At a Glance
Ehret distinguished as Coach of the Year for 2023 swim & dive season
and Neil O’Connor have crunched the numbers and are ready to make your dreams come true.
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news Missouri Scholars Academy College? Summer School? Fun? MO Scholars Academy has it all with engaging and wacky academic classes taken and taught by members of the SLUH community.
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sports Soccer
Killing two birds with one stone, feeding two birds with one scone. Soccer triumphs over Mehlville and Fort Zumwalt South.
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sports Football
Can griffins fly? Doesn’t look like it, somebody took their wings. SLUH prevails over Vianney.
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sports Athlete of the Week
Who’s that? He’s (running) back! This week’s athlete of the week is junior running back Jordan Taylor.
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BY Andrew Hunt News Editor
In recognition of excellence through a hard-fought season last year, varsity swim coach Lindsey Ehret was honored as the 2023 boys swim & dive Coach of the Year for the Missouri State High School Activities Association.
The award was announced in front of the entire student body last
Friday, during the pep rally capping off Spirit Week. MSHSAA representative Stephanie Turner came in to officially present the plaque, and Ehret received a standing ovation from those in attendance.
“I was completely shocked,” said Ehret. “It’s really nice to be recognized by the state association.”
“I was super proud of her,” said senior Greyson Mueller, who has been coached by Ehret for four
Class of ’74 funds fully endowed scholarship at reunion
years. “I knew it was going to be her because she deserves it so much.”
The 2023 season, in which Ehret was the physical and inspirational driver of a star-studded team to a narrow second place finish at state, was a labor of love for her and the swimmers. Ehret also surpassed 100 meet wins as head coach during the season.
“To me, it’s a validation of all the continued on page 4
“One Pill Can Kill” talk stirs school community
BY Lucas Hayden and Hendrix Fyvie News Editor, reporter
Fentanyl is gripping the country, and St. Louis, even tighter each day. Multiple students know of someone who has overdosed on fentanyl, and its presence in other drugs is becoming increasingly pervasive. To take all this on, St. Louis U. High invited two speakers—Community Outreach Specialist at the Drug Enforcement Administration Guy Gomez, and parent Chris Didier, who lost his son to fentanyl—this past Tuesday to give presentations in front of the whole school in the Si Commons on what fentanyl is, and how personal it can get.
Didier has traveled throughout the country, giving presentations to spread awareness of the dangers of fentanyl. Didier usually presents with a local DEA agent to provide a local perspective of the fentanyl crisis.
“I heard about this presentation from somebody at Visitation Academy who said it was really impactful,” said Counseling Department chair Mary Michalski, who played a vital role in organizing the presentation. “Mr. Didier has been to Chaminade two or three times. He has also been to Vianney,
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Fall Fest returns through football tailgate; StuCo spreads seasonal merriment
BY Jens Istvan and Isaac Basi Core Staff, reporter
TheDeWald and Cyrus Ranek. They had done the impossible—won the prestigious cornhole tournament.
BY Lincoln Shorley and Gavin Simon Core Staff, Staff
The Class of 1974 had the celebration of a lifetime this past weekend, one that was much more meaningful and personal to them than even celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Backer Memorial— their 50th Reunion. As a thanks to St. Louis U. High for its help in molding them into men for others, 50 years after their graduation in 1974, the Class of ’74 came together to donate more than $472,000 towards a fully endowed scholarship.
To kick their celebratory weekend off, the Class of ’74 gathered at
Pietro’s for a three-hour stag social, catching up with their fellow classmates over appetizers and drinks. In the midst of the partying, the class came together for a special 50th Reunion class photo, a true testament to the everlasting bonds formed between brothers through the SLUH experience.
After Friday’s opening festivities, the reunion really culminated on Saturday, a day full of reminiscing and celebration as the Class of 1974 enjoyed tours through newly renovated portions of the school and indulged themselves in the open bar provided for the reunion.
Before either of these happened,
sun beat down on the bags and boards from overhead. Drops of sweat trickled down the faces of seniors Aiden Erard and Ian Kuehner. The stakes had never been higher: two pairs of limited edition “Sluh-ma” shoes were on the line. The clock was ticking, even though corn hole isn’t a timed sport. The sounds of the band playing and Jr. Bills cheering dissi pated; their minds were on the game. As the final bag hit the board, the duo smiled and walked across the turnaround to shake the hands of their opponents, seniors Ethan
Last Friday before the football game against Vianney, StuCo held a uniquely exciting tailgate. It featured a Kona Ice truck with free snow cones, free burgers grilled by seniors Steven Baudendistel and Teddy Wagner, and inflatable uprights for students to kick field goals through.
“(StuCo) had gotten an email from Mr. Thomas Curdt about bringing back what had been called Fall Fest, in some form. Some things fell through with farm to table, (but) I’m still thankful to Farm to Table for helping us out,” continued on page 2 continued on page 4
Louis University High School
photo | Courtesy SLUH Twitter Members of the
photo | Will Linhares
Swim coach Lindsey Ehret shows off her award at last Friday’s pep rally.
art | Jesse Heater
A reflection on Anna F. Backer and her place in the legacy of SLUH
BY Leo Hahn Features Editor
W hat does it mean to dedicate a life to a cause? Or lives? As I spent more time reading through and compiling information on St. Louis U. High for my series of historical features, I kept asking myself this question.
Countless people have carried along the mission of our school, but I soon learned of one example that stood out to me in particular.
I believe Anna F. Backer is by far the most influential figure in SLUH’s history, and I would argue the influence of her generosity went far beyond Oakland Avenue, filling the hearts of the young men she helped (and continues to help) with a greater understanding of what it means to be good.
“She grasped the oft-forgotten truth that sound education means the training of the soul, the building of character, the fashioning of a man, the equipping of youth to become worthy citizens of their earthly country, without ever ceasing to be faithful members to that eternal City of God,” said Fr. William Robinson, SJ, in his 1936 eulogy of Backer. “And in this realization she made her splendid gift of St. Louis University High School.”
In the process of learning about the life of Anna Backer, I was struck by one question: how was this the first time I was hearing about this? For three years, I’ve seen the framed photos of George and Anna Backer in the J-Wing. In the chapel, I’ve seen the plaques imploring me to pray for them, but, at the time, I felt they were just names to me. This concerned me, so I began digging deeper into the Backers’ story.
If you haven’t read the two historical features I’ve written so far, it’s important to establish a little background. Anna F. Graenicher was a Swedish immigrant born in 1845 who married local flour magnate George H. Backer in November of 1876. After his death in 1919, Anna Backer used the money George Backer left for education to fund the construction of SLUH, totaling $500,000 dollars. That equates to $9.2 million dollars in today’s money.
Despite the weight of her actions, Backer carried herself with great humility. During the April 1923 groundbreaking ceremony, Backer initially wanted to remain
Fantasy Football Week 7: Starts and Sits
BY Matteo Abbate and Neil O’Connor Staff, reporter
With bye weeks currently plaguing fantasy teams, here are some crucial starts and sits in Week 6 to think about that could help you manage your team to a victory.
(13.8% start) Jalen Tolbert, Cowboys, WR: START. The former third round pick Jalen Tolbert has finally emerged into the role the Cowboys have been dreaming of. Tolbert came up big for Dak when getting a gamewinning touchdown in the final seconds against the Steelers. Averaging 13.6 fantasy points since week 2, and getting 10 targets against the Steelers, Tolbert could not be a more obvious start this week. Especially now with WR2 Brandin Cooks injured, Tolbert will continue to be the guy that Dak will lean on when Ceedee Lamb is not available.
