Vol 35 issue 12

SOUTHWORDS

Vol. 36. Issue 12

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Pressler and Chen: "Wanna buy a comb?"

News on News: Mardi Gras masquerade Pg6 The men in black: waste defenders Pg5 Focus on Faculty: Mrs. Jo Ann Bondi Pg5

COMMENTARY The real football on the rise Pg2 Games that go too far Pg3 Are you really happy?

Pg4

NEWS Bamette goes international Pg9 January students of the month Pg8

SPORTS B-Ball girls perfect in conference pglO Full-house of conference swimmers Pgll Harman and Shemluck go to state Pgl2

Mr. Pressler smiles with satisfaction. His newly shaven head is attracting females of all ages. See page 9.

by Maura Collins

property of

The Editors

by Anne Edison-Swift

SXGH"rs AT SOOT H

Football's time has come! (no, not f/7af football, the rea/football)

by Nicole Penn Mention football to any crazed American sports fan and he'll go on for hours about what team will win the Superbowl. Mention European football to the same fan and he'll look at you like you're nuts.

It's true that most Americans would agree that watching the zamboni go around the hockey rink is much more exciting than watching a full game of soccer.

Typical American fans hate when, after a full 90 minutes of kicking, passing, hacking and shooting, the final score of a soccer game is a lousy 2-1.

Even during the World Cup this past sum- ; mer in France, and the World Cup in the United States four years ago, Americans preferred to turn their TV's to a sport much more exciting, like bass fishing.

America likes simple things.

Like football, for instance, where every play is the same: QB receives the hike and throws it to the running back. Running back catches the ball and runs right into.apretackled pile of guys. Play doesn't workÂť so team decides feeblemindedly to do the same play again.

Or like basketball. With basketball, we would all know what to expect: Michael Jordan leaves the Bulls (this time he'll join.

Rodman in the WWF) but later comes back to make the game-winniag shot in the championship game against the Utah Jazz. Meanwhile, Rodman is going through a series of hair dyes, wives (he'll once again marry himself) and wind u p paying fines because he kicked another camera man.

Soccer is not like any of this. You must be intelligent in order to watch or play the game, which explains why Albert Einstein was a fan and Bill Clinton is not.

Nevertheless, soccer is growing—fast.

In 1992 only 15.2 million people, aged six or older, played soccer. Today the number has soared to more than 31 million and it's still growing.

Fortunately, the MLS is getting more and more popular. People can now go to games without having to sell their first-bom for tickets, and enjoy the next hottest sport. Last spring, on the day of the White Sox home

opener, more people attended the Fire game than were at Comiskey Park. The Fire went on to win the MLS championship.

Soccer is now becoming more and more televised. During last year's MLS season, almost all of the games were televised. Even during the off-season games are played.

Every Friday night the Spanish channel gives you a chance to brush up on your Spanish and watch an exciting academy-awardwinning performance of dramatic minor league soccer teams, and English League soccer highlights electrify ESPN on Sunday nights.

Because of the growing popularity of the MLS, kids now can get involved and have some motivation for playing the game after college.

Luckily, today almost all high schools and colleges have a soccer program, whereas in 1994, only 75 percent of schools accepted, soccer as a varsity sport.

The strength of women's soccer iiT America can also be sejen at the national level, where the U.S. ranks a t ^ e top of the world. American women won the gold at the last Olympics, and the final game was the hottest ticket in Atlanta.

As America's national men's team achj&ves better results against European teams, the fan base will rise. And how far away is that? Well, three weeks ago the American team thumped Germany's national team 3-0, and Germany is regarded as one of the top teams in the world. Headlines around the world trumpeted America's stunning achievement.

When more people get involved in soccer, more friends and family find out about the sport and then pass their knowledge of the game on to future generations.

As many people wait for soccer to be as big here as it is in Europe, they will soon discover that they may not have to wait very long. Last year soccer was the third-mostpopular team sport in the U.S. just behind basketball and volleyball. ^^k Therefore, it's inevitable that soccer w S ^ become the next great American pastime.

Because, hey, 90 minutes without stopping? That's gotta get you excitedl

Commentary ] ^

When it's not a game anymore Picture your best friend.

Now picture your best friend dead.

Now picture all the people who knew all about the weapon that killed your best friend, but chose to say nothing.

On Monday, February 22, two Maine South students decided to say something.

When they discovered that another student had brought a .22 caliber pistol to school and was keeping it in his locker, they confiscated the gun and brought it to the deans' office. Later that day, police took the owner of the gun away in handcuffs.

And so, it would seem, all is well at Maine South. In a school of two thousand, one has to assume that there will be problems, that a small handful of disturbed, irresponsible children will be foolish enough to bring a weapon to school. But at least we can take solace in the knowledge that the rest of Maine South, all the non-disturbed, responsible citizens of the school, will do all they can to set things right before any real harm is done.

