The Aquilian
March 2021 Volume 83 Number 5
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW Washington, DC 20001
Thousands of Students, A Million Thanks
By: Gabe Brady ‘21 Editor-in-Chief
Like many sophomores, I learned about Mrs. Free during course selection for my junior year classes. Even more than most classes, the opinions on AP Language and Composition were especially hyperbolic. You’d hear one student say “it was the hardest class I ever took,” the next say “I never had to study– it was great,” and the
next say “I studied every night, and I still got a C.” But the one constant was, regardless of their grades or their stress levels while writing an RS Essay, that every upperclassman who took her class never regretted it. Whether they were an academic stalwart or an all-four-quarters struggler in her class, every single junior I asked about AP Lang made sure that I took the class. Those contradictory opinions on the course, wide-ranging as ever, always stemmed from how legendary the class was. Those juniors couldn’t fully express its monumental significance, so they exaggerated their claims about the class and its difficulty– but lurking underneath that facade of groaning about its
challenge was a deep respect for Mrs. Free and her teaching. I’ve heard every statement possible from students about Mrs. Free’s grading scale and her high standards for students’ writing, but I’ve never heard a single student complain about not getting enough out of the class– AP Lang has set up hundreds of Gonzaga juniors for success in college essay writing and beyond, and each and every one of them has Mrs. Free to thank. Over the time Mrs. Free has taught at Gonzaga, she has witnessed world-changing events from Eye Street– 9/11, the start of a pandemic, GonzagaFest– and as the world has changed over the past few decades, so have attitudes among Gonzaga
students. Mrs. Free says she remembered how students used to greet each other exclusively by roughhousing, but nowadays it’s different. She says, “You know, you see somebody put their arm around somebody and walk down the hall. It’s no big deal, right?” Of course, Gonzaga students aren’t the only ones who have changed. Mrs. Free acknowledged how her teaching style has evolved over her teaching career: “When I first came here, I was one of the few women teachers,” she says, “and I was the only woman in the English department for decades. And I felt I had to be super strict and super smart instead of letting the boys be smart– I felt like I had to be the smartest in the
Top #5 Cereals, 3
Saying Goodbye, 2
Saying Xie Xie Ni, 4&5
MLB, NFL, NCAA, 6-8
For a second straight year Gonzaga is saying goodbye to legends. But who gets the front page? Coach Jackson, Mr. Lipari, Mrs. Wei? Easy decision. You might not know it, but for years Mrs. Free was the moderator of The Aquilian...and The Aquilian always pays its debts.
room, and I just don’t teach that way at all anymore. Now, I let students give me inspiration and I want to hear their smarts instead of me directing what I want them to understand from the book. Now, I embrace– You don’t like the book? Tell me why you don’t like it. Let’s talk about it.” For some courses, a teacher might consider a good class to be when all the students understand the material the same way and say the right answers. Mrs. Free has a different definition– “When the students do most of the talking, and when they don’t always agree with each other. So there’s a lot of diversity in the answers, which happens when no one is afraid to say Continued on p. 2
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Mrs. Free Continued from p. 1 what he wants to say.” Her lesson plans have changed over the years as well. The AP Lang Memoir Essay, something I always saw as a staple of the class for decades, was actually a recent addition to the course. She added the assignment because it contrasted with the usual English curriculum, and it was a way for students to find meaning in their lives, as well as making for a more interesting read. She says, “That’s going to teach you more about writing than answering some dumb question, the same kind of English question– ‘what is Creon’s tragic flaw and whatever.’ Who cares?” Next year, Mrs. Free aims to keep helping students find their stories by continuing to
assist seniors in crafting their college essays. “I really love helping kids with college essays,” she says, “and I’d like to keep doing that, helping students see their stories and hear their stories, and realize that they have a wonderful idea that just needs some work.” Like every student who has taken her class, I owe a very, very deep debt to Mrs. Free– the writing skills I acquired in the course, and my ability to find meaning in the most mundane things possible (read: Thoreau) are traits entirely due to Mrs. Free and her teaching. She says she will miss Gonzaga, but not nearly as much as Gonzaga will miss her– “Will I miss it?” she says. “Absolutely. Is it time? Pretty much, yes.”
Fr. Planning, SJ By: Charlie Neill ‘21 Editor During his time as Gonzaga’s president, Fr Planning has had a tremendous impact on Gonzaga. Ten years ago, the field and garage as we know them did not exist, cars still drove down Eye Street, and the technology on campus was fairly limited. Fr. Planning brought with him a fresh perspective. He transformed campus by renovating Eye Street into the campus we know and love today, built the garage and Buchanan field, and rewired the school’s technology, all while renovating Gonzaga’s iconic clocktower in his spare time. Fr. Planning’s changes not only made campus more inviting and comfortable, they proved to be invaluable when the pandemic struck last spring. The new technology around campus allowed virtual and hybrid learning to be interactive and interesting. The extra space provided by the garage, field, and Eye Street were invaluable for a socially distanced cam-
You! Come Back to School! By: Ryan O’Keefe ‘22 Contributor Be a Part of the Community Again Now that the weather is starting to warm up again, it has become apparent that the Gonzaga spirit is still strong, despite us having been locked up in the house for the last year or so. During the lunch period, you are now able to go enjoy your lunch outside in the bleachers and courtyard. This allows for competitive spikeball tournaments and socially distanced football games, which is something that was not previously possible with the cold weather. It is both exciting and relieving to see that sense of community again, in a year where that has not been too common. Big annual events like the Freshman Retreat have occurred recently and Gonzagafest II is coming soon, so come see for yourself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
until 8:28 and wear sweatpants during school, what better way to lock in for the 4th quarter than to be part of the hybrid school system? Personally, I feel that I have understood the concepts and lessons in my classes much better when I am in-person versus when I am at home in pajama pants. Limiting distractions is a major component of succeeding in school, and being back in-person with those minimal distractions certainly can contribute to better grades. If you are like me and need an environment with as little distraction as possible, head on back to school.
Free Lunch The saying goes, “there is no such thing as a free lunch.” Well, as I’m sure you have heard, this is now a reality at Gonzaga. Sage has been providing delicious lunches, free of charge or limit, to anyone who is coming in for school. Not only have they been Finish the Year Out Strong providing a variety of hot As nice as it is to sleep lunches such as the student-
favorite buffalo chicken tenders, but they have pre-made sandwiches and my personal favorite, a freezer full of ice cream and push-pops. Safety Despite the fact that the Coronavirus has been a major threat to the health of the country, Gonzaga has a variety of precautions in place to keep you and your families protected. I feel very comfortable and safe with the rules and regulations provided by both our own health department and that of the DC health department; that being said, I still feel a sense of normalcy in being able to spend time with friends and teachers. With vaccinations rolling out throughout the area, I would expect that Gonzaga will become an even safer environment in the coming months.
