The Aquilian September 2017 Volume 80, Number 1
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18
Friday Night Lights By: Jack Martino ‘20 Editor On Friday, September 8th, the Gonzaga varsity football team played their first night home football game in school history on Buchanan Field. While they lost to Viera from the east coast of Florida 21-6, the game was a historic moment for Gonzaga sports. According to Gonzaga’s president, Father Stephen Planning, SJ, the original plan was to construct the lights along with the rest of The Eye Street Renewal Project of 2014, but “we were so concerned with getting the garage and field built
and if we included lights, it could delay it. As soon as we finished the garage we turned our attention to see if we could get lights on the field.” Father Planning did all the work to get the permits to install the lights for Buchanan. While night games are nice, the lights were put in to “maximize the amount of time that people can use [the field],” said Father Planning, “It also allows us to get more usage out of the field.” There are two different settings on the lights. There is the full brightness seen from when the lights turn on until about 9:45 PM. At that point in the evening the lights
drop to 20% power, which means that a reduced number of lights are illuminated for each pole. The lights have a time restriction, which was part of the long process of getting the lights approved prior to construction. They turn off completely at 10:00 PM regardless of what’s happening on the field. “So we need to make sure night games are completed before the lights shut off,” said Father Planning. According to SGA president Matt Gannon, the lights are “90 feet high,” but Father Planning says no one is sure of how tall they actually are. Father Planning said that the
joke comes from a pep rally about the new lights and “I was giving a basic announcement that they were going to be ninety feet high.” The joke eventually made its way into a chant at the game. The reception for the lights was as bright as the lights themselves. There was a great turnout for that historic game against Viera, currently ranked 43rd nationally, and the players had a lot of fun too. Students, faculty, and players alike loved the electric climate at the game. Sophomore Anthony Dmytrijuk enjoyed the amazing feeling at the game. “The camararderie was great,” said Anthony, “and even
Eye Street Clubs, p.3
Summer Service Trips, p. 4
Summer Reading Books, p.5
New Faculty/Staff, p.8
though we lost, it was still a fun experience for everyone at the school.” Gonzaga Athletic Director Joe Reyda loved “the outstanding atmosphere. We had a great crowd and there was a lot of energy on campus.” Sophomore guard Luke Petitbon said “It was an awesome atmosphere to play in and something I will remember forever, but I wish we could have given the students, faculty, and fans a win.” The football team beat Georgetown Prep 40-0 on Saturday the 17th, and it looks like winning won’t be a problem, even if the lights aren’t on.
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Intro To SGA - Some of Our Goals By: Matt Gannon ‘18 Editor-in-Chief
BRINGING BACK A MIXER - We are currently working with the administration to make this possible. - We’re aiming for a Spring Mixer with sister schools.
DISTRICT RICO DEALS - 15% off at all LONG LUNCHES - Loyalty Cards - Another 50% all-day event before Christmas
WORKING WITH SAGE - Bringing napkin boxes to the centers of tables - Increasing student input - Keeping our ketchup cups FUN PROM IN THE SPRING - Student input into DJ, food, songs, decorations, etc. - YOUR IDEAS
As always, email us at sga@ gonzaga.org or talk to your SGA Rep with any questions! OPEN MIC. NIGHT - Who: Student Bands, stand-up comedians, poetry, Improv club, etc. - When: - Preview: Comm. Per. January 30th. - The real deal: February 9th
FUN ON-CAMPUS EVENTS - Courtyard Cookout with food trucks and football - Burrito Bash with Rico, Soccer, and Buses to Dematha .
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SGA Events REVAMPING SPIRIT WEEK ! - New events and dress down days
By: Matt Gannon ‘18 Editor-in-Chief SGA Upcoming Events: Courtyard Cookout Sept. 29th (2:30 - 4:30) - Food Trucks: BBQ and Mexican Food - Corn hole in the Courtyard right after school Stay for the football game!
Homecoming! Sept. 30th - Who: All Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors - Where: Carmody Center - Arrival Times: - Soph: 7:30 - 7:50 - Jun: 7:50 - 8:10 - Sen: 8:10 - 8:30 - Doors re-open at 10:30 - Cost: $20 single, $40 couple *pick up tickets today!*
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
By: Myles Dread ‘18 Senior Contributor I am I am married I am divorced I am Lancaster I am Detroit I am a doctor I am a salesman I am polar black I am pitch white I am born in the still of the night I am big brother I am golden basketball I am purple high school I am Gonzaga I am We Are I am Penn State I am happy I am life I am
With help from the Gonzaga Poets & Writers, The Aquilian plans to feature a work of poetry written by a Gonzaga Student in each issue.
