December 2014

Play Changing technology Communication of today has altered due to the increase of new technology. Page 14. ‘A Christmas Carol’ Maize and Maize South students join forces for a holiday production.

Page 12.

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Table of contents read.watch.play.

Volume 8, Issue 3 | December 2014

Play newsmagazine editor Hannah Henricks Maizenews.com editor Cheyenne Esser Visuals editor Brooke Johanson News editor Nick Mathias Features & lifestyles editor Katie McLachlan Sports editor Justin Noble Advertisements manager Maite Menendez Engagement/assistant news editor Kendra Cunningham Assistant sports editor Delanie Pierce Assistant visuals editor Becca Zinabu Assistant advertisement manager Si Luc Mikaela Stevenson Reporters & photographers Emily Brecht Shelby Carpenter Senior Cortlin Standifer goes for a layup during the first home Jess Ellis basketball game Dec. 5. Maize defeated Valley Center 70-62.

Savie Hughes Girls won 63-22. COVER: Photo by Brooke Johanson.

Katie Inman Ryan Kuhl Tori Lemon News Lifestyle Si Luc Maize district endures bus Members of the up-and-coming Antonio Melchor driver shortage and athletes music group Nap $quad share Lauren Paul experience bus breakdown to their dreams and future goals Bethany Rich regionals. for music.

Adviser Dan Loving

Basketball back in action

4

10

14 18

8

Lifestyle

11

Opinion

Now Playing

16

Column

Early completers prepare for their departure from Maize and talk about reasons for leaving early.

From emails to texting, technology impacts people of today and the way we communicate.

Sports

Coach Chris Grill makes his coaching comeback to boys basketball.

20

Janitors spend endless amount of time keeping Maize running and don’t receive recognition they deserve.

Play staff member Becca Zinabu explains her love for different foods.

Sports

Cheerleaders, Flygirls and the mascot spend much time in practice, making sure the pep doesn’t fade.

Play is the official newsmagazine for and

by Maize High School students. Play is published six times throughout the year. Play is a student publication and a forum for public opinion. Letters to the editor should be signed and around 300 words. The editorials and columns are the sole opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USD 266 Board of Education, the administration, the faculty or the adviser.

Raise your voice Submit a letter to the editor for the February issue to room D18 or mhsnewsmag@gmail.com Printed by City Print.

© Copyright 2014 Play newsmagazine

maizenews.com | DecemberPlay

4

News

Along with a multitude of buses breaking down, the district is also in dire need of bus drivers.

Savie Hughes

District encounters bus driver shortage

By Savie Hughes

S

tranded. we didn’t have the chance to do that,” general, especially if the event is during The cross country team’s bus had senior cross country runner Max Berg transportation hours. given its last push until it could said. “When I was running in the race, “Regular school bus routes always no longer continue. The runners were I actually had no idea where I was going come first for our transportation stranded and still about an hour away at all, so that was interesting.” department, regarding both buses and from their meet.

In addition to buses breaking down, drivers,” Buselt said.

Worried about his runners, coach there has been an ongoing issue within Buselt said, The transportation Skeeter Rankins called the school’s the district concerning the lack of bus department is doing its best to hire athletic director, Marc Haught, trying drivers. more drivers. They have announced the to get a new openings on bus. Haught the was unable to district send a bus. So, website, Rankins called newsletter Manhattan’s cross and social country coach, media. The -Lori Buslet, communications director Susan Melgares, transportation who managed to department get a bus to the awaiting cross country “The main issue the district is facing even parked a bus with a help-wanted team. this year is that people are leaving for sign at the Maize South campus “Buses breaking down has probably full-time jobs,” Lori Buselt, entrance on Maize Road for a few happened once a year for us [cross communications director, said. “All of weeks. country team],” Rankins said. “That’s our regular school bus routes are filled Buselt does reassure that they are frustrating.” right now, but we could use one more getting bus drivers, just not as many as The cross country team arrived late, activity bus driver to transport students the district needs. but the race was postponed to organized activities.”

