Rocky Mountain Highlighter: 2015 February by Rocky Mountain Highlighter

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UNIFIED PACK Unified photo gallery•rmhighlighter.org Your World • Spring musical Crazy For You previewed - page 4 Q&A • Rocky student studies in Chile - page 5 News • To Kill A Mockingbird author set to release sequel - page 6 Center • Space - Are we alone in the universe? - page 8-9 Pro/Con •18 or 21? When should it be legal to drink? - page 11 Features • Rocky helps Sage Petersen fight cancer - page 12 Sports • Wrestling results from state tournament - page 14

RMHighlighter.org Rocky Mountain High School

1300 W. Swallow Rd.

Fort Collins, Colo.

Vol. 42, No. 6

Feb. 26, 2015

Evan Malone

2 page letters

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feb.26, 2015 Cloning Ethics

GMO Babies?

Cigarette Ad Effects

Dear Editor, Cloning is a hotly debated topic of research which is sure to be debated even further as time goes on and technology gets better. It is my point of view that cloning is an ethical topic of research as long as two conditions are met. First, the first human clone ought to be created only after the process of cloning has been perfected. This way, there are no moral questions as to whether it is ethical to bring them into the world, as they will not be crippled or otherwise different from an average human as a result of the cloning. The second and most important condition is for all clones to have rights identical to those given to their biologically born counterparts. This should apply to animal clones as well as human clones; if a cloned human is given human rights, a cloned tiger should have equal laws applied to it, such as species protection, animal cruelty laws, etc. The name implies that it is no different, it is literally a clone, so as soon as cloning becomes viable (which it almost certainly will be because of the many benefits that can be obtained from that field’s research), we must work to eliminate any superstition or distrust surrounded cloned creatures and or cloned people.

I’m not here to discuss science, to bore you with biologic terms, or to dissect the theory of mitochondrial manipulation technologies. I’m here to tell you about your 6-foot, Heisman Trophy-winning, future son who resembles Ryan Gosling or your super model daughter who just won American Idol, and at the same time cured cancer, both of whom have more followers on Instagram then all the Kardashians combined. Genetically engineered babies are a very possible future installment for us humans, and I’m looking forward to capitalizing on that and creating a perfect child, even if it does mean fighting the government if they decide to ban it. Some may call it eugenics, and refer to me as Hitler because apparently I’m trying create a homogeneous world where everyone’s the same, but I’m not. My children will always be better, therefore different. That sounds like the opposite of homogeneous to me. Others argue there’s a possibility of major backfire and many children suffer devastatingly maybe fatally from this; but by the time my kids come round, those problems will be already solved, so I’m not concerned and you shouldn’t be either. Whatever problems arise are not our responsibility, it’s someone else’s. So, I’ll just wait here on my little rectangle that lights up and post about how cool I am while everyone else figures it out. Text me when my perfect baby is ready.

Yes, I believe that cigarette advertising affects an under-age individuals to smoke. Children are influenced by the media every day, they probably see more entertainment media today than elderly people do, they are influenced by everything that they see. So, I believe that if they were to see a famous person on an ad smoking, a child might think, “Oh well maybe I will be become famous, or become more like that celebrity, if I smoke.” It’s like if they see a perfume commercial with a woman surrounded by men. The ad is basically saying, if you wear this perfume, you will also be surrounded by men. It’s just a way to convince someone to buy the product. I believe that it is the same with smoking commercials. But rather than just commercials, one way that the youth is being targeted is that the cigarette advertisements on the street are placed eye level to children. Also, in magazines, they are using more colors and more pictures for these advertisements so they are more eye catching to the youth. It also doesn’t help when all these cigarette commercials are strategically placed into youth magazines, like 17 Magazine or Teen Vogue.

Leo McManus, senior

Olivia Anderson, junior

Anna Dworkin,senior

Letters to the editor

Rocky Mountain Highlighter Staff RM Highlighter editorial policy The Rocky Mountain Highlighter is a student news publication which strives to report school and community events with truth, accuracy, objectivity, and clarity. The RM Highlighter will also comment on issues of interest to its readers. The purposes of this publication are to report the news to the Rocky Mountain High School community, to provide the school community with a public forum for thoughtful discussion and debate, and to provide students on the newspaper staff with practical journalism experience. In order to make the RM Highlighter as professional a publication as possible, important legal and ethical guidelines will be followed. Senate Bill 90-99, enacted by the Colorado General Assembly during the 1990 legislative session, declares that “students of the public schools shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press.” (Colo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 22-1-120) We, the staff of the RM Highlighter, are prohibited by law from publishing certain materials. We will respect these laws. No material which is libelous, encourages illegal acts, or causes material and substantial disruption to school activities will be published. Expressions which are obscene will not be printed. Profanity will not be printed unless it is considered absolutely necessary by the RM Highlighter editorial board to express the views of the writer or quoted person. Expression which is false “as to any person who is not a public figure or involved in a matter of public concern” will not be printed. “Expressions which are in violation of lawful school regulations designed to control gangs” will not be printed. In the event of a potential controversial item, the editorial board —consisting of all the editors, the advertising manager, and the adviser —will meet to discuss the merits of the item and then decide whether or not to print the item. Coverage of deaths which occur within the Rocky community will be carefully considered by the editorial board. Natural or accidental deaths will be reported for clarifications of death and will contain a memorial. Except in extreme circumstances, suicides will not be

covered to reduce glorification of such acts. In general, the RM Highlighter observes the guidelines presented in the “Code of Ethics” of the Society of Professional Journalists. The RM Highlighter will not allow source review prior to publication, unless there is a clarification issue. Source anonymity will be granted only after careful consideration by the editor, with the editor reserving the right to make the final decision. Staff editorials shall be presented logically and will represent the views of the majority of the staff. Editorial criticism, of either individuals or groups, will be based on fact and will be constructive. Guest editorial space, the “Open Forum,” is available to anyone in the Rocky community, including students, parents, faculty, and administrators. Anyone interested in writing in the “Open Forum” should contact the editor-in-chief or the adviser, Stephen Wahlfeldt. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should be signed, and a home phone number should be included. The writer’s name may be withheld upon request, provided the editor agrees that the reasons for withholding a name are valid and compelling. Try to limit letters to 300 words and place them in one of the “Letters to the Editor” boxes, located in the Media Center and the Main Office, or give them to a RM Highlighter staff member, RM Highlighter adviser Stephen Wahlfeldt, or drop them by the RM Highlighter room, Room 528, during 4th period. Letters may also be mailed to the Rocky Mountain Highlighter, Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 W. Swallow Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80526. To talk with anyone on the RM Highlighter staff, phone (970) 488-7090. Columnists express their own views and not necessarily those of the RM Highlighter staff. No expression made by students of the Rocky Mountain Highlighter shall be considered an expression of school board or Rocky Mountain High School policy. Furthermore, Poudre School District and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by the students. All advertisement is welcome. To place an ad, contact RM Highlighter advertising managers at (970) 488-7091. The RM Highlighter, however, reserves the right to refuse advertising which the staff considers inappropriate for our audience. The RM Highlighter is a member of the ASNE/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service, and some material is courtesy of that service. The Rocky Mountain Highlighter reserves the right to edit anything it publishes.

