3.6.15

crier

munster high school

vol. 49/issue 10 March 6, 2015 MHScrier.com

8808 Columbia Ave. Munster, IN 46321

Saturday 41/25

Sunday 42/25

Upcoming n

Speech: Sectional tournament tomorrow at LaPorte

n

Sports awards banquet: 6 p.m.

Tuesday in cafeteria

n

Cheerleading: Stunt competition Sunday at Hobart DECA prepares for State competition next week page 4

Musicians will compete in Battle of the Bands at 6:30 p.m. next Friday in auditorium pages 6-7

Members of Boys’, Girls’ Track and Field teams explain events page 10

District focuses on future Superintendent presents solutions for deficit Meena Kandallu Copy Editor

A

pproximately 120 parents, teachers and community members gathered in the high school

auditorium Tuesday for a financial meeting organized by the School Board and Superintendent.

This gathering was one of five such meetings, each held in a different school in the district. The purpose of these meetings, according to Dr. Jeff Hendrix, superintendent, was to inform the community about the district’s current financial situation.

“I think that when we had defaulted on the bonds and were shorted by the taxes and we had to reduce the 50 non-certified staff members, it became a crisis on our part,” Dr. Hendrix said. “We decided that we need to probably explain why we’re acting in such a quick manner.”

Each financial meeting began with an hour long presentation by the superintendent that focused on explaining the funds involved in school budgeting, describing causes of the district’s $8 million deficit, and outlining potential solutions.

The presentations were followed by questions and comments from community members in attendance.

During this time, the meeting erupted multiple times with frustrated parents voicing their concerns about how the current deficit was created.

“We made decisions with the information we were given, and whether those decisions were right or wrong, we accept responsibility,” Mrs. Paula Nellans, School Board President, said at the financial meeting Tuesday. “We take full responsibility, and we did fail.

The buck stops here.”

Although Dr. Hendrix understands the concerns regarding the causes of the district’s current financial situation, he has emphasized the importance of focusing on the future in each of the meetings.

“As I have said at the meetings, the only thing we can control is what we spend in our district,” Dr. Hendrix said. “What we have to do is control what we do today and look to tomorrow. It doesn’t do any good to point fingers or make accusations.”

After the January cuts of 50 non-certified staff members, Dr. Hendrix believes that continued staff reduction will prove necessary to achieve a balance between revenue and expenditures.

Because of already large elementary school classes, these cuts will likely affect certified teachers and administration at the middle school and high school level, according to Dr. Hendrix.

“We have to follow the teacher contract right now for reduction in force,” Dr. Hendrix said. “Usually it’s by seniority, but also by certification. We look to see what areas teachers are certified in and whether, through seniority, they can bump somebody in another department or move down a grade level. It’s a

pretty time-consuming and hair pulling event.”

Despite the inevitable staff cuts, Dr. Hendrix hopes to maintain most of the district’s programs and courses. Class sizes will increase at the high school level to 25-35 students per class to accommodate the decreased number of teachers.

Additionally, classes with low enrollment may operate on a rotating schedule and only be offered on alternating years.

The district is also considering allowing students to pursue online learning opportunities for credit and exempting varsity athletes from P.E. classes.

“We’re going to get the same quality of students that we always have. The things that we’re known for (like AP classes and high ability programs) we’re going to keep intact,” Dr. Hendrix said. “I really don’t think that anyone’s going to see a big difference in what we do here. And honestly, I don’t think our teachers will want anything to slip.”

Furthermore, in order to reduce transportation costs, walk zones will be implemented next year, meaning that any student living within a 1-mile radius of the school will no longer receive bus service.

“The cuts have to occur. You can’t be $8 million in the hole and not make cuts,” Mr. David Russell, town resident and former Munster teacher, said.

“Does it hurt? It hurts immensely. It’s hard to watch the school I’ve been a part of for so many years make these changes, but it has to be done.”

Speaking up

Parents provide varying perspectives on district’s financial situation before, after meeting Before the meeting:

“

I’m already in the loop, and I already have a pretty good understanding of the situation because I go to most of the meetings. I’m mainly here to show my support.”

“

-Debby Flahaven, parent of an MHS student

We just want to know exactly what is going on with the finances. The only reason I moved to Munster was the school system. This was where we came to go to school and now it’s going downhill very quickly.”

-Kathy Duff, parent of students in all three levels of the district

After the meeting:

“

I feel very good about the administration and the fact that they’re being transparent. I know there were some complaints, but it’s every person’s responsibility to be informed and know what is going on in their school district.”

“

-Debby Flahaven

Did it answer any questions? Not really. Did it tell us about what is actually going on? Yes. Am I going to learn more before I can give you an honest answer on whether I’m going to put my for sale sign up on the front lawn? Yes, I need more answers.”

-Kathy Duff

photo by Veronica Bilek

PARENT’S POSITION Sitting in the high school auditorium at the financial meeting, Mr. Kevin Cappo, parent of current and graduated MHS students, voices his concerns. “I think (the district) should stop overspending and spend with the amount they get,” Mr. Cappo said. “That’s why we came here: to figure out what they’re going to do with the money.”

2 news

Crier/March 6, 2015

Quick Notes

Speech

Speech prepares for Sectionals tomorrow at LaPorte High School

The Speech team will go to LaPorte High School for the Sectional Competition tomorrow.

“Our number one strength is our collaborative spirit. Our students have engaged in peer coaching since August,” Mr. Jordan Mayer, Director of Speech and Debate, said. “Additionally, our team is comprised of veteran performers. Munster High School’s fine arts programs are top notch, and all of the activities work together to hone championship skills.”

Speech members who are involved in multiple extracurriculars remains to be an issue, according to Mr. Mayer.

“I am quite pleased with our teams progress,” Mr. Mayer said. “Although our members are pulled in many directions, they bring tremendous focus at the peak of our competition.”

SkoolLive Administration plans to implement digital kiosks throughout school By the end of the school year, administration looks to install eight SkoolLive kiosks in the hallways. SkoolLive kiosks, 58-inch touchscreens, will provide information such as announcements, school maps and club events and allow students to set up accounts to buy items such as t-shirts, and dance tickets. The school will also earn profit from companies advertising.

“It is another form of engaging students and getting the announcements out there,” Mr. Morgan Nolan, assistant principal, said. “The school gets revenue from featuring ads on (SkoolLive) because part of the money earned from advertising filters back to the school and into the classrooms so that we can expand and have new things like interactive whiteboards or more art supplies.”

ISSMA Jazz band will attend ISSMA competition tomorrow The Jazz band, comprised of musicians from the concert band, will compete in the ISSMA (Indiana State School of Music Association) competition tomorrow at LaPorte High School.