(72.3% start) Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars, RB: SIT. Etienne has been consistent, but very mediocre this year. Etienne has only averaged 6 to 13 carries per game, but when he has fewer carries he gets more targets in the passing game. All of this, however, should be put to the side because Tank Bigsby has put his foot in the front door. Bigsby had 101 yards on only 13 carries and 2 touchdowns. As a result, Bigsby will take the primary snaps and will be a bigger contributor on offense.
(20.0% start) Josh Downs/Alec Pierce, Colts, WR: START. If Joe Flacco starts this week, the sky’s the limit for these two, especially with Michael Pittman likely out with a back injury. As a result, expect these two to get more targets this week. Last week, Downs caught 9 of 12 targets for 69 yards, while Pierce caught 3 of 3 targets for 134 yards and 1 touchdown. When these two are getting thrown to by Flacco, they score at an increased rate. Now with Pittman likely out, their targets will only increase.
(83.3% start) Josh Allen, Bills, QB: SIT. The MVP talks need to be calmed down for Josh Allen. His biggest games this year have come against the Cardinals and Jaguars, two teams that have abysmal defenses. The rest of his games—against the Dolphins, Ravens, and Texans—have been the polar opposite, with him averaging a little over 10 fantasy points a game. This week against the New York Jets, who have one of the best secondaries in the league, should be another pitiful performances by Allen.
(21.3% start) Tyler Conklin, Jets, TE: START. Conklin’s production has been on an upward trend this season. He saw only 4 targets the first two weeks, but has seen 23 targets ever since. Last week, Conklin had 6 catches for 55 yards on 9 targets against a formidable Vikings defense. Now, as you should know, Jets HC Robert Saleh was just fired.
anonymous, but Archbishop John Glennon revealed her to be sitting amongst the students. Swarmed by people and attention, it seems Backer was caught off guard.
This moment was captured in the Post Dispatch article published shortly after the ceremony. After learning about her story and her background (Backer was 78 at the time), I was filled with emotions upon seeing this photo. Backer looked overwhelmed, small, and even afraid of the sudden spotlight on her. Her wish to remain faceless connected with me more than I thought it would, and the sympathy I felt for her seemed to bridge the time gap.
Despite this new unexpected spotlight, Backer grew to fill her role at SLUH greatly. Present at nearly every Mother’s Club meeting until her death, Backer grew to become a facet in the daily life of our early school. Even after her passing in 1936, she left another $500,000 to the school which, adjusted for inflation, amounts to be the largest donation in the history of SLUH.
“It has been my happy privilege as an instrument in the hands of Almighty God to aid substantially in the establishment of the St. Louis University High School,” wrote Backer. “This I gladly did in memory of George H. Backer, my devoted, deceased husband.”
I believe that sometimes the actions of Anna F. Backer aren’t as recognized as they should be. Talking with some of my friends after the historical features, I was surprised how many people didn’t know the origins of the name “Backer Memorial” and how little the average student knows about the story and legacy of Backer’s do-
nations, which is really a shame. My entire outlook on SLUH has changed since learning about Backer, almost seeing it now as her gift. It’s rare you can look back on a part of your life or development and attribute it mostly to one person, and that’s what makes it so impactful for me.
My advice would be this: don’t let the example of Backer go to waste. In her is a model of generosity, humility, and philanthropy that everyone should strive to become. Walking nearly every day past her portrait in the J-Wing I’m reminded of her kindness, and I try to bring that attitude with me wherever I go. By following her path, we can truly learn to be men for others.
“Your memory, Mrs. Backer, will live in the beautiful school your generosity has made possible,” read an inscription in the 1936 SLUH yearbook. “But it will also be treasured in a nobler shrine-in the hearts of ‘Your Boys’ of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” I would also like to take some space here to praise the wonderful people who have made my historical features possible who I haven’t been able to credit yet due to space constraints. Thank you to SLUH archivist Abbey Metzler and the rest of the team of administrators and students who helped to compile and create the Backer Memorial historical tour, as well as English teacher Frank Kovarik for his book To God with Gratitude: 200 years of SLUH. Without their careful work combing through records and combining information in such a professional way my articles wouldn’t have been possible.
I bring this up because usually when a head coach gets fired, the team tends to succeed in the following week. Rodgers will look to take an even stronger role in the offense to get his team back on track.
(57.3% start) Diontae Johnson, Panthers, WR: SIT. With uncertainty at quarterback and an unfavorable matchup against the Falcons, Johnson is a guy you want to leave on your bench this week. The Falcons are terrible against the run, but are very good against the pass. Last week against a tough Chicago secondary and a switch at quarterback, Johnson did horrible. He was only targeted 6 times and only caught 3 passes for 23 yards. He was surprisingly used in the running game and accumulated 6 yards, but nothing worth considering as a factor.
Week 5 Recap: Here are the Week 5 picks and how they panned out!
(4.0 points) MISS: Dontayvion Wicks, Packers, WR: START.
(12.9 points) HIT: Tyreek Hill, Dolphins, WR: SIT.
(4.1 points) MISS: Sam Darnold, Vikings, QB: START.
(6.7 points) HIT: Breece Hall, Jets, RB: SIT.
(11.8 points) HIT: Xavier Worthy, Chiefs, WR: START.
(16.38 points) MISS: Dak Prescott, Cowboys, QB: SIT.
(17.5 points) HIT: Chuba Hubbard, Panthers, RB : START.
(8.2 points) HIT: Zack Moss, Bengals, RB : SIT.
Last Friday’s tailgate a historic return to past StuCo tradition
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said Student Body President Noah Butler. “So it kind of morphed into this cornhole tournament with free Kona ice, free burgers and hot dogs, and having guys kick field goals.”
“Mr. Stahl, the moderator of the Tailgate Club, is (also) in charge of Blue Crew, so he wants to tailgate everything, which is awesome,” said StuCo spirit leader Alex Rose. “We love doing it, because Tailgate Club has kind of been dying off a little bit in the past three years, but we’re definitely bringing it back (for) football.”
The field goal kicking was a favorite among students, although some had better luck than others.
“If you kicked (a field goal), you got a $10 Chick-fil-A gift card. The whole soccer team came over after their practice, and they were all trying to win their dinner,” said Rose. “So shout out to Luke Ruyle and Jack Kramer, who won their dinner.”
An essential part of the atmosphere was the live music, performed by junior Theo Wickersham’s band Raised by Radio.
“They were really great and a critical part of the event,” Butler. “They kind of helped bring that whole vibe together. They were like the missing puzzle piece—really a talented group. It was an honor to have them, and we’re glad that we were able to give them a platform to share their music.”
The highlight of the event was the 32-team cornhole tournament. On the line were two free pairs of SLUHbranded Pumas for the winning duo.
“The competition was stiff and there were definitely a few seasoned pros out there,” said Kuehner. “The most notable match was the semifinals, and we were against some really tough opponents. Even though I’m graduating this year, this should be a SLUH tradition every year.”
“Ian is, like, lights out,” said Butler, “I was kind of in shock. The boards were a little slick, but it didn’t matter for Ian. That guy’s a machine out there.”
More than just a football tailgate, the event represented a shift in StuCo and the student body’s changing attitude towards SLUH and school events.
“It was something that might have not landed. And that’s a risk that we were willing to take,” said Butler. “But seeing our community come together the way it did on Friday was something that was really special. And I think it is a testament to the fact that for the first quarter, StuCo has done a lot of good and has made people want to be here. I’ve gotten the sense that guys right now are enjoying being students here, for sure. Having that amount of people there on Friday was kind of a testament to the fact that we’ve been a big part of that.”
A 1923 Post article featuring Backer. photo | Courtesy of SLUH Archives
Students enjoy classes at MO Scholars Academy at three week summer program
BY Drew Hawley and Finn Rose reporters
What do Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and Taylor Swift have in common? Both are classes offered at the Missouri Scholars Academy. MSA is a three week summer program at the University of Mis souri for rising juniors, designed for students to learn more about subjects in which they are interested without the pressure of grades or a permanent record. Many St. Louis U. High stu dents are accepted into the program, which has a rigorous selection pro cess of high school students.