Or can we?

By Tuesday the incident was all over school, and more disturbing facts were beginning to surface. "Oh, yeah," some students proclaimed proudly in class. "I knew he had the gun."

"Yeah, he showed it to me," said others.

And teachers gaped in open-mouthed incredulity and the mindlessness and insensitivity they were witnessing.

When we were all children, "Thou shall not snitch" was a cardinal rule. And it was a good one, for the most part, because it taught us a sense of loyalty and community.

And because it sometimes saved our own

editorial tails from a beating, it seemed absolute.

But it only seemed that way because the indiscretions of our childhood were minor.

Few of them were ever Ufe-threatening. If Johnny stole a cookie or broke a window or read his sister's diary, who was really the worse for all that?

The lessons of loyalty we learned by not snitching were probably an acceptable price to pay for letting the little law-breaker get off.

But as we get older, our community gets bigger. So do our games. And so do the consequences of those games.

Even as children, we knew "big people" crimes when we saw them. If we saw a big person try to abduct a child, we knew enough to tell. If we saw a big person try to bum down a building, we knew enough to tell.

And if we saw a big person flashing a gun around, we certainly knew enough to tell.

So why should it be any different when we are in high school and one of our peers is flashing a gun around?

Two days after the Maine South incident, in Maryville, Tennessee, several eighthgrade students informed their principal that another student had brought a gun to school.

The principal called the student into his office, and the student was disarmed after a near-tragic incident.

But not all stories end so happily. The news media have been filled with stories this past year of students bringing guns to school and the tragic cost to innocent people. And in many of those stories, there were numer-

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ous not-so-innocent people who were never named.

They were the people who knew beforehand of the danger, and who were too timid or misguided in their loyalty to say anything.

They are accessories to the tragedies.

"Most of the students who didn't come forward said they didn't want to get involved," said Principal Dr. Cachur of the Maine South gun incident. "But what they don't realize is that they are involved. We are all involved."

So—your best friend dead? Is that an acceptable price to pay for the "No snitching" rule?

Most Maine South students will one day have children of their own, and they will send them off to schools. What kind of schools will they be? Will those new parents applaud the students who remained faithful to the "No snitching" rule, or will they applaud those two whose concern for all the innocent citizens of the school community caused them to risk their own safety and status to do something about it?

The students who turned the gun in are not being named here for obvious reasons.

But they are perhaps the only true heroes most of us have ever met in our lives. They risked something of themselves for the sake of others.

They stood to gain nothing in return. Not even their names in the paper They may even be called "snitch" by those irresponsible children who still don't get it, but who will be allowed at least one more chance to survive into adulthood thanks to their actions.

And if that isn't heroism, what is?

l\fW

OOT

Editors'

of the week

What makes us happy?

by Bridget James "The happiness or unhappiness of men depends no less upon their disposition than their fortunes," said Francois de La Rochefoucauld. Why do some people seem naturally upbeat? Many think that happiness is determined genetically. I think happiness has to do with things that cannot be touched or programmed. Although genetics determine many aspects of individuality, behavior and environ- Your happiueSS

marshmallow turned out to be more content with their lives as adults than the children who decided to immediately eat the marshmallow. Discipline is not a trait coded in one's genes, rather it is learned in the home and in school over many years. One step to finding happiness in life is to have order in one's life.

A 1 though is under yOUr own conm a n y

trust and admiration, weak finendships can also prove to be heartbreaking and stressful. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, once s a f l ^ "No one would choose a friendless e x i s t e n ^ ^ on the condition of having all the other good the world." As vital as things in are, steering clear of friends healthy friendships have a very positive effect on a person's mood.

"The people who ment determine hap- frol. Changing jour attitude OT behovior people do are the most successpiness more than -n ^ â&#x20AC;˘ i re ^ i i Âť not be ful at finding happianything anything (else. ^ " ^ Certainly ajfect how happy you are. lieve ness tend to be those In the Chicago karma, who keep their lives Tribune, Bob Condor wrote an article on the this universal law of cause and effect greatly simple," stated one counnew concept of inheriting happiness. He affects individual happiness. Having good selor. You won't always be wrote that a "happy gene" can alter how karma, in the simplest terms, is treating othhappy, but happy each individual can be. The theory is ers as you wish to be treated. that doesn't that people have a general level of happiTreating others kindly will mean that ness that they will return to no matter what result in further happiness good or bad events life hands them. Many and friendships, while treat^ people, including myself, disagree with this ing others badly will damage new hypothesis. your relationships and attitude. Those who h a v e Happiness often requires discipline in are most happy in life are those who see past to often life. In a 1960's experiment called the the flaws in others and strive to respect other be sad.

Marshmallow Challenge, four-year-old chil- people.