COVID-19 & the Movies By: Connor Clark ‘23 Contributor
pus. Despite the challenges and safety concerns of this year, he led Gonzaga to not just survive through the pandemic, but prosper. As Fr. Planning moves on in his career, we wish him the best in what’s to come and thank him for the extraordinary ways he’s improved Gonzaga. Perhaps Fr. Planning’s greatest impact on Gonzaga (other than inspiring and starring in the WZAG The Office skits!) is his ability to improve campus while fostering the Gonzaga spirit that we know and love so well.
The Aquilian Founded In 1940 Gonzaga College High School 19 Eye Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Men For Others in the Jesuit Tradition Since 1821
2020 saw the rise of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, and caused many businesses to close. During this close the movie industry managed to make ends meet by pairing with streaming services and releasing films that way, including Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, HBO Max, and many others. A few films that were released on said streaming services consist of A Quiet Place Part II (TBR), live action Mulan, The Woman in the Window, The New Mutants, Soul, and several others. Recent movies that have come out online and not in theatres are The Tom and Jerry Movie, Know Fear, and The Human Voice. With Covid getting better in our area, some industries have opened back up, includEditor-in-Chief Gabe Brady ‘21 Features Editor Reid Norton ‘21
ing movie theatres. In Washington D.C. theatres like Regal Gallery Place, Suns Cinema, and Burke Theatre are open, but many are still temporarily shut down. In Maryland, some cinemas are open - for example Bow Tie Cinemas, AMC Columbia 14, and Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema - but many remain closed. Virginia’s many open theatres include AMC Tysons Corner 16, Cinemax Fairfax Corner 14, and AMC Shirlington 7, and few are still closed. Because
some theatres are open a few movies have been released in regular viewing in theatres: Wonder Woman 1984, Monster Hunter, and Tenet, to name a few. Overall the comeback for in person theatres is rising and the new method of movies coming out online and through different streaming platforms has been a breakthrough during the pandemic. The movie industry has adapted well to the Covid-19 lockdown and accommodations.
Editors Will Buffaloe ‘21 Jesse Dolojan ‘21 Luke Elliott ‘21 Patrick Fogarty‘21 Charlie Neill ‘21 John Ferrara ‘22 Andrew Schaefer ‘22 Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
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GameStop & Robinhood By: John Ferrara ‘22 Editor At what point does helpful interference turn into an obstruction of freedom? That was the question that many retail investors, or those who invest relatively small amounts without professional guidance, faced in late January, when the large stock trading platform Robinhood stopped allowing users to buy shares of GameStop stock (GME) for a day. For days leading up to the dramatic climax, where Robinhood halted trading of the stock on its platform, GME was pumped by retail investors who were mostly members of the sub-Reddit r/WallStreetBets. In the sub-Reddit, users essentially agreed to invest in GME to raise its stock
price and “stick it” to hedge funds who had bet on the stock’s demise. As more and more users piled on to GME, the share price soared by over 14,000%, benefitting the retail investors who hopped on the GameStop bandwagon and invoking serious losses upon the hedge funds who had tried to “short” the stock. The frenzy of investors who initially put money into the company snowballed, as more and more people sought to get in on the antihedge fund movement. In fact, at one point, more than fifty percent of Robinhood users owned some portion of GameStop. A few days into the GME saga, Robinhood opted to halt the sale of GME shares “in light of recent volatility,” per a statement made by the company
on their website. Yet, Robinhood continued to allow for shareholders to sell their position in GME. Needless to say, scared and confused investors made a mad dash to sell their shares and GME’s stock price plummeted by over 40% on the day of the controversial move by Robinhood. Despite these seemingly unfair restrictions, there is a line of logic (however squiggly) behind Robinhood’s decision. In order to process trades, Robinhood operates through a clearinghouse, who requires the trading company to maintain a significant sum of money in their bank account at all times to reduce risk in the event that margin trades go unpaid. While Robinhood’s CEO, Vlad Tenev, is on the record saying, “we had
to conform to our regulatory capital requirements,” critics still argue that Robinhood’s approach to the ordeal was upsetting and unfair. Why did Robinhood continue to allow people to sell their shares instead of cutting off all aspects of GME trading? Why did Robinhood wait to inform investors of their reasoning for shutting down the ability to buy GME until hours after the event? Did Robinhood, who is directly financially connected to hedge funds who had bet against GME’s
success, make the move to aid their wealthy allies? We won’t know the answers to these questions for a while, as the House Financial Services Committee is still in the midst of their investigation on Robinhood and its questionable motives. Nonetheless, for a company whose mascot is an icon known for stealing from the rich and whose slogan is “democratizing finance for all,” the situation deservedly puts Robinhood in the hot seat.
Gonzaga Course Selection - Upon us Again By: Colin Heil ‘24 Contributor That time of year is here again. Every year course selection is a hot topic at Gonzaga because of how important it can be to shaping the experience of a student at Gonzaga. Choosing the wrong courses can have drastic effects on the grades and happiness of a student who may feel that they don’t enjoy their classes or simply find them too difficult. One of the busiest faculty members during this process of course selection is the Academic Dean, Mr. Howell. Mr. Howell oversees the course selection process and
has very good advice for any student who is submitting their courses for their next year at Gonzaga. Mr. Howell wants to make it known that the most important thing to remember when choosing your courses, is to talk to your counselor first in order to better understand the process and what your counselor might recommend for you. When asked what the number one problem that students have with their course selection is, Mr. Howell responded, “they are unhappy that they weren’t accepted into the courses they applied for.” If you applied for a
course and it doesn’t appear on the list of available courses to you, then you weren’t accepted into that course. Whether a rising freshman or rising senior, the process of course selection is the same for every student at Gonzaga. Of course, there may be intricacies to specific schedules but overall the process is the same for every Gonzaga student. When asked if the course selection process has become more efficient over the years, Mr. Howell explained to me how the process was, until recently, done on notecards instead of through the Gonzaga website. The process has cer-
tainly become far easier to use over the past few years and there is now no reason to not fill out course selection due to its simplicity. If a student does not submit their course requests on the Gonzaga website, then they will start the next year with a blank schedule. A common question during this process is whether a student should fill out the alternate courses on the course selection page. The answer is no, unless you want to be put into a class that is not your number one choice. If there are too many students that all apply for the same course, for example, European History,
then a new European History class may be created to meet the demand. Applying for courses that you are certain you want to take in your next year of high school is imperative because switching courses in the middle of the academic year may put a student behind others in their newly selected course. Finally, a question some students may ask is “If I take an honors or AP course in the next school year, will I be put on an honors or AP track?” The answer is no; every year you will have to prove yourself worthy of continuing in honors or AP courses.
COUNTDOWN - The #5 Best Cereals By: Jackson Brewer ‘24 Contributor Number #5 Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamon Toast Crunch is arguably the most popular cereal of all time, and there is a good reason for that. It is sweet and tasty, but also doesn’t become soggy immediately, which is a big problem for other cereals. The packaging of the cereal is also unique, and the commercials of the cereal coming to life are very popular. The only bad part of this amazing cereal is the taste becomes a bit boring and after having it for about a week.
