The Aquilian December 2018 Volume 81, Number 3
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Photo By: Tomas Williamson ‘19
By: Jack Martino ‘20 Editor
Gonzaga’s Greatest Game
In a year that saw Gonzaga’s football team shut out Georgetown Prep 30-0, and beat top-seeded St. John’s in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference playoff semifinals, the team saved its greatest game for the WCAC Football Championship. On that November night, the Eagles delivered their best performance in recent memory, and possibly the greatest high school football game of all-time. The Eagles won the championship on a “Hail Mary” pass with no time left on the clock. As sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams launched the ball more than 60 yards through the air, time seemed to stand still.
The 1st Amendment Sports commentators on the game’s live-stream webcast even had time to wonder aloud, “Is God purple? We’re about to find out.” As soon as the ball fell into senior wide receiver John Marshall’s outstretched hands, the Gonzaga faithful erupted with euphoric joy. Moments later, the bleachers buckled and the fence folded and gave way. The students rushed the field in a sea of purple and white as history was made at Catholic University on that late Sunday night, confirming that God is indeed purple. A week before the final drive was immortalized on Twitter, ESPN SportsCenter’s “Top 10” highlight package, Scott Van Pelt’s
“Best Thing I Saw Today” segment, and on Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Good Morning America, Bleacher Report, and ESPN’s Snapchat, the Eagles entered the WCAC playoffs as the number four seed with a 7-3 regular-season record, and as the clear underdog after suffering those three losses to rivals and higher-seeded playoff teams Good Counsel, DeMatha, and St. John’s. The first obstacle between the Eagles and their first WCAC title since 2002 was the top-seeded St. John’s Cadets, who were fresh off an undefeated regular season, a top five national ranking, and streaking towards a WCAC title repeat. Last season, the Eagles suffered a crushing 30-7 loss
at the hands of the Cadets in the WCAC title game at the University of Maryland. This year the Eagles were determined to write a different ending to Gonzaga’s story, but no one could have predicted how dramatic and timeless it would be. “Our words for the week were NOW versus St. John’s in the semifinals and TRUST versus DeMatha in finals. NOW was vital because SACRIFICE was our word going into the 1st SJC game. Our plan was to prepare for an eight-quarter battle rather than four quarters. We had to invest time, effort, and energy on the front end to make certain we were prepared for the back end,” said Eagles head coach Randy Trivers, who has been coaching the
Service in Haiti, p.3
Scooters, p. 6
College Rejection, p.7
Die Hard, p.8
Gonzaga varsity football team since 2014. “The mentality had to incorporate an ability to learn from the 1st four quarters but also put them behind us and understand the idea of remaining steadfast and exerting all of our attention physically, mentally, and spiritually into the present moment which would afford us a chance to create a most favorable memory while paving the way for the ultimate future opportunity.” From a technical standpoint, Coach Trivers wanted the team to focus on six main areas of the game to help propel the team to victory: turnover ratio, 3rd down efficiency, time of possession, Continued on p. 4
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Eagles for Water
By: JR Bingel ‘19 Senior Contributor When a representative from the Thirst Project visited my ethics class in early 2018, I was ready to let God shape me into who I was meant to be. The Thirst Project is a charity dedicated to building wells for villages in Sub-Saharan Africa that don’t have access to clean water, and raising awareness about the global water crisis. Everyday around the world 4,100 children die from the water crisis due to waterborne diseases, which kill more people each year than AIDs, Malaria, and all world violence combined. Moreover, while Americans have the luxury of using 150 gallons of water for our daily needs, people in eSwatini (the kingdom formerly known as Swaziland) subsist on 5 gallons for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and drinking. For comparison, flushing a toilet uses 5 gallons of water alone. In developing countries, women and children are often tasked with walking 4 miles round trip everyday to collect water from unprotected sources, which can contain typhoid fever, E. coli, and cholera. The trek takes approximately 6-8 hours, and as a result, the women cannot work and the children cannot attend school. The Thirst Project’s solu-
tion of building sustainable wells vastly alters the grim reality that millions face. When a well is completed in a village, the child mortality rate drops 90% overnight, and disease rates drop upwards of 88%. Women are able to get jobs, children can get an education, and the village finally has crop security with a constant water source. Lastly, sanitation and hygiene improves, with water related deaths dropping 37.5% and 35% respectively. The morning following the speaker, I mulled over how blessed I am to have a life free from want, and I quickly gathered a group of guys and a couple teachers to begin the Eagles for Water Club. The founders and I determined that we would do everything in our power to raise $12,000 in order to fund a well project before school ended in May. While our goal was ambitious, the club gave me experiences I never anticipated. Instead of seeking personal satisfaction, I kept the purpose of helping others at the forefront of my thoughts. I found my true character through the hours spent searching for and talking up willing donors, and maneuvering around limitations. By May of 2018, we had surpassed our goal and are anticipating our well’s completion by next summer.
Eagles for Water blessed me with numerous leadership skills that I will apply to my collegiate and professional life. I learned to work around time constraints, delegate tasks, and try to inspire others to devote their time to something I believe in. I grasped my potential to lead others, and utilized my relationships to rope more of my friends into the project. As we made headway towards our goal, I discovered how much I enjoyed being challenged to solve problems creatively. My attitude changed. The club made me more sure of myself, and I began taking the unexpected problems we encountered in stride. Above all else, I realized I am not perfect. No amount of work could make me perfect, but I recognized that if I fully applied my work ethic to a problem, I could be satisfied with the result. This club has given me an insight into true leadership, a skill that I will employ for the rest of my days. To everyone reading this, our club has no plans of slowing down, rather we hope to continue Gonzaga’s legacy of shaping men for others through Eagles for Water. Our co-President Peter Ierardi and I want as many underclassmen involved as possible because they are the future of this worthy cause.
Last Shot By: Wade Jackson ‘20 Contributor Whistle blown. Timeout called. Game tied. You’re tired, jogging to the bench but the adrenaline pumps energy through your body. All your senses go dull. You tune out coach. You can’t smell the jerseys.
The ball looks right on point, ready to swish through the net. As the horn sounds, you witness the result of your last shot. Airball, Airball, Airball. You stare at the basket in dismay.