Editor-in-Chief

News Editor

Web Editor

Center Editor

Opinion Editor

Reporters

Features Editor

Sports Editor

Noah Fogelberg

Avery Martin

Michael Roley

Noah Fogelberg

Reyna Thompson

Trey Jouard

Pacemaker Finalist-2014; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2014; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2013; Pacemaker Finalist-2012; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2012; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2011; Pacemaker Winner-2010; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2010; Pacemaker Finalist-2009; All-American, 4 Mark of Distinction-2009; All-American Hall of Fame Induction-2008; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2008; Pacemaker Finalist-2007; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2007; Pacemaker Winner-2006; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2006; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2005; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2004; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2003; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2002; All-American, 5 Marks of Distinction-2001; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-2000; All-American, 4 Marks of Distinction-1999.

Evan Malone

Daniel Dideriksen Julia Johnson Max Miller Matt Wood

All-Colorado-2014; All-Colorado-2013; All-Colorado-2012; All-Colorado-2011; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2010; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2009; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2008; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2007; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2006; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2005; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2004; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-2003; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2002; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-2001; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1996; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-1992; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1991; 2nd place, 5A Sweepstakes-1990; 1st place, 5A Sweepstakes-1987.

Contributors Neville Hyllegard John Kim Rebecca Knaff

Adviser

Stephen Wahlfeldt

Gold Medalist-2014; Gold Medalist-2013; Gold Medalist-2012; Gold Medalist-2011; Gold Medalist-2010; Silver Crown-2009; Gold Medalist-2009; Silver Medalist-2008; Gold Medalist2007; Gold Medalist-2006; Gold Medalist-2005; Silver Crown-2005; Gold Medalist-2004; Silver Crown-2004; Gold Medalist-2003; Silver Crown-2003; Gold Medalist-2002; Gold Medalist-2001; Gold Medalist-2000; Gold Medalist-1999.

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Q&A CENTER FEATURES

Student studies abroad in Chile

Page 4 • Your World

■Preview of spring musical Crazy For You ■Top Ten things to do over spring break

Page 5 • Q&A

■Junior Halderman talks about experience studying abroad in Chile

Page 6 •News

■Harper Lee set to release sequel for To Kill a Mockingbird

Life outside of Earth?

8-9

Page 8-9 • Center

■All about space: After recent discoveries, scientists search for extraterrestrial life

Page 10 • Opinion

Page 14 • Sports

■Wrestling team competes at state tournament

■Staff ed: Keep cost of college down

Page 11 •Opinion

■Pro/Con: Should the drinking age be 21 or 18?

Page 7 • News

■Column: Native American mascot law needs more research ■Unified Basketball game unites 'The Den' ■Rocky grad hired as Broncos' Offensive Coordinator ■'Escape' Film Festival a success

Rocky grad revisits historic three-pointer

Page 12 • Features

■Sage Petersen fundraising dinner

Page 13• Features

■Five years later, Rocky grad Garrett Karp revisits historic three point shot

Page 15 • Sports ■Girls' basketball update ■Sports briefs

Page 16 •Sports

■Preseason baseball preview: living up to high expectations

COVER

■Unified basketball team high fives fans ■Photo credit: Evan Malone

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New musical, new talent by Julia JohnsonReporter

This year, the theater department will open the spring musical with the fresh talent of actor Aaron Provencio. With no previous experience within Rocky theater and only minimal outside, Provencio, who will play one of the musical’s lead characters, “Lank,” is both nervous and confident to see the show through. This year’s musical is Crazy for You. A Tony Award-winning show in 1992, it is the story of a young banker with a hankering for show business who is sent to foreclose on a property that turns out to be a theater. After falling in love with the local postmistress, he decides to put on a show to save the theater. It’s a comedic love story for all ages. The opening night for performances is Thursday, March 5 with three following shows on the March 6, 7, 12, wrapping up with closing night on Friday, March 13. All shows will start at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. This year’s musical being Provencio’s first Rocky production, the senior was a little nervous coming at it at first, saying that the talent of all the other actors was quite intimidating. But as the first chunk of the quarter in the musical theater class went by, he became much more comfortable working alongside them. “It was kind of intimidating coming

in as the new guy,” Provencio said. “But they (the cast and crew) were all extremely friendly to me and they all sort of took me under their wing and helped me out.” His past experience with theater was limited, including only one elementary school performance and various improv classes up until high school. Within Provencio, there is a risk-taker drawn into the fun and exciting world of Rocky theater through friends and previous performances. “I’ve always gone to the plays and musicals,” he said, “and the casts are always amazing. The sets are always beautiful, and I’ve always just really been inspired by that.” It was on a whim that he auditioned for the show. He memorized and performed his monologue, which was essentially second nature to him only because of his prior experience with public speaking. When it came to the music, on the other hand, he had never sung in front of people before, so Provencio said that this was very nerve-wracking for him. As a choice of song, he memorized the traditionally female-sung tune of “Colors of the Wind” from Disney’s Pocahontas. He sang beautifully and was able to impress the director, landing him a spot in the cast. He looks forward to the show with great anticipation. “(Musical theater production) has just been a lot of fun, and I’m really looking forward to the actual show,” Provencio said.

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license testing Private lessons Required 6 hours of training

www.choicedriverseducation.com

970-484-5229

1232-C6 W. Elizabeth ● Ft. Collins, CO 80521

Noah Fogelberg

Shedding Light: Kody Kurth projects a sign on to music stands for the musical. The musical will be on March 6, 7, 12, and 13.

TOP Ten Top 10 things to do over spring break 10. Go to Mexico just for the soda 9. Frolick in the sprinklers 8. Cover yourself in bread 7. Streak across the Rockies’ spring training field 6. Adopt a penguin 5. Pick up trash (invite the ladies) 4. Get baked. . . goods and then eat them 3. Get yours eyes pierced 2. Visit North Korea with John Kim 1. Watch Nick Fitzgerald play video games

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Chilen’ Junior Jimmy Halderman talks about his experience studying and living abroad this year in Chile