Editor-in-Chief Matt Gannon ‘18 Managing Editors Jamie Keeler ‘18 Trevor Louis ‘18 Phototography Editors Jack Chesen ‘18 Rylan Madison ‘18
Editors Joe Barloon ‘18 Alec Dubois ‘18 Jack Heerink ‘18 Riley Peterson ‘18 Jack Martino ‘20
Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
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Clubs on Eye Street Ping Pong Its club season at Gonzaga. The Ping Pong Club has been running for around 10 years. If you like ping pong and pizza, then this club is for you. Joe Boland and Ms. Tobin lead the club with Wei Lou Shi as a helper. I got an exclusive meeting with Joe Boland on the club that “has been along for as long as he can remember.” I asked him what they do at meetings and he said that members “chow down on pizza and play some ping pong.” He said that they meet for about one hour on a Wednesday every month in the library. Joe plans on getting a matchup with DeMatha, since they are the only school with a legitimate ping pong club to play against. The Ping Pong Club is a rich tradition of Gonzaga: a tradition that shows no sign of stopping. It’s never too late for new members, so don’t be afraid to stop on by. -Tommy Fisher ‘20
Toastmasters One of the best parts of a rigorous Jesuit education is not only the volume of work, but the quality and variance of classes. Having (for most students) seven classes a day is no small feat, and all of that hard work comes in the form of essay’s, daily assignments, reading, as well as studying for presentations, quizzes, tests, and semester ending finals. It can all add up. Throughout my Gonzaga experience, one of the most important skills that I have used to great extend is the ability of public speaking. As an introduction and application of this skill, Mr. Sampugnaro reminds the freshman class every year that “eloquentia perfecta”, a “Jesuit form of Christian rhetoric based on an Ignatian pedagogy aimed at educating the whole person and producing men and women for others. Jesuit rhetoric incorporates these pedagogical goals by integrating eloquence and critical thinking” to elevate the mind and ascertain truths. Put simply, it’s really important to be able to talk in front of people and to discuss concisely. With all this importance placed on the ability to communicate effectively, it becomes increasingly important to hone those skills and make public speaking an art form. Coincidingly, Gonzaga’s Toastmasters Club is the perfect environment to forge news understandings of speech. Created by Jack Keating and Ethan Wolak last year, the Gonzaga Toastmasters Club is a chapter of Toastmasters International, a nonprofit focused on developing leaders through communication skills. Here is their pitch: “Do you want to become a confident public speaker and strong leader? If so, Toastmasters is the place for you. You’ll find a supportive learnby-doing environment that allows you to achieve your goals at your own pace. Learn how Toastmasters has changed the lives of members.” As a current member and participant, Toastmasters (the “everyday” name for the club) has taught me how to present facts in a ordered, precise way, with an overall effect of credibility and convincibility which translated to real life. Meetings are periodically during the month (usually every Friday morning), with none other than Mr. Dominic Pugliese guiding the discourse. As President Jack Keating put in in a brief interview “A regular meeting starts with the introduction of new members, creation and assignment of topics from which to argue and present, and it just goes from there. Topics can range from current political events to scientific phenomena, or even the dadaist topics like what flavor Goldfish are the best? It’s so fun to argue with you friends in an environment like that.” Ask Jack Keating or Ethan Wolak for specific details, or drop by Cleary Lecture hall most Friday morning’s. All are welcome. - Jamie Keeler ‘18
Comedy Writers & Performers Club Do you like writing, performing, or simply watching comedy? Come on down to CWAP, Gonzaga’s comedy club. The CWAP Club was formed in April 2017, and has plans for a big year filled with guest speakers, sketch writing, comedy fundraisers, and lots of laughs. Come on down and be a piece of CWAP today! (For questions, email Jack Martino at martinoj@ gonzaga.org) - Jack Martino ‘20
Spikeball The spikeball club is a new club, which takes the fun beach game out to Buchanan field. The club meets regularly during 8th period, and occasionally after school. There are people of all levels of competition in the club from beginners to self-appointed experts, so wherever you stand, come out for a challenge. For those unfamiliar with spikeball, it is a game with two players per team and a round bouncy net. All hits must either be against the net or to your teammate, and when the ball hits the ground, the point is over. Each team can only hit is three times before they must hit the net. When the ball hits the net, possession switches and the opposing team must hit the net. If they fail to do so, the point is lost. We are always looking for new members, and if you have a net and/or simply want to be a part of the club, then let us know, as it is always good to have multiple games going. Contact President Liam Boyle or simply come out to the field if you have questions or want to play. Join soon to ensure you get your shirt order in and follow us on Instagram @gonzagaspikeballclub. - Joe Barloon ‘18
Agape Latte Since 2007, a program called Agape Latte has been held monthly at Boston College with the sole purpose of facilitating a comfortable and inviting environment for students to explore their faith. But it is so much more. The program consists of guest speakers presenting personal stories about God and their lives all while any student who wishes to listen is also invited to enjoy free coffee and snacks. It is a simple and smart idea, and so far it has been widely successful. With T-shirts selling out, attendance levels breaking fire codes, and with the outpouring of exposure the program has gotten, it is clear that Agape Latte has something special, something inspiring about it. In our community, anything that can dramatically impact our spirituality in a lasting way is revered. Kairos, Red Cloud, and the freshman retreat are all components of Gonzaga’s identity because of this truth. Despite the fact that Agape Latte is predominantly for Catholic universities, Agape Latte will be extended out to Gonzaga this year and hopefully, it can join that group of experiences that continue to make Gonzaga so special. The club will partner up with administrators at Boston College and will operate in the same manner as the college chapter does by inviting guest