You close your eyes, visioning your gamewinning shot. The refs’ whistle brings you back to reality. You walk on the court calm. The in-bounder slaps the ball and you race across the floor. You catch the ball, take two dribbles and let the ball fly. The crowd is suddenly hushed, focused on the ball. It rotates beautifully through the air as it begins its descent.
With help from the Gonzaga Poets & Writers, The Aquilian plans to feature a work of poetry written by a Gonzaga Student in each issue.
Gonzaga’s JR Bingel ‘19 meets with Rep. Don Beyer from Virginia’s 8th District
The Aquilian
Editor-in-Chief Joe Boland ‘19 Daniel Podratsky ‘19
Founded In 1940 Gonzaga College High School 19 Eye Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Men For Others in the Jesuit Tradition Since 1821
Photo Editor Peter Rizzo ‘19
83 Christmas cards written by Gonzaga students will be sent to immigrants in detention centers with help from Casa Mariposa. Thanks to Ms. Albrittain for organizing this Community Day activity!
Editors Patrick Begala ‘19 Andy Borman ‘19 Tommy Fisher ‘20 Josh Knutsen ‘20 Jack Martino ‘20 Adam Wojciak ‘20 Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
GHockey By: Adam Wojciak ‘20 Editor “We have a young group that can really do some damage. The team is closely knit and is ready to get after it this season,” said Gonzaga Hockey V1 captain Tommy Krisztinicz ‘19. Two years ago, for the first time in Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League (MAPHL) history, one program, Gonzaga, swept both the AA and A division titles. Then they did it again last year. The varsity 1 team looks to defend its back-to-back championships, varsity 2 stands guard of its three-peat, and junior varsity hopes to repeat its first ever undefeated season. The program, although undoubtedly one of the most skilled in the area, is missing several extremely talented players who held a pivotal role in the team’s success last year. The Vallese brothers
(Chase, Class of 2018, and Cole, former class of 2020) were both First Team AllMet players, while Cole won both MAPHL and WCAC player of the year. While the absence of these players has certainly been a massive hit to the program, perhaps an even greater loss was the graduation of three varsity 1 and 2 goalies from last year and the transfer of former class of 2019 goalie Dominic Basse, who received All-Met, WCAC, and MAPHL honors last season. As a result of a large number of seniors graduating last year, there was a significant amount of movement between teams at the beginning of this season. Junior Robbie Dubay made significant move by being one of the first players since the introduction of a third team to move from junior varsity to varsity 1. Seven of last year’s eighteen players moved up from varsity 2 to varsity 1 this year, and
GXC as a result, there are only five returning players on the varsity 2 team. Additionally, the two teams have four freshmen goalies this year (Peter Pirone and Harlan Jackson on varsity 1, Chris With and Jonah Schlee on varsity 2). Varsity 1 has had a solid start to the season and are 4-11, as Sophomore defenseman Sean Kilcullen, junior forward Farrell Dinn, and senior forward and assistant captain Kurt Bruun all lead varsity 1 in points with 6 each. Varsity 2 is off to a similarly good start with a 2-1-1 record, with senior captain Connor Byrne netting a hat trick in the season opener versus St. John’s as well as a game-tying goal versus Spalding. The Gonzaga Hockey program has huge ambitions for their season, and with the extremely talented playing corps that makes up all three teams, the potential for huge success exists.
Four Days in Haiti By: John Degnan ‘21 Contributor It isn’t everyday that a person travels to Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. When I first arrived, I took notice of as much as possible. From the plane, I first spotted the mountains and the patchy grasslands. As I descended and arrived in the airport, the quantity of advertisements stood out to me, like graffiti on stone walls. During my walk out of the airport, I passed a band playing Haitian music. Our group of six got into a car, and drove through Port au Prince to reach Louverture Cleary School. On the drive, there were certainly many things to take in: people pumping water, kids in the roads selling candy to drivers, young girls on their walk to school, vendors selling anything from fruit to shoes, piles of trash everywhere, and people sitting in the shade making their best effort to be shielded from the scalding heat. The driving was crazy. There was a lack of law on the roads; there were no traffic lights or stop signs, and almost everyone was jaywalking. Once we arrived at the school and settled in, I had the opportunity to sit in on an English and an Econom-
ics class. I immediately was impressed by the fluency of the Haitian students’ English since their native language is Creole, and their vast intelligence overall. They all speak four languages: Spanish, French, English, and Creole. They have to speak to each other in the assigned language of the day. On my second day, we left campus and I visited a family who lives in a single room smaller than my bedroom with their eleven person family. They had no toilets, no running water, and no electricity. There were pots all around the floor with flies over them, and they used cement blocks to raise their beds in case of flooding. Once back on Louverture Cleary’s beautiful campus, I couldn’t help but feel as if I was in a bubble. Inside the bubble is a glimpse of what Haiti can be, and outside the school is what Haiti is now. Outside the bubble, there are families struggling daily to live a healthy life. If a child is admitted to the school, and learning at Louverture Cleary, they are giving their families and Haiti hope built through education. Through this education families can rise up and find their way to one day improving all of Haiti. Through the power of education, the country can
become strong, wealthy, and eventually thrive. Experiencing LCS was a unique opportunity. I had a lot of takeaways and observations, but the thing that will most stay with me is the unity and charisma of the Haitian students. A common sight around LCS were students walking around with their arms around each other, students playing jokes on the teachers, or laughing at a joke one of them made. The students also all help keep their school clean and organized by doing at least an hour of service a week. They do things around the school such as burn waste, shovel compost, and crush rocks to fill potholes in roads. Despite their poverty, it was rare to see a frown on campus, or even in the neighborhood surrounding the school. I saw that in Haiti, everything is a blessing, everything is a positive; every bit of education, food, and entertainment is appreciated. It seems that despite their troubles they consider themselves lucky. I know that I’ve always said I know how lucky I am to be living in such a prosperous society as the United States, but I didn’t really fully realize it until I saw firsthand the many challenges the Haitian students face in their lives.
