The Aquilian November 2018 Volume 81, Number 2
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Make a Space! for Makerspace On the bottom floor of Cantwell-Ruesch, just to the right of the network operations center, there is a room that, although usually empty, contains a myriad of technological tools, available to all students to use. Mr. Jonathan Spencer, who has been the driving force in the creation of this room since his arrival in 2017, can generally be found at his desk inside, and all that is needed to start using anything is his permission. The best technology
Gonzaga has to offer is available to you right now. All you have to do is enter the Makerspace. What is a Makerspace? Simply put, it is a space for someone to create anything and everything they would like. The Gonzaga Makerspace, located in room 107, helps students do just that. First on the list is a Glowforge, something that is just as futuristic as it sounds. A type of 3D printer, the Glowforge uses lasers to cut into materials like wood, acrylic, and fabric to make intricate designs specified by the user.
The next item in the Makerspace, the Carvey, is quite similar to the Glowforge, except it uses a physical tool to carve designs into almost any material. There are also two traditional 3D printers, the Ultimaker 2+ and the Ultimaker S5, which build 3D designs out of a material, generally plastic, layer by layer. In addition to 3D printing, there are several tools for coding and microcomputing. Available to students are the Arduino, the Raspberry Pi, and the Sphero. The Arduino is a circuit board that
completes simple tasks it is instructed to do by a specific type of code written in the Arduino development environment. Although seemingly very complex, using an Arduino is incredibly simple, and almost no prior technological knowledge is necessary to begin working. The Raspberry Pi is slightly more advanced than an Arduino, but just as easy to use. It is microcomputer that runs a custom version of a Linux operating system, and can be used to complete more complex tasks that may require more than one series of
XC Champions, p.3
Summer Service Trips, p. 5
DC Sports, p.6
Halloween, p.8
By: Adam Wojciak ‘20 Editor
commands to be run. Unlike the Arduino, the Raspberry Pi can run several different types of code, including Java and Python. The Sphero, relatively new compared to the Arduino and Raspberry Pi, is a microcomputer enclosed in a sphere that can be used to create different types of small robots. With an extremely simple interface for coding, the Sphero is an extremely versatile tool that is easy to learn. The Makerspace also has several tools for students to work in virtual, augmented, Continued on p. 2
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Makerspace
Maybe Your Shadow Can Stay
Continued from p. 1 or mixed reality. Virtual reality, or VR, involves the complete immersion of someone in an environment completely generated by computers. The Gonzaga Makerspace has an Oculus Rift and an Oculus Go, two different types of virtual reality headsets. The Oculus Rift, unlike the Oculus Go, requires a connection to a PC with sufficient computing power to run VR applications, but is generally more flexible than the Oculus Go in the range of applications for which it can be used. In addition to the
ability to experience virtual reality immersion, students can also create virtual reality environments with Unity or Unreal Engine, two pieces of easy-to-learn software that are used by some of the largest video game creators in the world. The Makerspace is open to all students during the school day, whether it be for a class or group project, or just an individual’s desire to create something for fun. There are no deadlines to finish anything, and as long as you have time to work on
something, you are welcome to come in. If you are interested in beginning a project or are simply curious, Mr. Spencer will be happy to talk to you if you are able to stop by the Makerspace in room 107 or you can send an email to makerspace@gonzaga. org. The Makerspace provides a unique and exciting opportunity for students to create almost anything that they would like using some of the most advanced tools available.
Yes We Can! By: Patrick Fogarty ‘21 Contributor The McKenna Center requires our help to provide food for our neighbors in need. As Gonzaga men it is our responsibility to do our best to provide for those less fortunate than us, especially during the cold months of the year. The Canned Food Drive is not only a great way togive back to our community, but it is also a competition amongst the homerooms.
Whichever homeroom that has the greatest points per student wins. The first place reward is free International Food Fair; second and third get a fifty percent and twenty five percent discount. Cans submitted by Wednesday, October 31, will earn double points and cans submitted by Friday, November 2, will receive normal points. Cans should be twelve to eighteen ounces. Soup is worth three points, Jelly and beans are worth two points. Other
items are worth one point and Ramen is only half of a point so do not bring it in. In addition to competing with each other, the homerooms are also working together to get fifteen thousand cans total and eighty five percent participation across the school for a free dress day. The McKenna Center has been feeding hungry families in Gonzaga’s neighborhood for decades since its 1983 foundation in the basement of St. Aloysius Church.