Your hapdren were each given a marshmallow. They Everyone can attest to how important piness is unwere told that they could eat it right away or friends are. They are there to listen, comfort der your own wait until later and then receive a second and understand. Or are they? People in our c o n t r o l . marshmallow. Researchers found that the lives can also affect our happiness. Although Changing your attitude and behavior will children who waited to receive the second good finendships can form strong bonds of certainly affect how happy you are.

Features

The Men in Black: waste defenders

by Rachel Holihan and Megan Gibbons You're walking down the hall and you see one of your friends is selling candy for one of his clubs. You've got a few extra bucks left over from lunch, plus you're kind of hungry, so you buy a Snickers. You tear off the wrapper and start to eat it. You finish it and realize that if you don't get to your math class in about 10 seconds, you're going to have to sing "I'm a Little Teapot" in front of the entire class. So, you drop the wrapper and run off. Sure you made it to math in time, but what happened to the Snicker's wrapper? Who picked it up? Your answer is the trusty Maine South janitors.

All 34 members of Maine South's custodial staff members are what make this school tick. Whether they work on the plumbing.

sweep our messes in the cafeteria, or even count the gym-shorts that are needed in the bookstore, without them Maine South would not run.

We were privileged enough to speak with one of the members of the custodial staff who chose to remain anonymous. From him we were lucky enough to learn a few tricks of the trade. Our new janitor friend makes sure the deliveries from candy to books reach their destination.We were two of the lucky ones who discovered one of Maine South's mysteries. Anyone who has walked near the entrance to the fieldhouse by the cafeteria knows of the "twitching lock." It rattles and shakes as people pass. Our janitor friend whipped out his key and solved the mystery. It wasn't a ghost of principals past, or monsters visiting from the landfill. It was simply an air vent. The air vent cools down an overworked transformer that shares the fateful room.

The air pressure is what causes the door to shake, therefore making the lock twitch. So no one needs to fear.

Some of you may be wondering what possibly could be enjoyable about the job of a custodian. According to our janitor friend, the simple variety of the job makes it exciting.

However, like every job, it has its downsides.

There are always more nasty cleanups, or perhaps those pesky M-80's.

Our janitor friend informed us that as he left the bathroom (the boys' bathroom, might we add) he had just graciously cleaned, an M-80 exploded.

Senior

One of the waste defenders of Maine South.

Photo by Stephanie Bailey sending fragmented pieces of the bathroom everywhere.

The janitors do such massive amounts of work for this school, and without them Maine South would not be able to function.

So next time you find yourself hungry and eating a Snickers, be sure to pocket the wrapper, and there will be the janitors smiling.

Laura PaineFocus on Student Excellence

Activities:

Teacher's Comments:

•Varsity Club •P.E. Leaders •Varsity soccer •Varsity basketba •Varsity tennis •French club •Brotherhood ^ •Class Council •National Honor Society

*'Laura is not only an amazing athlete but also a talented student. Her commitment to achieving excellence in everything she does is truly an inspiration to students and to teachers on the courts and in the classroom. Mature, compassionate and enthusiastic, Laura demonstrates to all of us what Hawk pride really means."

-Mrs. Rachel Sommerville

6 Feattires^

Not your ordinary holiday.

by Jenny Palm and Marie Papeck Throughout the calendar year, several dates and people are acknowledged from American history. Columbus Day, Fourth of July and Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday are all days on which contributions to American history are celebrated.

However, there are some dates that do not get acknowledged at all. One such date is March 5, Massacre Day. The Boston Massacre was what resulted after two long years of tension between the residents of Boston and the British soldiers.

The soldiers had been quartered in the colonists' homes ever since the Quartering Act of 1768.

The actual massacre h)egan when one of the colonists started taunting a British soldier The soldier grew angry and struck the colonist with the butt of his musket.

Soon afterwards, a crowd gathered around and grew hostile towards the soldiers.

The crowd then became violent and started throwing anything they could get their hands on, including snowballs, rocks, sticks and

clubs, and even oyster oyster shells.

For almost a half hour, the crowd shouted

and ridiculed the soldiers. Then suddenly a big stick struck a soldier, pushing him onto the ice and sending his musket in the air The crowd struggled for the weapon and a gunshot fired into the air. When the soldier

returned to his feet, he took aim at the m o l ^ ^ and fired.

When it finally ended, three colonists lay dead, two seriously injured and multiple colonists wounded. In the end five men had died.

Four years after that tragic day in Boston, John Hancock delivered a speech in remembrance of those who died. He then declared that the fifth of March would forever be known as Massacre Day. Despite the declaration by Hancock, March 5 is not marked as Massacre Day on any calendar. This may be due to the fact that Hancock himself did not believe that the murders were the fault of the British soldiers.

Even though this day is not recognized like the many others on the calendar, it does exist. For two-hundred and twenty-eight years, March 5 has officially been Massacre Day, yet many people are unaware of this fact. However, this day made history due to the lives lost and sadness s u ^ fered by the colonists.