By: John Ferrara ‘22 Contributor On November 17, 2018, the cross-country team took to the race course in New York, New York to race in the Jesuit Championship. Gonzaga’s varsity team was coming off of a victory in the D.C state championship with high hopes for the Jesuit Championship. The team left for New York and embarked on a four-hour bus ride. After the team arrived, they headed to the race course where they practiced running their various events. On Saturday, the day of the race, there was snow on the course and the temperature proved why it had not melted. However, the weather was no match for Gonzaga’s varsity team, which placed second out of seven teams. Gavin McElhennon ’20 finished second overall running 4000 meters in approximately 12 minutes and 55 seconds. Cullen Capuano ’20 and Patrick Donnelly ’21 also cracked the top 10
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spots with times of 13 minutes and 20 seconds and 13 minutes and 31 seconds, respectively. Quinn Kirchner ’22 led the way for Gonzaga in the freshman race, which was 2,500 meters, coming in seventh while Gavin Farley ’19 paced the J.V team to a 3rd place finish. The Jesuit Championship is one of the highlights of the cross-country season as the trip to New York enhances the experience of a normal race day. The team was granted permission to navigate Times Square with one another and visit. The athletes visited the Under-Armor store, Midtown Comics, and the center of Times Square where the team watched street performers. It is safe to say that this year’s trip to the Jesuit Championship was a success and, once again, a great experience for the runners. Gonzaga’s next scheduled race is on November 24, 2018, at the Nike Regionals in Cary, North Carolina.
GHoops By: Cole Strudwick ‘19 Senior Contributor After a devastating onepoint loss to DeMatha in the championship last year, Gonzaga Varsity Basketball is gunning to bring home the trophy this season. Although the team lost four key seniors, (Myles Dread to Penn State, Will Turgeon to Catholic Univesity, Allin Blunt to UMass Lowell, Prentiss Hubb to Notre Dame) the nine returning players and five new players are more than capable of bringing home that trophy to eye street. Senior Caption, Anwar Gill has high hopes for the season, saying in an interview, “We have an experienced team, and although people doubt us, that just pushes us to work harder day in and day out to go get that championship.”
Your first opportunity to see the eagles in action at home will be at the 2018 Gonzaga DC Classic, which will be held from December 7-9, 2018. Along with playing in the best basketball conference in the nation, the Eagles will be traveling to Atlanta, West Virginia, Massachusets, and Delaware to play some of the best teams in the country. Coach Turner will be leading the varsity team in his 15th season as head coach, and when asked about his goals for the upcoming season, he said,“ I believe the events that are part of our non-conference schedule will help us grow as a team to reach our ultimate goal of a WCAC championship.”
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Championship-Winning “Hail Mary” Pass Continued from page 1 explosive plays, run game proficiency, and red zone efficiency. The Eagles held a steady defense through the semifinal playoff game against the Cadets, and were leading by 17-14 late in the game. On a promising drive for St. John’s, senior linebacker Aaron Davis and senior defensive lineman Sean Johns forced a goal-line fumble, and St. John’s undefeated season disintegrated as Davis ran the ball back 94 yards to the house, sealing the game with a touchdown that capped the final score, 24-14. “Someone would have to make a play to stop St. John’s from scoring on that drive,” said Davis. “Coach Trivers made an emphasis that week to hack, push, and pull the ball out every chance we were able to get.” The hard work at practice paid off
loss, we knew they were not going to let down for us.” “Our word for the final was TRUST. It was important to have unyielding faith that our commitment to the program’s process would undeniably lead to a championship outcome. Every member of the program had to be locked in to make certain that they could be trusted to fulfill their role with maximum effort and competence,” continued Coach Trivers. “TRUST and faith are of course most vital when adversity strikes. Certainly, our sense of TRUST was tested but ultimately our love for one another and TRUST of each other propelled us to victory.” The atmosphere at Catholic University’s field the night of the championship was electric. Countless alumni on Thanksgiving break lined the gate at the end of
Photo By: Ryan Vigilante ‘19
in the game that took down Gonzaga’s 125-year-old rival and ended their hopes of an undefeated season and consideration as the nation’s best high school team. While the Eagles were flying high after defeating the Cadets in spectacular fashion, an equally dangerous opponent awaited them. The DeMatha Stags were entering the title game fresh off a 30-14 trouncing of Good Counsel in the other semifi-
Photo By: Tomas Williamson ‘19
nal game. “We knew DeMatha was going to be a very tough opponent,” said junior center Jestus Johnson. “After playing them in a triple-overtime
the Eagles end zone, a few venturing into the student section. Even in 40-degree temperatures that felt freezing with the wind chill, the students were unafraid to bare their chests and bear the cold for the team. The student section swayed together in unison with deafening cries of “We ready, we ready, we ready for ya’ll!” Receiving the kickoff from senior Marco Kemp, DeMatha’s first two drives of the game ended in touchdowns in a game plan apparently designed to keep the ball out of the hands of G o n z a g a ’s offense as long as possible. DeMatha continued to control the game into the second quarter and led by 20. On the ensuing drive, however, the Eagles stormed
back from their own 20, completing the drive with a touchdown on a quarterback sneak by Caleb Williams. A quick three-and-out from the Stags on their next possession let the Eagles regain the ball at midfield. From the Stag’s 37-yard line, Williams hit fellow sophomore wide receiver Aaron Turner with a dime over the middle, and the touchdown brought the Eagles closer at 14-20. In their final drive of the quarter, DeMatha responded, punching one in from the two-yard line. A missed point-after attempt brought the score to 14-26, where it remained going into halftime. In the locker room, “Coach T told us that it was our destiny to win the WCAC Championship at Catholic University because it’s the field where he began coaching Gonzaga, the field where Gonzaga first won DC states, and the field where we started our 4th quarter fist tradition in 2014,” said Johnson. “Nobody in the locker room had their head down. Everybody was positive that we were going to win this game.” “I wanted to be firm yet positive with the team,” said Coach T. “It was important to exude a sense of urgency (not panic) and a sense of positivity. We were not satisfied to simply be participating in the WCAC Finals. We were there to be Champions.” Coming out for the second half to call-and-return chants of “I said Hail Gonzaga” from the student section, the Eagles were ready to complete the comeback and recapture the WCAC title. The third quarter saw strong defense from both teams until Gonzaga finally broke through with a touchdown with 2:41 left. In a fleaflicker trick play now dubbed, “The Eye Street Special” (after the “Philly Special” that helped the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl LII earlier this year), the ball was snapped to quarterback Williams, who handed it off to Turner. Turner pitched the ball to senior wide receiver and U.S. Naval Academy commit John Marshall, who lobbed the ball back to Williams for a wide-open catch in the end zone for the touchdown. DeMatha answered with a touchdown of their own two seconds before the third quarter ended. The fourth quarter had arrived. DeMatha led the game
