PN 75-6

“If nothing else, value the truth” ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

VOLUME LXXV

PHOTO BY TED WIGHT

Ace pitcher Author (junior Jordan Bollwerk) gives Bruce (junior Christian Probst) a pep talk before a big game in the New York Mammoths’ locker room. Bruce, a thirdstring catcher, has Hodgkin’s disease, a terminal illness, and Author tries to get Bruce through his last season. The Dauphin Players’ Bang the Drum Slowly premiers tonight and will have performances Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Hellwig plans independent Mexico trip

by Zach Rauschenbach reporter

S

enior Luke Hellwig is planning a seniors-only mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico, to ensure that the relationship which was established through several years of St. Louis U. High’s involvement in Reynosa’s colonia is continued.

The group will not be going as a SLUHsponsored group but will make the trip as an independent mission group working through the organization Strategic Alliance, which coordinated SLUH’s Mission: Mexico trips in the past.

According to Principal John Moran, the St. Louis U. High-sponsored mission trip during spring break will definitely not be going back to Reynosa this year, and SLUH is exploring other opportunities for service trips. Drug trafficking has been a large problem for the past few years in Reynosa, and mounting fears about safety have swayed SLUH not to go back.

Strategic Alliance, which does mission work in different parts of Mexico throughout the year, is the organization which SLUH has worked through since spring 2006. Led by organization leader Roland Ashby, Strategic Alliance does work building and repairing homes in Mexico.

Hellwig wrote a letter to the editors in

see REYNOSA, 7

The weekly student newspaper of St. Louis U. High 4970 Oakland Ave. - St. Louis, MO 63110 (314) 531-0330 ext. 2241 online at sluh.org/prepnews prepnews@sluh.org Copyright ©2010 St. Louis University High School Prep News. No material may be reprinted without the permission of the editors and moderator.

sluh.org/prepnews

ISSUE 6

Linhares to be inducted into Track & XC Hall

by Eric Mueth assistant sports editor

bit like reminding me that (coaching) days are behind me, so there’s a little bit of something fter 25 years of coaching cross coun- bittersweet in it. But certainly much more try and six years of coaching track significant than that is just feeling grateful and field, Assistant Principal for Mission that I have been able to (coach) for so many Jim Linhares will be inducted into the years and love it,” said Linhares.

Missouri Track and Cross Country Coach- Cross country and track coach Tom es Association (MTCCCA) Hall of Fame Flanagan, who worked with Linhares for in December. Linhares will have a place 19 years in cross country, said, “If he was among 137 other Missouri high school nominated for the coaches’ Hall of Fame, coaches and athletes who comprise the there was no reason for him not to be inducted Hall of Fame. because he’s got all those years of success

Linhares was nominated by an unknown on lots of different levels.” source earlier this year and was placed “Obviously, I wasn’t surprised,” said PHOTO BY FR. JON LAN TRAN on the ballot by the head cross country president and four coach Joe Porter. vice presidents of the “The caliber of proMTCCCA. This past gram that he has Friday, the MTCCCA run for 25 years as notified Linhares that head coach—this is he had been selected a course that should as a member of the inhave been expected, duction class of 2010 in the way that he based on the voting ran the program as Jim Linhares announces at this year’s results from all Misa first-class thing.”

Forest Park XC Festival. souri high school track “To have the and cross country coaches. Each year’s coaches who decide about these things decide induction class typically includes around that I get this honor—well, that’s a pretty five members. cool thing. I was very grateful for it,”

“Getting this award sort of feels a little see LINHARES, 7

A

ACES hosts revamped Middle School Night s part of an effort to increase applications to St. Louis U. High, members of the Association for Cultural Enrichment at SLUH (ACES) hosted a Middle School Night last Friday to work on St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) students’ exposure to SLUH.

Roughly 120 visitors attended this year, approximately half of whom were middle school students.

The night was directed exclusively at students attending local public schools, a demographic that, according to Assistant Principal Chip Clatto, SLUH has placed less emphasis on in the past.

“We want to open up to more students; we want to have a lot of applicants, a lot of highly qualified kids that want to SLUH regardless of that background,” said Clatto.

ACES began the night with a pizza dinner for all attendees, who then listened to a presentation by Clatto before going on tours of the campus led by members of ACES and of the JV Football team. Those who stayed were given the opportunity to attend the SLUH-Chaminade football game afterward.

“It’s the community engagement part of what we’re trying to do here, providing opportunities for kids that normally wouldn’t have access to high school games and so forth,” said Clatto.

He invited roughly 200 students enrolled in the St. Louis Public School system, as well as roughly 100 additional students associated with both Matthews-Dickey and Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Clubs.

The invitation of these students served as a jumping-off point for increased outreach and community involvement from ACES specifically targeted to those organizations.

“Part of what ACES is doing with these same groups is providing tutoring and mentoring to both kids in (St. Louis Public Schools) and these community centers,” said Clatto.

Clatto cited two predominant factors that have been limiting applications from these schools—unfamiliarity with SLUH and cost.

“One of the hallmarks at SLUH is that we admit (students) based on their ability to succeed, not their ability to pay, and that’s a pretty powerful message,” said Director of Admissions Anja Schmelter.

Before coming to SLUH, Clatto worked as Recruitment Coordinator for Gateway Institute of Technology, a magnet school in the SLPS system. During his time in that position, Clatto focused on drawing students mostly from Compton-Drew Investigative Learning Center, McKinley Classical Junior Academy, Gateway Math and Science Preparatory, and Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts School. Because these schools are in the general vicinity of SLUH, they will be

targeted especially by SLUH. Although the admissions department was not involved in the planning of this event, Clatto stressed that it shares a common goal of trying to increase admission applications from these subgroups; however, this Middle School Night was planned solely out of Clatto’s office.

“We admit students regardless of their ethnic background, where they live, their geographic location, or their socioeconomic background,” said Schmelter.

Schmelter and Clatto both noted that this night was not held as a response to any potential decrease in applications. A similar Middle School Night has been held in past years, but on a much smaller scale; only six students attended last year’s event.

“This is nothing new,” said Schmelter.

“As a school, we’re always trying to get out our message of who we are, all the time.”

“You always want more, but this is a good first step,” said Clatto, whose goal was “just to get the word out in the St. Louis community about SLUH even more than it already is.”

Although the effects will not be known until November, when the pool of applicants is finalized, Clatto felt that the endeavor will be seen as successful.

“I think it was a really good effort on our part,” said Clatto. “We got a lot of wonderful feedback from some parents.”

Sports

News

Opinion

XC sixth at Palatine, Rackers stars SLUH ventured to Palatine to take on some of the top Illinois talent. Senior Tim Rackers ran a record 14:55 in the three-mile race. Page 6

Henry to be deployed to Kandahar The war in Afghanistan hits home as Danny Henry, ’05, is scheduled to be deployed to lead a platoon in Kandahar province. Page 4

Letter: Forum was one-sided The ACES Forum last week, billed as an open discussion, presented only one perspective, failed to live up to the spirit of debate. Page 3

Football picks apart Griffins The offense scored 45 points in the first half, and junior receiver Stefan Sansone set a recieving record in the 52-20 win. Page 5

Service programs at other schools Giving back to the community is part of the mission of any Jesuit high school. How does SLUH compare to other schools? Page 2

Notebook: What is home?

Discovering what home and history really mean in the face of moving on. Page 3

by Joe staff

A

Klein

News Feature

2

News

September 30, 2010

Volume 75, Issue 6

News Analysis Seniors do figure drawings at Artist Guild SLUH CSP looks J W by ohn ebb and Paul Fister reporters

S

t. Louis U. High seniors with developed art skills have attended a figure drawing class since 1986 with Fine Arts teacher John Mueller, primarily to diversify and improve their art portfolio for college.

“Until about five years ago (the Fine Arts department) had a class called Portfolio, and it was (for) the kids who had taken a lot of art courses. It was basically a class that helped them get a portfolio together to take to colleges, because in art school you need a portfolio so they know what kind of work you do,” said Mueller.

“They need to have their skills developed enough to be able to do this,” said Mueller.

Fine Arts teacher Joan Bugnitz began going to the class fifteen years ago and has assisted Mueller in taking students there since. The new assistant in the art department, Ben Sommer, has also gone this year not only to watch, but to hone his own skills.

The figure drawing class was originally held at Washington University, but after Washington University quit offering the class, the Artist’s Guild picked up the class.

Interest in the class has waxed and waned over the years. “Over the years, fewer and

fewer and fewer kids took it. Sometimes there were as many as fifteen. In the past few years there have been very few,” said Mueller.

Bugnitz said that they usually get anywhere from four to six students in a given year. So far this year, three students have expressed interest in going, but only senior Clayton Petras has gone.

A group of anywhere from 20 to 25 people show up to draw at the Artist’s Guild.

“We’re with some retired artists, some students, and sometimes just adults who like doing art,” said Bugnitz.

The class provides a live model for everyone to draw. “Occasionally college students majoring in dance will be the models.

They’ve got real expressive bodies,” said Bugnitz.

The three-hour class starts off with five two-minute sessions of gesture drawing and then two five-minute drawing sessions with breaks between each session. The drawing time grows longer to twenty-minute and forty-minute sessions.