By: Hameed Nelson ‘19 Senior Contributor Can’t you stay any longer here avec moi? These memories can’t remember your eyes beautiful eyes. And if they could I’d still want more. More to see myself in you. A hand to hold or arms to fold while you smile a surreal smile and laugh. Are you amused by my nature? A poem for you took time and few tears. I’ve heard that you’ll be gone in a few years. So maybe your shadow can stay. Not on this cloudy day with harsh winds because they will blow you away. No. On a sunny day maybe I can love your shadow. With help from the Gonzaga Poets & Writers, The Aquilian plans to feature a work of poetry written by a Gonzaga Student in each issue.
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal! By: Keegan Foley ‘21 Contributor
cept this past season, Waller said, “Two games stick out in my mind. The Leonardtown game and the Heights. Leonardtown because that was a game we let get away. We should have finished better. The Heights because they are new to the league and we haven’t lost to them in years.” The team lost the Leonardtown match 1-0 and the Heights match 5-1. For the players, enduring the losses has also been a challenging process. “Each game is a really tough one if the team’s putting in our all for every play,” said Thomp-
son. “But some especially tough games have included our game against St. John’s… where we started off on the right foot, but ended up being beaten 2-1.” The team has won most of their games while accumulating positive momentum for the playoffs. “Gonzaga has always been a possession style team. Every year is different and we play to the current year strengths,” said Waller. “If possession meant victory, we would have won every game.” The strengths of the team also come from their persis-
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
Editors Patrick Begala ‘19 Andy Borman ‘19 Tommy Fisher ‘20 Josh Knutsen ‘20 Jack Martino ‘20 Adam Wojciak ‘20
Varsity Soccer Coach Scott Waller has high hopes for the team this year in the playoffs. Currently, their record is 12-5. Coach Waller said, “I am very pleased the way the season has gone. We started off strong with some big wins and are now ready for the postseason.” The team started off their first three league games, winning 3-0 against Good Counsel, 1-0 against Bishop O’Connell, and then 2-0
against Bishop Ireton. The team let no goals from the opposing teams touch the net. When asked about what surprised him most about the season so far, Waller responded, “The way the younger guys bonded with the veteran players.” Varsity soccer player Will Thompson `21 said, “I feel great about the season so far. The team has come together nicely.” Despite the victories the team has earned, they have also encountered some challenges. When asked about toughest matches and what made them so difficult to ac-
tence. “I believe the boys’ greatest strength is in our resilience to fight until the final whistle, even if the game isn’t going our way,” said Thompson. The team is excited to compete in the DC Playoffs. The players feel confident. “We’re already planning to make a lot of noise in [the] playoffs and will show our true strength in the next couple games coming up.” said Thompson. “They aren’t ready for us.”
Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
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Marco? Water Polo! By: Charlie Julian ‘21 Contributor I went on the ultimate quest to find out if water polo is a legitimate sport, or if it should be shunned with the likes of disc golf, and table tennis (or as the laymen call it, “ping pong”). Both table tennis and water polo are somehow olympic sports, and it turns out that in the case of the latter, it might just be warranted. I joined the JV-B water polo team at practice to find out the truth. The verdict was reached at a record pace - water polo is
most definitely a sport, an exhausting one. Water polo is a game on a multitude of levels. Not only is it a battle between victor and loser, it’s a battle between life and death. A non stop struggle to remain afloat (i.e. not drown). Water polo as explained by Head coach Mr. Dominick Pugliese is as follows: “water polo is...the greatest affair of the state, the basis of life and death [and] the Way to survival or extinction.” After an hour and a half of drills, sprints, and pull ups, what I thought would be the “fun part” (the scrimmage) finally began. I strapped on
the foreign looking water polo cap, the whistle sounded and the game started. Only 30 seconds passed before the burning set in - starting at the legs and gradually spreading throughout my body, as if it were a contagious disease. Practice ended and I had a newfound respect for the sport that I had formally scoffed at. Coach Pugliese has developed a list of strategies to ensure the success of the JV-B team. I deem these: “Coach Pugliese’s Water Polo Coaching Strategies for Success” 1.) “Our biggest oppo-
nent is ourselves, and it is with ourselves we fight the most important battle. For if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” 2.) “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we
must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.” 3.) Coach Pugliese’s Primary Water Polo Goal is “to vanquish our enemies, to chase them before us, to rob them of their wealth, and to see those dear to them bathed in tears.” After experiencing the pain and exhaustion that is water polo, I gained a new sense of respect for those who play the game.