33-21. Just twelve minutes of gameplay would decide which team would be taking home the WCAC title. “All of the obstacles we faced from January to November, and even last season, prepared us for those moments in the Championship game,”
der two minutes remaining and no timeouts left. Any score on this drive – a field goal or a touchdown – could give Gonzaga a tie or their first lead of the game. The drive opened with a Williams rush to the outside, achieving the first down and
Photo By: Tomas Williamson ‘19
added Davis. “As we were a stopped clock. The next down throughout the game, play, under pressure in the we made sure that we re- pocket, and in a desperate atmained together, focused, tempt to throw the ball to the and had faith. We had to sidelines, Williams connecttrust the schemes the coaches ed with Turner again on Dewere giving us and believe in Matha’s 36 in a miraculous one another that we would be catch after tipping the ball victorious when the clock hit over the defender to himself. 0:00.” Four plays later, on a With 7:47 left in the game third and long from the EaDeMatha nailed a field goal gles’ 38-yard line, Williams to make it 36-21. With good threw the ball to senior wide field position on the next receiver Sam Sweeney at Dedrive, Gonzaga was staring Matha’s 20-yard line, giving down a three-and-out with the Eagles a shot at the end little time left when Williams zone for the lead. After an hit Turner at the DeMatha 40 amazing catch over the defor the first down. A 25-yard fender by Engram was called rushing touchdown from back after being ruled out Williams moments later and of bounds, Williams found the failed Gonzaga two-point Sweeney again, this time on conversion right after short- a slant route, for the go-ahead ened DeMatha’s lead to 36- touchdown. 27 with 5:46 left on the clock. “It was the same play DeMatha, in an effort to as the one before that Dean chew time off the clock, re- caught and was ruled out. Afsorted to the run game. A ter that play I screamed to the second-andlong carry was stopped by senior defensive end and Oklahoma commit Joseph Wete, who forced a fumble rePhoto By: Tomas Williamson ‘19 covered by Gonzaga. With the ball back in their coaches to run the same play, hands after the fumble recov- and I went to Caleb and I told ery, the Eagles stormed down him to throw me the ball,” the field to cut the lead to said Sweeney. “As soon as three, 36-33, with only three the ball left Caleb’s hands, I minutes left in the contest knew we scored.” after another rushing touchAfter the extra point from down from Williams, this Kemp, the Eagles were leadtime a 20-yarder. ing for the first time 40-36 The Eagles held De- with just 29 seconds left in Matha to a punt on the Stags’ the game. It appeared that the next drive, receiving the ball Eagles would win their first at their own 32 with just un- title in 16 years. The Gonza-
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Defeats DeMatha 46-43 as Time Expires! ga student section was jumping up and down, buckling the stadium bleachers in the excitement of winning a title that was moments away. The celebrations came a little too early. On a squib kickoff by Gonzaga, DeMatha’s returner broke three tackles down the near sideline to run the length of the field and score a touchdown that, with the successful extra point kick, put DeMatha ahead again 43-40 with 15 seconds remaining in the game. Even though the touchdown was utterly demoralizing to the Gonzaga supporters, Coach Trivers remained confident, seeing DeMatha’s return as a setup to the Eagles’ own special finish. Tonight, Gonzaga and WCAC Championship his-
we had practiced the Hail Mary from the night before, going in the same direction, on Catholic’s field. Caleb to John is what we rehearsed, and it’s exactly what happened,” said Coach Singh. “It’s crazy how God blesses those who believe, and those who expect and prepare, with great faith and love, to do great things. There really was no other call, the play before the Hail Mary and the Hail Mary are two plays we prepare for each week.” For most students, especially the seniors in the front row, the collapse of the bleachers, captured on a video that went viral on NBC4’s Twitter the next day, will be remembered just as much as the throw itself. While no one was injured, many students
Photo By: Tomas Williamson ‘19
tory were to be made. After a quick return by Engram on the ensuing kickoff, the Eagles started their drive at their own 39-yard line with only 10 seconds left on the clock – enough time for two plays. A quick 8-yard sideline completion to Engram stopped the clock with 4 seconds remaining. Time stood still. Marshall, Turner, Engram, and senior Justin Ball ran towards the end zone as Williams stepped back in the pocket and heaved a tightlyspiraling pass over 60 yards in the air. In a mad scramble near the goal post, and with three DeMatha defenders surrounding him, Marshall jumped higher than everyone and came down with the ball. Within moments, the field was a sea of white and the Eagles were WCAC Champions once again. “I just weaved through and went up for a perfectly thrown ball by Caleb. I’ll never forget it,” said Marshall, “One of the best experiences of my life was playing in that game and making that play. I don’t remember much except coming out and seeing white jerseys run all over Catholic’s field.” “[It was] the exact spot
fell onto the field. “I had just managed to crawl over the fence before it broke,” said senior Booster Club member Evyn Owen, “but the boys all went SICKO MODE and got insanely rowdy.” For some alumni, the Eagles victory provided nostalgic memories of the football seasons of 1996 and 1997. Mr. David Dugan, who works as Vice President of Alumni and Advancement, was part of both championship teams. “In November of 1997 DeMatha was 12-0 and we were 10-1 going into the game, with our only loss being against DeMatha,” said Mr. Dugan, “Sweet revenge
our resolve and our brilliant head coach [Maus Collins], who switched QBs simply because Brian Gallagher couldn’t grip the muddy, wet footballs. In both victories, like this season, we were down and had to fight back to win.” Despite those victories, Mr. Dugan confidently states, “The 2018 Championship run is the greatest football championship our school has ever experienced. The competition is greater now, seeing this team topple the #3 team in the country in the semifinals, claw back from being down 20 in the championship game, and weather the highs and lows, was as sweet a victory at any level as I’ve ever seen.” Special teams coach Conrad Singh, Gonzaga’s Manager of Media and Multimedia Productions, was a freshman and sophomore during the ‘96 and ‘97 seasons, respectively. “I was not on the varsity team those years, but I vividly remember watching both wins at Maryland Stadium from the stands. Amazing times on Eye Street.” “We lost to DeMatha in the championship in ‘98 at RFK Stadium and we failed to make it to the championship in my senior year,” said Coach Singh, “[so] this championship is literally 20 years in the making for me.” Gonzaga’s President Father Planning remarked, “Catholic University loves having local high school students on their campus. They always strive to be as welcoming and accommodating as possible.” Most players attribute the victory to Coach Trivers, who was hired by Gonzaga in the summer of 2014, building the program on the same Catholic University field (since Buchanan Field was under construction). According to Coach