“A gesture drawing is when you try to get not the proportions or the likeness, but you’re trying to get the weight of the body, the gesture, and the twists in space. They’re very quick impressions that are used to warm you up and get you thinking about the body,” said Bugnitz.

Mueller and Bugnitz said they would help the students during the break, but that they were not there to teach.

“These kids develop quickly. If they go for three weeks, they develop their skills quickly,” said Mueller.

“It seems like something happens to them when they’re in a big room full of serious artists, and they’re left with no instruction,” said Bugnitz.

The length of the class is a unique opportunity considering that it takes a long time to draw a figure. “We have some figure drawing in Drawing II, but this is really a better way to learn to draw the figure,” said Mueller.

According to Bugnitz, having a figure drawing adds weight to a student’s portfolio.

“It says to the school, ‘I’m serious enough to pursue this,’ because they don’t have this in high school,” said Bugnitz.

“They’re always so impressed with them having these drawings,” said Mueller.

SLUH is one of only two area high schools that have participated in the class, the other being Principia High School.

Mueller and Bugnitz only attend the class with the students during the first semester. Students are free to continue on their own after that.

Science Club hikes at MinaSauk Falls

by Thomas Reporter

S

Riganti

cience Club moderator Steve Kuensting and theology teacher Matt Sciuto led 10 members of the Science Club on a day hike to MinaSauk Falls, the tallest waterfall in the state, located in southeast Missouri.

The group also visited Mount Taum Sauk, the highest point in the state. The trip was the clubʼs first of the 2010-2011 school year and was also the first time the club had visited MinaSauk Falls.

“MinaSauk Falls is a classic Missouri hike,” said Kuensting. “Itʼs a classic representation of what Missouri once was.”

On arriving, the group hiked for about half an hour on the Taum Sauk trail, leading them to the relatively inactive falls. They stopped at the falls to eat lunch and explore the interesting rock formations near and around the waterfall. One group left for Devilʼs Tollgate, an eight-foot-wide rock formation formed from volcanic rock, while a few others stayed back at the falls.

Kuensting thought the trip went well

overall.

“What was really great was that we had so many leaders so that some kids could go far and other kids could stay back, that way everybodyʼs happy,” said Kuensting.

“We could make our way around,” said Grisby.

Sciuto gave his thoughts on the trip.

“I enjoy being with students just as a companion, not as much as a teacher. Mr. Kuenstingʼs Science Club and hikes are a really wonderful opportunity for students, and teachers, to spend time with others, begin or develop friendships, and hike and see some beautiful parts of the state.”

The students all enjoyed the trip.

“It was a lot of fun. I kinda want to see it in the summer when thereʼs more water in the waterfall and more plants,” said freshman Ian Gallaher.

“It was really awesome. We got to see the tallest place in Missouri,” said freshman Allen Schrader.

“Itʼs one of my favorite places in Missouri,” said freshmen Ben Banet.

Pipe burst on south field over weekend, dealt with quickly

By Nate Heagney

A

core staff

s custodian Jeff Fields made his daily rounds of the Saint Louis U. High campus last Saturday, he was approached by a student reporting an unusual problem: water shooting six to eight feet in the air on the field at the south end of SLUH’s campus, between the Danis Fieldhouse and the soccer stadium.

“I ended up getting a phone call from Jeff Fields and he was notifying me that the water was shooting up from the ground. It kind of blew the green cap of the valve,” said Rankin.

Rankin, who happened to be driving to SLUH to address another problem, came and shut off the water running to the area, stopping the spray. The water spouted from a valve box connected to the sprinkler system.

Rankin said that the sprinklers themselves had been shut off for about a week, but the water which feeds the sprinkler system was still running, which allowed for the burst through the broken pipe.

According to Rankin, the pipe, which sits about eight inches below the ground, is made of PVL, a relatively weak material.

Because of that, sudden pressure from the service could cause the pipe to burst.

“It could have either been damaged, or it could have been hit by a lawnmower or a vehicle or something could have run over it which could have caused that crack in the line,” said Rankin.

Since the rupture happened during the day and Fields was there to see it, the problem only persisted for a couple minutes.

Merlo Plumbing, the company that handles all of SLUH’s irrigation, has been contacted and will fix the control valve and further diagnose the problem soon.

Rankin said that such an incident is very rare and has only happened once before— near the southeast corner of the track.

“I just think that it was an isolated incident,” said Rankin.

Rankin showed Fields and Director of Security Charlie Clark, who was also on the scene, how he turned off the water so that they could do it in the future.

“We took an opportunity there to learn in case this type of thing were to happen again,” said Rankin.

PHOTO BY BEN BANET

The SLUH Science Club hikes up a hill through a glade in the MinaSauk Falls area on Sunday.

The area is a small example of what the Missouri countryside once looked like.

T.S. Eliot!

A bust of T.S. Eliot was installed in the Central West End on the corner of Euclid and McPherson, very near to Left Bank Books. The bust, which joins another of Tennessee Williams, will soon be accompanied by two more, one of William Burroughs and one of Kate Chopin. All four were Saint Louis and Central West End residents at some time.

By installing these busts, the CWE board hopes to “show the city’s literary history,” said board member Jeff Fister, father of Greg Fister, ’12, and Paul Fister, ’14. In addition Alex Scuito, ‘05, reported on the story for the Saint Louis Beacon.

Take a look at the PN web site at sluh.org/prepnews to see archived issues, photos, and more.

at other Jesuit schools for ideas

by Drew Dziedzic core staff

C

ommunity service is essential for any Jesuit high school graduate, so important that it is mentioned in every Jesuit high school’s Grad at Grad document. Yet for the 2009-2010 school year, only about 10 percent of St. Louis U. High students participated in voluntary service three or more times. As the Community Service Program (CSP) seeks to increase that percentage, the program coordinators have been looking at programs at other Jesuit high schools and evaluating them.

At SLUH, only seniors are required to perform service, through the Senior Project program. The rest of SLUH’s community service programs depend on students to serve voluntarily.

The rest of this article will examine the service programs of three other all-male Jesuit high schools from around the country that SLUH’s CSP has been studying in order to gain ideas on how to improve SLUH’s service programs. All three high schools are known for having ambitious programs that have a significant focus on reflection and many service requirements.

St. Joseph’s Preparatory

St. Joseph’s Preparatory in Philadelphia has similar service requirements as SLUH’s, but St. Joseph’s focus on reflection is something that CSP would like to imitate.

Seniors at St. Joseph’s are required to complete 40 hours of service, and juniors must complete 20 hours of service.

“I feel like the service requirement at the Prep allows students to interact not only with those poor in socioeconomic terms, but also work alongside their high school brothers and build better relationships with their classmates,” said St. Joseph’s senior Chris Cannataro. “A service requirement may seem like a burden, but it should be viewed as nothing less than an opportunity to help others and to realize how God has truly given us so many blessings.”

St. Joseph’s students are able to complete their hours through daily service trips to various Philadelphia-based organizations or through immersion trips.

St. Joseph’s has expanded its number of immersion service trips to about 25. Like SLUH, St. Joseph’s sponsors an Urban Challenge and has a service trip to the U.S.Mexico border. Students from St. Joseph’s also have a chance to go to New Orleans four times per year and to the Domincian Republic three times per summer. Other service trips travel to Virginia, Jamaica, Belize, the Gulf Coast, and to Native American reservations in New Mexico and South Dakota.

“When I started (at St. Joseph’s), there (were) only five service trips, and our thought process was that providing them with more service trips might encourage them to do service outside of their required hours,” said St. Joseph Ignatian Service director Sam Deitch.

St. Joseph’s Ignatian Service program also requires that juniors and seniors must complete an essay or a journal to reflect on their service hours.

“With our students doing a journal, it’s usually in the context of one of our immersion programs, where a student will go away for a week and we will do a reflection every night. I find (journals) to be extremely beneficial,” said Deitch.

SLUH’s CSP seeks to create a program that includes elements similar to St. Joseph’s post-service reflection.

“I think that is a big thing that we want to emphasize more: to get people who are doing service to be able to reflect about it,”

see SERVICE, 7

September 30, 2010

Opinion

Volume 75, Issue 6

Letter to the Editors

3

CARTOON BY TOM FIELDS

Forum one-sided, wasn’t a conversation To the editors: I attended the SLUH ACES forum, “From Fear to Understanding: A Civil Conversation in Muslim/Non-Muslim Relations in America.” My overall reaction was one of confusion and disappointment. It was not really a “forum” nor a “conversation” and offered little toward increasing understanding of the Muslim/non-Muslim situation.

I was unaware that the panelists were responding to specific questions nor did I initially perceive that the sub-theme was “Americans are Islamophobic.” Furthermore, instead of a forum, which requires the exchange of diverse opinions, the presentations were of only one voice—a critical voice impugning Americans, our history, and our institutions. Blaming non-Muslim Americans for any perceived injustice, I heard Americans labeled xenophobic by the speakers without offering specific evidence as to either the charges of Islamophobia or xenophobia.

I believe the two recent incidents of Terry Jones’ “Burn a Koran’” effort and the proposed building of a mosque at Ground Zero were the catalysts for this forum. And the idea of such a discussion is admirable.