“I don’t think that anybody is trying approximately 20 to 30 minutes so the With the shortage of bus drivers, it to not provide that (buses),” Rankins team could still participate. becomes difficult for the district to said. “I think that it’s been a big “We usually walk the course, and provide pep buses, or just buses in challenge to provide.”n

“

Regular school bus routes always comes first for our transportation department, regarding both buses and drivers,

”

Kyle Hermes, one of the district’s mechanics, works on repairing bus 48 at the bus barn.

DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Play newsmagazine maizenews.com

Visit Play for the latest updates on sports, news and other activities going on around Maize

6

News

Show choir takes ‘Flight’

By Katie Inman

F

light is Wichita’s first competition show choir. Starting with auditions in May and rehearsals in August, this never-before-seen group is working hard for its first competition.

Director Kristina Sims is a fifth-grade teacher at Maize Central Elementary and is a Maize High graduate. She trained under Maize High choir director Doris Prater and has helped with choreography for the choir since she was 15.

Sims worked with Butler Community College show choir camp and Butler's vocal director Valerie Mack for several years. Mack helped motivate Sims to start a competition show choir for Wichita.

Flight is made up of 39 students from about 13 schools around the Wichita area and schools two hours away. There are 13 students from Maize in the choir.

“It’s a fun experience because it’s the first competitive show choir ever,” choir and Flight member Christian Laursen, junior, said. “Since it’s city-wide, we get to meet a lot of new people from different schools.”

The students come to Maize every Sunday, and on occasions during the

week, for rehearsals.

“It takes a lot of dedication, but it’s really fun,” Laursen said.

Sims takes any opportunity she can to bring in assistance from outside sources as well.

“The show choir world is so connected,” Sims said.

A Los Angeles choreographer, Erik Hall, came to Wichita to work with the students in early November. In early January, choreographers from Los Angeles and Chicago will be coming to help as well.

For many students, this is the chance they have been looking for in the show choir community.

“It sounded fun because it’s a great opportunity,” choir and Flight member Sawyer Barragan, junior, said. “Being able to compete in choir is something that isn’t very popular around here.”

It is an opportunity for college applications, experience portfolios and getting into the world of show choir.

“If someone is interested in being in Headliners or something like a show choir after high school, this is the best experience that you can get in Kansas,”

choir and Flight member Nicole Walker, senior, said.

The choir will start competing early next year. They will travel for all of the competitions. The first competition is in January in Columbia, Mo., The second will be on Feb. 14 in Omaha. The last competition of the season will be on March 7 in Jefferson City, Iowa.

“It is the greatest group of kids,” Sims said. “They get along so well; we have so much fun together. I can’t wait for us to go [travel]; it’s going to be a lot of bonding time and a lot of getting to know each other.”

Sims has high hopes for the show choir and continues looking forward to the future. She enjoys watching her students grow and improve.

“Their confidence just grows every time I see them, and they’ve made these huge strides already, so I can’t wait to present them to the world,” Sims said.

Flight’s first performance will be on Jan. 11 in Maize’s auditorium.

“It’s probably the coolest, scariest thing I’ve ever done, [and] it’s going really well. The kids are amazing,” Sims said.n

Katie Inman

Junior Christian Laursen and seniors Crosbie Moody, Nicole Walker and Grace Perry have been rehearsing their choreography for the upcoming shows. The first show is Jan. 11 in the auditorium.

DecemberPlay | maizenews.com

KAY Club World Market fundraiser postponed for Spring

The World Market was postponed until the Spring due to a lack of registration for booths.

People who participate in the World Market can sell a variety of products for profit, of which they decide how much is donated to help build the stoves.

Donations are not a requirement but are encouraged.

“By building a stove, we help them out and there are less deaths and injuries,” KAY Club president senior Mariah Rey said.

Paying for these stoves helps the Guatemalan community by providing local employment to build the stoves and using local resources.