(NOW - always staying in The team had 19 seniors the moment, EMBRACE - on the roster this year, with facing all challenges together 9 receiving all-WCAC con-
Photo By: Ryan Vigilante ‘19
knowing we can overcome anything, and FINISH - always giving our very best with unwavering belief). Ultimately, our faith in each other and in the Lord, our love for one another and all of Gonzaga, and our trust in our preparation finally made us WCAC Champions in the most incredible way imaginable!” Coach T does not believe the championship rested on him though, remarking, “We often invest in life without receiving the return we hope for. This Championship was the result of a collective in-
ference team honors. “The Championship means a great deal to the senior class, the football team, coaches, and myself. We all came in with goals we wanted to achieve and winning the WCAC Championship was one of our goals as a unit. To see us accomplish that goal makes me happier than any individual accomplishments,” said Davis. “As a senior class, we have worked diligently over four years to be crowned champions. Over those four years, there has been a lot of tears shed, long nights, and pain, but to play your
Photo By: Ryan Vigilante ‘19
vestment by a plethora of people. Steadfast preparation and effort fueled by love cannot be denied. In this case we were able to capitalize and of course experience the most positive result imaginable.” “I am proud of all of our extraordinary coaches, both head coaches and assistant coaches, who dedicate so much time and effort to helping our boys be the best they can be both on the field and off,” added Father Planning. “All of our coaches pour their hearts and souls into their teams. I’m sure Coach T would be the first to tell you that he didn’t do it alone. He is blessed to be the strong and talented leader of a team Photo By: Ryan Vigilante ‘19 of great coaches, and most of all, some very dedicated and in a biblical rain storm, Singh, “The Gonzaga Foot- hard-working players who which ultimately gave us a ball program is built on the never gave up no matter the big advantage, mainly due to belief in the acronym NEF odds.”
last high school game and be victorious is elating. This Championship is not just for this football team, it is for the teams that came before us who paved the way for this celebration. This is for Gonzaga!” The commentators for 1st Amendment Sports, livestreaming the game, asked rhetorically as time ran out, “Is God purple?” That question has been emphatically answered by the game-winning pass, which perhaps ought to be renamed the “Hail Gonzaga” pass. “We didn’t need a football game to show us that,” remarked Father Planning. “The purpleness of God has already been known with theological certitude for many years!”
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Pets
By: Patrick Fogarty ‘21 Contributor Everybody loves pets, especially dogs. Unfortunately, I’m unable to have one myself because my mom pretends that she’s allergic. It’s painfully obvious that she’s lying to the rest of my family just because she doesn’t want to get one. I’ve given up because I’ll only live with my parents for two and a half more years until college, and at this point I’m just going to wait until I have my own place to live. I’m definitely going to get a small dog, something along the lines of a corgi or maltese. But in the meantime, that doesn’t stop my younger sister, Grace, from fighting for her right to get a dog. Anyway, this article is about “Gonzaga Pets” not “Patrick’s Evil Mother Who Hates Dogs,” so I’ll get to the point. I interviewed Gonzaga junior, Michael O’Reilly, about his dog, Hope. Hope is a fitting name for a dog who was born on July 4th and adopted on September 11th, two historic days in America’s history that inspired hope and required hope respectively. The seven-year-old
was originally supposed to be a bomb-sniffing dog but was too excited about everything to be a good one. I asked Michael about any funny stories involving Hope and he responded by telling me about the first time she took a car ride. Not too long into the trip, the little dog threw up more than what anyone thought her tiny frame could hold. At the time Michael thought it was the most disgusting thing he had ever experienced, but looking back he claims it is a funny story to tell friends and family. Michael also described their plan for when Hope runs away: put bacon outside. He claims that his family does not even worry about it anymore because the delicious smell of bacon is enough to bring any ex bomb-sniffer sprinting back home. Michael had trouble coming up with cons that come with Hope. His only response was, “She sheds so much, and she won’t leave your lap when you’ve gotta pee.” In conclusion, it is obvious that dogs are actually God’s greatest creation, not man, and that Patrick Fogarty’s mom is horrible for not liking them.
College Hoops By: Andy Borman ‘19 Editor With the college basketball season in full swing, the usual suspects sit atop the rankings, but a few less storied programs are upsetting the college basketball hierarchy. Duke, lead by the freshmen trio of Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish, who combine to average nearly 60 points per game, easily has the most talent in the country, but Gonzaga, the current #1, beat Duke in the final of the Maui Invitational. Blue bloods Kansas, Virgina, Michigan State, North Carolina, Michigan and Kentucky all reside in the top 11, yet relative newcomers Nevada, Tennessee, and Auburn will challenge for national supremacy. Around the area, Maryland currently rests at #24 in the nation coming off a disappointing campaign last season, but to make it back to The Big Dance, Maryland must perform well in a loaded Big Ten Conference, which has 7 squads in the top 25, yet no team from the 14-team league has won
the National Championship since 2000(Michigan State). The ACC boasts 5 teams among the nation’s top 25, including #3 Duke and #4 Virgina. Georgetown, in coach Patrick Ewing’s second season, has come out the gate hot, but Big East competition remains tough, and the Hoyas must improve on last year’s 5-13 conference mark to have any hope of ending a three year hiatus from March Madness. Three former Gonzaga standouts haven’t missed a beat while transitioning to the collegiate level. Chris Lykes ‘17 leads the Miami Hurricanes in scoring with 17.7 points a game, Notre Dame guard Prentiss Hubb ‘18 average 9.4 buckets per game in 28.6 minutes a game, and Myles Dread ‘18 plays 31.3 minutes a game to complement his 9.8 points per game. Villanova, college hoops’ national champion two of the last three seasons, was slaughtered by 27 in a rematch of the National Championship game to Michigan, but the Wildcats appear to have righted the ship despite a defeat to Furman.