speakers to come and discuss a central question: how has God impacted your life? In addition to this main topic, there will be sub-topics about the speaker’s intellectual interests as well as their hobbies or passions. The Agape Latte Club, otherwise known as Coffee with Christ, is still getting started, but nevertheless, there will be events soon. Speakers could be Gonzaga faculty members, but could also be adults that are not affiliated with Gonzaga. For example, Boston College once had Matt Hasselback come and speak. Talks will last for about 40 minutes and will occur after school, before school, and sometimes during community day. Free coffee and donuts will be provided at every meeting and most meetings will likely be in Cleary Lecture Hall. While this new tradition cannot be truly described in such few words, I encourage you to reach out to the President, Bill Cull, for information regarding the upcoming events. Gonzaga men are called to be open to growth, loving, and religious among other things, but if we cannot explore our faith, we cannot truly be committed to doing justice, which may be the most important principle of all. - Jamie Keeler ‘18
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Eagles at the Border with KBI
By Chris Gatti ‘18 Senior Contributor This past summer I went on the U.S./Mexico border Immersion trip with eight other seniors, Mrs. Corgan, and Mr. Szolosi. We were in the city of Nogales which is literally split in two by the border. This was the most amazing trip I have even been on. Instead of documenting our day by day itinerary I am going to tell a story that this man we met there told us about his life. A few of us started a conversation with this man named Jose in a place called the “comedor.” This comedor is a small cafeteria literally on the side of the highway on the Mexican side of Nogales. The Kino Border
Initiative, the organization that brought us around and taught us about the issue of immigration, serves meals in the comedor, distributes clothing and toiletries, and helps out people who were just deported or about to cross the border. So back to Jose, he lived in Phoenix for over seven years on a green card which is supposed to give a person “permanent residency” in the U.S. He had a stable job and lived with his wife. One day, he made a huge mistake and got a DUI, and instead of suffering the usual consequences of this action, he was deported. Then, to make matters worse, he was put on a ten year probation which forbade him from even trying to enter the U.S. legally
for ten years. His whole life was uprooted. He had to find a new job to support himself on the Mexico side of Nogales, his wife had to move from Phoenix to Nogales, Arizona and get a new job, and both of their lives completely changed for the worse. He was on the brink of tears telling this story but his voice was steady. It seemed like he knew that these were his consequences and he had to accept them and that was it, no matter how much it hurt. It is completely unjust for this nation to divide families because of a single mistake a person makes, and we have to take a stand. In the coming weeks we will be creating a club where we hope to provide some support for those
people suffering from our then stop by a meeting or two immigration system all the soon. We would love your way up here at Gonzaga. If support. you are interested in advocacy and justice for these people,
Gonzaga Goes to NOLA By: John Travis ‘18 Senior Contributor June 16th, 2017, New Orleans, Louisiana. Our service trip to help build houses for those affected by hurricane Katrina was now over. Even 12 years after the storm, the city was still recovering and will continue to recover for time to come. We had spent the past week in the sweltering heat completing various tasks on three differ-
ent houses. We had painted the exterior of houses, we cleaned up after the finishing touches were done, we picked up trash, and we demoed old floors. The most moving experience however came during the last two days when Adam Tanielian, Andrew Metro, Andrew Allen, and I were tasked with installing new floors in the largest room in the house we were working on. Our site Super-
visor Max showed us how to prep the sub floor, how to roll out insulation, and how to install the floor boards. We spent the entire day measuring, cutting, hammering, fitting boards into place, and repeating. After two days, covered the room in new laminate flooring. On the last day, after our work was done, our site supervisor told us something that was really amazing. He had talked to the
owner of the house last night, and she had told him that it had looked like a new house. Even though in reality we had only replaced on rooms worth of flooring. Despite that fact, this showed us exactly how our hard work had affected the people whose houses were destroyed. There was no speculation, we knew that the hours we spent sweating in the New Orleans heat were well worth it.
a religious center dedicated to helping the community. At the Romero Center in the heart of Camden, New Jersey, 10 of us worked for an entire week in the most impoverished city in America.
Days started around 6:30. We all would wake up, shower, brush our teeth, go downstairs to eat breakfast, and head out to our worksite for the day. The first encounter that I had with this city occurred at the
Camden Forward School. Our job was to set up for their 8th grade graduation. Dwayne, the groundskeeper of the school, showed me my job for the next 6 hours: cleaning leather chairs with a carpet cleaner. It doesn’t sound hard, but at the end of that day my back pain was giving me splitting headaches. I bent over and washed those chairs throughout their entire school day. The children would sit there and watch me. Even though it was such a simple job,
Summer Service in Camden, NJ
By: Daniel Cindea ‘18 Senior Contributor When we arrived in Camden, the last thing I expected in this run down neighbor filled with row houses was
they seemed so intrigued. For about 20 straight minutes, 4 young children looked through the window and just observed. The most satisfying feeling of the day was the remarks the faculty and staff made. “I can’t even remember the last time the hallway smelled this nice,” the receptionist shouted towards me. The librarian walked past me several times just to smell the clean scent that filled the school. After a hard days’ work, I knew that the job I had done would not be forgotten. As with all the tasks we accomplished that week, the people we served as well as the organizations we worked with were extremely grateful for Gonzaga. This trip was one of the most eye opening experiences of my life, and I am blessed to be a part of it.