News on News . . .a look at what is happening at other schools

A Mardi Gras masquerade students are sure to get into the spirit..

by Susie Skaczylo Some students working on the various The students at Fremd High School in Palatine are celebrating Mardi Gras in a spe- set-up committees have very positive comcial way. They have planned a Mardi Gras ments to say about their progress so far. theme for their annual turnabout dance. The dance will surround students with the colorful and energetic feel of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. The cafeteria hall will be transformed into a boardwalk while the cafeteria itself will resemble the French quarter of New Orleans.

Smdent council has been making many of the decorations by hand and researching to ensure that the true essence of Mardi Gras will be created. They are also selling turnabout dance T-shirts and Mardi Gras beads throughout the week prior to the dance so

"The people who want to participate will have a blast.Our committees have been working very hard. It should be pretty smooth sailing."

This seems like a very creative theme and one that will surely be remembered for years to come. Mardi Gras is a wonderful celebration full of fun, energy and color From the jazz set-up that will be in the cafeteria to the hand-made masquerade masks that will be handed out at the door, this dance sounds like a success.

Information for this article was collectec from The Viking Logue, which is a publication of Fremd High School located in Palatine.

Features 7

Focus on faculty

Mrs. Bondi spent a great deal of her life in school, so why would she want to be a teacher and spend even more time here? The answer is that she loves teaching. She has a passion for it, and she says, "To be successful doing something, you have to have a passion for it. Having a passion makes teaching exciting and challenging every day."

Mrs. Bondi went to Trinity High School in River Forest, and then went to Rosary College in River Forest to get her bachelor's degree. She continued her education at Concordia University where she got her master's in education, and later at University of Illinois where she got her master's in history. She spent some of her time there as a student teacher. Her current status at University of Illinois is "all but dissertation," meaning that she will have her doctorate soon.

Mrs. Bondi also has quite an interesting work history. After teaching at University of Illinois while studying there, she began teaching at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Westchester. She then went to a public high school in Maywood to teach for four years.

She was then appointed Bilingual Social Studies Supervisor for the district in Maywood. Although she is not bilingual, she did study French and German in college. She held that position until she chose to resign and begin teaching again.

She chose to teach again because she re-

by Lindsey Krukowski

alized while at her job in Maywood that she loved teaching. She decided she wanted to teach at the high school level rather than college because there is more interaction with the students.

Mrs. Bondi heard that Maine South had an excellent reputation so she decided to teach here. She says, "It is one of the best things I've done because it's an excellent environment.

The students have so much energy and are so eager to learn. I have never been disappointed in anything here."

Mrs. Bondi is also amazed at the talent in the faculty members here. She says, "As a colleague it amazes me how bright and talented these people are. I'm glad my daughter is here because you can't find better faculty or opportunities anywhere else." She enjoys the time she has spent teaching here and thinks of the old adage "Time flies when you're having fun" because she has had so much fun, she finds it hard to believe she has spent 13 years here. Mrs. Bondi also teaches parttime at Dominican University.

Mrs. Bondi loves teaching for many reasons. Through teaching, she is constantly learning about herself. She is also fascinated by seeing the many opportunities and potential students have. She says, "Teaching helps keep you young because you are around young people. It keeps you more alert to changes in society." She also jokes that as a teacher, you always have a captive audience. Teaching is part of a family tradition as well. Her mother was a teacher and principal and her sister currently teaches at Triton College.

Mrs. Bondi teaches Advanced Placement European History and History of the Westem World. She says, "Teaching European history delights me to no end!" That is what she enoys the most and she is able to tie her travels in to what she is teaching. She used to also teach World Cultures and U.S. History.

As far as Mrs. Bondi's family hfe, she has a husband who is a Maine South gradu-

JoAnn Bondi ate and now an engineer. She has a daughter, Liz, who is a freshman here and on the tennis team. She also mentions that she has a 150 pound dog and says, "That's all there's room for in the house!"

When not busy teaching, Mrs. Bondi en joys coaching girls' tennis in the fall. She has always enjoyed playing tennis, although during high school and college she only played in her spare time since her schools did not have teams. After college, she played in women's leagues.

Mrs. Bondi also enjoys reading and says "My students can often find me at Borders or Barnes and Noble reading." She enjoys babysitting for her sister's triplets, playing and coaching tennis, walking, traveling, and going to sporting events here.

Mrs. Bondi enjoys traveling, especially to Europe. During college, she was fortu nate to have the opportunity to study in Switzerland. She says, "Studying abroad makes all the difference in the world. Al though you may go to the same place later in life, you see things differently as a young person. You gain a lot of experience, and it's one of the best things you can do."

