THe AZTEC VOLUME LXXX NUMBER IV
December 14, 2017
theaztecnews.com
VIEWPOINT PG 3
FOCUS PG 4-5
A&E PG. 6
SPORTS PG 7-8
Closed week controversy
Exploring this year's Deck the Halls: Avatar
Disney explores Mexican heritage with Coco
Teams look towards upcoming games with optimism
News in Brief Cocoa and Cram Link Crew will be hosting their annual "Cocoa and Cram" for freshmen on December 14th, from 2:37 to 4:30 p.m. Entrance will only be granted to freshmen with their IDs. Free hot chocolateand cookies will be served. Teachers will be available for questions.
Spark of Love Toy Drive The Alhambra Fire Department, YMCA of West San Gabriel, and the Alhambra Police Department have teamed up to host the annual Spark of Love toy drive. Unwrapped presents can be dropped off at any donation bins located at all Alhambra Unified School sites.
Winter Break The last day of school before winter break is December 20th. The following day will mark the first day of winter break, which will last for over two weeks, from December 21st to January 8th.
Your calendar 12/15- Finals (P1, P4) 12/18- Finals (P2, P5) 12/19- Finals (P3, P6) 12/20- Minimum Day 12/21- Pupil Free Day 12/22-1/5- Winter Break 1/10- Collaboration Schedule 1/15- Pupil Free Day 1/17- Collaboration Schedule
Choir spurs Christmas spirit with "The Lost Toy" VINCENT BAGABALDO Staff Writer The Aztec Singers presented their program, “The Lost Toy,” on Saturday, December 2nd at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. The first act was comprised of songs such as “Silent Night” and “Carol of the Bells,” while the second act was a musical titled “Coming Home,” keeping true to their previous show choir performances. Other non-related Christmas songs like “City of Stars” and “New York State Of Mind” caught the crowd’s attention, garnering applause after each performance. Choir members had weeks of practice and preparation prior to the concert. Junior Amanda Hoang says, “Choir builds its own set so it takes a while to paint and decorate the flats. It took maybe around three or four days to build. Overall, it took us around two or three months to prepare for the concert.” Seniors Sasitah Limthaveemongkol and Miranda Tran produced and wrote “Coming Home” in the second act. The musical is about a lost toy that was sent to the wrong address, leaving a little girl in Lynchburg toyless on Christmas. Tran says, “Getting the newbies to come out of their comfort zones was a bit difficult, but I'm proud
Choir members lift their hands as part of original choreography.
to say that the group really worked hard to put on the best performance possible.” Choir members also took part in producing the choreography. “The show was split between choreography from us and from our choreographer, Ms. Darlene. Overall, I would say each song took a day or two to come up with, but the adaptations we had to make in order to accommodate the dancers' capabilities [took] about a couple days.” “There were some things that we still need
THE AZTEC/VINCENT BAGABALDO
to learn. If you look from where they started to where they came, [you would think it was] phenomenal!” choir director Mr. Azeltine says. As to why they’ve been doing musicals instead of just singing and dancing, Mr. Azeltine says, “We found out that if we put a little script in and make a mini-musical, which is actually the trend with all the schools now in show choir, it makes it a little more interesting.”
Instrumental music program holds annual concert HANNAH WON Staff Writer The annual Winter Concert was held on Friday, December 8 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. The concert showcased performances by the Aztec Band, Orchestra, World Drumming, and Guitar classes. This was Mr. Lee’s first year conducting the Winter Concert, and many students such as band senior Samantha Lee were excited for the performances. Lee says, “It is Mr. Lee’s first year doing [the winter concert]. I am very excited because he is doing it in his own [new] way.” A new projector was installed in the auditorium on December 6th and was available for use during the Winter Concert. “The Visual and Performing Arts department has been working on getting a projector in the auditorium, and thanks to Principal Scanlan, we were able to get it in this year,” says instrumental music director Mr. Lee. GIFs of falling snowflakes and fireplaces were projected to enhance the overall performance. Clips from Christmas movies were shown during orchestra’s performance of “Christmas at the Movies.” “The historians were able to put together a slideshow [of the movies] to match up with the music,” Mr. Lee says. Orchestra member Jayda Toscano and Monterey Highlands student Idaly Hill performed ballet
Instrumental music director Mr. Lee conducts the orchestra during Friday's concert. THE AZTEC/TIMOTHY CHUMAN
during the second movement of The Nutcracker Three Dances. The Aztec Band performed their field show music, Fantasmic!, for the last time. Orchestra sophomore Quennie Zeng says, “We… put our best effort into preparing for this concert… and I was excited [for the songs that band and world drumming played]. I feel like our efforts paid off.” Junior Alex Phan, who is in his first year of
World Drumming, says, “It was a very exciting experience for [a first time musician] like me. It was very stressful because we couldn’t get [some of ] the songs down until the very last minute.” With Mr. Lee now offering a fresh perspective on the Winter Concert, the annual program will continue to bring holiday spirit to Mark Keppel through music.