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Reviews of Senior Summer Reading Books By: Trevor Louis ‘18 Managing Editor The Things They Carried: “Any real man would’ve dodged the draft like me, okay. That wimp O’Brien should’ve jumped to Canada when he had the chance. We could’ve sent illegals north of the border for once. But no, Wimpy O’Brien went to Vietnam and lost. I prefer writers who don’t fight in losing wars.” – Donald Trump “I think if we boil down to it, uh, this novel doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I mean flashbacks, flash-forwards, unreliable narrators. I think he had to publish the book just to find out what was in it.” – Barack Obama
“I’m just here so I won’t get fined.” – Marshawn Lynch Animal Farm: “There was no E-I-E-I-O on the first page, okay. Not what I thought I picked up with my massive hands. I had no time to read it. Took away from my time on the campaign trail delivering slogans and promises I can’t keep. You know, Make All Animals Equal Again.” – Donald Trump “Starting today the United States will be, uh, opening up foreign relations with Animal Farm. I will be flying there next week, and, uh, I expect to hear great things from Napoleon. Maybe we’ll watch some cricket. Uh, yes I know it’s fiction.” – Barack Obama “I’m just here so I won’t get
Cage Reads Red
fined.” – Marshawn Lynch The Undercover Economist: “It’s all about the deal, the deal, the deal, okay. I make great deals. I wrote The Art of the Deal. I picked up this book for fifteen seconds, and there was no deal. I put the book down. Oh the book talked about China? Let me tell you about China.” – Donald Trump “Economics is about, uh, people and choices. My fellow Americans, I love the American people. I want you to know that.”- Barack Obama “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.” – Marshawn Lynch The Sun Also Rises: “I will tell you, my hands are way bigger than Jake’s, okay. Jake drinks all day and doesn’t get the girl. I get the
By: Jack Martino ‘20 Editor
A Review Red Badge of Courage by Nicolas Cage The story of this Red Badge of Courage is quite a National Treasure if I do say so myself. I’ve seen some interesting stories, characters I’ve played have been scared of magic and bees but I truly identify with all of the characters in this novel. Henry (the youth) is in a dangerous situation, one might even call it: Bangkok Dangerous. Henry is a young man who just wants to do the right thing, reminiscent of my character in the Croods, and he and his fellow soldiers are in a Face/Off against the confederacy in this Civil War drama novel. As Henry ponders war, he wonders if he’d run away from the action, and continues to think this until he finally reaches the battle. Now these battle scenes can be pretty Kick-Ass for an old book, but unfortunately Henry is Gone In 60 Seconds and makes his fellow soldiers Left Behind. To answer your obvious question, I must reference at least fifteen of my movies whenever I speak, for if I fail to do so, I bring shame upon my dojo. Jim Conklin is another character in this story and he tends to be Henry’s advisor at the beginning, making Henry an apprentice, like the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. However, after Jim dies due to battle wounds and becomes a bit of a Ghost Rider, Henry
Joshua: This is a story about a poor poor man who thinks he’s Jesus! Insane! Terrorists like him should be kept out of America! The people who follow him are blind! If I wanted to read a book about religion I would read it out of my PERSONAL Bible, the one that I made my oath on. I mean I CANNOT believe this is a bestseller. It is the WORST EVER book I have ever read. The New York Times (FAKE NEWS) gave it a good review, so I won’t. A solid 3/10 on the Trump Beauty Scale™. I’m feeling very generous today. Fahrenheit 451: “This book makes all the other books look like idiots. I snuggled up with some covfefe, and of course, my beautiful wife, Mike Pence, and read the summary online before movie night. Great read about a future that I would like to live in, okay. I mean, it’s an EXCELLENT community full of knowledge! Montag is a scared little Bernie supporter running away from his problems. He runs away from the government and kills an unarmed man VERY UNFAIRLY! Where is the liberal media with a story about the killing of an unarmed fireman?!?!? SAD! The book was TREMENDOUS! 9.999999869/10! Ready Player One: They say the energy crisis in this book in 2044 (which is by the way like a billion majillion years
feels like an Army of One. He gets a wound by refusing to let go of some guy and plays it off like he got it during battle and he feels like an Outcast among the honorable soldiers. I relate to Jim here because sometimes I look at distinguished actors and realize that one of my biggest movies was a feature-length adaptation of a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Henry however wants to prove himself, he thinks his chance of glory has been Stolen and he feels like the Wicker Man. Henry reenters combat and becomes a Spirit of Vengeance to make up for his prior cowardice. I relate to that action because I’ve also made some bad choices that I’ve had to make up for. I was in Drive Angry. By the end of his journey, Henry is no longer the Runner but is also guilt-free about his previous actions, I feel the same because I am also guilt free about having made Deadfall. I read this book for the first time this summer, the title stuck out to me because characters of mine have also suffered red badges of courage like in Con-Air or the Rock, and it didn’t look like any Book of Secrets.