Mrs. Bondi says, "A good indication that I am where I belong is when I looks al what I have done during the year and think about improving it for the next year." She consid ers herself fortunate to have the opportu nity to do what she loves. She says, "My life has been blessed. I've always been able to do what I enjoy. I'm happy, and to me the most important thing is to be happy in what you're doing."

Mrs. Bondi's philosophy on success: "Enjoyment you derive from doing something you love is the measure of success."

8 News

J a n u a r y Students of the Month, English: Tim Curry, Orlando DeLeon, Mary DeMarchi, Michael DePilla, John Economos, Chris Elkiswani, Katie Husar, Katie Kapolnek, Adriana Kesala, Matt Kurowski, Heidi Libner, Coletta Megan.

Stephen Natali, Liz Pahlke, Tracy Travis, and Jack Wlezien.

History: Lily Corcoran, Natalie Kruk, Heidi Libner, Don Nielsen, Elizabeth Raap, Carohne Skowron, Anna Stanczyk, Michael Tomczyk, and Brian Wilson.

Foreign Language: Antonello DiBanedetto, Elaine Erne, Carl Hughes, Rodney Santiago, Nikolettea Sarantopoulos, Jennifer Steele.and Nathan Zureikat.

Science: Milutin Cejovic, Anthony Enright, Charles Griffith, Katie Husar, Laurie LaCerra, Amy Moorehouse, Laura Paine, Luke Pyzowski, Natalie Selk, David Skiba, Scott Sobczak, Christopher Sonne,

and Lindsay Utz. Mathmatics: Margherita Barone, EfFie Fronimos, Fotini Giakousmis, John Martino, Claire Mulbrandon. Christina Perez, Becky

Pietrzak, Ted Tworek,and Brent Ulrich.

Health: Douglas Elsesser,and Jamie Gillen.

Gun found at South

by Kathleen Dunne On February 23, a student was suspended from Maine South for bringing a gun to school.

The student brought a .22 caliber handgun to school to show his friends.

Two students found the gun in a PE gym locker and immediately brought it to the deans.

After questioning several students. Dean Johnson, Dean Thetard and Mr. Adamo found the owner of the gun.

The administrators immediately called the police and the student's parents.

The gun was inoperable but, nonetheless, broke school rules.

On February 15 teachers were briefed on new school policies involving "Student Behaviors and Safety and Security of the School/Possession or Use of Weapons or Explosives."

The revised rules inform teachers that "the possession, use, or distribution of weapons or 'look-ahkes'...is prohibited. The minimum discipUne of the student who violates this rule will be expulsion for one year subject to modification."

In this case the deans are to suspend the

student for five days and contact the student's parents. This procedure was followed when the incident occurred here at South.

The notice also defined ambiguous terms.

The new Discipline Procedures defined weapons as "guns, knives, 'look-alikes,' or any device attempted to be used to cause bodily harm (including, but not limited to locks, pens, pencils, bats, etc.) and any other device defined by law as a weapon."

Attached to the brief of the new rules was a sheet listing objects that District 207 declared weapons.

Included among these were guns, rifles, BE guns, metal knuckles, pocketknives and razors.

The teachers were also told to advise students to check pockets, backpacks and cars to confirm that any type of weapon is not present before attending school or a schoolrelated event.

The situation here at Maine South was dealt with efficientiy and followed the guidelines set up.

The final warning that District 207 relays is that it "does not tolerate weapons and violators will be punished severely."

Art /Photo: Shalanah Backus, Anne DeLeoleos, Amy Goodwin, and Monika Pilat.

Drama/Broadcasting : Kim Gotches, Chris Marshall, David Thommes, and Thad WilUams.

Music: Jaclyn Italia, Emily Knoblauch, Eric Macapugay, and Erich Totsch.

Business: Ryan Brob, and Scott Kennedy.

Applied Arts/Technology: ScoX\.AnA[e^%, William Cielinski, Timothy Cilio, and Douglass Ferket.

Family and Consumer Sciences: Fiorenza Battista, Christopher Ciaston, and Mary Stankiewicz.

Physical Education: Amanda Briggs,Laura Carpenter, Brooke Fillippo, Iwona Gonder, John Jaroszewicz, Craig Murray, Angelo Poulikakos, Laura Weibel, and Jill Yetsky.

S O U T H WORDS A student-produced newspaper of:

Maine South High School 1111 South Dee Road I/Park Ridge, BL 60068 Letters to the editor should be delivered to room V-13i drjiveii'to a member of the editorial staff. SpiJTHWORDS reserves the right to edit material for clarity and brevity and to reject robscene or libelous submis-

Anne Edison-Swift Anna Mieszaniec News Editors Kathleen Dunne Maura ColUns Conunentary Editors Dan Schwartz Katie Thompson Features Editors Lindsey Krukowski Katie Marcucci Sports Editors Brian Price Anna Kurtz Production Editors Chris Buckley Som Dalai Ted Kocher Core Cartoonist JuUe Motala Core Photographer Nora Bum: Core Staff Artist Ho-Chen Liu^ Staff Heads Margaret Byrne Susan Wilson Advisor T R. Kerth Editors-in-Chief

evv^s 9

Pressler and Chen shave their heads...

by Maura Collins Contrary to popular beUef, there is not a new cult forming among members of the Maine South Fine Arts Department.