Winter Rally honors winter sports seniors WENDY YUAN Staff Writer ASB hosted the annual Winter Rally on December 7th during lunch. The rally recognized seniors from Boys and Girls Soccer, Boys and Girls Basketball, and Girls Water Polo. There were also performances from Band, Cheer, Color Guard seniors, and Drill. Junior Cheer member Anabelle Hernandez says, “I think the performance went beyond my expectations. Honestly, I was a little bit scared about how everything would go, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about.” Senior Drill member Evan Sakuma says, “Given that we only had a week to create a whole routine and perform it, it comes at no surprise that the performance that we put out could have been better. ASB told us last minute that if we wanted to perform in APR, we had to perform in Winter Rally. Nonetheless, I’m proud of the team and grateful to the captains for putting in 110% into the event.” Between the performances by the
pep teams, seniors from winter sports team were honored and sashed. Basketball senior Ryan Takeshita says, “Receiving the sash was a pretty surreal moment. Ever since I was a freshman, I saw all the basketball seniors before me get honored during the rally. Basketball has been amazing regardless, but it definitely added on to my basketball and senior experience.” Basketball senior Jocelyn Song says, “I was feeling a little bit nervous and anxious to receive my sash. This definitely added to my senior experience because the sashing signified the beginning of my last season of high school basketball.” The Winter Rally livened student spirit just in time for finals and the holiday season.
Girls water polo seniors (Left to right: Sam Anzai, Zoe Atkins, Maya Castelazo, Ashley Cuan, Catherine Go, Rochelle Ho, Alyssa Lam, Emily On, Alexis Truong, and Teresa Zhong) stand together during rally. THE AZTEC/MAGGIE LUU
Cheer team performs their routine during Winter Rally. From left to right: Anabella Wu (11), Kaleigh Hill (11), Kathy Lam (10), and Ashley Tang (12). THE AZTEC/MAGGIE LUU
New finals schedule causes disagreement
From imagination to reality: Page to Stage
WILLIAM DANG-NGUYEN Staff Writer One of the most shocking changes of this school year is the new finals schedule. The first day of finals will be on Friday, December 12. The second and third days of finals will be on Monday, December 18, and Tuesday, December 19 following this weekend. There are mixed reactions from both students and faculty regarding the new schedule. Teachers have voiced their concerns about the possibility of students cheating. Because students in periods 2, 3, 5, and 6 have a whole weekend before their finals, they the possibility of “finding out information [about the exam] from periods 1 and 4,” says AP English Language and Composition teacher Ms. Chan. This spurs the idea of instituting anti-cheating precautions such as making different versions of the test, which Ms. Chan “would prefer not to do.” Chemistry Honors teacher Ms. Pham has the same concern; she suspects that her students will take advantage of the weekend to cheat on the final exam. Some students do not favor the new schedule either. The traditional schedule allowed students
to study during the weekend, but now they do not have that access. “We have considerably less time to spend cramming, [and] the schedule [is] awkward because we don’t really do anything on [the Wednesday proceeding finals],” says sophomore Jeffrey Szeto. “Those in period 1 and 4 are at a disadvantage [because] they have less study time [for Friday’s finals]. That weekend makes a big difference.” For Szeto, it would be better if finals started on Monday and ended on Wednesday like in past years. The main reason behind the drastic finals schedule is that the district needed the two semesters to roughly have an equal number of days. This semester, “[the district] added three professional development days for teachers, which are those days [students] get off [of school],” says Principal Scanlan. “It’s going to be similar in May with finals [starting] on Thursday [or] Friday.” In response to student concerns about the lack of an extra weekend to study, Scanlan says to “study earlier.”