The program asks students to choose a major and minor class from options ranging from school subjects like math and science to classes like comic books and Crime and Pun ishment in Medieval England. Ma jor classes last for three hours in the morning, and minor classes are two hours after lunch. Additionally, all stu dents are required to take a common class called Cor: Personal and Social Dynamics, which teaches about how to have meaningful interactions with oneself and others.
are typical of the types of classes at the academy.
Along with taking classes, students also got to listen to talented speakers.
“Some of the most memorable speakers for me were a woman who was found not guilty of a crime after spending many decades in prison, a
ulty teach at MSA, including Corley and STEM teacher Fernando Alvear.
Not everyone had an easy time giving up three weeks of summer break. For junior Sean Cajigal, attending MSA meant giving up his family trip to the Philippines.
“The idea of getting to try something new and uncomfortable and getting to know other people outside of St. Louis was tempting though,” said Cajigal.
One benefit to the selective admissions to the program is shared interests between students.
“I was shocked by how easy it was to sit down and talk with other scholars at MSA. Sharing a passion for learning made conversations with everybody effortless,” said Apprill-Sokol. “MSA was focused on holistically forming our personalities and brains to think with kindness, intellect, nuance, and care while also giving us a place to explore subjects that we were very passionate about.”
The program also allowed stu-
Divine work of SLUH alumni published in Dante Society
BY Brendan Hunt reporter
Domine, permitte eos videre!”
(“Lord, let them see!”) proclaims Tom Finan ’24 in the last line of Canto X, a piece he wrote for English teacher Terry Quinn’s Dante and the Modern World course last fall.
Over the summer, this piece and one by Luke Stoff ’24, were published online by the prestigious Dante Society of America.
The Dante Society, founded in 1801 is dedicated to the study and appreciation of the life, works, and legacy of Dante Alighieri, an Italian poet and writer.
”He’s a very deeply Catholic poet,” said English teacher Terry Quin. “Dante is kind of one of the greatest of the Catholic poets—one of the great examples of Catholic artistic imagination.”
Finan and Stoff first became exposed to Dante’s work and the Dante Society through Quinn’s senior elective course, which focuses
Admissions are very selective, as the program admits about 300 academically gifted high school students. The application process also requires a letter of recommendation from a teacher.
The program is intended for students to explore new subjects and better themselves, academically and personally. There are no grades, which allows students to focus on learning. In addition to classes, many events including guest speakers and presentations took place during the afternoon and evenings.
“The classes tend to be interdisciplinary, “ said math teacher Frank Corley. “I teach an afternoon class called Math Imitates Art. We look at architecture, painting, sculpting, and math from an aesthetic point of view, and we look at art from a mathematical point of view.”
These interdisciplinary classes
about taking risks,” said junior Simon Apprill-Sokol. “We also just got to do cool stuff like work with radioisotopes, visit a nuclear reactor, present at an online comic convention, and see electron microscopes.”
The learning experience in the classroom is unique.
“There’s a sense that the teachers and the students are on the same level, like they’re co-learning,” said Corley.
“That’s exemplified by the fact that everybody at MSA calls each other by their first name. There’s no Mr. Corley, it’s all just Frank.”
The three hour classes make them comparable to college classes.
“The kids there just eat it up, they’re so bright and on fire to learn,” said Corley.
Many of the SLUH students who participated in this program were introduced to it by their school counselors. Additionally, several SLUH fac-
“There was also a morning jog at around 6:30 a.m. and I did it for two of the three weeks I was there. It was nice seeing the same people every morning.” said Cajigal.
Students there were able to have great revelations about how they learn.
“We were looking at (a math problem) from kind of a different point of view,” said Corley. “A kid raised his hand and said, ‘Wait a minute, isn’t this just like this problem we’ve done before?’ It was this bright shining moment of ‘Yes, you get it.’ You don’t solve new problems, you make new problems look like old problems.”
Sophomores and above are able to discuss the program with their counselor to see if they would qualify to be nominated for the program.
“It’s better than anything else you could do this summer,” said Corley. “If you get nominated for MSA, go.”
Hear that funky music?
The SLUH Band program had its annual fall concert last night. See the next edition of the Prep News to read all about it.
the website, where personal responses to Dante’s work, usually from high schoolers, are posted for the public.
In order to apply, the two had to send their materials to the secretary of the Dante Society, where they would have then been sent to the editor, Dr. Akash Kumar, and the rest of the editorial board.
In Canto X, Finan reimagines the poem “Heaven of the Sun,” a part of the Divine Comedy, by replacing important historical theological characters with scientific inventors such as Nikola Tesla. It emphasizes Finan’s curiosity in the scientific field and his longing to be among scientific greats.
One the other hand, ADDR.0X17, through a dialogue with two influential computer scientists, expresses frustration with the Church’s methods of dealing with homosexuality and suicide. Stoff holds a tough conversation in his work with Alan Turing, a queer computer scientist.
Quinn, who consistently incorporates the website and its publica-
on the study of Dante’s great work, the Divine Comedy, a poem in which Dante narratively journeys through the afterlife towards God and heaven.
In the class, the two students wrote imitations of Dante’s Paradiso, the final part of the Divine Comedy in which Dante travels through heaven. Per the assignment, their imitations incorporated their view of the modern world while using Dante’s poetic techniques. After reading their work in the class, Quinn encouraged them to apply.
“These are both projects that were just really richly imagined,” said Quinn. “Both (Finan and Stoff) took a very kind of imaginative approach to it, as well as something personal. They both chose a topic that mattered to them personally and was reflected in there. And then the quality of the writing was not just imaginitative, but really attentive to Dante’s own poetic strategies, and demonstrated a complex and nuanced understanding of how Dante’s poem works.”
Both Finan’s piece, Canto X, and Stoff’s, ADDR.0X17 (Address 17), were accepted and published under the “Student Encounters” section of
tions into his course, is an associate editor for Dante Notes, the publishing page of the Dante Society. His Dante in the Modern World course syllabus was posted onto the page in 2020. Quinn has also previously traveled to Cambridge for a Society meeting and to talk about his current work at the high school level with SLUH.
He encourages those interested in tackling the work to utilize Dante Society as a way to dig into the various works surrounding the ancient piece.
“I think that the biggest hurdle for the Dante Society is getting those resources out into people’s hands,” said Quinn. “So anything that gets eyeballs on that webpage and gets people thinking about all of the cool stuff that’s out there (is useful) for people who want to read Dante, because it can be intimidating to read Dante.”
If you would like to learn more about the Dante Society and view the work done by Finan and Stoff, you can head to this link: https://www. dantesociety.org
photo | Courtesy of Doug Valentine
Corley teaching a class at the academy.
photo | Courtesy of Doug Valentine
Students forming a human tunnel at the end of the program.
art | Leo Hahn
photo | Lucas Hayden
Orchestra playing their opening song.
SLUH gathers to learn the dangers of fentanyl in school-wide assembly
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Visitation, CBC, and now us.”
The initial plans were for a drug presentation about marijuana, but when Michalski got in contact with Gomez and the DEA, she was informed about their program for fentanyl. They found fentanyl to be the greater danger on SLUH students’ lives, and decided that would be the topic of the presentation. The presentation was planned and put on the schedule last spring.
“When I asked (Gomez) about marijuana, I asked if we are sticking our heads in the sand if that’s all we’re worried about,” said Michalski. “He said that it’s absolutely so, and that’s how the fentanyl program came about.”
The first presentation was given by Gomez. Gomez has been in law enforcement for roughly 30 years, and has investigated every aspect of the drug manufacturing and distribution process. However, he really found his calling as a therapist helping people, and as a spreader of awareness.
