The Wisterian October 2012 Vol. LXXIX No. 2 Athletes Helping Athletes Mr. Fyke Takes the Lead in Robert V. Stratton ‘13
An admirable quality that students at La Salle have shown is not only leadership, but leadership in a direction that promotes and coincides with this school’s mission statement of service and giving to the less fortunate. Last year, Shane Kensil, a member of the Class of 2012, provided an inspiring example of this by starting a club and service organization through La Salle that is part of the Athletes Helping Athletes organization, which provides handicapped children with the chance to participate in sporting events that La Salle has set up and many of which it has hosted. Shane’s successor is current senior Anthony Sticco, who also currently runs the Acceptance for All Club, which gives people the opportunity to learn about kids with disabilities and coordinates activities through which its members learn to become advocates for their group’s mission while acting in service as well. Last year La Salle’s Athletes Helping Athletes organization was able to host several games, including for many students from Our Lady of Confidence elementary school for disabled children, along with several volunteer coaches and managers from La Salle. This non-profit organization functions mainly by holding La Salle Responds fundraisers to pay for the shirts and medals that
each child receives, and it hinges on the altruistic contributions of its student and faculty members. During the Homecoming football game of this school year, two kids from Our Lady of Confidence met players on the field, participated in cheers, and helped in the coin toss. Anthony hopes to continue with the club’s involvement in basketball games as it did last year and more football games this year, and the club is already planning its next football game event when La Salle plays Roman Cath-
olic High School on October 19. For anyone interested in joining, the club moderator Mr. Cirelli and club president Anthony Sticco can provide more information. Evidently, the students involved in these clubs have already incorporated another aspect of their school – athletics – in their mission to bring the fun and excitement of such social interactions to those who might otherwise not have the opportunity to experience them in the fullest.
Photo by Evan Walsh ‘13
Anthony Sticco ‘13 leading cheers at a La Salle football game.
Pep Rally Starts Magazine Drive
New Character Development Program
Nicholas Camusi ‘16 Integrity. Honesty. Respect. Love. All words that come to mind when one thinks of a Lasallian gentleman. Recently, the staff of La Salle has been doing more and more to help mold the boys who enter the school into men who will be sent on to do God’s work. This effort to become men, this change in physical, emotional, and social understanding, is the La Salle “Character Program.” This program has always been applied at La Salle, though in a less structured manner. Now, however, La Salle has a new, well thought-out program, a formal “Character Program,” implementing everything from guest speakers to lessons and activities for the students at each grade level. In discussing the program, Mr. James Fyke, Dean of Students and developer of the program, cites a Belcroft article from two years ago that states, “La Salle plays an integral part in the moral and ethical development of its students through a variety of approaches. The most powerful is modeling on a consistent basis by the adults in the community.” Mr. Fyke points out that he saw an absence of organization, a need to expand and formalize character development. “I’ve seen guys get into a lot of trouble...because of the absence of a foundation of respect, courage, and character,” Mr. Fyke says. “I think that if you have this
foundation earlier in life, you will be happier and more successful later in life. We do not tell students how to think. We provide them with an opportunity to think about the kind of man they want to be and help and guide [them] on that journey” by engaging them in conversations about morals, ethics, and principles. Because of this absence of foundation, these teenage boys would have no idea what it truly means to be a man. By implementing this foundation early, La Salle hopes to develop its students into men of character who will make a real difference in the world. As Mr. Fyke says, “It is not easy to be a good man. . .and it is not supposed to be (easy). At La Salle we support students as they try to meet that challenge.” La Salle is initiating this program early on, in the first few weeks of school. There are plans for different sessions for each grade level. Also, several different proposals for guest speakers are circulating, including Ryan Manion from the Travis Manion Foundation in November, and Joe Ehrmann, the central figure in the novel Season of Life, a book that both the sophomores and freshmen have read. This new “Character Program” is already helping to shape the young Lasallians into men of the future, men of intellect, courage, love, and respect. These men are being sent forth to do God’s will, in the name of Saint John Baptist de La Salle.
10 National Merit Semifinalists
Photo byBr. James Rieck Jared Herrmann ‘13 and Dave Losier ‘13 flank the Explorer at the pep rally on September 18.
Inside this month’s issue of The Wisterian P.2--Hall of Athletics/New Teacher Profile P.3--Model UN Club/Brent Celek P.4--College Interviews/Frosh retreat/Awards Assembly P. 5-- La Salle, Mount, and GMA Play Previews P. 6-- Golden Age of TV/Made in America P. 7--Cross Country/Soccer/Golf P. 8--Homecoming/Football The Wisterian
Photo by Mr. Chris Carabello ‘82
La Salle’s president, Br. James Butler (left) and principal, Mr. Mike O’Toole ‘68 stand in Whalen Couryard with the ten members of the Class of 2013 who were recently named National Merit Semifinalists.