SARENA SCOTT Staff Writer Page to Stage is an annual program created for drama students to introduce local third graders from Ynez, Repetto, Monterey Highlands, and Brightwood to the realm of theatre and theatre production. The third graders send in their original scripts to the drama department, who act them out. The short plays are accompanied by original music by the orchestra. The most recent Page to Stage performance took place at Ynez Elementary School on December 4th. Junior Maya Morales says, “We use third grader’s stories because at that age, they have a creative
imagination.” These third graders are able to see the stories they wrote come to life before their eyes. The production was a team effort. Mark Keppel’s technical theatre class collected and built the set and props, drama students acted, and the third graders wrote the scripts. The program gives third graders a preview of what exactly high school drama has to offer. Sophomore Angel Silva says, “Seeing [the kids’] faces as we perform what they made [is amazing because] I remember being in their shoes wanting to be in drama.”
The Aztec 2017-2018 Timothy Chuman
Wesley Zeng
Vincent Bagabaldo
Maggie Luu
Sophie Wong
Tiffany Leung
Vivian Luk
Staff Writers
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief/ News Editor
Angela Chen
Asst. Editor-in-Chief
Anny Jiang
Viewpoint Editor/Photographer
Aurora Zeng Focus Editor
Evan Cheng
A&E/Features Editor
Sports Editor/ Business Manager Web Editor
Callista Liu
Chief Photographer/Multimedia Editor
Kevin Liu
Copy Editor/Asst. Bus. Manager
Jamie Chau
Copy Editor/ Historian
Kody Woo Cartoonist
Asst. News Editor
Asst. Viewpoint Editor
Evan Woo
Asst. Focus Editor
Samantha Hernandez Asst. Sports Editor
Haoxian Hu Photographer
Alex Hua
Photographer
Photographer
Izabella Cofressi Jaslynn Diep
Nicole Hernandez Lindsay Kung Christine Le Jasmine Ma
William Dang-Nguyen Sarena Scott
Babyruth Torres Hannah Won Wendy Yuan
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Alhambra, CA 91801
DECEMBER 14, 2017
The AZtec Let’s close up Closed Week
Viewpoint 3
IZABELLA COFRESSI Staff Writer Closed week is the week before Vonny Anastasya, another junior, and that also stresses me out. It’s a finals in which students can focus agreed with that statement, and good idea and it should help other on school in preparation for finals. added, “It just reminds me con- students, but for me it just doesn’t.” Students can also take this time to stantly that finals are very soon However, this is not the case ask their teachers questions on for everyone. Sophomore Alexconcepts they do not fully grasp. is Hayashi, said “I actually like There are no announcements or closed week because at home phone calls, and sports team you can be easily distractdon’t have practice. Students ed while trying to study, but are advised to take advantage of the whole environment here this time so that they can score during that time is specifically as well as possible on their fifor studying, so I think that’s nals. But is it really necessary? helpful.” Some students that have exClosed week seems to be a perienced closed week before controversial topic, as it is a big don’t think so. “[Closed week] hit with some and a miss for just kind of stresses me out to others, but either way it is one go from period to period and do of the main way schools try to nothing but study and review.” help their students prepare for Angel Bustamate (9) and Hanna Shan (9) working. said junior Maria Chamorro. finals. THE AZTEC/ANNY JIANG
Stop! Don’t touch me there! JAMIE CHAU Copy Editor/Historian As people in the entertainment world have been gaining the courage to make sexual harassment allegations, the phrase “sexual assault” is becoming more and more prevalent throughout social media and the news. In circumstances like those of Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, multiple victims have spoken up and stood their ground against them. In regards to this issue, the question of what leads to these cases is a hot topic. “The person who has been sexually assaulted is the victim, and the victim of any other crime isn’t to blame.” says senior Natalie Foong. “Sexual assault is an offense and should be treated as such.” While being a victim of sexual assault should never be something that is held against the sufferer, there are precautionary steps that should be taken to prevent even the chance of rape. These things
include, but are not limited to not walking alone, not speaking to strangers, and attending parties with trustworthy people. The potential consequences are devastating as failure to adhere to even one of these measures can result
“...I think that we should be fostering a society that does not shy away from talking about sexual [assault] topics...” Stanley Lin (12) in sexual assault. Foong says, “It’s near impossible to actively avoid sexual assault, for there’s rarely any warning signs. If one is trying to avoid sexual assault from strangers in public, it’d be a good idea to be accompanied by friends or family; it’s less likely for people to harass others they see in a secure-look-
ing group.” There is, however, also the point of not letting these defensive procedures become an excuse for sexual assault. “I support taking precautionary measures, but I think that we should be fostering a society that does not shy away from talking about sexual [assault] topics because we all know most people are going to experience those things.” said Lin. “Our approach should be to accept that fact and teach people about consent and how to safely go about it.” Regardless, the victim is never to blame for sexual assault. “Sexual assault always implies that the action was unwarranted, unwelcome, and a violation of one’s privacy and safety.” said Foong. No matter what someone is wearing or saying, it is not an invitation to take advantage of them. Everyone has the power to say “no” and consent should always be first priority.
