WHY NOT US? WHY NOT US?
Soccer captures first State Title in 21 years with emphatic win over Jesuit rival De Smet
BY Aiden Erard and Theo Agniel Sports Editors
Why.
Not. Us. These three words defined the season of the St. Louis U. High soccer team. Losing impactful players from last year, having a starting lineup with only two seniors, and not scoring as many goals as opponents, it looked like chances for a state title were slim for SLUH. However, against all expectations and led by stellar coaching and de-
fense, the Jr. Billikens were crowned state champions for the first time in 21 years and for the fourth time in program history, beating out Jesuit rival De Smet in penalties (3-2) in a staggeringly tight Missouri Class 4 State Championship final.
”It just felt surreal,” said junior Andrew Chalmers. “Because nobody on the team thought we were gonna even have a chance. We didn’t even think about state the whole season. I don’t think one person on our team mentioned it a single time, and
Jr. Bills show spirit in lively debates at Model UN
BY Andrew Hunt and Jack Williamson News Editor, reporter
Thirteen Jr. Bills dressed in sports coats and ties headed to Webster University on Saturday, Nov. 23 for one of the coolest programs SLUH partakes in: Model United Nations.
The SLUH students who attended represented seven different countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, South Sudan, and Yemen. Throughout the four-hour conference, they were tasked with debating, amending, and voting on resolutions brought forth by delegates from any of the 50-plus countries represented at the conference, between snack breaks and heated, fun debates over how they planned to vote.
“It was really fun,” said junior Reed Shah, who represented Jordan, a country he lived in for seven weeks this summer through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth program. “I learned a ton, and it was just a really positive experience.”
Model UN is a program organized internationally that gives young students the opportunity to represent various countries they select as if they were delegates for the real United Nations General Assembly. Similar to Youth and Government, it allows students to bring forth resolutions (much like bills) proposing the establishment of committees, dollar contributions of specific countries, or other changes for the betterment
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news Vox Una
What’s that I hear? Ahhh, the beautiful sounds of an elite SATB choir scattered with SLUH students singing perfect spiritual songs.
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news SLUHtique Is this even real? Jr. Billiken stress toys sold at SLUH Mothers Club SLUHtique.
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so once we were there, most people didn’t see us doing well. Just rushing the field, beating our rivals, winning the State Championship. That was the best possible outcome we could have had.”
Despite having the program’s worst regular season record since 2020, the team’s tenacious postseason performance set up one of the most hyped matchups SLUH sports had seen in years: a strictly Jesuit soccer final. Two hefty losses to De Smet during the regular season, 2-0
Feature
BY Leo Hahn Features Editor
and 4-0, gave the Spartans unneeded confidence going into their biggest game of the year. Trash talk made its way to the Jr. Bills side well before the game even began. However, SLUH handled it with class and turned this talk into fuel.
“As a team, we were feeling pretty good. We felt that we had the upper hand because they were really underestimating us,” said senior captain Nicholas Hammond. “There were some guys on the other team continued on page 5
Sacred Spaces: Annual Voices of SLUH assembly finds God in Backer Memorial
BY Lucas Hayden News Editor
Students and faculty packed the
Danis Field House on Tuesday to attend St. Louis U. High’s annual Voices of SLUH forum, where a handful of speakers give talks on various aspects of their experience at SLUH. This year’s theme, in wake of the Centennial, was places around the 100-year-old school building where each person finds God.
“Sometimes, with Voices, we have an idea of what it’s going to be, and then it morphs and changes,” said director of the event Kate Toussaint. “Because Voices of SLUH is, obviously, community. I’m the director, technically, but I think it’s kind of a retreat in some ways. I have to allow the Holy Spirit to do its work.”
This year’s featured speakers were senior Evan Zimmerman, Broadway actor Michael Schimmele ’14, physics teacher Paul Baudendistel ’90, and Ralph Houlihan ’52, SJ.
The original idea was to invite alums in from a wide range of graduation years to have them speak and continued on page 4
Nagel ’07 voice of city’s urban renewal
work that many usually don’t notice.
One of the biggest worries for most graduating students is the same: “Where am I going to live after all this?” The United States’ housing crisis and urban decay is a pressing issue for many cities like St. Louis, with over 16 million vacant buildings nationwide.
But some are trying to fix it. For the last two years, St. Louis U. High alumnus Tom Nagel ’07 has been a face of the St. Louis government as Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Community Development Administration (CDA)—the first PR position for the department in over 40 years. As PIO, Nagel works with his team to publicize the CDA’s variety of city restoration efforts, bringing attention to valuable government
features No Shave November Breaking news! Students at SLUH are too hairy for upcoming all school Mass! Page 3
news All District Band 11 SLUH students, hours of preparation, one All District Band performance.
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“The way I feel is, if the city government isn’t telling its story, people assume the city isn’t doing anything,” said Nagel.
Despite its wide impact, the CDA is a lesser-known city department. Established in 1970, one of the main
roles of the CDA is to grant government money—like HUD funds— to public and nonprofit organizations that will invest that money into projects like redeveloping neighborhoods and creating new social programs.
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sports Hockey
Daniel Boone who?? The IceBills bounce back from J-Cup loss by conquering the Pioneers.
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sports Fantasy Bye weeks have you stumped? Not sure who should ride the bench? Look no further than our trusted expert picks to carry your team to a victory!
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entertainment Crossword Clues await up and down this week’s puzzle. Compete for a shoutout in next week’s edition. Page 8
Nagel leading students on a tour of City Hall. photo | Leo Hahn
The team celebrating after winning the Class Four State Championship. photo | Courtesy of SLUH Soccer
Nagel
’07 brings hope to urban STL through work in
Community Development Administration
(continued from page 1)
Nagel has worked in communications for over ten years, and in city government for five as a speechwriter for former St. Louis City mayor Lyda Krewson. Now, in his current role as PIO, Nagel communicates CDA plans to nonprofits, other city departments, and most importantly, to the public. Nagel uses his skills at website design, photography, and social media to spread the word as effectively and as efficiently as possible, often trying to combat negative stereotypes of the City government.
“Many residents probably think the City can’t fill a pothole,” said Nagel. “So when I worked for the Mayor’s office from Oct. 2019 to Oct. 2022, I made a point of getting pictures of City workers filling potholes on social media.”
One of the main issues the CDA and the City government has been trying to solve recently is the issue of the vacant buildings and lots that fill St. Louis city. In 2023, the STL Vacancy Collaborative partnered with the CDA, bringing together multiple aspects of the government to tackle the issue of vacancy.
One of their accomplishments so far has been the creation of the Vacancy Explorer Map, which maps the locations of St. Louis city’s 24,780 vacant land parcels and provides statistics on who owns them. In the metro area, there are 9,238 vacant buildings and 15,542 vacant lots, all of which lower property values and pose health hazards to the areas around them.
The Vacancy Explorer Map’s goal is to hold land speculators accountable for holding onto vacant parcels. This work comes alongside the recent vote to adopt Proposition V to the city charter, which lifted the $500 cap on vacancy fees for these landowners. Many city officials hope this change will force speculators to either finally develop their land or sell it, facing much larger fees if they don’t. Through these efforts, people in
government like Nagel are recognizing an issue and taking concrete steps to do something about it.
“Vacant buildings are bad, and there is serious momentum in the City right now to reclaim our neighborhoods for residents,” said Nagel.
One example of a project that benefited from CDA involvement was the restoration of the 14th St. Mall in North St. Louis. In 2007, the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group and the Regional Housing and Community Development Alliance banded together to restore the pedestrian mall. After purchasing 27 buildings for $2 million, the coalition converted the area into Crown Park, now complete with a community garden and new commercial and residential buildings. Federal funding for projects like these is distributed by the CDA, and groups are encouraged to undertake projects like these in majorly disinvested areas like North St. Louis. The importance of partnering with the community is something that isn’t lost on CDA officials like Nagel.
Nagel has credited the Jesuit ideals of service and Ignatian presupposition, instilled in him as a SLUH student, as being essential in his life and career. His first major experience with service was in 2011, when he volunteered with the Jesuits of Belize under the invitation of former history teacher Fr. Jeff Harrison, SJ, who had just become the Jesuit Superior for the region.
Nagel spent four months in Belize City and Punta Gorda living alongside Jesuits like Fr. Brian Christopher ’93 in church rectories and helping any way he could: fixing bikes, programming websites for parishes, tutoring children, and more. Spending so much quality time with the Jesuits provided Nagel with many role models and a firm spiritual guide for how to live that he had already been introduced to during his time at SLUH.