We want our young men to be intellectually and spiritually and passionately involved in the important issues of our country. We want to provide them with solid information so they can carefully analyze, thoughtfully inquire, and responsibly act. Unfortunately,

the “civil conversation” did not take place.

Essentially, what our students heard was a litany of America’s faults and recriminations. I was left with the overwhelming impression that Americans are, by nature and circumstance, prone to be antithetical to people unlike ourselves.

No one was invited to respond to these characterizations so casually enumerated. No one offered the historical context in which these ‘fears’ may have evolved. I was left to think that out of the blue Americans have turned on our fellow Muslim citizens—becoming inexplicably intolerant, hostile, and threatening.

In the interest of a true ‘conversation’ perhaps a moderator could have asked:

Is there a growing anti-Muslim backlash or is it more a media-driven narrative? What evidence should be provided in support of either claim?

To the extent that there is a growing wariness in how Americans view fellow Muslim Americans, what are the antecedents? Can we delineate between the violence perpetrated by jihad terrorists and the nonradical, peaceful Muslims? In what manner have American Muslims responded to the rift in their faith community?

When we decry intolerance, bigotry,

Volume LXV Editorial Policy

by Nick Fandos editor in chief

The Volume LXXIV Prep News editorial policy serves the purpose of being the vehicle of the personal opinion, whether from students, faculty, or others wishing to voice an opinion. All topics discussed in the section will be related to St. Louis University High School.

Nothing published either as an editorial or as a letter to an editor should be considered the opinion of the school, the administration, or anyone other than its author or authors.

A Prep News editorial is the opinion of all five editors on a particular topic. In their writing, the editors will make a strong attempt to express their views in a clear and accurate fashion.

A commentary is defined as an opinion of one member of the Prep News staff, not of the Prep News itself.

Every member of the SLUH community is welcomed and encouraged to submit a letter to the editors. Every letter received by the editors will be read and given consideration.

All letters must be signed, but the author’s name may be withheld from publication by request and at the discretion of the editors.

The Prep News editors reserve the right to edit any submissions for publication in order to meet grammatical standards, but they will not skew the author’s original intent. Also, the editors reserve the right to withhold from publication any submission if it is deemed vulgar, tasteless, or otherwise inappropriate.

All authors wishing to have letters published must submit them by 4:00 p.m. the Wednesday before the letter is to be published.

Letters can be given to any Prep News editor or moderator. In addition, letters can be mailed to the Prep News courtesy of St. Louis University High School, 4970 Oakland, St. Louis, MO 63110, or e-mailed to prepnews@sluh.org

Cartoons are the opinion of the artist and do not reflect the opinion of either the Prep News or St. Louis U. High.

and hate-speech while at the same time encouraging tolerance, civility, separation of church and state, and individual freedom, shouldn’t we apply these standards to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike?

And, finally, the American “history” I heard from members of the panel bears little resemblance to what I know. What profit is there in presenting such a one-sided, pathological view of our country? How do you think to motivate, encourage, and strengthen our young Americans with such a negative rant about their country, which was, in my

opinion, so sorely and unjustly condemned at this forum.

In a recent address by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict reminded us that “Fidelity to the word of God … leads us to be free of intellectual conformism or facile accommodation to the spirit of the age.” Fidelity to truth, likewise, requires rejection of ideological relativism.

Regina Austermann Mother of four SLUH alumni

Notebook

Home amidst a sea of uncertainty

A couple weeks ago I reported on the early stages of development of a new strategic plan that will guide SLUH’s future for the next decade or so. The more I reported, the deeper I dug into what amounts to a vision for this school’s future and the more I was caught up in the excitement of such a vision. Only after reflecting later, removed from the heat of reporting, did I realize that I don’t have much of a place in that future. In moments of realization like this throughout the last few months, I’ve begun to come to terms with the fact that I will have to move on to college, and that I will be leaving home.

That’s something I proudly call SLUH— home. My family’s and my history are laced in and out and around this spot on Oakland Ave., and the prospect of leaving is a strange sensation.

My dad never talked much about SLUH when I was growing up. He didn’t get to choose where he went to school; his parents made him come here because they thought the public high school in their neighborhood wasn’t challenging enough. My dad loved SLUH. He was pretty different than me, though: the leading demerit-getter in his freshmen class, athletic, outspoken to boot.

I’ve yet to get a demerit in my three-plus years at SLUH, and outside of my group of friends I’m pretty soft-spoken.

After graduating from SLUH, my dad went on to Miami University in Ohio. He got a job as a travel director with a company here in St. Louis right out of college. He traveled the world and could have ended up anywhere. But he met a nice girl—she was a travel director, too—and settled back down in St. Louis.

My dad wasn’t the first of my family to come here, though. My great-grandfather Arthur Perry graduated in the class of 1918.

Of course, SLUH was still on Grand Avenue in those days, but it was a pretty exciting year to be a part of. The school was turning 100, and the wife of an alumnus, a woman named Anna Backer, had just donated the money for a grand new school building to be built in her husband’s honor.

Anyway, Art, as he was known, went on to St. Louis University from here. It was pretty rare to go to college in those days. He married my great-grandmother at St. Rose Church in 1930. Art was a career man for Monroe Calculating Machine and ended up in Davenport, Iowa. He had kids there, grew old there, and retired there. He came back to St. Louis to die, though.

My dad’s father Mike didn’t go to SLUH. He was Greek Orthodox, not Catholic, so he went to Soldan High in the St. Louis Public School district, and then after a brief stint in the service earned a degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

He lived at home in high school and then most of college, too. Home in those days was a two-family flat on Chouteau, right across Kingshighway in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood. Up Oakland, between Kingshighway and Hampton, was the Forest Park Highlands. Not the commercial development, but an actual amusement park.

Farther east was mostly marshland. Mike and his friends loved to play there when he was a kid, always passing through the late afternoon shadow of the Backer Memorial on the tired trek home.

After graduating from Wash. U, Mike went to the University of Chicago. He lived in the Windy City and then Dallas and then Michigan, where he taught at Michigan State. He met a girl there, a good Greek girl, and was really close to marrying her. But he didn’t. He was called home to take over his father’s business and never looked back.

I’ve been thinking a lot about these three stories recently, mostly in the context of my own. Like most of my classmates I’ve begun applying to colleges this fall. This time next year I’ll most likely be hundreds of miles away at some university far from home. I’ll certainly have had some good reason to go there. I’ll learn there, and grow there, and make new friends there, too. I’ll probably get a job out of college, and it’ll probably be out of town. That’s a lot of probablies, but the future is an uncertain thing.

After all this, what will become of home? Answering this question continues to be a struggle for me, partly because home

Editors: Nick Fandos, Conor Gearin, Mike Lumetta, Patrick O’ Leary, Eric Mueth

has been so good to me, and quite honestly I’m not one for change. I’m not talking about the bricks and mortar of my childhood house or the neighborhood I passively called home. Home, rather, is the summation of the experience and opportunity I have been afforded for the last 17 years of my life. Home is SLUH; it’s St. Louis; but it’s also failing a test or winning a baseball game. I’m very grateful for all that.

For that reason I’m confident I will always be able to return home, at least in my mind if not physically.

Maybe that memory is what brought Art and Mike back around; maybe it’s what brings us all back around even if we don’t recognize it. I think it will bring me back around to SLUH to be a part of that vision.

It’s a sorry life without someplace to call home.

This week in sluh sports history Friday September 23, 1994 Last Minute Decision Results in First MCC Victory for Footbills

by Brent Coleman

A gutsy call by the Jr. Bill coaching staff in overtime earned the Heartstopbills their first conference victory last Friday when they defeated MCC rival Vianney by a score of 29-28.

After a quick score by Vianney in OT, the Jr. Bills responded and had a choice: Should they kick the extra point and tie the game, thus forcing a second OT or should they put it all on the line with a two-point attempt? The coaching staff made the right decision, as quarterback Rob Jenkins tossed the ball to John Klevorn, who lobbed a pass into the back of the end zone to a wide open Tim Cuneo for the win.

Editor’s note: The Jr. Bills moved to 9th in the Post-Dispatch area poll. SLUH finished the season 9-2, winning conference, district, then falling to Hazelwood East in Sectionals. ­-Compiled by Eric Mueth, Assistant Sports Editor

4

Features

Volume 75, Issue 6

September 30, 2010

Henry, ’05, going to Kandahar with the 101st PHOTO COURTESY OF DANNY HENRY

by Conor Gearin news editor

K

andahar province in southern Afghanistan is one of the most important battlegrounds in the United States military’s attempt to stabilize the contested nation. The area, known as the “birthplace of the Taliban,” consists of rugged mountainous terrain cut through by fertile river valleys. It is the site of a new offensive to eliminate Taliban strongholds surrounding the city of Kandahar, according to a New York Times article Tuesday. This hotbed is exactly where Danny Henry, ’05, will be headed two weeks from now with the Second Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division.

Henry, a second lieutenant, will spend most of his nine months in Afghanistan as a platoon leader, taking his 35-40 men on a variety of missions in Kandahar—from combat-oriented patrols to diplomatic meetings with Afghan civilians to gain the trust of the populace.