COURTESY OF PINTEREST
Should Christmas be celebrated? JASLYNN DIEP Staff Writer As the holiday season approaches, students are caught up in the hustle of Christmas decorating, shopping, and planning. December is when families indulge themselves in the spirit of Christmas by doing activities such as decorating the Christmas tree with ornaments, shopping for presents for their loved ones, and planning for family get-togethers. But, what is the true meaning behind celebrating Christmas? Is it the presents under the tree, the stockings on the fireplace mantel, and the mistletoes hung on the doorways? Traditionally, Christmas is a sacred religious holiday for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians normally attend church on December 25 to honor Jesus. Traditions and customs ultimately varies by culture. Now, Christmas is such a big deal that some people disregard Thanskgiving altogether as a holiday and dive head-first into the holiday spirits. Senior Jocelyn Song says, “[Christmas] is becoming too commercialized as stores use the holiday as an opportunity to advertise their products and gain people’s interest.” Freshman Katherine Harry, who is Christian, says, “Every week on Sunday in December, we light candles in an advent wreath leading on to Christmas. Each candle represents hope, peace, joy, and love.” Harry’s traditions in preparation for Christmas play an important factor in her religion and family life. “Although I am not Christian, Christmas allows me to get together with my loved ones and take a break from school,” says sophomore Ryan Chung. “It’s also the time of year when I can give back to my parents and friends with gifts to show how I appreciate them.” Christmas can be viewed in both religious and secular contexts. In the end, the holiday is enjoyed by people of all backgrounds alike and remain an integral part of American culture.
Is it time to switch to Eco-Friendly trees? HAOXIAN HU Photographer
Eco-Friendly Tree displayed in B Building decorated by APES students. THE AZTEC/TIMOTHY CHUMAN
Christmas is right around the corner, and many families are considering buying a Christmas tree. Getting a tree is fun for the family, but there are many downsides involved. Getting a real Christmas tree means you have to cut it down. Production of fake Christmas trees release carcinogens, substances that promote the formation of cancer. Now, there isn’t really any easy way out, but there are still ways to reduce the harm done on the environment, like investing in Eco-Friendly Christmas trees. According to the New York Times, 30 million real Christmas trees are cut down every year, and more than half of them are thrown out by the time the next Christmas comes around. Seeing that this is very “harmful to the environment,” families tried to find alter-
natives -- artificial trees, but artificial trees are even more harmful as they produce toxic materials and emissions. Senior Brandon Kishishita uses an artificial Christmas tree every Christmas and was never informed about the toxicity and how much harm it does on the environment. Kishishita says, “If I knew about how serious this problem was, I would have had my family stop getting Christmas trees every year.” Kishishita’s family is only one of many that are unaware of the effects of artificial trees on the environment. According to the Huffington Post, manufacturing a single artificial tree uses seven times the amount of resources a tree can provide. It is obvious that artificial trees are not the best option. There is, however, a good side to artificial trees. Since they last forever and
are non-biodegradable (not able to be decomposed), using it for ten years will be worth it because it uses less resources than using a real tree every year. Other viable options would be buying real Christmas trees from local farms or nurseries, then plant it somewhere in the environment to preserve the tree. Environmental Science Ms. Schmalz says, “My parents have this extremely fake tree, it’s literally made of wood. Sure it doesn’t look nice, but feeling that you are helping out the environment feels very satisfying.” Not getting a Christmas tree isn’t the worst thing in the world, because it wouldn’t hurt the environment nor hurt one’s wallet.
