The Crimson Connection February 2019

THE CRIMSON

CONNECTION february 2019

WHO WILL

dethrone

THE CHAMPS?

THE REAL MVP

page 16

15

S O N G S

EVERY SINGLE PERSON NEEDS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

RUNNING DOWN A DREAM

SENIOR CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNER COMPETES IN STATE MEET

STAFF

CONNECT follow us on: Instagram @CWJournalism Twitter @CWHSpress

Copy Editor

The Crimson Connection is published five times a year and is distributed free by the Cy Woods Journalism Department. The mission of the Crimson Connection newsmagazine is to entertain and inform the Cy Woods student body on topics ranging from a local to global scale.

We aim to be an unbiased singular voice for our school and community. The editorial board consists of three print editors. The board determines stances on editorials, as well as the content of the newsmagazine. Letters, comments and concerns are welcome and encouraged, and should be sent to room 1866 at the school address.

To be printed in the paper, the letter must be signed and legible. The editor reserves the right to edit letters. The opinion of the staff does not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty of this school or this district.

Sarah Wheeler Caroline Stiff Erin Ellis

Co-Online Editor

Co-Online Editor Business Manager

FEEDBACK

Editor in Chief

Editors

Daphne Tett Ella Pulido

Reporters

Jerah Bevill Aaron Blevins Cooper Griffin

Make your voice heard. The Crimson Connection staff wants to know your questions, concerns or comments. If you would like to contribute to the next issue of The Crimson Connection, please contact us at:

Madison Friedhoff

Kaitlyn Orman Justin Paez

cwhsjournalism@gmail.com Cypress Woods High School 13550 Woods Spillane Blvd.

Cypress, TX 77429

Paige Romig Sara Zaki

Stand-Out Staffers Aaron Blevins AD-SELLER OF THE ISSUE

Ella Pulido MVP OF THE ISSUE

Paige Romig DESIGNER OF THE ISSUE

Erin Ellis REPORTER OF THE ISSUE

FOR MORE CONTENT, VISIT WWW.CRIMSONCONNECTION.COM

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TABLE CONTENTS 4

AMAZING COLLEGE TEST What to expect on the ACT

5 OBSERVING HISTORY

How Cy Woods celebrates Black History Month

6 8 9

The Pageantry And Talents That Make Up Mr. Cy Woods

with Munzy Kabbara

THAT’S A RAP

Our staff members make their pick

THE REAL MVP 16

GAME OF CROWNS

PAPER NAPKIN

SUPER BOWL PREDICTICTIONS 15

Carson Danner on being the Most Valuable Player

WHO WILL DETHRONE THE CHAMPS? 17 Top teams that have a fIghting chance to beat the Golden State Warriors

GALENTINE’S DAY 18

Our staff members make their pick

CS Gang’s music debut

PLAYLIST PITY PARTY 19

10 COMEBACK SEASON Mac Bird’s rollercoaster ride of an injury

Perfect music for the single listener

THE RETURN OF A CLASSIC 20

My review of Mary Poppins Returns

12 RUNNING DOWN A DREAM

Senior cross-country runner competes in state meet

14 INTERCEPTION

The decision Brock Gunderson made for his faith

GIRL CODE/GUY CODE 22 THANK YOU NOTES 23 RANT IN 212 WORDS

AMAZING COLLEGE TEST What to expect on the ACT

BY COPY EDITOR DAPHNE TETT In February, every junior will be taking the ACT, which has already been paid for by the school. To many students, hearing the letters ACT can cause a panic attack and could stand for “Arduous College Test.” (It actually stands for “American College Testing.”)

After all, getting accepted into college hangs in the balance.

However, it doesn’t have to be an arduous college test.

With the proper studying and preparation, it can be an amazing college test.

Just like with any test, it’s important to know what’s going to be on it. There are four multiple-choice sections on the ACT: English, mathematics,

reading and science. The vast majority of the English section is grammar and conventions.

Think of it as the revising and editing section on the STAAR. The math section is a mix of questions from different courses likely taken throughout high school. Reading is basically the reading comprehension section on the STAAR beefed up to high school level. The science section doesn’t require you to know real science. It’s mostly interpretation of data and hypothesizing experiments.

Then there’s the essay. It’s not like the STAAR essay. The STAAR essay required you to bake an essay from scratch about a philosophical question

like whether it’s better to have one really good friend or a hundred OK ones. The ACT essay concerns real topics in modern society, such as free speech or genetic engineering.

The ACT also provides three arguments for both sides of the topic. It’s best to analyze all three in order to create a counterargument. There are 40 minutes to get the whole thing done, so don’t waste any time.

There are plenty of ways to prepare for the ACT. The ACT has an official study guide, practice tests and online materials to help students prepare. There are also many other organizations that have created their own ACT study

How to Read Your Score Report

guides. Some of the best study guides according to PrepScholar are “Barron’s ACT”, “Princeton Review’s Cracking the ACT” and “The ACT Black Book.”