Q: Why did you first decide to travel with an exchange program? A: For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to travel the world. My family has a very international history that long precedes my year abroad in Chile. When my mother was in college at LSU she went on an exchange program to what was then the Soviet Union. While studying she met her first husband and they had three Russian born children, my half siblings. Some years later while working as a translator she met my father when he was on assignment in Russia. My family then moved to London where my father was based, as he worked for the CBS foreign bureau. He traveled the world covering wars, revolutions and even the Olympics. My fondest childhood memories are those where my father told his many incredible stories of his travels to amazing places with rich cultures, that were being torn apart by some horrific conflict--the tales of excitement and survival-using wits and the cunning he used to report the story and come back home. That is where my passion for travel and adventure first originated. My love for foreign language came from my mother. She speaks Russian, Spanish, German and French. But the biggest reason I decided on traveling abroad is because I have always felt like I missed out on the international lives my family had while living in Europe. Even though I was born in London and have dual citizenship I wanted the same experiences my siblings had while living abroad. Q: What do you miss the most about Fort Collins and Colorado? A: Of course there are a lot of things I miss from home. I miss my family, my friends, my dog, but the thing I miss the most… food. I do enjoy most of the Chilean food I eat here. There’s a lot of delicious seafood and sushi, tons of meats, and fantastic fruits, but sometimes I really just wish I could drive to Canes and get some chicken. Q: What’s one thing they do in Chile that you wish people in the U.S. would do? A: Chileans are a very loving and friendly people. Every time you arrive or leave a place you always personally greet every individual. Women greet other women and men with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Men either shake hands or, if they have already met, do a sort of typical American “bro hug.” Every phone conversation always starts with both parties asking, “How are you?” In general they also show affection much more physically than Americans, they hug, kiss, play fight, and leave very little personal space when talking. But the best part of Chilean culture? Nothing ever happens on time. If you have a party that starts at 10 p.m., you better not expect anyone to show up before midnight. When you hear the school bell ring to signify the start of classes, you still have a few minutes before anybody expects you to be in the classroom. So, if I had to bring any one thing back with me for Americans to adopt, it would be a general sense of relaxation and caring. Life is too short to not tell your family you love them every single time you can. And, you don’t need to be rude to that waiter that messed up your food or yell at the person that cut you off in traffic. Trust me, it’ll be ok.

Photo courtesy of Jimmy Halderman

l To Kill A Mockingbird author set to release sequel

6 page news

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by Reyna ThompsonOpinion Editor

Over half a century ago, one of the most influential pieces of literature was published. In the year 1960, an up and coming author by the name of Harper Lee wrote her first, and what was thought to be only, book, To Kill a Mockingbird. The book was well received and experienced a huge amount of commercial success. Even though Lee was pressured to write another novel, she never did. Or so the public was led to believe. The book, Go Set a Watchman, was written before To Kill a Mockingbird and is written as a sequel, but was never published. Fifty years after the release of its predecessor, Go Set a Watchman is scheduled for release on July 14. According to the publisher of the book, the main character Scout, “is forced to grapple with issues both personal and political as she tries to understand her father’s attitude toward society, and her own feelings about the place where she was born and spent her childhood.” In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout’s point of view is from her childhood, whereas in Go set a Watchman Scout is telling the story from her adult point of view. She does so while revisiting the town in which the events of To Kill a Mockingbird occurred. “I love hearing the story from the point of view of a child,” English teacher Larissa Schendel said. “It’s so interesting, because most novels are narrated by adults.”

Lee gave no insight as to why the second book is told from Scout’s adult point of view, or why the second book is being published nearly 55 years later. But this is to be expected, as Lee is an introverted person, never agreeing to any interviews. Yet her book is filled with more than she could ever say in person. “I don’t think there is another text that I teach that contains more clear morals or lessons on how to live life well than Lee’s text,” English teacher Jim Glenn said. Schendel offered additional opinions regarding the characterization within To Kill a Mockingbird. “The characters are phenomenal. Scout is a character that most ninth graders can identify with.” Scout’s dad, Atticus Finch, is a character that will be well represented in Lee’s sequel. He is a man ahead of his time period, and one who lays the groundwork for how to be a good father. He is a character ripe with potential for English students to study. “Atticus Finch is truly one of the great characters in all of literature, and I learn how to be a better man each time I read that text and encounter its teachings,” Glenn said, “and those ideas are some of those with which I seek to challenge my students when we work through it.” With the release of Lee’s new book, one of the most well read books by students will surely be in proper company.

Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/MCT

Literary Legend: Harper Lee sits at a diner in Monroeville, Ala. Lee is set to release a sequel to her legendary novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

To Kill A Mockingbird Facts

$9,249 › 55‹ › 30million Average daily earnings author Harper Lee makes from To Kill a Mockingbird royalties.

Years between the releases of the two novels, making the upcoming novel one of the longest awaited sequel releases.

Total number of copies of To Kill A Mockingbird sold

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‘The Den’ comes out to support school’s Unified basketball team The Rocky community turned out in full force in support of the Unified Basketball team. The final game of the season, and the only home game, saw 1,300 people pack “The Den” for the game against Fossil Ridge, including an overflowing student section and the Rocky Spirit Band. The Unified Basketball team integrates special needs students with other students who help out on the court. It is in its second season. Halftime entertainment consisted of a cheer-leading production

In brief

put on by The Cheer and Dance Connection, an organization that has a program for children with special needs. The Rocky cheer-leading squad assisted in the event. As always, Rocky showed an outpouring of love for the Unified players, with the student section leading the same chants and cheers as heard at other sporting events. A photo gallery of the event can be found on the Highlighter website, or by visiting http://rmhighlighter.org/gallery/unified-basketball-2122015/. Noah Fogelberg

Noah Fogelberg

Pack The Den: The Unified Basketball team sets up an offensive play during its home game against Fossil Ridge on Feb. 12. The game attracted over 1,300 fans.

Rocky Mountain Film Festival entertains, showcases students’ talents The Rocky Mountain Film Festival was a hit. Over 200 people attended the show dubbed “Escape.” The event featured 22 student-made films. 2012 Rocky graduate Hudson Bloom made a return to his former school to judge

the event. He was well known for directing the RMHSTV series “2012.” Bloom now works as a video director and producer at PHOCO, a local media production company. Noah Fogelberg

The winning films for each category are as follows: ›Documentary: “Creative Photo” by Sean Papile ›One-Shot: “From the Shadows” by Wyatt Schneider ›Drama: “Exitus” by Jamison Coe and Kody Kurth

›Comedy: “A Day at the Beach” by Ellen Field and Jocelyn Gentry* ›Experimental: “Ghosts of the Prairie” by Sean Papile and Isaac Trippet Music Video: “Runaway -- Shot a Day” by Kody Kurth *Best of Show winner

Native American mascot law needs more research

reynathompson Reigning Wisdom

igh schools all around the U.S. are using nicknames of all different types for their mascots, and little is being said of it. But now in Colorado, attention is being called to schools using Native American nicknames, and the attention is negative. Representative Joe Salazar (D) of Littleton, sponsored a bill in hopes of changing high school mascots that are offensive to the Native American population. If the bill passes, any school that refuses to change its mascot would be fined $25,000 a month until they comply. The bill would impact 48 schools in the state, the closet to Rocky being the Loveland High School Indians. I think this is a relevant conversation to be having, but

to what extent? Salazar should have done more research before proposing this legislation. Forty-eight schools in Colorado is an immense amount. Making a sweeping generalization that all high schools who have Native American mascots are offensive is far too broad a statement. The reason for this bill is a perceived moral or ethical obligation. If a high school didn’t have the means to change its mascot or didn’t want to for some reason other than bashing Native Americans, how moral or ethical would it be to charge a school $25,000? I am by no means supporting mascots that degrade a culture. However, I am supporting having well laid out proof that explains why the bill is being

proposed. Salazar and all others in support of this bill need to go to Native American communities and ask them if they find the mascot offensive. If the overwhelming majority is offended, then yes, I would see why this bill needs to be implemented. But if the population being “offended” is

white representatives who feel like they should do something, the bill is pointless. Especially if that something makes you pay $25,000 a month. Reyna Thompson is a junior and the Opinion Editor for the RM Highlighter.