Henry is nervous about the tour, but also feels that his experiences have prepared him. His favorite subjects at St. Louis U. High were English and theology, classes he credits with helping him develop “logical, calculated, and reasonable thinking habits, which are so important in whatever you decide to do,” he said in an e-mail.

Henry, who had felt called to serve since childhood, first considered going to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point during his junior year at SLUH. He was accepted to West Point, graduating in 2009 as with a B.S. in Management, a minor in Systems Engineering, and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry.

“I guess a sense of patriotism and serving something greater than yourself are the primary reasons for my joining the military,”

From left: junior Michael Henry, his brother Danny (SLUH ’05), and their sister Rachel at Danny’s graduation ceremony from Ranger School.

said Henry.

Henry began his training after graduation, completing the U.S. Army Airborne School and Army Ranger School.­

“Ranger School is internationally recognized as the most premier leadership school, and consists of making command decisions and leading your peers in combat-simulated environments while being severely sleepdeprived and malnourished,” said Henry.

During the 62-day course, he survived on an average of two hours and 15 minutes of sleep a night and two meals a day. Henry said that Ranger school was very important in teaching him the leadership skills he will need in Afghanistan.

Henry is not sure how his unit’s deployment fits in with the U.S. military’s strategy in Afghanistan as a whole. However, he knows his unit’s basic day-to-day objectives.

A typical day will consist of patrolling an assigned area. On some days, the patrol might

be diplomatic, and Henry may meet with a village elder to establish a good rapport with him and his village.

On other days, the unit may be sent on kinetic patrols—military-speak for combatoriented patrols—with the intention of receiving contact—getting shot at—from Taliban fighters and reacting to their attack.

On other days, the unit may be tasked with going to an insurgent stronghold to eliminate its defenders.

“As far as the possibility of me taking someone’s life goes, I feel that as long as I exercise the necessary discretion and situational awareness to positively identify someone as an imminent threat, then the killing is justified,” said Henry.

The unit may also take Afghan military units with them on the patrols as a kind of training.

The hardest part of preparing for deployment, Henry said, has been the thought

of being away from family and friends for nine months with only unreliable methods of communication. Henry will leave behind his parents, a younger sister, a younger brother (SLUH junior Michael), and his fiancée.

Phone and Internet access will be occasional, and paper mail will take from two weeks to two months to arrive, depending on how remote his unit is stationed, according to Henry.

“I think it will be one of those things that is really bad initially, but once I get into a rhythm over there and have a lot of work to do, it will help keep my mind off it a little,” Henry said of being away from his family.

“My whole family and I are proud of him, but we’re still worried about him going over there,” said Danny’s brother Michael.

This weekend, the family will have a goingaway party for Danny.

Michael is thinking of a career in the military like his older brother.

“I’m definitely considering going to West Point, but my parents aren’t really hot on that idea because they already have one son in the military,” said Michael.

Henry said that nervousness and excitement are the strongest emotions in his mind right now.

“I am most concerned about the things you often cannot control,” Henry said, citing improvised explosive devises—roadside bombs—as a particular worry. “But it is a sort of empty concern because if they are so often out of your control then it doesn’t really do any good to be concerned about them. I deal with such fears (and) concerns by putting my faith in God and recognizing that with the things that are out of my control, to ask him to protect me and the men in my unit,” he said. “Really, everyone (is) in harm’s way over there.”

Design competition rethinks Arch grounds Nick Fandos

editor in chief

T

he international design competition to re-imagine the grounds of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial came to completion last week. A design submitted by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) of New York, one of the five finalists, was chosen as the winner of the headline-grabbing competition staged here over the last year.

The MVVA plan calls for a major redesign of current facilities and landscaping along both sides of the Mississippi. Perhaps the most notable feature of the plan will be a lid placed over I-70, connecting downtown St. Louis with the riverfront for the first time in decades. The lid will allow pedestrians to cross safely from the Old Courthouse downtown (the park’s western edge) onto the Arch grounds. The hope is that such a connection would encourage tourists and visitors to the Arch to explore downtown as well, and vice versa.

Other notable changes and improvements on the Missouri side of the river include: -The demolition of a 900-car parking garage currently located at the park’s north end. The plan calls for three new 300-car garages to be built underground at the park’s, northern, southern and western ends.

- An amphitheater and ecology center will be built where the northern garage once stood. The absence of the garage will allow for the park grounds to connect more easily with Laclede’s Landing to the north.

- At the park’s south end visitors will find an ice-skating rink during winter months, and a beer garden in warmer weather.

- Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd., which runs along the riverfront, will be removed in front of the the Arch and replaced with a cobblestone plaza.

- The Jefferson National Expansion

Museum will be outfitted with a new grand entrance that faces west towards the city.

In addition to the developments on the Missouri side of the river, the plan also calls for a bird sanctuary to be built on the Illinois side of the Mississippi river. The sanctuary will be allowed to return to a natural state and will feature elevated walkways that give scenic views of the St. Louis skyline and the Arch.

Because the Arch grounds are a national park, the redesign will receive a large chunk of federal money. However, to meet the estimated $300 million price tag and to complete the project by the Arch’s 50th anniversary in 2015, organizers plan on private donations as well.

An eight-person jury chose the winning design. Dr. Gerald Early, an essayist, poet, and a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, was a member of the jury. Early inaugurated the Jazz Diversity Series with a speech here last fall. He agreed to answer a few questions about the competition and its impact. You will find his unedited responses printed below.

Prep News: The City + The Arch + The River competition focused exclusively on the National Park grounds surrounding the Arch, but what, in your opinion, makes the Arch so important to St. Louis and the rest of the country?

Gerald Early: The Arch is one of the world’s great landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower. It gives St. Louis an identity, and it defines St. Louis’s importance in history, as a gateway or portal to the development of the west. It was one of the great designs of Eero Saarinen, one of the world’s great architects. That is another reason why the Arch is important.

PN: From your perspective as a juror, what were the strengths of the MVVA plan, and why was it chosen?

PHOTO COURTESY OF MVVA

An MVVA rendering of the redesigned Arch grounds as viewed from the south.

GE: The plan was sensible. It did not try to do too much. It understood the character of St. Louis and the character of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Some of the plans had a bit too much of a feel of turning the grounds into something like a theme park or seemed not to have a completely coherent view of the project.

GE: Yes, I think any symbol that brings us all together as St. Louisans, like the Arch and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, is good for race relations. I believe that everyone in St. Louis is proud of the Arch and its grounds and feels a sense of ownership of it. The Arch defines all of us who live here.

PN: The redesign of the Arch grounds under the MVVA plan is being billed as a transformative development for the city. Can it live up to that potential?

PN: Why should St. Lousians, particularly high school students here, care about a redesign of the Arch grounds?

GE: Yes, it can, if the project is properly funded.

PN: You write a lot about St. Louis and race relations here. Do you think the Arch has any unifying force in the region?

GE: If the redesign is completed as planned, it will be something that all the students here will have to live with for a very long time. The Arch grounds will not be redone again for at least another fifty years. I think students care about it deeply. They will live with it a lot longer than my generation will.

Sports

September 30, 2010

Volume 75, Issue 6

5

Jr. Bill offense dismantles Griffins, Sansone sets record PHOTO BY TED WIGHT

by Ryan Dowd reporter

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he Saint Louis U. High varsity football team (3-2, 1-1 Metro Catholic Conference) bounced back from two tough losses by absolutely annihilating Vianney last Friday, 52-20. Dynamic plays from the offensive playmakers aided by a stout offensive line led the Jr. Bills to their decisive victory. Yet another test approaches this Friday night against the highly regarded Chaminade Red Devils.

Throughout the game, the Jr. Bill offense simply could not be stopped. The Jr. Bills scored six touchdowns in the first half alone.

The offense stalled around the Vianney 20yard line after a penalty and a sack on the first drive, but that was the last time Vianney would put a stop to the Jr. Bill attack for the rest of the half.

SLUH strung together a few drives to get a big lead early. Junior quarterback Trevor McDonagh guided a 14-yard pass to leaping junior Stefan Sansone, who made the catch for a touchdown over the Griffin defender.

The Jr. Bills swiftly marched down the field on the next drive, too. Junior running back Terek Hawkins chopped his way through the Vianney defense for a 3-yard score and a 14-0 lead.

“When we’ve been asked to run the ball, I think we’ve done a good job doing it,” said offensive line coach Matt Buha.

The threat of two dynamic receivers continued to wreak havoc on the Griffins.

Junior split end Mitch Klug had only two catches and one touchdown in this game, but his deep speed and jump ball ability opened up the middle of the field for the other receivers.

“(Having Klug) really helps a lot. Teams like to double team Mitch, which opens up space for me,” said Sansone.

“They came out with a game plan where they were just going to play cover one against us, and they gave our quarterback and our receivers a ton of room to work,” said Buha.

Sansone has certainly taken advantage of Klug’s deep-threat ability. Sansone has 28 catches and three touchdowns in the past three games. His ability to take a short pass across the middle and go the distance has been evident throughout the year, and

Junior quarterback Trevor McDonagh rears back to fire a pass en route to 341 passing yards against Vianney.

he showed it again as the second quarter got underway. Accelerating away from his man, Sansone caught a short-range dart from McDonagh and then weaved through the Vianney defense for a 55-yard score.

