and they
Snow! Despite the reputation i
continue to call it the "snowy
that the south has for not hav
blast," "wintry mix" and "artie
ing any kind of winter, these
blast." As January moves on the
freak January storms proved
meteorologists predict that more
that the norm is never absolute.
snow and ice will visit Charlotte
The areas of the Southeast � "'
making room for more missed
that were hardest hit include Vi
days and cabin fever.
Atlanta, Georgia, and parts of
Ask any South Meek student
South Carolina with the heavi
if they minded missing school
est recorded at two feet in Ra
leigh, N.C.
and the answer will be a hearty
Here in Charlotte,
up to eight inches of snow fell over the course of two days.
Thousands of people found
themselves without power dur
ing the storm. Some places, in
cluding Union County, are still peratures hovered at or below
freezing for nearly a week,
somethi n g that most North
Carolinians are not used to.
As a result of the snow, Char
l otte-Mecklenburg students
missed three and a half days of
losses in schools and hazardous
and one day the previous week).
Unfortunately, the missed days
school (two and a half one week the su
forced the school board to take
forced to close down school
schesluled for February and
On Monday, January 24,
perintendent, Dr. Eric Smith, was
home due to the bad weather.
By Cat Traphagan As Feb uary rolls around,
Seniors are gearing up to show
off their talents at Senior Follies
2000. This year's theme is "Send
Me On My Way," a song by
Rusted Root. Senior Follies con
sists of two acts of fun with Emcee's Jon Pfieffer, Chris Gor
don, Julia Flumian and Lauren Tate.
It is filled with hilairous skits
performed by clubs such as Na
tional Honor Society and Beta
displaying the younger years of
away the teacher workdays
as
said that part
of Spring Break would also be
Smith waited until eleven to shut
taken, but rumor has it that of
be counted against Spring Break.
blast," a state of national emer
canceled due to heat and power
students would not have to
down so that the day would not
The next two days of school were
ficials are declaring the "artie
gency. If the rumor holdstrue
By Neil Smith
experiences of his life," Bailey
STAFF REPORTER First year football coach
Carlton Bailey denies rumors
that he has resigned from either his faculty or coaching position at South.
Bailey, a former NFL
standout, was hired for this
school year as a principal's assis
terim
head
ball field. As a coach, Bailey has
formed strong relationships
with his players and tried to in
still in them qualities such as
lunches for $5.00. The show
starts at 7:30 pm. See you there!
THE SABRES' BLADE
promptu
snowball
fights,
Charlotte's own "Winter 2000" will be hard to beat.
Next year
ing South's football program.
During his time at South,
which he calls "one of the best
dents at South.
His positions
allow him to interact He is an
dissuade Bailey from
returning to South . A
new rule requires all
competition; however, only Var sity won. Individual awards carried both teams high. J. V awards consisted of Kira Sherman as best witness, Ken Mikami won best witness, and Alicia Towler as best attorney.
each team a challenge consisting of a criminal case that involves an assault on a foreign exchange student. The w·tr ess, Nickol Nemov, was acted out by Larisa Yasinovskaya. Alexander Elkinov, played by Peter Patnik, was on the prosecution side as
well. These were the witnesses and victims of the crime com mitted. The defense was made up of Jamie Anderson, also played by Patnaik, and Jamies' friends. Senior, Shell Thaxton, presided as the lawyer for both the prosecution and the defense. The story for the trial was put together by a group of experi
enced attornies. Each team had to argue both the prosecution and defense of the case pre' sented. The competition was judged by a jury composed of experi enced lawyers. The presiding judge was either an actual court justice or another attorney.
Mock Trial will be headed to Raleigh for the State Competi tion. Sla tes were org inally scheduled for January 29 but were canceled due to the burst of snowy weather. The compe
tition team will be made up of senoirs Shell Thaxton, Peter Patnik, Larisa Yasinovskaya, and Tripp Howie. The junior members will be Bobby French and Ryan Persaud.
high school sports
ing positions.
current dedication, perseverance, and discipline. Bailey has especially
enjoyed coaching at this level
because he considers high
school football "the purest form
of the sport." The desire to con-
CONTENTS
In his
position,
Bailey would not meet
the requirements to be a head
coach. He is not attracted to the idea of becoming a full time
teacher because he would have
to go back to school. As of now
Bailey is still deciding his future.
On Varsity,
Shell Thaxton won best attorney and Larisa Yasinovskaya won best witness in the prelimanry and final competition. This year's competition gives
coaches to hold teach·
tended and the team dis
Bailey may not be part of rebuild
Off the field, Bailey has en
joyed getting to know all the stu
eral factors that might
games were well a t
in the courtyard.
turn to South.
There are also sev
The
played unity by singing a song
parent support are the factors
teacher, and a positive
record, moved in a posi direction.
tinue working with great stu
role model.
This year 's football
tive
being sold in the mall during all
honor. From .sledding on the hill
behind "C" building to im
plinarian, a substitute
- turn next year.
by individual Sabres as well as
South Mecklenburg. Tickets are
d pictUres of their
snow creatioms like badges of
administrator, a disci
_which he could apply for
team, despite a losing
for all students, and faculty at
c arried aro
eral ways.
contract with South was
Scenes from South. There will
to be days of laughter and tears
school began again, students
with students in sev
for one year, at the end of
as to whether he will re-
bres. Febuary 11 and 12 are sure
once
that might entice Bailey to re
his positive experiences to stu
football
good-hearted teasing towards
a band made up of senoir Sa
was a Kodak moment:
dents both on and off the foot
Interkeys follow the tradition of · made an official decision
also be tear jerking songs sung
it," 12th grader Nipa Doshi says.
Many others agree that the snow
dent athletes and tremendous
coach. Bailey's original
.our teachers. Senoir Men and
each other. Of course Somedra
"I really enjoyed walk
ing in the snow and playing in
has found pleasure in relating
tant and served as the in
the job of head football · coach. Bailey has not
·is in the line up with Three Silly
"No!"
Coach Bailey's Future Questionab . le
Senior Follies 2000: Send Me On My Way EDITOR IN CHIEF
road conditions in many areas.
By Cat Trap hag an
would be able to enjoy their en
Editorials . ... .. . . . . .............. . 2 Features . .......... ... ......... . ... 3 Valentine's Page ............. 4 Centerspread ..... . . . .. . .... 6-7 A&E .. .... ... ... ...... .... .......... 8 Faces in the Crowd ........ 9 Sports .............. ....... . ....... 10 Features .......... .... .. . ...... ... 11
MORE THAN WORDS.