Number #4 Multi-Grain Cheerios One of the most underrated cereals of all time, Multi-Grain cheerios are a fantastic option when someone wants a healthy cereal that still has a lot of flavor. It is a very consistent cereal, and there are no big advantages or disadvantages. The different flavors also put it ahead of the original Cheerios. There are other flavors of Cheerios that are arguably better(stay tuned) but multigrain Cheerios are always a great option when you wake up in the morning.
Number #3 Honey Bunches of Oats Another very underrated cereal, Honey Bunches of Oats is a cereal that doesn’t just give the eater a cereal, it gives them an experience. It is a rollercoaster of a meal, starting with the first corn flake, and ending with the last cluster of oats. There is so much variation in every bowl, and while everyone has their own favorite flavor, anyone would be happy to have Honey Bunches of Oats first thing in the morning. The only downside is, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, the cereal could get a bit boring after several days of eating.
Number #2 Raisin Bran Raisin Bran is the best healthy cereal on the market, and the two scoops of raisins makes this cereal top notch. The only thing keeping this amazing cereal from being the G.O.A.T. is while the raisins hold the milk really well, the bran gets soggy a little too quickly. When you get a good spoonful, the flavor is phenomenal, and you aren’t having 30 grams of sugar with your breakfast. While this cereal isn’t the most popular on the market, it provides a tasty and healthy breakfast for the consumer, which is what a bowl of cereal is supposed to do.
Number #1 Very-Berry Cheerios While this might be a surprising choice for the best cereal of all time, Very-berry cheerios will change your life the second you have a bowl. One of my problems with the original cheerios is that you need another flavor, and very-berry cheerios come and fills that void. They take the common problem of having to add fruit to the cereal to make it taste good and add the fruit right to the oats. They are healthier than the sugary cereals, but they have better taste, which is why Very-Berry Cheerios is the GOAT cereal.
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Thousands of Students, A Million Thanks
Coach Joe Jackson By: Charlie Neill ‘21
One of the first questions any student or alum will ask a Gonzaga freshman is which of the two legendary gym teachers they have. Both Mr. Jackson and Mr. Maddox’s gym classes are a staple of the Gonzaga experience. For the last four decades these two coaches have introduced freshmen to our school culture while whipping them into shape and creating some freshman year memories for incoming classes. Unfortunately for future freshmen, Mr. Jackson is retiring after this year. While his presence on campus will be missed, his influence on our school is here to stay. Throughout his Gonzaga career, Mr. Jackson coached football, track and field, and tennis. The success of the athletes leaving his teams are
Mrs. Ann Hoffman By: Mike Husk ‘22
What you do at Gonzaga? I support the College Counseling Office and the Counseling Department. Typically in the Fall, we have 175 or more College Representatives visit our Senior students here in Forte Hall. I am responsible for scheduling and hosting the Admission Representatives visits and student College Admission interviews here on campus. I also proctor the yearly AP, SAT & ACT testing for juniors and seniors, and help coordinate student, counselor, and family meetings as they take place throughout a student’s College admission process journey.
a testament to his coaching abilities, and each has been a source of pride throughout the years. The Gonzaga gym uniform is not just a great jersey to wear to football and basketball games, it is full of memories from freshman gym class. It’s not a coincidence that most uniforms are much too big - they’re “life uniforms,” as Mr. Jackson puts it, meaning you’ll fit into your freshman gym uniform your whole life. Beyond the physical fit of the jersey and shorts however, Coach Jackson has always helped freshmen create memories and that last for a lifetime. So while Mr. Jackson will surely be missed, we wish him the best in whatever the future brings. In lieu of his daily presence at Gonzaga, we’ll make sure to keep our toes on the line. someone that I could rely on for good advice. He worked at Gonzaga for over 40 years and just retired last year. He always had great insights and reflections that created a fun atmosphere here on the 2nd floor of Forte Hall. We all miss him!
Mr. Mike Howell
By: Patrick Fogarty ‘21 These past two years, Gonzaga has seen the retirement of many iconic faculty members. Academic Dean, Gonzaga alumnus (‘70), math teacher, and scheduling extradenoir, Mr. Mike Howell, has announced that he will be retiring at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. With this news, concerns arose if any Gonzaga student will ever have a complete class schedule again! To some pugnacious students’ disappointment, Mr. Howell informed me that you cannot interrupt Mr. Pugliese’s World Cultures just any period of the day since schedules and attendance will still exist after his departure. More importantly to Mr. Howell than his administrative duties is his job as a teacher. When he was a student, both Mr. Howell’s good and bad teachers motivated him to become an educator. The good ones inspired him, and the bad instilled an appreciation for quality instruction. “Cura personalis,” a classic component of Jesuit education, prompted Mr. Howell to return to Gonzaga as a teacher himself, where runs his courses based on guiding students toward both academic and personal success. He chose to teach mathematics specifically because of how fundamental and factual the discipline is. As Galileo said, “mathematics is the alphabet with which God has
What has been your favorite moment at Gonzaga? I have always loved Halloween at Gonzaga. I was on the Halloween committee and had fun judging the student and faculty costume contests over the years. It was always a blast to team up with fellow colleagues on group Mr. Jim Rogers costumes, such as Ghoulish By: Luke Elliott ‘21 Brides, 50s Poodle Skirt Gals, Wheres Waldo, and A trek all the way to the Starbucks Baristas, and many end of Forte Hall’s first floor would lead you to the office What do you enjoy most more! of Mr. Jim Rogers, Gonzaga about working at Gonzaga? What do you plan to do after Class of 1973. I like watching the freshman Mr. Rogers has played grow into seniors over the leaving Gonzaga? I plan on becoming a full a vital role in the Gonzaga years. It is always a fantastic transformation and each one time Grammy. I have a community since 1987 - that has their own, unique style. granddaughter that is 2yrs. is as a staff member. His now old and expecting my grand- twenty year stint as the Vice How long have you worked son’s arrival in the middle President of Finance started of June. I look forward to with a job as the Business at Gonzaga? I have worked at Gonzaga taking them on many field Manager. Now, Mr. Rogsince 2010 and was a trips. And my husband and l ers describes his day-to-day Gonzaga Mom for 4 years look forward to lots of trav- work as “being the chief fibefore that (Scott Hoffman el, when it is safe to do so! nancial steward of the revenue inflows and tracking all ‘09) What advice would you give expenditures of the school including the most importantly Who has been an inspiration Gonzaga students? Celebrate your accomplishall the salaries and benefits of to you at Gonzaga? While there have been many ments! Let’s face it, graduat- the faculty and staff.” Thirty years later, Mr. colleagues that have inspired ing high school is a big deal! Don’t forget to give yourself Rogers is excited to embark and influenced me during my time at Gonzaga, Mr. the credit you deserve. Re- on his retirement. “It’s all Bill Wilson, a Counselor member to live life in the part of the next part of life,” he said. To ease into this next and basketball coach, was present and enjoy! period, Mr. Rogers plans to a true mentor to me and
written the universe.” However, Mr. Howell is more than the administrative and mathematical genius he seems at first glance. In early elementary school, he was a model. Although Mr. Howell abandoned the career before the age of nine, this naturally set him on course to be a Gonzaga student. Once at Gonzaga, Mr. Howell was an athlete. Intramural football and weightlifting competitions occupied his time on Eye Street, and coaching basketball and baseball did when he returned as a teacher. Even though he will no longer be working at Gonzaga, Mr. Howell has no intention of leaving the community. Thankfully, the GDA’s productions and Gonzaga’s major sporting events will not lose their spot on his schedule. One thing all graduating seniors and Mr. Howell will agree on is that they won’t miss Gonzaga’s commute next year– unsurprisingly, sitting in traffic is just as frustrating for Mr. Howell as everybody else (luckily for Mr. Howell, he manages to avoid the morning traffic by arriving on campus before 6:00am every day). I know I speak for the entire Gonzaga community when I say that we will all miss Mr. Howell’s presence on Eye Street. We wish Mr. Howell the best of luck in whatever he chooses to do with his newfound freetime and encourage him to consider learning the value of sleeping in past 6am. take on a part time financial position at another religious organization in DC. Surely, with so much time spent in this community, Mr. Rogers knows he’s leaving much behind. “I’ll miss seeing great friends and great educators here on Eye St, some of which I have known for over 50 years.” While it certainly will not be easy, Mr. Rogers is leaving with essentially a lifetime of memories. His top two Gonzaga moments were seeing Saint Mother Teresa at the 1989 graduation and handing his son James his diploma in 2009. Godspeed, Mr. Rogers! The Gonzaga community thanks you for your many years of service and stewardship. We at The Aquilian thank you for paying our printing bills all these years, and wish you well on your new retirement journey!