Said junior guard Sam Knesel, “It’s probally one of the best feelings you can feel when you’re running down the field with your arms up in the air after Stefan just caught an 80-yard pass from a perfect strike from Trevor.”

Despite only catching the ball six times, Sansone took advantage of the open range that was the Vianney defense. His 220-receiving yard performance ranks first in SLUH football history in terms of yardage. The explosive duo of Klug and Sansone ranks in the top six for receiving yardage in the area, and Sansone leads the St. Louis area in total catches with 39.

The Jr. Bills added two more touchdowns before the half ended—another run by Hawkins and a 36-yard pass from McDonagh to senior fullback Lan Sansone. The second stringers took over midway through the third quarter with SLUH up 52-7.

The man throwing the ball is no slouch either. McDonagh leads the St. Louis area in passing yardage and has the second most touchdown passes with 15. He completed 12

Conversation of the week

Trevor McDonagh: Field General

by Nathan core staff

Rubbelke

I caught up with junior quarterback Trevor McDonagh yesterday during activity period in the cafeteria.

Nathan Rubbelke: What do you think of the season so far and how is it going?

Trevor McDonagh: We started out pretty good, then slowed down a little, but I think we’re getting back on the right track.

NR: You’ve got a tough Chaminade team this week. What do you guys have to do to pull out a win?

TM: Stop the run and focus on our game.

NR: (Rob) Standard is going to be tough, right?

TM: Oh yeah, he is good.

NR: The offense is stacked with a lot of juniors like you, Stefan (Sansone), Mitch (Klug), and TK (Hawkins). Is there a lot of chemistry on and off the field among you guys?

TM: Yeah, we are always working together at practice. We are always hanging out and doing stuff together.

NR: I know you’re focused on this season, but you have to be excited about next year?

TM: It is going to be awesome. We have a lot of guys coming back. It is going to be a great senior year.

NR: You started last year as a sophomore.

What is the biggest difference starting as a junior?

TM: I am just seeing things more. I am not as nervous. I know what to expect. I am just much more ready.

NR: Starting as a sophomore, what were the nerves like?

TM: It was just crazy. Everything was just flying around, it seemed like everyone was just so much faster.

NR: As a quarterback, do you feel a lot of responsibility as a leader out on the field?

TM: Yeah, definitely. When you lose, you always feel like it’s your fault. When you win, you feel like you get the job done. It’s all on your shoulders.

NR: You are a two-sport athlete, playing football and baseball. What sport do you actually prefer?

TM: Right now, it’s football. In the spring, it will be baseball. It goes back and forth, kinda.

NR: Are you excited for the upcoming baseball season?

TM: Yeah, we should have a really good team. We have a lot of returning guys. It should be a great year.

NR: Do you think you can leave SLUH with two State titles? One in football and one in baseball?

TM: It can happen, hopefully.

of 14 passes for 341 yards against Vianney, an average of 28.4 yards per completion.

But McDonagh’s five touchdown (four passing, one running) performance and the exciting, dynamic passing attack would not have come to fruition if the offensive line had not dominated the Vianney defense.

McDonagh had time to make every read he needed to make as he stood comfortably in the pocket. The fact that McDonagh is comfortable in the pocket alone speaks of the job the offensive line has been doing.

The overall health of the offensive line has contributed greatly to their success in the trenches. “We’re staying healthy. That allows for practice time to be better, that allows for obviously our game execution to be better,

and we’re really starting to work as a unit, which is really important,” said Buha.

The Jr. Bill offensive line has also done a splendid job of avoiding penalties and allowing the skill players to flourish.

Tonight, the undefeated Red Devils (4-0, 2-0 MCC) will jog into SLUH as the outsider’s favorite. Running back Rob Standard has spearheaded the Chaminade offense since his sophomore year. The 2009 Post-Dispatch Offensive Player of the Year award winner and an Iowa State commit, Standard needed only 1,027 rushing yards to set the St. Louis area record, and he has 874 yards so far this season. So, barring a season-ending injury, he should eclipse the record.

Senior quarterback Christian Suntrup has returned as Standard’s backfield mate.

A Boston College commit, Suntrup has not been overly impressive so far this season with 453 yards for five touchdowns and four interceptions. But with Standard in the backfield, the passing game is the second option.

The Jr. Bill defense will need to build on its physical performance from last Friday against Vianney to match up with the Red Devils. The first team defense allowed only seven points but, more importantly, sacked the quarterback five times. This penetration will be crucial to stopping Standard for the Jr. Bills to repeat last week’s spirited defensive performance.

Two years ago the SLUH faithful rushed the Chaminade field on a game-winning field goal. A similar ending Friday night would certainly be one of the highlights of this promising season.

Swimming builds streak, second at DeSmet

by Cullin reporter

T

Tripp

he St. Louis U. High school swim team (4-2) extended its win streak to three with wins this week over Jackson and MICDS. The team also took second out of seven in the DeSmet Invitational last Saturday.

The Jr. Bills crushed Jackson last Thursday, winning by 101 points, 141-40. They took over early in the meet and pulled away from Jackson. The team as a whole dropped 66 times and cruised to the win.

“We moved some swimmers around into off events, but we had a great week. There were guys dropping as much as 12 seconds off of their times at time trials. We had a great meet and a lot of great swims,” said head coach Rachel Graczak after the meet.

At the DeSmet Invitational on Saturday, the Bills had some of their fastest times this year, qualifying three swimmers for State.

Junior Sam Erlinger qualified for the 200 free with a time of 1:52.42. Freshman Luke Sloan swam a 2:06.41 to qualify for the 200

IM, and senior Steve Hoerr qualified in the 100 breast with a time of 1:04.96.

Graczak said, “I enjoyed the meet a lot. I thought it was nice to see teams from around the state. We got to face our rival Rockhurst and get a taste of them before the State meet.”

SLUH finished second out of seven at the meet, losing only to Rockhurst.

On Tuesday, the Swimbills fought for a win over MICDS. “It was a close contest, but we had some good swims, and we took a lot of top places. We didn’t do as well as we would have hoped, but we still improved times and got the win,” Graczak said after the meet.

First-place swimmers included Jake Chisholm in the 200 free, Sloan in the 500 free, Hoerr in the 100 breast, and Sloan, junior Michael Savio, Chisholm and Erlinger in the 400 free relay. SLUH emerged on top, with a final score of 92-80.

The team will face Fort Zumalt West tonight at Forest Park Community College at 4 p.m.

“GOP” Dziedzic, Nate “CBHS” Heagney, Nathan “XC” Rubbelke Staff: Joe “ATP” Klein, Jack “NIMBY” Witthaus Reporters: Drew “STD” Brunts, Michael The weekly student news“PIR” Daugherty, Ryan “CUBS” Dowd, paper of St. Louis U. High Greg “SLUH” Fister, Paul “NASA” Fister, David “NATO” Greaves, Jack “FAQ” Godar, Patrick “DMV” Hart, Stephen “BP” Lumetta, Zach “NAACP” Rauschenbach, Thomas “CD” Riganti, Justin “BRB” “Favorite acronym” Sinay, Cullin “IRS” Tripp, John “USA” Editor in Chief: Nick “OI” Fandos Webb News Editor: Conor “YUPPIE” Gearin Staff Photographer: Ted “AAC” Wight Web Editor: Patrick “WYSIWYG” O’ Contributing Photographers: Ben “NRA” Leary Benet, Mickey “UAE” Mandle, Fr. John Sports Editor: Mike “ESPN” Lumetta “LAN” Lan Tran Assistant Sports Editor: Eric “UFO” Staff Artist: Bobby “YMCA” Lux Mueth Moderator: Mr. Steve “ICUP” Missey Core Staff: Matt “PHP” Cooley, Drew Advisor: Mr. Tim “CAFE” Huether

Volume LXXV, Issue 6 Credits

6

Sports

September 30, 2010

Volume 75, Issue 6

Oakville upsets SLUH in CYC semifinal

SLUH scored in this contest with astonishing speed and precision, notching four goals in an 18-minute stretch. he varsity soccer team took the field

The first came in the 10th minute when at Soccer Park last Thursday for the Buehler lofted a pass to Bement, who headed semifinals of the CYC Tournament. Its it into the net. opponent, Oakville, was hot off an imEight minutes later, Bement was again pressive victory against Chaminade, and attacking.

This time he played a cross to Oakville pulled off a 3-2 upset over the PHOTO BY MICKEY MANDLE Emnett, who beat the goalie to Jr. Bills. SLUH rebounded with make the score 2-0. Shortly afa 5-0 win over Duchesne Monter coming off the bench, senior day. forward Dylan Gardner made a

SLUH came out with a potent great run behind the Duchesne attack that looked sure to lead to defense and received a precise a goal. But, in the 9th minute, pass from Bement. Gardner Oakville countered a Jr. Bill attack outran the defense and buried an with impressive speed. Senior amazing shot in the bottom right goalie Andrew Evola came out to corner of the net. challenge the Oakville defender Sporting a new Ronalwho had slipped behind the Bills’ do-esque haircut, senior Zach back line, but in an uncharacterManuel scored his first goal of istic mistake, Evola came too the year in the 28th minute when far out of the box and was left he beat a defender one on one defenseless against the striker’s and then notched a shot past the shot, which found its mark. goalie.