“We go there to get judged,” Jake Yalowitz, sophomore, said. “It is really only a competition. We do not qualify for State or anything. That happens with the concert bands.”

The band has practiced every Tuesday and Thursday to prepare for the ISSMA competition. There is no state competition for Jazz band, however, they can still win something, according to Jake.

“If we do well, we can earn gold,” Jake said. “We would like to get a gold and play as well as we possibly can.”

Corrections

In issue nine of Crier, P.E. teacher Mr. Mathew Pavlovich’s name was misspelled on page two. Crier regrets this error. Additionally, Crier would like to clarify that the per pupil funding listed in the front page infographic was published by the Indiana Department of Education’s Office of School Finance Dec. 29, 2014.

photo by Natalia Bilek

PUT TO THE TEST During a DECA practice, Kelsie Kasper, junior, takes a practice test. She participates in business law and ethics, which she found to be the most interesting DECA category. Kelsie looks forward to attending her first State competition. “I’m really excited, but I’m also really nervous, because this is my first time doing it,” Kelsie said.

DECA prepares for State DECA hopes for eighth consecutive State championship Vrusha Patel Editor-in-chief

With a seven year winning streak, DECA will go into competition looking to win State, according to Harsh Jhaveri, junior.

“It is important to win State because we need to carry on the legacy of the team,” Harsh said. “We have won DECA State for the past seven years, and we want to capitalize on that and add an eighth year to the Munster DECA legacy.”

The team foresees Carmel as major competition due to their performance at Districts. Carmel placed first in 23 events out of 26 total events while the MHS team placed first in 18 out of the 26 events, according to Elena Piech, senior and DECA president.

“Carmel has definitely gotten more serious this year and last year. Last year we won by 10 points. Before we used to win in the hundred point range,” Elena said. “Carmel stepped up their game, and it doesn’t seem like

we have.”

Although the team succeeds in the Members prepare by taking practice role play category, their weakness retests, studying vocabulary and per- mains in the testing category, accordforming role plays. Mega Dafiaghor, ing to Harsh. junior, focuses on beating other aca“What I see is that Munster has the demically strong schools like Carmel. natural talent to engage in DECA, so “I don’t think they will beat us,” we’ll do well,” Harsh said.

Mega said. “Even though we lost some Due to inclement weather and schedpeople last year, we gain uling conflicts, the district a lot more kids this year Around the world competition was canceled who are very smart.” and not rescheduled. As DECA members Some DECA teams re- participate worldwide a substitute, teams took quire a business class as only the test portion of a prerequisite while MHS the competition to qualify DECA does not; members members of DECA for State. The team genstill spend up to 12 hours erally scores better in the in preparation for State, ac- high school chapters role play category; therecording to Harsh. fore, Harsh foresees the “Personally, I don’t think college chapters team performing well at that (the business class reqState because role plays uisite) is helping because if countries will be included in the source: www.deca.org you look at our team and scoring criteria. the amount of people who “For me, (winning have business classes, we would have state) would be to carry on a legacy,” less than ten percent and right now we Harsh said. “It’s something that has are winning, so really, I don’t think it’s to happen, and if it doesn’t happen, it a big factor,” Harsh said. would suck.”

215,000 3,500

275 9

Mustang Cafe to open; serve beverages, snacks

Teachers, administration working to fund, open cafe for students, bring in revenue Mariah Villaroman Infocus Editor Plans are underway for “Mustang Cafe” which, as the GoFundMe page for Mustang Cafe states, is a “...cafe within Munster High School that will be open before and after school (as well as during lunch and sporting events) that will offer hot and cold beverages, smoothies and snacks.” The anticipated and projected start of Mustang Cafe is by the end of the month.

Mrs. Jennifer Dettlo, Spanish teacher, has been working on the idea of this cafe alongside Mrs. Teresa Needles, West Lake teacher, since the fall, when

Mr. Mike Wells, principal, brought the two together.

“I see kids getting work experience and having a community where kids can talk,” Mr. Wells said. “(Mustang Cafe could lead) to having other businesses operate within the school to help organizations fundraise.”

Mrs. Dettlo stresses that the cafe will act as a positive interaction for all high school students, with the chance for everyone in the school, staff and students, to participate.

“This idea, this cafe, it’s for all the students,” Mrs. Dettlo said. “Cafe culture is a place for all students, (and it) unites everyone together. It has some-

thing for everybody. We just want to bring more people together.”

Mustang Cafe exceeded its $5,000 fundraising goal with a total of $5,480 through its GoFundMe account and other donations. Other ways of funding and general advertising include starting a letter writing campaign or tapping into businesses, according to Mrs. Dettlo.

“My piece (contribution) with GoFundMe has been an incredibly easy thing to do,” Mrs. Dettlo said. “I’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of the community. Plus, I like how there is complete transparency as to where your money goes.”

Crier/March 6, 2015

3 speakout

BACKTALK

What would you be doing if it was 80 degrees outside?

“I would be playing basketball and getting a tan. A nice, brown, tan.”

During the four years of stress-induced panic attacks and painfully awkward moments, the thought of college always lurks in the back of every student’s mind. Look into possible colleges early on to prevent anxiety attacks and unwanted parental involvement.

Luciano Medina, freshman

“Nothing, literally nothing. I’d be sitting in my room doing nothing but playing World of Warcraft.”

Olivia Hesterman, freshman

No time like the present

For many parents and counselors, the never-ending struggle to maximize students’ college potential begins as soon as the students enter their freshman year. The parents and counselors advise, and even OUR TAKE plead, with students to get an earStudents should ly start on college visits and stanutilize all four years dardized test preparation. of high school in For many students, however, order to prepare this struggle takes on a different for college form. To cope with an endless stream of recommendations, these students have developed a process of skimming the regularly distributed informational pamphlets as quickly as possible and throwing them in the garbage even more quickly.

Understandably, students do not want to comply with a seemingly unnecessary barrage of suggestions. But overwhelming or

not, this advice simply cannot be ignored.

According to a May 2010 series of interviews conducted by college mentor Jason Ma, nine out of ten graduating seniors who had been accepted to top universities described the college application process as very stressful and wished they had started college planning earlier.

Although freshman year may be overwhelming, especially when college seems like a foggy image in the distant future, waiting until senior year to begin planning will create an unmanageable amount of work to be completed in very little time.

Ultimately, GPAs and test scores are non-negotiable. College applications will continue to provide blanks for grades and scores, and students need to be prepared to fill these blanks with strong statistics.