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Deck The Halls SENIORs “December is really the time to celebrate the end of the year and I think it’s special for students to see that even though finals are coming along, you can have [Deck the Halls] to look forward to. School looks a lot nicer and students want to be here more.” -Kira Hum, Senior Class President
Mark Keppel continues mas spirit with its annual Preparation for Deck the and ended at around 9:30 p year’s theme is Avatar: The is assigned an element fro the seniors are fire, the jun mores are earth, and the fre ASB Historian Amy C Halls is such a festive act friends. It’s sort of like ma together at home. It bring into Keppel as you walk th ways.” Prior to Deck the Halls necessary materials, such a posters. Donations such g glue were also accepted. In order to make all th required a huge amount o tion between students. Be create the artwork on post measured the walls and do posters were cut to the righ Workshops were held o Barnes Park for students to result, most of the artwork workshops were over, whic up by the end of break muc Deck the Halls is an upl brings joy to many. ASB a “I love the holiday spirit th school, but more importan that I get to see among eac together to create somethin
STORY WRITTEN BY JASMIN INTERVIEWS GATHERED BY PICTURES BY CALLISTA LIU, ZENG, & WESLEY ZENG
Sophomores “Because [Deck the Halls] comes right before Christmas, [students] are in the Christmas spirit and it just brings it out a lot more in them because they can feel the school spirit.” -Richard Wu, Sophomore Class President
December 14, 2017 5
AZTEC
s 2017: Avatar
s its celebration of Christtradition, Deck the Halls. Halls started after school p.m. on December 1st. This Last Airbender. Each class om the popular TV series: niors are water, the sophoeshmen class are air. Choosanoi says, “Deck the tivity to do together with aking a gingerbread house gs a lot of Christmas spirit hrough the decorative hall-
s, each class fundraised for as paint brushes, paint, and glitter, blue tape, and tacky
his happen, Deck the Halls of planning and collaboraefore students were able to ters, class council members oors to make sure that the ht size. over Thanksgiving Break at o illustrate the posters. As a k were done by the time the ch made putting the posters ch more efficient. lifting event at Keppel that advisor, Ms. Carmona says, hat Deck the Halls brings to ntly, I love the collaboration ch class and how they work ng that is so impactful.”
juNIORs “Every day during Thanksgiving break, we would go to Barnes Park and [work] and I just hope that people look at it and appreciate all the hard work and think it’s pretty.” -Cindy Koh, Junior Class President
NE MA Y MAGGIE LUU MAGGIE LUU, AURORA
freshmen “[Deck the Halls] makes people more excited for the holidays and break [so] I hope to achieve [a] boost of school spirit.” -Katie Chen, Freshman Class President
dECEMBER 14, 2017 6 a&e THE AZTEC Corporate greed corrupts video games EVAN WOO & KODY WOO Asst. Focus Editor & Cartoonist Having surpassed movies in revenue around 2010, the video game industry has enjoyed a trend of incredible growth with no signs of stopping. Ironically, this windfall has done little to quench the greed of game publishers, who continue to devise money-making schemes at the expense of the gameplay experience. The latest scheme to come under public scrutiny is microtransactions, which include buying skins in the lane-pusher League of Legends or shooter Counter Strike: Global Offensive. Of course, these examples are relatively accepted by the community as they do not grant players competitive advantages for money. It’s when do sell power or gameplay, however, that pop veins in foreheads. “It makes it very annoying when everyone else has better characters, and you’re stuck playing the [standard loadout].” says freshman Michael Takai, who plays the tactical shooter Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. While you can obtain these advan-
tages through gameplay alone, it is often a tedious and time-consuming process which pushes players to spend money to avoid being stuck in a miserable situation. Although microtransactions have been around since Candy Crush Saga demonstrated its insane potential bymaking $633,000 a day, the practice has generally been contained to free mobile games and online retail games which require constant funding for server Overwatch lootbox. upkeep. But in more recent years, more retail publishers have begun implementing the system in their $60 single-player games, barring content behind paywalls and infuriating their customers.
Arguably the most controversial form of microtransactions is the lootbox, which has players buying mystery ‘boxes’ for set prices in hopes of receiving desirable items by chance. A prolific example is found in the hero-shooter Overwatch, which has thankfully evaded outrage by restricting loot-box items to purely non-competitive items. Regardless, it has proven extremely profitCOURTESY OF BLIZZARD able because the drop rates for desired items are not disclosed and somehow compel gamers to continuously spend copious amounts of money in hopes of receiving them. “I think loot boxes make it more exciting,” says
COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY PICTURES
game design teacher Ms. Fillpot. With the release of Star Wars: Battlefront 2 in mid-November, public outrage over lootboxes erupted. Players, angered by the estimated 4,000 hours required to unlock its content (according to IGN), began to boycott the game and even write to their legislative representatives demanding policies that mandate video game publishers reveal drop rates. These efforts have succeeded in China, Japan, and the Isle of Man, which have all declared loot boxes as a form of gambling. China already mandates games to reveal drop rates and allow individual items to be purchased. Meanwhile, governments in Belgium and the United States continue to debate the issue. Yet, gambling is arguably an essential element of video games, which are all about risk. “Every time you play a game, it’s always a gamble… whether you win or lose,” says Ms. Fillpot.