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Life beyond Earth? by Daniel DideriksenReporter Are we alone in the universe? This question is one of the most vital to ask as it may defy beliefs of many. If it is truly found that we, on Earth, are not alone then the argument that humans are made in God’s image may be questioned. Furthermore, if we do find life one must wonder the extent of the evolution of the life found. It may simply be single cell organisms or small cells. However, there is a possibility that the life found is similar to humans and animals found on Earth. “Out of all the planets and systems in our universe, it’s silly to think that we are completely alone,” said senior Brenden Fitch. Within the last five years NASA has launched a space telescope named Kepler to explore the universe for star systems and planets. It has confirmed to have found 1,013 planets and 440 stellar systems as of January 2015. Although Kepler has only 1,013 planets confirmed, scientists have theorized that, based on Kepler data, there could be as many as 40 billion Earth-sized planets orbiting in habitable zones of sun-like stars. Even with Kepler’s long-range discoveries, there may even be life within our own solar system. “I think there’s a possibility of life even within our own solar system beyond Earth,” science teacher Dave Swartz said. “The main ingredient being water. We have several places in which water exists in large

quantities in our solar system, especially the moons around Jupiter and Saturn, namely the moon called Europa.” Europa is an ice covered moon, roughly the size of our own moon. But, under the layer of ice, scientists believe that there is a liquid ocean with properties to sustain life. “Europa has estimates of maybe three times the amount of water we have on Earth,” Swartz said. “As a result of tidal forces from Jupiter, it allows that water to stay a liquid under the frozen surface of the moon.” While the water aspect of Europa is arguably the most important aspect of life, another problem arises, the lack of sunlight. Sunlight is needed for photosynthesis, the process for plants to convert the sunlight’s energy into chemical energy to fuel the organism’s systems. Swartz refutes that argument, though. “Life doesn’t necessarily need sunlight,” said Swartz. “There is a process called chemosynthesis. Chemosynthesis happens on our planet deep in the ocean near wellings of magma. They discovered certain bacteria that can live of these chemicals as compared to sunlight. They end up having a pretty complex food web.” Seemingly, Europa has all the ingredients to sustain life, even if only small organism and we may find an answer soon. There is a mission probe named the Europa Clipper that will hopefully be launched in 2025 and eventually orbit around Jupiter and its moons. Even then, we may never know if we are in fact alone in the universe.

Local observatory strives to discover the unknown by Evan Malone  Web Editor

Space is our final frontier. For the lucky and well trained, they can go up in multi-billion dollar space crafts and live in space-stations to conduct science experiments. On the other hand, the rest of us have to look through a telescope and try to image we’re there. “Astronomy is just one of those areas where doors have opened for me,” said Andy Caldwell, director of Stargazer Observatory at Front Range Community College. The Astronomy program at Front Range is very fortunate to have an observatory, compared to the University of Northern Colorado. The observatory isn’t quite as large as the observatories at CU or CSU, but it does its job. “The thing about telescopes is, it’s a hook. They get to see the

sky in new ways they’ve never seen it before,” said Caldwell. Two men from Sky and Telescope Magazine took a telescope to Kathmandu and set it up in a place called Durbar Square, about the same size as one of the squares in Old Town. “They set up this telescope and had a line that went around the block of people who wanted to just look through it, just to see the moon, Jupiter and Saturn,” said Caldwell. We look to the sky and only see white dots and a moon, but we’re able to use telescopes and see much more. “I know most people in the world don’t have that opportunity, and to see things like this. There are fewer than a dozen 8-inch telescopes in Nepal, and I just go ‘Oh my god, I have a dozen 8-inch telescopes in my collection here at Front Range!’ So you just say wow,” said Caldwell. The observatory has open houses the first Friday of every month at Sunlight Peak building in the Front Range campus, and every third Saturday Stargazer 3733 Galileo Dr.

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Local observatory strives to discover the unknown by Evan Malone  Web Editor

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10 page opinion

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Respect the sandwich artist

Julia Johnson

College costly for middle class

staff editorial The middle class suffers when applying for college because of lack of federal aid

bout 24,164. No, that number isn’t a down payment on a house. It’s the total cost for a Colorado resident to attend one year at Colorado State University. This cost includes tuition and general fees, housing and meals, books and supplies, and transportation. Take this number and multiply it by four, and that comes out to roughly $100,000. Now take any out of state college, and that number doubles, if not more. This expense is a crisis facing the general majority of families in the middle class. Free Application for Federal Student Aid is (FAFSA) required before applying for college. Families that make a decent living, and can afford to get by with day to day expenses are generally considered middle class. When applying for financial aid, all properties that a family owns are considered assets. These add to a family’s wealth, which decrease their eligibility to qualify for federal aid. Are those families expected to liquidate their assets and retire-

ment accounts simply to give their children a secondary education? Just because a family does not qualify to receive federal aid does not mean that it will be easy, by any stretch, to put their children through college. Whereas when families have children they can’t afford, they are rewarded with money from the government. It’s simply not fair to punish a family who makes a decent living, and support those that do not with compensation. Granted, times are tough, and money is tight across the board. It is an immense amount of stress to place on a student to put themselves through college with solely their own funds. While this may have been possible 20 to 30 years ago, it isn’t now. A student making minimum wage, working 20 hours a week makes roughly $8,000 a year. Take that figure and apply it to the cost of CSU. There is simply no way a student can put himself through school without taking out a massive amount in student loans.

nyone who works in the service industry knows the mantra, “The customer is always right.” From a business standpoint, this saying certainly does hold weight. As someone who’s spent the last year as a Sandwich “Artist,” I can assure you the customer is right maybe 10 percent of the time. That may be an exaggeration, and I do have pleasant conversation with the majority of the customers that come through, but I have had a sufficient number of annoying people come through to warrant a column pleading to the public to be nicer to those in the service industry. So here it goes: First off, that tip jar is not there to help you pay for your order. Most reasonable people would know this, but you’d be surprised how many times I’ve had middle school aged kids try to pay for their $2 cookie order with my tips. I’ve even seen a full grown adult try to make exact change with a few dollars from the tip jar. This is ridiculous. If this is something you’ve ever even considered doing, stop that. Now. That is my sacred jar from which I get $4 in tips every week. They don’t pay me all that well, I need that tip money more than you do. I’d also like to plea to the public not to enter a food establishment within half an hour of closing. It’s during that time that we clean everything in the store, and one messy sandwich ordered by a customer with muddy shoes can mean that I’m getting out of there twenty minutes later than I had planned.