Coach Alvin Maddox By: Jesse Dolojan‘21
A truly legendary figure, Coach Alvin Maddox has coached various birdbrains throughout his time at Gonzaga. Many of his former students stop by to say hello and give him a grand time because they all loved him so much. Even myself, admittedly one of Coach Jackson’s brain surgeons, has had many great opportunities to strike up a conversation with the affable Coach Maddox. Coach Maddox originally was the Director of Athletics at the Georgetown Athletics Club, and ran the Boy’s Summer Basketball League when there. He said that it was one of the most prestigious leagues in the country, with coaches from all over the place coaching there. He met some people from Gonzaga, and got an offer to coach football here. At first Coach Maddox said no, but over time he mulled over his decisions and changed his mind. After more than 40 years of coaching on Eye Street, Coach Maddox is preparing to call it a career. He has enjoyed his time here with us and admits that it will be hard for him to imagine life after spending so long here, but if anyone deserves a rest from the constant onslaught from various bird brains, it’s of course him. Coach Maddox plans to spend time on his summer projects such as building patios and decks for his house. He usually spends a small amount of time each day on such projects, but he says that he likes it that way. He once asked for an estimate from a builder the value he would charge on a deck he once built, and he told Coach Maddox it was a $7000 deck. Coach Maddox spent $1800 on supplies. He used to coach football here at Gonzaga, but now only coaches track. He currently coaches football at Bishop O’Connell as well. Coach Maddox is an icon for many of us here at Gonzaga, and to say that he will be missed is an understatement. For a lot of people, including myself, he is someone who has been a great part of making me into who I am today. His final piece of advice for the birdbrains: just be yourself. Enjoy what you’re doing, enjoy life, and be happy with what you accomplish in your day.
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Thousands of Students, A Million Thanks Mrs. Debbie Onufrychuk sions, Mrs. O said that she By: John Ferrara ‘22 feels most passionately about Mrs. Onufrychuk, or the mental health epidemic Mrs. O for short, is a pil- in America, which takes its lar of Gonzaga. Whether most brutal toll on stressed you see her strolling in the teenagers. “Mental health has really Ruesch-Cantwell hallways in between periods or visit her become a big topic, and we on a trip to the nurse’s office, want to have an open forum Mrs. O is a cemented Gon- where students feel comfortzaga icon among the entire able talking to teachers, feeling like they can drop the student body. Looking back on her stigma,” When prompted about eleven years at Gonzaga, Mrs. O recalled, “one of my some of the most rewarding favorite memories is getting parts of her Gonzaga expeto know students on a per- rience, Mrs. O didn’t quite sonal level and just enjoying know where to start. When she assumed her the day-to-day -- whether it’s a late note or a funny story to role at Gonzaga in 2010, her children had left for college. tell.” In terms of her nurs- Mrs. O said that during that ing experience at Gonzaga, time, “it was amazing to be Mrs. O has successfully back in the community with spearheaded various health so much support.” “I feel like I have been campaigns over the last ten years. Although having led blessed to work in all aspects initiatives to raise awareness of the school, whether I volabout an array of prominent unteer at Campus Ministry health issues, such as concus- or coordinate with Mrs. Va-
Mrs. Wenke Wei
By: Andrew Schaefer ‘22 Mrs Wei, or more commonly known as Wei Lao Shi among her ranks of students, has introduced every new Chinese student with the rudimentary phrases Nǐ hǎo and Zàijiàn, hello and goodbye. After 14 fortunate years of having Mrs Wei teach at Gonzaga, a final bittersweet Zàijiàn is approaching all too fast. Wei Lao Shi has been the focal point of radiant energy at Gonzaga within the student body and faculty alike. Never without a smile, never without a quick witted translation, never without her row of rubber ducks, Mrs Wei has managed to bring about a unique atmosphere of good spirits while integrating her vast knowledge of Chinese culture throughout all of Gonzaga. Epic traditions included the class field trip to Tony Cheng’s just minutes away in Chinatown, tasting Lychee, a fruit native to China, or actually going on the annual China Summer Trip, which included stops in Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai. As Brenden Pauline ‘22 put it, “Wei Lao Shi has given herself fully to Gonzaga’s community always lifting the needs of others before her own… She’s simply that gentle soul who makes me smile.” Thus, the Gonzaga community thanks Mrs. Wei for not only teaching, but for helping to build our global vision here on Eye Street.
Mr. Mike Lipari By: Will Buffaloe ‘21
How long have you been teaching/working at Gonzaga? Since fall of 2000. What is a fun fact about you that many may not know? I spent my first career as a Navy ASW Helo Pilot deployed to places around the world and taking risks that, to this day, surprised me that it all came out ok. We won that Cold War. What is one thing you have learned (about yourself, the world, etc.) during your time at Gonzaga? Coming to Gonzaga after five years teaching at O’Connell, academic freedom is revered here on Eye Street. I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity to teach my own course, War and Politics to Seniors in the wake of the 9/11 attack. It has been a labor of love. What has been your proudest achievement throughout your career? During my sabbatical five years ago, I spent some time at the Naval Academy in their History Dept researching the best way to do History, the process of researching a workable thesis and writing a research essay. I’m most proud that I was able to bring some of that experience to my students.
lieras and Mrs. Tobin about Movember,” Mrs. O added to her previous response. While Mrs. O’s retirement marks the end of her time on Eye Street, she has lots she wants to accomplish in the coming years. Now that her kids live across major cities in the United States, Mrs. O looks to visit them when Covid cases decrease. She also is not done serving others in healthcare, as she told me that she will “still work with a medical program part-time or definitely volunteer at some of the clinics around Arlington,” where demand for experienced medical professionals is high due to the vaccine rollout. Before we concluded our conversation, Mrs. O made one final remark, stating, “I felt like I was the mom of Ruesch Hall.”