COURTESY OF NINTENDO
Coco explores Mexican Culture Animal Crossing goes mobile BABYRUTH TORRES Staff Writer Disney Pixar’s animated film Coco was released on November 22 and stars 12 year old Miguel Rivera, who has a passion for music despite his family’s disapproval. Coco is different from other Pixar films, such as Cars and Toy Story, because it highlights Mexican heritage through music, art, and culture. “Coco is such a good movie,” says freshman Nicole Garcia, “it was full of color and has Mexican culture portrayed beautifully.” On the big screen, Latinos are usually stereotyped, but Coco presents Mexican heritage and way of life genuinely and respectfully. Coco involves the celebration of Dia de los Muertos, which is the celebra-
ALEX HUA Asst. Photographer tion of the dead. This movie uses Mexican traditions to connect with Latino audiences. Garcia says “I’m glad Disney is showing other cultures and how every culture is unique in its own way. Disney movies make a big impact on younger children and they can influence them to love and accept every culture.” Disney’s Pixar thoroughly studied Mexican heritage and approached it thoughtfully. Coco is a movie that wants to prove to people — such as the president of the United States — that Mexicans play a big role in our society and culture.
Within its first week of release on October 25th, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp reached over 15 million downloads on iOS and Android. “Compared to [the console games], Pocket Camp is much less complex,” says junior Sabrina Sy, “it’s a lot easier for people who have never been exposed to the franchise to get into.” Regardless, the goal remains the same: to help human-like animals do simple tasks and improve your campsite. Players can either devote time or spend in-game currency to complete these tasks. Like other mobile game developers,
Nintendo makes money from these inapp purchases. They’re targeting those who are impatient but want to see continuous progress. Despite knowing that these companies are trying to coerce them into paying, people still make purc hases. The game has no story mode, but has many goals for the player to accomplish. This brings up a major question: What is the overall purpose of the game? To junior Wesley Mah, the purpose “is to do tasks to level up.” To Sy, it’s just “to level up as high as possible by forming friendships with other characters in the game.”
THE AZTEC/KODY WOO
December 14, 2017
Sports 7
the aztec
THE AZTEC/ CALLISTA LIU
Sophomore Jessica Basallo (12) tackles the opponent to gain conrol of the ball and push it forward towards Glendale’s goal.
Girls Soccer kicks preseason woes SARENA SCOTT Staff Writer The Lady Aztecs lost against Glendale High School on Tuesday with the final score of 4-0. The game began with starters freshman Soraya Shafer and senior Grace Gomez, who were readied on the field to earn possession of the ball. Luckily, senior Nicole Hernandez began with the first kick. It was being kicked back and forth between both teams and each player. All
the players on the field were yelling at each other to coordinate their game plan and prevent enemy possession. Each time it would get close to the goal, the goalie would run up and try and get the ball before they got too close to scoring. Glendale did make the first goal but was not easily achieved. Despite putting up a fight, Glendale made another three goals later into the game. Consistent practice helped the Lady Aztecs improve from previous games. Hernandez says,“Practices are where we
fix our mistakes made during the game and all we are doing is improving and trying fix what we don’t do.” Sophomore and goalie Luana Barthel sustained a knee injury but was able to keep most of the balls out of the the score zone for the majority of the game. Also, goalie Beatriz Rodriguez, sophomore, was also able to keep all the balls out of the the score zone. Grace Gomez, a senior, shares their mental preparation for the game. “Listening to what the coaches have to say while giving them advice, we encourage each other and
make sure we all are thinking the same thing, that we need to win.” In this game, communication and being able to run fast were two key points to winning. Coach Steve explains that every game,“teaches us what we do well and what we do poorly and it helps us know what we have to work on that next practice.” The Lady Aztecs worked as a team and might not have won physically but won mentally through the experience obtained in this game.