noahfogelberg Noah’s Bark And if you do have to come in right before close, don’t sit down in the lobby. We have to wait until after every customer is gone to begin sweeping and mopping, and one casual sandwich eater can put the whole closing operation back another twenty minutes. As if that’s not annoying enough, I had to ask one customer to leave after he stayed two minutes after we had quite clearly closed. Instead of understanding that we were no longer open and exiting politely, he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll leave in like ten minutes.” Whether or not you get to stay after hours is not up to you as the customer, sorry. These are some of the lowlights of my relatively positive sandwich artist career, but there certainly have been a plethora of interesting moments that make me wonder where humanity is headed. From having to kick out someone who shot up heroin in the bathroom and reeked of urine, to having to break up a physical altercation between customers, working in the service industry has certainly exposed me to all types of humanity. Most customers are reasonable people looking for a cheap dinner, and I expect that all of you readers fall into this category. Just please, don’t be a customer that inspires me to write a column about your shenanigans. Noah Fogelberg is a senior and the Editor-in-Chief of the RM Highlighter.

rmhighlighter.org Should the drinking age be lowered?

No harm in low drinking age

op-ed page 11 feb. 26, 2015 I wish I was 18 again I wish I was 21

 pro

e’ve all heard, “don’t drink and drive” multiple times in our lives. It’s harder to drive when one is legally drunk. Alcohol impairs our decision making skills and our blurs wrong from right. In today’s day and age, it’s hard to find a student who hasn’t tried alcohol or even gotten drunk. It is inevitable that the majority of us will be regular users of alcohol when we’re adults, and it’s apparent that a lot of us have gotten a head start. High school is a prime age where students can learn, not just about math and literature, but about their bodies and how they work. Probably one of the main thrills behind drinking is knowing that you shouldn’t be doing it when you’re in high school. As humans, we love to be challenged. When we’re told to not do something, we do it because we want to know why, and want to know what would happen if we did break the rule, gain knowledge and experience. If the drinking age was lowered, the act of rebellion would look less attractive, because it wouldn’t be rebellion at all. The wisest of us are the ones who broke the rules, and did what we weren’t supposed to do. We go through driver’s-ed before we can drive, so we understand how to operate the car and learn how it works. Access to alcohol should be in the same ball park. We learn our limits younger and when older, helps us be more responsible and not cross that line we discovered when younger.

Julia Johnson

Lowering the drinking age: a dangerous act

con



Evan Malone

ccording to the CDC, alcohol is responsible for over 4,300 deaths among youth every year, and people aged 12 to 20 account for 11 percent of all alcohol consumed in the United States, 90 percent of which is consumed in some form of binge drinking. In the past few years there have been hundreds of thousands of alcohol-related emergency room visits by persons under the age of 21. These alarming statistics show just how serious a problem underage drinking is. It has been found in numerous studies that underage drinking has far-reaching consequences. Youth who consume alcohol are more likely to experience problems in their academic studies, their social lives, their personal lives, and their physical well-being. Drinking at a young age is

the cause of many health defects and life-long disabilities because of how it affects the body and brain at such a developmentally critical age. Lowering the drinking age to 18 would exacerbate this crisis. It would essentially just make it easier for those under the age of 21 to obtain alcohol and participate in underage drinking. There’s a closer proximity of people who could potentially purchase alcohol for those under the current legal age. Those three years are the most significant in a young person’s life before they transition to adulthood. The current legal age makes sense and it would be a dangerous risk to lower the age three years. Matt Wood

Vaccinations a reasonable solution for disease I mattwood Carving It Up

n the past month or so we’ve seen a concerning spike in the number of cases of measles around the country. The disease has shown up most significantly in Illinois, Arizona and California, which has 98 confirmed cases alone. All this is pretty unusual when you realize that we introduced a measles vaccine in 1963 which has since prevented an estimated 52 million cases. Although there have been outbreaks in recent decades, overall the vaccination rate has increased while measles cases have severely declined.

So why are we now seeing another outbreak of an almost eradicated disease? Well, people aren’t vaccinating themselves or their children. While some have legitimate health reasons for not vaccinating themselves, others refuse because of misinformation based on debunked science. There is a movement out there made up of people who think vaccines can cause mental development issues, namely autism. This misconception is based off of research done by a single doctor whose findings have been refuted and who has since had his license revoked. Yet this movement is

still alive. These “anti-vaxxers” who believe the myth refuse the evidence that shows the benefit of vaccines. This is what scares me most. A highly contagious, yet easily preventable, disease is spreading due to the ignorance of others. The most responsible thing to do is examine the science and research we have and base our decisions off of what we find. Unless we take action and vaccinate people, we could have a serious problem on our hands. Matt Wood is a senior a reporter for the RM Highlighter.

12 page features feb. 26, 2015

rocky mountain

high ighter

No Lobo left behind

Rocky community unites to help fellow Lobo battling Lymphoma by Noah FogelbergEditor-In-Chief