Crew Makes a Row By: John Ferrara ‘22 Contributor On October 28, 2018, the freshman crew team will tackle its first race of the season. They will be racing at the Head of the Schuylkill in Philadelphia, PA. Gonzaga’s crew team is one of the best in the nation. So, it only makes sense that so much emphasis in the program is put on forming great rowers as soon as possible. Luckily, it appears as though this class of freshman has
plenty of prior experience. One freshman rower, Danny Barrón ’22, has rowed “casually” with the Thompson Boat Center on the Potomac River along with rowing at St. Alban’s summer camps. Besides Danny, there are numerous other rowers with a plethora of experience on the team. Some have rowed at summer camps, with local club teams, and even on high school teams as eighth graders. Having lots of experience should prove a large
advantage when it comes to racing other teams, as the majority of rowers from opposing teams have not touched an oar prior to the start of the school year. It also is encouraging that most of the rowers from this year’s freshman class plan on returning for the winter and spring seasons. Kevin Kiernan ’22 says that “he is definitely going to return” for the upcoming seasons. Michael LesStrang ’22 also emphatically said that he plans “to stick with the sport” through his time at Gonzaga.
Champs XC2 By: Reid Norton ‘21 Contributor Gonzaga’s Cross Country team won the WCAC championship this past Saturday. Gavin McElhennon, Gonzaga’s top runner, in his junior year, paced the Eagles and led the team to the win. In the previous meet he clinched first place by five seconds with a 16:20, setting a new personal record. Coach Ausema planned high intensity workouts in preparation for the big race. Winning 2017 coach of the year, he was able to lead Gonzaga to a victory in last year’s WCAC championship. David Giannini, Gavin McElhennon, Daniel Roginski, and Cullen Capuano all placed 11th or better to contribute to Gonzaga’s WCAC victory. Patrick Donnelly and Seamus O’Connor are also some key underclassmen that should play a valuable part in next week’s meet. Patrick, a sophomore, got 2nd place
in the DCXC meet, with the time of 17:34 in the sophomore meet. Seamus, a freshmen, got 8th place in the DCXC meet with the time of 18:19. Being the only freshmen on varsity, Seamus plays a key part to Gonzaga’s success, and will be depended on in this next race. In preparation for the race, the team will take a six to eight mile run through Anacostia on Monday. On Tuesday, the team will undergo the hardest workout, going to the polo grounds to do high tempo workouts. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, the team will do various workouts such as hill runs and tempo workouts. With the WCAC’s under their belt, the team is beginning to look ahead to late season meets that will include the Jesuit Championships in NYC at Van Courtlandt Park and the Nike Regionals in Cary, North Carolina.
These are all encouraging signs as one of the best ways to maintain a winning program, like Gonzaga’s, is to maximize the amount of time spent training in between race days. When asked about their favorite conditioning activities some of the most common responses among the freshman included “rowing in the shells,” and the “thrill of racing”. After speaking with many freshmen, it is safe to say that they believe the pros
of crew heavily outweigh the cons. Once again, these are all great signs for the future of the Gonzaga rowing team. However, the one unanimous answer to a question was in response to being asked to describe their rowing experience in one sentence. Every rower said, “it has been harder than [they] expected but ultimately very rewarding.” It is safe to say that the future of Gonzaga’s rowing team is very bright.