“You can talk about pretty much anything you want with these guys,” said Nagel. “Because they’ve just done everything, and they’ve studied everything. Their commitment to service and everything they’ve done was just so fascinating to me.”
In his public relations work, Nagel also says he often uses the Jesuit idea of Ignatian presupposition, or going into disagreements “presupposing” good will on both sides.
“As a City employee, I get a lot of phone calls from residents or reporters who aren’t satisfied with an issue,” said Nagel. “Volunteering outside my country and comfort zone has really taught me to be a listener first, and for as long as is needed, before being an explainer or problem solver.”
This Wednesday, Nagel led a group of five members of the SLUH Young Urban Planners Club on a tour of City Hall organized by another SLUH alumnus, James Fister ’09. On the tour, he highlighted various murals throughout the building, focusing on their symbolism and the often outdated messages they were meant to convey when City Hall opened in 1904.
On the tour, students also got to step inside the office of St. Louis City Mayor Tishaura Jones to see a mural and receive an unexpected visit with 9th Ward Alderman Michael Browning. The 9th City Ward includes areas around Forest Park like the Central West End, including SLUH itself, so the Young Urban Planners were excited to talk with Browning about upcoming projects for the Oakland area. As many SLUH students have observed, recent projects for the Alderman have included the repaving of Oakland Ave. and the demolition and planned redevelopment of the seven vacant buildings at Oakland and South Kingshighway. Upcoming plans include the repaving of Kingshighway itself.
The tireless work of city officials like Nagel and Browning highlights the passion that so many people have for the city of St. Louis and its future. It’s also important to remember that the Jesuit values many learn during their time at SLUH aren’t meant to be left at SLUH, but to be turned outwards in the effort of making our communities a better place.
“I think it starts with the basics of being a man for others,” said Nagel. “I think today it is ‘People for and with others,’ which I like a lot. The ‘with’ really encapsulates the Jesuit theme of encounter.”
Vox Una choir gives students chance to sing in co-ed ensemble
BY Gavin Simon Staff
St. Louis U. High seniors Nate Lepak, George Donahue, and Jacob Grijalva performed as part of the Vox Una choir—a co-ed ensemble headed by former SLUH choir teacher Addie Akin—on Nov. 17 at Trinity Church in Kirkwood
Akin created Vox Una for the purpose of uniting singers that attend all boys/all girls institutions, allowing them to sing in an organized manner with the other sex for possibly the first time.
”During my years at St. Louis University High School and Cor Jesu Academy, I have become acutely aware of a need for a high-level mixed ensemble for students attending single-gender high schools,” said Akin. “Our students deserve more.”
Leading up to their concert, the group practiced on Tuesdays for numerous weeks, refining their craft and learning how to sing in balance with the opposite sex, something most members of the group were new to.
“Being in Vox Una was a great experience,” said Donahue. “For kids going to single-gender schools like SLUH, De Smet, Priory, Nerinx, and Cor Jesu, it was a unique opportunity to sing music that blended both male and female voices together.”
Akin started Vox Una last year, working with numerous SLUH students in its inaugural year. This year, Akin’s SLUH connection remains strong, with each of the three SLUH members in the group looking forward to working with Akin again
after her departure from SLUH as a teacher.
Vox Una is open to any student currently attending a singlesex Catholic high school in the St. Louis area, but while many students show interest, with a mission statement designed to promote the performance of collegiate-level music at the highest level of musicianship, students must first audition to secure a spot in the choir.
With many of their practice sessions taking place in a cathedral, Vox Una typically sings spiritual, liturgical choir music—the kind of music typically heard in a church setting. The work isn’t easy, however.
”We don’t sing the easy stuff out of the books,” said Donahue. “We sing really demeaning, hard music that requires a lot of attention and effort, but it’s really rewarding work and I’m having a great time with it.”
Following their first concert of the year at the Trinity Church in Kirkwood, the group is gearing up for its next performance—a Christmas concert at the cathedral on Dec. 7 and 8.
”We’re doing the Christmas Eve Mass at the cathedral,” said Lepak. “Next semester we’re doing a concert in the beginning of summer as well in early June.”
With a lot on their schedule, the group is working hard to put on the best show possible—a very enjoyable experience for those who participate.
“I’m enjoying every moment of it,” said Donahue. “It’s really a choir experience like no other and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Around the Hallways
This Wednesday, the St. Louis U. High cross country team capped off its 2024 campaign with an end-of-season banquet in the Si Commons. Each of the over 120 athletes in this year’s team was recognized, as the coaches announced each runner’s yearly mileage and personal best time. The runners weren’t the only ones recognized, however.
“My favorite part of the banquet was the recognition of the coaches by the seniors,” said freshman Owen Willams. “The coaches put in so much hard work throughout the season and it’s great to see them get the thanks they deserve.”
The night was a perfect way to end a successful season for SLUH cross country.
Soccer Banquet
The St. Louis U. High varsity state champion soccer team celebrated their once-in-a-lifetime season last Tuesday with a banquet in the Si Commons, alongside the JV, B-team, and freshman teams. Varsity captain senior Nick Hammond, JV captain Noled
Wedbush, B-team captain sophomore Caleb Villmer, and freshman Henry Meister gave speeches. Head varsity coach Bob O’Connell also gave a speech, focused on making the most of opportunities—the opportunity to be on the SLUH team, to go to the state finals, and more—and touching on how proud he was of the team. JV coach Richard Rone, B-team coach Tom Champion, and freshman coach Brock Kesterson also gave speeches about their teams.
“It was great to be with the guys and it shows that the bonds that we had made are ones that will last,” said Hammond.
The varsity squad has formulated a design for their state rings, which they will receive in the spring.
New Lock
Asst. Principal for Student Life Dr. Brock Kesterson announced Wednesday that a lock has been installed to the exterior gate on the east side of cam-
pus, leading Wise Ave, just west of the Backer Garden and next to the Jesuit residence. Only St. Louis U. High faculty will be able to unlock the gate now.
“People were going in and out of there, which means the public could get in and out of there,” said Kesterson. “And we had a couple incidents of people walking on the campus, and nothing came from it, but that just raised our alarm to say that’s something we really need to lock down at this point.”
Unfortunately, this will require Jr. Bills who bike to school to find an alternate way into campus than this convenient route.
Untuck it Day + 5 More
Dress-Down Days
The decision was made to fill a final gap in SLUH’s campus security—the gate was accessed occasionally by students to leave and enter campus, and rarely, by other St. Louisans to access campus.
A new addition has been added to the 12 Days of Christmas programming: five dress down days. This suggestion was originally brought up at a Student Round Table Group meeting of juniors and seniors with Asst. Principal for Student Life Brock Kesterson and Activities Director Megan Menne, where students share their opinions with faculty on Wednesdays during AP. The idea was then brought up to
StuCo, who thought it was a great idea. They made some last-minute plans for what changes to make for yesterday’s dress code.
“(Thursday) became an untuck-it day, which is kind of silly, but it seemed like people actually liked it,” said Kesterson.
Students all around SLUH will appreciate this decision, with semester exams rapidly approaching. Today, the first of the five dress down days, is a purple-and-yellow themed day in honor of CBC junior Colin Brown, who passed away unexpectedly last week after being shot. He was well-known to many SLUH hockey players through club hockey, and his funeral is today.
“I hope that everybody does participate,” said Kesterson. “I think it’d be really cool.”
The remaining days—Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of next week—will have themes organized by StuCo as well.
CompiledbyAndrewHunt,Otto Reitenbach,andOwenWilliams,News Editor,CoreStaff,reporter
photo | Courtesy of Vox Una Instagram
The Vox Una choir.
Fister (top left) and Nagel (2nd row right) pose with members of the Young Urban Planners club. photo | Courtesy of Tim O’Neil
XC Banquet
Feature Facial hair longer than ever for No Shave November
BY Leo Hahn and Lincoln Shorley Features Editor, Core Staff
Mustaches, beards, and sideburns, oh my! Many St. Louis U. High students and faculty participated in the annual “No Shave November”—also known as “Movember”—challenge last month, growing out their facial hair to raise awareness for men’s mental health issues and prostate cancer.
StuCo sent out an email to the whole school on Oct. 21, heralding November’s rapid approach and assuring the students that Assistant Principal for Student Life Dr. Brock Kesterson approved facial hair for the month. Despite widespread participation, no official donation pages for mental health issues or cancer were created like in previous years, largely due to a change in the way that SLUH fundraisers are now structured. Starting last year, SLUH as a whole began to place less emphasis on donations to a variety of different fundraisers; instead, all donations are being focused towards one.