“During my career in law enforcement in Southern California in the Los Angeles area, I’d also experienced some of my fellow police officers, men and women, start suffering with undiagnosed PTSD,” said Gomez in his presentation. “I felt a calling to come back to do something about it, so God sent me back to school and he had me earn my master’s degree in clinical psychology … I started treating different people, and I thought it was just going to be law enforcement, but it wound up turning into combat veterans, nurses, teachers, people that just had everyday jobs suffering all different kinds of mental traumas and mental stressors, and just living an everyday life. I saw a lot of people also start struggling with substance abuse because of those traumas and stressors.”
The presentation featured explanations about where the drugs come from, the manufacturing and smuggling process, and the dangers associated with them from a neurological perspective.
Most importantly, however, a crucial part of the presentation was what to do to help someone in the process of
overdosing. This consisted of five steps: Try to wake them, call 911, administer naloxone, perform chest compressions, and repeat.
Maps of cartel territory, DEA centers globally, step by step plans to help people overdosing, and diagrams of synapses in the brain, among other things, all appeared on the projector screens.
“It was really cool hearing from the DEA guy,” said senior Stephen Niklawski. “It reminded me of some of the grade school DARE stuff, but on a more personal and educational level. It didn’t feel like they were just pandering to me about drugs. It was genuinely about what to actually do in that situation. Life saving information.”
The second presentation, given by Didier, revolved around his loss of his son, Zach Didier, to a fake percocet laced with fentanyl.
“When we talk about this, we break through those barriers of stigma, and we can actually make the world a better place,” said Didier in his presentation. “I believe we’re all in this together.”
Zach was a star student who excelled both in academics and in sports, and one mistake ended his life. A crucial difference Didier pointed out was that for a long time, the road to addiction
was fairly extensive. You would have to constantly take a drug to truly see problems. However, with fentanyl, that’s not the case anymore. Now, all you have to do is try a drug once for potentially lifeending consequences.
Didier also emphasized the five steps to help someone during a drug overdose, and the climbing statistics of fentanyl-related deaths.
“The slippery slope (of addiction) could last months or years, depending on the product. And in that journey, there’s always an opportunity to stop. To go back up to that healthy path, because you get older, or friends intervene, or family intervene. That’s the landscape your mom and dad had, a slippery slope landscape. You don’t get this,” said Didier. “Because of the introduction of illicit fentanyl, now we live in an era where it’s one time, one line, one bomb, one pill, can kill. One person, for the first time, can try half a pill to help manage pain or anxiety or focus, and it’s lights out. I think this is horrifically unfair.”
“I thought (Didier’s) story just made it a lot more personal,” said senior Will Hasman. “I would say it made it a lot more real. He gave the example of his son, who looks like a lot of us. So it makes you realize, well, this could happen to anyone. He was a normal kid.”
After celebrating 50th reunion, Class of ’74 donates $472,000
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however, Saturday’s reunion events kicked off in standard SLUH fashion, with a Mass celebrating and remembering the deceased alumni of SLUH—a fitting way to remember each brother in the Class of ’74 that couldn’t physically be there to celebrate with the group.
While the reunion brought lots of food, festivities, and friends, the Class of ’74 had another gift for the entire SLUH community to celebrate with them. To celebrate
their 50th Reunion, the class made the decision to go above and beyond anything that was asked of them, coming together to donate over $472,000 towards an endowed scholarship that allows for select students to attend SLUH for all four years tuition-free.
“A fully endowed scholarship at St. Louis U. High is $325,000,” said Director of Alumni Engagement Phil Donato. “They’ve far exceeded that. They’re actually still raising money. I think they really want to
After 10 years as head swim coach, Ehret again recognized as MSHSAA Coach of the Year
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work that went into last season, because it was so stressful,” said Ehret. “And when I got the award, I was reminded, that’s why I do this. That’s why I spent two or three hours fretting over what I’m gonna have these guys do because I care about what happens to them and how they perform. Because it’s my job, and I take it really seriously. I really am passionate about producing the best athletes.”
“I think that she deserves that award just for how much she puts into this team. This team is her baby. She loves it and treats it like it’s her baby,” said senior captain Jaden Yarbrough.
“Our team, on paper, was not supposed to do that well (last season),” said senior captain Evan Zimmerman. “But we ended up extremely close to state, even without any divers, so she did an amazing job keeping us dedicated.”
Ehret’s commitment to the team has been transformational since she first began as head coach ten years ago. By method of annual team mottos, summer book clubs, detailed technique training, and of course, uniquely grueling practices, she has forged a powerhouse program.
“It was nice to see how (the award) reflected what the swim team has grown into since she’s been coaching for us,” said Yarbrough.
“She knows a ton about swimming, more than you could ever think,” said junior Connor Dunker. “She swims herself, so she understands what we all go through during practice. If she doesn’t know something about technique, she’ll look it up and try to help us with it.”
The SLUH swim program before Ehret’s arrival was seen by many Jr. Bill swimmers as a way to stay in shape during the water polo offseason. Ehret not only defied this view, but brought out the sense of brotherhood and community that swimming often lacks at the club level.
to state championships in 2018 and 2019, and was first awarded Coach of the Year for her success in the 2020 season.
More than anything, what has characterized Ehret’s tenure is her formation of Jr. Bills into true Men for Others through athletic achievement and personal formation.
“It’s really about the people,” said Ehret. “It is about their performance, but it’s about giving them the tools that will make them successful later, and they can learn that through swimming. And if I can be a little part of that, I’m really happy. It makes me really proud.”
Ehret’s swimmers go to lengths to commend that she fulfills that very goal. Her wisdom and enthusiasm go beyond the Forest Park Community College pool deck into classrooms, summer training, and hallway chats, as she sculpts a well-rounded and capable team of brothers.
“The first thing I saw (about Ehret) was how much she cared not only for the team, but for each individual person. That’s still a thing I see today,” said Yarbrough. “She recognizes that each individual is what contributes to making the team better.”
“She cares for each of us individually, and she loves us like kids,” said Mueller.
“If you get to know her, she’s really funny and very social. She always wants to talk,” said Dunker. “As the years go on, I go to her for advice, not even just about swim.”
The team is undefeated this season, with highlight wins at the state-wide matchups of Cape Rock and COMO. Ehret has her eyes on state, but looks more at the immediate road ahead: improving and succeeding week by week.
The honor has instilled a unique pride among SLUH swimmers and the broader community.
get to that $500,000 mark.”
Multiple members of the Class of ’74 are very involved in the inner workings of the alumni events, with 13 alumni from the class meeting monthly to plan the event and advocate for donations. These 13 members helped plan the whole 50th Reunion out, from the Friday stag social to their Saturday plusone event, these men ran the show for the reunion that was half a decade in the making.
“It was a really good combination of the right people reaching out to the right class,” said Donato. “There were just a lot of people who were really invested in making this happen.”
As the donations continue to rack up from the Class of ’74, the class has already donated enough money to pay for a full endowed scholarship with more money left on the side. Hoping to reach $500,000, even 50 years after graduating from SLUH, the Class of ’74 is still making an impact on SLUH students and the Backer grounds.
“It is going to be a hard bar for others who follow, like the Class of ‘75,” said Donato. ”I’d say this reunion was wildly successful.”
“Having started (at SLUH) in the same fall as Coach Ehret did, I know what her goals were in terms of creating a team sport,” said athletic director Chris Muskopf. “It was important to her that the outlook of the swimmers and divers was not, ‘I’m her for my individual stuff’, but ‘we’re doing this as a team.’”
Ehret’s team has thus attracted top area swimmers—for example, Cooper Scharff ’22, who individually smashed two state records in his senior year—to enroll at SLUH because of its reputation of strong companionship. The decade has hence been marked by tremendous athletic success. She led the team
“MSHSAA made a point to note to me in conversation how awesome it is to have a female coach getting this recognition in a boys school,” said Muskopf.