The reason Michael Pressler and Garrett Chen shaved their heads last week was not to create chaos but to raise money for Maryville Academy, a local orphanage.

The fundraiser began when Garrett Chen had to shave his head as part of his costume as Daddy Warbucks in the winter musical, Annie.

Everyone involved in the play wanted to be present to witness this big event. This posed a problem because the Chens' bathroom can only hold so many people.

Someone suggested that an admission fee be charged and the event be held in the auditorium.

Someone else suggested that the money go to an orphanage because the musical is about an orphan.

The final consensus was to

it's for a good cause

gather pledges from the entire school, with all of the proceeds going to Maryville Academy.

Anyone who donated money would be given a ticket to attend the live shaving of Garrett Chen's head in the auditorium.

As a bonus, Mr. Pressler said that he would shave his head if the cast and crew of the play could collect $2,000.

One thing led to another and suddenly the fastest and most efficient fundraiser was under way.

In only a week, just over $2,000 was raised. Students and faculty donated money and the Junior Leaders donated the proceeds of the snack bar last Friday to the cause.

They raised just enough money for Mr. Pressler to have to shave his head.

Now only one question remains: do Mr. Pressler and Garrett Chen look good with no hair?

Garrett Chen smiles as his hair is removed. Photo by Maura Collins

Barnette is recognized in an international film festival

by Nicole Penn Aspiring to be a director, senior Maine South student Beth Barnette hopes to become well-known someday.

"I think it would be a great career," said Beth, who plans to go to Boston College next year and wants to make a career out of film making.

She certainly is off to a great start. Not only is she the president of the Maine South television station, but she was also the winner in the International Film Festival for Students.

Her film was chosen as a final so she flew to Texas where she won a trophy and a cer-

tificate of recognition.

"I was so surprised," she said.

Beth's film portrayed Tori Amos's song "Silent All These Years."

"It was a little difficult because I had to get permission from Tori in order for me to use her song in my video. I faxed her everyday for almost two months. Finally her dad sent me permission. I was so excited."

Beth loves broadcasting and has taken it all four years at Maine South. She encourages everyone to take it.

"When Ifirsttook broadcasting my freshman year, I got a ' C . Now I've won an international contest. Anything is possible."

lO Sports Boys' basketball continues streak

by Eric Schmidt With one week left in the regular season, the boys' basketball team is continuing to add to its delicious winning streak. With a win over conference co-leader Deerfield and a defeat of Glenbrook North, the Hawks can clinch their first conference championship in over a decade. Those two wins would bring their season record to 18-7, including a nine-game win streak to finish the season.

On top of all this, the Hawks have one more goal that is within their reach. If they win their first two games of the playoffs, it will mean they have reached the fantabulous twenty-win mark.

The Hawks would not have a chance to achieve these accomplishments without their tantalizing style of play during the last few games. With an impressive win over Rolling Meadows, and a pair of breathtaking comeback wins over Niles North and Wheeling, the team senses the opportunity of a trip to the supersectionals and beyond. Yet the Hawks are cautious about overlooking any of their remaining contests due to the memory of last year's opening-round loss to underdog Niles West. The pieces of the current win streak could not have been

placed together without the contributions of each member of this year's superb senior class.

Bucky Barren has continued to feed various teammates with plenty of picturesque assists. Brian Price and Eric Schmidt have lit the nets on fire with an array of precision jumpers and deadly three-pointers. Todd Gierke astonishes opponents by scoring on his unorthodox drives to the hoop. Brendan Smaha can be found cleaning up the trash by grabbing rebounds and punishing opponents' shots. Kevin Geist chips in with tranquilizing jump shots along with child-like energy. Bret Olson and John Moran supply the team with an ample amount of assists, rebounds and points while coming off the bench.

The eight seniors have combined for a deadly offensive attack and hazardous defensive effort. As they enter their third straight playoff run, they will use experience along with a little magic to reach Peoria during the 20th anniversary of the state championship.

March Madness is upon us! Be sure to support the Hawks as they take their feverish play to the court against Fenton.

Girls' basketball ends with a CSL conference title

by Anna Mieszaniec Two weeks ago the girls' varsity basketball program ended their season. But before doing so, the Hawks added a few more wins and losses to their record. Led by Laura Paine with 13 points, the Hawks battled with the Libertyville Wildcats but lost 43-65.