“When we did Movember last year, it was not for any fundraising,”
said math teacher Craig Hinders. “It was just a thing that I think StuCo was doing, but I didn’t set up my account for donations.”
In 2022, Hinders partnered with fellow math teacher and former StuCo moderator Stephen Deves to promote the charity through a schoolwide fundraiser.
“I decided to get this thing off the ground. I knew that No Shave November was a thing, but I didn’t realize that there was actually a fundraiser that brings awareness to men’s health, mental health, and suicide prevention,” said Hinders.
This year, some people jumped at the opportunity to raise money for the cause, like diehard participant, economics teacher Rob Hill. Many male teachers who have participated in the past quickly jumped at the opportunity to start growing out their stubble.
“I like to make it more of an awareness campaign,” said Rob Hill. “So I always let the students pick what shape my beard should be shaved into. This year, it happens to be Tony Stark from Iron Man. Last year it was Colonel Mustard. The year before that was Hulk Hogan with the long handlebars.”
Students participated in No Shave November for lots of different reasons, but some of them, like junior Evan Fleming, saw it as a challenge.
“Last year I did No Shave November and it looked terrible, I’m hoping this year I can make it less terrible,“ said Fleming, who has been known to sport facial hair even before the dress code ban was lifted for November. “And besides, I want to see my progress as I get older. Over the summer, I grew a nice mustache, so this is my
Auer photo selected for high school exhibit
BY Andrew Hunt News Editor
Junior
Jack Auer was recently selected for Webster University’s Juried High School Photography Exhibit for a photo he took of CITY soccer player Rasmus Alm, highlighting the photographer’s growing journey of capital success in photography.
The exhibit, known formally as “Beginnings 2024: Juried High School Photography”, features 74 photos taken by various St. Louis high schoolers, out of over 520 submissions. It was judged by Webster professors Michael Long and June Kyu Park. Auer will receive a print copy of his photo, and it will be featured in Webster’s Kooyumjian Gallery from the Dec. 6 opening reception until Jan. 28.
Auer, a frequent contributor to the Prep News, currently takes sports photos under contract for St. Louis U. High and for various other purposes as hired by students. He has built up a large presence for his business through his Instagram account, @jackauerphoto. He also sells photos online through his website, linked on Instagram.
His interest in photography first began as a freshman at SLUH, when he began to take photos out of a simple artistic curiosity.
“I started doing it as a hobby,” said Auer. “I was just taking pictures of flowers in my backyard.”
He quickly realized, however, that sports photography was his passion.
“With sports, you can immediately see what’s interesting about the photo,” said Auer. “It’s something that everyone can appreciate … and it’s always really rewarding to go home, load the pictures onto my computer, and see what amazing things I’ve captured.”
excuse to bring it back.”
Known more specifically as “Movember” for its emphasis on the humble ’stache, past SLUH fundraisers for No Shave November focused on awareness for prostate cancer and men’s mental health issues like depression and suicide, and the month still serves as a significant awareness movement for these health issues.
“The No Shave November charity I think is a way for me to bring awareness to my classes of boys for the things that I think are men’s health issues, which are men’s mental health, men’s testicular cancer and men’s prostate cancer,” said Hill. “Hey, we’re all guys, and at some point in time in
our lives, we might get this. Someday it might be a problem, so I like to raise some money through the No Shave November charity.”
No Shave November was started in 2009 by the family of Matthew Hill, an American who passed away from colon cancer in 2007. It has since gone global, partnering with the American Cancer Fund in 2021.
The millions of dollars that have been raised by No Shave November fund cancer research and patient support.
Even though December has begun, anyone still wishing to donate to the No Shave November movement can visit www.pledge.to/no-shavenovember.
Letter to the Editor Thank you SLUH Soccer Fans
To the Editors: Mother Teresa once said “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”
To the St. Louis U. High community, thank you for helping SLUH soccer accomplish a great thing in 2024. As head coach, I wanted to say thank you to the parents, teachers, alumni, former players, and current SLUH students for their part in helping SLUH win our 4th soccer championship. It could not have been done without your unique love and support for our great school.
The student section at Lindenwood on Saturday night was so special! Thank you! The love for our school and the care you have for your classmates was overwhelming. Everyone “did their thing,” and in 2024 it resulted in a special group of guys getting to experience the thrill of victory. Thank you. I will never forget the role you all played in this accomplishment.
We are part of a powerful brotherhood. May we continue to uplift one another in all that we do, and may God continue to bless Saint Louis U. High!
Bob O’Connell Soccer Head Coach
Eleven Jr. Bills perform in All District bands
His journey sparked when he began to establish his online presence by taking basketball photos last winter through the Photography Club. As he got access to better equipment, he began taking and selling SLUH baseball photos that spring.
The cameras he currently uses are a Canon EOS R and a Canon EOS 7D Mark II.
“I don’t like anything specifically about them,” said Auer. “I view them purely as tools to get the job done and not for their specifications.”
One of Auer’s big dreams was to get pitchside access to some MLS games for St. Louis CITY. After cold-emailing the stadium managers to get a spot and being rejected, he was eventually accepted for media access by the field.
“It was really difficult, and I got rejected multiple times, but eventually I got lucky and they let me in,” said Auer.
He was able to take photos at games on April 7 and October 5 of this season; at the second game, he captured the photo selected for the Webster University competition.
Aside from being a riveting experience in an exciting environment in its own right, being at MLS games was also a great opportunity for Auer to be right up next to professional photographers working for news agencies and more.
“It was inspiring,” said Auer. “I hope to be like them.”
Auer hopes to pursue a career in sports photography. But he’s not letting this dream wait for tomorrow—with his photography business, he’s already begun the journey.
“Sports is a billion dollar industry, and it’s something I can see a future career path in,” said Auer.
For now, being selected for the Juried High School Photography Exhibit is a step in the right direction.
BY Brendan Hunt and Finn Rose reporters
Eleven Jr. Bills, along with students hailing from the various bands across the St. Louis region, participated in the All District band performance the Sunday before Thanksgiving break. The event took place at Chaminade’s theater and followed auditions which took place around a month ago, where the 11 students were selected after a tough and strenuous audition process.
The weeks following auditions consisted of rigorous practice as the musicians worked to perfect their pieces. The students spent hours upon hours rehearsing songs over and over for the sake of creating a beautiful performance with the students coming from the other schools.
“I practiced a lot, as much as I
could—for hours each day,” said sophomore Edmund Reske, who played first chair trombone at the event. “I’m not sure everyone who makes it does that much. I do more than is necessary to make it sometimes, but also because I’m getting ready for All-State, which is a lot harder.”
After weeks of practicing, the students were finally ready for the performance. Arriving at Chaminade, the concert band students started out with a rehearsal led by director Timothy Hendrix. Then, following a quick break, they went on to perform.
For the Concert Band performance, the musicians played three pieces. The first was a fanfare titled “Forza,” an incredibly exciting and rhythmic song which ushered in the performance solidly. This piece was followed and contrasted by “Sheltering Skies,” which displays vivid emo-
tion along with solos which color the song. The final piece was a five movement piece called “Of Sailors and Whales” which is based on Herman Melville’s great novel MobyDick For sophomore John Comerford, it was a particularly exciting performance, as he played both piccolo and flute in the concert band, switching between both instruments.
“It’s definitely a larger ensemble compared to the SLUH Symphonic Band,” said Comerford. “And, it was nice playing in front of a large audience and in the really nice Chaminade theater.”
Following the Concert Band performance, the Jazz Band performed “Randi,” “I’m Gonna Tell,” “Green Bossa,” and “Isn’t She Lovely.”
For sophomore Gabe Altier, 1st chair drum set, participating in SLUH Jazz Band is a way for him to become a better musician.
“I am lucky that we have such a good jazz program at SLUH, and that I have had the opportunities that I have had, as it has all tied into my development as a musician,” said Altier.
In addition to playing 1st alternate guitar, freshman Maceo Malkus is the only freshman participating in District Band for SLUH. “I like to participate in jazz band because it’s very different from my past musical experiences,” said Malkus. “There are way more people and it’s totally different kinds of music.”
In the end, SLUH’s musicians performed very well and were able to showcase their hard earned skills. Looking into the future of the district musicians, they have begun to prepare themselves for the state band auditions, which will happen this Saturday, and hopefully a state performance which will happen in January.
art | Colin Schuler
photo | Lincoln Shorley Hill.
photo | Courtesy of Evan Fleming Fleming.