Right thing, wrong reasons Mariah Villaroman Infocus Editor

And after a long day of benevolent giving and charitable work, a young girl walks back home, where, in return for her good deeds, she sits waiting for her reward money and prizes to arrive.

If this seems ridiculous and a little far-fetched, it is actually happening in the high school right now with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients fundraiser. Pennies for Patients focuses on donating spare change to help those suffering from Leukemia and Lymphoma.

Donating requires an incentive, apparently, because in my English class, we competed against another class to see who could donate more, with the

bigger donation winning a prize.

The school is not alone in giving rewards for donating. At Griffith, various food rewards are ironically offered for any food drives held. The idea of giving to those in need and in return receiving incentives continues to grow in society, and situations like these have now even acquired a harmful outcome: the overjustification effect.

According to Kendra Cherry, who holds a Bachelor degree in psychology from Idaho State, the overjustification effect states that once people become accustomed to receiving rewards in return for a task, they will lose the intrinsic motivation to perform that task.

Applying the effect to charitable giving, the more we are awarded for donating, the more we expect in return.

crier

And the moment that incentives are no longer offered, our interest to donate decreases.

Donating should solely be an activity in which people give to benefit others less fortunate than themselves; however, when fundraisers-turned-competitions like Pennies for Patients occur, our decision to donate becomes focused on what we will receive, not on what others will receive. If this detrimental pattern continues, we can enter a world where helping and donating only occur if they benefit both the receiver and the giver.

Regardless of incentives offered, all fundraisers are still “for a good cause” in the end. But stop and ask before donating whose cause is it for. Their cause or your cause?

Munster High School

Crier, Munster High School’s official student newspaper, may be reached at 8808 Columbia Ave, Munster, IN 46321, phone 219-836-3200, Ext. 3443; Fax: 219-836-3202. Published by the Honors Newspaper Advanced Writing and Editing classes, and extra-curricular involvement.

•The newspaper serves as a public forum and two-way communication for the school and community.•Crier is a source of information, entertainment, advertising and opinion for the student body, faculty, administration and community •Published material will stress objective reporting except on the editorial page where opinion writing will be featured. All published material will stress accuracy, truthfulness, integrity, honesty, responsibility, objectivity, fairness and independence.

Opinions expressed in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the School Town of Munster, faculty or administration.

Letters to the Editor are welcomed, but should be limited to 250 words. All letters must be signed and should be given directly to any staff member or delivered to the Pub, N155, one week prior to publication. Letters must not contain personal attacks against an individual. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and grammatical errors. Crier will accept letters from anyone, provided that the content pertains to school or school issues.

Mailed subscriptions cost $20 per year. Ad rates and policies are available to anyone upon request. Crier is published 14 times a school year.

The Staff Editor-in-Chief Vrusha Patel Managing Editor William Hatczel Copy Editor Meena Kandallu Opinion Editor Max Baker

“I’d probably go to the beach for sure because it would be so nice out and I would want to enjoy the weather.”

Natalie Kuipers, sophomore

“I would definitely be on a road trip or something right now if it was 80 degrees. I’d skip school.”

“I would be wishing it was cold outside. I don’t mind (the weather). It’s nice seeing the snow outside; it’s pretty.”

Matt Georgas, sophomore

“I would be driving myself to the beach with my windows down and the music playing loud.”

Michaella Lorenz, junior

Khalehla Strong, junior

“I would sit in my living room and watch people outside and enjoy the fact that I have air conditioning.”

“Trying to find air conditioning just like today I was trying to find heating. I am always looking for the opposite. I am never satisfied.”

Zach Long, senior

Mr. Kevin Clyne, English teacher

Sports Editors Erin Gallagher, Jordan Szymanski News Editor Danie Oberman Infocus Editors Mariah Villaroman, Chloe Wineinger Backtalk Reporters Joseph Bermudez, Micala Boyd, Ian Brundige, Mary Ellen Gilhooly, Gavin Hamilton, Emma Trivunovic Web Editor Elena Piech Cartoonist Amer Abasi Head Photographer Natalia Bilek Photographers Veronica Bilek, Rachel Bishop, Lauren Koultourides, Kasey Luehrs, Kyra Marriott, Ray Ojel Adviser Ms. Sarah-Anne Lanman

4 news

Crier/March 6, 2015

Power by knowledge Robotics uses experience gained from first competition to improve robot, team for following competitions Max Baker Opinion Editor The Robotics team traveled to their first competition last Friday. Although they did not place among the top eight, they were chosen to Recycle rush form an alliance, a partnership Robotics’ robot between three teams, with the must complete second place team. tasks to win game While the Robotics team did not place has high as they ex1. Stack boxes, called pected to in their Indianapolis totes, on top of each competition, the experience other (two points each) they gained there was valu2. Place a recycling bin able for future competitions, on top of the totes (four according to Ms. Catherine Mazeikas, science teacher. points) “We learned a heck of a lot,” Ms. Mazeikas said. “Our driv3. Place a pool noodle ers got a lot of practice, which in the recycle bin (six they needed, and we discovpoints) ered some of the downfalls of source: Ms. Catherine Mazeikas, science teacher our robot.”

The team has roughly six weeks to build the robot. They usually decide the general design within the first few days before spending the rest of the time building and practicing.

“We didn’t have that much time to prepare,” Peyton Puckett, senior, said.

“We spent most of our time figuring out the design of the robot. Since we have so many people, it was hard to

find a design that satisfied everyone.”

Peyton believes the team’s dedication throughout the six week building period advanced them farther than previously anticipated by the team due to their hectic practice schedule and varying ideas.

“It’s fairly stressful,” Peyton said.

“How much time we put into our practices determine how well we’ll perform in competition. The smoother our practices are, the smoother our competitions will be.”

Their next competition in Kokomo, Ind., will take place March 12-16.

“It was definitely great to get in the practice in the Indianapolis competition,” Peyton said. “We’re tweaking the robot now, and we’re hoping to improve our skills as we continue to compete.”

One of the main issues the team faced was how easily the robot was damaged during the events. The robot could be easily influenced or damaged by several outside factors such as mechanical malfunctions and other unknown variables that could not foresee, according to Peyton.

“Our practices and competitions have completely different environments,” Peyton said. “In competition there are so many factors we can’t replicate in practice, like human error and other robots.”

photo by Veronica Bilek

MECHANICAL MINDS In preparation for the Robotics competition last week, Laura Weller, freshman, works on the team’s robot in their garage.

Through her participation in Robotics, she has gained technical and social skills such as how to work on a team, use power tools and the steps to wire basic electronics. “(The best part is) getting to build things with my own hands and being part of a group that is centered around the same idea,” Laura said.