Ehret gives her gratitude over her ten-year journey to the swimmers, who have continuously ran the race she has set before them.
“It made me think about how I got here, and it’s really the kids,” said Ehret. “It’s caring about them doing well, and them being good people. It makes it easy when the people that you work with devote a lot of their time, their energy, and their hearts to the sport that you coach.”
“She’s an incredible coach,” said Dunker.
Cross Country Corrections
We apologize for the following mistakes in last week’s cross country article.
The varsity team’s third place ranking at Palatine this year was stated to be the highest it had placed in its history of running the meet; in reality, while it was the lowest point total ever in the varsity division for SLUH at Palatine, it was not the highest finish. The highest finish was first in 2014.
Freshman Warnicke Beatty’s name was misspelled, and his three mile time in the Freeburg Invitational was stated to be 17:23; it was really 16:44.
Brady Vogt was mistakenly named as the fifth scoring finisher in the varsity race in the Freeburg Invitational; it was really Brayden Bussmann who rounded out the scoring five, in 33rd place (17:18).
Freshman Gibby Fyvie’s name was misspelled as Gibbs.
photo | Courtesy SLUH Twitter The group of Class of ’74 members gathered at Saturday’s reunion.
photo | Courtesy SLUH Twitter
Guy Gomez speaks at the assembly.
SPORTS Game Changers
Soccer posing with the cup after winning the Jr. Billiken Classic.
photo | Theo Agniel
¡Campeones!
Goals galore propel soccer to first in Jr. Billiken Classic
BY Theo Agniel Sports Editor
W
ith goals flowing like opponents’ tears, St. Louis’ No. 4 ranked Jr. Bills found their stride this week against Mehville and Fort Zumwalt South with two wins that propelled them to another Jr. Bil liken Classic win.
Mehlville
Under the lights, and during their second game of the Jr. Bil liken Classic, the St. Louis U. High soccer team played tight defense last Thursday, finding the back of the net twice to win their second game of the Jr. Bil liken Classic.
According to varsity head coach Bob O’Connell, the Jr. Bill Classic started in 2019 with a four-team model until transitioning to an eight-team model after the Covid break.
“We used to be in the CYC Tournament, and a bunch of guys, me included, didn’t love that event. So I had some friends join me in the Jr. Bill classic,” said O’Connell. “I think it’s important for kids to compete and win and play for things. All of those things are good if our team wants to build a winning team.”
And win they did. The Jr. Bills found no threat when it came to fighting over possession, as they found it easy to knock the ball around against Mehlville. However, Mehlville held strong, and the Jr. Bills saw chance after chance go by in the opening 37 minutes of the game.
on junior Henry Sanders, the Jr. Bills found themselves with a free kick 40 yards away with only three minutes remaining in the first half.
On the set piece, junior Andrew
worked out for us,” said Wolf. “It was a good goal to look at and watch back.”
With a goal in hand coming out of half, the Jr. Bills put no pressure
kicks. The team had a variety of chances within 15 minutes of the opening whistle, but couldn’t poke the ball in. Not until the last 10 minutes of the first half did SLUH
The egg had to crack at some point, and after a Mehville foul
“We’ve gone over the play sev eral times in practice and (Coach) Jay has really been working with me on serving that ball in. We’ve tried it a couple times and it hasn’t
in the second half, as sophomore Gabe Khazen passed a ball on the ground into the box that a Mehville defender mishandled. Taking advantage of the mistake, junior James Barry tucked the ball in and guaranteed SLUH their second win of the tourney, 2-0.
“We’re getting more quality runs and I think that’s necessary to score goals. It’s a credit to their hard work and their openness to being coached. I hope it continues to progress,” said O’Connell.
Fort Zumwalt South
In their final game of the Jr. Billiken Classic, SLUH came out strong in the first half against Fort Zumwalt South, leading them to be crowned champions of the tournament.
Despite struggling with possession early, the Jr. Bills did generate some chances through corner
This week, the Prep News is highlighting students who have made a big impact in the fall season. Players listed in alphabetical order.
Will Journagen (Fr.)
Journagen handles being a freshman on varsity with a cool head, tackling kids a handful of years ahead of him with grace. He’s shown versatility in the back four, playing center back or left back depending on where the team needs him. Just because Journagen plays defense doesn’t mean he can’t play offense, as he loves to make runs up the field leading to a goal in his name.
Kendall McNutt (Jr.)
Sophomore Luke Schuman took initiative first, as a bouncing ball in the box with nine minutes left in the first half weaseled its way past the Fort Zumwalt South goalkeeper to open the scoring for the Jr. Bills.
Not wanting to stay out of the action too long, Schuman created a chance down the right side of the field with two minutes to go in the first half. After beating a defender, Schuman passed the ball on the ground to Sanders, who deftly put the ball into the back of the net.
“Any goals we get are good because we don’t score that much,” said Sanders.
All the Jr. Bills needed to win the game and the tournament was a strong first half, as they sat back for the rest of the game, winning 2-0.
With another Jr. Billiken Classic Championship win in the books, the Jr. Bills celebrated by lifting the trophy on the field after the game along with chants led by senior John Hasemeier. Senior Nick Hammond and junior Carson Hall won Co-Players of the Tournament, and Sanders and sophomore Javi Vigil were on the All-Tournament team.
“The tournament win definitely puts us in a good position for our mindsets going into these last couple weeks before districts. We need to have that winning mindset and keep getting those wins,” said Sanders.
Looking Ahead
The team takes its talent to Triad tomorrow for their only scheduled game of the week ahead.
“It’s another good opponent who’s had another good year,” said O’Connell. “We’re excited to go over and play somebody that we typically don’t see.”
“I feel like (Triad) is a good team, but coming off a week of three wins, I think we’re definitely in a good mindset to score some goals and get the job done,” said Sanders.
The SLUH football team’s greatest asset so far this season has been the defense, and McNutt has been an embodiment of the grit and intensity the defense brings to each game. McNutt looks like he’s been playing a child’s game, with 29 tackles and one fumble recovery so far this season. The linebacker is a key force to locking up opponents, and is set to be a big part of the team’s defense for the rest of the season.
Jaden Yarborough (Sr.)
Despite Yarborough’s laid back personality, there’s nothing laid back about his race times. The senior swimmer posted impressive times at the COMO meet, going 1:47 in the 200 free and 4:52 in the 500 free. His determination and grit is a testament to the hard mentality of being a swimmer at SLUH, and he hopes to help lead the Jr. Bills swim team to coveted revenge against Rockhurst as well as a state championship.
Ben Yoffie (Soph.)
Although Yoffie is a really fun last name to repeat over and over, Ben has no smiles when he’s on the course. Even though he’s the fifth runner on the SLUH squad, Yoffie’s impressive 5K time of 16:13.70 puts him 18th on the honor roll for the St. Louis area. That’s insane. Yoffie could probably be the top runner on varsity for any other school, however, he holds up the back of a SLUH team that is aimed to win state.
photo | Myles Tatum
photo | Myles Tatum
photo | Courtesy of Yarborough
photo | Courtesy of SLUH XC
Column | Theo Agniel
Junior Andrew Wolf sprinting with the ball.
photo | Jack Auer
Football wins thriller against Vianney in bounce-back MCC rivalry game
BY Jake Fitzpatrick and Dan Neuner Core Staff
The St. Louis U. High football team looked to hit the restart button last week, coming home under the Friday night lights to face the 1-3 Vianney Griffins. They did just that, capturing a down-to-thewire 21-20 win against their MCC rival.
“We were really disappointed after that CBC game,” said junior starting quarterback Kyren Eleby. “So the game plan was just to get back on track, put some points on the board, and keep the momentum going on both sides of the ball.”
