THE CREST THE CREST
ATHLETICS
HHCA Football
By: Michael Higgins
For the defending SCISA 3A State Champions, so far, it has been a season full of ups and downs. With the team losing 14 seniors from last season, they have had to adjust to this big loss. The Eagles started off the season with a loss to a tough Porter Gaud team, 63-33. However, HHCA rebounded nicely with a 17-7 win at Battery Creek, a 34-14 victory against Bethesda Academy at home, and an explosive 42-13 win at John Paul II. Unfortunately, soon after the Eagles three game win streak came to an end, as HHCA lost 55-21 at SCISA 4A powerhouse Hammond. So far, Sophomore Wide Receiver Joseph Houpt has led the team in receiving yards per game, averaging 95.4 yards per game. Junior Quarterback Reid McCollum leads the team in rushing yards per game and total touchdowns per game, with 92.8 yards per game and 7 total touchdowns, respectively. For the defense, Senior Middle Linebacker Will Helmstetter leads with the most tackles per game, averaging 8.8 tackles a game. Junior Middle Linebacker Roman Colella leads the defense in sacks, averaging one sack a game. Lastly, Junior Cornerback Chip Hetzel leads in interceptions, averaging two interceptions per game. With an overall 3-2 record, as of September 24, they are tied for second place in the SCISA 3A rankings with Pinewood Prep. The future looks bright for the Eagles.
Volleyball
By: Brody Mayles
Our HHCA volleyball team is having an eventful season full of tight games, hard work, and amazing skill! In an interview with Lady Eagle Jules Holmes, she commented, “I think [our team] does well encouraging each other, picking each other up when we’re down, and collaborating as a team to be able to play through every set”. We can definitely see that as our players never seem to lose their good attitudes and school spirit. Obviously, no team is perfect, so we asked a member of the team about some things they can work on. They said, “We’ve been doing a lot better on this but I still think it needs some improvement, but I’d say it has to be communication on the court for sure”. I’m sure our Lady Eagles will solve that problem and we can’t wait to see where the season takes them. Be sure to come support our team and fill the cage.
Go Eagles!
Swim
By: Carson Carpenito
This past weekend, our swim team competed in a meet at Converse College. The event kicked off at 2:00 PM, and it was a great day for our swim team. The Girls A Relay team secured first place in the medley relay, showing their incredible teamwork and skill. On the boys’ side, the A Relay team achieved a solid third-place finish, adding to the team’s success. They ate and hung out at an Olive Garden after the event as well. Before Saturday's event, the team also had a home meet on Thursday, hosted by Hilton Head High at the Recreation Center on Hilton Head Island. The home game gave the team an advantage to enjoy the support of friends and family, making the meet a greater experience for them. The atmosphere was fun and lively, with teammates enjoying and competing in front of a familiar crowd. Now, the team has just one more meet left on Saturday, September 28, before the state championship on October 12. The swimmers are training hard and looking forward to taking first place at states!
ARTS
Charcuterie of the Arts
By: Emma Berry
This autumn season brings many exciting events, and one trademark highlight this year was Island School Council for the Arts’ annual “Charcuterie of the Arts”! Charcuterie of the Arts is the council’s exclusive late-September event that celebrates the arts by displaying a meticulously creative charcuterie spread with fine wines and live music. This year, they showcased wide varieties of talent onstage from both young upcoming local artists and seasoned Broadway performers Meredith Inglesby and Steve Blanchard. Student artists Lyrah Atkins, Eli Taylor, Audrey Atkins, and Sadie Marcotte all shone brightly on Saturday, each act performed being something amazing to experience from the audience. Broadway stars Inglesby and Blanchard also performed a number of tunes from multiple hit musicals, captivating many with their ability to transform into different characters through a variety of songs. Charcuterie of the Arts was and always is a wonderful night to experience and many are looking forward to the next one!
Savannah Jazz Festival
By: Nicolas Panzarella
Recently, the Eagles Jazz Band performed for the second time at the annual Savannah Jazz Festival. Led by Mr. Berry, the band performed at District Live in Savannah among other high school jazz bands as well as the Georgia State University Jazz Band. This year, Hilton Head Christian Academy presented full band selections as well as pieces played by a smaller combo, with pieces ranging from 1930’s big band compositions to a medley of Earth, Wind, & Fire. Savannah Jazz, the organization behind the festival, developed from the Coastal Jazz Association, a non-profit organization that sponsors live performances of jazz and encourages jazz education. Savannah Jazz also organizes the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame and the Savannah Jazz Orchestra. The Eagles Jazz Band plans to return to the festival next year.
Student Artist and New Releases
By: Eli Taylor
I bet you didn’t know how much talent we have in our school! We have two recording artists and they both released songs this past September. HHCA’s own Sadie Marcotte and Peyton Dobbs both had some amazing new releases with Sadie releasing “Bittersweet” and Peyton releasing “Small Town GA” and “Give Anything”. When asking Sadie Marcotte about her favorite part of the songwriting/production process, she talked about how she loves hearing all of the parts come together and the therapy that it brings her. She says, “My favorite part is probably the songwriting itself. I love the excitement that comes from slowly connecting the different parts of a song…sometimes I don’t even know how I’m feeling until I write a song about it”. We also asked her which song out of the seven she’s released was her favorite. She said that she loves all her songs but if she had to pick, “...[her] favorite would either be ‘Words to Burn’ or ‘Bittersweet’ ” . She recorded three songs in April including the released Sense(less), Bittersweet, and one she has yet to release but hopes to share soon.