Voices of SLUH leads students to reflect on sacred spaces
(continued from page 1)
testify to how SLUH has changed. However, because of the Centennial ties, planning of the event had to be held off until late September, after the Centennial celebration ended, to minimize the strain on administrative elements.
Shortly before the Centennial celebration, a faculty inservice day was held. Toussaint was struck by a portion of it that would eventually shape Voices of SLUH.
“Mrs. Kelleher and Mr. Quinn designed a really beautiful prayer meditation for faculty. Mrs. Kelleher talked about Ignatius going to Jerusalem to see the steps where it’s believed that Jesus stepped into Heaven, and she talked about how important those steps were, and that place, to Jesus. And then, she invited Ms. Bugnitz and Mr. Kevin Wehner to come on stage and share their spaces on SLUH in which they feel connected to God,” said Toussaint.
“So then, faculty were instructed to go on a little pilgrimage and find
campus and why, and then we can have the students reflect on that themselves.”
Several alumni were contacted about coming back to give speeches, but Michael Schimelle ’14 was the only one to respond back with a resounding yes. Schimmele had extensive involvement with the Dauphin Players during his time at SLUH, and is currently on Broadway touring Aladdin.
“I felt so called to come and speak,” said Schimelle. “I think if I had a speaker that was like me in any way when I was here at school, I think it would have changed a lot of my thoughts and feelings about some of the struggles that we encounter here as queer students and people of color, and even, being simply put, actors. There’s not often art representation that’s accessible to us.”
To bring together the rest of the speakers, Toussaint looked towards the current SLUH community.
“We have a number of alumni
our spot … it was such a delightful exercise, and everybody at my table was just saying this was affirming, and it was really positive, because it was the 100 year anniversary of this particular space. Not the 100 year anniversary of SLU High, but of this particular campus. So it’s like, ‘How do we talk about this building and space and what does it mean?’ And as the theme shifted a little bit, it became ‘We don’t have to complicate this.’ We can just have these speakers talk about their sacred space on
faculty, and of course, we have current students,” said Toussaint. “And so we thought, could a freshman, sophomore, junior, talk about their favorite space? Yes, but we thought it was a pretty cool idea to have a senior. Evan Zimmerman came up as a great student to ask.”
“I accepted Sra. Toussaint’s offer because I enjoy taking opportunities,” said Zimmerman. “I felt honored that she wanted me to talk. Even though I really didn’t know what I would be talking about at
first, I said yes because I knew it was a good opportunity to share some of my ideas with the school and that it would help Sra. Toussaint out. Even though it was a bit difficult to get in front of the entire school and speak, it was a great experience and I would definitely do it again.”
Baudendistel and Houlihan also stood out as great choices for the task.
“Mr. Baudendistel has seen a lot of transitions at the school, and then Fr. Houlihan, what a gift. He’s seen it all,” said Toussaint. “So I think when you can make space for the Holy Spirit, things work out. It seemed to easily work out that these speakers would be great and represent a variety of voices, and they all said yes.”
When the day of the event rolled around, everything was set. Zimmerman went first to talk about his sacred space: the Si Commons.
“I definitely had contenders. When discerning where at SLUH I see God, my initial place in mind were some classrooms. I very much enjoy and see God in my classes, yet there was no class or classroom in particular that I had an extreme emotional connection with,” said Zimmerman. “I then realized that the Commons was somewhere I spent time in every day, and through brainstorming I realized how much the Commons does make me see God.”
Schimmele went second, to talk about how he saw God through the Danis Lobby and the Schulte Theater. His acting at SLUH was a major shaper of his career, and in that way he found God guiding him. As a member of SLUH’s queer community, he also shared how the theater helped him realize that SLUH is many parts, but all one body.
Baudendistel went third, to talk about how close S301, the physics classroom, is to his heart: where, among other things, he has taught generations of SLUH students and taken his fair share of naps. In addition to his speech, Baudendistel invited a group of students and faculty—all current or former members of his AP Physics 1 class—down to the Field House floor to play an S301 trivia game which energized the crowd.
Houlihan closed things out, cooking up his speech on the spot that covered a variety of sacred places he had found over the years, from the Chapel of the Beloved Disciple, to the former principal’s office, to a bench he smoked cigars on outside. Everything connected back to cherishing his time at SLUH.
After the talks, students went back to their Advisory rooms to reflect upon and discuss their own
sacred spaces.
“I thought it was great,” said Toussaint. “I loved it. I loved each of the speakers; they brought their own flavor to the day and shared their story. I know my Advisory had a really good time sharing their spaces. They were wonderful. And I heard feedback from a variety of other department chairs that people had really meaningful Advisory conversations.”
SLUH delegates flock to Webster University for Model UN conference
(continued from page 4)
of world peace as a whole.
Senior co-presidents Aiden Erard and Kiran Hunt, representing Colombia, presented and defended their own resolution advocating for a crackdown on drug exportation in their country. Despite a heated period of debate over the possible effects of the resolution, during which students came up to their table and bombarded Erard and Hunt with questions, the proposal passed with most in attendance heavily in favor after the pair gave their closing statements.
Hunt realized that the more work he put into the conference, the greater the result.
“It was a great experience. Compared to last year’s, it was more rewarding because my resolution was more in-depth and important to today,” said Hunt. “It was also a fun experience to have all those people come up and ask us questions and just be in the spotlight. It helped me with my public speaking and to learn about other global topics. It was a little stressful, but I knew what I was talking about.”
The conference was the second of three sessions put on twice annually by Civitas, a not-for-profit organization that coordinates Model UN events for high schools and middle schools and numerous other events and activities for students interested in global advocacy and active citizenship.
The topic that SLUH students engaged the most with seemed to have been the Israeli-Palestinian War, a subject that was heavily featured at the conference.
“I feel like the war in Palestine was just really interesting, and since it’s such a big thing right now, it was great to learn more about the conflict,” said junior Reed Shah.
Other central topics included human trafficking in southeast Asia and the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
“My favorite resolution to discuss
The SLUH delegation of Model UN was founded last year by seniors Andrew Hunt, Kiran Hunt, Gavin Simon, and Aiden Erard, and is moderated by Director of Global Education Rob Chura. The passing of the Colombia resolution this year maintained the SLUH delegation’s streak of passing all of its resolutions, and the delegation remains one of the largest out of any school for the conferences each semester.
was the one involving the Lebanon War, because it was very controversial,” said freshman Brian Tran. “There were a lot of different aspects and perspectives we could look at.”
Although only two Jr. Bills had the opportunity to present a resolution due to time constraints, the rest participated by frequently asking questions about the resolutions, proposing amendments, and giving speeches opposing or supporting different viewpoints.
The Jr. Bills got particularly fired up when three Chaminade students representing Russia, Niger, and South
Africa brought forth their resolution proposing the abolishment of Article 6 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and freshman Jack Williamson vehemently criticized Vladimir Putin as a hypocritical tyrant to the applause and cheers of many.
Similar scenes emerged when Simon and Andrew Hunt, both representing Israel, came under fire in multiple resolutions for Israel’s campaigns in Palestine and Lebanon. The Jr. Bills took it all in as the conference occasionally erupted into a semi-chaotic frenzy of excitement over each topic
being discussed.
“It was interesting to see how different people reacted to some of the more sensitive topics, and also to hear all the different opinions and views on global topics,” said Kiran Hunt.
The Jr. Bills look forward to the future, hoping SLUH will attend more conferences. Shah hopes that he and junior Brendan Tracy will get an opportunity to present their resolution, which they prepared for Saturday’s conference but were unable to present due to time constraints.
“I am looking forward to more of these events and submitting my resolution once I improve on it,” said Shah. “Also, I’d like to do a little more research next time to be more involved in the discussion.”
The overall experience of this semester’s conference was one of great satisfaction and growth for returners and newcomers alike.
“I thought it was more like a strict conference, but I learned that it was more about arguing and doing controversial cases,” said Tran. “I had a lot more fun than I thought I would, so I’m definitely going to do it again. Going out of it, I was just happy because there were a lot of new things that I learned.”
photo | Ethan DeWald Zimmerman.
photo | Ethan DeWald
Fr. Stewart and junior Anderson Espe facing off in trivia.
Aidan Erard (left) and Kiran Hunt at Model UN. photo | Courtesy of Civitas
Baudendistel.
photo | Ethan DeWald
Soccer wins fourth state championship in enthralling Jesuit matchup
(continued from page 1)
the game thinking that they had already won the game since they beat us two times before. So, we just used that to kind of fuel our fire. We wanted to prove them and everyone who thought we were going to lose wrong.”