Though this was a disheartening blow to the girls, the Hawks rallied to conquer the Niles North Vikings. Led by Colleen Van Hoesen's 13 points and Laura Paine's 10 points, the Hawks vanquished the Vikings with a score of 40-31.

The Hawks worked hard in anticipation for the IHSA state tournament in preparation for the first semi-regional game against Good Council. Led by Laura Paine's 18 points, the Hawks defeated Good Council 69-40. Paine showed her true talent by hitting four three-pointers in the game. Barb Porras also added to the Hawks victory by

contributing three three-pointers for a total of 9 points. In the Regional Championship game, the girls faced the tough Evanston Wildkits. Though they put up a strong fight, die Hawks lost to the Wildkits 39-65. They were led by Laura Paine's 14 points (with 3 three-pointers) and Lauren Colletti's 11 points.

Though the Hawks did not advance further in the state tournament, the girls were able to seal a victory in the CSL North Conference with a perfect 10-0 record. Similarly, the entire Maine South girls' basketball program sealed a conference title. The following are other girls' programs that achieved CSL North Conference Champion titles: Sophomores with a 9-1 record. Freshmen A with a 8-1 record and Freshmen B with an 8-0 record. Congratulations to all the levels of girls' basketball on their conference titles and achievements.

Boys' Track kicks into high gear byPaulJohnson U the Hawks were looking for just victories on Wednesday, February 17, then they would have taken a step back from their usual stride. Coach Drennan summed up the meet best when he called it, "competitive and progressive."

South's 90 points on the varsity level was well ahead of Fenwick's 50 and Notre Dame's 16. The fi-osh-soph level paralleled that with 95 points to Fenwick's 55 and Notre Dame's eight Varsity won twelve of fifteeen events. Leading the long distances for the second week in a row, Tim SeiwertI placed first in the two-mile with a time of 10:17.7 and first in the mile with a time of 4:48.2. Brad Seberhagen won the high hurdles at 7.0 and vaulted into first place with a height of i r 6 " . Marc Szramek and Paul Johnson each tallied up three victories on the day. Szramek took the 50 yard dash and Johnson the 50 yard low hurdles. Both won the 4x200m relay (along with Nick Norman and Tim Ciccone) and the 4x40(hn relay (along with Paul McGuire and Danny Payne). McGuire and Payne also tied in the 4(X)m dash at 58.3.

Team progress was evident in the twenty-four changes on the team season best board. Among these changes were Jon Hilyard's 10'pole vault and 34'3.5" triple jump. Chris Tedor also made the board with his 43''8.5' shot put.

As the Hawks of the fieldhouse settle into the season and gel as a team, they experience tougher competition and larger invites. A "competitive and progressive" style will be the driving force | behind this assembly of talented athletes.

If you are ending a winter sport and want to stay active, come see the track coaches today.

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Five swimmers receive All-Conference honors

by Brian Pick The 1998-1999 Boys'Swimming and Diving season has come to a close, leaving behind a rather successful year. While the Hawks did not capture the Conference title, they were a formidable and powerful force finishing second overall in the Conference.

At the last home meet of the season, the Maine South Natatorium hosted the Glenbrook North Spartans. The Hawks came out strong in the first event, with the relay team of Frank Ramirez, Brian Pick, Alex Polley and Matt Huffman winning the 200 yard Medley Relay. Strong swims were also shown by Eric Pick, who finished first in the 200 yard Individual Medley, and Ryan Evans, who captured the 500 Freestyle title.

Moreover, junior Kris Salvador captured the diving event with a score of 187.85, beating a GBN diver by. 1 of a point. Unfortunately, the Spartans also had a great meet and pulled off a fourteen point victory to solidify their hold as Conference champions.

At the CSL North Conference meet held |it Maine West on February 12, the Hawks 'were well rested and posted some great times. Taking third at the meet, the team fin-

ished just behind the powerhouse team from GBN and a surprisingly strong team from Highland Park. The Hawks were extremely happy to qualify five swimmers for All-Conference recognition. These swimmers include: Evans in the 200 & 500 yard Freestyle, Joe Kipta in the 50 yard Freestyle, Ramirez in the 100 yard Backstroke, Brian Pick in the 100 yard Breaststroke and Eric Pick in the 200 EM and 100 Breaststroke.

Ramirez, who took first in the 100 yard Backstroke, explains, "We were all well rested for this meet and felt great in the water. I had the swim of my life in the Backstroke and was extremely proud of my finish."

On the JV level, the Hawks again plowed through the CSL North. They captured the conference championship for the fourth straight year. The team was undefeated and won the conference meet. The future of Hawk swimming looks very bright.