The most important thing to remember is to chill. Less than 0.1% of students get a perfect 36 every year, so don’t beat yourself up if you’re not one of those people. Your ACT score is not the only thing on your college application.

There’s also your courses, your extracurriculars and your essay (which is a completely different story). If you stay confident and prepare yourself, the Arduous College Test will become the Amazing College Test.

In a couple of months, everyone who takes the ACT will get one of these in the mail. Here’s what all the numbers mean.

This is the average of your math and science scores.

This is the average of all your scores.

This is the average of your English, reading and writing scores.

The purple lines represent the college readiness benchmark, the score point at which a student is 50% likely to earn a B or higher in a corresponding first-year college class.

Photo and information from Compass Education Group

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News

BY CO-ONLINE EDITOR CAROLINE STIFF

A photo collage of Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X. Photo by Wikimedia Commons, Flickr users TradingCardsNPS and e-strategyblog, and Wikipedia

Every February, Americans all across the nation come together to celebrate Black History Month. According to the African American History Month web page, Black History Month is a time to “join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.”

While it is interesting to see how this month is nationally celebrated, it is also intriguing to observe how it is celebrated within small, closer communities, specifically how we honor this month at school.

While different departments of Cy Woods celebrate the month, the school’s main way to bring it attention is having a reminder when everyone can hear. The school has made special commentary about the different leaders throughout black history over the morning announcements in previous years. They plan to continue that tradition this year.

Other departments that have been know to participate in celebrating this month are the Life Skills classes and the library.

The Life Skills teacher Ladye Lindsay tries to do something with her students every year.

“In my classroom, we would [watch a video every week] of someone different: Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, even Malcolm X, a lot of different African Americans who contributed to the history of America,” Lindsay said.

After watching videos, she allows her students to dive deeper into the history of the month.

“We would just watch a video. Then I would let them check out books and do little book reports about whoever they selected.

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That was our contribution,” Lindsay said.

In addition to celebrating Black History Month, Lindsay does a special lesson about Martin Luther King on MLK day.

“On Martin Luther King day, we did things in class. We did a crossword puzzle [and] coloring; we did a whole little unit on Martin Luther King’s birthday and his contribution to American History,” Lindsay said.

The library also has a special way to recognize Black History Month.

“We are definitely going to have a [book] display for Black History Month. I think it’s very important for students to acknowledge, recognize and honor Black History Month,” Head Librarian Terrie Schexnaider said.

The library creates book displays for multiple events and year after year continues to celebrate events in this fashion. “[The turnout in the past] was good.

I think anytime we do a display, it makes [the students] notice [books] they wouldn’t when [they’re] just on the shelves,” Schexnaider said.

Within the display, African Americans are represented in various ways. There are books written about important African American figures from history, books featuring African American characters, and books written by up-and-coming African American authors.

“I feel like it shows the importance of African Americans to our country and to the world: things they have done to make a difference for us,” Schexnaider said.

It is important to remember that history has the power to shape the world and observing a holiday like Black History Month can ensure society will hold onto knowledge of the past.

OBSERVINGHISTORY

how Cy Woods celebrates Black History Month

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GAME OF CRo NS

ER RT OFF O H EP F R FRIED F A N ST

BY DISO A M

The paegantry and talents that make up Mr. Cy Woods

Destin moreno Senior Destin Moreno believes Mr. Cy Woods is the pure embodiment of 212. “I was excited for the fun competition where all of the senior guys could show off their skills to see who is the true Mr. Cy Woods,” Moreno said. He plans on double majoring

AK Odjighoro believes that Mr. Cy Woods is a place where “everybody can showcase their talents.” To AK, Mr. Cy Woods is “pushing yourself beyond what is expected.”

Due to his singing ability, he believed he had the best shot at winning best talent.

AK plans on majoring in computer science in college but joined the competition so he could beat his twin brother, EJ Odjighoro.

He wanted the audience to know that “[I] am better than my brother.” On a scale of 1-10, 10 was how excited he was to be a contestant. “I was excited for the formality of the event,” AK said.

AK odjighoro

Mr. Cy Woods emcees Grace Womack, Ashley Santiago and Tommy Box.

Mr. Cy Woods contestants Tony Beffer, Jacob Tesch and Cole Gerletti performing their wood-breaking routine.

in college in musical theatre and graphic design. After seeing Mr. Cy Woods last year, he was inspired to come up with skits and a talent sketch to enter with the following year. He thought he had the best shot at

Mr. Cy Woods contestants Andy Oakley, Bishoy Hanna, Brock Gunderson, Quintin Metcalf, and Parker Jones performing their synchronized swimming routine.

winning “Best Eyes,” and he wanted his audience to know that “deep down [I] am the true embodiment of 212.” On a scale of 1-10, he was 212 excited and ready to show off his talents to all the audience and voters out there. “I made a lot of memories senior year with Mr. Cy Woods,” Moreno said.