KAY Club is trying to raise awareness for the stoves while creating a fun experience for staff and students.

“Not only would you be supporting a great cause, but this is also a great opportunity to promote your own club or organization. We hope that you are able to participate in our upcoming event,” KAY Club representative Suzanne McKaig said.n -Lauren Paul

Boys swim team wins first meet

The boys swim team dominated its first meet of the season, winning by 178 points.

The team won nearly all the events.

“We did awesome,” junior swimmer Noah Farney said. “We did really well Saturday.”

First-place finishers were senior Chris Clemons and juniors Preston Barley and Harrison Shively. The team won all of the relay races.

Many underclassmen contributed to the dominant performance. Freshman Christian Taylor had two second-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. Sophomore Ryan Kuhl also had two second-place finishes in the 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Sophomore Kyle Stutzman had two top-five finishes in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle.

Freshman Ryce Olson also had two topfive finishes in the 100 breaststroke and 200 freestyle.

The next swim meet for the team will be Jan. 8 at Salina South.n -Justin Noble

8

Lifestyles

Making dreams a reality:

Nap$quad

By Tori Lemon

E

veryone has dreams from when they were younger.

Some are short-lived and others become lifelong goals.

Seniors Ramsey Jamaleddine, Stylan Roberts and Alec Fields have made it their mission to continue on dreaming and are working on making it reality.

The three seniors recently decided to merge their talents and love for music together to create their group, called Nap $quad.

Jamaleddine has been interested in a rapping career since he was little. Rapping is easy for him.

“When I was little I could talk super fast,” he said.

“Everyone would always tell me ‘Calm down. Stop talking so fast. We can’t understand you.’ I noticed that I could rap along to all of the songs that my favorite rappers made, and it just escalated from there.”

Fields has always had interests in music, as well. However, his dreams involve the behind the scenes part of making music. He wants to be a producer, even though it has been a trial-and-error experience.

“It took me a really long time of just playing around with the program and finding out how to make certain sounds and to actually make music,” Fields said. “I don’t really know

much about music theory. Everything I do is pretty much self taught. I’m still not as good as I want to be, but I can make music that is original.”

As for Roberts, writing lyrics has been an interest for him since he was in middle school.

“I’ve been writing since sixth grade and thought rap was pretty cool in eighth grade,” he said. “I’ve just continued doing it ever since then.”

Fields said Jamaleddine and he started putting music together in January.

“As soon as I found out Ramsey was interested in a music career like I was, it kind of gave me a reason to continue producing,” Fields said.

The trio has been friends for a while. Roberts and Fields played basketball together in elementary school. Jamaleddine and Roberts met in kindergarten. They all didn’t become very close until earlier this year.

“Stylan hated me in kindergarten,” Jamaleddine said. “We actually fought one time. Well it wasn’t really a fight, more just a yelling match.”.

Roberts decided to join the group about a month later.

“I remember that Ramsey was listening to a song in class,

Tori Lemon

From left to right, seniors Ramsey Jamaleddine, Alec Fields and Stylan Roberts have formed a rap group named Nap $quad. The three have recently come together with their talents to follow their dreams.

DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Lifestyles 9

Brooke Johanson

Tori Lemon

Seniors Alec Fields, Stylan Roberts, and Ramsey Jamaleddine work vigorously on a mixtape in order to make their rap group known.

and I came up to talk to him. We started talking about rap music,” Roberts said. “I asked him if he had ever written anything and he said yes. I was excited because I’ve been writing too. He told me to write out a verse, and when he read it, he said ‘Alec and I are doing something. I think you need to be a part of it.’”

That same verse is what started their track titled “AM/PM,” which they performed at Battle of the Bands this year.

“I love performing, and I love doing it in front of everyone at the school,” Jamaleddine said. “I like when it’s loud; it helps keep us going. The more hype the atmosphere is, the better we perform.”

The recording process isn’t as simple as some might think. They record at least twice a week. Fields gets all of the beats prepared, while Jamaleddine or Roberts raps into the microphone while it records.

