Volume 40, issue 3

the

T - B ird Times Skyline High School | Volume 40, Issue 3 | February 12, 2016

photo by Trent Adams

Students travel to Cunningham to help cheer on the Lady Thunderbirds. The girls went 1-2 in the tournament. The pep section theme for the night was “Royals.�

see story on page 2

Page 2

Opinion

February 12, 2016

Students join together to bring back spirit at games

by Kamryn Stark

with some faculty. The students were told they were blocking the view of some fans and taking their seats. There were many other seats in the gym for people to sit, so students weren’t sure why it caused such a problem.

“The sudden rule changes made me upset because the pep section liked sitting where we thought was convenient for everyone,” senior Bailey DeClue said. “Also, we were just supporting our team and not out to get other players on the opposing team or trying to take people’s spots.”

For a long time people have encouraged strong school spirit throughout Skyline. Now that students are finally stepping up to show their spirit, it is unfair to the student body to have a ton of rules restricting what they can and cannot do.

Reporter Lately, most high school students have participated in a pep section for high school basketball games to show their school spirit.

For the first few games, the students weren’t limited to different cheers or where they stood. As the students kept participating in the pep sections for the games, they started to get yelled at for things that were against KSHSAA rules.

“We were just doing it for fun and to support the boys,” junior Mason Brack said. “We weren’t trying to offend anyone or take anyone’s seats.”

When the pep section started sitting where they thought was the most convenient for everyone, it caused friction

YOU CAN’T DO THAT!

WHOSE BALL? OUR BALL!

Visiting Team Bench

BOUNCE BOUNCE

PASS!

Editor ...................................Caden Patterson Staff Reporters..............................Mason Brack Hallee Burgardt Miranda Ghumm Justin Hampel Kamryn Stark Andrew Withers Adviser.....................................Judy Hampel

Photographers......Trent Adams, Alyssa Allphin Sarah Beittel, Jarod DeWeese Jessica DeWeese, Gabe Flanders Brayton Fletcher, Matthew Giles Mason Jones, Lexie Maloney, Tara Miller Raul Ramirez, Courtney Reece Jared Shriver, Cade Swonger, Megan Urban

Where the pep section should be

Home Team Bench Where the pep section currently is

February 12, 2016

News

Page 3

Candidates struggle for presidential position

by Miranda Ghumm

Reporter

The presidential elections of 2016 were under way when the Iowa Caucus kicked off on February 1.

The winners of the caucus were Ted Cruz with 27.6 percent of the votes, and Hillary Clinton with 49.9 percent of the votes. The race was almost unanimous amongst the Republicans with Donald Trump coming in second with a percentage of 24.3 votes. The story for the Democrats was different as it was a constant back and forth between Bernie Sanders and Clinton. Martin O’Malley was far behind his competitors. He didn’t even break five percent.

The faculty of Skyline have their own opinions how the race is going.

“I think Hillary Clinton will win the democrat spot,” secretary Amy Swonger said. “I really hope Donald Trump won’t win and that Ben Carson will, but I just don’t know.”

Most of them don’t have an idea of who they’re going to vote for yet.

Only one was able to give a definite answer.

“I have an idea,” fifth and sixth grade PBL teacher Michael Nelson said. “Right now I like what Bernie Sanders has to say, if he does what he says.”

Three seniors were able to give their opinions as they have a rough idea of who they would vote for. Both seniors Kasey Gilpin and Colin Kumberg said that they would vote for Trump as he is self-funding his campaign, so there are no outer groups controlling him and they agree with his foreign policy.

Senior Betsy Giles had a lot to say

on the matter.

“There are so many Republican candidates running right now. It’s hard to tell who would be the best commander in chief of the United States when they all just talk bad about each other instead of talking about the real issues,” Giles said.

“Honestly I like many things about Donald Trump. He knows how to be the fox and the lion when it comes to making decisions. That is important. Also, he says what he thinks, unlike many other politicians. Chris Christie doesn’t seem to be too terrible of an option cur-

rently. Cruz makes me rather angry, as does Rubio. Ben Carson doesn’t seem to have enough experience and knowledge on leading a nation, so that mainly leaves Donald Trump. On the Democratic side, I would definitely prefer Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton.”