All photos provided by: Carmen Agnew (TakeTwoPhotography)

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Feature

Miss Congeniality, Kim of Queens, Toddlers and Tiaras, Miss USA; these are some of the most coveted pageant shows or events that may have aired on your TV screen at home. But there is a real-life pageant which is special to the Cypress area: Mr. Cy Woods. 30 guys, six competitive categories, four voting boxes at lunch, three emcees and one crown of a lifetime, is what a group of current senior men experienced on Jan. 17.

Mr. Cy Woods is the annual “beauty pageant” commemorating the senior men and their talents, achievements and contributions to their school. This year was the eight annual competition. The night featured an opening choreographed number with all of the men and their escorts, competitive show categories in: swim wear, talent and formal-wear, as well as a red carpet finish with formal recognition. But amidst the formality and the competitive air, are the diverse personalities and thoughts of the men gracing the wildcat stage.

This year, Cypress Woods faced a record breaking number of applicants with the 30 men. The funding of the event will go to the senior class as well as the Cypress Woods Theatre Company. The contestants came from wide areas of activities and organizations within the school. From

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varsity sports such as football and track to theatre arts and choir, these men were ready to show the audience what they’re made of.

“

I’m excited to see everyone’s talents because that is fun to watch.

”

Emcee senior Ashley Santiago said.

Santiago, along with senior Grace Womack and senior Tommy Box, were the emcees for the night, providing special announcements about upcoming events at the Woods.

Along with these three emcees, are a group of parent colunteers and technical theatre students, making sure the best night possible can happen for these men. From palm trees to red carpets and bling, these volunteers, students and parents alike were armed and ready for the pageantry.

Stone Besch Mr. Cy Woods 2019 7

PAPER NAPKIN with munzy kabbara Grade: Sophomore

Clubs & Activities: Cy Woods Swim Team

Erin Ellis online editor

Dishing with

Kabbara swims at the Fina World Championships.

Photo provided by: Munzy Kabbara

When, where and who did you swim for at Worlds?

At what age did you start swimming?

Worlds were from December 11-16 in Hangzhou, China, and I swam for Lebanon.

I started swimming at the age of 9 in Dubai for my school.

How did you get to swim for Lebanon?

What is your best swim event?

I was born in Houston not Lebanon. However, my dad is Lebanese and my mom is American; therefore, I have dual citizenship.

My favorite and best event to swim is the 400 meter individual medley(IM) which is 100 meters of each stroke butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle

How long have you been on the Lebanon National Team?

Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions?

I’ve been on the Lebanese National Team since I was about 14, so about two to two and-a-half years now.

Yes I listen to music and pray for God to give me the best…even if it means losing the race. This is a very important thing for me to do behind the starting blocks because it calms me down.

What was the process for qualifying for Worlds?

Did you set any records at Worlds?

Being the best all-round swimmer in the country of Lebanon, and making the B Qualification cut.

I became the fastest person to ever swim the 400 IM and 200 Fly in Lebanon’s history. I broke two national records, both set very recently by a 19-year-old.

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Feature

THAT’S A CS GANG’S MUSICAL DEBUT

BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SARAH WHEELER

All photos by Sarah Wheeler Sam Armstrong (12)

The computer science UIL team is known state-wide for their academic accolades, but outside of their competitions, the team partakes in an unlikely hobby. Outside of the compsci room, senior Sam Armstrong spends his time writing lyrics and orchestrating songs for the compsci team to record and produce.

Tristian Wiesepape (11) reading off the lyrics to the CS Gang’s song.

The team released their first track, “Hole In One,” on SoundCloud under the name “CS Gang.”

“We nailed the track in about 20 minutes; we put our heart and soul in that, integrating a blend of pop and nerd,” junior CS Gang member Aayush Gupta said.

The computer science UIL field is highly competitive, and the team has several rivals within the Houston area who were “called out” in their songs.

“We made our first song because [Armstrong] walked in and told us that we’re dropping a diss track on the Seven Lakes High School computer science team, and we all kinda just went with it,” junior CS Gang member Tristan Wiesepape said.

Tristian Wiesepape (11), Rahul Shanmugham (11), Sam Armstrong (12), Aaysuh Gupta (11) and Anand Iyer (12) holding up Ashay Swadi (10).

As for other comp sci teams, making music is not on the agenda.

“Most teams don’t make music because honestly it’s a lot of work, and if you’ve herd our music, you’ll be glad more comp sci teams don’t make music,” Armstrong said.

Although recording music is merely a hobby for the team, it also suffices as a team bonding activity.

“We spent about two weeks randomly writing down lines followed by a two-hour recording session in the Comp Sci room with a karaoke microphone. Then I spent about 30 minutes lining up the beat. Our first song was a diss track on Seven Lakes High School, and if we make more songs, they will probably be computer science related,” Armstrong said.

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Anand Iyer (12) posing as a rapper before recording his song.

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C OME BACK SEASON Mac Bird’s roller-coaster ride of an injury

BY ONLINE EDITOR ERIN ELLIS

“You will probably never play football again.” Those were the words that senior linebacker Mac Bird was told during his junior season of football. However, a little over a year later, Bird recovered and is now on his way to committing to play college football.