After winning the toss, the Jr. Bills elected to defer and got a big stop on a fourth and 1 scrum.The SLUH D-Line, led by defensive linemen junior Albert Reinberg and sophomore Tim Kelly, stopped the runner short of the line to gain, giving the Jr. Bills the ball at their own 46.
On second down, with SLUH’s Blue Crew howling from the stands, Eleby found standout senior tight end Landon Pace across the middle of the field for a 38yard pickup.
On the next play, with the Jr. Bills in scoring position, junior running back Jordan Taylor zipped up the middle, propelled forward by outstanding blocking from Pace and sophomore offensive lineman Kaiden Eleby. Taylor bounced it to the outside and went untouched to the end zone to put the Jr. Bills up 6-0.
“I just wanted to be the key to get the offense’s gears turning,” said Taylor. “And I know that when they give me the ball I just have to be explosive.”
The Jr. Bills defense got a break on the first play of Vianney’s possession after a botched snap pushed the Griffins even further into their own territory. On third and 23, senior defensive back Max Jacobsmeyer came up with a big tackle, shutting down Vianney’s offense for the second straight drive.
Starting where he left off, Taylor would not be denied as he powered through grasping Griffin defenders. However, after a Jr. Bill false start and a near interception on third down, SLUH sent out senior punter Jakob White.
With the Jr. Bills back on defense, dynamic junior linebacker Kendall McNutt shot the gap and stuffed the Vianney ball-carrier in the backfield, but his efforts were erased on the very next play when Vianney quarterback Sam Deen found a receiver across the
middle of the field who took it to SLUH’s 19-yard line. However, the Jr. Bill defense proved stout as they stuffed the Griffins and forced a field goal attempt, which was hooked left, giving the Jr. Bills the ball and momentum to start the second quarter leading 7-0.
“We got some stops, but we definitely knew that (defensively) we didn’t do what we needed to do in the first half,” said McNutt.
With the offense back on the field, sophomore running back Ty Lige stepped in, catapulting the Jr. Bills past midfield to start the second quarter. The two-headed monster of Lige and Taylor proved to be devastating for the Griffins, as Taylor came back in and weaved his way through defenders for a pickup of 23 yards, setting up Eleby for a three-yard rushing touchdown up the gut for 14-0 lead.
However, after a pass interference call on SLUH moved Vianney to midfield, the Griffins fired right back as Deen rolled out of the pocket and found Vianney receiver Sam Smith on a corner route to put the Griffins within one score at 14-7.
“Our defense has been what’s led us most of this year. But in the first half, defensively, we were having some miscommunications,” said head coach Adam Cruz.
With time winding down in the first half, the Jr. Bills pieced together a drive by continuing to rely on Taylor, both up the middle and in the short passing game, along with short checkdowns to junior wide receiver Zach Allen.
Led through a gaping hole formed by senior offensive lineman John Kruse, Taylor bulldozed defenders on his way to an eightyard touchdown, putting the Jr. Bills up 21-7.
Taylor had a career day, finishing the game with 25 carries for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
“Jordan was on a roll. It was pretty great for him to have a game like that,” said junior Keenan Harris. “Our line had an amazing blocking game which led to that. Our line helped Kyren connect on a lot of passes going across the middle and to me going up the sideline on a couple of plays.”
However, the SLUH defense faltered once again, as the Griffins marched down the field courtesy of a designed quarterback sneak. Eden again found Smith across the middle to make it 21-14 at the half.
Although the Jr. Bills had a one-possession lead going into the locker room at halftime, Vianney fans had been amped up the entire game, and the Griffins’ energetic support from the crowd
made them a dangerous contender despite the deficit.
After receiving the ball to begin the half, SLUH was immediately stuffed by the Griffins for a tackle for loss. Eleby looked to Taylor again on second down, but the ball was batted down by the Vianney. A second incompletion followed on third down on a missed deep ball to Allen, and SLUH reluctantly punted after a 45-second possession and a total loss of six yards.
Inspired by their defense, the Vianney offense cruised down the middle of the field on a 15-yard pickup by running back Kyle Ho gan on a halfback draw. Two plays later, on SLUH’s 38-yard line, Ho gan received the ball again on a swing route and moved the chains inside the red zone.
On third and 8, junior Sebas tian Tate came barreling through the Vianney backfield, forcing Deen to make a sloppy throw that was picked off by Harris for his third interception of the year. It was a huge play for the SLUH de fense, who were boxed in by the Griffins inside their own 12-yard line.
With completions to senior Cam Schlueter and Pace, SLUH’s offense, though mostly ineffective on the run, found their way upfield through the air.
“We couldn’t really get any thing going in the second half,” said Eleby. “But we just had to keep our heads up and find the small gains wherever we could.”
However, Eleby was hit hard, having his helmet knocked off, but upon his return, he connected with Allen on the far sideline. He then looked to Pace in the corner of the end zone, but the ball was just barely out of Pace’s reach.
After Eleby was sacked on third down, SLUH sent out Ziegler and their field goal unit to salvage three points on a once-promising possession. However, the field goal curved left of the goal post, and SLUH came up empty handed.
Vianney punted the ball away on a short drive to end the third quarter, and SLUH did the same on their opening fourth quarter possession.
Initially, SLUH seemed content to grind away and eat up the clock. But then, Eleby found Harris down the sideline, who with quick feet juked around his defender and bolted all the way to the 6-yard line.
With a whole set of downs to pick up the remaining six yards, a SLUH touchdown looked inevitable. But a persistent Vianney defense forced a field goal attempt
ney was aided by a 15-yard SLUH penalty.
On second and 9, Deen connected with wide receiver Noah Williams down the middle for a major chunk of yardage that set Vianney up at their 47-yard line. Vianney got on a roll, with Kyle Hogan picking up 28 yards on a brilliant rush on the left side of the field. Then, running back Robert Eatherton rushed up the middle for another first down, this time
As Vianney took possession, SLUH regained the momentum in what had been a back-and-forth second half. With Tate and Pace pressuring him in the backfield, Deen aggressively fired the ball down the sideline, and after the ball popped up off the helmet of senior Matthew Moore, sophomore defensive back Ben Yust snagged the ball for a SLUH interception.
On the 2-yard line, SLUH’s field goal kick was swarmed by the Vianney special teams unit and blocked by the Griffins’ ball in spirit-crushing fashion. In just a few plays, Vianney had taken back momentum.
“We went 0-for-3 in the red zone in the second half. If we scored in those red zone trips, a one-point game’s a three or four touchdown game,” said Cruz.
With unfavorable field position, Deen was precariously pinned back in his own end zone to begin the drive. However, Vian -
Just an arm’s length from a touchdown, Eatherton rushed the remaining one yard for a Vianney touchdown and the first score of the second half. With 90 seconds remaining on the clock, and down by one, the Griffins boldly opted for a two-point attempt to win the game on
With the stadium roaring, Vianney went up the middle and desperately tried to force their way into the end zone with their offensive line. But in dramatic fashion, a wall of SLUH defenders met the runner at the goal line, stopping Vianney short and maintaining SLUH’s lead in the most crucial play of the season.
“I remember on the field we were just saying right here, right now,” said Pace. “Honestly, we kind of knew that our season was on the line on that two-point conversion, so we knew that we needed that.”
However, Vianney had three timeouts left, forcing SLUH to ensure their victory. Refusing to yield, the Vianney defense got stops on first and second down. They had a chance to make a third down stop and force a punt. A hard count from Eleby enticed a Griffin D-lineman to jump, and the 21-20 SLUH victory was sealed.
“We needed that win. We’ve been up and down all season, but it was a good win for us and even though it was close, winning football games is hard at the end of the day. So that was a great win to have under our belt,” said Harris.