What do you think your students will remember most about your class? I came to class every day with a smile on my face and love in my heart. Sometimes it drove my students crazy, but by the end of the first quarter, they could tell it was genuine and they began to follow suit coming to class with some degree of enthusiasm. I’ll miss seeing that smile on their faces. You would have to ask my students. Perhaps I’m naïve but I hope the students remember that we had fun in class and they actually learned how to do History.
Mrs. Patty Stone By: Luke Elliott ‘21
Though few students may interact with her on the daily, Mrs. Patty Stone, the executive assistant to Gonzaga’s president, has played an integral role in the Gonzaga community for the past 15 years. Working alongside three Gonzaga presidents including incoming president Father Lingan during his seven month interim tenure - Mrs. Stone has long taken charge of events like the St. Aloysius Dinner and various Gonzaga celebrations and luncheons. Working closely with the Development Office, she is searching for and collecting vintage Gonzaga photographs for inclusion in Bicentennial materials. “It has been so much fun finding parts of Gonzaga’s history,” she said. After this school year, Mrs. Stone is going to set off on her very well deserved retirement. She said, “you can just tell that it’s the right
Mr. Jeremy Young By: Reid Norton ‘21
time.” When asked about her plans for the next few years, Mrs. Stone simply said she has none - and she loves it. For a woman who has worked tirelessly on so many timeconstrained projects, the prospect of just “going with the flow” is quite appealing for her. “I am excited to sleep past 6 A.M.,” she said. Certainly, plenty has happened at Gonzaga over the past 15 years. When asked about her favorite Gonzaga memory, Mrs. Stone was extremely quick to point to last year’s first annual GonzagaFest. As a long-time member of Gonzaga’s Halloween Committee, the “quintessentially Gonzaga” field day was incredible for her. And now this spring, with three separate GonzagaFests, Mrs. Stone is getting her perfect send-off semester. Thank you, Mrs. Stone! The Aquilian - and all of Gonzaga - wishes you the best as you enter this new chapter in your life. tory? Each class is a vintage - there has never been a bad class. I am always amazed at how the guys step up each year when it’s time to put on a show. I will say that in terms of dance moves, it’s been a while since we have had a show choir like the students at the turn of the century, the early 2000’s. But then again, they could not read music as well as more recent groups. Apples and oranges, know what I mean?
Throughout your time on Eye Street, what has been your favorite memory? Too many favorites, but all the Christmas concerts come to mind, starting with all the great songs, the choirs and instruments and the holiday spirit. Add to that the audience of loving parents, friends and relatives, supportive faculty and Music Appreciation class up in the balcony - a good time, every What are your plans after retime. tirement? Do you have a favorite song I plan to stay open to serendipity. Do you have any fun/interest- to teach / sing? ing plans for retirement? I love the Gonzaga songs Travel and hang out with my Prayer of St. Ignatius, Purple How did you get into teachwife, kids and especially my & White, Ad Majorem Dei ing music? Gloriam, Eye Street Boys When I was in college, I just six grandkids. wanted to play music. I told and of course, Rocky Top. myself I would not teach unHow has choral arts changed til I was 50 years old, which at the time was the same as due to COVID? Dramatically. Choral singing never. Next thing you know, first of all got a very bad rep I’m 50 and the next year I’m for super spreading the virus. teaching at Gonzaga. Then, think about it - singing with a mask on - does that sound like fun? The lag on Zoom means that you can’t sing together. And the hybrid model divides the group up into groups not based on singing but on the alphabet. We have learned a lot about recording ourselves though.
What will be the thing you miss most about Gonzaga? The commute. Back in the early 2000’s, my son, Stefano, and I would drive in together. The company was nice. For the past 4 years, I would drop my daughter at Seton on the way in. I loved having that quality time with In your opinion, what has my kids. been the best chamber choir class in your teaching his-
The Aquilian 6
Return to Madness
Nationals Season Preview
By: Liam Thomson ‘23 Contributor
By: Jackson Baldrate ‘23 Contributor
That’s right, the last second buzzer beaters, the Cinderella stories, are all back! Missing out on the March Madness Basketball Tournament in 2020 was absolutely heartbreaking, but this year offers a redemption. While the tournament will only be played in one location (Indianapolis area) and feature up to 25% capacity of fans, the usual field of 68 teams will remain. As long as teams have at least five healthy players, they will be able to compete; given the unusual circumstances, the first four teams out of the tournament will fill in for any teams unable to play due to Covid-19, the deadline being two days before the start of the tournament on Tuesday, March 16th. Due to Covid-19 restrictions/fears, teams were limited and played the vast majority of games within their respective conferences; furthermore, Covid-19 cancelations lessened the total number of games played. Despite the odds, the regular season basketball season was an overwhelming success that featured many incredibile
Nationals baseball is back! After a five month wait, Spring Training is finally underway in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Nationals have been getting ready for the season for several weeks down in Florida,and will play its Opening Day game on April 1st against the New York Mets. With the season fast approaching, it’s time to give a preview of how the Nats look heading into the 2021 season. After its historic World Series win in 2019, the Nationals had a very disappointing 2020 season. The team’s lackluster line-up, lack of pitching depth, and injuries to key players led to a 26-34 record and a last place finish in the division. The Nationals struggled offensively in 2020, and the team knew that it needed to acquire hitting talent, especially at first base and left field. In December, the Nats traded for Josh Bell, a power-hitting first baseman from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bell had a career year in 2019, posting a .277 batting average with 37 home runs and 116 runs batted in.
matchups; nonetheless, the upsets and nail-biters of this year’s tournament should be equally, if not more, exciting to tournaments in the past. The top overall seeds include the undefeated West Coast Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champs, Gonzaga (Spokane), Big Ten Regular Season Champs, Michigan, Big Ten Tournament Champs, Illinois, and Big XII Regular season Champs, Baylor. All of these teams have looked super explosive throughout the season and should be fun to watch throughout this tournament. Tip off for the first round is scheduled to begin on Friday March 19th at 12:15 pm. Remember to fill out a bracket for the SGA’s March Madness Bracket Pool and enjoy the games!