The whistle blew, and the game began. SLUH had not made more noise in the student section since the previous year when they faced off against De Smet in the Challenge Cup Hockey Final. Much of the team’s nerves quickly faded as they began to play. Playing in the large Lindenwood stadium the day before really helped the players get used to the stressful environment.
The Jr. Bills looked amazing as a team, like they had looked for their entire state run. Playing together as a team set this year’s team apart from previous years. Because of De Smet’s powerful offense, SLUH decided to play a more defensive style of soccer, almost moving to five defenders but ultimately sticking
finished the second half with lots of defense, successfully making it to the end of regulation still tied 0-0. This mindset stayed at the forefront for much of overtime as well. After 110 minutes of nonstop play, both teams were exhausted.
“We talked about, you know, there’s no guarantee that you’ll ever be in this moment again. The game just got tighter as it went on. It came down to a moment—who was going to score? Who was going to make the mistake?” said O’Connell.
“The goal of overtime was just not to get scored on,” said Chalmers. “We were not really thinking about scoring, just getting scored on. We had our wingers dropping back a ton to help, and it really was a defensive mindset. Because De Smet is so good on the attack, their defense is kind of their weaker point. We just had to stay more defensively focused to make it to PK’s because we knew that was our best chance to win.”
And that they did. The Jr. Bills suc-
to four like they had done all season. This resulted in few Jr. Bill chances on net for majority of the game.
“Defensively, I honestly thought it was always a strength of our group. I don’t think that really changed from the very beginning of the year to the end,” said head coach Bob O’Connell.
Despite a few close calls from sophomore strikers Javi Vigil and Gabe Khazen, the score remained tied 0-0 at halftime. Although it may sound defeating, the Jr. Bills were beyond proud and excited to still be in the game thus far.
“That’s exactly where we wanted to be,” said Chalmers. “We had talked about moving to an even more defensive playstyle before the game, but we really showed that we could keep up with them and that we could definitely win this thing. After the first half, we started to realize that. You could tell that our side was super excited while their bench was angry that the game was tied.”
Coming off the break, it was noticeable that De Smet was hungry for a goal. For most of the second half, they dominated possession, finding chance after chance on net. However, it never proved successful as the Jr. Bill’s back line consisting of Chalmers, Hammond, junior Carson Hall, and freshman Will Journagan acted as a brick wall.
“There were really two major things that led to our win against them that I don’t think we had in the games before,” said Hammond. “I don’t think we had discipline and communication, especially on defense. In our 4-0 loss to them, I didn’t talk enough which made it very difficult for our midfield. However, in this game Carson and I were talking the entire time, telling our midfield to stay tight. Talking, talking, talking is what kept us in that game.”
Towards the end of regulation, the Jr. Bills started to express their fatigue. Pain and cramping from Hammond forced him to exit the field, which worried many who were watching. However, at that moment, much of the team had their mind set on penalty kicks. They knew it would be tough to oppose the dominant De Smet attack that had worked for them all season, so they
Hasemeier knew it was his time to make a difference in the game for his team.
“I was going to go first, but we decided to switch the order in case De Smet had watched our film against Burroughs when I did go first. I wasn’t really that nervous, and I kind of tried to drown out everything else,” said Hasemeier. “We had practiced penalties for three weeks leading up to the game. I probably took close to 20 pens throughout practice, and I didn’t miss one so I was feeling really good. Andrew told me to imagine the goalie was going to go the same way I kicked. I just had to beat him.”
Hasemeier’s perfect practice record translated to the game, and he buried the ball in the bottom right corner of the net for a 2-1 PK lead for SLUH.
Coming up third for the Spartans was senior Braden Klein. Despite making an amazing play the penalty before, Chambers couldn’t make it two in a row, and the score was tied at 2-2, SLUH still with the advantage.
Junior captain and three year varsity center midfielder Henry Sanders, another routine penalty taker, was up
to take home the title proved successful. De Smet senior Sean Sossou stepped up to the penalty spot. With the SLUH crowd roaring from just off the field, he soared the ball over the net, losing the state championship for De Smet in devastating fashion. No SLUH fan would notice that fact, as players streamed to the sideline to embrace classmates and one another.
“I just went into shock,” said Hasemeier. “I started running at Cole, and I
In the District Final, the goal that SLUH had worked towards all season, getting out of the district, seemed out of reach when John Burroughs scored the first two goals and was playing a tight backline. However, a goal from freshman Will Journagen put the Jr. Bills back in the game and gave way for junior James Barry to tie the game with 2 minutes left. After a double overtime, the game went to pens. A crucial save by sophomore Cole Chambers and a missed pen from Burroughs led the Jr. Bills to their first District Champion-
cessfully finished two 15-minute over time periods, keeping the game tied 0-0 for 110 minutes. Entering their fourth set of penalty kicks this year, the Jr. Bills felt extremely confident in their ability to come out victorious. Two PK wins against Lindbergh and John Burroughs against only one PK loss (to Marquette) gave them all the confidence they need ed. They had been there many times before.
Running to the corner where the penalty kicks were taking place, the SLUH student section used every ad vantage they could gather to distract the De Smet penalty takers. Leading off for De Smet, senior Landon Weber barely snuck the ball past sophomore goalkeeper Cole Chambers; the shot ricocheted off his glove into the goal.
Leading off for SLUH was junior winger Andrew Wolf.
“Leading off PK’s was something I hadn’t expected because we always had practiced that I would go second,” said Wolf. “I had a rush of confidence walk ing up to the ball and did my normal routine, clearing my mind with a deep breath. I looked at the goalie before the ref blew the whistle and I just thought ‘this goal is massive.’ I knew I was going to bury it and that’s what I did. Everyone went crazy. It was definitely the cool est moment of my life.”
With PK’s tied 1-1, the second De Smet penalty taker senior Jack Sala din, younger brother of SLUH’s own Steven Saladin ’21, stepped up the penalty spot. Chambers in net was a scary sight for the Spartans because he is arguably the best penalty goalie in the state of Mis souri. His record held true as he picked the right side, making an amazing div ing save. The student section went bal listic.
“I love those moments. You’ve got to play with confidence because if you don’t play with confidence, then you’re not going to save them,” said Chambers.
Second for SLUH was senior captain John Hasemeier. As one of the routine penalty kickers for the Jr. Bills,
home turf tournament the Jr. Billiken Classic, with wins against Mehville, Parkway South, and Ft. Zumwalt South. In the District
Next, the Jr. Bills dispatched of the Liberty Wentzville Eagles 2-1 in the State Quarterfinals with goals from sophomore forwards Javi Vigil and Gabe Khazen. Defeating Liberty spawned a new opponent with a very similar name: Liberty North from K.C. The Jr. Bills gave them a taste of St. Louis with a 1-0 victory spurred by a magnificent header goal by Sanders.
O’Connell was ecstatic about the improbable championship from a special team.
“To win a state championship scoring one goal in the final weekend is pretty unique and pretty special. Those guys knew how we had to play. All year long, we were in kind of the same game. The margins were slim, we couldn’t concede goals, and we were always just working for the moment when we would break through,” said O’Connell.
O’Connell won Class 4 Coach of the Year and Sanders and Byrne won All-State nominations as midfielders. At the end of the season, the team had a final record of 18-6-3.
”It was just crazy to think of the road we had to go down to get there,” said Hammond.
“We were down two against Burroughs with eight minutes left and won in PK’s. We were down one against Liberty and scored two goals in four minutes. The next game we won a really close 1-0. And then in the finals, we won in PK’s again against a team that we had conceded six goals to. We didn’t let them score at all. We didn’t score a single goal against them the entire season, and we still won. I really just wasn’t expecting it.”
incredible Chambers save. Up by 2 PK’s, the Jr. Bills could feel the title in their hands. However, with the chance to win the game, sophomore Paddy Byrne had his shot saved by senior goalkeeper Jackson Keyes. Finally, the Jr. Bills second chance
seasons past, with notable wins against Chaminade (2-1 in OT) and Lindbergh (5-4 in PKs). SLUH also managed to capture their
Tournament, SLUH handily defeated Hazelwood Central 8-0 before beating Francis Howell North in the District Semifinal 5-2.