People of Gonzaga By: Patrick McAuliffe ‘19 Senior Contributor
Meet Sebastian Tabash ‘19 Sebastian’s favorite foods from Sage are the toasted sandwiches. He would rather have Seven-Up than Sprite. He has played soccer since freshman year and started playing rugby sophomore year. His favorite classes are Econ with Mr. Scott and English with Coach T, who gave him the inspirational words, “a pack of deer led by a lion is more to be feared than a pack of lions led by a deer.”
Meet Michel Ashton. ‘19 Michel’s favorite Sage Food is their chicken tenders. He started playing rugby his junior year and plans to play again this year, as well as joining the wrestling team. His favorite song is “The Christmas Song,” by Nat King Cole. He prefers Chipotle over Chick-fil-a and always gets a burrito with chicken, white rice, black beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, corn, and sour cream.
Meet Harrison Snyder ‘20 Harrison likes District Rico more than Quickway. He prefers Coke products over Pepsi products. His favorite classes are Photography, Philanthropy, and GIST. Harrison has wrestled every year since freshman year and has played lacrosse just as long. His favorite movie is Baby Driver.
Meet Lucas Jung ‘19 Lucas’ favorite movie is Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks. He likes District Rico more than Quickway. He likes Pepsi products more than Coke products. His go-to McDonald’s meal is either a big breakfast with hot cakes or a 20 piece chicken nugget meal. His favorite NFL team is the Baltimore Ravens.
Meet Sam Wellborn ‘20 Sam has no Victory Royales because he does not play Fortnite. He likes District Rico more than Quickway because the food tastes better. His favorite subject is math. He likes Chick-fil-a more than Chipotle and likes to get the plain chicken sandwich. His favorite NFL team is the Philadelphia Eagles and watches them every Sunday.
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Walking in Their Shoes By: Daniel Podratsky ‘19 Editor-in-Chief “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Mt 25:35). This past June, fourteen of us from Gonzaga, including Ms. Flood and Mr. Scott, set out for Apopka, Florida, a farming community about forty minutes from Orlando. Throughout the week, we worked in various greenhouses and farms (Apopka is a large supplier of flower plants for Disney World), met with a local youth group, and learned about immigration at the Hope CommUnity
Center. However, the point of the Apopka service trip isn’t just picking green beans or pulling weeds on crownof-thorns plants (definitely wear gloves), but it’s about learning the immigrant experience; this happens perhaps most deeply by living with a local family for the week. Our activities for the week centered around the Hope Center, where we met several times for various functions. The Hope Center works with local residents, typically those undocumented or under DACA, to educate and empower the community. Amid all of the inspiring and moving stories I heard - which touched on perilous journeys to the U.S., the
identity conflict many face here, and concerns over recent trends in immigration - the hospitality of my host mom, Olivia, best demonstrates the type of community Apopka truly is. Illegal aliens or undocumented? Neither characterizes any member of this community, and I learned this lesson through the love of my host family. My very ents for more than twenty first night there, having not even known any minutes, I immediately was of my host siblings or par- welcomed into the birthday celebration of a neighbor, a one-year-old girl whose parents were deported. As the girl was under the care of a family relative, my host family offered to host her party. Over the course of the week, I gradually heard their stories: Olivia, my host mom, supported her three kids, Yesenia, Joe, and Jonathan, by working at the Hope CommUnity Center. Her task has been greater since her husband was deported back to Mexico several years ago, so the family shares their house with another family of three to cut costs. Yesenia and
Jonathan were in high school while Jonathan had graduated, but we eagerly played hours of Guess Who? and Lotería, Mexican bingo. Each day, Olivia woke us up on time, cooked us breakfast, and packed us a lunch, smiling and waving us goodbye for the day. When we returned each evening, it was to a warm smile and a hot meal. On Friday night, I realized that not even the delicious Mole dish we enjoyed for dinner could compare to the memories and understanding I would take home.