“When we record, we usually just sit in silence for a couple of hours,” Roberts said. “It’s not as crazy as most people think.

We’ll try to record it, but it takes me 50 tries sometimes. It just has to be perfect.”

The trio is currently putting together a mixtape with six songs on it. After the release, they plan on doing more live performances in order to become more known to the public. They have hopes that small gigs will turn into big concerts in the future.

“After we release the mixtape, we plan on booking more gigs so we can perform live at local places,” Jamaleddine said.

Nap $quad is only the gateway to their future careers. Whether they decided to stay or go separate ways, they have big plans for the years ahead.

“I want to keep doing this for as long as I live,” Roberts said. “We’re going to get famous, and we’re going to do great things.”n

“I want to keep doing this for as long as I live. We’re going to get famous, and we’re going to do great things” -Stylan Roberts

DecemberPlay | maizenews.com

10 Lifestyles

SENIORS Beginning The of the

Rest of Their Lives

Seniors share thoughts about completing school early in December and Junior completing in 2015

By Lauren Paul

S

ome seniors can’t wait to go to college, others wish to travel and visit family, work or take a year off and relax.

“I decided to graduate early so I can travel, work and save up some money for later on,” senior Laura Vergara said. “I want to take a class at Eric Fisher, then go to the Peace Corp, then college.”

Select seniors decide they would like to complete high school early, after the first semester. This year, 29 students will complete their final classes in December.

These students are generally called early graduates but the correct term is early completers; since they do not graduate until they walk across the stage with the rest of their class in the spring. Most seniors could actually finish classes in December. If they don’t fail any classes, they should have the 28 credits needed to graduate by the end of the first semester. So why don’t more people?

“I like high school,” senior Morgan Pfeifer said. “ I won’t be doing anything to keep me here, but I am staying be-

DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

cause I enjoy it.”

Of course, that is not the opinion of all seniors.

“A lot of students don’t understand, but when they leave and they’re not here every day with their friends, life does change,” counselor Lyn Brown said. “It becomes different.”

They will no longer see their friends every day like they are used to, which can have an impact on some people.

“I’ll miss seeing my friends, but I will be back for graduation, prom and my friends and I will hang out,” early completer Breana Hutchinson said.

Other students may be involved in extracurricular activities, which require them to stay.

These students who choose to stay can have an abbreviated schedule, meaning they don’t have classes during certain blocks. Many students decide on this schedule over completing early.

Not only seniors are completing early, junior Liz Henry will be finished with

high school after this year. Graduating after junior year is rare.

“I just really want to get on with my life as soon as possible and move out of the house,” Henry said.

Just like many seniors, she plans on going to college next year. She took online classes to get the last four credits needed to complete high school for a typical senior year.

“It is not as easy as it seems,” Brown said. “That’s pretty intense. I’ve had a lot of students try that and say ‘Oh my gosh, I never realized it was this hard.

I’ve got this whole schedule, I’ve got sports, I have to do this online class.’

It is just really hard.”

Henry is now considered, by record, a senior. Therefore, she is in the senior picture and can be involved in senior events. She will graduate with the rest of the senior class in the spring.

As for the seniors completing in December, there will be a farewell on Dec. 16 during En-Cor. Principal Chris Botts will recognize all students leaving. These students’ last day will be December 19.n

Opinion 11

Behind the scenes

By Ryan Kuhl for the Play Editorial Board

The custodians of Maize deserve the spotlight

T

he custodians of Maize work long and hard every day, all year, to ensure that students can go to school in a clean and up-kept environment. Students see them at lunch and around the school doing the jobs that keep our school up and running smoothly.

Frank Simon has been a custodian at Maize for eight years. Before that, he worked at Pray-Woodman Elementary for 12 years.

He says he feels appreciated working in the school and he enjoys being around the students.

“I would have to say [I enjoy] the kids the most,” Simon said.

But while the students and custodians enjoy interacting, students might not realize the time and effort that Simon and the other custodians put in to keep Maize in the shape it is.