No Lobo left behind. That is the rallying call the Rocky community has always been known for. Rocky’s sense of family and community have always been forefront in the way the school is run. When senior Sage Petersen was diagnosed with extranodal cell lymphoma last June, there was no question that the Rocky community would come together in support of one of its own. On Feb. 3, the Future Business Leaders of America club organized a benefit dinner to help Petersen and his family cope with the mounting financial burden of cancer treatment. The dinner was catered by Carrabba’s and all money made from the event went directly to Petersen’s family. Through the benefit dinner, along with a silent auction and “Miracle Minute” donation drive during the boys’ and girls’ basketball games against Fort Collins, FBLA raised $7489.46. “The funds have been a huge help to the Peterson family, as his parents had trouble working with all their time spent caring for Sage. They were falling behind on their bills and mortgage; the donations have helped them catch up. They Michael Roley are extremely grateful for the generosity Supporting Sage: Senior Maddie Hicks eats dinner with other guests at the Sage Petersen benefit dinner on Feb.3. The dinner and silent auction raised of the Rocky community, and to anyone over $7,000 for Petersen and his family. who showed support,” Dominic Snyder, a junior who helped organize the fundissue of the Highlighter. general. He has been through a lot in the Sage is a fightraisers, said. Other members of FBLA expressed last couple of months but he has kept a Petersen, who was unavailable for Dominic er. He was never their pride in the Rocky community and really positive attitude. He appreciates all Snyder, comment for this article, underwent its willingness to unite in order to help out the support, and I know he is going to event a bone marrow transplant on Oct. 7, organizer mean to anyone. a fellow Lobo. keep fighting,” Snyder said of Petersen’s 2014. Unfortunately, the transplant “I’m proud of all the hard work our character. He is just a terrific was not the success doctors had hoped. business students put into organizing this Through all that he has endured, Petersguy in general. He has wonderful event to support one of our Recently, medical staff from Texas en changed the way he saw life. Most high traveled to Colorado to help adminown. Our students have a tremendous school students are lucky enough never to been through a lot ister a relatively new cancer treatment amount of compassion and are willing face a life or death situation. Facing such known as “soldier cell therapy.” This in the last couple of to demonstrate it,” Lynne Lyell, business a predicament so young, Petersen is in a type of therapy is designed to transform teacher and head of FBLA, said. unique position to offer advice to those month but he has kept the blood cells of patients into so-called Though the Rocky community never who have had better fortune. “soldiers” that destroy cancerous cells. a really positive attihesitates to support anyone in a time of “Honestly, all I can say is live life to the Initial indications show that Peneed, it seems there may be nobody more fullest potential, and be a good person. tude. tersen’s body is responding well to the deserving of assistance than Petersen. If you are going to do something, be a treatment. His character and changed outlook were craftsman at it. Most importantly, just of the Rocky community, Petersen will “It’s amazing how he has been able to featured in the Highlighter last October. be a good person, and be kind to people. hopefully be able to fully recover from his persevere through this. It definitely shows Friends and teachers spoke highly of If I had read all that earlier in my high illness and move onto his other ambitions a lot of hope, and I think Rocky showed Petersen’s character, highlighting his gentle school career I might have scoffed at it and in life. how much we care about him through the kindness and his constant concern for ignored it. But it took me a life-threatening “In my long term future I am looking benefit,” Bronwyn Meldrum, President of others. experience before I could say I truly underto finish high school, and proceed onto FBLA, said. “Sage is a fighter. He was never mean stood,” Petersen said, offering his deeply college,” Petersen said in an interview for With the help of FBLA and the entirety his feature article in the Oct. 23, 2014, to anyone. He is just a terrific guy in inspired advice on life.

“

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feb. 26, 2015

February marks five years since Karp’s battle with cancer, memorable shot

The Shot

by Michael RoleyFeatures Editor

Cancer. It’s a word everybody is familiar with, and it’s something that everyone has been affected by in one way or another. And for 2010 graduate Garrett Karp, it’s a battle he has fought and won. This month marks the five-year anniversary of Karp defeating cancer and sinking a memorable 3-point basketball shot the same day he learned his cancer was in remission. Not long after, Karp’s story--and the shot-was featured by several local news stations and ESPN ran a piece that summer, as well. Karp’s journey started with a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma during the summer prior to his senior year. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a cancer that originates within white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are produced within the bone marrow and found in the blood and lymph tissue. When the lymphocytes become irregular or grow rapidly, tumors can form in several parts of the body, typically the neck, chest or armpit area. As a result, it can take a toll on the immune system and the body as a whole. The diagnosis forced Karp, a 6-foot-5 three-sport athlete, to miss school and he was unable to participate in football and basketball. During his treatment, there were tough days for Karp. “The chemo was hard and there was some days I would wake up to the sound of him throwing up,” Garrett’s brother Ethan Karp, a 2012 graduate, said. “He amazed me with how strong he took it and the positive attitude. He just wanted to fight as hard as he could to get better.” Throughout his battle, Garrett received an outpouring of support. After Garrett received a bone marrow transplant, the Karp family had to renovate their carpet in addition to disinfecting and cleaning the home to make Garrett’s recovering environment as pristine as possible because of his vulnerable immune system. Not surprisingly, help came from all around--family, friends, the Lobo football team, and Bruce Dick, the head basketball coach of Rocky from 2006-2010 and current coach at Resurrection Christian School in Loveland. “The whole community, honestly, was really great during the whole battle,” Garrett said. “I felt like I had the city of Fort Collins behind me.” After months of treatment, fighting and persevering, Garrett finally got the news he was hoping for. He went in for a routine checkup and fitness test on Feb. 16, 2010. The purpose was to prepare for another possible bone marrow transplant the following day. However, when the CAT scan results came back, the cancer was

Michael Roley

Magic Karp: 2010 graduate Garrett Karp poses to shoot in the Rocky gym. This month marks the five-year anniversary of Karp’s inspiring cancer battle that included him making a three-pointer against crosstown rival Fort Collins the day he learned his cancer was in remission.

“

The whole community, Garrett honestly, was really Karp, 2010 graduate great during the whole battle. I felt like I had the city of Fort Collins behind me. found to be in remission. “I wanted to tell everyone right away, but I figured I should wait and save the moment for when it meant the most,” Garrett said. “My family members knew but no one else really (knew).” Later that night, the Lobo basketball team was slated to take on crosstown rival Fort Collins. And for the first time all season, Garrett was suited up alongside his teammates. And before the game, he delivered the news to the team. “I still get emotional thinking about it and revisiting it,” Dick said. “We had done our pregame and taken a knee when we prayed. Garrett said, ‘Coach, can I say something?’ That’s when he told us his cancer was in remission. What an awesome day.” Prior to the game, there wasn’t much doubt that Garrett would get in the game at some point. “I told our coaches I’m going to get Garrett in this game,” Dick said. Late in the game, with Collins holding a comfortable lead, the student section started chanting for Garrett.

Shortly thereafter, Dick sent him to the scorer’s table to check in, where he was met by a raucous standing ovation from everyone in the gym. Garrett got into the game and got his first touch several feet from the basket, and missed a layup just off the rim. Several seconds later, after a Fort Collins miss, the Lobos secured the rebound and Garrett received a bounce pass and began dribbling up court. “The biggest thing was not to fall down or embarrass myself,” Garrett recalled. After about three dribbles, Garrett approached the 3-point line and the crowd grew louder. “I was given the chance to do an easy layup but I wanted to make it a little challenging and just shoot the 3,” Garrett said. “It turns out I made it.” Irrelevantly, the Lobos lost to Collins that night, but it was Garrett’s inspiring battle that culminated with him banking in a three that triggers tearful memories. That highlight as well as the ESPN special can still be accessed on YouTube. “After the game I’ll never forget going up to him and giving him a hug and telling him I love him,” Ethan said. “It was quite the experience. It makes you more thankful.” Garrett has since earned his associates degree and is currently 23 years old and still lives in Fort Collins. Five years has now passed since his inspiring journey. Although things now have some distance, that day, that game, that shot will always be there for Garrett. “It’s faded a little bit. As time goes on you move forward with life,” Garrett said. “It’s still there definitely. It’s probably the greatest moment of my life.”