Page 1
Wisterian News
Hall of Athletics Enshrines First Class James Foley ‘14 As a fresh year began, a latest part of La Salle has been revealed. The new Hall of Athletics is located outside of the gymnasium. Officially opened on Friday the 14, 2012, the Hall of Athletics features La Salle coaches, players, and teams that have brought positive recognition to the school. The inaugural class features coaches John “Tex” Flannery, who coached football for thirty-five years, and Charles J. O’Brien, who coached basketball for thirty-four years; basketball legend Tom Gola ‘51 and three sport great John Stanczak ’89; and the 1945/1946 basketball team and the 1957 football team, both of which won the school’s first city championships in their respective sports. The idea of a Hall of Athletics has been swirling around for a while, but was put into play at this time because of the recent success of the La Salle Athletics program. New athletic director Joseph Parisi, who led the baseball team to a state championship
this past school year, said, “It has been thought about for a long time now, and with the current success, it was a great time to commend our honorable athletes.” Mr. Parisi also said that this new tradition will be celebrated each year on the weekend of homecoming, when the Hall will induct a new member to each category. The new project was launched by a committee made up of eleven men, including current athletic director, Mr. Parisi; long-time athletic director, Mr. Tony Resch; and the committee’s chair, another former athletic director, Marty Stanczak ‘60. The committee decided that now was the time to add a Hall of Athletics. The addition, which features a touch screen computer with videos of all the inductees, was designed by Chris Convey ’93. The current success of La Salle athletics, which is shown around the school in display cases and on the plaques in the gym, has now allowed for the formal recognition of the people who have made such meaningful contributions to the athletic legacy of La Salle.
Angelo Giuliano ‘16
Model UN, which is a club here at La Salle College High School, is an academic recreation of the United Nations. Model UN clubs aim to educate the participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy, and the United Nations agenda. The students role-play
Photo by Jimmy Princivalle ‘13 Mr. Joseph Selfridge
Photo by Jimmy Princivalle ‘13 The wall display for the Hall of Athleitcs is located outside the gymnasium. The interactive display is on the left.
New to La Salle: Mr. Robert Zanneo Brendan Keenan ‘14
This academic y e a r, LaSalle has undergone m u l tiple changes in its faculty roster. Along with Brother James Butler and Mr. Mike O’Toole beginning their terms as the new president and principal, respectively, several teachers have been hired. Mr. Robert Zanneo, raised in the Torresdale section of Northeast Philadelphia, is among the new teachers. A member of the Father Judge graduating class of 2008 Mr. Zanneo attended DeSales University, earning a degree in mathematics and education in 2012. Working in La Salle’s math department is the first teaching position he has held since graduating from DeSales. As a recent student himself, Mr. Zanneo understands the importance of connecting the subject material to real life, especially in a subject such as mathematics where the most common student complaint is that they will ever use it in real life. Along with tying the subject material to real life, Mr. Zanneo offers students the opportunity to seek personal help and growth at their convenience. A personal motto is that anything he can do to help students he will try. In addition to his personal motto Mr. Zanneo describes his teaching philosophy as “all hard work will pay off in the long run!” To fulfill his philosophy, Mr. Zanneo has high standards for his students and demands a lot, joking that any student who walks into his classroom should be prepared to do forty minutes
Page 2
of work. In order for students to absorb all of the information in such a short period, Mr. Zanneo strives to create a calm, stress-free environment where students can enjoy learning. Looking to assimilate into the LaSalle community Mr. Zanneo is searching for some clubs and/or organizations to get involved in, preferably those that are “a bit different from the norm.” In the interim he has been managing the open gyms and is looking forward to taking up Coach Dempsey’s invitation to help coach the basketball team. Impatiently waiting for basketball season to begin, Mr. Zanneo cannot wait to start helping young men succeed outside the classroom. As a future basketball coach, Mr. Zanneo brings an impressive roster to the table having, been a sixth-man sharp shooter for the DeSales Bulldogs while attending the university. Circulating throughout LaSalle is a video on www.youtube. com which shows Mr. Zanneo displaying his skills shooting various three-point shots. Additionally, he was a member of the 2008-2009 team that made it to the Division III Elite 8 and the 2009-2010 team which made it into the Sweet 16; both teams also won conference championships. Having just finished a successful basketball career that spanned his years in college while earning a degree in mathematics and education, Mr. Zanneo is anxiously waiting to move into the next chapter of his life as a member of the Lasallian community.
W isterian News Model UN Club Brent Celek Visits the
Photo courtesy of lehighvalleylive.com Mr. Zanneo goes up for a block against Moravian during his junior season at DeSales. Mr. Zanneo, a 2008 graduate of Father Judge is teaching math and will be coaching basketball at La Salle.
as diplomats representing a certain nation in a simulated committee of the UN, such as the Security Council or the General Assembly. The students then research their country, investigate international issues, consult, and then develop solutions to the world’s problems. Mr. Joseph Selfridge, the club’s moderator at La Salle says, “It is essential that student become aware of the situations around the world and explore ways to approach and perhaps even resolve them. Model UN develops such skills.” During each conference, the students have to apply a number of their critical thinking skills in order to represent the policies of their country. The skills that students need to show include: public speaking, group communication, research, policy analysis, active listening, conflict resolution, negotiating, technical writing, and note taking. Club member Brendan Keenan ’14 feels that “Model UN provides students with the ability to perceive the world from the perspective of other cultures, ethnicities, and ideologies, along with offering the opportunity for students to learn
about global politics and relations through speech and debate.” At each competition, an executive panel evaluates students on these various skills and gives awards to the participants who perform and contribute the best. The Model UN club is run by Mr. Selfridge and meets on Wednesdays. The members are aiming to expand the club and welcome anyone who is interested in joining and participating. They are also aiming to get into higher-standard Model UN events, such as one at Harvard and one in Washington D.C.