Long hours before, during and after school is in session, are hard at work.

Unfortunately their efforts can go unnoticed, especially by students.

Greg Burkhart, in his fourth year at Maize and the new head custodian, says there is no break for them.

“We come in all year round, 52 weeks a year,” he said.

During the school year, there is a service that comes regularly to clean classrooms but come summer, it is the custodians’ job to clean every classroom and test every locker in the school.

“We have all of the lockers that we empty out, clean and test the locks. We also have all the classrooms from the ceiling to floor and wall to wall that we clean, dust, change lights and whatever else has to be done,” Burkhart said.

It is clear that some students love the custodians, but how much is really known about them? Not as much as you might think. For example, Simon enjoys poetry and liked holding poetry competitions at Pray-Woodman with

the students there.

“This past weekend we were cleaning up around the house, and I found a bunch of poems that I used to read to fifth graders” Simon said.

Madysn Mitchell, senior, said she thinks students need to take time to personally get to know the people that keep Maize in one piece.

“I think we need to take the time to sit down and talk to them because a lot of them are just really respectable people with awesome talents,” Mitchell said.

So the next time you see the custodians in the hallway or lunchroom, take a moment to express your appreciation for all they do. You may think that talking to someone you don’t know is awkward but they will truly appreciate getting a “thank you.” After all, they are the ones that are working on and behind the scenes to ensure that our school is running at it’s prime.n

Greg Burkhart (left) and Frank Simon (right) are always busy with jobs from every end of the spectrum. Simon cleans up the commons after lunch. Photos by Ryan Kuhl.

DecemberPlay | maizenews.com

12 Photo Focus

1.

1. Senior Grant Risinger performs as the ghost of Jacob Marley in a scene with senior Nick Wynn portraying Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol.”

2. Ruven Funschelle gets dressed for his role as Tiny Tim before the show. Funschelle is a first grader and attends Maize Central Elementary.

3. Senior Jj King and junior Courtney Panzer dance as guests of Mr. Fezziwig’s annual Christmas party.

4. Junior Caden Middlebrooks sings “My Two Feet” as Mr. Fezziwig.

5. Junior Sydney Finney portrays the role of Ghost of Christmas Past.

6. Freshman Toby Bartlett dances with Maize South freshman Ellie Wiss during Mr. Fezziwig’s Christmas party.

7. Senior Matthew Prater performs his solo “Thank heaven for Christmas” as Fred, Scrooge’s nephew.

Prater also narrated the entire play.

8. Seniors Ashlee Klein and Bailey Brown curtsy alongside Maize South freshman Emilie Potter.

9. Townsfolk, played by Maize and Maize South students, applaud during the second act of the play.

10. Senior Ashlyn Steuber with Maize South’s Josh Page and Adalynn Colton sing a tune as Fred’s relatives.

11. Junior Erin Oelze takes Scrooge on a journey as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

12. Senior Ashlee Klein as Mrs. Fezziwig and Middlebrooks sing along with their party guests.

13. Freshman Austyn Ritchie, senior Madi Sites and Maize South’s Ryan Keith, who play the Cratchet children, sit with their family.

14. Juniors Christian Laursen and Sally Olmstead share an emotional duet as young Scrooge and Belle.

15. Sophomore Rooslana Rusk acts as Scrooge’s frightened charwoman.

DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

2.

C‘ arol’ A 3.

By Brooke Johanson

Christmas

4.

Photo Focus 13

5.

6. 7.

Photos by Katie Inman and Cheyenne Esser

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

DecemberPlay | maizenews.com

14

Now Playing

TALKING

TECHNOLOGY

with

Shelby Carpenter

By Antonio Melchor and Shelby Carpenter

H

eads down, earbuds in, phone in hand and eyes on the screen.

This is the average high school student.

Walking the halls during passing period, teenagers frequently allow themselves to be tuned out to the world and plugged in to their devices, seldom engaging in conversations or greetings with each other.