Crier/March 6, 2015

5 infocus

Stairway to scholastic success

Students take on more responsibilities as they continue through high school Erin Gallagher Sports Editor

One small step

Freshman year is a difficult transition for some student, nevertheless, it is the beginning of student’s transcripts so they must perform well.

Ninth grade is also a time of self-discovery for students, according to Mrs. Imy Wax, educational consult for Imy Wax and Associates. “(Students) should start to think about being a well rounded person because thats what will lead you to college,” Mrs. Wax said. “Freshmen shouldn’t take a class just because it looks good on a transcript, but because it will help them develop a passion which is what colleges are looking for.”

Freshman year also serves as an opportunity to explore different career paths and discover what interests the student, according to Ms. Sharon Vail, guidance counselor.

“By joining different clubs and getting involved in different things, you find what you like, what you dislike and ultimately, what you’re good at,” Ms. Vail said. “Finding out these different things will make it a little bit easier when picking a field of work.”

Expanding minds When students reach sophomore year, they take the PSAT. This standardized test helps students find out how well they are capable of doing on a standardized test. It also shows them what academic areas they need to work on, according to Ms. Vail.

Students should also continue to explore different areas of interest this

year, but scratch the surface of beginning the college search, according to Mrs. Wax. “Try to find a consistent passion this year and begin to visit colleges, it’s never too early,” Mrs. Wax said. “But when visiting colleges, don’t look at them from an academic standpoint; look at them in terms of size, population and general interest.”

Utilizing the summer also serves as an important part of sophomore year, according to Mrs. Wax. “Use the summer as an opportunity,” Mrs. Wax said. “Try to get an internship, take a course, continue the activities you are passionate about, and start doing community service.”

Forward thinkers

Junior year is known as the most important year in high school because of the major milestones like the ACT and SAT. Rachel Jamrose, senior, believes this statement is true after enduring eleventh grade.

“Junior year is the year where most of the AP (Advanced Placement) class opportunities open up, and one of the biggest things colleges look for is if you have challenged yourself with Honors and AP classes,” Rachel said. “If you maintain a good GPA while taking harder classes, colleges see that as an ultimate goal.”

Mrs. Wax agrees with Rachel that taking harder classes gives students the opportunity to gain an edge.

“Colleges are mainly looking to see rigor of total classes on the transcript,” Mrs. Wax said. “Admissions officers would much rather see a student get a lower grade in a tougher class than get a higher grade in an easy class.”

During eleventh grade, students should also begin to think about the application process for senior year and find teachers that would be willing to

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write letters of recommendation, according to Mrs. Wax. “Those really thinking about college should start to get focused what they want to do with college applications the summer before senior year,” Mrs. Wax said. “That way, once it comes out in August, you will have a head start and not be overwhelmed by the process.”

Final frontier

Senior year is not as strenuous as junior year, but it is much busier because of the preparation for college, according to Ms. Vail.

Once applications are released in August, Ms. Vail recommends getting a head start immediately, that way students will have an advantage in the application process.

“The early bird gets the worm is very true when it comes to applying for college,” Ms. Vail said.

“Applicants have a better chance at getting ac-

cepted to their desired school if they apply earlier.”

Senior students should have fairly rigorous schedules, according to Ms. Vail.

“Even though it is their last year, seniors should still have a solid schedule that would appeal admission officers at colleges,” Ms. Vail said.

Throughout the year, seniors should start to develop good study habits as it will be beneficial when they are first exposed to college.

“Students should develop a schedule of study so you can develop good habits because when they get to college they will have more free time, and if they don’t have a study structure, they could be one of the freshman failures,” Mrs. Wax said.

Mrs. Wax suggests that students continue to work hard throughout the entire senior year as they must submit their final transcripts one they graduate.

“Colleges are very aware of senioritis, and they won’t tolerate it,” Mrs. Wax said. “Seniors should be proud of their final grades because they pushed through it, not because they tolerated the entire year.”

graphic by Amer Abasi

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6 infocus

Crier/March 6, 2015

photo by Kasey Luehrs

JAM SESSION In the middle of an audition, Between Obscurity’s Alex Ramirez, sophomore, sings along while playing his bass part in their audition song.

photo by Natalia Bilek

LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL At band practice, Emily Hammermeister, senior, keeps with the beat. As the drummer, she sets the rhythm of the songs. Emily has not been involved with the band Hot for long, but is thrilled about Battle of the Bands.

“I’m excited to play because all the bands have different sounds and I think it’ll be a lot of fun,” Emily said.

Round of applause 3’s a Crowd Members: Lawrence Gaines, senior; Alex Wisniewski, senior; Erin Todd, senior (attends Lake Central) Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor 3’s a Crowd came together on a whim. This acoustic-based band incorporates soft undertones with strong vocal sounds in order to fulfill a vision of winning this year’s Battle of the Bands.

“We are just a group of guys and a girl who love music and thought it would be fun to do Battle,” Lawrence Gaines, senior, said.

The makeup of 3’s a Crowd might seem unconventional to some, but according to Alex Wisniewski, senior, it only adds to the fun of the experience.

“I love that 3’s a Crowd isn’t a traditional band,” Alex said. “We all mash well together, and we always have a blast while practicing. Being in a band with Erin and Lawrence is a blast.

It may seem weird, but truthfully, we bond well and we jam together, that is all that matters.”

They share a common goal: to prove that the outcome of Battle can be as unpredictable and unique as their band itself presents, according to Alex.

Practice becomes essential for such a goal and for the band to succeed at the competition.

“We want to prove that Battle of the Bands does not have to be won by the same type of bands over and over,” Alex said. “We wanted to mix it up as an acoustic group and show how strong of contenders we are.”

Avocado

Members: Jonathan Lemke, senior; Noah Schlossberger, senior; Ian Frankland, senior; Garrett Zuck, senior; Andrew Rapata, freshman Max Baker Opinion Editor While most of the bands use traditional methods in their music, the band Avocado takes a different approach with their music. They use a method known as improvisation. Each band members improvs their own part during a song.

“When we play, each of us follow the chord progression, but we divert, contributing our own melodies, nuances and subtleties.” Noah Schlossberger, senior, said.

While the band has the basic structure of what song to play, they each play with their own style.

“Noah is the one who usually writes the chord progressions,” Jonathan Lemke, senior, said.

IN TUNE D guitarist, N guitar part

Five bands, multiple each driven by set of

“They usually have a certain feel to them, and we each have a designated solo time where we just play. It’s whatever happens, happens.”

Avocado became the band it is today due to its unique style of rock.

“At first we didn’t have a sense of unity or order,” Noah said. “The longer we played, the closer we grew as musicians and as a band.”