To Scoot or Not to Scoot By: Mike Smolsiks ‘19 Editor Electric scooters speeding across North Capital and D.C. streets have caused quite a stir in our city and others across the country. Hundreds of these vehicles have been deployed in metropolises such as San Francisco, Milwaukee, and St. Louis without the consent of each area’s Department of Transportation. In Washington, D.C. however, the director of the capital’s Department of Transportation, Jeff Marootian, claims these scooters will “provide a new mobility ability”, which is true, but with all the people traveling on sidewalks as fast as 30 mph, being a pedestrian or even a driver in the streets of D.C. will require much more caution. There are currently 2,000
dockless vehicles, including bikes, in D.C. Dockless, meaning that a customer, when finished with the vehicle, can leave their mode of transportation in the middle of sidewalks or paths which can and have led to accidents. In Los Angeles, for example, people are so outraged by the scattering of the vehicles that many protest by vandalizing, destroying, throwing the scooters into garbage bins, and even setting them on fire. A more productive approach to trying to lessen the spread of these vehicles across major cities is the Instagram account by the name of @ Scootersbehavingbadly. This account documents reckless use of scooters and has a following of 3,400 plus. Video evidence of improper use could possibly lead to city officials enacting stricter laws for dockless vehicles.
Paul Christian, an Uber driver, says, “They’re cool… but at the same time, I see them going the wrong way on one way streets and running red lights and stop signs.” Scooter drivers not paying attention to basic street laws are becoming more and more dangerous to pedestrians, drivers, and even themselves. On September 24th of this year, a man riding a scooter across DuPont Circle struck an SUV and later passed away in the hospital. A man in Dallas, reportedly not wearing a helmet, lost his life after falling off a Lime scooter. While motorized scooters provide a boost to the economy and an easy way to get around cities, more regulations may be created by officials that are trying to keep the sidewalks and streets of D.C. safe from accidents.
Ignatian Family Teach-In By: Luke Elliott ‘21 Contributor In November, 11 Gonzaga students and several faculty members attended the largest social justice gathering in the United States. The Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ) was not only an opportunity to learn about topics such as mass incarceration and immigration, but it was also an opportunity to advocate for those experiencing social injustices related to both issues. The first night of IFTJ was a nice introduction to the weekend. “My biggest takeaway was the sense of community I felt as I walked in,” said junior Henry Sullivan. Students had the opportunity to hear from Bishop George Murray S.J., who spoke about
racism. Later in the night was the first bunch of many breakout sessions, which covered topics from immigration to climate change. Sunday began with the Ignatian Network speakers and Nichole Flores, Ph. D., one of the keynote speakers. “She really helped me connect with immigration in a more personal way,” said sophomore Jack Doolin. Before the morning breakout sessions, there was an opportunity to wander through the exhibit hall filled with different Jesuit and Catholic organizations throughout the country and the world who all had some great giveaways. After lunch and more breakout sessions, the entire teach-in was briefed on what we were going to talk about on Monday on Capitol Hill.
On Monday, we came to school like normal, but we left after lunch to go advocate on Capitol Hill for immigration reform and criminal justice reforms. We met with two representatives from the office of Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen. The discussion went very well, and the entire group enjoyed the experience. Overall, the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice was a success for all who attended. “It was so energizing to see other young Catholics fighting for justice,” said Sullivan. The weekend was a great experience to not only learn about social injustices, but we also had the opportunity to act upon our beliefs in helping to change them.
follows: Stefan Lazaroae, Will Rice, Timmy Shaheen, and Tyler Kazmarak all getting Honorable Mentions. Josh Maggiano and Jack Garland both got Outstanding Delegate awards as well. Model UN is a club run by Mr. Cardozo and Mrs. Metcalf that meets in either Cleary
or Mr. Cardozo’s room before school on Wednesdays. They are always open to new members and with more debates scheduled for the rest of this year, there is definitely still time to join. Anyone thinking of joining the club should contact Mr. Cardozo.
Model U.N.
By: Timmy Shaheen ‘21 Contributor On Saturday, December first, I went with Mr. Cardozo, Mrs. Metcalf, and the rest of the Model UN club at Gonzaga to the Salesianum school in Delaware. For my first Model UN debate it was a very fun experience and as Mr. Cardozo put it, it’s can be weird to find yourself so interested and invested in what can sometimes seem like boring topics. Gonzaga did very well at this debate with six out of the twenty or so delegates winning an award. The awards are as
College Rejection By: Joe Boland ‘19 Editor-in-Chief In his generational tourde-force, Twilight of the Idols, the famed German philosopher and moral skeptic, Friedrich Nietzsche, bluntly put forth a declaration like none other: “Was mich nicht umbringt macht mich stärker.” Much to the delight of us non-Germanic peoples, a century later, the esteemed linguist Kelly Clarkson kindly translated the elusive phrase in her spoken-word album, Kidz Bop 22, simply: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Here at The Aquilian, we hold this adage close to our hearts, and, with the college application season firmly upon us, we’ve decided to pass the inspiration, and advice, on—most notably in this newlycreated column specifically targeted at our graduating seniors, the Class of 2019. By the time you’ve finished reading this, we
hope you’ll have the same outlook on college decisions, and life, as YouTube user, jennifermartinez, who, after watching Kidz Bop’s rendition of ‘Stronger,’ took the time out of her day to com-
Towards an Inevitable Heat Death Entropy, kids! The eventual destruction of everything should put that rejection from Vanderbilt into perspective. 2. We’re All Destined
ment, “Awsome.” Now, on with the advice. Without further ado: How to Cope with College Rejection Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Thin Envelope 1. Nothing Matters and the Universe is Spiraling
for a Burnout, Anyway The metaphorical seawall against the floods of everyday disappointment, i.e. your family and life-long friends, will disappear next year—way better to have a mental breakdown close to home than across the country
Prep for Exams By: Michael O’Reilly ‘20 Contributor Midterms are important. College admission officials are interested in the final grade in each class, but they also look at patterns. (Ex. Did poor midterm scores pull down a semester grade?). This article will focus on how to go about reminding yourself of the past material and guide you on your preparation for your academic midterms. Now onto the tips. First, speaking up is of the utmost importance. Ask your teacher questions such as: “Will you be providing a review packet or holding an in-class review session? Will the midterm test material from the whole year so far or just the most recent material?” Once you know what’s going to be on the exam, make a list of what topics or question types you need to cover and when you’re going to cover them. Research by Princeton University recommends that you study a little each night from now until the midterm. For the courses you worry about most, hiring a tutor/ meeting with your teacher to go over the concepts is rec-
ommended. Remember that breaks are essential to retain what you’ve learned and kept your focus. Studies conducted by Oxford University found that those who took breaks in between studies retained more information than those who didn’t. So no matter how hard you’re working be sure to take some time to grab a snack or go for a quick run. Study for a good 45 minutes and take a break for 15. It also helps to switch up your study space when reviewing for exams. When the dreaded midterms approach, you might be tempted to pull an allnighter, but a good night’s sleep is key to your success. According to the Healthline website, good sleep can improve concentration and productivity. Sleep is important for various aspects of brain function. So start a healthy sleep routine in the weeks leading up to your exam, so you can reap the benefits of a fresh mind on test day. Please remember that test anxiety is real. A smart plan focused on studying, and a calm morning is your best plan of attack. Good luck, do your best and have a relaxing break.