Billions of people use smartphones each day. Very rarely do people allow their phones to be off of them or away from their side for more than a few minutes. Calls, texts, Tweets and emails can be sent and received in a matter of seconds. On average, 18 to 24 yearolds send or receive an average of 110 text messages per day, according to Pew Research Internet Project.

“You can call someone and ask them

DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

what they want for dinner instead of going home and then driving back to the place,” social studies teacher Ben Harlow said.

Technology may be the fastest form of communication, but when did the wireless wonder of a smartphone outweigh face-to-face interactions?

“Growing up, my generation always talked on the phone,” FACS teacher Elizabeth Mans said. “You don’t have that non-verbal communication; you can hear the tone of their voice.

You can have a little bit more serious conversations.”

In 1992, International Business Machines Corp. released the first smartphone, “Simon.” Users were able to send and receive faxes, emails and cellular pages in addition to regular phone calls.

For the next 20 years, consumers saw rapid changes in the smartphone market. Today, Apple’s iPhone 6, Motorola Moto X, Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8. dominate the industry with their sleek features. Users can download countless apps such as Kik or Snapchat to talk to friends.

As smartphones shaped quicker methods of communications, social interactions were shaped as well.

According to a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 13% of Americans reported using their devices to avoid face-to-face conversations.

“Face to face communication skills are diminishing daily,” Harlow said.

People went from sending quick reminders to having full conversations via text message.

Now Playing 15 “Smartphones are decreasing human conversations,” junior Libby Christensen said. “Without texting, people would have a lot more in-depth conversations.”

Not only have communication skills changed with the introduction of rapidresponse technology, but language has altered to fit the times as well. Younger generations have implemented texting slang into day-to-day conversations that has grown in popularity among all ages.

In 2011, the Oxford English Dictionary added LOL and OMG as real words worthy of documenting.

“The verbiage has changed,” Harlow said. “The English language has changed. It’s funny what is socially acceptable in the English language now, relative to what has been developed by texting like LOL or BTW.” The field of technology continues to make extraordinary strides. In this day and age, it is difficult to fathom the

immense possibilities that the future holds for a smartphone. Tweeting and getting directions, printing documents and playing games, smartphones seem to be able to do it all. However, the time will come where the smartphone will exceed the wildest of expectations.

“I think all technology is going to smartphones,” Harlow said. “Maybe not my generation, but eventually everything will be on a phone.

We won’t need laptops.”n

120

# of texts sent/recieved each day

109.5 100 80 60 41.8

40

25.9

20 0

14.0 18-24

25-34

35-44

9.8

45-54

Age group

55-64

4.7 65+

Source: Pew Research Internet Project

Percent of Americans who prefer phone over texting conversations Source: Pew Research Internet Project

53%

47%

prefer phone conversations

prefer texting conversations Americans spend an average 23 hours per week on a smartphone Source: Pew Research Internet Project

= 1 hour

DecemberPlay | maizenews.com

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New Market Square

18 Sports

Grill returns as basketball coach

By Si Luc Design by Emily Brecht

A

DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

for the team.

Senior Ky-Sean Johnson is the only varsity returner from last year. However, the team will have players who transferred from Wichita Northwest last year that didn’t get any varsity time. The players will be eligible this year.

Eric Wolgast, the Maize High athletic director, said he believes Grill will continue where Davis left off. The Eagles made it to the state tournament last season, losing in the semifinals. Grill has many years of experience as a coach and player, including playing at Wichita State University.

Players agree with Wolgast that Grill will continue the success that the team had last year.

“I like him,” senior Logan Miller said.

“He will work us really hard, and we’re going to be good because of him.”

Miller agrees with Grill that chemistry will be the biggest hurdle for the team this year.

“The coach will make sure that we will have good team chemistry,” Miller said. “But the rest is up to us.”

Despite recent changes with the new coach expectation are to still win as many games as possible.

“We expect to win every game we play,” Grill said. “And if we fall short of that, it’s OK as long as we gave it everything we had.”