La Salle Football Team Christian Endrigian ‘13
As the bell struck 2:15 on Tuesday, October 2, and kids flooded into the hallways, they noticed a 6’4”, 255 pound man standing in the main office. As word spread quickly, even more kids flooded the scene to take pictures of Philadelphia Eagles tight end, Brent Celek. Turning around and seeing a mob of kids, Celek decided to give the gazing eyes his first down celebration. But why was Brent Celek at La Salle in the first place? Celek was brought along by Coach John Steinmetz ‘77 to speak with the junior varsity and varsity football teams about the idea of teamwork and working as one unit. Senior of-
fensive lineman Conor Resch stated, “He was a class act. He was modest about his success, and more importantly, he was all about the team as a whole. He is definitely a great role model.” As Brent Celek stood in front of the team, he preached the idea of how close you have to be as a team, what he finds most important in a team, his hard work off the gridiron, and some fun facts about the Eagles. One part that stood out to the players was the fact that Celek stated that wide receiver Jeremy Maclin was the enforcer on the team, something that most people would not expect. Following his speech, Celek started to meet and greet all of the Explorers in addition to posing for a few pictures.
This speech seemed to resonate through the Explorers Saturday afternoon, as La Salle defeated Father Judge 35-7. But the Explorers weren’t the only ones that benefited from this speech. Even though the Eagles did not pull out the win against the Steelers, Brent Celek caught a goal line touchdown pass halfway through the fourth quarter to give the Eagles the 14-13 lead. This was truly a unique experience for the football team as they got to see football from the perspective of a professional athlete. With the help of his speech, the Explorers look to carry forward with this momentum and inspiration throughout the rest of the season.
Photo courtesy of lschs.org Senior football players Trent Simmons, Mike Eife, and Andrew Carlone posed with Brent Celek in Room 204 following Celek’s talk with the players.
Who is the Wisterian? Editors-in-Chief Christian Endrigian ‘13 Jimmy Princivialle ‘13 Assistant Editors Robert V. Straton ’13 Brendan Keenan ‘14 Danny Spinelli ‘14
The Purpose of The Wisterian is to inform the student body of news and opinions of relevance to the school community.
The views expressed are those
of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect official school policy. The Wisterian welcomes all comments, suggestions, and Letters to the Editor. Please keep all letters to 600 words or less. Letters may be submitted to thewisterian@gmail.com.
Contributors
Evan Walsh ‘13 James Foley ‘14 JChris Jastrzemski ‘14 Mike Mullin ‘14 Nicholas Camusi ‘16 Angelo Giuliano ‘16
Advisors
Mr. Chris Holwick Mr. John Janda
Photo by Jimmy Princivalle ‘13 Mr. Robert Zanneo (left), works with Kaherdin Charles ‘13.
The Wisterian
October 2012
Page 3
Wisterian N ews I D 2012 C Christian Endrigian ‘13
And just like that, in a matter of a couple of hours, another successful College Interview Day comes to close at La Salle. On Tuesday, October 2nd, La Salle hosted its nationally recognized event in which we hosted 75 admission representatives from 58 different colleges/ universities around the country. This day gave La Salle’s seniors a chance to showcase their talents far beyond their transcripts. The various representatives got a chance to meet La Salle students one-on-one, which gave each student the opportunity to prove why he is such a good candidate for their school.
ollege nterview In addition, the students got to ask the admissions representatives a few questions of their own to see if the respective school was the right fit for the student. After the day ended, from both the students and the college representatives, the college counselors received great reviews. It was everything a student could have wanted and more.
ay
Wisterian Features GMA’s Willy Wonka Preview
Jimmy Princivalle ‘13 This fall, Gwynedd Mercy High School will be putting on a production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I caught up with La Salle
“...visually and talentwise, the show is going to be magnificent...”
Jason Yoon ‘13 speaks with Mr. John Delaney, the Notre Dame representative and the father of John Delaney ‘11.
Class of 2016 Has First Retreat
freshman Mike Mullin, who is “Nobody, I’m playing a Pink Oompah Loompah,” and asked him how he thinks the show is coming along. The show is playing on the second and third weekends of November, and will be starring La Salle students: Vito Scutti (Augustus Gloop), Nick Sontag (double casted), Mark Chandler (Grandpa Joe), Preston Murray (Grandpa George), James Durkin (Mike Tevee), Dan DeBrakeleer (Mr. Bucket), and the show will star Ryan Sax as Charlie Bucket. Everyone should come out and see the show, because, as Mike Mullin says, “Both visually and
talent-wise, the show is going to be magnificent, we have so many great people working really hard on it, and I honestly think it’s paid off. It’s going to be a wonderful experience and everyone should come out and witness it.” So next month, come out and see the show, it’s going to be a great show, and I promise you it will be a night you won’t soon forget.