Avocado refuses to adhere to the criticisms of others, according to Jonathan.

“We get together and play what we want,” Jonathan said. “A lot of people told us we could win if we had a singer or did covers, but we don’t want to stray from the goals we set.”

Between Obscurity

Members: Andrew Rapata, freshman; Alex Ramirez, sophomore; John Foster, freshman; Kess Vaitkus, freshman Max Baker Opinion Editor With the influence of both the grunge era and modern punk, Between Obscurity hopes to evoke some of their idols such as Nirvana, Sex Pistols and the Foo Fighters at Battle of the Bands.

“We really weren’t expecting to pass the audition,” Andrew Rapata, junior, said. “When we

did, we were both Despite any min the members of B together and colla other.

“We all love the to flow really well Andrew said. “I pl sicians.”

Soundcheck

Members: Cierra Uri Brandon Gill, junior; An Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor

From watching Jacinto, junior, no first always had a turned into a joke the band’s name, S “I was mad tha we only got in bec the battle,” Jerry sa were ‘Soundcheck funny so then I jus to Soundcheck.”

Many of the so

Crier/March 6, 2015

7 infocus

Talent acts Hum

Hum, a group of Indian male and female students, incorporate Indian dance with Bollywood tunes in their routines.

The group anticipates performing, according to Anisha Vavilala, junior.

“There is not too many places where you can perform Indian dances,” Anisha said. “So it’ll be fun to perform.”

Alex Samuels

photo by Kasey Luehrs

During the band’s audition, Avocado’s Noah Schlossberger, senior, improves his while keeping his eyes on his drummer.

photo by Kasey Luehrs

INSTRUMENTAL INFLUENCES While playing an acoustic set, Alex Wisniewski, senior, looks toward the other members of 3’s a crowd.

photo by Natalia Bilek

MUSICAL EXPRESSION Jamming out on his guitar, Soundcheck’s Jerry Jacinto, junior, focuses on playing his part and staying in sync with his bandmates.

talent acts take the stage next Friday intent on winning Battle of the Bands; f personalized goals, inspirations evoked from experiences

shocked and really excited.” nor creative differences, all of Between Obscurity work well aborate creatively with one an-

e same style of music and seem together when we’re playing,” lay good music with good mu-

ibe, senior; Jerry Jacinto, junior; nnie Phelps, sophomore

previous competitions, Jerry oticed that every band to play a technical mishap. This fear e, which ended up influencing Soundcheck. at we were going first because cause we were ‘Soundcheck’ at aid. “I just kept saying that we k’ and I thought it was kind of st decided to change (the name)

ongs they plan on performing

belong to the alternative rock genre because the band members share an interest in it and think it will appeal to the majority of people.

“Everyone seems to like alternative music, no matter what genre they’re into,” Jerry said. “It’s also really fun to play because there are many different kinds of bands you can cover for it.”

Jerry and some old friends have always wanted to compete in Battle of the Bands. Jerry founded the band a few years ago.

“Last year I just didn’t have a full band, and since it is my junior year, I want to play twice,” Jerry said. “I’m ready enough to start performing because I’ve been wanting to perform for a while now. Now is my chance to start playing

Hot

Members: Elena Piech, senior; Emily Hammermeister, senior; Rachel Bishop, junior; Julia Torres, junior; Annie Phelps, sophomore Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor Hot first started when Julia Torres, junior, who had always wanted to have a band, met Rachel Bishop, junior, a guitar enthusiast.

“I’ve wanted to do Battle since eighth grade, when I found out that the high school does it,”

Julia said. “I kind of expected us to get through because there were only five bands, but it was exciting because it was finally a reality that we were going to be playing in Battle of the Bands.”

Since it was Julia’s dream to compete in Battle of the Bands, she and Rachel began the long process of finding other musicians willing to play with them when call outs were first announced.

Despite practices in sophomore, Annie Phelps’ basement and years of experience, some band members like Emily Hammermeister, senior, still feel a little inexperienced playing in a band, though the band practices together on a weekly basis.

“I was kind of scared because I haven’t been in a band,” Emily said. “I’ve been in the school band, but it’s nothing like this. Even so, I’m still excited to play because we all have different sounds and I think still it’ll be a lot of fun.”

Julia says she is excited to surprise the audience with their skills as females in a mostly male field. They want to prove that females can play just as well as males.

“I get really passionate about it because rock music is a really male-dominated field,” Julia said. “We’re the first all-female band to compete in Battle of the Bands, which I think is really cool because we get to show other people that girls can rock too.”

Alex Samuels, senior, will take the stage by himself this year with his beatboxing talent. He enjoys creative freedom in his routines.

“I was invited to beatbox last year by another group, an all men’s choir,” Alex said. “Last year I wanted to kind of go off script and do my own thing and go off on my own, no offense to the others. Now I can.”

Cierra Uribe For her talent act, Cierra Uribe, senior, will sing the Deftones’ “Change in the House of Lies.” “(The Deftones are) very soulful,” Cierra said. “They mix different sounds together, mostly electronic influences and metal. I connect with a lot of different music, but the Deftones just speak on an emotional level.”

Emmanuel Soto

Emmanuel Soto, senior, brings the streets to the stage with his performance at Battle of the Bands.

“It is going to be a ‘hype’ dance in a sense,” Emmanuel said. “It is going to get the crowd going.”

He grew to love dancing accidentally.

“I started doing routines to improve my footwork and it just went on from there,” Emmanuel said.

Jacob Lyza

Jacob Lyza, junior, has been playing the guitar for two years. He will be playing songs in the eighties rock genre accompanied by the songs in the background.

“I chose to do eighties music because a lot of my favorite guitar players came from bands of that era,” Jacob said. “They inspire me the most.”

8 spotlight

Crier/March 6, 2015

Not another teen movie ‘The DUFF’ book, movie both prove entertaining; contain developed characters, plots to keep attention On the big screen

The author of “The DUFF,” Kody Keplinger, stated in a blog post Sept 12, 2010, that the ideal actress for the Max Baker role of Bianca was Whitman, and her Opinion Editor portrayal of Bianca could not be more perfect. Whitman makes the characFor book purists, “The DUFF” mov- ter cynical, funny and relatable. On ie will disappoint. The movie chang- screen, Whitman uses every word and es several plot points, characters and action to further Bianca’s personality. themes, making “The DUFF” much She makes her character a funny yet different from its book. However, for emotionally fragile girl who will not viewers who do not mind the many back down from a fight.

As Bianca’s partner in crime, changes, this film adaptation will cerAmell’s portrayal of Wes is well done tainly be worthwhile.