at UCLA! 3. Validating Your Crippling Self-Esteem Issues You always wanted to be right—now you are! Northwestern even agrees! 4. Exposure Therapy to Inevitable Rejection in Life That cute girl reject you? Been there, done that. You’ve become a pro at taking rejection, and holding the tears until you find a private bathroom (looking at you, UVA). 5. Realizing that College Doesn’t Define You, or Your Worth Perhaps my most successful technique (my only successful technique, actually): coming to the realization that college is what you make of it. Cliché, but true. It’s easy to satirize this whole process because everyone’s so obsessed with it, with getting into their dream college, but the next four years of your life are times to be cherished, memories and experiences you’ll look back upon, and think, damn, that was one hell of a ride—no matter where
The Aquilian 7
you go. Sure, “Stanford” and “Harvard” are sweet (to be frank, I’m still doubtful they exist), but we’d all benefit from taking a step back and accepting that most of it’s out of our hands. Not all of us are one-handed cancer-curing pirates who can get a 37 on the ACT. Well, maybe you, the esteemed Aquilian reader, are, but… Basically, what I’m saying is this: it’s true—decisions are coming out, and, yeah, they’ll end up deciding whether you’re going to get your cold cereal in Blacksburg or Charlottesville for the next four years—but it’s also your senior year of high school: take advantage of it, and when you’re done with that, realize: you’re a good, caring person. You’ll make best friends. You’ll laugh. You’ll ace that class. You’ll find that dream job. You’ll be fine wherever you end up, because that’s what Gonzaga kids do.
Hyperloop By: Josh Knutsen ‘20 Editor Elon Musk is a relentless innovator who has his hands in just about every aspect of new technology there is. From “Space-X” to “Tesla”, the South African native has amassed a fortune through original ideas and bringing futuristic concepts to the present. Most recently, Musk has revealed that the first life-size “Hyperloop” Station will be made open to the public by December 10th of this year. While only a test track, this two mile journey through subterranean Los Angeles will be monumental in determining the future of a larger scale system. If successful, Musk’s “Boring Company” could accomplish its dreams of 700 mph+ travel between America’s largest cities. As of November 2018, Hyperloop is tentatively planning to build 9 tracks in the mainland United States. While not set in stone, Musk has determined several locations where The Boring Company will most likely start construction, assuming that the Los Angeles test track goes as planned. With the hope of eventually having one nationwide trans-
portation system, Hyperloop stations are being placed all over the country to be interconnected at a later date. On the West coast, routes connecting Los Angeles and San Diego, Portland and Seattle, and Reno and Las Vegas are top priority. In the more central part of America, Musk is connecting three different undisclosed Colorado cities, Kansas City and St. Louis, and Chicago and Pittsburgh. In the South, a triangular route between Houston, Dallas, and Austin was proposed and a Miami-Orlando route could take shape. Meanwhile, the East coast would start with only a line between Providence and Boston. With Hyperloop stations between these cities, businesses could draw from larger workforce pools due to shorter commutes for long distances. The only problem with building these “supersubways” is that they often
interfere with pre-existing infrastructure. As they are underground, it will be hard to implement them in metropolises like New York City and Philadelphia. Therefore, most stations will probably be just outside of large US cities. All the same, the idea of traveling between Washington D.C. and New York City in a matter of minutes revolutionizes the American commute. Anyone could work pretty much anywhere in their region instead of being restricted to a city’s radius. People like Elon Musk are borderline crazy. Thus far in his career, he’s pretty much just done whatever he thought was cool. This kind of open-mindedness coupled with intense motivation is what changes the world. Hopefully Hyperloop will be successful and revolutionize the American work life.
A Die Hard Christmas By: Peter Rizzo ‘19 Photo Editor It’s about that time of year again where we dust off the Christmas decorations and put on our favorite movies, Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and, of course, Die Hard. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? I know what you’re thinking, “yes, Peter, obviously.” But much to my surprise, not everyone thinks so. I’ll clarify now that I’m not going to argue that the sequels are Christmas movies. That’d be ridiculous. But when you strip it down to its purest components, you’ll see that the Bruce Willis classic, Die Hard, is not just a
Christmas movie, but one of the best Christmas movies. A lot of people think that Die Hard, like Iron Man 3 or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, is just a movie that takes place at Christmas instead of a Christmas movie. This is not the case. I’m forewarning you that this article will include spoilers for the film Die Hard; however, it’s been out since 1988, so if you haven’t seen it yet, that’s your problem. Let’s start with the characters. John McClane (Willis), at the start of the film, is a down on his luck family man trying to be successful in his job while also being there for his family, much like George Bailey (James Stuart) in It’s a Wonderful Life.