This almost career-ending football injury happened during the drooling weeks of Hurricane Harvey cleanup. Bird was cleaning and demoing a house with his fellow friends and church members when a door jam fell onto his leg and a rusty nail punctured his calf. Thinking not much of it, Bird continued to do what he loved, playing the game of football.

However, week four of his junior season, that nail would come back to injure him even more. Bird rolled his ankle in the game against Langham Creek, which lead to the beginning of a painful couple months.

“I woke up later that night in the middle of the night to excruciating pain in my lower leg,” Bird said.

With that night full of pain, Bird went to visit head athletic trainer Luis Villarreal to try and figure out what exactly was wrong. After checking Bird out, Villarreal suspected that Bird may have what’s called Compartment Syndrome, which is when internal swelling causes a buildup of pressure and cuts off circulation to a limb. With that suspicion, Villarreal recommended that Bird to go to the hospital to see a doctor as soon as possible. “[At the hospital,] I was rushed into emergency surgery to relieve the buildup of pressure and allow the blood to flow,” Bird said.

Remember that nail that punctured Bird’s calf? Well that rusty nail was cause

10

Fellow teammates and friends visit Mac during his hospital stay.

Photo by: Amorena Bird

of this emergency surgery. During surgery, the doctor discovered that the nail that went into Birds leg had then hit an artery in his leg.

Later during his stay at the hospital, his doctor informed him that if he had waited a few hours later for the surgery, they would have had to amputate his leg at the knee. The doctor also told Bird that his junior football season was over and his future ability to ever play again was to be determined.

With that news came trials and tribulations, but Bird chose to remain positive and look at the bright side of life.

“This outcome shifted my whole outlook on life. I learned to be more grateful for everything I had been blessed with. The simple things all of a sudden became easier to appreciate,” Bird said. “I began to see the good in things and focused on the positives.”

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Mac plays his last regular season game against Cy Ranch.

Photo by: Jocelyn Triana

“

This injury has ignited in me a desire to make the most out of every opportunity I’ve been given.

I learned to be more grateful for everything I had been blessed with.

The simple things all of a sudden became easier to appreciate.”

MAC BIRD

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While choosing to remain positive, there was no denying that Bird would fall behind in school. With this degree of an injury, Bird was bound to fall behind in school and his extracurriculars.

“I missed a total of three weeks of school.

I fell really far behind in all of my classes, and it was very difficult to catch up,” Bird said. “I was catching up all the way until the end of the semester; then I finally got a break. Up until then, I was in tutoring before and after school every day.”

While playing catch up was harder than expected, Bird got his work done in the classroom, and he eventually got caught up with the rest of his peers. Now it was time to pursue physical therapy, and Bird was ready to prove his doctor wrong about never playing football again.

“Recovery from this trial was truly one of the hardest things I have ever undertaken.

I had to work twice as hard to make up for time lost,” Bird said. “The whole time I had a goal in mind that I wanted to get back on the field with my brothers, and that’s what really kept me going.”

Fast forward to August of 2018, Bird had beat the odds, and he was back on the field practicing with his teammates in preparation for the season opener against

Cypress Ridge. Bird completed his senior season with five solo tackles and 11 total tackles, and he also caused one forced fumble. Bird would finish his career as a Cy Woods football player by also receiving the acknowledgment of being an Honorable Mention Linebacker for District 14-6A. “This event has ignited in me a desire to make the most out of every opportunity I’ve been given,” Bird said. “In sports, I have learned to cherish every moment because there are no guarantees.”

While Bird’s future is yet to be decided, it is certain that Bird will be serving a mission for the Church of Latter Day Saints. Once Bird returns home from his mission, he hopes to pursue football in college.

“I am planning on playing football in college because football is what I am passionate about,” Bird said. “I am not sure where I am going to college yet; however; I currently have eight offers to play football.”

Whichever college Bird decides to play football for, it is safe to say that that team would be getting an athlete who will never quit and a person who will always see the good, even in bad situations. C

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RUNNING DOWN A DREAM

Senior cross-country runner competes in state meet

BY COPY EDITOR DAPHNE TETT Every November in Round Rock, cross country runners from schools across Texas compete in the UIL state championship. This year, the Wildcat cross country team sent one runner to represent them at the statewide meet: senior Mary Rodriguez, who came back after sitting out for a year and a half due to a serious hip injury.

She qualified by placing at the area-wide cross country meet previously.

“I was really relieved because I was one of the last individuals to qualify,” Rodriguez said. “So I didn’t know if I would make it right when I finished the race.”

Even though she barely made it into the running (no pun intended), she is still proud that she qualified.

“I knew that I had given my

all throughout the season,” Rodriguez said. “So it was really a big relief and a personal success for me.”

Her coach, Gregory Zarate, was also happy that Rodriguez was able to make it all the way to the state meet.

“It was something that she

One of the “downs” Rodriguez had to go through was her injury. She had to undergo surgery, and she was told that she would never run like she did before.