Washington also needed a power-hitting left fielder and got just what they needed in Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber posted a .250 batting average with 38 home runs and 92 RBIs in 2019 and signed a one year contract with the Nats worth 10 million dollars. These two hitters could be a very powerful presence in the middle of the Nationals’ line-up. The Nationals’ pitching rotation also suffered from a lack of depth in the 2020 season. In order to address this, the Nationals signed five time All-Star Jon Lester. Joe Ross, the team’s fifth starter, will also return to the team after missing 2020 due to the pandemic. The team also signed left-handed closer Brad Hand in order to bolster its bullpen. These new additions will join a roster that is filled with talented young players and seasoned veterans. Victor Robles, a speedy centerfielder, will join Juan Soto and Kyle Schwarber in the outfield. Carter Kieboom, a rookie third baseman, will join shortstop Trea Turner on the left side of the infield. Ten-year-veteran Starlin Castro will likely start at second
base, and Josh Bell will play first base. The pitching rotation will consist of 3 time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, Jon Lester, and Joe Ross. The bullpen will feature names like Wander Suero, Tanner Rainey, Daniel Hudson, and Brad Hand. This season will be Davey Maritnez’s fourth year as the manager of the Nationals. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently gave some encouraging news to baseball fans in the District of Columbia. Nationals Park will be able to host 5,000 fans to start the year, and that number will likely increase as the season progresses. After the 2020 season with no fans, it will be exciting to see Nationals fans in the stands again. Although the team had a tough year in 2020, Mike Rizzo and the Nationals showed that they are still willing to compete for a World Series title in 2021. The team’s new additions, combined with the talent already on its roster, could make the Nationals a serious contender. And thankfully, there will be thousands of Nationals fans to cheer them on!
Movie Review: Judas and the Black Messiah By: Dalton Enright ‘23 Contributor With the 93rd OSCARS a few weeks away, I decided to watch Judas and the Black Messiah, one of the most anticipated films of 2021. Director Shaka King tells the incredible true story of William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield), an FBI informant tasked with infiltrating the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather information about their charismatic chairman, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). Despite a fascinating and emotional story, Judas has difficulty conveying that compelling story and is instead weighed down by too many plot lines and confusing directing choices. There is a great movie somewhere in the jumble, but it gets lost trying to be three or four different ones. Don’t get me wrong, there’s lots to like about this movie. The costume and set design are spot on. The clothes and Chicago locations do a great job of recreating a late 1960s feel, and
the cast does an even better job becoming these real life characters, especially Daniel Kaluuya as Hampton and Dominique Fishback as Deborah Johnson, Hampton’s girlfriend. Every cast member pulled their weight and did a good job at portraying struggling activists in such a broken time. The boiling tension between the police and Chicago’s poor communities was fundamental to this movie, and Shaka King captures it. One of the movie’s biggest positives is its timely and relevant messages to our times: about what happens to society when you continually treat one class of people unfairly. Judas does a good job reminding us of the similarities between the 60s and today. It was, and is, a tough and precarious time in American history for race relations. Hampton’s life and death are riveting and the movie is worth watching to be reminded of these parallels. Now, what I didn’t like about the movie. There were
so many different storylines that I found myself wondering if it was a biography, a romance, a political thriller, or a police action drama. There are action scenes mixed in with romantic scenes, and then some scenes with J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) all jumbled together in a wild roller coaster of a plot structure. For me, the crux of the story is the informant’s complicated and destructive relationship with Hampton and the Black Panthers. My main complaint is that we don’t see enough of O’Neal’s internal conflict. The movie shows him getting angry at other Black Panther members, and he often meets with his FBI handler Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemmons) to discuss their investigation, yet we don’t really spend much time with Bill on his own. On the other hand, we see plenty of sentimental scenes between Fred and Deborah that drag on way too long, and ultimately, that pair’s development is given primary
importance. I wish we could have seen more about William’s tortured feelings and thoughts about his betrayal of Hampton. Judas simply does not do justice to Fred Hampton’s struggle for justice and his death at the hands of the Chicago Police. After I watched it, I wanted to know more about that story. I recommend the 1971 documentary The Murder of Fred Hampton, which you can watch for free on Youtube. The actual footage and interviews do a better job of telling the im-
portant story of Hampton’s decision to pursue racial justice through armed insurrection and the swift reaction of the government to stop him. Watching King’s movie and then the documentary will give you a fuller picture of the charismatic man and his tragic mission. Judas and the Black Messiah tells a great true story that we can all learn from, but it is held back by trying to be too many good things instead of one great thing. I give Judas and the Black Messiah a C+ (78/100).
NFL Draft Preview By: Billy Cannon ‘24 Contributor
who had an underwhelming season last year, but the Panthers’ young defensive core NFL mock drafts have al- might be able to bring them a ways been synonymous with playoff spot in 2021. the NFL Draft, but they are like March Madness brackets CIN - Penei Sewell, OT, Orin that they are pretty much egon: In my opinion, Sewell impossible to predict. For is the second-best player in March Madness, the odds this draft class, but none of of perfectly predicting 67 the teams picking before the games are 1 in 9.2 quintil- Bengals have a pressing need lion, or 1 in a billion billions. at offensive tackle. Sewell In this mock draft’s case, I’m will ensure that Joe Burrow trying to perfectly predict 32 is protected for the next few picks, so the odds are rough- years. ly half of that. But when you add in factors like trades, it PHI - Jaylen Waddle, WR, gets a lot harder. ***This Alabama: Waddle was inmock draft was completed on jured for the majority of the March 15, two days before 2020 season, making people free agency began. Any NFL forget how he was the #1 opsignings or trades that have tion in Tuscaloosa over Heishappened since then aren’t man winner DeVonta Smith. taken into account. There But Waddle is even better are three first-round picks than Smith, and could finally that have already been trad- be the receiver the Eagles are ed: the 3rd, 23rd, and 25th looking for. picks. Any other traded picks are mock trades that I am DET - DeVonta Smith, predicting will happen. The WR, Alabama: Smith goes point of a mock draft is to one pick later, though, to a predict what will happen, not WR-needy team with a new what I think should happen. quarterback in Jared Goff. With the likely departures of 2021 NFL MOCK DRAFT Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, Jr., Smith will be JAX - Trevor Lawrence, QB, the #1 option in Detroit for a Clemson: Lawrence is by far long time. the best player in this draft class, and the Jaguars would be stupid not to take him. He will help lay the foundation for the rebuild that the Jaguars are starting.
NYJ - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: Wilson, to me, is the clear second-best quarterback in the draft. The one knock people have on him is that he didn’t face adequate competition in college, but if you can look past that, you will see a very polished NFL prospect.
ATL (from CAR) - Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: Atlanta is still able to get their QB of the future with the 8th pick. Lance is inexperienced but some people say that he has the most potential out of any QB in this draft class, and he can back up Matt Ryan for a few years before becoming a starter.
DEN - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: Farley is an exciting prospect who has wonderful skills in man coverage, and the Broncos take MIA (from HOU) - Ja’Marr him here to join All-Pro safeChase, WR, LSU: Whoever ty Justin Simmons in their the Dolphins’ quarterback is secondary. in 2021, he will need receivers to throw to. The best re- DAL - Patrick Surtain II, CB, ceiver in this draft should Alabama: After signing Dak Prescott to a contract extenhelp fix that problem. sion, the Cowboys must focus on the other side of the -- MOCK TRADE -Carolina acquires the 4th ball, and Surtain can be a overall pick and 220th over- lockdown corner in the NFL.
teams, including the 49ers, are reportedly high on him. I do believe, however, that with a few years of being a backup, Jones could be a solid starter.
He didn’t play in the national championship due to a left knee injury, but if he can stay healthy, he will be the centerpiece of the Houston offensive line for years to come.