Two minutes later Gardner Oakville scored again on a similar counterattack 11 minutes Junior defenseman Tommy Behr pushes the ball upfield against Duchesne Monday. struck again for his second goal of the game. later. Evola, who had been lights on.

Junior midfielder Paul Buehler took the

Although all of SLUH’s attack looked to out until that night, was having a difficult rebound and buried it into the net. be on fire Monday night, the most impressive game.

Unfortunately, Oakville wasn’t ready goal of the night was saved for last. In an

SLUH began to play with more intento roll over.

In the 29th minute Oakville put unassisted effort, senior Mike Kiesewetter sity though. Both Jr. Bill coaches were so together an impressive attack.

An unmarked weaved around all of the Pioneer defenders. frustrated that they seemed ready to suit up.

Oakville midfielder blasted a shot from the The goalie came to attention in an attempt to Their passion finally made its way to the far side of the box.

Evola made a play on stop the attack.

Kiesewetter slowed himself players after the second goal, and the SLUH the ball but was a second too late. momentarily to set up for a glorious strike that offense finally started to heat up. At the end

SLUH was unable to come up with blew past the diving Duchesne goalkeeper. of the first half the Bills kept up attack after attack, and if it hadn’t been for some impres- another goal despite inspiring play by two The smoothness of the goal rivaled that of sive play by Oakville’s goalie, the scoring of its captains, Rob Carr and Hoffman. With Landon Donavon in this past summer’s this loss the Bills were knocked out of the World Cup. line would have been much different.

The game was a great rebound for the The Billikens kept up their intensity CYC Tournament.

“Second half we definitely fought back Bills after the tough loss to Oakville. The coming out of halftime, and their first goal of and showed that we were willing to do what defense tightened back up and looked to be the night finally came in the 15th minute of it took,” said senior forward Brian Bement. back in good form. Delabar, in his first start the second half. Junior defenseman Tommy “We have to score first and take every (opas a goalie in a SLUH uniform, notched a Behr (playing for injured junior Joe Jedlicka) ponent) seriously.” shutout. played a great ball to junior midfielder Ryan Back at SLUH field on Monday night, Tonight SLUH will take on Jesuit rival Merrifield, who was stationed in the corner of the Bills suited up to take on the Duchesne Rockhurst, ranked No. 7 in the nation, in the Oakville’s attacking half. Merrifield charged Pioneers.

Freshman goalie Guillaume DelaGateway Classic.

The game is at SLUH at along the inline before passing it off to open bar got the chance to show off his highly 6:45. senior Ben Emnett, who placed a shot around touted skills between the pipes in a game “Hopefully we’ll have a big home crowd the charging goalie. that was not built up to be a challenge for and get momentum and build off of it,” said

For the next 12 minutes, the game went the Jr. Bills.

Bement. back and forth, with SLUH playing far betby Patrick reporter

T

Hart

ter than in the first half. Senior captain and midfielder Richie Hoffman led the Bills back. He was all over the field as he seemed to lead every SLUH attack and harass every Oakville player with the ball. Finally, in the 27th minute of the second half, Hoffman ripped a shot from the top of the box, which Oakville’s goalie was lucky to get a hand

XC 6th at Palatine, Rackers sets record

by Greg Fister reporter

A

fter a long period of intense training and mental preparation, the St. Louis U. High varsity cross country team traveled to Palatine, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, and placed sixth among teams from all over the region at the Palatine Invitational. Although the course was less than five kilometers in length, senior Tim Rackers’s converted finishing time of 15:22 smashes SLUH’s previous 5K record held by the legendary Caleb Ford, ‘10.

Because the course was flat and grassy and measured just over three miles, nearly every SLUH runner came away with a personal record even after coach Tom Flanagan converted the times to what they would have been times on an actual 5K race. The conditions were near perfect, and the slight chill added a refreshing edge to the competition.

At the beginning of the race, Rackers got out to a fast start, and remained in the top 20 runners for the entire race. Near the middle of the second mile, Rackers began passing up runners left and right until, with about 200 meters to go, Rackers was in 10th place. Then, he finished third place overall, higher than Midwest running star Sam Telfer (who has the third best three-mile PR of Illinois runners, at 14:42) and only 22 seconds behind Jack Driggs (the top runner in Illinois this year, third in the State meet last year).

Rackers’s finishing time was 14:55 but was converted to 15:22, beating Caleb Ford’s SLUH record of 15:48.

Rackers, however, denies any claims that he broke Ford’s record.

“Caleb’s record was a pure 5K, and I think how we’re going to deal with that, because the course was a little short, is that I now hold the 3-mile record for SLUH. But leave the 5K for Caleb,” said Rackers. He also added that Ford’s record is “something I want to beat, especially in these upcoming races. But on a course that is flat and short, I really don’t want to have that record unless I run a true 5K.” Rackers believes that he is where he needs to be physically to maybe win at the State meet.

“I’ve got a good base of endurance down, so now we’re working mainly on speed from here on out,” said Rackers. “State is just a whole different mental atmosphere.

Going into the race in perfect physical shape doesn’t guarantee anything. State is very much mental; you have to go in believing you can win it,” he said.

SLUH’s next four runners, seniors Joe Meier and Alan Ratermann and juniors Nathan Rubbelke and Michael McLaughlin— all finished within 12 seconds of each other, between 41st and 62nd place. Meier led the tight pack of these four talented and determined runners throughout the entire race, although the crowded atmosphere of the finish spread out the runners by 21 places.

Freshman John Esswein added another astounding performance by a SLUH runner last Saturday, turning in a 16:20 3-mile time (converted to 16:49 for a 5K), good for a personal record and an all-time SLUH freshman record, beating another one of Caleb Ford’s records.

“It feels really good that I can accom-

plish that sort of time, that I can hang up there with the top group,” said Esswein of his outstanding achievement.

Esswein ran in the SLUH varsity top seven on Saturday, and hopes to do the same at the State meet in November. Looking towards the State meet, Esswein says he is “aiming for a 16:40 time, and I’ll take anything under that. Place-wise, I’m not sure what I’m aiming for … I’ll just try to not be the last-place SLUH varsity runner,” he said with a laugh.

Head coach Joseph Porter was very pleased with the team’s performance at Palatine.

“Our guys performed extremely well, and Tim (Rackers) actually placed himself among the top 50 runners in the country after that performance, and the rest of the team definitely established us as a force to be reckoned with, and a favorite for the State meet,” said Porter.

Porter believes that a State championship is now more within SLUH’s reach than it has been all season long.

“Now we’re in the hunt, (with) about four or five other teams, and we are happy to be among them,” said Porter.

Tomorrow, SLUH races at the Ron Jorgensen Memorial Invitational at Queeny Park, holding back only the top five runners and giving the rest of the team a chance to shine. After that, the top seven will prepare for the Metro Catholic Conference Championship, a very important meet on SLUH’s road to State.

Underclassman sports updates JV Football (1-4) Monday, September 27 SLUH 27, Vianney 0 In SLUH’s first win, running backs Colin Barrett and Jermell Hundley scored rushing touchdowns, and wide receiver Reid Marshall added a receiving touchdown. The SLUH D was phenomenal against the Griffins with six total sacks, including a safety

by Nsilo Berry and two interceptions, with Joe Kusky returning one for a touchdown in the first quarter.

—Drew Brunts C Football (2-2) Thursday, September 23 SLUH 34, Vianney 27 The Jr. Bill offense got on a roll early. Freshman quarterback Ramon Wingo looked great, throwing and running for big gains and accounting for three total touchdowns.

Late in the game, the Jr. Bills recovered an important onside kick from the Griffins to run out the clock.

—Robert Braddock JV Soccer (5-0-3) Wenesday, September 29 SLUH 0, CBC 0 The SLUH JV soccer team had a rematch against rival CBC last night. Unfortunately, the game ended in a tie once again. Both teams had many chances to score, but couldn’t quite pull the trigger as the game ended 0-0. ­—Evan Becton B Soccer (7-0) Monday, September 27 SLUH 3, Duchesne 0 Sophomore Nick Kocisak scored the first two goals of the game, and sophomore Mike Michler scored the clincher for the Bills, a left-foot missile into the back of the net. The Bills extended their win streak to seven games.

—Justin Sinay C Soccer (9-0) Friday, September 24 SLUH 5, Granite City 1 The Jr. Bills caught fire at the start of the game with a goal by freshman Tony Doellefeld. Also leading the charge were freshmen Brian Fletcher and Chris Berutti, who both scored. The Jr. Bills won 5-1 to keep their undefeated record.

—Michael Daugherty Monday, September 27 SLUH 9, Duchesne 0 Freshmen Andrew Slaughter and Chris Klipfel had early goals against the Duchesne defense to set the tone for the rest of the game.

SLUH controlled the ball for the rest of the game and continued its undefeated season.

—Stephen Lumetta JV Swimming Thursday, September 23 Jackson at SLUH Freshman Victor Castro swam a leg of the 200 freestyle relay. The relay placed third with a time of 1:49.74, beating both Jackson teams.