McKenna Center of the City By: Michael Kennedy ‘20 Contributor This past summer, I went on the McKenna Immersion trip held from June 4th through the 8th. In the weeks leading up to the trip, I experienced a lot of anxiety. I was worried about the meals I would be served, the sleep I was going to get, and whether my phone was going to be taken away. In the end, all that anxiety turned out to be unnecessary. The trip was truly eye-opening, to the point where I did not want to leave the McKenna Center. When the trip ended I felt ashamed of my initial unwillingness to go on the trip. Looking back, I noticed that my greatest memories of the trip came in the last two days of the five-day trip. When I thought about it, I realized that this was not just a coincidence. The reason I had all the great experiences
in the last couple days of the trip was because I was very close-minded in the early days. Those first few days, I was only focused on the negative aspects of the trip -the fact that I had to sleep on the floor, or that I didn’t have my phone. Once I stopped worrying about my situation, and opened myself to the experiences the trip had to offer me, I began to enjoy what I was doing and recognize how meaningful it was, both for me and (I hope) for those I was serving. Over the five days on the trip, I met many interesting and different people. Some that stand out are the CEO of DC Central Kitchen, a doctor at a medical clinic for the homeless, and many different men and women struggling with homelessness. But, the one who stuck with me the most after the trip was a man named Nick, who ate at
the Father McKenna center every day for both breakfast and lunch. I had seen Nick every day I had served at the McKenna center, but I had never spoken with him. On Thursday of the week, I served lunch, then sat down at a table with Nick. I talked to Nick until he left and realized how easy it was to relate to him. Talking to him was so easy it helped me to understand that many people who struggle with homelessness are just like us. The next day, at breakfast, I saw Nick again and said Hi to him. He responded with, “Hi Mike how are you?” Those words really stuck with me because the fact that he remembered my name showed me that I had impacted his day, which was the goal of the whole service trip. Although the time I spent with Nick was limited, even in that limited time I learned two impor-
tant lessons. The first is that good conversations happen everywhere. For myself, I know that I constantly walk by homeless people throughout the day without acknowledging their presence. But, because of my experiences at the McKenna Center and S.O.M.E, I know that I will make more of an effort to greet and converse with those struggling with homelessness the respect they deserve as human beings. The second lesson I learned through this experience is how seemingly tiny acts of kindness can have a huge impact. For me, this realization came during breakfast on the Thursday of that week. I noticed a man sitting alone on the floor in the corner eating his food. I went and brought him a chair, thinking to myself that this man, who lives such a solitary life in the streets,
shouldn’t have to sit alone on the floor while at the Center. When I brought him the chair, I saw how grateful he was for that simple act. His expression when I brought him the chair stuck with me throughout the trip -- he said a simple thank you, but his expression showed gratitude and thankfulness, perhaps for the fact that I had noticed him and tried to help. These experiences above are just a couple of the many that I had on this trip. One thing I can’t stress enough is how important it is to be open. When I was finally able to open myself to opportunities, I had some of the most memorable moments of my life. So, my message to any one reading is this: be open to new experiences, because you never know the impact they might have on you.
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Camden, City Invincible By: Beau Wallace ‘19 Senior Contributor City Invincible” I saw those two words on a large mural driving through downtown Camden, New Jersey, for the first time in the early days of summer. The artistic display seemed almost contradictory for a city so historically stricken by poverty, drugs, and violence, but as we immersed ourselves in the lives of the people, the message began to ring true. Suddenly experiencing a reality so contrary to our own, I could not help but feel a sense of guilt; nevertheless, I learned that we are called to look beyond guilt or sympathy and find our ability to respond against the unjust structures in place. We worked at Urban Promise and Cathedral Kitchen, organizations dedicated to uplifting the community around them through meals, “
education, housing, and job training. While much of our service consisted of assorted manual labor tasks, our interactions and conversations with the people allowed me to finally appreciate and understand the complexities of principles such as human dignity, the common good, and preferential option for the poor. Our nightly discussions further enforced the idea of faith in action and why service is such an integral aspect of the Jesuit tradition. Despite the fact that the whole world seemingly gave up on Camden a long time ago, these two establishments epitomize how the effects of social justice are far more beneficial and long-lasting to a downtrodden community than the surface-level service we consider charitable works. Although we were only in Camden for a week, we
look forward to taking the lessons we learned and incorporating them into our daily lives at Gonzaga and in the outside world. With the trip erasing our predisposed misconceptions about the poor, we now hold the mature understanding that the deprivation of equal opportunity has prevented them from reaching their full potential. In our closing reflection of the trip, we decided that our plan of action should center around the improvement of the education system for underprivileged children in our area. The group agreed on this subject because we learned that “education is liberation”, recognizing its importance and value in achieving success and fulfillment in life. While the Caps’ Stanley Cup victory was a definite plus, the best moments of the trip centered around the relationships we strengthened with each other and those we formed with the people we encountered. A special thanks to Mr. Morgan, Mr. Ruano, Andrew, Richard, Teresa, and all those who influenced our time in Camden, a city invincible.