“They said I may never get back to where I had been in the past,” Rodriguez said. “So last

“It taught me a lot more than just how to run fast.”

Mary Rodriguez, 12 had been working for,” Zarate said. “She’s had some ups and downs and some things she’s had to overcome, so I think it was a big relief on her part and my part.”

year for cross country season, I was out. This year, it was really awesome to see how far I’d come.”

Despite her injury, she was able to run her way to state.

“Coming into this season, she had missed quite a bit of time due to injury,” Zarate said.

“Throughout the course of the season, she got better as the weeks went by, and that showed at the state meet with that being her best meet.”

When she returned to cross country, she was definitely ready to get the season started.

“I knew she was anxious to get things going having missed all the time before,” Zarate said.

“I just knew she was motivated and ready to go, and I think it fell into place the way it should have.”

Preparing for the state cross country meet was no easy feat, and Rodriguez wanted to make sure she was ready. She practiced almost every day from June until November. She also

Rodriguez crosses the finish line at the state meet.

Photo provided by Gregory Zarate

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has her teammates to thank for supporting her through everything.

“When I was stressed, they’d calm me down,” Rodriguez said.

“During the runs, they’d be right there next to me pushing me along. We bonded in the mornings, and we had little pasta parties, and we all became really good friends.”

She cites Zarate as being a voice of reason throughout the whole process.

“He calmed me down and helped me realize the big picture rather than getting stuck on the little things,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez found it hard to keep confidence and a positive mindset.

“I had a lot of obstacles after overcoming surgery,” Rodriguez said. “It was really easy to get caught up in the negativity, so the hardest part was keeping my eye on the prize.”

For Zarate, the hardest part was having patience with her medical problems.

“I never knew who was going to show up at any given practice,” Zarate said. “Some practices were better than others. There were some that weren’t so good because of what she was dealing with. As a whole, the toughest thing was being patient and waiting for it to come.”

Rodriguez placed 71st at the state cross country meet, and she is very proud of how she did.

“My goal is higher up,” Rodriguez said. “But I almost reached the time that I wanted, and sophomore year, I had run just about the same time, but I was placed higher. I didn’t realize how much faster the whole rest of the group had gotten.”

She said she really misses it now that it’s all over and that she’s going to miss it even more in a few months.

“I’m really pleased with my experience,” Rodriguez said. “I loved the coach, I couldn’t have asked for better teammates, and it really taught me a lot more than just how to run fast.”

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Rodriguez with her coaches, Gregory Zarate and Lauren Hudson, at the state meet.

Photo provided by Gregory Zarate Rodriguez standing in front of the starting line at the state meet.

Photo provided by Gregory Zarate

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BY: STAFF REPORTER SARA ZAKI

Life after high school is full of surprises, and it is unpredictable in a way. For senior Brock Gunderson, it brought big decisions. He has chosen to play football in college and has already committed to Brigham Young University. The only thing that came before football is his faith, which is why he has decided to go on a mission trip.

Considering the fact that he is a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ the Latter Day Saints, he has chosen to serve as a missionary right out of high school for two years. He will stop playing collegiate football in order to go on his mission trip.

“I plan on redshirting my freshman year,” Gunderson said. “After that, I will play for five years.”

Gunderson has played football since second grade and has worn BYU gear since he was little.

“My dad and two of my older siblings went to BYU,” Gunderson said. “I had a distinct impression that I wanted to be a Cougar.”

It has been a lifelong dream for him to play collegiate football, and being accepted into Brigham Young University is what he has always dreamed of. He is waiting to revive his mission call, but he has already decided to put a stop to his football career to go.

“I will serve a two-year mission with no training for football for those 104 weeks, and when I get back, I will begin football and get back in shape,” Gunderson said.

For his mission, he hopes to serve in Asia, but he hasn’t been assigned to a place yet. Even though he is taking a break from college for a while, he wants to serve on the mission and preach his faith to people.

“Yes, I’ll be slower and out of shape,” Gunderson said. “At the end, it will all be worth it,”

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Gunderson puts faith before football

Photo by: Tyson Hutchins

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Images provided by Los Angeles Rams textlogo, Flickr user timomcd, Flickr user danxoneil, Flickr user bryanwright5.

SUPER BOWL PREDICTIONS 27

BY STAFF REPORTER COOPER GRIFFIN

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38

Tom Brady will be too much for the Rams. Over these last couple of games Tom Brady has been playing better than he has been this whole year, and he will be even better in the Super Bowl as he has proven in the past. Also players like Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, and Sony Michel who have been stepping up the last couple of games, they are going to have a field day against this Rams defense who have been struggling all year against the pass. The Rams have really been struggling offensively with Jared Goff in the last couple of games. So far in the playoffs Jared Goff has been the most inconsistent in the league averaging 241.5 passing yards, .5 interceptions, and .5 touchdowns, and considering he has never been in a game like the Super bowl there is no way of telling if he is going to show up or not. If the Patriots can stop the run, then it will be really hard for the Rams to get anything offensively. With all the Experience the Patriots have, and the Rams lack of consistent offense the Patriots will win yet another Superbowl.