Hard work paying off for Boys Basketball SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ Asst. Sports Editor As their season approaches, the Varsity Boys basketball team sweats and works tirelessly in order to achieve the goals they have made for the upcoming season. The team has been preparing for season year round, and even summer vacation was used to improve the boys and keep them conditioned. “We had intense summer workouts where we would go on our own time as a team and work out at the sand dunes, [and] then come back and practice later that day,” says junior Esteban Rodriguez. The summer training helped them build endurance, and as part of the next step of their growth, the team is looking to continually bond with teammates on and off the court. Rodriguez
stated, “As a team, we need to come together as one and be on the same page both on and off the court. If we are able to do this, we will be able to translate that in the way we play.” The team has a set goal for the season: to win CIF. “ We have one goal in mind, and that’s to win CIF. Nothing less is acceptable to us,” Rodriguez said. In order to achieve this goal, the team is determined to work together and make improvements where need be. During this preseason, sophomore Diego Bustillo says, “We are focused on improving, mainly to put more attention to communicating on defense.” The boys remain optimistic in having a successful season. “We’re a brand new team that’s hungrier than ever and willing to leave it all on the court,” Rodriguez said. Their devotion to each other and the sport is unde-
niable, and the potential that comes with this passion is great for the young group. Coach Duong does his part by steering the players in the direction and mindset they need to reach their goals. Bustillo said, “He motivates us by always pushing us to become great players. We always trust in him playing this game and we all do whatever it takes to get better.” The team had played a series of competitive scrimmage games and tournaments that have helped them prepare for their upcoming season. The most recent, being the Sierra Vista tournament where they placed fourth. Rodriguez said, “The games and tournaments have given us experience for in-game situations as well as confidence heading into league.” They have proven their drive and will stop at nothing to reach their goal.
Temple City outlasts Boys Soccer NICOLE HERNANDEZ Staff Writer
THE AZTEC/CALLISTA LIU The Boys Soccer team practices head passes for upcoming game.
Boys Varsity Soccer lost to Temple City 4-2 during their game last Thursday, December 7. The Aztecs fought hard in the first half of the game, but faced many challenges. Despite the great efforts of the forwards throughout the half, the team’s offense could not break through Temple City’s defense. Early into the game, the opposing team scored a goal, creating a 1-0 lead. As the game continued, it was obvious that Temple City overpowered the midfield, beating the Aztecs to the ball and making many runs toward the goal. This led to the defense being pressured with stopping Temple City’s attack. However, it was evident that the Aztecs’defense was not able to withstand their opponents’ offense, letting many balls through, and allowing Temple City to score several times. Despite this, the Aztecs were still able to penetrate Temple City’s defense about halfway into the first half as sophomore Jesus Garcia scored a goal. After some back and forth from defense to offense, Garcia was able to score again about 15 minutes later. Although Keppel was able to score two goals
by halftime, Temple City still led the game with four points. After the halftime break, the Aztecs came back with obvious improvement. They began to connect more passes and communicate better on the field. The Aztecs began to gain more control of the game, putting pressure on Temple City’s side of the field. However, the change in play was not enough to overcome the 2 point lead, ending the game with a loss and a final score of 4-2. According to senior Kenneth Herrera, one problem the boys have faced this season is slow starts. “We have been starting off really slow and I think that’s something we need to work on. We’ve learned a lot these past few games but I think the most important thing we have learned is what formation we need to learn, and what positions our players work best in.” With this in mind the team is hopeful to improve their mistakes and move forward to a better season. Herrera admits,“Our pre-season has not been as good as we have hoped, but I think we will be back on track very soon.” The Boys Soccer team will have their next game today at 3:15p.m. against Whitter at the Upper Field.
December 14, 2017
the aztec
8 Sports
THE AZTEC/CALLISTA LIU
Athlete’s Profile: Nicole Hernandez THE AZTEC/ CALLISTA LIU
Junior Vanessa Aguirre passes the ball for a drill during the girls’ daily practices.
CHRISTINE LE Staff Writer
Girls basketball’s hot start to the season CHRISTINE LE Staff Writer It is said that lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice, but this doesn’t hold true for the unstoppable force that is the Lady Aztecs. With four wins of their first five games during pre-season, Girls Basketball is off to a hot start in their pursuit for success. In preparation for the upcoming season, the team usually has two-hour practices, but that did not stop the players from working out individually to perfect their craft. “Even when we don’t have practice, we each try to work out on our own time,” says junior Vanessa Aguirre. As they continually practice and work hard together, their bond as a team improves. “Practices have brought us closer
together so we can be more in sync while we play,” says junior Mia Heidt. The team has seen improvement as they have increased their tempo and improved communication on the court. They believe that playing as a team will help them achieve their goals for the upcoming season. However, the overflowing optimism from the team doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t face challenges, as demonstrated in their 79-68 loss against Centennial High School. Despite the loss, it isn’t going to discourage the team from reaching their full potential. Although the Lady Aztecs may have their fair share of losses, those losses seem to help them learn from any mistakes they might have made on the court. The team has been built on commitment, and that helps to overcome the adversity
on the court. “The amount of hard work and dedication that each girl has put into the program is incredible,” said Aguirre. Senior Sally Smith, shares a few words about their motivation and how she helps encourage the team. “We have a playlist of a few songs that we use to hype ourselves up with. Most of the time, I’d say something right before the games to keep the spirit high.” Smith also notes that the goals for this season help to set the impression that they are capable of reaching these goals. “For this season, the goal is to do well during league as we always do, keep our records high, and go far into CIF. For this reason, we must take our mistakes, [address] them and then apply [the solutions on] the court.”