Like the book, the plot follows Bi- but not perfect. While Amell is not able to make Wes as slimy as anca Piper (Mae Whithe was in the books, he man) as she discovers Spot the difference her status as the DUFF, “The DUFF”’s main characters does manage to create a memorable character.

Designated Ugly Fat have notable differences Audience members can Friend, in comparison Movie Book tell Amell genuinely ento her very attractive Bianca is more joyed his role and dedbest friends Jess (Sky- Bianca has light-hearted icated himself to it. He ler Samuels) and Casey a cynical, completely immersed (Bianca A. Santos). The mature sense with her feelings himself in the role and movie forges its own of humor was an amazing compath from there.

Wes is a huge Wes acts like pliment to Whitman.

In the book, Bianca womanizer a goofy child, Unlike many teen seeks refuge from her and player not focused on movies, “The DUFF” DUFF status by enterwomen manages to accurateing a physical relationsource: Max Baker ly portray teenagers in ship with Wesley “Wes” a believable way. The Rush. The movie instead has Bianca asking Wes (Robbie dialogue in the movie is not only funAmell) to help give her a makeover ny, but mimics how teenagers actually in order to attract the attention of her speak to one another. The authenticity in this movie is spectacular. It nevcrush, Toby (Nick Eversman).

The change is likely due to the na- er feels like an after school special or ture of the book. While the book is a public service announcement about overly sexual, the movie tones it down accepting yourself. “The DUFF” manjust enough to scrape the border of a ages to tell a real story with relatable characters in a hilarious voice.

PG-13 rating.

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Read cover to cover Kody Keplinger published her debut novel “The DUFF” in 2010.

Keplinger’s relatable characters, deep themes and realistic portrayal of teenagers make this book a worthy read.

The book follows Bianca Piper as she discovers she is considered a DUFF, or a Designated Ugly Fat Friend. This fact strikes a nerve and chips away at her already fragile self-esteem. She lashes out at the person who called her a DUFF, Wesley ‘Wes’ Rush.

Armed with the knowledge of her DUFF status, Bianca attempts to delude herself and enters into a purely physical relationship with Wes. However, they find themselves drawn to-

photo provided by CBS Films

wards one another because of their shared grievances.

As a character, Bianca manages to keep readers’ attention throughout the entire book. Bianca is a cynic, and as she develops, that factor does not dissipate. Bianca refuses to change who she is for anyone.

Wes, when first introduced, comes off as rude, womanizing, arrogant and slimy. His relationship with Bianca brings out a gentler and romantic side of him, and readers see a fair amount of development in his character.

Overall, “The DUFF” manages to combine a unique message, interesting character development and great writing to create a book that nearly every teenager, avid reader or not, will enjoy.

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9 spotlight

Crier/March 6, 2015 ‘Sons of Anarchy’ William Hatczel Managing Editor

photo provided by ABC/Bob D’Amico

Anyone looking for a show that will put them on an emotional roller coaster and keep them wanting more should dedicate their time to the criminal drama show “Sons of Anarchy.”

The show just finished its final season in December, and six of the seven seasons can be found on Netflix. The show depicts the life of Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) and his family’s criminal motorcycle club. The show portrays Jax’s desire to support his club and participate in all of their illegal activities.

While he does not look to kill or risk the lives of his club members, he quickly falls victim to the hate and anger that consumed all of the other club members and led them to more blood and violence.

Jax’s first love, Tara Knowles (Maggie Siff), comes back to town and they start to date again. Jax and Tara start a family; however, Jax’s criminal life threatens his wife and sons. Instead of leaving his club, he gets deeper into the club’s business and becomes even more ruthless.

The show will leave viewers with a mix of emotions at the end of every episode; the plot leaves viewers with a cliffhanger for the upcoming episode.

Many times, the show previews the next episode in a quick, shocking fashion and the credits roll immediately after.

“Sons of Anarchy” has its gory, gruesome moments, but the scenes that depict the sense of brotherhood that club members display toward each other is truly inspirational.

Action packed motorcycle chases, shoot-outs and brawls will provide viewers with the action they want to see. Anyone who begins to watch this show will not stop until they see the epic conclusion at end of season seven.

‘How I Met Your Mother’ Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor

photo illustration by Veronica Bilek

photo illustration by Veronica Bilek

Just one more episode With Spring Break nearing, certain television series offer binge watching opportunities for viewers ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Jordan Szymanski Sports Editor Currently airing its eleventh and final season, “Grey’s Anatomy” has been a television obsession since the early 2000s. Netflix makes ten seasons of this doctor drama available for a series splurge.

The storyline centers around a young, ambitious group of medical interns that includes the story’s narrator, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). The group serves their internships at Seattle Grace, a prestigious hospital on the West Coast in Washington.

The drama unfolds as the interns take lessons in medicine and in love from their mentors, the hospital’s older doctors. The central romance between attending Neurosurgeon, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), and intern Meredith is a whirlwind relationship that sweeps viewers up and takes them

along for the ride. Other forbidden loves arise, as the brilliant yet emotionless intern Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) thaws her icy heart for Cardiothoracic surgeon Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington). The two power couples are joined by a series of romances between other surgeons throughout the eleven seasons.

However, the doctors are in love with something much more tangible: surgery. The cutthroat competition the doctors undergo is almost as intriguing as the romance.

Each episode focuses around a select group of patients the doctors do their best to save; watching the patients experience tragedy and the doctors perform near-miracles evokes a spectrum of emotions in viewers. Viewers mourn with the patients and rejoice with the doctors. Every horrific accident or terminally ill patient that bursts through the ER doors leaves viewers hanging onto to their chairs as the Seattle Grace doctors decide where their passions lie, in their hearts or in their scalpels.

“How I Met Your Mother” is legendary. Netflix delivers this hit comedy featuring Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) and his close friends living in New York City. The cast takes us on their passage through early adulthood, showing viewers the inevitable bittersweet realities of becoming adults.

The series is told by future Ted, a hopeless romantic who recants his story of love and life to his children, thus giving the tale of how he met their mother. Across the hall, Ted’s college roommate and best friend, Marshall Ericksen (Jason Segel), is still head over heels for his college sweetheart, Lilly Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan).

Ted has a front row seat to Marshall and Lily’s romance because the couple shares an apartment with him. The three of them have a unique relationship with a quirky feel, and viewers automatically fall in love with the them as they fall in (and sometimes out) of love with each other.

Ted has his fair share of relationships, including the most prominent with Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). Although their relationship does not last, her presence in the show does.

The final addition to this gang of misfits is the boisterous Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris). Barney’s antics are what make this series such an addiction.

Barney is an authentic womanizer who enhances his “game” by using elaborate schemes and pick-up lines to charm women.