Finding Jerusalem in Kansas City By: Andy Borman ‘19 Editor Over the summer, Mr. Fiore and Mr. Szolosi led eleven rising seniors on a service trip to Kansas City, Missouri. We spent a week
Six students, a teacher, and a priest from Cristo Rey High School, a Jesuit school in Chicago, Illinois, were serving with us the same week. Sunny, the head of the Farm, created three crews, which were comprised of a mix of
activities: home crew, the new house, and Charlotte’s house. Our days were scheduled like so: wake-up call, prayer, chores, breakfast, main assignment, lunch break, main assignment, break at the
at Jerusalem Farm, an intentional community where everyone works, makes meals, and lives together in the Northeast quadrant and poorest section of the city.
Gonzaga and Cristo Rey students. We worked on a normal schedule Tuesday through Friday, with each day’s main task rotating between three
farm, review, dinner, prayer, and free time. My group was assigned home crew twice and the others each once. Home crew consisted of cleaning around
the house and preparing the meals for the day; the new house assignment involved various interior tasks in the community’s new house a couple blocks away from the Farm, and Charlotte’s house included painting and woodworking at a neighborhood resident’s home with code violations, as the homeowners in the area are often physically or financially unable to fix their home. As we learned on the trip, neighbors report neglected homes to the city for overgrown lawns and other issues. The city fines those homeowners, which only creates a cycle of debt. While some days I prepared breakfast, I spent other mornings mulching, planting, or weeding. For my main assignments, I cleaned toilets, painted on Charlotte’s roof, made diagrams of the rooms in the new house, performed maintenance at the community garden, and made blackberry brownies. For almost
everyone, however, the most challenging aspect of the trip was not eating any meat. At the end of the week, we left the Farm and visited the Negro Baseball League Museum before flying home to Washington, DC.
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By: Rob Dimond ‘21 Contributor
Redskins
The “State” of Sports Cup Champions are off to a good start in this 2018-19 season. They won their game on Monday 10/22 against the Canucks by a score of 5-2. The Caps are currently 2nd in the Metropolitan Division. Also, Congrats to Nicklas Backstrom on getting his 600th career assist. The Caps’ first November home game is against the Dallas Stars on Saturday 11/3 at 7pm. It’s becoming cold enough that the NHL games could be played on ponds! Let’s Go Caps!
The Redskins had a big win on Sunday, 10/21, edging the Cowboys by a score of 20 to 17. The Cowboys missed a field goal at the end of the game that would’ve sent it to overtime. The next Sundy they notched another Divison win agains the Giants, 20-13. This win moved the Redskins’ record to 5-2, and they are currently 1st in the NFC East. The Redskins’ next game is against the Falcons on Sunday 11/4 at 1pm. D.C. United wrapped They will also face Buccaneers, the Texans, and the up their season on Sunday Cowboys later this month. (10/28/18) against Chicago. They have officially made the Hail to the Redskins! playoffs and are currently 5th in the Eastern Conference. Good Luck in the Playoffs. Our defending Stanley
Georgetown Maryland Basketball Terrapins The Hoyas are starting their season against the East- Football ern Shore Hawks on Tuesday (11/6/18) at 8:30pm at Capital One Arena. Tough out of conference games will come early against Syracuse and Illinois. Once they start Big East play they will face national power Villanova. Good Luck this season. Go Hoyas!
The Terps are currently 3rd in the Big Ten Division. They have a game against Michigan State on Saturday (11/3/18) at 12pm and a game against Indiana on the 10th. Go Terps!