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feb. 26, 2015

Murphy, Schmidt win state titles

by Trey JouardSports Editor and Michael RoleyFeatures Editor DENVER-With a school record of three finalists resulting in two state champions and a No. 5 team finish in the CHSAA state wrestling tournament on Feb. 21, this year’s season will remain one of the best to date in Rocky’s storied wrestling program. Of the three senior finalists, 145-pound Danny Murphy and 182-pound Konnor Schmidt clinched state titles. Senior Roman Ortiz in the 152-pound weight class placed second in the tournament after a loss in the finals match. Junior Joseph O’Donnell was also a state qualifier in the 138-pound weight class, but was eliminated in the preliminary rounds. The seniors’ finish was an appropriate conclusion to their outstanding high school careers and in their final season the trio combined for an exceptional record of 121-8. “It’s been a heck of a great experience for four years,” said head coach Ken Taylor. “These guys are terrific young men and they do everything the right way. They’re obviously really good young wrestlers, but they’re better people. I feel so blessed to have worked with them these four years. I’m glad to see they’re getting their

rewards for all their hard work.” Rocky is no stranger to the state tournament, which is hosted annually at the Pepsi Center. Last year the team secured sixth in state and had a total of eight qualifiers. However, the wrestling team hasn’t capped its season with two state champions since 2010 with titlists Jeremy Schmitt and Jeremy Luna. To Murphy, falling short at second and third place in state his sophomore and junior years, respectively, fueled his determination during his last match and high school season. “Once you’ve tasted defeat, it makes victory even sweeter. I’ve been in the other guys’ shoes, taking second and third, and I knew that wasn’t happening again,” Murphy said. Murphy’s title match mirrored much of his journey throughout his high school wrestling career. Trailing 5-2 in the final third period, Murphy pinned Arvada West High School’s Jimmy Rothwell with 1:32 remaining in a thrilling come-from-behind win. “An attitude that’s been installed in me through a lot of coaches (is) that you never give up. Never, never give up. I was down by points and he thought he had it, but if I had anything to say about it, he didn’t,”

Trey Jouard

Winning efforts: Senior Danny Murphy (top) is moments away from pinning Arvada West High School’s Jimmy Rothwell in the state 5A 145-pound final on Saturday at the Pepsi Center, while senior Konnor Schmidt (left) tries to get the upper hand in his winning state final match against Mountain Vista High School’s Trenton Schultz at 182 pounds. Trey Jouard

Murphy said. For Schmidt, qualifying his sophomore year and securing third in the tournament last year was satisfying and he believed a possible state championship was on the horizon.

“Taking third, for me, that was good (last year),” said Schmidt. “Murphy and (Ortiz) were running for state titles and I was just looking to place. So this year, my last year, I just had to get it.”

Gaining 20 pounds to make the transition from the 160-pound weight class to the 182-pound weight class was also part of his plan to make a state title run. This transformation allowed Schmidt to outlast Mountain Vista High School’s Trenton Schultz in a 2-1 decision in the state final. “Honestly, it wasn’t a challenge. Gaining weight really helped me not only get stronger, but the competition is not nearly as hard as a 145-pound weight class or a 152-weight-pound class. So it gave me an advantage because a lot of those bigger guys (get tired) early,” Schmidt said. After previously placing fourth and third, getting pinned by Arvada West’s Payton Tawater within the first period of the final came as a disappointment to Ortiz. However, the senior’s impressive second place finish is a notable accomplishment for an athlete revered by both his teammates and coaches. “Roman (Ortiz) is an amazing young man,” Taylor said. “He’s been a great wrestler all the way through (high school) and is a four-time regional champion, which you hardly ever see. He’s a terrific person. Everybody loves Roman. He’s a quality person and he’s got a heart of gold.”

PSD varsity hockey team set for 2016-17 season

Max Miller

Gearing up: The club Rocky hockey team prepares for tryouts on Feb. 4. Within two years, there will be a CHSAA sanctioned unified, district team available to Rocky players.

by Max MillerReporter

The varsity skates are finally hitting the ice. Poudre School District will have a CHSAA-sanctioned hockey team for the 2016-17 school year. “There has been a movement for a number of years from our

ice hockey community,” said athletic director Wayne Moddelmog. “They approached the district about offering this sport, and with our new superintendent and new district athletic director, it was a worthwhile request because we have many students that are participating on other district teams. We felt it was the right time to offer that within our district.” This will be a great opportunity for many Rocky students because instead of playing for another district’s team or for a club team, they will be able to represent the PSD. Senior Adam Olbrys has been playing for the club team, which placed fifth in the state last year, for all four years and said he believes that this change has been a long time coming. “Personally, I’m a little disappointed it didn’t happen sooner,” said Olbrys. “This is not a new

thing. All the hockey players have been pushing for it. My coach went to Rocky 10 years ago, and they talked to Mr. (Tom) Lopez (then the principal) about making it a varsity sport. My little brothers will be able to wear letterman’s jackets which is awesome, but I wish I had that opportunity too.” Clint Petran, head coach of the club team, played on the Rocky hockey club team from 2006 to 2009. With the promise of a district team within two years, Petran is pleased with the new direction of the hockey program. “I’m excited. That was always the main goal. Even back when we played. We wanted it to be a team sport,” Petran said. The Northern Colorado Ice Center in Windsor will function as the home arena for the unified team. With a district team, Moddelmog believes they will be able to contend with the best hockey

teams the state of Colorado has to offer. “Rocky is always competitive in every sport, and we want to keep that tradition going. This team did win state a couple years ago at the club level and, hopefully, that turns over to when we play in CHSAA,” Moddelmog said.

Max Miller

Pushing the puck: Senior Tad Thornton participates in tryouts for the club Rocky hockey team on Feb. 4.

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feb. 26, 2015

Primed for state playoffs by Avery MartinCenter Editor

Through thick and thin, the girls’ basketball team has transformed from a team to a family. The girls have applied a sisterhood approach throughout the course of the current season, and it has been effective with an overall record of 13-10, as well as a decent position heading into the state playoffs, finishing 7th in the Front Range Conference. As the regular season turn into playoff time, head coach Todd Matkin sees more success than failure. “From a success standpoint, we are really pleased to be where we are,” he said. “Many other teams would love to be in our position and have the opportunity to host a playoff game. The thing about our conference (Front Range 5A), it’s really a battle every night.” The girls earned an 8th seed

in the playoffs and played host to 9th seed Chatfield High School (9-14) on Tuesday in a first round state playoff. The winner advanced to a Friday game against a No. 1-seed ThunderRidge High School. In addition to the winning record this season, the girls were very close to being city champs and the players believe they can make a deep run in the tournament. “We’ve really been able to obtain a lot of the goals that we set forth. We definitely have some good expectations,” Matkin said. The goals that were set would not be possible without the help from key seniors Wesley Bannister and Asiah Lawson. Bannister averages an impressive 13.5 points and snatches down 4.2 rebounds per game to go along with Lawson’s 15.3 points and 5 rebounds per game, thus creating a duo that is fun to

Evan Malone

Bringing it up court: Senior point guard Wynne Wilson dribbles down court during the Feb. 3 contest against Collins. The boys’ team earned a state playoff berth after finishing 7th in FRL. Evan Malone

Fighting as a family: The girl’s team (top) breaks their huddle during halftime of the Feb. 3 game against Fort Collins High School while junior Mackenzie Gertz (left) battles for a rebound against her Collins opponents. With a 13-10 overall record, the Lobos will hopefully host a playoff game. Evan Malone

watch and difficult to stop. A group of skilled underclassmen back the experienced seniors. Eleven of the 15 girls are freshman and sophomores. The remaining two players are juniors, each heavily contributing on the court. The main highlight of the team’s season goes beyond basketball, however, the Lobos’ success is attributed to the team’s

application of the concept of family. The girls are no longer just teammates, they are sisters. “We are definitely closer, much closer,” sophomore MacKenzie Gertz said. “I think the hardships we faced this season, both in games and in our personal lives drew us together. We weren’t just playing for ourselves; we started to play for each other.”