BY STAFF REPORTER JUSTIN PAEZ

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The Los Angeles Rams are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2001. This team went all out in the offseason to get to this point. Trading for Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, paying Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald, and also adding players like Brandin Cooks and Ndamukong Suh, the Rams pushed their way to Super Bowl 53. This entire season, The New England Patriots have been known for their outstanding ground game with running backs like Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead. However, in the NFC title game, the Rams were able to exert their defensive dominance over the New Orleans Saints top duo Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, only allowing them to 48 rushing yards throughout the entire game. This defense lead by Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips has successful history versus Bill Belichick and the Patriots. In their respective careers, Wade Phillips has out shined the dynasty, beating them five of their last seven meetings. With all this accumulated talent and great head coach Sean McVay leading the way, without a shadow of a doubt, The Rams will be crowned the next Super Bowl Champions.

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BY STAFF REPORTER AARON BLEVINS Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s run of success has been unmatched in the entirety of the NFL. With the greatness they've achieved it would be unintelligent of me to even think they wouldn’t win this super bowl. Sean McVay is the next in a line of long great coaches that will fall to the power of Belichick. He has two weeks to game plan for a young quarterback in Jared Goff that i don't think anyone in the football world including his head coach McVay is truly sold on being that good. Brady will make quick work of the Rams secondary with him looking like he's still in his prime .Also, the outside run game with Sony Michel will dominate the weak Outside Linebackers Dante Fowler Jr. and Samson Ebukam while staying away from reigning Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and the resurgent Ndamukong Suh. Simply, the Patriots are going to do what they have done for years now Belichick will have a dominant game plan, Brady will have a near perfect game, and some emergent star on defense will make a game defining play.

Sports

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THE REAL

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BY STAFF REPORTER JERAH BEVILL

Photo provided by Carson Danner

Everyone is on the bleachers cheering for their team. The players are on the field ready to start.

The whistle goes off. Everyone looks to Carson Danner.

Quarterback Carson Danner was voted district MVP by all the coaches this year for football.

Being voted MVP is a big deal, and Danner feels very honored and proud to receive this reward.

“It was a huge honor [to be chosen as MVP]. I’m really excited about it. It’s kind of a team reward.

We all worked really hard,” Danner said.

Danner has been playing football at Woods since he transferred sophomore year. His goal had always been to compete on the varsity level, and this year he finally got the chance.

“I played JV my first two years. I was planning on playing running back my senior year, but J.J. [Jones] got hurt the first game in the season, so I had to start the second game. I took on the job, and I did my best to support the team and win as many games as possible,” Danner said.

Since Danner is a senior, he has to think about his future in football.

“I really want to play Division 1 collegiate football although I don’t know where. I think what inspires me is that I want to be my best self,” Danner said.

There are times when Danner had to step up and become a leader. Danner had to prove that he is really the most valuable player.

“In the spring game, I had to stop the play real quick because there was a lot of confusion, so instead of just running the play, I had to make sure everything was set and ready to go,” Danner said.

Although Danner got the award, he still feels like the only way that he was able to achieve becoming MVP was with the help of his teammates and friends.

“It points a lot towards me even though I had so many people that helped me get the award. My offensive line helped block so that I could run. I had lots of running backs that carried the load and guys who can catch really well. They shine the light on me, but it was a lot of my teammates that helped me get it,” Danner said.

MVP

Sports

WHO WILL DETHRONE THE CHAMPS? two NBA teams have a fighting chance at beating the Golden State Warriors

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

For the past four years, the Golden State Warriors have been the most terrorizing team in the NBA, notching three of the last four championships. Last year, it was the Houston Rockets who gave them the most run for their money, but with them struggling, what teams are in best contention to defeat the Warriors?

After losing to the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder were thought to be going back to being a borderline playoff team, but they surprised everybody this year, making a complete turn around, and they are now one of the best teams in the league.

The Thunder had a huge offseason, getting forward Paul George on a long term deal and trading forward Carmelo Anthony for point guard Dennis Schroeder. They also added a elite rim protecting center in Nerlens Noel and signed back vigorous forward Jerami Grant.

The main reason for their success is the

dynamic duo of Paul George and Russell Westbrook. Last year, many people thought that George was going to leave the Thunder to join the Los Angeles Lakers, but he

Photo Credit :Freddy Lopez

decided to stay with the Thunder, and now he is having the best season of his career.

So far this year, he is averaging career highs in points, rebounds and assists and is now becoming the top scorer for the Thunder as well as an MVP candidate. Also this year,

TORONTO RAPTORS After Lebron's departure from the Eastern Conference, there was a vacant spot for the new top team in the East. Before the season, it was expected by many that the Boston Celtics were going to be that team.

However, as the season progressed, it was the Toronto Raptors who decided to steal that spot.

After falling to Lebron last year, the Raptors decided to shake things up and traded their all star guard, Demar DeRozan, for the San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard.