MSJA’s Once Upon a Mattress Preview Michael Mullin ’14
The classic tale of The Princess and the Pea gets an update in Mount Saint Joseph’s Academy production of Once Upon a Mattress. The musical is destined to succeed and cause an uproar of laughs. The story is chock full of audacious characters and dramatic plot twists. The actors and actresses do an outstanding job adjusting and taking on the outlandish attributes of their characters. The plot might be complicated, but it takes entertainment to a whole new level. Several years ago, Queen Aggravain, portrayed by the always energetic Lauren Stabler, placed a spell on her husband, King Sextimus, restricting the king to being a mute. In the musical, it is stated that, “King Sextimus will never talk until the mouse devours the hawk.” The queen has lost her senses and rules the land with
ruthless behavior. A trademark of the queen’s reign has been that no one else in the land can marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, is married. Senior Dane Lavery ’13 plays the lead role of Prince Dauntless, and despite his title, is a sheltered young man who is still single after countless tries to find a spouse. Aggravain organizes an elusive test for the possible suitors of her son. Senior Austin Kelly ’13 plays the supporting role of Sir Harry, a leader in the search for a princess to end the waiting. Played by the incredible Erica Cianciulli, Lady Larkin is now pregnant with Sir Harry’s baby so he must go and find a suitable princess before time runs out. Fortunately, Sir Harry finds a princess who completes Dauntless. Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, played by the talented Melissa Price, exhibits a boisterous personality that encourages Dauntless to stand up
to his mother. Chaos ensues as the impossible test looms among other questions concerning the kingdom. Be prepared to witness an onslaught of surprises and peculiar situations. There are nine La Salle students in the show. Excluding the two male leads that have already been mentioned, there are seven. Paul Curcillo ’13 is King Sextimus, Pat May ’13 is featured as the Minstrel, Sean Furguiele ’14 has the role of the Wizard, Sean Naessens ’13 is the role of Sir Studley, James Carroll ’13 is Sir Luce, Eric Lopresti ’14 is Sir Harold, and Pat Duff ’14 is the knight. The show dates are November 2nd, 3rd, 9th, and 10th at 7:30 pm and a matinee on Sunday November 4th at 2:00. It should be an awesome time and everyone should so their support their fellow La Salle students. Tickets are on sale now and going fast so get them soon.
La Salle to Perform Barefoot in the Park Michael Mullin ’14
A group of freshmen work together to build a weight-bearing bridge out of newspaper.
Mr. Mark Collins leads a small-group discussion during the retreat.
On September 26 & 27, the Class of 2016 (half each day) participated in a retreat that concluded each day with a Mass celebrated by Fr. Janton ‘69.
LSCHS Celebrates Student Achievement
John Ernandez is recognized for having the Class of ‘14’s highest GPA last school year.
Tim McAuliffe ‘14 addresses the assembled students.
On Friday, September 21, the La Salle community gathered to recognize student achievement during the fourth annual Awards Assembly. The school recognized outstanding academic, athletic, extracurricular, and service accomplishments during the 2011-12 school year and during the past summer.
Mr. Dominick works with stage manager Nick McDowell ‘13 during rehearsals
Justin Dillman ‘14 and Ricky Sanchez ‘14 work on the set of Barefoot in the Park
Images Courtesy of Google Images
All photos by Br. James Rieck
Page 4
La Salle Theater is set to perform Neil Simon’s longest running comedy, Barefoot in the Park. Barefoot in the Park is a romantic comedy centered around newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter. After six days of marriage, the Bratters move into a New York City apartment. It is often the case that opposites attract and the characters in this show are no exception. Junior Ann Marie Maloney plays the lead role of Corie Bratter, the free-spirited wife, who is open to the peculiarities of her new life. Senior Josh Graham ’13 portrays Paul Bratter, an uptight attorney adjusting to the changes of marriage. Not only do the newlyweds have to deal with contradicting personalities, but they must also deal with their surroundings in the fifth floor of a Manhattan apartment. The Bratters have a hole in their skylight and live a floor below an outlandish neighbor played by Junior John Schoenwald ’14 named Victor Velasco. Even
worse, Victor must pass through the Bratters’s apartment in order to enter his apartment. Corie is not willing to let these issues set back their relationship. The problems boil over when Corie makes the effort to set her mother up with Victor for dinner. Corie wants Paul to act more like her and not be so strict. Paul gets extremely frustrated and can no longer endure Corie’s happy-golucky spirit. Come to see whether or not the relationship can withstand the obscurities that the world presents for the newlyweds. Also featured in the show are Victoria Trailes as Mrs. Banks, Mark Chandler ’13 as Telephone Repairman, and Dan DeBrakeleer as Delivery Man. Barefoot in the Park has had 1530 performances on Broadway making it one of the longest in American theater. The performances are sure to be filled with laughter, so do not miss it. The performances will be on the nights of October 26, 27, and 28. Mark the date on the calendar because this is one show you will regret missing.