Girls water polo treading to success JAMIE CHAU & EVAN CHENG Copy Editor/Historian & A&E /Features Editor Girls Water Polo has enjoyed a fairly victorious season, seizing six victories and only sustaining three losses since the start of their season in late November. The Lady Aztecs scored wins against Westridge and Shadow Hills High School on November 20 and December 6, respectively. The score against Westridge was 16-5 and the latter was 17-4. “Regarding our wins versus Westridge and Shadow Hills,” says senior Maya Castelazo, “I would have to say we had the advantage in ball-handling skills and experience. Most of our team is returning varsity, [along] with a few girls who were moved up from junior varsity. Many of us have been training since the summer, so I think those were well-deserved wins.” However, on their game against Los Altos High School on December 8th, they lost by a score of 6-17. Goalie Sam Anzai says, “I think we’re still trying to clean up our passes to each
other among other small details, but otherwise I think we have a very strong team this year.” The team suffered their toughest loss against Palm Springs, where they lost one goal in overtime. After all of the preseason games thus far, the Lady Aztecs have been preparing for today’s matchup against Arcadia. “ I’m not really sure what to expect! This is our first time playing them, so we’ll have to see how it goes. We’re all a little bummed that it’s during closed week on the day before finals starts, but it is what it is,” says senior Sam Anzai. The entire Girls Water Polo team has been working hard nonetheless. “Recently we’ve had a very packed game schedule. It has been pretty tiring but also great learning experiences for us as we get ready for our League games.” said Anzai. “The whole team has been working very hard during our 3 hour practices as well as our games. We were second in our league last year, so I hope that this year we can experience equal or greater success!”
Sports Calendar Boys Basketball On 1/3 versus Temple City at Temple City On 1/5 versus Monrovia at Monrovia On 1/6 versus Rosemead at Mark Keppel On 1/9 versus Bell Gardens at Bell Gardens On 1/12 versus Montebello at Montebello On 1/16 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel
boys soccer On 12/18 versus South Pasadena at South Pas. On 12/21 versus Pasadena Poly at Cal Tech On 1/4 versus La Habra at Mark Keppel On 1/9 versus Bell Gardens at Bell Gardens On 1/11 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel On 1/16 versus Montebello at Montebello
Girls basketball On 12/20-12/23 versus Tarkanian Classic On 12/26-12/30 versus DC Classic On 1/9 versus Bell Gardens at Bell Gardens On 1/12 versus Montebello at Montebello On 1/16 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel
Playing soccer since a young age, senior Nicole Hernandez is identified at school by friends as someone with great potential. As a soccer player, she was coached by her dad for majority of her childhood. “He definitely showed me everything I know now. He’s really helped me, in particular, providing me with tips when needed and building me into the player I am now.” As one of the captains of the soccer team, Hernandez states her opinions on how she deals with the losses and how she tries to improve. “If you can improve at least one thing every game then you’re on your way of becoming a better player. Hernandez has proven to be a strong captain since the status was given to her last year. “As a captain you do see a lot going on in the field [and] because of that, you can help the team uplift their standards and so forth.” She finds that as a captain, she has to be an effective, selfless guide to the people on the team and thus, the group, in order for everyone to be determined and dedicated. “As a captain, I am able to guide all the younger girls and show them the better techniques and lead them to playing better games.” Hernandez also expressed the observations she has made as a leader for the team with the inspiration of past captains. “Before I was given the status, I admired past captains and the way they implemented their own voice on the team and so I want to impact the girls in a way as well.” Besides her involvement in the soccer team, Hernandez also takes part in many extracurriculars, such as starting her own club on campus, IMPACT, along with being president of the French club and vice president of the Association of Latin American Students. Read the rest on theaztecnews.com
girls Soccer On 12/18 versus South Pasadena at South Pasadena On 12/21 versus Pasadena Poly at Mark Keppel On 1/14 versus La Habra at Mark Keppel On 1/9 versus Bell Gardens at Bell Gardens On 1/11 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel On 1/16 versus Montebello at Mark Keppel
Girls water polo On 12/14 versus Arcadia at Barnes Pool On 12/21 versus Poly/Pas at Poly High School On 1/10 versus Alhambra at Alhambra On 1/17 versus Montebello at Barnes Pool