As viewers enjoy the characters’ initial personalities, they also witness characters change as the series runs its course. The gang experiences death, birth, love and heartbreak, and together, Ted, Barney, Robin, Lily and Marshall prove that sometimes the best stories are told about the journey, not the destination.

For more content check out MHScrier.com

10 sports

Crier/March 6, 2015

Getting a feel for Track and Field Track and Field members describe their events, preparation for season Danie Oberman News Editor

Mariah Villaroman Infocus Editor

Sprint Zola Carter, junior, explains that sprinting involves running a short distance at the highest possible speed.

“A sprinter should have good endurance and must be able to run very fast at a short distance,” Carter said.

For many Track and Field events sprinting is the foundation, according to Carter.

“I think that there should be a good amount of time (done) with training to be a sprinter because it is not an easy thing to do. I know that you have to put some effort and work into this sport or any sport,” Carter said.

Distance For distance events, the focus is trying to have the most endurance while running, according to Theo Burgwald, junior. "(Running distance) is not so much (trying) to be the best at the meet. It’s more trying to beat your own time,” Burgwald said.

Burgwald believes that distance runners need to stay in shape, running up to 60 or 70 miles a week in the winter and keeping steady training.

“Coaches work towards mental (and physical) strength, but it’s on your part too, you have to put work into it,” Burgwald said.

High Jump With only four people in the event, high jump stands as one of the less popular events according to Zack Simic, junior.

In high jump, competitors start running towards the bar and must jump over it with their backs facing the bar.

“I would say it is kind of difficult.

There’s lots of small things you have to learn to do to be good,” Simic said.

“Getting the basic jump down is simple, but once you do that, there are many things you need to tweak.”

Shot Put and Discus Shot put and discus both center around throwing a projectile the farthest. To increase the throwing distance, the competitor spins around in a circle to gain momentum.

“The faster you move, the faster (the projectile) moves,” Abbey Kapitan, senior, said.

Competitors should have strong arms, legs and core, as well as good balance, according to Kapitan.

“It’s a really weird movement that you’ve never done before and won’t really understand (the first time),” Kapitan said. “It’s a really unique sport that doesn’t parallel anything else.”

Long Jump In long jump, athletes sprint down a runway and then jump as far over a sand pit as possible, according to Toni DalleCarbonare, senior.

“A big part of long jump is speed and having the strength to jump, timing wise,” DalleCarbonare said.

Athletes can find a balance of easiness and difficulty in long jump, according to DalleCarbonare. “(Long jump) is tough, but it is one of the easier field events in technique,” DalleCarbonare said. “It’s tougher mentally, like getting the footwork down, but once you do, it gets easier.”

Hurdles Besides hurdling, competitors must be good sprinters to complete the distance before their competitors.

“It requires more technique, really, like knowing when to jump and

photo illustration by Veronica Bilek

RAISING THE BAR At track practice, Hannah Zaremba, sophomore, practices pole vaulting, which proves to be difficult at times. "I would have to say that the hardest part about pole vaulting is having to focus on so much all at once. It’s a lot more difficult than I anticipated," Zaremba said.

knowing your steps between hurdles,” Olivera Todorovic said.

Hurdlers must stretch outside of regular practice. They also must be trained as sprinters to ensure maximum speed, according to Todorovic.

“To be a hurdler, you have to be a sprinter, and you really need to know how to hurdle over them; it’s not a jump,” Todorovic said.

Hurdling involves the lead leg going over first, and the trailing leg following after.

“It requires more technique, really, like knowing when to jump and knowing your steps between hurdles,” Olivera Todorovic said.

Pole Vault A pole vaulter holds onto a pole and runs toward a bar placed at six-inch intervals. They plant the pole into a pit and use the momentum to launch themselves into the air.

"My favorite part of pole vaulting is ‘flying’ in the air,” said Haley Collison, junior. “Its really exhilarating.”

A pole vaulter needs strong biceps, triceps, shoulders, and back; flexibility also provides an advantage. But the skills go beyond physical ones, according to Collison.

“Pole vault is a physical sport but also a mental sport,” Collison said.

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Crier/March 6, 2015

Go, fight,

Season Recaps Girls’ Swimming

WIN

Team ranks 11th at state, winning by 15 points; excel at Sectionals

Cheer team to compete at Hobart invitational Erin Gallagher Sports Editor Cheerleading will travel to Hobart High School for the second annual Brickie Cheer and Dance Invitational March 8.

Unlike their other competitions, the Brickie Invitational is not a part of the regular season, and only stunt teams may compete, according to Coach Kristen Szafasz, social studies teacher. “(The competition) consists of one minutes rounds,” Coach Szafasz said.

“The unique thing is that the girls are consistently stunting the whole time.”

Aside from regular practices for cheering at basketball games, the girls are also adding stunt practices into their weekly schedule, according to Coach Szafasz.

“We practice the routines over and over again until they are perfect,” Coach Szafasz said. “The difficult part is not dropping a stunt because if it falls, the routine will be late.”

Mary Pugh, junior, believes that the key to success in stunting is trust be-

photo by Natalia Bilek

CHEER ON At an Andrean basketball game Feb. 20, Hannah Zaremba, sophomore, Tessa Bales, junior, and Mary Pugh, junior, chant for the crowd. “The most difficult thing about cheering at basketball games is remembering to stay focused on the game,” Bales said.

tween the teammates.

“The most significant part of stunting competitions is the amount of trust you have with your flyer and base,” Pugh said.

In order to gain trust and perfect the stunt, the girls continuously work hard at practice, according to Pugh.

“We work on staying tight while in the stunt and we also work on strength to keep whoever is flying in the stunt up,” Pugh said.

For Tessa Bales, sophomore, stunt competitions prove to be more fun for her and less stressful compared to season competitions.

“There’s less pressure because we’re not trying to make it to State or anything, and the routines are easier and more fun,” Bales said. “The routines are shorter and you just have to do stunts, no cheering or dancing.”

The difficulty level is extremely high, but the girls should succeed if they execute their routines cleanly, according to Coach Szafasz.

“In the past, we’ve always gotten top three,” Coach Szafasz said. “It all depends on the difficulty of our routine and the difficulty of other schools’ routines, but if we perform at our best level we should get first or second.”

Beckman wins state by a hair Senior places first in 100 backstroke at boy’s swimming state, makes improvement from preliminary performance Chloe Wineinger Infocus Editor

Wilson Beckman, senior, placed first in the 100 yard backstroke at the Feb. 27 IHSAA boys’ swimming state competition.

“I went into finals competing in every race as hard as I could because I knew they were going to be my last races, and I also wanted to help maximize the team points,” Beckman said.