The Wisterian
October 2012
Photos by Mr. Janda
Page 5
Wisterian Features
Wisterian Sports
The End of the Golden Age
The “Golden Goal” Kids
Jimmy Princivalle ‘13 Last week I sat and watched the pilot for the new NBC Drama, Revolution. It was exceedingly terrible, and as I sat
watching it, really not enjoying a single second of it, I thought to myself, “Is this all there’s gonna be in two years?” Breaking Bad ends this summer, Dexter will be gone by next Christmas, Fringe will be gone by this Christmas, Mad Men’s got about two years tops, and I’ve been mourning the loss of LOST for almost three years now. Not to mention my entire Thursday night lineup will be gone by May (The Office, Parks and Rec, Community). Let’s be real here, regardless of all the crap that’s on television now, we’ve really been in a golden age for the better part of the last 10 years. As
Christian Endrigian ‘13 It was in the middle of the summer and all I can remember is seeing the price range from 135 dollars to 175 dollars. Are you kidding me? A two day pass to Jay Z’s first annual Made in America Music festival sounded great, but not for that kind of change. Month after month passed by, but not once did Made in America cross my mind. It got to around August 26th, which was one week prior to the festival. At this time, I still really had no interest in going regardless of the lineup that Jay-Z had unveiled; however, the media was blowing this concert up more and more by the day. Every broadcast described this to be historic and memorable as tons and tons of famous artists would be performing right in front of the famous Philadelphia Art Museum. I started to think to myself, how could I pass up on this? Low and behold, within hours, 135 dollars ran right out of my wallet. Little did I know what I was walking into. Police surrounding every block, thousands and thousands of eager musical fans rushing in, and loud music blaring throughout the city was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I tried to take in as much as possible. Saturday September 1st was the first day of the two day festival. The concert was broken up into three sections: Rocky Stage, Liberty
Page 6
we’ve seen the steady decline of groundbreaking indie films, we’re seeing more and more that a lot of these writers feel that television is a better medium to tell their story, and on the whole
they’re right. The shows we’ve seen on TV last year are, in my opinion, some of the best shows to have ever been on television. The medium has completely changed. In the 90s no network could have possibly gotten away
Let’s be real here, regardless of all the crap that’s on television now, we’ve really been in a golden age for the better part of the last 10 years.
with airing shows like Homeland, Game of Thrones, or The
Walking Dead. They would have been censored to the point where they’re completely different shows. The real change that brought this about was the increased popularity of cable television, particularly AMC and HBO. When they’re all said and done, all three shows that AMC airs throughout the year will go down as groundbreaking shows that will change the way TV is made, and that can already be said about Lost, considering the amount of copycats that have
All the good shows are ending and they’re being replaced by shows that look truly awful. sprouted up since Lost began in 2004 (like Revolution, V, The Event, Heroes, Flashforward, The River, Six Degrees, etc etc). I look at all the shows that are starting this year, Revolution, Elementary, 666 Park Avenue, The New Normal, and The Mindy Project, and not a single one of them appeals to me. It’s not just that they don’t appeal to my tastes, last season Once Upon a Time didn’t look like it would appeal to my tastes at all but I watched it and I love it; they really just don’t look very good. All the good shows
are ending and they’re being replaced by shows that look truly awful. It’s stepping backwards, it’s becoming less edgy with more pandering, but I guess all good things must come to an end. I just wish it wasn’t so soon. I don’t want to live in a world where Ryan Murphy is allowed to produce three shows
Made in America
Stage, and the DJ tent. Throughout the day big names performed such as Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Otto Knows, MMG, Janelle Monae, Gary Clark Jr., and of course Jay-Z himself. During the day my favorite acts were without a doubt Calvin Harris and Gary Clark Jr. Recognized as a premier DJ across the world, Calvin Harris had the people going right from the start. The atmosphere was indescribable. Sweaty faces, water flying everywhere, and
...thousands and thousands of eager musical fans rushing in, and loud music blaring throughout the city was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I tried to take in as much as possible.
loud bumping music would be the best way to put it. Earlier that day, on a more relaxed note, Gary Clark Jr. performed. His type of music resembles that of the great Jimmy Hendrix, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The vibe in the air as Gary Clark Jr. jammed away on his guitar was unique. Due to his soothing and mellow tones, everyone seemed to just be zoned in on the music. Fast forwarding to argu-
ably the best two hours of my life, Jay- Z approached the stage. Before he set foot on stage, from my point of view, I could see Jay-Z pacing back and forth on the art museum steps. With a towel draped over his head, he continued to go back and forth where Rocky once ran to glory. I could feel it. Jay-Z was about to rock this city. Just imagine it being nighttime in one of the greatest cities in America with some of the best musical talent on one stage. It could only be described as a once in a lifetime moment. To kick everything off, Jay-Z walked out to one of his classics, “Public Service Announcement,” which immediately had everyone jumping and essentially going crazy. It was one thing to come out with a bang, but he was able to keep this tempo up all night long. About an hour into his performance, Jay-Z shocked the 50,000+ people in the audience by bringing out big name rappers such as Kanye West, Common, Big Sean, and 2Chainz. With an all-star lineup all on one stage, it was hard not to call this night one of the best ever. Some songs performed were “Izzo,” “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” “99 Problems,” “Mercy,” and “Run This Town.” As all this was going on, I was just trying to take it all in as much as possible. I felt a part of history,
at the same time, or one show for that matter. All I can do is hope that AMC and HBO have something up their sleeves for when it’s time to reset the lineup. Until then, all I can do is enjoy what little is left of the shows that I love, and appreciate the silver lining, new episodes of Arrested Development start in the Spring.