On Friday, the Jr. Bills go on the road to face the 3-3 Chaminade Red Devils in a crucial MCC game that will be critical as the postseason nears.
“Our guys learned that you can’t ever take anybody lightly. We play in the MCC, which is the best conference in St. Louis and, in my opinion, probably the best conference in Missouri. Everybody’s improving all the time, and we’re going to get everybody’s best shot. So hopefully we’ll take that into this Friday with Chaminade,” said Cruz.
Sophomore DB Ben Yust jumping to make a catch against Vianney.
photo | Jack Auer
Junior Jordan Taylor sprinting for the first down. photo | Jack Auer
Twilight zone: XC shines in national competition; struggles locally
BY Otto Reitenbach and Tristan Kujawa Core Staff, Staff
With the top ten runners of the St. Louis U. High Cross Country program competing in a Nike Twilight race, a majority of Jr. Billiken runners competed in the local Parkway West Dale Shepherd Invitational last Saturday. Although the Jr. Bills saw mixed results without having their varsity team at the local level, the ten that traveled to Indiana placed sixth among national competition.
Parkway West Dale Shepherd Invitational
A majority of the St. Louis U. High Cross Country Program traveled west to compete in the Parkway West Dale Shepherd Invitational last Saturday. With the top ten racing at Nike Twilight later in the day, this meet gave the opportunity for more athletes to step up.
In the varsity race, high expectations were held as the Jr. Bills came in as the reigning meet champions. Sophomore Nathan Khouri stepped up, finishing first for the Jr. Bills in 17:41, good for 15th place. Behind Khouri was freshman Warnicke Beatty (17:42; 16th place) and junior Preston Eash (17:46; 17th). Rounding out the top 5 was sophomore Edmund Reske (18:08) and senior Ethan Bognar (18:18). Overall, the Jr. Bills placed fourth as a team, not the result they were hoping for.
“It’s definitely an opportunity to show off the depth of our program, but we felt like we could have performed higher,” said head coach Joe Porter.
The sophomore race followed, giving the class a unique opportunity to challenge themselves against their classmates. With seven SLUH sophomores competing in other races, new athletes were asked to step up to fill in
the gaps. Sophomore J.P. Wildermuth ran an ambitious race, going out hard early and finishing as the top Jr. Bill in 19:10, good for 10th place. His teammate, sophomore Alex Pollaci, took 15th with a time of 19:30, followed behind by sophomore Cullen Wenger (19:49) in 18th. This trio of talented runners took the most of their opportunity. Despite missing key teammates, they aggressively pushed the pace and showed tremendous grit.
Sophomore Mark Schoemehl (20:13; 25th) and classmate Lex Wellen (20:22; 28th) rounded out the scoring five. Wildermuth, Pollaci, Wenger, and Schoemehl all earned medals, and the team as a whole placed third behind impressive young showings from Kirkwood and Webster.
“We had some guys that really stepped up,” said Porter. “J.P. Wildermuth being top 10 was great. I really liked Lex Wellen’s race. I thought he ran well and made sure that he became part of our scoring five. It was really good to see.”
The freshmen took the course next, looking to claim victory for the Jr. Bills. They did just that. A top pack formed early, and strong team running carried the freshman trio of Owen Williams, Jonah Ebenhoh, and Phineas Gilbert to blazing quick times. Williams grabbed 4th place in 19:02, with Ebenhoh (19:06) right behind for 5th, and Gilbert (19:07) immediately following for 6th. The dominance of this top group was clear, and their teamwork proved to be an example for their classmates.
Another trio of freshmen made the top ten as Ryan Sextro (19:47), Miles Janosky (19:51), and Liam Farroll (19:55) placed 8th through 10th. Taking six of the top ten places was more than enough to secure a clear SLUH victory in the race, and medal winning performances from Henry Riggan, Matthew LeGrand, Clarence Nowak, Gibby Fyvie, Ryan Kindschuh, Joseph
Krussel, Liam Collins, and William Schulte only iced the cake for the Bills.
“Having a separate race is a great mental thing for the freshman, especially as we get ready for MCCs,” said Porter. “And having a freshman race that they’re performing great in bodes well for our program’s future.”
Finally, the JV race arrived to close out the day. With temperatures rising, the remaining racers fought through the conditions to achieve impressive results. Senior Gavin Smith took off early and held on for a silver medal and a time of 18:09. Senior Patrick Jones (18:40) followed suit and grabbed 5th, followed by junior Brady Vogt (18:43) in 6th. Junior Aidan Smith (18:53; 10th) and senior Jesse Heater (19:02; 12th) finished out the top five for SLUH.
Despite missing many runners to other races, the JV squad took second place overall, losing by only five points to a full Kirkwood team.
There was a lot to take away from the Parkway West Invitational. Outstanding individual performances give the Jr. Bills examples of the team SLUH cross country hopes to be, and the stage is set for tremendous growth going forward.
Nike Twilight
After the mixed morning of the Parkway West Invitational, a group of 10 athletes traveled east to LaVern Gibson Championship XC Course, in Terre Haute, Indiana. The meet was a great opportunity for the Jr. Bills to test themselves up against the best in the Midwest region and a team from California. At 9 p.m. eastern time, the night sky was lit up by a red flare to start the Race of Champions.
“It’s one of the top meets in the country in terms of depth,” said Porter. “It’s the chaos of an outstanding field. There’s 40 teams in there that made the Race of Champions, and 4500 runners
total throughout the day, and it was all about how well we could compete.”
A dark downhill first kilometer fueled the chaos of the race. Junior Jake Fitzpatrick took a fall at 800 meters that led to over 15 other athletes trampling over him. Despite being pushed back towards the back of the race, Fitzpatrick displayed his mental resilience, catching up to his teammates at the first mile.
“Getting knocked down certainly wasn’t easy,” said Fitzpatrick. “I was proud of how I was able to get up and catch up my teammates and I’m most proud of how my teammates responded to all this chaos.”
The leaders of the field set a blistering pace for the duo of senior Alex Bendaña and sophomore Jackson Miller to come through the first mile in 4:41, but they were only in 22nd and 23rd, displaying the unworldly depth of the field. Senior Gus Talleur was farther back in 91st place, leading a pack of four other Jr. Bills to come through in around 4:53. The mass of runners in between the duo and Talleur highlights the importance of every place in championship style racing.
In the end, Miller pulled away from Bendaña, running 15:34 for 31st place. Bendaña was next to come in for the Jr.
Bills, finishing in 15:41 for 35th. These times are Nos. 2 and 3 all time for any SLUH XC athlete at LaVern Gibson.
Talleur put up a stellar performance, overtaking 35 places from the first mile to finish in 56th place in 15:53. However, it was a long 27 seconds before the next Jr. Bill came into the now-crowded finish line. Sophomore Ben Yoffie outkicked junior Hendrix Fyvie for 117th place, and Fyvie was 119th. Both ran 16:20 and rounded out the scoring five for the Jr. Bills. In the midst of the chaos, the Jr. Bills’ team placement remained consistent throughout the race as they finished sixth out of 45 teams with a score of 307, besting state rival Rock Bridge, who finished in ninth place.
“I think the guys would say we ran well,” said Porter, “but that we have a little bit more to go. We beat some really good programs from Tennessee and California. You know we were still the top Missouri team, which is, which is definitely where we want to be getting ready for, the next bulk of training” Last night, the Jr. Bills finished first at the MCC Championships, capturing their 21st straight MCC title. Read more about how the program completed the historic feat in next week’s article.
Athlete of the Week: Jordan Taylor
BY Theo Agniel Sports Editor
This week’s athlete of the week is junior running back Jordan Taylor. After an outstanding freshman season, Taylor’s sophomore year was cut short after an ACL injury. Since returning to his throne of RB1 this year, Taylor has picked up the pace he established in his first year. The three star had an amazing game last week against Vianney, where he racked up 184 rushing yards, 16 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
Theo Agniel: How did you get into football and where did you start?