—David Greaves Tuesday, September 28 SLUH at MICDS Two JV swimmers did exceptionally well at MICDS on Tuesday. Peter Myers dropped two seconds on his 100 butterfly with a time of 1:15.33, and Ryan Bub dropped an incredible six seconds on his 100 breast with a time of 1:28.76.

—David Greaves JV XC Saturday, September 25 Fifth at Palatine Invitational The top seven JV traveled to Palatine, Ill to compete against some of the top cross country teams in Illinois. Sophomore Tom Laughlin was the team’s only medalist, finishing 15th. Sophomore Joe Archer and junior Joe Esswein finished strong as well, both finishing just over 16:30 for the three mile race to help the team to a strong 5th place finish.

—Eric Mueth

News SERVICE

September 30, 2010

(from 2)

said CSP coordinator Nick Ehlman. “Now, there is nothing as formal as like, ‘Here we are having (reflection) in theology class’ or we’re having a paper due, and which I think we need to be better (about). Let’s write a paper about the service you did. Let’s reflect about it. Let’s give a presentation.”

After completing the Ignatian Service requirements, St. Joseph’s students can continue to do service through the daily trips to Philadelphia organizations.

St. Peter’s Preparatory St. Peter’s Preparatory in Jersey City, N.J., has an extensive Christian Service program, and St. Peter’s provides examples for what SLUH’s CSP could look like with more extensive service requirements.

Interestingly enough, St. Peter’s service program is essentially the reverse of SLUH’s program: St. Peter’s freshmen, sophomores, and juniors have service requirements but seniors do not.

Freshmen at St. Peter’s Prep complete about 20 hours of service. As part of a new program, freshmen go out with their respective homerooms on weekends, and then reflect on their experiences at school.

St. Peter’s sophomores are required to attend a service retreat with their homeroom.

During the retreat, sophomores will feed the homeless at a local shelter, volunteer at a food bank, and visit senior citizens.

“It’s been really successful. This (retreat) allows us to satisfy service requirements and it gives them the opportunity to process service work as it is happening,” said Christian Service Director Ryan Heffernan. “The sophomores really, really have enjoyed this. It’s probably one of the best changes we’ve made in the past few years to the Campus Ministry program.”

While SLUH already has the CSP Retreat, it can only take a limited number of students. A larger service retreat is being considered at SLUH, and is a possibility for the sophomore retreat, a retreat that has been revamped many times.

“We have talked about ideas like that before and hopefully in the future we will have something similar,” said SLUH retreat director John Lan Tran, S.J. “I think all service programs must have a reflection component to them, and a service retreat is one of the best ways to do it.”

The Christian Service requirements of St. Peter’s juniors resemble SLUH’s Senior Project. Juniors must volunteer for 60 hours with people who are materially poor or marginalized in some way. The 60 hours can be completed through summer immersion trips like Urban Challenge or trips to West Virginia and Ecuador or through 60 hours of local service. Juniors are required to reflect on their service experiences.

“We have it junior year purposely because we have found that having the climactic experience of Christian service in the junior year allows them to come back senior year as pure leaders,” said Heffernan.

“I think (junior year service project) also helps us build better relationships with our friends and also with people we are just meeting for the first time,” said St. Peter’s junior Colin McNamara, who attended Urban Challenge for his junior service.

Creighton Preparatory High School

According to CSP coordinator Simonie Bieber, Creighton Preparatory High School in Omaha, Neb., has one of the most impressive high school service programs, and she looks at Creighton Prep’s program as part of CSP’s dream for the future because of its fantastic freshman and sophomore programs.

All Creighton Prep freshmen, with their big brothers from the senior class, are required to participate in a service day and are also required to complete two hours of service together. “(The freshmen) don’t do a whole lot of service, but I think it is kind of nice for the seniors to introduce the freshmen to the service work,” said Creighton Prep Christian Service and Social Justice Director Dave

Lawler.

Ehlman thinks it is a great idea when upperclassmen complete service with freshmen. While he is unsure if senior advisors have done service with their advisees in the past, Ehlman is definitely open to the idea.

The sophomores of Creighton Prep go through a program that Bieber has described as “absolutely fantastic.” Each Friday, ten sophomores and one faculty member are excused from classes in order to volunteer at a homeless shelter. The next week, sophomores reflect on their experiences in their theology classes.

“I think that the students have quality experiences and the experiences have an impact on them,” said Lawler. “I think it’s a good fit for our school in particular.”

CSP is especially impressed with this part of Creighton Prep’s program, as it places students in the community weekly and requires the students to think about the disadvantaged frequently. Yet SLUH’s CSP realizes that this program has very difficult logistics.

“I know that we currently don’t have the resources to make something like that happen, but I feel something like this should be on our dream list,” said Bieber.

Creighton Prep juniors have to complete 20 hours of service through their semesterlong Catholic social teaching class.

Though seniors at SLUH are the only students with service requirements, Creighton Prep has no service requirements for seniors, though seniors can take an Awareness Workshop, where they are granted two release periods three days a week and visit the same work site each time.

One final notable item about Creighton Prep’s service program is that whenever a student does service, he is also required to reflect on it.

“We require reflection for whenever they are doing service, because I think it ties into Ignatian spirituality that they need to reflect on their experiences,” said Lawler. “One of the characteristics of the Grad at Grad is committed to doing justice, and I think it is hard to get to be committed to doing justice unless you’re taking time to digest what bigger change you need to make.”

Mandatory Service SLUH still has not mandated service for any class but seniors. Other Jesuit high school ministers have mixed feelings about mandatory service, believing that it comes with pros and cons.

“I started seven years ago and I definitely had major reservations about (mandatory service) then,” said St. Joseph’s Deitch.

“It’s become more mixed since I started. I see students who only do the hours because of the requirement and then have profound experiences that impacted them and change their lives. And I’ve also seen students who have no interest in doing service. And (I ask myself), are we doing a disservice to these service sites because (those students) do not want to do service? I don’t know the best way to do service. I do know, though, that I have seen people transformed through service.”

“There are very few schools without a mandatory service component. We appreciate it being mandatory because a lot of our students at first go into it hesitantly,” said St. Peter’s Heffernan. “At first, they go into it not wanting to take part in the experience, and I think, given the choice, a number of students would opt to sleep in on a Saturday.

Then they go on the experience, and come back for the better and grateful that they did it. And then look to do it voluntarily the following year.”

“I think you need to make some service mandatory, but if you mandate too much service it turns kids off,” said Creighton Prep’s Lawler. “ I think sometimes quality is more important than quantity. I think incorporating reflection and spirituality into it is more important than the number of hours they complete. I think you have got to get some kids’ foot in the door and that leads to good things.”

REYNOSA

(from 1) the Prep News last week, calling for SLUH to return to Reynosa for the spring break service trip.

Hellwig’s letter caused many reactions throughout the SLUH community. PE teacher Patrick Zarrick approached Hellwig to express a shared desire to return to Mexico.

“I have a personal relationship with the people in the colonia that makes the experience of helping that specific group more meaningful and fulfilling,” said Zarrick.

Moran empathized with Hellwig’s letter, but continues to favor a trip to another area in need.

“I thought it was an impassioned (letter) and an impassioned plea from someone who has been to Mexico,” said Moran. “I’m not surprised. In fact, I think it would be more surprising if he didn’t feel that way. In some ways he wouldn’t have gotten the point of why we were there.”

However, Moran said that based on information from Strategic Alliance, a trip to Mexico would not be safe.

“For the time being, the sense is that (Reynosa) is not safe,” said Moran.

Moran also stressed the potential of a service trip to another location.

“I hope there isn’t the assumption that because we’re not going to Mission Mexico, everybody should just stay home. Let’s get excited about some of the places that we can go and do service as opposed to finding alternate ways to do a trip that right now we don’t feel comfortable doing.”

Among the places that Moran cited as possible locations for a SLUH mission trip were Costa Rica and the Appalachian Mountains.

However, Moran said that if the group interested in going back to Reynosa acts on its own, the decision of whether or not to go is up to those individuals.

“If the trip is not going to be associated with SLUH, who am I to be deciding?” Moran said.

Though few have committed to going back to Mexico besides Zarrick, Hellwig said there is significant interest in the trip.

Hellwig is currently planning to limit

LINHARES

(from 1) Linhares said.

Linhares helped build the cross country program into a state powerhouse, but he gives most of the credit to the runners themselves.

“I think the guys did the most promoting, because they had a great time and they took great care of each other and supported each other and really threw themselves into it and made it fun,” he said.

In addition, Linhares did his part to promote cross country, and, later, track, and increase the level of respect for those sports, making sure the team was covered in local newspapers, recognized during pep rallies, and more visible in the hallways.

The main coaching philosophy that Linhares offered was his view of every athlete as an equal. “I tried to ask every athlete, the fastest to the one with the slowest time, to give me everything that he had and put his team in front of himself,” said Linhares.

According to Porter, Linhares had the mentality “that winning isn’t as important as developing character, not that winning isn’t something that we want to strive and do.”

This philosophy, most believe, led to the success of the team. In addition to leading the cross country team to three cross country State championships, Linhares was able to lead the track team to a State championship in 2006.