Soccer poses with the State trophy.
photo | Jack Auer
Chambers makes a diving save in State Final PK’s. photo | Jack Auer
Racquetball loses to Lafayette, nearly sweeps Vianney/De Smet
BY Thomas Juergens and Drew Hawley Core Staff, reporter
The St. Louis U. High Racquetball team has had another successful couple of weeks. After taking a narrow 5-2 loss against Lafayette, the top three varsity seeds competed in the Top Seed Tournament. Because freshman No. 3 seed Ryan Safar was unable to make it, junior No. 4 seed Charlie Kuhlman took his place. Following the tournament, varsity nearly swept the combined Vianney/De Smet team, 6-1.
Lafayette
Because several players were sick on the actual match day, three matches were postponed to Sunday, Nov. 24. Going into Sunday, SLUH was down 3-1 against Lafayette, with three more matches to go. This meant that SLUH needed a full sweep on Sunday to claim the win.
At the No. 1 seed, senior Thomas Juergens went up against Lafayette’s Paul Delaney, who had recently placed second in the Top Seed Tournament. Juergens was unable to hold his own against Delaney’s impeccable shots, and lost 1-15, 0-15.
“Paul was hitting all his shots perfectly that day, and it’s hard to play someone of that level,” said Juergens.
At the No. 5 seed, junior Peter Kramer faced off against Lafayette’s Colin O’Brien. Kramer started off strong with a solid 15-10 win, but tired himself out and lost the second game and tiebreaker 9-15, 2-11.
“I was so focused on the first game that I ended up tiring myself out for the next two,” said Kramer.
At the No. 6 seed, sophomore Sam Kappel finished the day on a more positive note, taking down Lafayette’s Nathan Harris with a solid 15-1, 15-1 win.
“I learned from my mistakes of past matches and played with a strong mentality,” said Kappel. “I may have won, but I still have lots to learn.”
Top Seed Tournament
The Top Seed Tournament is a uniquely structured tournament designed to foreshadow later tournaments and matchups. At this tourna-
Rifle off to strong start with record breaking performances
BY Matteo Abbate Staff
Saint Louis U. High’s Rifle Team is wasting no time making their mark on the 2024-2025 season. This past weekend, the Jr. Bills kicked off the year at the 2024 Junior Air Nationals Qualifier, delivering a performance that has set the bar high for what promises to be an exciting season.
Over Thanksgiving break, the Rifle Team faced one of the toughest challenges yet: the 60-shot standing competition. Competing at their home range might sound like a comfortable setting, but the added stress of a snowstorm delaying Saturday’s matches pushed the shooters to their limits. Instead of letting the delays disrupt their focus, the team rose to the occasion, delivering record-breaking performances.
SLUH Blue, the top squad for SLUH, claimed first place with a team total of 2357.0. Leading the way was senior captain Liam Miller, who shot a personal best of 593.9, the highest individual score of the competition.
“I wasn’t really expecting to shoot so well, but having my teammates and family there cheering me on made all the difference,” said Miller. “The goal
now is just to keep setting personal bests, and with that, aim to qualify at least two teams for Nationals, maybe even three.”
Miller was joined by a lineup of stellar performances on SLUH Blue.
Senior Joey Cuneo shot a personal best 592.8, senior Cyrus Ranek posted 589.8, and junior Colin Dickinson achieved a score of 580.5. Together, they delivered a dominant team performance that sets the tone for the rest of the season.
“I’m really impressed with the team. It’s going to be a great year, but we need to focus on improving the process, not just the scores,” said senior Captain Cyrus Ranek. “Too often we get caught up in numbers and forget how we got there.”
SLUH White also put up an impressive showing, finishing with a total of 2319.9. Senior Jacob Litzler led the team with a score of 593.6, just shy of Miller’s mark for the top individual score. Litzler was supported by strong performances from junior Nathaniel Shaw (578.3), junior Andrew Roth (575.0), and junior Griffin Grabowski (573.0). The consistency and depth of SLUH’s roster were on full display, highlighting the program’s ability to
ment, the top three seeds from each school compete against their respective seeds from all other schools in a bracket formatted tournament.
In the No. 1 seed bracket, Juergens faced off against Kirkwood’s Charlie Vonder Bruegge, whom he had lost to earlier that week. Juergens lost the match 3-15, 2-15, dropping into the consolation bracket. There, Juergens matched up against Kirkwood’s second varsity team No. 1 seed, Jack Moylan. Consolation bracket games are played to 11, and Juergens won in a harrowing tiebreaker, 11-3, 7-11, 11-5. Juergens moved on to the finals, where he was given a win-by-forfeit, as CBC’s Will Jacob had to leave early.
At the No. 2 seed, senior Drew Hawley was matched up against Lindbergh’s Nick Niederwimmer, whom Hawley had not played yet this season. Although he put up a strong fight, Hawley lost 12-15, 1-15. Hawley then dropped into the consolation bracket, where he played Vianney/De Smet’s Aaron Vandeven. Hawley beat him handily 11-5, 11-4, and moved onto the finals. There, Hawley played Parkway West’s Mason Moore. Hawley put up a strong fight, but narrowly lost 10-11, 8-11.
“Some shots were not falling that day, but I’ll be ready for our matches in league play,” said Hawley.
At the No. 3 seed, Kuhlman was pulled up to substitute for Safar. Although Kuhlman was seeded last in his bracket, he put up a strong fight against the highest seed, Kirkwood’s Graham Sperato, but he lost 12-15, 1-15. In the consolation bracket, Kuhlman played CBC’s Nick Bruer, beating him 11-2, 11-6, moving him into the finals. There he faced off against Kirkwood’s Wyatt Rapp, where he unfortunately lost 3-11, 9-11.
“Playing up a bracket going into the tournament I knew it would be tough. I knew I had to play better than I ever had this season to contend and that is what I did,” said Kuhlman.
Vianney/De Smet
SLUH began this week with a return to winning ways against the newly formed Vianney/De Smet team.
Juergens had to face off against racquetball prodigy Grant Williams.
In the first game, Juergens was able to catch Williams off guard with his Z-serves. Williams adapted and Juergens lost 7-15, 0-15.
“I think my serves were really good that game, and I’m proud of myself for being able to put up seven points against him,” said Juergens. Hawley and Vandeven had a rematch from the Top Seed Tournament, and Hawley won again, this time 15-7, 15-4.
“It was interesting to play against him after already playing each other so recently,” said Hawley.
Safar faced off against Brendan McLaughlin. Their game was back and forth, but Safar got the win 156, 15-12.
“It really felt good to win that game after two straight losses,” said Safar. “I just stayed calm and played smart. That match was probably my best of the season and I’d like to play like that more for the rest of my matches.”
Kuhlmann went against Joey Passini who is known for having fast shots. Kuhlmann controlled the pace of the game and win 15-4, 15-6.
Kramer confused Anthony Lally with his unorthodox shots and serve variation and win 15-5, 15-5.
Kappel had a dominant performance against Noah Scott winning 15-0, 15-0.
“I’m always learning how to better myself, win or lose but I’m very happy with the way myself and the team performed,” said Kappel.
The doubles team, senior Andrew Moritz and junior Joe Murphy were in control against Jackson Sindelar and Joseph Dowen. They played high percentage racquetball and won 151, 15-2.
Looking ahead
All of SLUH racquetball concludes the week by preparing for the Winter Rollout Tournament. The Winter Rollout is a tournament for high school teams only, so it helps to foreshadow the State championships, much like the Top Seed tournament. SLUH matches will be taking place Friday night and all of Saturday.
produce competitive teams across the board. Assistant coach Winkeler expressed pride in the team’s early success.
“This group has shown incredible grit and leadership this early in the season, and we’ve seen that through all the personal bests already being set,” said Winkeler. “With their focus and the number of experienced shooters we have returning, I think we’re looking at yet another great year as we hope to get the best out of everyone and make sure we leave it all out there.”
Looking ahead, the team is already preparing for the next challenge: the Blue Jay Classic at Washington High School this weekend. This match will be scored on paper targets, a different format than last weekend’s electronic scoring, but SLUH’s shooters are ready to adapt. With momentum on their side, the Jr. Bills are poised to continue their dominance.
With an incredible season opener behind them and plenty of matches left to come, the SLUH Rifle Team has set its sights on Nationals. Their commitment to growth, teamwork, and excellence makes this team all the more exciting. It’s safe to say they have their target locked in.
A SLUH player attacking the ball.
photo | Emma Kappel
Starts and Sits
BY Matteo Abbate and Neil O’Connor Staff, reporter
For a fantasy football manager, Week 14 isn’t just another week of fantasy football. Week 14 could be the deciding factor if you’re in the playoffs or not. As a result, we have compiled a few players who could fill the spots of players who are injured or on their Week 14 bye, as well as a few players who we believe don’t have a favorable matchup this week.