Mar yland Te r r a p i n s D.C. United Georgetown Basketball
Capitals
Football
The Hoyas have been doing very well this season! They are in 1st place in the Patriot Division. Their next game is on the 10th against Bucknell at 12:30pm. Go Hoyas!
The Terps start their season off against the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens on Tuesday (11/6/18) at 7:30pm. They are currently first in the Big Ten Division. Good Luck to them this season and Let’s Go Terps!
Washington Wizards, Finding the Magic? By: Gabriel Brady ‘21 Contributor The Washington Wizards season is up and running, and after the success of the Washington Capitals, DC Sports fans now look for achievement in other sports as well. The Wizards certainly have a window to provide that; with LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to go to the LA Lakers, the Eastern Conference is wide open, and any number of teams could make it to the Finals. The time is right for the Wizards to stop underperforming, and pull off a 50win season with their most talented roster in recent memory. The Wizards have the label of playing below their talent level; in recent years, they have played down to their competition, meaning they only performed well when playing the top teams. After a season of mediocrity with John Wall playing a career-low 42 games, Washington entered the offseason wanting to upgrade the team without breaking up the core of Wall, Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter. The Wizards started the year by trading Marcin Gortat, who bickered with John Wall towards the end of the season, for Austin Rivers; be-
sides Gortat, the only major players to leave were Mike Scott, who signed with the Clippers, and Jodie Meeks, who was traded to the Bucks in the midst of his suspension for performance-reducing drugs. In free agency, the Wizards signed former #5 overall pick Jeff Green, who should address the Wizards’ bench needs along with Rivers. Because the team lost their starting center, Gortat, they signed Dwight Howard, who averages 17.4 points and 12.7 rebounds throughout his career. Given that Dwight is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a lot has been made of him joining DC, but the media narrative of him joining Washington is of an antagonizing 32-year-old joining an already volatile locker room; the low expectations seem unfair because Howard is still a valuable player on the court, but, given that this is Howard’s fifth team he has been a part of since 2016, he obviously rubs some players the
wrong way. If Howard can put away his old persona in DC and sacrifice his post-ups for alley-oops and transition buckets, he will be the reliable and athletic big man John Wall has been pining for, and he will push the Wizards towards their potential. The rest of the Wizards should make the leap to the
defensive effort. Wall wants fans to consider him among the upper echelon of NBA players, but he needs to commit on defense, take less pull-up mid-range jumpers, and play more off the ball; Wall only ranked behind James Harden in average seconds per touch with 6.3, a number that needs to be lowered.
next level this year as well. John Wall, the team’s franchise player, was injured for half of the season last year, and when he did play, he was banged up and showed little
In Wall’s absence last year, Beal emerged as a star and made his first All-Star Game; in addition, Beal just surpassed Gilbert Arenas for most made threes in a Wiz-
ards uniform with 869. Otto Porter is the best role player in the NBA, and a perfect player to complement Wall and Beal’s skill sets, but DC pays him like a superstar, which is irritating to remember after seeing him only take five shots in a game; Scott Brooks, the Wizards’ coach, needs to draw up more plays for Porter, who is one of the most efficient players in the NBA. The Wizards’ bench, with the additions of Rivers and Green, should improve, and the addition of Troy Brown Jr., the Wizards’ first-round pick, could help later on in the year. The media rates the Wizards as a talented yet dysfunctional team who will have an average season; however, they have the potential to make the Finals this season if all goes well. With Scott Brook’s new emphasis on cutting out midrange shots and focusing on threes and layups, the Wizards should improve and excel with this new and talented roster. There is a small window to reach the Finals and have a chance to win for this team, and with LeBron James gone to the West, the time is now for the Wizards to strike.