Jordan Taylor: I started football in little league when I was six. I wasn’t good, so I stopped playing until I was 11 and I had these coaches who wanted me for their program. I played linebacker in sixth grade, and I got moved to running back when a kid left the team. It was my time, and I ran with it—7th grade to 8th grade to freshman year to now. Football has been a big part of my life and it has brought me to where I am now and built my character.
TA: I’ve talked with a couple of your classmates, and I’ve asked the same question: was part of your decision to come to SLUH influenced by Ryan Wingo or other historic SLUH players?
JT: I feel as if Ryan Wingo, Landon Pace, Marco (Sansone) and even some players before them influenced me to come here. I saw a lot of pretty big figures in
my middle school years, people who I wanted to follow in their footsteps. Yeah, I feel like I’ve been influenced by those guys, but in the end it was mostly my decision to go here and I feel like I made the right one.
school I knew I had to have that mentality if I wanted to play. I knew I wanted to play and I knew I wanted to work at whatever I put my mind to. When I got here, it didn’t matter where on the field, I knew I needed to play. Shoot, I would get on the line if they needed me too.
schoolers, they could be freshman to seniors, even broken plays where a big DL guy is in my face, I never feel as if anybody in front of me is better than me. I look at them equally. Either he tackles me or he misses. Everybody I see, I’m equal to or better than. With that being
TA: You walk in freshman year, and you’re handed the varsity letter. You’re running, you’re making plays and you’ve made a name for yourself. What made you so good at such an early point of your high school career?
JT: In middle school, I was a really good athlete, but in 8th grade I really blew up and I felt as if I could do anything I put my mind to at that point in time—I felt like I was that guy. So, coming into high
They handed me the varsity start, and I ran with it.
TA: Something a lot of people don’t think about is what it’s like to be a running back from a running back’s point of view. Can you describe what it’s like to be handed the ball and be faced with an impossible task of getting around an opposing team’s defense?
JT: When I see a whole bunch of high
said, I feel like when I see an impossible window, I see it as a natural occurrence. Let’s try to make something out of this even if it’s a bad play or we lose yards. I accept that sometimes the other team is gonna win one and I’m gonna get back to it.
JT: That St. Mary’s game, I was on pace to get 200 yards and I had a touchdown. The pain hurt mentally and physically when I got the ACL injury. It’s really all about perseverance. When you really want something you put all your effort and mind into it. I wanted to come back to football because I’ve been doing it my whole life. I want to have fun and set myself up for the future because I know it’s going to take me places. I feel like football has been a big part of my life and sitting out of it for a year was lifechanging. Something could be taken away from you so fast, and it made me realize that if I want this, I’m going to have to put that work in.
TA: So far this season, you’re killing. It’s safe to say that the team has missed our three star. What’s it been like to rejoin the team, and how do you think it’s going to affect the outlook of the season for the team?
JT: I feel like coming back to this team was really needed for me. People were banking on me on offense, and it feels good to have the carriage on my back and run with it. I think the outlook is that we want to establish a name for ourselves and put our name on the map. I want people to stop talking down on us, and I want people to realize we really got the talent.
TA: Last year, you had a heartbreaking injury against St. Mary’s at the beginning of the season. You were injured so badly that you just recently recovered and were cleared to play. What’s it like for your mental health to not be able to play football, the sport you love, for a whole year?
TA: Can’t wait to see you dominate!
Taylor (in the air) evading a Vianney tackle.
photo | Vic Lewchenko
Parkway West Dale Shepherd starting line. photo | Courtesy of SLUH XC
MERIT FOR EHRET
PN CROSSWORD: Missing Lynx
ACROSS
1. West, often
5. Rap’s _____ Chyna 9. Taskbar image
13. Composer Stravinsky and aviation designer Sikorsky
15. [That hurt!] 16. Couch 17. White heron
18. Pro _____ : in proportion
19. This is a test
20. Family picnic attendees?
23. Pull behind 24. NaOH
25. Cry of recognition
26. Path
29. “Godzilla vs. Kong”?
33. Organic chemistry topic
34. _____ Eight
35. Curved paths
38. Respectful denial
41. Second, but not first
42. Physicist Curie or singer Osmond
Prep News Credits
Volume 89, Issue 8
“Who are you taking to Fall Ball?”
Editor in Chief
Micah “Thing 2” Doherty
News Editors
Andrew “The Beatles” Hunt
Lucas “an ace attorney” Hayden
Sports Editors
Theo “ladies!?” Agniel
Aiden “my alpha wolf” Erard
Features Editor
Leo “Hong Kong” Hahn
Visual Editor
Jesse “the green M&M” Heater
Core Staff
Jens “Dan’s tooooootaly real
Jordans” Istvan
Thomas “skipping for rball”
Juergens
Otto “POOKIE” Reitenbach
Kane “Plato’s allegory of the cave” Luchun
Patrick “Elastigirl” Byrne
Daniel “my WebAssign” Neuner
Jacob “Mrs. Potatohead”
Fitzpatrick
Lincoln “My Logs” Shorley
Staff
Matteo “Velma” Abbate
Max “twilight sparkle” Marnatti
Tristan “Fireflies” Kujawa
Gavin “JoJo Siwa” Simon
Madhavan “my running shoes” Anbukumar
Staff Artists
Colin “my girlfriend, obviously” Schuler
Reporters
Brendan “the Dante society” Hunt
Isaac “Will anyone go with me?” Basi
Hendrix “me, myself, and I” Fyvie
Neil “the pink M&M” O’Connor
Photographers
Vic “my camera” Lewchenko
Jack “plug my insta” Auer
Myles “Aperture2.8” Tatum
Will “ISO800” Linhares
Kathy “Dmitri Mendeleev” Chott
Moderator
Steve “will be at Netherfield Ball instead” Missey
ing attention
66. San Fran footballer
67. Game after 34-Across
68. 12/24 and 12/31
69. 69, to 70
DOWN
1. _____ anchor : stay put
2. 12/24 drink
3. How a tandem bicycle is built
4. Very, in Versailles
5. House of ill repute
6. Hawaiian bash
7. Infomercial directive
8. _____ Slide
9. Phrase of recognition
10. Leader of 37-Down
11. Friend _____ friend
12. ’60s war zone
14. Longtime Soviet leader
21. Umbrella fabric
22. Mythology
27. Intro studio class
28. Throw forcefully
30. Frankincense or
Author of The Three Laws of
44. Win by _____
46. Amphibious sandals?
50. Stitch up
51. ER workers
52. Buddy 53. Rockets, on scoreboards
56. Pack from New York City?
60. It’s a thought
62. Apple variety
63. Early American staple crop
64. Thigh muscle
65. Confused, as a student not pay -
Food Menu
Friday, October 11
Activity Period: Funnel Cakes
Homestyle Fresh Lunch: Papa John’s
Monday, October 14
Activity Period: Pretzels and Cheese
Homestyle Fresh Lunch: Beef and Broccoli
Tuesday, October 15
Studium: Boneless Chicken
Homestyle Fresh Lunch: Adobe Chicken
Wednesday, October 16
Activity Period: CornDogs
Homestyle Fresh Lunch: Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Bake
Senior Cookie Sale
Seniors, remind your parents to send in three dozen cookies separated into bags of 2-3 items or bags of two cups each of treats like Puppy Chow. You can drop off treats in the Si Commons between 7:15a.m. and 9a.m. during the sale on October 23-24.
Join StuCo on the lawn or the Faculty Lot for the Drive In Cinema. Sign up for the event this weekend through Gmail. Spots are limited!
Crossword | Paul Baudendistel