“The Sun Also Rises is the tale of a generation destroyed by the war trying to find themselves in the postwar landscape. The story exhibits classic, tight Hemmingway prose and a typical Hemingway hero in Jake. I highly recommend readers take on what I’ve found to be Hemingway’s best work.” – Marshawn Lynch
Photoshop by: Jack Martino ‘20
President Trump on Sophs
By: Peter Rizzo ‘19 Contributor
Photoshop by: Jack Martino ‘20
girl and don’t drink. Also, Mike is a great guy, okay. Sometimes you just gotta go bankrupt. We all do. Other times you just gotta hurl some insults at Creepy Cohn. Great guy, Mike.” – Donald Trump “I believe in our young people. Jake and the whole gang are, uh, no exception to that. I think they offer a lot of hope for the future. Isn’t it, uh, pretty to think so?” – Barack Obama
away) is caused by global warming. (FAKE. NEWS.) Global warming was and still is a hoax created by JYNA to create a crisis for OBAMA (who by the way was born in Kenya (from a very very reliable source)) to fail at like he failed at everything! Wade Watts the hero is in a HORRIBLE place. He is poor, definitely because of Obama! He is given a dream that will never happen. Fake news! Sad! 1/10! The Last Duel: OK so this book was not as bigly as I hoped. The book looked TINY in my HUGE HANDS! I mean come on people, we all know Little Marco started that to distract you! Oh and while we’re at it, Lyin Ted Cruz is a NASTY human being. I mean I would rather look at the eclipse (which I did because I’m better than the sun!) than stare at that melting candle!!!!! The book is set in France, a LOSER country for people who like to SURRENDER! Serves them right that in
the Middle Renaissance or whatever it is, that they liked to kill each other! But Jean, who is a LOSER by the way, has a wife who cheats on him! Fake news! Reported by CNN! They then have to fight to the death because of no reason other than to gain attention for their own puny lives in the French political picture (I have the BEST pictures in my house by the way, like no one has ever seen!) so anyways I will give this book 6/10 because those FRENCH FRIES didn’t help us after 7/11 (NEVER FORGET!)!!! So in conclusion, these books are horrible! All written by biased alt left extremists! If you want the BEST EVER book you will ever read ever in your whole entire life, read my New York Times (a great, outstanding publication) bestseller, The Art of the Deal (out now). Gonzaga, don’t give me any of your summer reading books again or they will be deemed FAKE NEWS!
Photoshop by: Jack Martino ‘20
****All of the reviews on this page are fictional, and any resemblance to a real review is purely coincidental. There were no animals harmed in the making of this Aquilian page.
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Cross Country is Back on the Road
By: Adam Wojciak ‘20 Contributor Gonzaga’s cross-country team is poised for another terrific season of running. Eagles cross-country has several notable achievements from the last few years. Among their long list of awards, they have four WCAC Championships since 2007 and are coached by John Ausema, a teacher in the science department and the 2016 USTFCCCA DC Cross Country Coach of the Year. They have a possible total of 9 meets this year, starting in mid-September going all the way into early December. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Cullen Capuano, a sophomore runner on Gonzaga’s cross-
country team. Aquilian: “What are your expectations for the upcoming cross-country season?” Capuano: “I am hoping that we as a team will win the WCAC Championships and perform well in our other championship races.” Aquilian: “What are you most looking forward to this season?” Capuano: “I am really looking forward to seeing what we can do as a team and how everyone performs compared to last season.” Aquilian: “What do you enjoy most about cross-country?” Capuano: “I really enjoy seeing improvements being made after all of the time and
training I put into the sport.” Aquilian: “What is most difficult about cross-country?” Capuano: “The most difficult thing about cross-country is… the running. We have hard workout days where we run at a faster pace and push ourselves to the limit.” Aquilian: “Would you recommend cross-country to an incoming freshman? Why or why not?” Capuano: “I would definitely recommend crosscountry to an incoming freshman because of the social aspect of running with friends, but most importantly each race and the excitement of breaking your personal record.” Gonzaga’s first cross
country meet took place September 16 at the Baltimore County Agricultural Center. Gonzaga’s varsity team finished in fourth place overall with sophomore Gavin McElhennon finishing in seventh place. The JV team
finished eighth overall with sophomore Luke Francese finishing in second place. The cross country team looks forward to an exciting year with many prospects for success.