Images Courtesy of Google Images
until all of a sudden, as I was enjoying the music with some of my best friends, some guy’s face ultimately head-butted mine, giving me a not so appealing mouth injury. Next thing I know blood is gushing, my lip feels as if it is 300 pounds, and I am in severe pain. However, the concert was still going; therefore, my lip had to wait. Needless to say, once I got back to the hotel where I stayed for the night, my
I could see Jay-Z pacing back and forth on the art museum steps. With a towel draped over his head, he continued to go back and forth where Rocky once ran to glory. I could feel it. Jay-Z was about to rock this city. lip looked like a balloon. I had an extremely hard time laughing, let alone eating or drinking. So sure, my lip was cut up pretty well, but was it still the best night of my life? Of course. The best part was that I wasn’t done. I had an entire second day ahead of me. Performances on day two included people such as Drake, Run DMC, Odd Future, Gary Clark Jr., Alesso, Afrojack, and Pearl
Jam. Although this day did not top Saturday’s lineup or experience, I still had an unbelievable time. Unfortunately, I found out that one of my favorite artists, Drake, is horrific live. I never thought it would happen, but I ended up leaving his performance to go to the DJ tent to see Afrojack. Without getting into much detail, that tent was a madhouse. You would have to army crawl your way into the tent just to be a part of the crowd. Hands down, my favorite part of the second day was Odd Future, a rap group known for their notoriously loud and upbeat rap. The entire crowd was into it, starting mosh pits left and right along with hundreds of kids crowd surfing. To be quite honest, I was nervous that my lip was going to bust open again. To finish the very successful two day festival off, Pearl Jam bombarded the stage for the last remaining hours alongside the man himself, Jay-Z. It was a picture perfect ending in the bright lights of Philadelphia. Something I am never going to forget. It was more than just a concert. In my opinion, nothing in regards to festivals or concerts will come close to that. Regardless of whether or not, this festival returns to Philadelphia, I can safely say I was a part of history.
The Wisterian
Christian Endrigian ‘13 After last season’s success with a PCL and District title, the question from the media seemed to be could they continue last year’s success with the loss of so many seniors? Well, it’s safe to say, La Salle soccer has responded very nicely. Junior Striker Matt Lucas has been a big piece to this year’s success as his speed and toughness translates to goals on the scoreboard. In addition, the leadership provided by captains Ben Wild, Chris Mccrea, and Mark Grasela has proved to keep the Explorers together during some pressure moments. As of now the Explorers stand at 8-2, with a league record of 4-1. Kicking off the season was La Salle’s home opener against Central High school, who proved to be no test for the stout Explorers. Goal after goal went in, and the next thing you know, La Salle wins 6-0 to start its season off right. Next game proved to be the Explorers first real test, in which they slightly escaped. Junior Anthony D’Angelo posted his second straight shutout with four saves, which proved to be big as La Salle defeated The George School for a huge road victory. Putting in the lone goal was senior captain Chris Mccrea
off a Frankie Russamano cross in the 25th minute. After a strong battle by both teams, La Salle’s defense did what they had to do to keep the score at 0. Two days later, the boys in blue and gold opened up Catholic League play, and cruised to another shutout victory, as the game ended 6-0 over Bishop McDevitt. The hardest game of the season was up against out of league rival, Holy Ghost Prep, known to be a soccer powerhouse in the city of Philadelphia. Anticipation was high as Holy Ghost proceeded to make this game their homecoming, attracting a big crowd to enjoy the festivities. Although the Explorers seemed to control most of the game, the scoreboard did not agree. Holy Ghost increased the lead to 3-0 late in the second half minimizing the chance La Salle had of coming out with a victory. Due to a late Matt Lucas goal, the final score was 3-1. Holy Ghost was able to give the Explorers their first loss of the season. Senior left midfielder, Nick Higgins, stated, “It’s a tough one. We wanted to prove ourselves over a very talented team, but we just could not find the net.
Cross Country Update
Brendan Keenan ‘13 Throughout its onehundred and fifty year history LaSalle has maintained a strong athletic tradition. Although one of LaSalle’s less popularized sports, the cross-country squad works continuously to maintain this tradition as well. This season, however, the team, according to head coach Mr. Greg Bielecki, has been off to a bumpy start. Before the start of school three varsity members of the team, seniors Andrew Stone, Matt Greco and team captain Tom Coyle, sustained injuries and were not able to run for several weeks. Despite these setbacks, in the two meets already held this season at Belmont Plateau, the cross country team has finished first and second respectively. In the two invitationals attended by La Salle, held at Briarwood on September 15th and in Hershey, Pennsylvania on the 22nd, we have earned a tenth place ranking both times. Coach Bielecki admits that the current finishes are not turning any heads, but he admires the grit and determination many of the younger runners are displaying in the face of these injuries the top runners have sustained. With the PCL Championships in mid-October and the PIAA State Championships in November, Coach Bielecki has set the primary goal to make sure that everyone
October 2012
is fit and healthy for the postseason. On the subject he stated, “We need to continue working hard at practice to improve both our physical fitness and mental toughness…If we can get fully healthy and continue to improve…this will have been a successful year no matter the final outcome.” The injuries that the cross country team has been dealing with during the first few weeks of the school year have had a significant impact on the team’s performance this season. However Mr. Bielecki notes that senior Jake McGee and junior Brendan Bilotta have stepped up to fill in the gap, along with other sophomore runners. As noted varsity runners Tom Coyle, Andrew Stone and Matt Greco were not able to run due to injuries they sustained during the summer. Stone, who incurred a plantar problem, has only recently started working out again. Matt Greco has been nursing a collapsed lung that left him hospitalized for several days and unable to practice for two weeks. Team captain Tom Coyle has only recently started running again after several weeks recovering from an excessively tight hip flexor that pulled a chip out of his hip. He hopes to be in racing condition by early October and to bring home a State Championship medal with the support of his team.