LAC - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC: I have Vera-Tucker listed as an OL rather than an OT or an IOL because he can play any position well along the line. His versatility is what makes him such an intriguing prospect, and he will start right away on a Chargers offensive line that badly needs help.
WSH - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: Washington needs a second receiver to pair alongside Terry McLaurin, and if Bateman realizes his full potential, they could form one of the scariest wideout duos in the league.
MIN - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern: Slater, like Vera-Tucker, is a versatile offensive lineman, and I recommend watching him in Northwestern’s game against Ohio State in 2019. He shut down 2020 DROY Chase Young like it was nothing, and he’ll be an instant starter in the NFL. NE - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame: Owusu-Koramoah is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft. He is a beast on the defensive side of the ball, and under the coaching of Bill Belichick, he could become a superstar. LV - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: Paye is an exciting prospect with a lot of potential and raw talent but some fundamental issues. He will take some molding, but he will be a great edge rusher in the NFL. ARZ - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: Horn is a lot like Paye in that he has raw talent and will need some development. He has shown that he can go toe-to-toe with the best in a loaded SEC for three years, and can hopefully continue that in the NFL. -- MOCK TRADE -Miami acquires superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson and the 188th pick from the Texans for rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the 18th, the 82nd, and the 124th pick from this year as well as a 2022 1st, 5th, and 6th round pick, and 2023 1st, 2nd, and 7th round picks. Watson has made it clear he won’t play in Houston again, so the Texans have to move him.
all pick from Atlanta in exchange for the 8th pick, the NYG - Kyle Pitts, TE, Flor73rd pick, and a 2022 4th- ida: Pitts is the best passcatcher in this draft, and it round pick. doesn’t matter that the Giants CAR (from ATL) - Justin already have a decent tight Fields, QB, Ohio State: The end. Pitts can be effective as HOU (from MIA) - Landon Panthers move up to take a wide receiver as well. Dickerson, IOL, Alabama: their quarterback of the fuSF Mac Jones, QB, AlaDickerson is a well-polished ture and elect to move on from Teddy Bridgewater, bama: Personally, I’m not a prospect who really only has fan of Jones, but several NFL one big weakness: injuries.
-- MOCK TRADE -After drafting Zach Wilson, the Jets no longer have any need for Sam Darnold. They deal him to the Bears, who are in need of a QB, along with the 186th pick, for the 20th and the 228th pick.
The Aquilian 7
tential, he can protect Trevor Lawrence’s blind side for the next few years in Jacksonville. CLE - Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia: The Browns already have an elite pass rusher in Myles Garrett, but can fill a hole on the other side with Ojulari. He doesn’t have a lot of experience, but has a lot of raw talent and would benefit from being mentored by Garrett.
BAL - Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri: The linebacker out of Missouri is one of my favorite prospects in the draft. He is an elite pass rusher and tackler, and starting alongside 2020 rookie Patrick Queen would make the Ravens’ defense even more forNYJ (from CHI) - Kadarius midable. Toney, WR, Florida: The Jets were a bad team last year, NO - Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, and part of that was because Syracuse: While Melifonwu they didn’t have a clear-cut is listed as a cornerback, I #1 wide receiver. They draft feel like he could be more of Toney to be that guy. a safety/linebacker combo at the next level. He’s also beIND - Christian Darrisaw, ing drafted a little high here: OT, Virginia Tech: Darrisaw while he’s a great player, the falls to the Colts simply be- Saints can’t afford to draft cause of team needs, and the someone who will command Colts should be psyched to a high signing bonus. have him. Alongside All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson, the GB - Micah Parsons, LB, Colts will have a scary offen- Penn State: Parsons has long sive line. been one of the top prospects in the draft, but his stock is TEN - Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, falling due to questions that Miami (FL): A five-star re- have arisen about his characcruit out of high school, it ter. He is still a great on-field wasn’t until Phillips trans- player, and the Packers will ferred from UCLA to Miami get a good defensive weapon. that he started to become the star that the Bruins thought BUF - Zaven Collins, LB, they were getting. Tennessee Tulsa has a weak defense and more Collins won the Bronko Naimportantly pass rush, but gurski Award as the best Phillips should help that. defensive player in college football this past season. His NYJ (from SEA) - Travis Eti- speed is a question mark, but enne, RB, Clemson: The Jets’ other than that, he is a wonthird pick of the first round derful prospect. forms a “Big Three” of sorts for their rebuild. They now KC - Rondale Moore, WR, have their stars of the future Purdue at quarterback, running back, Moore is the Swiss Army and wide receiver. Knife-type player that fits perfectly in the Chiefs ofPIT - Najee Harris, RB, Ala- fense. He can run the ball, bama: Harris put up video- return kicks, and be a great game numbers at Alabama, receiver. With Patrick Maand the Steelers are looking homes throwing to him, to move from running back Moore could become a star. James Conner. Harris will be a perfect fit in Pittsburgh. TB - Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami (FL) JAX (from LAR) - Jalen Rousseau opted out of the Mayfield, OT, Michigan: 2020 season, but in 2019 had Mayfield has tons of talent, a whopping 15.5 sacks as a and the one big concern with part of one of the best defenhim is sample size, as he only sive lines in college football played 15 college games for (you’ll notice he’s the second Michigan in two seasons. Miami defensive lineman to But if he reaches his full po- be a first round pick).
Major League Baseball Predictions By: Luke Gormsen ‘24 Contributor The 2021 MLB season is gearing up to start. I’m here to tell you where each team falls in their division and who will win the coveted Commissioner’s trophy in the World Series. AL East - New York Yankees The addition of star pitcher Corey Kluber to the Yankees rotation just bolsters their spot as first. With a star-studded lineup with names such as Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, but also reliable under the radar guys like DJ Lemaihu and Gary Sanchez, the Yankees are sure to have a great 2021 season. - Tampa Bay Rays The Rays were division champs in 2020 and made it all the way to the World Series. They will still be good this year, just not enough to win the division. Losing Cy Young-winning pitcher Blake Snell hurts the Rays a lot, but they still have Tyler Glasnow, arguably the best breakout player of the 2019 season. Their lineup will be as powerful as always, and the rays have an exciting young team, but not enough firepower to overtake the stacked Yankees. - Toronto Blue Jays The Blue Jays have a plethora of young talent, such as players like Vladimir Guerrero Junior, Cavan Biggio, and Bo Bichette, but their pitching rotation is not good. Acquiring Hin-Jin Ryu in 2020 was a great move, but the Jays can’t rely on him alone and desperately need more pitching if they want to be a competitor in the strong AL East. - Boston Red Sox The Red Sox will be mediocre at best, and with no superstar players, the Red Sox will finish at 4th place in the AL East. - Baltimore Orioles The Orioles have been consistently one of the worst teams in baseball the past couple of years, and nothing will change in 2021. They lost their best pitcher, Dylan Bundy, to the Angels, and have one of the worst bullpens in the MLB.