(71.2% start) Isaac Guerendo, 49ers, RB: START. The 49ers have been devastated by injuries all season, and now their superstar RB Christian McCaffrey and second string Jordan Mason are both out for the season. This means Isaac Guerendo will get a bulk of the snaps. When he’s played, the rookie has done well. Against Dallas and Seattle, he rushed for over 200 yards combined and a TD in 28 carries. Also, the Bears defense has allowed 185 total yards per game to opposing running backs.
(96.0% start) Deebo Samuel, 49ers, RB/WR: SIT. When recalling the player Deebo Samuel used to be, it really is sad to see what has happened this year. The whole Niners team really. Deebo has failed to reach above 13 fantasy points in the past 5 games, and it just keeps getting worse. He has not even reached 7 fantasy points in each of his last 3 games. This week, the trend looks to continue with a matchup against the Bears defense, who have allowed the 3rd-fewest fantasy PPG to WRs.
(42.4% start) Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans, WR: START. WestbrookIkhine has been an under the radar receiver with an increased role due to the Deandre Hopkins trade. He definitely is a touchdown dependent fantasy option. However, he has been consistently getting touchdowns even though he only catches a small fraction of his targets. If you’re in dire need of a flex due to an injury or a bye week, Westbrook-Ikhine could be “that guy,” especially this week against a depressing Jaguars secondary and with Trevor Lawrence out for the season.
(97.9% start) DK Metcalf, Seahawks, WR: SIT. Metcalf has not been playing at full strength since banging up his knee in Week 13 while also dealing with shoulder issues. In his past 2 games, he has combined for 125 yards on 14 targets with 0 touchdowns. He also struggles against the Cardinals, having only put up 198 yards on 17 catches and 1 touchdown in their last 5 matchups. This is for a good reason, as the Cardinals have allowed just 1 touchdown to a receiver in their last 6 games.
(92.2% start) Isaiah Pacheco, Chiefs, RB: SIT. Isaiah Pacheco is a “Grade A” running back and even showed us a few glimpses of his former self last weekend against the Raiders. However, with the addition of Kareem Hunt, the utilization of Samaje Perine, and a sneaky good Chargers defense, Pacheco is an extremely risky start this week. With this week having many seasons on the line, I wouldn’t risk another mediocre fantasy week from Pacheco.
Hockey squeezes by Vianney and Kirkwood; falls to De Smet in J-Cup
BY Daniel Neuner and Gavin Simon Core Staff, Staff
The St. Louis U. High hockey team has had a tumultuous mid-season stretch of games over the last two weeks, winning late against the heavyweight Vianney Griffins 2-1, losing 3-1 to the De Smet Spartans in the annual Jesuit Cup, and concluding Thanksgiving break with a gritty 2-1 win against Kirkwood.
Vianney
On Thursday, Nov. 21, SLUH headed to the Greensfelder Recreation Center at Queeny to face Vianney, the likely Challenge Cup favorites, coming away with a 3-2 upset thanks to a late third period goal.
From the puck drop, SLUH faced difficulty breaking out of their own zone. Vianney absorbed chips off the boards and kept the puck below SLUH’s faceoff dots.
Two minutes in, captain Brendan Kelly was sent to the penalty box on a tripping call, an unfortunate start to the game that gave Vianney the chance to get ahead early. The Griffins capitalized on this opportunity, as Vianney forward Quinn Adamec promptly buried the puck in the back of SLUH’s net.
With five minutes left in the first period, sophomore Jack Hoehn sent a low shot toward the net that was redirected by sophomore Noel Dorn, changing the tide of the game in SLUH’s favor with an equalizing goal.
“That goal made us realize that they weren’t a perfect team and that we could play with them,” said Dorn.
SLUH endured a penalty kill to begin the second period, and the Jr. Bills increased their forechecking effort. However, Vianney’s offensive firepower hadn’t vanished, and junior goaltender Brian Cooke was the only one stopping the Griffins from tying the game up on a promising breakaway.
Back-and-forth possession characterized the remainder of the second period, until sophomore Bill Gross sent the puck under the goalie’s pads and gave SLUH the lead, 2-1.
Early in the third period, Vianney forward Jackson Stocker brought the game to a tie once again, leveling the scoreline at 2-2. Vianney, outshooting SLUH by eight shots on goal in the third period, looked to be the team that would run away with the game.
An unsuccessful power play for SLUH with five minutes left kept Vianney in the game, but the clock ticked away with neither side finding the back of the net. That was until the 23-second mark, when junior Aiden Hasek strode to the slot as a bottleneck of Vianney and SLUH players battled for the puck. With a backhand flick, Hasek completed the 3-2 upset for the Jr. Billikens in exhilarating fashion.
“We went into that game underdogs and came out as winners,” said head coach Steve Walters. “That’s the kind of team we are. We’ll battle to win every game and it showed in this one.
De Smet
On Nov. 27, the Jr. Bills faced their fierce foe from Ballas Road, De Smet, in the game for the coveted Jesuit Cup that falls annually on the night before Thanksgiving. SLUH narrowly lost the contest 3-1 after conceding two unanswered goals in the third period.
Leading up to the 8:30 p.m. puck drop, droves of fans flocked to the outdoor “Barn” rink at Centene Community Ice Center, splitting the stands into one side of blue and gray and another of white and maroon.
Before the game began, SLUH and De Smet players united at center ice for a moment dedicated to CBC hockey player Colin Brown, who over the previous weekend had been hit by a stray bullet on a drive home from a hockey game. The crowd, referees, and players alike went silent for 72 seconds, the number Brown wore for his Aff ton Americans club team, a team that SLUH teammates Aiden Hasek, Charlie Nacke, and John Burke also play for.
“The tribute to Colin was some thing special for me,” said Hasek. “Los ing a teammate so close to me was very hard, and taking the time to reflect in silence really made me feel like I wasn’t alone.”
In the first period, SLUH was hit hard by an overwhelming De Smet forecheck. This high-intensity defense was stifling for the Jr. Bills’ offense early on in the game, and SLUH’s shot tally was deficient.
“We lacked shots on net. We were looking to be perfect when we should have just thrown everything on net,” said sophomore Ryan Hill.
In addition, the Spartans had suc cess in the neutral zone, repeatedly retrieving the puck and pushing up ice with a series of tape-to-tape passes. Three minutes in, however, Hasek broke up a De Smet breakout pass on the blue line and flew down the ice for a low shot that was saved by the pad.
SLUH’s offensive zone time was limited, and their ability to generate substantial scoring chances was hindered by De Smet’s physical play on the boards and around the net. Nevertheless, senior Kai Duncan found himself in a favorable position early in the game when Hasek intercepted another De Smet pass and sent it across the offensive zone to Duncan. But Duncan, alone at the right post, ultimately couldn’t get a solid shot off.
Despite De Smet having the overall upper hand and SLUH pouncing on the Spartans’ periodic defensive mistakes, the two teams entered the second period at a 0-0 scoreline.
In the second period, the Spartans continued to lead the Bills in the shots-on-goal tally. However, the play that gave De Smet the lead was strange dump play from center ice that bounced the right way for them.
Not a minute passed before SLUH struck back with a goal from Ryan Hill on a one-on-one, to which the SLUH student section erupted in a roar of ecstasy.
“The feeling of that goal was so special, but it never happens if I don’t have my teammates there fighting with me,” said Hill.
Unfortunately for SLUH, De Smet ran away with the game in the third period, laying on 14 more shots for a grand total of 39 and shutting SLUH out
kicked off, in similar fashion to the Jesuit Cup, each Kirkwood and SLUH player gathered around center ice for 72 seconds of silence in honor of Colin Brown.
SLUH’s disappointment with the Jesuit Cup loss showed right out of the gate, as from the very first shift, they were working harder than ever before, creating chances within the first 30 seconds of the game. Immediately following a chance from senior Kai Duncan, Duncan received a juvenile crosscheck to the back from Kirkwood defenseman Jake Gould, promptly spurring the referee to indicate a penalty, creating a Jr. Bills power play right from the first shift.
After gaining the puck from the faceoff, John Burke moved the puck down low to alternate captain senior Gavin Simon, who quickly shifted the puck in the slot to Duncan. With the puck on his stick and no Pioneer defenders in sight, Duncan ripped a howitzer right past the goalkeeper’s glove and into the back of the net, ringing the back bar in the process of giving SLUH a 1-0 lead only one minute into the game.