However, we will be back it and continue to move on.” And that is exactly what they did. During the next four games, La Salle picked up wins from league opponents Cardinal O’ Hara and Neumann Goretti as well as out of league opponents Methacton and Pittsburgh Central Catholic. Another strong test came from the opposite side of the state, as Pittsburgh Central Catholic drove five hours to Lower Bartley Field to take on the Explorers. A back and forth game the entire way through is what everyone expected. Two strong physical teams both wanting a noticeable win. As regular time was not enough to decide this one, the game went into “Golden Goal” sudden death overtime. With just minutes into the overtime, junior striker Matt Lucas put the ball in the goal to send the Explorers off into celebration. After such a big goal, Lucas had this to say: “Huge goal. One of the biggest of my career, but I’m just happy we, as a team, were able to walk out of here with a win.” Although, they had plenty of more games to win, they could savor this one for a while. On September 19th, the Explorers took on Archbishop
Ryan on Ward Field, a different venue than usual. Archbishop Ryan has always been a tough test for the blue and gold, so each player knew they were going to get a fight. Early on, Ryan took the lead off a nicely set up play to go up 1-0. It was only until the second half, where La Salle was able to tie it up with 17 minutes to go off a beautiful kick from senior captain Mark Grasela. That score did not last long as off a free kick Archbishop Ryan fired the ball off the right post and into the net, to eventually go on to win the game 2-1 over the Explorers. This late game loss gave La Salle their first Catholic League loss of the season, but it only added more fuel to the fire for Friday’s big matchup against Father Judge. In front of a big crowd on Lower Bartley Field, the Explorers were ready to handle whatever Father Judge threw at them. Although Father Judge drew first blood off an early goal, La Salle knew this one wasn’t over. With 36 minutes to go in the second half, senior Jack Dusing headed one in the back of the net off a throw from Chris Mccrea. That score would remain the same all the way to the end of regular time. We would AGAIN,
be going to a “Golden Goal” sudden death overtime. Early on in this overtime, Matt Lucas, the one who put in the dagger against Pittsburgh Central Catholic, was now the one setting it up. Off a free kick by Lucas, the ball rocketed right off the crossbar onto the foot of senior Colin Moran, who finished off the game to again send the Explorers and the rest of the crowd into jubilation. Colin Moran had this to say, “Matt put a great foot on the ball. It actually looked in, but it rolled right to me while I was all alone. I knew I couldn’t miss it.” The Explorers were able to bounce back from a tough loss to Ryan to capture an even bigger win from Judge. The tests are not over yet. As it stands now, the Explorers are in great position. Although the Catholic League is a very tough one, La Salle knows it can compete with anyone. The Explorers believe that they need to take their season game by game and not worry about the future for now. With the leadership, skill, and will this team has, they will be a tough opponent for anyone, but they need your help. Come out and support the Explorers as they look to chase a Catholic League title!
Senior Student
Favorite College Football Uniform
Favorite College Football Mascot
School You Would Want to Play For
Favorite Current College Football Player
Riley Slusarski ‘13
Oregon Ducks
Florida Gator
University of Pittsburgh
D’Anthony Thomas
Scott Serpico ‘13
Miami Hurricanes
Oregon Duck
Bucknell University
Hoop Jones
Vince Peruto ‘13
Oregon Ducks
Florida Gator
University of Southern Cal
D’Anthony Thomas
Chris Esposito ‘13
Oregon Ducks
Nittany Lion
Penn State University
Denard Robinson
Jake Camusi ‘13
LSU Tigers
Nittany Lion
University of Florida
Montee Ball
La Salle Golf - 2012 PCL Champs
Photo by Br. James Rieck
Page 7
Wisterian Sports Dan Spinelli ‘14 La Salle capped off another successful Homecoming weekend by renewing some old traditions, and adding others as well. The inaugural Sports Hall of Fame induction kicked off the weekend on Friday night, followed by a series of events on Saturday. In the morning, the new West Wing was dedicated to legendary school president Brother René Sterner. In the mid-morning on Lower Bartley Field, the Explorer soccer team defeated cross-state rival Pittsburgh Central Catholic 1-0. A brilliant day for La Salle continued with a family BBQ in the afternoon, and finally the capstone of the day’s events: a stirring 38-6 win by the football team over Cardinal O’Hara at Springfield High School. The first group of inductees to the Sports Hall of Fame began a new and innovative institution at La Salle, where past athletes will be recognized for their excellence and commitment to the school. A more in-depth coverage of the induction will be discussed later in this issue. The dedication of the West Wing halls was the next item on the agenda for Homecoming weekend. Brother René Sterner, whose fourteen-year presidency helped revitalize the school, was rightfully recognized for his years of service. During his tenure at La Salle, Brother René’s structural achievements included two capital campaigns as well as the construction of St. Michael’s Hall and the West Wing that now bears his name. On an extracurricular level, Brother René brought lacrosse and chorus, now two staples of the Explorer community, to La Salle. On a more personal level, Brother