The IHSA State Sectional Meet, the final meet of the season, was held at Glenbrook South. The Hawks finished fifth out of twelve and were able to bring home some medals. Although nobody qualified for the

^m^JSciM^k ^ ^ ^ Boys' Basketball

3/5

3/6

Highlights 3/8

IHSA Regional Final

Girls' Basketball

3/9

3/10

IHSA Sectional Season Over

Boys' Swimming

Se^on Over

Girls' Swimming

Season Over

Wrestling

Season Over

Girls' Gymnastics

i

Season Over

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Gordon Tech, Nazareth 4:30 PM

Boys' Indoor Track Girls' Indoor Track

state meet, Eric Pick did break the school record in the 100 yard Breaststroke with his second place time of 1:02.96. Other medal winners include: Salvador, who finished sixth in diving; Eric Pick, who took fifth in the 200 yard IM; Evans, who finished sixth in the 500 yard Freestyle; and Brian Pick, who took fourth in the 100 yard breaststroke.

All the relay teams also finished in the top five. The 200 yard Medley Relay (Ramirez, B. Pick, Alex Polley, E. Pick) finished fourth, just two seconds away from state qualifying time and a school record. The 200 yard Freestyle Relay (B. Pick, E. Pick, Kipta, Evans) placed fifth, and the final Relay of Dave Smith, Ramirez, Kipta and Evans took fourth place.

A special thanks to the swim timers and table workers, especially Mary Stankiewicz, Christy Stevens and Emily Smythe. Without their hard work our meets would not run so efficiently. In addition, thanks to trainer Jerry Bomhoff for the mid-season shoulder strengthening exercises. Finally, thanks to Coach Sayre, Coach Kochalka and Coach Deger for their guidance, spirit and enthusiasm. It was indeed a great season.

Hawk Relays 5 PM

Luther North 5:30 PM

SOUTHWORDS

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WINTER Bnskciball • Cvmiiaslics • lnd»H)rTrack • Swiinmin!: • Wrcsllins:

Harman, Shemluck wrestle downstate Saturday, February 20 was the end of an era for the Maine South wrestling team. That weekend Brett Harman and Brad Shemluck, two of the most successful wrestlers in the recent history of Maine South wrestling, saw their last action at the State Meet in Champaign, Illinois. In fact, they turned out to

be the best duo in Maine South wrestling, totaling over eighty wins between them this season.

Harman's meet was the crowning achievement of his illustrious career as he finished fifth in the state at 135 pounds and received All-State recognition. In his second trip to state, he won his first two matches before losing in the quarterfinals.

Then he came through the bottom bracket to take the fifth position.

Shemluck also won his first match in Assembly Hall but fell in the next round.

It was hisfirstappearance at the meet after coming through an Brett Harman and Brad Shemluck extremely tough Southwards file photo sectional meet.

All-State wrestler Bret Harman gets the edge on another opponent. photo courtesy of Eyrie All of the program is extremely proud of their achievements. Said coach Fallico, "It is fitting that these two made it down there. They are the ones who have put in the hardest work in both the ofi'season and in practice."

Each of them worked out ev-

ery day in the offseason a^ twice a day in the regular season to prepare for the rigors of the matches. This hard work resulted in numerous school records for each that will ensure their lasting legacy, including Harman's place on the school's wall of fame.

Girls' track prepares for indoor conference meet

by Anna Kurtz As the conference meet culminating the indoor season draws near, the girls' track team continues their preparation. Each dual meet, triple meet or invitational is an opportunity to improve speed or form.

Maine South hosted their first meet on February 11 against Simeon, Good Counsel and Resurrection. The Hawks took second in the meet behind Simeon. The distance events accumulated several high scores, beginning with the 4 x 880 yd relay which placed first in 11:17.7. Freshman Kelly Haas was victorious in the 1600 run with a time of 6:17.5. Senior Gina Kremer also had an excellent race, running the 880

yd run in 2:46 in order to finish second. The 440 yd runners had a good meet as well.

Senior Amanda Wolf took second in the 440 yd open race while the 4 x 440 yd relay earned second place.

The following Friday was the annual Hawk Invite. Maine South took several first places in this meet as well. Senior Shayna Robinson won the shot put with a throw of 32'3". The hurdle team race, in which the times of four hurdlers are added for the team score, also won in 36.3. The 4 x 440 yd relay finished off the meet with a victory, running 4:34.2 for another first place. Junior Jennifer Sagat also did well in the 3200 run, a race included only in invitationals. Sagat captured second

with her time of 13:20. Senior Cara Cordaro took third in the 880 yd open with 2:48.

Running against the Mother McCauley and Fenwick teams on February 23, Maine South tied with Fenwick for second place.

The Hawks ran an excellent 4 lap relay, winning in 1:15.5. Robinson was victorious once again in the shot put competition with a distance of 33'. Junior Theresa Weritz returned to competition after injury to take second in the 50 yd dash with a time of 6.8. Lina Liu^ excelled in the difficult triple jump, comi| in second with a jump of 30'2".

In the coming meets the Hawks hope to be able to fend off all illnesses and injuries in order to be in the best shape possible.