At the beginning, people were pessimistic about Leonard because of his huge absence during the 2017-2018 season, but that has been proven wrong. Leonard has been putting up unbelievable statistics this year with 20-plus points per game and about two steals a game and has led his team to the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Feature

BY STAFF REPORTER COOPER GRIFFIN Westbrook is still putting up crazy numbers averaging a triple double so far this year, and now, he isn't taking as many bad shots and becoming more of a facilitator as he is leading the league in assists, and he is also becoming more of a defensive threat, leading the league in steals.

Their other reason for their success is their improvement to their depth. For many years, the Thunder’s bench has been one of the worst in the league, but this offseason the Thunder made huge changes on the bench, especially when they traded away Carmelo Anthony for Dennis Schroder, who has become one of the best bench players in the NBA. They also have players like Alex Abrines, who has become one of the league's best shooters, and the young high fliers in Hamidou Diallo and Terrance Ferguson.

With the chemistry that the Thunder has created, they have a good chance to knock off the Warriors and bring the O’Brien Trophy to OKC.

BY STAFF REPORTER JUSTIN PAEZ

Another move that shook up the Raptors’ season was firing the Coach of the Year, Dwane Casey, but their new head coach, Nick Nurse, has been wonderful. He has helped the team to be top 10 in points scored and

Photo Credit: Flickr

and has been able to keep their veteran players in top shape.

Players like forward Pascal Siakam, who has been very efficient, guard Fred Van Vleet who has become very dangerous behind the arc, and forward OG Anunoby who has been a sustainable scorer. Don’t forget about their vets, guard Kyle Lowry has been growing in his passing ability, and Serge Ibaka is putting up his best stats since he was playing in Oklahoma City.

Likewise, center Jonas Valanciunas has been consistent on the boards. With the combination of these players, the Raptors have experienced incredible success this season.

With all the players the Raptors have accumulated and their Canadian support, the team has a high chance to dethrone the Golden State Warriors in their quest to

assists per game as a team. Also, they have rule the NBA. been a barrier to the basket as they are top 10 in points allowed per game.

With their new all star and head coach, this has allowed for growth of their young players

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Galentine’s Day like Valentine’s Day... but better

Two girl best friends hold up a heart together.

Photo by Pixabay user ptksgc

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BY STAFF REPORTER KAITLYN ORMAN

Galentine’s Day is a yearly, unofficial holiday that is on February 13. It is a way for girls to celebrate girls. The day first became popular after the episode “Galentine’s Day” aired on popular TV show “Parks and Recreation” on February 11, 2010. Since then, Galentine’s Day is getting more popular by the years.

Galentine’s Day is a good way for women to feel like someone loves and cares about them. I know that whenever my friends compliment me, I always get a boost of selfconfidence that I almost always need. It may not be a boyfriend telling them they look good or that they love them, but their best girl friends are always a good source of feeling cared for, too.

Galentine’s Day is also a way to remember all the single ladies out there and make sure they know they aren’t alone. While Galentine’s Day is also celebrated by girls who have a significant other, we single girls sometimes feel a bit left out.

This day is a way to let your single friends know that even though they may not have a significant other, they are still loved by their besties.

Though it isn’t an official holiday and not everyone may know about it, Galentine’s Day is a fun day to celebrate with your closest girl friends, whether you have a significant other or not. It helps every girl feel loved, no matter what their relationship status is.

Opinion

PLAYLIST

Pity Party

The perfect music for the single listener on Valentine’s Day. Created by: Staff Reporter- Madison Friedhoff

FOLLOWERS 212,000 Download

9 songs

PLAY

Filter

ALBUM

ARTIST

TITLE

1

Love Myself

Hailee Steinfeld

HAIZ

Paige Romig

sophomore

Skinny Love

Bon Iver

For Emma, Forever Ago

Erin Ellis

junior

Never Getting Back Together

Taylor Swift

Red

Bellyache

Billy Eilish

Don’t Smile At Me

Walking Away

Haim

Not Over You

Sara Zaki

senior

Kaitlyn Orman

sophomore

Something To Tell You

Paige Romig

sophomore

Gavin DeGraw

Sweeter

Caroline Stiff

junior

Rolling In The Deep

Adele

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Jerah Bevill

junior

Ruin My Life

Zara Larrson

Ruin My Life

All Of Me

John Legend

Love In The Future

Arts & Entertainment

Kaitlyn Orman

sophomore

Erin Ellis

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THE RETURN OF A CLASSIC CHARACTER “Mary Poppins Returns” Surprises

In “Mary Poppins Returns,” Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) is now all grown up and has three kids, while his sister Jane Banks (Emily Mortimer) is an ebullient union organizer. Mary Poppins comes down from the sky to watch the three Banks kids who are somewhat neglected by their father as he is struggling with finances in the wake of his wife’s death.

The movie starts with Jack, played by Lin-Manuel Miranda, singing the song, “London,” while he rides his bike and lights lamp posts throughout a small town.

I wasn’t expecting this, but it allowed me to relax and prepare. This beginning was sweet, soothing and really set the tone for the whole movie.