“Nobody ever thought SLUH would win a track title,” said Flanagan, noting that Linhares knew how to convert a very talented team into a successful one.

Linhares said his coaching strategy was to “make sure you put high expectations out there, but then let them know you’re really

Volume 75, Issue 6

7

the trip to legal adults, meaning that only seniors who are 18, parents, and faculty could go. He will take a minimum amount of 11 volunteers, as that is the least amount of people that have built one house on Mission: Mexico trips in the past.

Hellwig has not yet contacted Strategic Alliance and therefore does not know Strategic Alliance’s requirements for adult leadership. Hellwig knows of four adults who are interested in making the trip with the group, including his father, Frank Hellwig.

Zarrick said he believed there were several reasons why the trip last year became more dangerous. Last year’s incident occurred around 4 a.m., as the group was returning to the United States; in the future, Zarrick believes that it would be better to leave after the last workday, and cross the border in the early evening. This strategy is different from last yearʼs, when Ashby led the mission workers across the border in the middle of the night.

Zarrick said, “Elements out at three o’clock are much different than the elements out at five p.m. in the afternoon.”

He continued, “Having a strong security background, I think that the threat level was only noticeable when crossing from Mexico into the United States. It was not noticeable on hotel premises. It was not noticeable to and from the colonia. With a few changes we can decrease the risks significantly.”

Among those changes, Zarrick cited the use of walkie talkies as a major factor in increasing safety. Last year, the adult leaders carried and used walkie talkies throughout the week, but before crossing the border they returned them to Ashby. Also, Zarrick cited the need for some type of markings on the vans to identify the group as a serviceoriented team.

“We need magnetic signs promoting our mission work,” said Zarrick.

Of the potential dangers of the trip, Hellwig said, “I’m not going to act like there aren’t any risks in going. But I’ve always felt that the violence isn’t aimed at Americans. I don’t think we are going to be targeted. The risk of being there is outweighed by the good that we can do there.”

paying attention and supporting everything that they do.”

“Not only was he a great coach for cross country and track, but also really took time to help the personal growth of all the runners,” said senior runner Alan Ratermann.

Junior runner Jimmy Griffard said, “Simple phrases like ‘Keep your cadence,’ ‘Look at the top of the hill,’ or ‘This is where you start your kick,’ helped about every runner maintain focus during those hard parts of the race.”

In good times and bad, Linhares showed support for the team and all of the athletes and helped to focus on the positives.

Porter said, “He’s been well-respected across the state for the way that he treats his athletes, the way he treats the fellow coaches.”

Jeff Scott, a new SLUH cross country coach and the MTCCCA president until December, said, “I’ve watched him for so many years and I love what he’s done with all of the SLUH athletes.”

He added, “He’s a first ballot Hall of Famer so that kind of says a lot.”

Linhares’ induction will take place on Dec. 10 in Columbia, Mo. The induction is part of a conference that focuses on “raising the intelligence level and the performance level of the state of Missouri” in track and field and cross country, according to Scott.

The conference includes a luncheon, the induction ceremony and speeches, a social hour, and a series of presentations and guest speakers from all over the country to speak about cross country and track.

Linhares said, “I don’t want to talk long, but I’ll mostly just want to say thank you.”

8

Yes, Sir!

Volume 75, Issue 6

September 30, 2010

Schedule R

Food drive nets triple last year’s total

Today AP

Freshman Advisement Tutorial

freshmen homerooms, there was a tie between J123 and J127. M216 he CSP Food Drive was last donated the most items out of all week, and thanks in part to a the homerooms, and the juniors new twist, about 2,000 more rewon the free Jimmy John’s. quested items were donated this “My feeling is that the contest year than last year. worked,” Bieber said. The donated

“I would say that the food drive items will go to Karen House, a was a success,” said CSP Program shelter for abused women, and St. Coordinator Simonie Bieber. This Peter and Paul shelter, a shelter for year, an astounding 3,307 requestmen. ed items, $525 in cash, and $600 In addition to the Karen House worth of gift cards were donated and Sts. Peter and Paul programs, this year. These numbers are even the items that the SLUH programs more impressive compared to the cannot use will be donated to local 1,111 requested items, $178 and food pantries. $465 worth of gift cards donated According to art teacher John last year. Overall, the total differMueller, the CSP Program has ence between this year and last year budgeted food for these programs (counting each requested item as a all year. Because of the food dollar) is $2,689. drive, the program will be able to Part of the reason that the allocate some of what it has budfood drive was so successful this geted to help other programs. He year was because this year it was mentioned gift cards from Aldi’s, turned into a competition, with Costco, and Restaurant Depot the class and homerooms of each would be particularly helpful. class that donated the most items “(I wanted to express) how gratewinning prizes. The homerooms ful we are for the gracious giving. that donated the most items in each It means a lot,” said Mueller. “It’s class would win a donut party, and of the campus ministry food pantry filled up nice that the kids who can’t devote the class that donated the most The shelves quickly during last week’s CSP food drive. the time for it can be a part of the items would win free Jimmy John’s.

The homerooms that donated the most money were M116 program.” (senior), M216 (junior), M203 (sophomore), and for the -Web Editor Patrick O’Leary contributed reporting.

11am 6pm 4:15pm 4:30pm 6:45pm 7:30pm

Ignation Mix-It-Up Lunch Swimming @ FZW C Soccer @ CBC C Football vs. Chaminade Soccer vs. Rockhurst Dauphin Players’ Production

by Jack Godar reporter

PHOTO BY JOHN LAN TRAN

T

This week in sluh history

Thursday, September 26, 1946 Volume 10, No. 1

“Excavation started last July 25 for an addition to the northwest corner of the present St. Louis University High School building, the two-story and basement project scheduled to be ready for occupancy at the end of the year. Use of the new building for faculty rooms will release for school rooms the overcrowded quarters occupied by the administrative

and teaching staff of the Society of Jesus at present….On the first floor of the building will be a refectory and a large, modern kitchen. The second floor will contain the faculty chapel and a spacious sacristy, while the basement plans for a boiler room, storage rooms, a dining room for the maintenance men, and a two-car garage.”

-Compiled by Joe Klein

Forecast printed with permission of the National Weather Service.

St. Louis, MO Weather Service Office Phone: 636-441-8467 Compiled by Nick Fandos and Conor Gearin

the

s n o i t c e r r co

Last week’s issue incorrectly identified senior Steve Hoerr as a varsity swimming captain. The only captains are seniors Jake Chisholm, Michael Hagerty, John Lewis, and Kevin Kleinschmidt.

Lunch Special—Chicken Nuggets

Healthy—Chicken Parmesan 4pm 6pm 7pm 7:30pm

Prep News wants

you To come up for an article, photo, or cartoon assignment after school today in J220.

YE WHO LOVE YOUR SCHOOL:

ENLIST!

MAD MEN

quote of the week

“Put your home in order, either there or here. You’ll not live inbetween.”

-Robert Pryce

Cross Country @Jorgensen Memorial Reunions—Classes of ‘50 and ‘85 Football @ Chaminade Dauphin Players’ Production

Saturday, October 2 8am Gateway Midwest Soccer Tourney 7:30pm Dauphin Players’ Production Sunday, October 3 2pm

Dauphin Players’ Production

Monday, October 4

Schedule R

Tuesday, October 5

Schedule R

AP College Reps:

University of Chicago (M112)

Providence College (M114)

Rice University (M116)

St. Olaf College (10:30am)

Columbia University (12pm)

Carleton College (12:45pm)

University of San Diego (2pm) Intramurals:

Freshman Bashball

Dunn vs. Regis, Backer vs. Xavier

Snack—Quesadilla Rolls

5:30pm JV Football @ Chaminade

B Soccer @ CBC Lunch Special—Bosco Pizza

Healthy—Sweet and Sour Chicken Skewer AP Rosary

College Reps:

Culver-Stockton College (M112)

Earlham College (M114)

Intramurals: Junior Bashball

Currigan vs. Sheehan, Loyola vs. Murphy

Snack–Chicken Giggles 4:30pm C Football @ Normandy 7pm Hockey @ Top Hat Classic vs. Lindbergh Lunch Special—Toasted Ravoli

Healthy—Italian Sampler Plate

Wednesday, October 6

Schedule R

AP Freshmen English Tutorial

College Reps:

Furman University (M104)

Northwestern University (M108)

Rockhurst University (M112)

Saint Louis University (M114

Wash. University in St. Louis (M116)

Intramurals: Senior Bashball

Currigan vs. Sheehan, Loyola vs. Murphy

Snack– Funnel Cakes 4pm

the

No School

Friday, October 1

Swimming vs. Mehlville/Cape ND

Lunch Special—Burritos/Enchiladas

Healthy—Szechwan Meatballs

Thursday, October 7

Mother’s Club Card Party Set Up AP Snack–Bosco Sticks

Intramurals: Sophomore Bashball

11am 4pm 4pm 6pm

Schedule R

Currigan vs. Seehan, Loyola vs. Murphy Ignatian Mix-It-Up Lunch Swimming @ FZW JV Soccer @ FHN Soccer @ FHN

Lunch Special—Meatball Sandwich

Healthy—Baked Chicken Quarter

Friday, October 8 AP

Senior Class Mass Intramurals: J

Schedule R