The team won their season opener 70-62 against Valley Center.n

Lauren Paul

Coach Grill returns as head basketball coach after being at Garden Plain High School.

Lauren Paul

fter four years of being away, Coach Chris Grill has made his way back to the Maize bench.

Grill returned as the boys basketball coach this year. His last season with the team was 2009-10. During his last season, Grill lead the team to the state tournament.

“I wanted the opportunity to coach my kids, and for me to do that I would have to be coaching at Garden Plain,” said Grill, who still taught at Maize while coaching in Garden Plain.

But when the Maize position opened when Chris Davis left after last season, Grill took the opportunity to coach here again. He moved to the Maize district.

His children go to school here now -his oldest son is in eighth grade - so he will get the opportunity to coach his three boys.

Grill said he doesn’t see much differences between the two schools, just more athletes to choose from at Garden Plain than at Maize.

While the team doesn’t have many returners this year Grill said the team will still be able to succeed.

“I think our team will have a lot of talent,” he said. “The biggest hurdle this year will be developing team chemistry early in the season.”

The team will have to get used to this new chemistry. None of last year’s starters are back. Four graduated, and senior Connor Lungwitz didn’t go out

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Sports 19

Susan Forgie and Conner Merrill Bowling

Merrill and Forgie have a similar goal make it to state. Last year, Merrill fell short of making it to state, and Forgie made it with the team. The girls team last year was the 6A regional champs.

Merrill wants to bowl a perfect 300 this year. Forgie wants to win state individually.

Chris Clemons

Devon Baker

Clemons has gone to state for swimming three times. He has high expectations for this year. One of them is for the team to win league again and get some state records personally. Clemons says that “Swimming is a challenge, since it takes a lot mentally and physically. “

Baker said that the wrestling team will be able to place at state and that he will be able to get top four. Wrestling appeals to Baker since he started freshman year. “It is just you and another person,” Baker said.

“And anyone can win at any time.” He likes the fact that it is an individual sport, and if you make a mistake, it will be on you.

Swimming

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enior potlight

OctoberPlay | maizenews.com

By Si Luc Design by Emily Brecht Photos by Katie Inman

Ky-Sean Johnson Boys Basketball

Johnson has the expectation of winning league again and hopefully making it back to state.

“Last year we were pretty good,” Johnson said. “So we’re planning on getting back to where we were and further.” Johnson wants to be able to lead the team this year as a captain.

Saige Baalman Girls Basketball

Baalman is one of the returning starters this year. She has high expectations for the team.

She wants to win league, substate and state.

Basketball has been a big part of Baalman’s life since second grade, when she first started playing the sport.

DecemberPlay | maizenews.com

20 Sports

Flying

BEHIND the scenes

By Bethany Rich

C

heerleaders, Flygirls and the Eagle mascot are all common faces around the school and are leading sources for school spirit. Despite the piles of homework awaiting them, being at every home game is expected of these familiar faces.

The cheerleaders and Flygirls put in multiple hours a week to support athletes. They practice their jumps, turns, flips and tumbles to make sure they get it down to a certain perfection.

There are many requirements to become a cheerleader or flygirl to go along with the expectation of being at home games and working on routines.

To be a cheerleader, one must be able to jump, yell loud, smile, have pep and be respectful junior Miranda Grier said.

Some of the skills required to be a Flygirl include left and right splits, kicks, leaps, pirouettes and turns senior Crosbie Moody said.

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DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

The mascot, on the other hand, has many different requirements.

“We must be fun, active, confident and willing to hug many kids,” the mascot, who is to remain anonymous, said. “My favorite part about being the mascot is getting to greet everybody.”

Other requirements for the mascot include that he or she cannot talk while in costume, must maintain character, uphold principles that relate to USD 266 and is not allowed to have friends hang around while in costume.

With all the effort that the mascot, cheerleaders and Flygirls put into their routines, they also have to make the adjustment from football to basketball season.