NBA Season Preview - The Power Rankings By: Patrick Gallagher ‘18 Senior Contributor EASTERN CONFERENCE 1.) Cleveland Cavaliers Despite reaching the finals for three consecutive years, the Cavs are shrouded in immense uncertainty. Their blockbuster trade with the Celtics has given The Land a chance to draft a young heir to ascend onto LeBron’s throne in the near future; however, the loss of a rising superstar, Kyrie Irving, may cost Cleveland dearly in the short-term. Iman Shumpert’s presence in the rotation is also troubling as he acts as if he is a more stylish Kobe Bryant. The trouble is that an artistic haircut in the shape of a snow-cone along with selfish play does not translate into hitting clutch shots (or any shot for that matter). Isiah Thomas’s mysterious injury could also spell disaster for the Cavs, who have no real replacement for his offensive impact. On the other hand, Cleveland is still led by LeBron James, the undisputed, greatest player in the world, and will not be pushed past a sixgame series in the postseason. Thomas will likely be healthy well before the playoffs, and even though he may resemble a 5’9 smurf when compared other players on his team, he has proven time and again that height does not prohibit quality offensive production as he scored about 29 points per game last
season. Roster depth and Jae Crowder’s defensive presence will aid The Land in their conquest of the Eastern Conference. 2.) Washington Wizards John Wall has always maintained that he is the best two-way guard in the NBA, and last year, his play finally matched his level of confidence. The Wizards genuinely surprised me last year with their epic leap out of a decade of mediocrity. Wall dazzled the league averaging about 23 points, 11 assists, and 2 steals a game, and Bradley Beal blossomed into a true scoring guard while staying healthy. Otto Porter and scrappy, young Kelly Oubre Jr. round out a decent supporting cast (though more depth on the bench would be appreciated) that should make the Wizards hard to defeat this year. I believe that Washington can make the case for having the most formidable backcourt in the league; however, there is one horrifying player holding this team back from actually having a chance to compete in the playoffs: the Polish Hammer, Marcin Gortat. I mean sure, Gortat is a decent rebounder, but his softness as an interior defender is legendarily awful, and to make matters worse, he has no business playing behind the three-point line, which makes it easier for teams to guard Wall’s aggressive drives into the lane. If these attributes continue into
next season, Washington will lose to the Celtics once more, and Gortat might as well be given the title of the Polish Disaster. 3.) Boston Celtics The Celtics made a franchise altering decision when they traded Isiah Thomas for Kyrie Irving. Essentially, they swapped the intensely loyal Thomas for a younger, flashier player with more potential. Though Kyrie has never led a team on his own to the playoffs, historic 40 and 41 point performances in the NBA Finals along with his ability to win under pressure demonstrates the prospect of something great. Irving wanted the chance to be counted among the best in the league, and now he has the perfect situation to attain this. Gordon Hayward, a twoway, All Star caliber wing, along with Al Horford will draw defenders away from Kyrie and allow him to score at will. Young talent such as Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown ensure that the Celtics will be able to compete for years to come, which is a necessity as it seems like nobody will be able to beat Golden State for the foreseeable future. Chemistry issues will hurt the Celtics this year, and the loss of key perimeter defenders, Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley, could allow Cleveland and Washington to kill Boston with the threepoint shot in the postseason. 4.) Milwaukee Bucks
This summer, Laker legend Kobe Bryant challenged Giannis Antetokounmpo to receive MVP honors, and with a weaker Eastern Conference, this seems in the realm of possibility. The Greek Freak averaged almost 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists at only 22 years of age. At 6’11, his height and agility makes him seem unguardable, but his 27% three-point percentage needs improvement. Other young players like Malcom Brogdon, Thon Maker, and Jabbari Parker have room to grow, which places the Bucks in a promising position for years to come. The relative inexperience throughout the roster will not allow Milwaukee to reach the Eastern Conference Finals as most of the other contenders have more developed veteran players, who will teach the young Bucks a lesson. Parker’s torn ACL is of paramount concern because it is reminiscent of the injury that derailed Derrick Rose’s whole career. The lack of a second true All Star to support Giannis causes one to ponder if the team will even come close to defeating an elite franchise in the postseason, but the future shines brighter than the Buck’s old Christmas-colored uniforms in Wisconsin. 5.) Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are the NBA’s proverbial Taco Bell. Like the restaurant’s flashy ad campaigns, Drake
hypes his team up every year with promises of finally challenging the Cavs in the playoffs. Just as the restaurant chain impresses one with delicious Doritos locos tacos and cinnabon delights, the Raptors’ regular season exploits convince many of their skill. DeMar DeRozan scores 27 points per game, and Kyle Lowry looks like an actual NBA star. Jonas Valanciunas and Serge Ibaka lock down the post while overpowering many on offensive glass. However, come postseason, Toronto’s play leaves one feeling sick much like the after effects of a Taco Bell meal. DeRozan transforms from a scoring machine into a nonfactor that the Cleveland Cavaliers held to just five points one game and kept him at a 21 point average in their last meeting in the playoffs. It’s like this whole franchise is stuck in a time loop, in which each season is ended with Toronto being utterly dominated by Cleveland. In fact, LeBron averaged 36 points against them in the postseason and made it seem like he practically owned the city of Toronto. The Raptors’ contending window has been thoroughly shut, and Canadian fans clamoring for the nation’s first basketball title feel much like a patron of Taco Bell at a drive-thru, whose order was misunderstood.