One factor Beckman took into account was competing alongside long-

11 sports

time rival Joe Young from Hamilton Southeastern, whom he beat by a slim .04 seconds.

“Joe and I have a good relationship,” Wilson said. “It’s always fun racing him because it is close every time.”

Compared to his final times, Wilson placed an underwhelming third in the preliminary race. Beckman attributes his initial preliminary performance to lack of mental preparation.

“I was mentally hurt, but I was able to turn it around in a big way,” Beckman said. “Plus, I knew that I was go-

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ing to go faster from shaving and getting a new suit for finals.”

Wilson also competed in the 100 butterfly at preliminaries and went on to the consolation final, which he swam in 49.35 seconds.

The boys team earned 112 points at state, placing eighth overall. The team placed fifth in both the 200 medley and the 400 free.

“We just have a lot of talent put to use this year,” Beckman said. “We weren’t able to utilize it as much last year because more boys weren’t able to final last year. This year we’re able to work harder and have more depth, which has helped us on the relays as well.”

Girls’ Swimming ended their season ranked eleventh in the state. The state meet was a success according to Coach Mathew Pavlovich, P.E. teacher. “(Placing at State) was not bad for us,” Coach Pavlovich said.

The team exceeded expectations at Sectionals, the highlight of their season, according to Coach Pavlovich. They were favored to come in second at the meet, and ended up winning by 15 points.

“We were happy; it was a nice way to end the season as a team,” Coach Pavlovich said.

Wrestling

Wrestlers have successful season; advance to Semi-state, State

After battling with injuries all season, the wrestling team accomplished a successful season, according to Coach Dan Gelarden, WWMS teacher. The team went into post-season with Jason Crary, sophomore, Cody Crary, freshman, and Ryan Glasen, senior, advancing to Semi-state. Jason Crary advanced to State and will compete Feb. 28.

“Jason has been wrestling and training his whole life,” Coach Gelarden said. “Every tough match that he wins along the way, he has earned through hours of practice.

We are very proud of his accomplishments.”

Girls’ Basketball Girls’ basketball ends season at East Chicago Central sectional game

The girls basketball team ended their season with a record of 11-12, when they lost 54-38 against East Chicago Central High School in their first Sectional game Feb. 11, The highlight game of the season was a 59-52 victory over the Portage Indians Feb. 3. Coach Davidson, PLTW teacher, attributes the success of the season to progressive improvement, team chemistry and varsity experience.

“I had really high expectations for the girls, but they made strides towards them,” Coach Davidson said.

12 sports

Crier/March 6, 2015

EYE ON THE BALL In an attempt to break the defense, Kevin Schlotman (3), senior, dribbles around Lake Central player, Austin Atkins (24), attempting to score off of a layup.

TO THE HOOP On his way to the basket, Connor Manous (5), junior, drives to the basket for a layup while dribbling around an Lake Central opponent, Skyler Smith (14).

IN THE PAINT While attempting to score, Adam Ostoich (11), senior, struggles to get a shot off as Lake Central players Austin Atkins (24) and Ian Martin (33) block him. Ostoich attributes the team’s success to their improvement in defense.

“We played very well on defense, not allowing (Lake Central to get any easy shots,” Ostoich said. photos by Natalia Bilek, Ray Ojel and Lauren Koultourides

Starting off on the right foot Boys basketball begins Sectionals with victory over rival Lake Central, prepares for Gary West Side game tonight William Hatczel Managing Editor Going into the opening round of Sectionals Tuesday night, the Boys’ Basketball team’s confidence level was high as they prepared to face a rival in Lake Central.

“We were happy on the draw,” Forward Adam Ostoich, senior, said. “We did beat them once. We knew we could beat them again.”

The team jumped out to an early lead going up 11-3 halfway through the first quarter. The Mustangs kept sinking shots and played hard defense.

Coach Michael Hackett, health teacher, believes the team followed their game plan well.

“We came in with the mentality to do whatever it took to win the ball game,” Coach Hackett said. “We did all the right things to win that ball game.”

The team extended their lead 24-7 by the end of the first quarter. Ostoich credits their ball movement which led to made shots.

“We really just moved the ball

around well,” Ostoich said. “No one had sticky fingers. Everyone made shots, which led to our big lead.”

Shooting guard Drew Hackett, senior, believes the team’s focus on defense was key to their success Tuesday night.

“On the defensive end, all five of us were locked in,” Hackett said. “This was probably the best defense we played all year.”

Lake Central was led by Guard Joe Bannister, senior, who scored 21 points on the night. Despites Bannister’s offensive production, Ostoich and the rest of the team were able to put enough pressure on Lake Central to limit their shot selections.

“We faced a few good shooters, which we guarded the whole game,” Ostoich said. “We somewhat contained Joe Bannister.”

Ostoich and Nic Mandic, senior, fought hard to grab rebounds on missed shots. Free throws can win or lose a game, according to Hackett, who led the Mustangs with 20 points.

“Free throws are key to your game,”

Hackett said. “Plenty of games against LC have come down to two or three points, and later you might look back and be like ‘oh man I should have made that.’”

Lake Central started to make a run in the last few minutes of the second quarter. Their comeback was cut short when Hackett pulled off last second three-point-shot as time expired.

“They scored four or five points in a row,” Coach Hackett said. “Drew’s three-point-shot stole their momentum. His shot had two effects: it took the wind out of their sail and it really fired up our guys.”

The team found the same success in the second half. They continued to hit shots and play shut-down defense.

Hackett believes their defense was key to keeping a large lead in the second half.

“We defended like we did in the first half,” Hackett said. “We stayed down in our stances. We played defense in the first and second half, which got us the win.”

The team just needed to play smart

basketball in order to maintain their lead and win the game, according to Coach Hackett.

“We just had to play smart,” Coach Hackett said. “We had to avoid things like bad shots, turnovers, and play good defense. When you have a lead like that, you have to do all the right things.”

Tuesday’s game might have been the largest student section turnout this season, according to Dean Svolos, senior.

“Considering the low turnout for the majority of the season, it was good on Tuesday,” Svolos said. “Obviously they are the ones doing the work on the court, but we want to give them extra motivation to keep going.”

Coach Hackett knows the team must move on from Tuesday’s win as they prepare to face a tough opponent, Gary West Side, tonight at 5:30 p.m.

“Gary West is always is one of the most dangerous teams we play. On a given night they can beat anyone,” Coach Hackett said.

Although they face a formidable foe tonight, Hackett believes the team will play well if they continue what they started against Lake Central.

“It is still the same type of game,” Hackett said. “We just need to execute on offense and play the same defense.”