La Salle Homecoming René brought students from far places like Sudan to study at La Salle, and co-founded La Salle Academy in North Philadelphia, where many students now dedicate their time on Tuesdays to tutor less fortunate children. While Sterner was a gifted leader in many areas, his true passion was for speech and debate. As a head coach of La Salle’s team, he brought the Explorers to national prominence and earned recognition by the National Forensic League (NFL), the activity’s governing body. Among his numerous achievements, Sterner was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame, served thirty-one years on the NFL Executive Council, and was the first recipient of the NFL Alumni Lifetime Service Award. When Brother René passed away in 2009, the NFL published its monthly Rostrum magazine with his face on the cover. Numerous members of the speech and debate community were in attendance at the induction to honor their friend, Brother René. His longtime colleague, Brother Kevin Dalmasse, a former La Salle teacher, administrator, and policy debate coach, spoke about Brother René and his outstanding influence. Brother Kevin, in his new position as a teacher and debate coach at Pittsburgh Central Catholic, now hosts the Brother René Sterner Memorial Tournament each October. Truly, Brother René was a paragon of not only the La Salle community, but the national speech and debate community as a whole. A magnificent day continued on the lower fields where La Salle battled in a heated contest againt Pittsburgh Central Catholic, pitting two of Brother René’s schools against each
other. After regular time expired in a 0-0 tie, the game went to overtime. Rising star, junior Matt Lucas scored the “golden goal” to grant La Salle a 1-0 victory. With the soccer team’s success, all eyes were now on the football team to finish the day in sterling fashion. They eagerly obliged. Cardinal O’Hara’s opening drive was stifled by a sack on third down by Explorer senior LB Mike Eife, which forced the hand (or really, “the foot”) of the Lions excellent junior punter, Steve Weyler. Seriously, this kid was an absolutely terrific punter. Anyway, the ensuing La Salle drive could not advance, which left senior K/P Ryan Winslow to attempt a 29 yard field goal. Winslow, like Weyler, has a pretty gifted foot, and the boot went straight through the uprights. La Salle led 3-0 with 7:51 remaining in the opening period. O’Hara’s follow-up drive concluded with a 27-yard touchdown run by junior RB/DB Lamont Veal. Veal rushed 9 times for 39 yards on the day. Weyler’s extra-point attempt was blocked though, by fan-favorite—La Salle senior special teams maestro Dad Poquie. Poquie gave a clas-
sic performance that day: a blocked extra point and numerous tackles on defense and in special teams. On defense, Poquie was complemented by the strong play of junior LB Zaire Franklin. Zaire came up large on many plays, and he is a more-than-adequate addition to the linebacking corps. This lone scoring drive would be the Lions last of the day. A vintage Chris Kane play occurred on La Salle’s next drive. If there are any nostalgic Eagles’ fans out there, do you remember the Eagles’ Super Bowl run during the 2004-2005 season? Well during the regular season, when the Eagles were playing the Cowboys in Dallas, Donovan McNabb completed an outstanding pass that was huge news on highlight shows that week. Surrounded by Cowboys defenders in the pocket, McNabb ran across the field, turned, and completed a pass downfield. In a similar manner, Kane stood at midfield on first down, surrounded by Lions defenders who had swarmed the pocket. He finagled his way through them and managed to complete a beautiful 15-yard pass to Eife. The drive could not capitalize off of Kane’s play
though, and Winslow came in shortly after to punt. With the score now 6-3 in favor of O’Hara, La Salle embarked on its 35-0 run. Touchdowns included a 3 yard run by Meachum, a 33 yard pass from Kane to Herron, and a remarkable punt return by Sean Coleman. With the score now 17-6 Explorers, the Lions punted right before the end of the third quarter. Weyler booted it long and far, but he made the mistake of giving Coleman something to return. The elusive star made his way 78 yards to the end zone. A Winslow PAT gave the Explorers a 24-6 lead. After Herron returned an interception of O’Hara quarterback Dashawn Darden, Coleman scored again from a 25 yard TD pass from Kane. The scoring ended in remarkable fashion with a strong defensive play from Coach John Steinmetz’s unit. La Salle junior DE Ryan Coonahan made a terrific third-down stop of O’Hara junior FB Matt Penza. But Coonahan was not content with just a forced fourth-down; he stripped Penza and returned the ball 17 yards for a TD. With the Explorers up by the final score of 38-6, victory at homecoming had again been sealed.
The Royal Treatment La Salle Football Plays at Rutgers Stadium
Chris Jastrzembski ‘14
Besides winning, playing in different states and in different stadiums is always a fun, unique experience. But playing in a Division 1 college football stadium has a much different feel to it. A week after defeating Public school rival North Penn, La Salle traveled to the home of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to play Monsignor Farrell, a Christian Brother’s school from Staten Island, New York. Right from the start, La Salle came out on fire, leading the Lions 30-0 after their first five offensive possessions. In the second half, the Explorers would bring out some of their backups and JV members, including RB
Page 8
Ryan Brady ‘15 and QB Kolby Stein ‘14. In the end, La Salle pounced on the Lions 37-20. But for the players, one of their favorite parts was the fact that they could see themselves on the jumbotron, in addition to playing on turf field, which many Pennsylvania fields do not have. One example was Sean Coleman’s ‘13 punt return, which was called back due to a block in the back by Andrew Eidenshink ‘13. Many of the players watched Coleman juke, deke, and even hurdle over Farrell players on the jumbotron before being disappointed by the devastating penalty. With two games down, the journey for another state title is off to a great start.
Jimmy Herron ‘15 breaks free for a score against O’Hara
Ben Wilde ‘13 helps Matt Lucas ‘14 celebrate his goal against Pittsburgh Central Catholic Photos by Br. James Rieck
The Wisterian