Gonzaga Football Aims for a Title By: Brendan Long ‘18 Senior Contributor Gonzaga Football might as well be its own professional organization. On the periphery it may look just look like any other high school team, but in reality it’s an in-depth and well-oiled machine. Just take a look at the Team’s history since hiring
Coach Randy Trivers - two victories on ESPN, national recognition and awards, alongside averaging nearly 10 wins a season. That professionalism couldn’t have been more evident than in the Team’s 30-6 victory over the Peddie School in Philadelphia, PA. The team stayed in a hotel overnight, and conducted pregame meals and
Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18
meeting at the hotel - just like any NFL team going on the road would. The team’s talent may be more diverse than ever before with starters coming all from classes. Alongside the strong captaincy of senior RB Jason Labbe, OT Aidan Rafferty, LB Jake Gali, and FB Robbie Mangas is the talented Junior Class: LB and Goal Line specialist Loic Sangwa, fellow LB Hunter Stewart, WR/DB Dean Engram, and DE Joseph Wete’. College football powerhouses such as USC, Penn State, and Virginia Tech have all been vying for some of the talent on this team. The underclassmen also shouldn’t be forgotten, with sophomores like Jestus Johnson and Luke Petitbon starting on the offensive line. Of course, there’s also the
The Aquilian 7
Photo By: Rylan Madison ‘18
most important position on the field, Quarterback, which will be in the hands of freshman Caleb Williams. After the Eagles’ strong non-conference schedule, they’ll be going up against the usual suspects in WCAC play, the last year before the new division format takes place. Dematha and St. John’s have both had that same tough non-conference
slate, going up against nationally ranked teams like Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas and De la Salle in California respectively. However, these teams will have to hope the bright lights of TV haven’t weighed them down too much, as the Purple Eagles will be coming out as strong as ever, hoping to win their first WCAC championship since 2002.
Awards Still Wide Open as MLB Season Ends By: Ben Escoto ‘21 Contributor The MLB season is coming to an end, which means two things, postseason baseball and award season. Most notably the MVP award. The MVP is given out to the best player from the National League and the best player from the American League. Over the last couple of years the MVP award have been given out to some famous players (e.g. Bryce Harper and Clayton Kershaw) and some no names (e.g.Josh Donaldson and Andrew Mccutchen). This year could be no different with players like Paul Goldschmidt and Anthony Rendon in the running. So without further ado, here are my predictions for the MVP awards. Over the last couple years, the NL MVP has been given to electrifying players such as, Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant, but this year will be different. Most of the candidates for this years NL MVP are no names or players that fly under the radar for casual baseball fans. They’re not flashy, but they get the job done and take care of their business. They are Anthony Rendon, Joey Votto, Giancarlo Stanton, and Paul Goldschmidt. Anthony Rendon, the third baseman for the Washington Nationals, has always been quiet and not wanting to talk to reporters, but this year,
their flocking to him with the stats he’s putting up. Hitting at just a tick above .300 at .302 and with 23 Home Runs and 91 Runs Batted In, not to mention his .401 On Base Percentage, Anthony Rendon has turned into one of the best players in the league. He has accumulated a 6.4 WAR1 tied with Charlie Blackmon for the NL lead and his 15.5 Def2 leads the league. In one year Rendon has turned from an everyday player to an MVP candidate. A player that isn’t necessarily as quiet as Rendon, but flies under the radar is Paul Goldschmidt. First baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Goldschmidt doesn’t play like a first baseman. He hits homers, get RBIs, scores runs, and steals bases. Yes, a first baseman who steals bases, so abnormal in this age in baseball. First baseman are known to strike out and hit for low average, but not Goldschmidt. He’s sporting a slash line3 of .310/.418/.592 with 34 HR, 112 RBI’s, and 103 runs, while being second in the MLB among first baseman in stolen bases behind Wil Myers, another first baseman with speed. Goldschmidt has had a great last couple of years, but I think this year he has a good chance to win the NL MVP. Another first base candidate is Joey Votto. Building off the second half of last season where he hit for a .408 AVG, Votto has been stellar.