McDonald signs to CSU, last of Divsion I football commits After a stellar senior season as one of the leaders of the football team’s stout defense, Max McDonald’s dream of playing at an elite level came to fruition when he signed a letter of intent on Feb. 4 to play for Colorado State University. The senior linebacker received offers from Eastern Washington, South Dakota and the Air Force Academy, as well. McDonald compiled a total of 138 tackles and received second team all-state honors while leading the Lobos to an impressive 9-2 record. Before former Ram head coach Jim McElwain was hired to the University of Florida, CSU was in contact with McDonald and there

In brief

Evan Malone

Ready for next year: Senior Max McDonald (right) listens as head football coach Mark Brook talks about the senior linebacker. McDonald will join fellow signee Salofi Goa at CSU next year.

was a possibility of a scholarship. Despite the change in leadership in the football program, new head coach Mike Bobo maintained contact with McDonald and he was later offered a fullride scholarship. “I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue my career at Colorado State University,” McDonald said. McDonald joined fellow football signees Alex Kinney (University of Colorado), Salofi Goa (CSU), and Toasalia Liufau (Fort Lewis College). Of the three athletes that signed to Division I football programs, McDonald was the last to receive a scholarship and give his verbal commitment. Trey Jouard

Boys’ basketball RECORD: 5-18 overall, 5-7 in FRL OF NOTE: After starting 0-11 and missing seniors Cam Erickson and Wynne Wilson in the first 9 games, the Lobos had an impressive second wind in February, winning 3 of their last 4 games and clinching 7th place in the Front Range League. TALKING POINT: “We never gave up and always believed we would be playing our best basektball in February.” -Tino Makombe, senior LOOK AHEAD: After placing 7th in conference, the Lobos secured a No. 11 seed in the CHSAA state basketball tournament, playing No. 6 seed Cherry Creek High School on Wednesday.

Evan Malone

Plunging in: Junior Kristine Schweifer competes in the 100 Free.

Girls’ Swimming RECORD: 2-3, 6th in FRL OF NOTE: The Lobos sent 10 qualifiers to state and broke several school records this year: Emily Barrier in the 200 Individual Medley, Amy Fromme in the 500 Free, and Daphne Williams in the 100 Fly. Additionally, the 200 Medley and 200 Free relay teams set new school records as well, with the 200 Free Relay team placing 10th at state. TALKING POINT: “This team is my second family. We support each other through everything.” -Katherine Neff, senior

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feb. 26, 2015

Diamond of a record

Do It Again Figuring out how to

2014: 5A state champions 2013: 5A state runners-up

by Daniel Dideriksenreporter

2012: Lost in districts 2011: Tied for 5th in 5A state tournament 2010: 5A state champions 2009: 5A state champions 2008: 5A state champions 2007: 5A state champions 2006: Lost in districts 2005: Tied for 5th in state tournament

rocky mountain

Jacob Nemitz

Thinking man’s game: Head baseball coach Scott Bullock takes a walk during the Lobos’ state-winning final game against Regis High School last spring in Denver. The Lobos will be looking for their sixth state 5A title in the last nine seasons.

There is a common mindset around the baseball team this year: reload not rebuild. Although the defending 5A state champion Lobos lost 10 seniors from last year, they believe the team will still compete. “We are a young team but filled with talent,” said University of New Mexico commit and senior Cole Anderson. “I believe we have the ability to compete deep in the playoffs.” This young, and somewhat inexperienced, team will lean heavily on its seniors to carry them far into the playoffs. Anderson along with Daniel Ciraula (Colorado School of Mine commit), Kyle Reisman (Whitman College commit), and Garrett Hammer (Cisco College commit) all have significant varsity playing time with Anderson hitting .447, Hammer hitting .383, and Reisman hitting .383 last year. “We have been working hard this offseason to defend the state title,” said Ciraula. “We have some big shoes to fill with the success the program has had in the past.” Success doesn’t fully define the legacy the team has built as the Lobos have won five of the last eight 5A state titles, proving the program is the model for consistency. But for the team to reach the pinnacle this year, the work had to start in the offseason, and head coach Scott Bullock believes they have made strides. “We’ve had a lot of guys that worked really hard as far as getting in the gym and getting bigger, faster and stronger, which is what you want to see in the offseason,” Bullock said. Even with all the work put into the offseason, Rocky will have a difficult time replacing the lost seniors, primarily on the mound.

“We really lost all our innings on the mound last year,” Bullock said. “This year we have really good, really good depth coming back. Our lower levels had a great year last year and we had a good summer.” What this team may lack in a workhorse pitcher they make up for in depth. The result may be a different look than last year, with more pitchers working shorter innings. “We’ll run more guys to the mound this year than we’ve done in the past. Instead of four pitchers, you might see us using six,” Bullock said. With this six pitcher look and depth in the lineup, there will be a few names to look for who may have not made as large of a contribution last year. “Pitching-wise, it’s time for T.J Solverud and Collin O’Donnell, both seniors, to step into the spotlight,” Bullock said. “They haven’t thrown a lot of varsity innings so we’re looking for those two guys to be leaders for us.” Along with Solverud and O’Donnell bringing a senior presence, Bullock is also hoping for some underclassmen to make an impact. “Guys who didn’t get a lot of playing time last year that I think you could see in the lineup that could have big years are John Sorenson, sophomore, Kadin Breeze, a junior outfielder, Alex Gonzalez, junior, and Chris Diehl, junior,” Bullock said. This will be another reloading year for the Lobos, as a confidence is seen around the program that the team will still compete as well as they always have. “Our goal every year is to go out, get better everyday, be playing our best baseball at the end of the season, and get into that Final Eight,” Bullock said. “At that point anything can happen if you’re playing your best baseball.”

Key returnees:

2004: Tied for 5th in state tournament Jacob Nemitz

Jacob Nemitz

▲Senior Garrett Hammer catcher 2014: .383 batting average, 14 RBI, 3 HR

▲Senior Cole Anderson outfield, leadoff hitter 2014: .447 batting average, 37 runs scored

Jacob Nemitz

▲Senior Daniel Ciraula (right) shortstop 2014: 3-year varsity player. Jacob Nemitz

◄Senior Kyle Reisman 3B, 1B, P 2014: .383 batting average, 10 RBI