And like Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) in the Santa Clause, is estranged from his wife with whom he has a child. Is John McClane secretly Santa Claus? That’s a question for another article, and McClane is undeniably a hero, but is he a Christmas hero? Yes. He wants to help people, be there for his family, and most of all, he gives the employees of the Nakatomi corporation exactly what they want for Christmas: to not die at the hands of German terrorists. Speaking of German terrorists, Hans Gruber is the classic villain of a Christmas movie. Like the villains from Elf or Miracle on 34th Street, he wears a suit and he’s a straight-laced and serious businessman who’s trying
Rap Roundup 11.18 By: Augie Sommers ‘20 Contributor 11/2 Metro Boomin - Not All Heroes Wear Capes Filled to the brim with high profile features and his always hard hitting 808s, Metro does not disappoint. He only adds to his catalogue of success, but what else could we expect? “Metro Boomin want some more” Rate: 7/10
with features from J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, and more. Rate 6/10
11/17 Jaden Smith - The Sunset Tapes: A Cool Story After Jaden released SYRE in 2017, many have anticipated his next step. Will’s son tried to create something unordinary that still bumps, but he underachieved. Rate: 3/10 11/26 J.I.D. - DiCaprio 2
Takeoff - The Last Rocket The most unknown member of the Migos proves that he should be respected as the trio’s best rapper with a quality solo debut. Rate: 6/10 11/9 Trippie Redd - A Love Letter to You 3 Trippie succeeds in creating the emo-heartbreak feeling in his alternative rock type fashion. There are a lot of dimes on this project that prove the sky’s the limit for Trippie. Rate: 8/10 11/16 Anderson .Paak Oxnard One of the most unique sounding artists provides comforting vibes through this funk-type rap album
The masterful flows give the listener the feeling of Kendrick Lamar, but he remains unique with his sound and punch. Rate: 6/10 11/27 6ix9ine - Dummy Boy The controversial rapper/ social media personality releases an album from jail that attempts to keep him relevant while he is locked up. He stays away from his scream rap for most of the project, which is good, right? Rate: 7/10 11/30 Ski Mask the Slump God - STOKELEY The XXL freshman attempts to carry on XXXTentacion’s wave through funny and entertaining music. Rate: 6/10 Meek Mill - Championships
to ruin Christmas. And his character is representative of the same vague anti-German propaganda of the villain from Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. At its core, Die Hard tells the story of a man desperately trying to keep the Christmas spirit alive when a company’s annual Christmas party is interrupted by some pesky German terrorists. And you may think to yourself, “but Peter, John McClane kills people! Surely that must disqualify Die Hard from being a Christmas movie!” Did the Grinch not set fire to a town? Did Ebenezer Scrooge not say “Humbug?” We all have flaws. But we learn from them. The Grinch befriended the
Whos. Scrooge became a good person. John McClane only killed terrorists. Did he kill them violently? Yes. Was some of it overkill? Absolutely. But he is our hero. And besides, are other Christmas specials not dark? Frosty the Snowman dies. Tiny Tim will most likely still die. Santa Claus is arrested… a bunch of times. Why draw the line at murder? So this Christmas season, once exams are over and done with and you’re with your family. Put on some terrible sweaters. Turn down the Christmas music, and put on the Christmas classic. The one and only, Die Hard. Merry Christmas. And yippee ki yay.
Rhapsody
Meek makes a spectacular By: Tommy Fisher ‘20 return through excellent Editor music and raw subject matter about his experience with Can Anybody Find Me Some[thing] to Love? the incarceration system. How about this movie? Rate: 9/10 Bohemian Rhapsody chronLil Baby - Street Gossip icles the rock group Queen, but revolves mostly around The 2018 breakout star the band’s iconic leader, releases another project and Freddy Mercury, and his perleaves the listener tired of sonal journey. hearing him on something Bohemian Rhapsody was new seemingly every week. a great movie. I really enRate:4/10 joyed the live performances, as well as the captivating journey of the talented Mercury (played by Rami Malek) as he falls into and climbs out of substance abuse and the taxing rock and roll lifestyle. Malek’s impersonation of Mercury’s movements and stage presence were spot on, causing me to forget that I Earl Sweatshirt - Some was watching a portrayal. Rap Songs The overall plot--how the band meets, prevails, breaks One of a kind sounds and apart, and comes back torhymes tell a story that brings something totally new gether--is very satisfying to to the rap scene. Critics love observe on-screen. Likewise, the storyline detailing how it just as much as the fans the songs were created was do. Rate: 8/10 also really interesting and unforgettable. Yet there is a huge disTBA/Coming Soon parity between audience reLil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake views and the critic reviews; it received only a 62% rating Lil Pump - Harverd Drop- on Rotten Tomatoes. Why is out that? It is because the screenplay was ridiculously inaccuNav & Metro Boomin rate. To begin, Mercury was Perfect Timing 2 not a “nobody” who just randomly walked into audition Offset - TBA for his future band, which is what the film suggests. SmokePurpp - Deadstar 2 He was recognized as musically talented throughout his childhood and knew the band
members of Queen for years before he joined the group. The writers also neglected to mention that there were 4 bassists before John Deacon came on board. The writers also took poetic license with the band’s relationship with the head of EMI records (played by Mike Myers, who also played Shrek), portraying him as a terrible person who didn’t want to play any of Queen’s groundbreaking songs. He never existed. Queen had a platonic relationship with EMI records and stayed with them for 30 years. The movie also idealizes Mercury and paints his behavior as much better than it actually was when he was in the rock and roll business. Finally, the movie implied that Mercury broke up the band when his ego got too large for the rest of Queen, but the band never broke up. They took a break, which they all agreed on, due to the fact that they were all tired of touring, which freed Mercury to release some solo work. They had been touring non-stop right up until Live Aid, so there really wasn’t that much tension around the whole break. To recap, I thought Bohemian Rhapsody was a great movie. It was highly entertaining, allowing the average viewer, like me, to become very invested by its conclusion. But it wasn’t really entirely truthful. It’s not the real life, it’s just fantasy.