Hitting at a .314 AVG and a league leading .449 on base percentage, he is the guy any team would want. Not only does he get on base, but he hits homers. He has already accumulated 34 to go along with 93 RBI’s. He has given the struggling Cincinnati Reds fans something to cheer about. You can’t go wrong with picking Votto for MVP; we’ll just have to wait and see if his team’s record will affect his chances. The most flashy of the candidates for NL MVP is Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins. He has taken the league by storm with an MLB leading 54 home runs including 18 in August. Stanton has 113 RBI’s, second in the MLB, and a .279 AVG. His slugging percentage is 22 points higher than any other player in the MLB and he has the 3rd highest WAR in the NL. Stanton is another player that you can’t go wrong with as the NL MVP. He is the player that most casual fans would pick as their MVP. All four candidates in the running for NL MVP are very worthy of the award. They all have specialties or things they do well. Out of all the candidates, I would pick Paul Goldschmidt. Paul Goldschmidt should win the MVP because out of all the players, he is the most complete. As shown this season, he can hit homers, get RBI’s, score runs, steals bases, and play serviceable defense. He
is a player any team would want as their starting first baseman. He is the best first baseman in the MLB and he should win the NL MVP. Over the last three months the AL MVP has turned into a two-horse race. Aaron Judge, the leading candidate at the All-Star break has fallen off a cliff in the second half of the season, hitting only .185 with 11 HR and 24 RBI’s, after hitting .329 with 30 HR and 66 RBI’s in the first half. It’s not that Judge is a bad candidate, he just has not done as well as he did in the first half and if you want to win MVP, then you have to keep your production up for the whole year. Like I said, it’s a two-horse race and the two horses are Mike Trout and Jose Altuve. Trout, a superstar and Altuve, a player who is started to become one of the best players in the MLB. Both very good candidates, but only one will win. Jose Altuve, a short muscular second baseman, only listed at 5’ 6’’, 165 pounds has turned into an MVP-type player the last couple of years and has a very good chance to win AL MVP this year. He is hitting at an amazing .349 AVG with 23 HR with 76 RBI, which is great numbers for a leadoff hitter. His .349 AVG is the best in the MLB by a wide margin and he has also swiped 31 bags this year, best in the American League. He has the highest WAR in the MLB with the next best
player is six points behind him. As you can see, Altuve is the total package and I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t win MVP this year. Mike Trout is having another Mike Trout-type season. .300+ average with 25 HR and 100 RBI’s. Although he hasn’t gotten there yet this year, he still is hitting for a .321 AVG with 28 HR and 63 RBI, while missing a month and a half due to injury. In just under a hundred games, he has already accumulated a WAR of 6.2, second best in the AL behind Altuve. Trout won’t win the MVP this year, but if he had a full season to work with, he probably would. You don’t have to imagine how good Mike Trout would be in a full season because he’s already done it. In his MVP winning season in 2016, he hit .315 with 29 HR and exactly 100 RBI. Some call that a MVP caliber season; I call it a typical Mike Trout season. The AL MVP is a twoman race till the very end, but one’s pulling away from the other. Jose Altuve and Mike Trout and both MVPtype players, but Altuve is going to win the AL MVP. He’s putting up power hitterlike numbers, at only 5’ 6’’, while also hitting almost .350 and stealing 31 bases. Trout has to take a seat, there’s a new stud in town; he’s a 5’ 6’’ Venezuelan-born player named Jose Altuve.
Welcome New Faculty & Staff
Justin Young, Maintenance, (Hometown) Germantown, Maryland, (College) Morgan State University, (Fav Pixar Movie) Toy Story, (Fav Fast Food) Papa Johns, (Fav Vacation Spot) Las Vegas, (Batman or Superman) Batman
Daniel Freedberg, Science, Cape Town, South Africa, Washington University (St. Louis), School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Ratatouille, Chik-fil-a, Rehoboth Beach, DE, Batman.
Acacia Komelasky, Modern Languages, Havana, Cuba, Gonzaga University, Finding Nemo, Sbarro Pizza, Spain, Italy, Aruba, Superman
Danielle Flood, Campus Ministry, Bergenfield, NJ, Catholic University (Go Cards!), Up, Qdoba... is this even a question?, The Jersey Shore, Superman
Mary Clare Glover, Development, Bethesda, Maryland, Wake Forest University, Cars, McDonald’s, The Beach, Batman
David Bowles, Campus Ministry, Richmond, VA, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, Finding Nemo, Chipotle, Hilton Head, SC, Batman
Larissa Jakubow, Center for Academic Excellence, Appleton, Wisconsin, University of Virginia, Monsters, Inc., Cookout, Disney World, Batman
Matthew A. Lopez, SJ, Religion/CampusMinistry, Philadelphia, PA, Loyola University Maryland, First 15 minutes of Up, 5 Guys, Cape May, NJ, Wolverine
Patti Calvo, Buisness Office, Silver Spring, MD, Montgomery College, Monsters Inc. (but I highly recommend Osmosis Jones), Baja Fresh, Jamaica, Superwoman
Anthony Cerra, Student Services, Clarks Summit, PA, The Joe’s (THWND), Finding Nemo, Cava, Boothbay Harbor, Maine, Batman
Teresa Jackson, English, St. Louis, MO, Saint Louis University, Webster University, Regis University, Up and The Incredibles, Chik-fil-a, Superman
Jonathan Spencer, Educational Technologist, Fairfax, VA, UNC- Chapel Hill, Art Institute of Washington, Toy Story 2, Taco Bell or In and Out Burger, The Mountains during the Fall, Superman
Zane Cribbs, Athletic Department, Oakland, CA, Howard University, Texas Tech University, Up, In & Out Burger, Turks and Caicos, Wonder Woman
David Dugan, Development Office, Washington, DC, College of the Holy Cross, Toy Story, McDonalds, Anywhere in Maine, Batman
Michael Hickey, ASC, Potomac, MD, University of Maryland, College Park, Toy Story 2, Cava, Kyoto, Batman
Photos by Jack Chesen ‘18
Photos by Rylan Madison ‘18
Aaron Clark, ASC, Washington, DC, Fordham University, Lincoln Center, The Incredibles, Burrito Box, Italy, I prefer Marvel comics but I’ll pick Superman
Andrew Wood, ASC, Alexandria, VA, James Madison University, Up, Cookout, Shenandoah Valley, Batman
Interviews by Alec Dubois ‘18