The Aquilian 7
Jurassic World III - Lower Commons Chaos By: Peter Rizzo ‘19 Photo Editor Another year, another Halloween at Gonzaga. This Halloween offered the same free french fries vouchers, cash prizes, and free donuts for all the students who think their costumes are truly the best. And whether those costumes were opening-and-closing Demogorgon heads or vague reasons why sweatpants and a sports jersey are a costume, every student found a way to enjoy the scariest day on Eye Street (until exams, that is). The costumes this year really brought out everyone’s A-game. Students like junior Ben Rutherford and senior Henry Barbour chose to become teachers (dressing as Mr. Hamm and Mr. Howell, respectively). And nobody could miss Tomás Williamson and Ryan Vigilante prowling the halls in their inflatable T-Rex costumes. By far the most popular costume on display this year wasn’t of a monster or super-
hero; it was that of a Gonzaga student. I was in awe at the likemindedness of so many of our brothers by all dressing in the same polo shirt and khakis combination. Nothing scarier than an enforced dress code on a dress-down day. Of course it wasn’t just students who got in on the fun. As in years past, many teachers and faculty get involved with a level of dedication that still surprises even the seniors. Mr. Cardozo broke out the metal arms and lab coat to become Spider-Man’s nemesis Dr. Octopus, no doubt playfully threatening the many students dressed as Spider-Man while the math department came in with matching shirts of different fruits creating the “pi” symbol, making an unspoken pun that could make even the most emotionless person groan in resentful enjoyment. However, nothing could have prepared the students for when Mr. Allan L’Etoile walked through the doors in
an elegant gown, large wig, and horrifying powder makeup, turning him into a being that could only be described as “Marie L’Etoinette.” Halloween at Gonzaga never fails to offer images that I didn’t think I’d ever see. Dr. Octopus teaching Latin, dinosaurs playing foosball against Ricky Bobby, a mustache-less Borat, and Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame watching Ghostbusters with Mr. Mark Howell and a Starbucks barista. So as freshmen take all this information in so they know to up their game for next year and as seniors experience their last Halloween at Gonzaga, the day turns to Halloween night… on a Wednesday. Welcoming the horrors of not just homework but formal dress the following day. All in all, not a bad Halloween.
Is Venom Worth a Watch? By: Peter Rizzo ‘19 Photo Editor Have you ever wanted to see Academy-Award Nominee Tom Hardy be confused for two hours? If yes, then boy, do I have a movie for you. Venom tells the story of journalist Eddie Brock’s (Tom Hardy) bonding with alien symbiote “Venom” and how they work together to defeat the shady businessman Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), who later bonds with a symbiote of his own, “Riot,” before they can bring down an army of symbiotes to devour Earth. While this story may seem dramatic, Venom tells it as more of a buddy-cop movie instead of a serious, gritty adaptation that many critics were expecting. That being said, Venom is nothing groundbreaking; it was supposed to be an RRated comic book movie that was toned down to PG-13 because of executive meddling, making the movie feel like it wants to go all the way with its action and violence but can’t due to the rating. That’s not to say the movie is without gore, countless
henchmen meet their ends at Venom’s hands or, in some cases, his teeth. The action in the movie is entertaining to watch; among car chases and fist fights, there’s Eddie and Venom bickering about how violent they’re getting, which is funnier when you realize that Tom Hardy is literally arguing with himself, as he provided the voice for Venom. The movie is not without its faults, though, some of the dialogue sounds awkward and a large number of the characters, including love interest Anne Weying (Michelle Williams), get little to do in the main story and aren’t very developed throughout the story. While there are times where the computer-generated effects leave a lot to be desired, the titular creature always looks solid, which is no easy feat for the animators considering Venom’s seven feet tall and made of black goo. Rotten Tomatoes’ critical score of Venom is a measly 30%, which is lower than those of the Angry Birds Movie, Justice League, Here Comes the Boom, and Star Wars: the Phantom Menace.
Venom is no masterpiece, but it’s easily better than those movies, and the audience rating is 88%, so why is there such a difference in the scores? Critics tore into Venom for not being a dramatic character study about a parasite taking control of one’s body and the struggle to break its control, but that’s not what Venom is about. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and while things are a little slowmoving at the beginning of the movie, things really pick up once Venom appears in all his symbiotic glory. Audiences enjoyed the movie, and Venom broke the all-time record for October box-office, and given the teaser present mid-way through the film’s end-credits, a sequel is on its way, so if you’re looking for something with a mix of humor and action, then give Venom a chance.
Happy Eye Street Halloween