During basketball season, they are required to be in the gym longer than down on the football field during a game. In basketball, the girls and the boys play on the same nights. Most

Design by Emily Brecht

often there is more than one game a week and not all games are on Fridays.

“Basketball season is more difficult because some games are on Tuesdays, and we have homework. It just makes it harder because we get home late,” senior Flygirl Crosbie Moody said.

“But sideline-wise, basketball is more exciting because we get to actually stand in front of the student section.”

Moody also said that basketball season is more stressful because she has to choreograph and learn more dances within less time between basketball games.

The cheerleaders also find the winter sports season to be more stressful because they have to come up with new routines and cheers for not only basketball, but wrestling as well.

“We’re going to be practicing basketball chants and teaching them to the people who are new and also

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working on the next routine,” Grier said.

Aside from all the stress that comes with new cheers and routines, it is all worth while in the end, Grier said.

“My favorite part about being a cheerleader is being able to go to all the games and the bonds made with the team,” Grier said.

Someone who knows first hand the difference between the cheer team and the Flygirls is junior Breanne Smith.

She has been dancing since she was 2 years old, except this is her first year as a Flygirl.

Smith was on the varsity cheer team freshman and sophomore year but decided to make the transition over to the dance team.

There are a few similarities between being a cheerleader and being a Flygirl; there are also differences. Some of the differences are the number of girls on

1. Flygirls are led by their only senior, Crosbie Moody, who has been a member of the team since her freshman year.

2. The cheerleaders attend and perform on the sidelines of football, basketball and wrestling.

3. The cheer team is led by two senior captains, Micala Millner and Aspen Norris.

4. The mascot makes an appearance at every home game.

the team and the amount of time given each group performs. Flygirls attend only home games, while varsity cheerleaders attend home and away games.

“Getting to be in the student section at away games is a huge plus because it’s a lot of fun being able to hang out with friends and to feel like a normal high school student in the student section,” Smith said.

She said she enjoys being a Flygirl because she gets the chance to show her dance experience that she wasn’t able to show through cheer.

“I decided to switch and be a Flygirl because, for me, it was more of looking to the future. I want to dance in college, I’m not going to cheer in college, and I don’t tumble,” Smith said. “So for me, being a Flygirl helps me get better as a dancer and focus on dance for college.”n

Sports 21

A) Senior Crosbie Moody and the rest of the flygirls stand on the sideline during a football game. Moody is the only senior on the team.

Photo by Cheyenne Esser

B) Cheerleaders pose for a picture before they head to first home football game. (subject to change)

Photo submitted by Miranda Grier

C) Cheerleaders take a group picture by ‘Barcomb’s bell’. The bell is rung after every touchdown and win by the football team at home games.

Photo submitted by Beth Janson

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DecemberPlay | maizenews.com

22 Entertainment A

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I DecemberPlay | @PlayNewsmag

Guess the

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Entertainment 23

BROWS

By Delanie Pierce and Jess Ellis Design by Becca Zinabu

#EyebrowsOnFleek is the latest trend of 2014. Eyebrows have made their mark all over social media from youtube tutorials and vine videos. Can you guess the eyebrows from around Maize?

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Answers: A: Austin Winter, B: Cole Moses, C: Blake Read, D: Hector Vazquez E: Brett Moon, F: Lauren White, G: Rolando Rodriguez H: Kelsey Graber, I: Jaci Mitchell, J: Jory Martinez K: Courtney Panzer, L: Alan Sanchez, M: Justin Haggard, N: Max Berg

GWAL

AVCTL

January 8-10, 2015 | Charles Koch Arena

visit website for matchup monday pairing announcements on monday, dec. 22

Tickets sold at the door : Adults $6, k-12 $4 Bishop Carroll, East, heights, kapaun mt. carmel, north, northwest, south, southeast, west, andover, andover central, arkansas city, derby, goddard, hutchinson, maize, maize south, salina south

WATC B ASKETBALL C HALLENGE.COM