AL Central - Minnesota Twins The Twins have an all-around great team, with a well-rounded player at every position in the field. They also have a great rotation headed by veteran Kenta Maeda and the young Jose Berrios, and a strong bullpen. - Chicago White Sox The White Sox have one of the strongest starting rotations in the league and picked up reliever Liam Hendriks to help with the bullpen. Pair that with a lineup full of hard-hitting young talent, and you’ve got a great White Sox team. The White Sox have endured many years of being a terrible team, but this White Sox team is a real contender in the AL central. - Cleveland Indians The Indians have a solid team, but losing Star pitcher Korey Kluber and superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor really hurt them. The Indians have to hope All-Star pitcher Shane Bieber performs this year and 3rd Baseman Jose Ramirez has a good year, but none of this will be able to propel the Indians into the playoffs. - Kansas City Royals The Royals are still a bad team, but they have some young talent in players like Whit Merrifield and Adalberto Mondesi. If they want to be division contenders, though, they have to step up their pitching and get more power in their lineup. - Detroit Tigers The Tigers are probably the worst team in baseball, and there isn’t much to talk about with them. They are in a rebuilding phase right now, and won’t be playoff contenders for a long time, especially in the competitive AL Central. AL West - Houston Astros Losing Justin Verlander to Tommy John’s surgery hurt the Astros in 2020, but after he hopefully returns at some point in 2021, the Astros will have 2 aces in their starting rotation. Pair that with a star-studded lineup and the Astros will have
the division title in the bag. - Oakland Athletics The Athletics won the division last year, but the shortened season of 60 games made it hard to tell whether they could have sustained that for a full 162 games. Losing pitcher Liam Hendriks and shortstop Marcus Semien also hurt the A’s, and their starting rotation is without a true ace. However, a powerful lineup will propel the A’s to second in the division. - Los Angeles Angels The A’s still have a weak starting rotation, but additions to the Bullpen and lineup will help the A’s this year. The pickup of Raisel Iglesias from the Reds and the duo of Anthony Rendon and Mike Trout will help the Angels earn the third-place spot in the AL West. - Seattle Mariners The Mariners had a disappointing offseason, not making many moves. With a weak pitching staff and a lineup relying on outfielder Mitch Haniger, the Mariners will have a disappointing year and finish in fourth place. - Texas Rangers With a bad pitching staff and weak order, the Rangers will have to look to rebuild their team this year, and they will be finishing last in the AL West. NL East - Atlanta Braves The Braves have strong pitching in Mike Soroka and Max Fried, and reigning MVP Freddie Freeman plus young sensation Ronald Acuna Jr. Look to the Braves for a strong, division-winning season. - Washington Nationals The Nationals have one of the best pitchers in baseball, Max Scherzer, as well as another top pitcher in Stephen Strasburg. With young star Juan Soto, and the return of 1st baseman Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals will have a good 2021 season. - New York Mets With arguably the best pitcher in baseball Jacob Degrom and power-hitting star first baseman Pete Alonso, the Mets are also strong candidates in the
NL East. They also acquired shortstop Francisco Lindor, a stellar player all around. The Mets have a great team and are definitely competitors in the NL East. - Philadelphia Phillies While the Phillies do have pitcher Aaron Nola and outfielder Bryce Harper, they have an older team with limited young talent. If the Phillies want to be playoff contenders, they need to take full advantage of every draft pick they can get. - Miami Marlins Somehow the Marlin snuck into the playoffs in a weird 2020 season, but this year, in an extended season, the Marlins won’t have the firepower to get through the year on top. NL Central - Milwaukee Brewers With one of the best players in the MLB, Christian Yelich, and a strong rotation led by star Brandon Woodruff, the Brewers will cruise to the first-place spot in their division. - St. Louis Cardinals The Cardinals are a sneaky great team this year. They picked up Nolan Arenado with one of the best moves of the offseason, and have two great pitchers in Miles Mikolas and Jack Flaherty. If any second-place team can make a playoff run this year it is the Cardinals. - Chicago Cubs The cubs have an okay starting rotation and mediocre bullpen, and while they have stars like Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javy Baez, the Cubs made a terrible signing with Jason Heyward, an old outfielder who is past his prime. Overall, the Cubs don’t have enough to take back the division. - Cincinnati Reds The Reds have a pretty good rotation, with Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray, but have almost no young talent in their lineup. They need to take advantage of the next few drafts to be able to be considered a contender. - Pittsburgh Pirates The Pirates had a very PiratesEsque offseason, losing their
one star, Josh Bell. The Pirates have a bad team, and won’t be good for a long time. NL West - LA Dodgers The Dodgers are arguably the most stacked team in baseball. From their starting rotation of Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, and Trevor Bauer, to their star-studded lineup with Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, and Justin Turner, the Dodgers will win the West without much of a fight. - San Diego Padres The Padres brought in Cy Young-winning pitcher Blake Snell this offseason, and have one of the league’s best young superstars in Fernando Tatis Jr. This will be a great year for the Padres, and look for them in the wild card game this fall. - Arizona Diamondbacks The Diamondbacks brought in former star pitcher Madison Bumgarner this year, but that won’t be enough to top this division. The Diamondbacks need a star player, and they need one soon to be a contender anytime in the near future. - San Francisco Giants The Giants have a team full of old players from their glory days back in the early to mid2010s. Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, and Buster Posey seem to be in the last years of their career, and their production is noticeably slowing down. With a weak all-around team, the Giants will place fourth in the West. - Colorado Rockies The Rockies. Losing a franchise third baseman in Nolan Arenado will really kill a team. The Rockies only have shortstop Trevor Story to carry the load, and their okay pitching staff will be overshadowed by the conditions at the Rockies stadium allowing hitters to hit home runs every other pitch. This will be a disappointing year for the Rockies and their fans. World Series Yankees Vs. Dodgers Winner - Dodgers
The St. James By: Reid Norton ‘21 Features Editor Due to COVID restrictions, sports teams have been forced to transition to alternative fields and courts; luckily, The St. James has become a hotspot for many teams with its variety of available basketball courts, hockey rinks, and any other sports facility you can think of. For those of you who aren’t familiar with The St. James, think of the most high quality, well-
kept gym, and multiply that by one hundred. As of now, the basketball, football, and swim teams are using their facilities for practice and games, along with a lot of other high schools. This place has everything you can think of, from an olympicsized pool with its own water park to its own clothing store and smoothie cafe. It is much more than your average gym, which is why so many athletic programs are beginning to use its facilities; some pro-
grams are even partnering with the St. James to sponsor their team. Located in Springfield, Virginia, anyone is able to become a member and gain access to its array of gym equipment and sports facilities. Along with this, there are extensive job opportunities offered, ranging from camp counselors to massage therapists. I was able to take a tour of The St. James, and I can conclude that it has the nicest facilities I have ever seen. With two NHL hockey
Photo by Reid Norton ‘21
rinks, a dance studio, a field house, batting cages, a rock wall, a health club, and a spa, this place is incomparable to anything I’ve ever seen. In short, if you haven’t heard about or visited The St. James, I highly recommend
it, as there is something for everyone. Hopefully, some more sports teams are able to practice and play at The St. James as an alternative due to COVID, and spring seasons will prevail.