In the polls, Trump had been leading up until the Iowa Caucus for the Republicans and Clinton is leading the Democrats. If the two continued on past the primaries, then not many people would know who they would want to lead the country for the next four years.

graphic courtesty of Tribune News Service

SPACEJ AM

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Feature

1. Head coach Steve Little jokes with his players after the crowning ceremony. The boys came out victorious that night against the Burrton Chargers. They are currently 10-6 and will face Cunningham tonight on their home court.

2. Girls’ head coach Morgan Ballard gives a speech during the homecoming assembly.

Ballard gave the girls a trophy for their win over Cunningham, and getting fourth place in the 54 Classic. The girls also got a win that night and hope to get another win against Cunningham. The games tips off at 6:30.

3. During the boys’ half-time freshman Abby Ailstock leads the first and second graders through their dance. The cheer clinic was led by the high school cheerleaders for elementary students.

4. Freshmen Kayla Flora and Sydney Graber share a laugh before the class competition begins. Class competitions were held all week during seminar. The theme that day was “Out of this World.”

5. Ready to start the dodge ball game, the students line up to retrieve balls. Students decided to have a dodge ball tournament instead of the traditional dance. There was more participation among the students.

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February 12, 2016

Feature

KING AND QUEEN

Page 5

ATTENDANTS Senior candidates Keigan Riggs and Bailey DeClue.

Senior candidates Avery Jones and Hanna Baird.

Senior candidates Alex Lutz and Payje Orler.

Queen Hanna Baird takes center court as she is announced queen, she was accompanied by king Alex Lutz. This was Lutz’s second year in homecoming and Baird’s second.

Freshmen attendants Erik Ghumm and Kami McComb.

Sophomore attendants Cooper Gates and Sydney Koirth.

Junior attendants Logan Reece and McKenzie Cason.

First grade attendants Chaylee Nash and Gannon Tucker with returning queen Katherine Ghumm.

Page 6

News

February 12, 2016

Girls’ team takes home fourth in 54 Classic

by Andrew Withers

Reporter After almost two months of basketball had gone by, the girls’ basketball team was headed to their annual tournament with an even record of 5-5.

Every year the girls play a mid season tournament, the 54 Classic, which alternates between Cunningham or Skyline.

This season the games were played at Cunningham with teams including Skyline, Attica, Pretty Prairie, South Barber, Cunningham, Norwich, Kinsley and Medicine Lodge.

The annual tournament started off great for the Lady Thunderbirds, coming out with a big win against the Cunningham girls, who were previously ranked sixth in the state. It was an even fought game, but the girls fought hard to rally themselves into the win column. A big basket by senior Jessica DeWeese in the last seconds of the game put her team in the lead, making the final score 37-35.

“It was just another shot,” DeWeese said. “That one shot didn’t win the game, the whole team won the game together. It was good to make it but it didn’t win the game, the team did.”

The second game featured the Lady Thunderbirds against Kinsley. The Lady Coyotes proved to be too much for the girls and Skyline ended up losing 37-18.

photo by Trent Adams

Sophomore Hallee Burgardt, seniors Bailey DeClue and Hanna Baird and junior Kamryn Stark box out defenders to fight for the rebound against the South Barber girls. The Lady Thunderbirds ended up losing 59-38 in their final game.

The final game had the girls fighting against South Barber for third place, but the Skyline girls came up short losing 59-38.

“I think the results of the tournament were really good because we were only ranked seventh going into the tournament,” senior Bailey DeClue said.

Despite the thunderstruck start, the Lady Thunderbirds ended up losing the

Girls 54 Classic

Cunningham Kinsley South Barber

Boys 54 Classic

US

THEM

37 18 38

35 37 59

1 Win - 2 Losses

last two games, finishing 1-2 and taking home fourth place.

“For the rest of this season I expect the team to push each other to get better and keep working hard and improving,” DeWeese said.

The Lady Thunderbirds face the Lady Wildcat girls once again at Cunningham tonight at 6:30 in their homecoming game.

Cunningham Kinsley Attica

US

THEM

55 56 33

44 42 42

2 Wins - 1 Losses

February 12, 2016

Sports

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1. Junior Jared Shriver tries to distract the Cunningham player to get a turnover. The team will face the Wildcats again tonight.

2. Dribbling through the defenders, senior Kasey Gilpin brings the ball down the court. Gilpin has been a four year starter on the team.