“When we were able to capitalize on the first shift, that really set the tone for the rest of the team,” said senior Henry Lauer. “The guys were fired up and excited for their next shift. That kind of energy is always good for any team, especially a young team like ours.”
The rest of the first period, while scoreless, was marked by much of the same SLUH domination. From the heavy forecheck to the numerous goal-scoring opportunities, Kirkwood’s Senior Night was trending towards disaster by way of the relentless Jr. Billiken
period and much of the third period went the same way, with both teams getting chances and Kirkwood’s superior height and physicality beginning to chip away at the Bills. As the clock ticked closer to the end of the game, things were looking like each team would grab a point from this game. The Bills had other plans, though.
With only a minute and a half left on the clock, sophomore Nathan Vogl snapped a shot from the point that bounced off the goaltender’s blocker and landed on the stick of Jack Hoehn, who spun his body around to tuck the puck past the Pioneer goaltender’s outstretched left pad, pushing the score to a 2-1 Jr. Billiken advantage. Scoring his first SLUH hockey goal, Hoehn did it elegantly at the time the team needed it most.
“Last year, my first varsity game was also against Kirkwood where I ended up getting the U-chain,” said Hoehn. “This year, I got my first varsity goal against the same team on their Senior Night. It was a pretty special moment for me.”
Learning from past mistakes against CBC, the Jr. Bills were able to close the game out after the final goal, giving SLUH the bounce-back win they needed after their loss to De Smet days prior.
”We had to battle through a couple of things: Kirkwood’s size, guys losing their heads, not burying chances,” said head coach Steve Walters. “But in the end, we got the win, which is what we went there to do. We’re going to take this momentum and look towards winning the next game as well.”
photo | Ethan Dewald
The team celebrates after a goal against Vianney.
CHILL GUY
Dream Team
ACROSS
1. Valentine’s Day archer (6)
6. Former Russian space station
9. Female fox (4)
14. Andes pack animal
15. Agent
17. Farm units
18. They go between headers and articles
19. Like a play about a play
20. Ruling family of Florence 21. High-stepping horse (3)
23. Actress Maya or former track star Wilma (9)
28. Chorus girl (2)
30. Disney girl who adopted Stitch
31. NASCAR entrants
35. Handshake phrase
37. “All systems _____.”
38. Silicon Valley VIP
39. _____ Meine, former home of SLUH Baseball
40. Garden in Affton
42. Sierra Nevada’s _____ Pass, or its illfated family (7)
43. Some PD employees
44. 100-meter athlete (1)
46. Lightning, auf Deutsch (8)
48. Out for dinner and a movie
53. Letting up
55. News bit
56. With 12-Down, when this puzzle’s team goes to work
60. Note from a teacher
61. Dentures
62. Brotherly love
63. News feature
64. Recent, auf Deutsch
65. Celestial ice ball (5)
DOWN
1. Tool shaped like its first letter
2. Stomach ailment
3. First section of a problem
4. Clarification phrase
5. Courtroom VIPs
6. Recent
7. Tablet for most SLUH students
8. Stop working and move
9. Legit
10. “Is _____, Lord?”
Christmas decorating contests get out of hand fast
BY Leo Hahn and Jens Istvan Features Editor, Core Staff
Season’s greetings from the Prep News! As Christmas inches ever closer, PN staff members have begun decorating their office to increase community cheer, prompting many clubs to start decorating their own spaces. Despite good intentions, many of the new Christmas-y changes have devolved into chaos, eliciting a crackdown from administration.
On the way into the building each morning, many students may notice the elaborately decorated StuCo room. However, some keen observers may note the char in the middle of the office carpet. Rumors have circulated that one unnamed StuCo member reportedly brought a real firepit into the office over last weekend.
“I deeply apologize for the mistake
Editor in Chief
Micah “Lin-Manuel Miranda” Doherty
News Editors
Andrew “Ringo Starr” Hunt
Lucas “SLUH Jazz Band” Hayden
Sports Editors
Theo “K121 Playlist” Agniel
Aiden “Mac Miller” Erard
on behalf of all StuCo,” said moderator Frank Corley. “When the guys said they wanted a fire in the room, I assumed they wanted to show one on the computer monitor like those Prep News guys, not a real fire pit! I have no idea what those knuckleheads were thinking.”
One World Club has also gotten into the spirit … perhaps too much so. In an effort to bring an authentic Eastern European Christmas to SLUH, club members hired a Krampus actor to roam the halls during passing periods. Despite being praised for its cultural accuracy, the Krampus actor had to be dismissed after only a day of operating, as multiple freshmen were reported in advanced states of shock after being scooped into Krampus’s wicker basket.
“So cold … so dark …” said freshman Owen Williams, who walked into his Human Geography class covered in
Features Editor
Leo “Masayoshi Takanaka” Hahn
Visual Editor
Jesse “Chill Guy” Heater
Core Staff
Jens “feminist podcast” Istvan
Thomas “the sound of a rollout” Juergens
Otto “the Buckeroos” Reitenbach
Kane “Weird Al” Luchun
11. Mark, as a survey box
12. See 56-Across
13. Mario Bros. console
16. Keeps happening
20. Vol. or temp.
22. Former PC storage medium
24. Like days of yore
25. Words before state or wait
26. 2D surface
27. Perforating tool
29. Puts in a bibliography
31. Rock forerunner, in brief
32. Disney girl who married Prince Eric
33. Prefix meaning hundredth
34. Discharge from the body
36. Este momento
38. Members of a family group
41. Brainstorm
42. Former Chinese leader _____ Xiaoping
45. Japan’s main island
47. Having a kick
49. San _____
50. Starters
51. Phoenix neighbor
52. “Nice to _____ you!” (Zoom greeting)
54. “No need to serve me”
56. 8s, on baseball scorecards
57. Cap, for a baseball player
58. Randy Orton’s initialism and finishing move
59. Occupational suffix
60. Runner-advancing out
coal dust and visibly shaking.
Unfortunately, every Christmas story has a grinch. Visual Editor of the Prep News Jesse Heater was recently arrested after he was caught on private property attempting to chop down a Christmas tree for the club’s office. Officers reportedly would not let Heater wear a Christmas hat during his mugshot. He is facing 12 days of ISS when he returns from court.
It’s common knowledge that bad kids get coal on Christmas, and it appears that Santa Claus has put StuCo on his naughty list for their bad behavior.
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” said StuCo Vice President Will Kreuter. “That’s why we’re proud to announce our very own STUCO COAL MERCH! Each piece of StuCo branded coal will be sold at $67.54 per cubic inch. All proceeds will go to a good cause, probably.”
Patrick “the peanut butter M&M”
Byrne
Daniel “I’m boycotting Spotify
Wrapped” Neuner
Jake “Zach Bryan” Fitzpatrick
Lincoln “Big Justice” Shorley
Staff
Matteo “Tyler Blevins” Abbate
Max “Lin-Manuel Miranda” Marnatti
Tristan “Kipchoge” Kujawa
Gavin “Vox Una” Simon
Congrats to this week’s crossword winner, Issac “basi-cally the crossword winner (YAG 2023 reference)” Basi. He’s great at solving crossword puzzles, and even better at posing for yearbook pictures!
In Loving Memory
Last week, CBC junior Colin Brown tragically lost his life after he was shot on I-55 on the way home from a hockey game. Today is his funeral, and we, the SLUH community, wear purple and yellow to support Colin and his family and community.
This morning’s prayer is “A Pledge to My Brother”, a CBC chant said in honor of Colin Brown and the CBC community. The following are the words to the prayer:
I am one, / but I’m not the only one. I can do some things, / but I can’t do everything. What I can do, / ought to do, / by the grace of God, / I will do.
For my God, / for my school, / for my brothers. All for all, / God for us all, / Christian Brothers on the move
St. John Baptiste De La Salle Pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Madhavan “Coach Gilmore” Anbukumar
Staff Artists
Colin “The Philly Specials” Schuler
Reporters
Owen “CostCo Guys” Williams
Justin “KSI” Jachna
Jack “Beethoven” Williamson
Brendan “OneRepublic” Hunt
Finn “Travis Scott” Rose
Drew “SLUH choir” Hawley
Griffin “Mozart” Grabowski
Neil “anybody” O’Connor
Photographers
Ethan “Korn” Dewald
Jack “T-Pain” Auer
Kathy “Dmitri Mendeleev” Chott
Moderator
Steve “Dua Lipa (top 0.001%)”
Crossword | Paul Baudendistel | criticisms, compliments, and ideas welcome at pbaudendistel@sluh.org