When the ending credits began to roll, I was honestly surprised at how good the movie was. While the movie trailers rolled, I was thinking that I would have to just suffer through it, but then I found myself continuously smiling and falling in love with the characters. They happily remind us of the original Mary Poppins made in

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BY ASSISTANT SOCIAL EDITOR PAIGE ROMIG

Photo by: Flickr user Melissa Hillier

1964, yet there is more to this movie than just that.

The production had amazing design and colorful costumes that would no doubt make the kids smile as it did me. Additionally, as the Banks children ventured into cartoonish lands with Mary Poppins, I could feel even adults grin with happiness as their minds ventured back to when they were a kid. That is what this movie is all about, to not let go of your childhood but instead to keep it with you.

Now let’s not forget the star herself, Mary Poppins, played by Emily Blunt, who made the character her own while also keeping nostalgic viewers happy with tributes to the original.

Overall, I went in thinking this movie wasn’t going to be for me, but I came out with a new love for musicals. It was very good and had some amazing, cute family moments that almost brought tears to me eyes. I would recommend watching this movie because it will remind you of what’s truly important: family.

Emily Blunt dressed in character on the set of “Mary Poppins Returns.”

Arts and Entertainment

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Girl Code

L

adies, here's the tea: Valentine's Day is a day dedicated to celebrating life's most cherishable things such as love and friendship, all packaged in pink hearts, red roses, an excessive consumption of sugar and lousy oversized bears. However, as utterly appealing of a day as it may be, it can also be a bit overwhelming. Whether you’re single, taken or “it’s complicated,” here's a few things to keep in mind. Ladies, DON'T: Stress or sulk excessively over not having a boo to make plans with. There's no need to spam your social media accounts

Ella Pulido business manager with complaints, sad quotes or indirect tweets at your ex. DO: Remember to spoil and love on yourself or go out with your gals for a nice night out. DON’T: Walk around the halls looking like a CVS Valentine's Day aisle. We get it, you’re loved, but I think we can all agree that not being smuggled by huge bears, flowers and balloons between periods is much appreciated by everyone.DO: Remember that it's not all about a price tag, simplicity can sometimes be the most meaningful, and it's always the gestures that matter most. DON’T: Forget to treat and spoil your S.O. Reciprocity is super important in a relationship, and

both individuals deserve to feel just as equally celebrated. DO: Have fun and take advantage of finally having an excuse to gorge in all the sweets you said you wouldnt eat in your New Year's resolution. No matter how you go about it, having the best Valentine's Day is something each and every girl is capable of regardless of their relationship status on Facebook. As commercialized and materialistic as Valentine's Day has become over the years, at its core, it's really all about celebrating love. Whether you're currently in love, you've never been in love, or being in love has always ended painfully for you, the fact is there's really nothing more universally human than love.

VALENTINE'S DAY Aaron Blevins Staff Reporter

Guy Code

G

uys, we all need a run down on the do’s and don'ts for Valentine’s Day. Some of the things that guys do for Valentine’s Day is just plain wrong. We all need to look at these rules and reevaluate our Valentine’s Day ideas. Here’s some of the do’s: take your girl somewhere that's meaningful to her. It's

22 the crimson connection

not about the price tag. Make your girl something that shows effort, go pick her up and walk to her door to get her. The last but definitely not the least is if you want to take her somewhere nice, call for reservations to make sure she and you don't have to wait.That will make your girl mad if she has to wait. Now here are the big no-nos the don'ts for Valentine’s Day. We've all seen that guy who brings his Valentine’s gift the day after Valentine's.

Don’t be him. Don’t do a breakingup prank on Valentine’s Day. It's not funny. Don’t be basic and just buy a teddy bear and chocolates. The worst thing you can do is not pay for your girl if you take her out to dinner. These are the things that if you do or don't will make your Valentine's Day amazing and one to remember forever.

february 2019 opinion

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rant in 212words

BY CONTRIBUTING WRITER MATTHEW BONCOSKY

For all drivers out there, I know we get annoyed when someone doesn’t use their blinker. However, I’m here to tell you about something that far too little people care about that actually has a much bigger impact on the efficiency of our driving.

If you are not going to turn

Opinion

right, for the love of God, please get out of the right-hand lane.

I’ve seen it countless times: a line of cars waiting at a stop light, every car’s blinker flashing, but one car in the front holds them all up. That one driver causes everyone to sit there and wait through the entire light rotation when they

could be efficiently moving through the intersection.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve been running late where being able to turn right on red would’ve saved me crucial seconds, only to be denied by some oblivious driver clogging up the turn lane. This is the most frustrating thing I

come across when driving, and it could be easily fixed if we all are more aware on the road.

So next time you’re driving, be the awesome guy who lets people turn right on red.

Put yourself in the shoes of someone running late. This simple convenience means so much.

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You’re invited!

Open House April 2, 2019

Help with financial aid and FAFSA! Meet with advisors and professors!

Get info on clubs and activities!

LoneStar.edu/OpenHouse

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