3. Senior Alex Lutz looks to pass to a teammate after he dribbles in the lane. The team beat Cunningham and moved on to play Kinsley.

4. Showing her school spirit, freshman Cassidy Corbet cheers on the boys during the Cunningham game. The pep section theme Tuesday night was red, white and blue.

5. Senior Bryce McKennon plays defense against a Cunningham player. The boys had a slow start to this game but were able to pick it up after halftime and get a win against the Wildcats.

6. Going for the rebound, senior Brady McComb takes the ball. McComb leads the team in rebounds.

Boys take second place in annual 54 Classic

by Mason Brack

Reporter The boys’ team broke tradition of their losing streak at the 54 Classic.

On the first night of the tournament the boys played Cunningham. After a close battle the boys won the game 55-44.

“The win against Cunningham showed that you can’t take any games off and that every team is hungry’” junior Jared Shriver said. “It really showed us how hard we have to play.”

After beating the Wildcats the boys moved on to play Kinsley in the semifi-

nals. The Birds had played the Coyotes earlier in the season and looked for another victory. After beating Kinsley, the boys moved on to the championship game against Attica.

The boys had lost to Attica during their first meeting 49-38 and were looking to shut the Bulldogs down in the championship game.

“We had already played them before so we knew what to expect,” senior Alex Lutz said. “We knew they would be good so we just had to do our best to shut them down.”

The Birds lost the game 42-33 and

placed second in the 54 Classic. Although they came up short of first place and had no one on the All-Tournament team, senior Kasey Gilpin still placed first in the three point shooting contest and Shriver tied for third in the free throw shooting competition. Senior Brady McComb was awarded the hustle award from his work down low in all three games.

“I felt like during the 54 Classic we proved a lot with fighting through the Cunningham game and really competing with Attica down to the end,” Shriver said. “Kasey and Brady also proved a lot with their individual accomplishments.”

Page 8

News

February 12, 2016 Sunday, February 14

Valentine’s Day Plans

by Justin Hampel

Reporter This past Sunday the Super Bowl celebrated its Golden Anniversary.

The Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers by a final score of 24-10 in Super Bowl 50.

The Broncos, lead by future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning for possibly the last time before he retires, knocked off the reigning MVP Cam Newton in a defensive battle. Manning set a record himself on Sunday as the oldest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl.

“I hope Manning retires because he has done everything he needs to do,” principal Herb McPherson said. “He’s not physically able to play up to his standards anymore and he needs to go out on top.”

Denver got a strip sack on Newton in the first quarter to score the first touchdown of the game and their defense recovered two more fumbles and got another interception which led to 14 more Broncos points. Neither team could generate much offense the whole game, with Denver being the first team to win a Super Bowl with less than 200 yards of total offense.

“I thought that it was a really well fought defensive battle and overall it was a pretty good game,” senior Brady McComb said.

The game itself was a major

story, but this year, being the 50th Anniversary, was a new story in itself.

On January 15, 1967, the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in the first Super Bowl at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. That game had an attendance of almost 62,000 while this latest game had over 83,000 people in the stadium.

Another difference was the entertainment surrounding the big game. Currently, the halftime shows are huge shows with some of the biggest names in music performing, while the original halftime simply had a band perform.

“The halftime show was better than previous years in my opinion,” senior Bryce McKennon said. “I thought it was really cool how the whole stadium got involved in it this year.”

One of the biggest differences was the difference in money between the games.

At Super Bowl I the tickets topped out at $12 a ticket, while at the latest game the most expensive tickets topped out at just short of $28,000.

The cheapest ticket sold for just over $2000.

Super Bowls have accounted for the 21 most watched television programs in US television history. The past six Super Bowls have all had over 100 million viewers while Super bowl I had almost 52,000 viewers. That number had doubled in the past 50 years and it continues to grow every year.

Love, Love, Love

Kayla Flora and Cade Swonger Probably see Kayla.

I don’t do much.

I don’t know. Probably something with Cade.

Carson Lee and Brynn McKennon Hanging out with Brynn.

Probably going to cook her dinner.

We’re going to eat lunch together. Probably eat cheesecake.

Madison Adams and Erik Ghumm Sitting at home. Playing Call of Duty with the lady friend.

Watch movies.

Erik and I can’t do much. Probably just hang out with each other.