Peyton Dobbs also has some great songs with local hits such as “What Would Your Momma Say” and “Down in the 843”. When asked who her inspirations are she replied, “Definitely Megan Moroney and Taylor Swift”. We definitely see this come through with her lyrically intense and catchy music style. She also does live gigs around the HHI and Bluffton area so be sure to check her out around the town. She also says that she would like to thank, “ ... [her] awesome parents because they’re awesome and have helped [her] grow into the person [she] is today”. If you wanna hear these amazing individual’s songs, they are available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more! Be sure to follow them on instagram for more information on upcoming songs!
STUDENT LIFE
HOMECOMING
By: Bailey Block
Homecoming is just around the corner! Our homecoming game is on October 25th at 7:30pm. The theme is ‘Extreme Blue and Gold’. While kickoff is at 7:30pm, everyone is encouraged to tailgate. Our eagle walk will be at 6:45pm. Be there to support your fellow eagles!
In addition to our awesome homecoming game, we also have our homecoming dance! Make sure to buy your tickets soon and fill out any necessary guest forms! For more information about these forms please reach out to Mr. Bryant. We are excited to announce that the theme is “La La Land”. La La Land is a movie exploring both the music world and Hollywood. The main colors for our theme are royal blue, yellow, emerald green, and burgundy.
Included with the football game and dance is Homecoming Spirit Week! HHCA just dropped the theme for each day. Monday’s theme will be “PJ Day”. Tuesday will be “Senior Citizen Day”. Wednesday will be “Wild West!”. Thursday will be “College Day”. Lastly, Friday will match our home football game with “Extreme Blue and Gold”. See you there and Happy Homecoming Week!
US Retreat ‘24 Recap
By: Jackie Hayes
Hilton Head Christian Academy has many traditions that affect our school culture and experience for everyone: students, staff, and parents, too. One of the biggest traditions that HHCA upholds is our upper and middle school retreats. Here’s a recap of all of the memorable moments and details from this year’s US Retreat!
On September 4, 2024, all of HHCA’s upper school students, a handful of mentors, and parents embarked on a six-hour bus journey to Carolina Point in Brevard, North Carolina (seniors left a day earlier than the rest) Carolina Point is a Young Life camp that is designed for teenagers to have fun and experience God. Complete with cabins, a game room, an auditorium, a cafeteria, and several outdoor activities, this western-themed camp is made to resemble a Carolina logging company.
HHCA chooses to host US Retreat at Carolina Point each year for several reasons. One of them is to give new and returning students a chance to make longlasting friendships with their peers and mentors, strengthening our school culture Another is to get away from back-to-school madness and experience serenity in the peaceful mountains. The most important reason for HHCA’s US Retreat, however, is to give everyone – students, parents, and mentors – an opportunity to escape the routine of everyday life and seek God Out in the mountains, HHCA has an oasis from the noise of life, where we can hear and focus on the voice of the Lord and experience him like never before. That is the true heart behind HHCA’s retreats: to provide students with an opportunity To Know God and Make Him Known.
One of the many things that made Upper School Retreat ‘24 special was the variety of free time activity choices that were available on-campus. After each morning session, students and mentors were given a few hours in the afternoon to have fun, explore Carolina Point and make memories. A fan-favorite activity for students and mentors alike was the ogo ball: a clear inflatable sphere that students sat inside as they were rolled down a hill. During US
US Retreat ‘24 Recap
By: Jackie Hayes
Retreat, the line for ogo balls seemed to never disappear!
In addition to the ogo balls, other water activities included paddleboarding, riding the waterslide, and jumping off the dock into the lake. The pool was also open this year, thanks to HHCA mentor Alison Pegram. Mrs. Pegram earned her lifeguard certification just so that the campers could enjoy a dip in the pool Talk about dedication!
Aside from water activities, there were a handful of non-water activities for students and mentors to do. The game room was a popular spot for people to catch a game of billiards, foosball, or ping-pong. Down at the Sawmill, ninesquare and basketball games seemed to last into sunset each night If that wasn’t enough games already, there was always a game of beach volleyball and a bench-full of spectators down at the edge of the lake.
A few mentors held some tournaments for specific sports during free time, as well. Among the tournaments were ping-pong, basketball, volleyball, and billiards. Rumor has it that awards were given to the winners of each tournament!
The most important part about the retreats that HHCA puts on is experiencing God in new and incredible ways. One of the ways in which we do that is through worship, which is organized by the HHCA Worship Team. Before each session, the Worship Team played a couple of songs and encouraged everyone to worship the Lord Some of the songs played include “Dancing on the Waves,” “It Might Get Loud,” and “Glorious Day.”
All the way from New York came speaker Aswan Morris, for his second HHCA retreat, to give a wonderful series of sermons. The central theme of this year’s sermons was “submitting to the shaping process that God has in store for us.” Aswan led the HHCA students and mentors through what our identity is in Christ, then who Christ is as the “gardener”, and then how to undergo spiritual “metamorphosis” (letting God prune us so that we can grow, like branches connected to the vine).
All in all, there is no doubt that US Retreat is an impactful experience for every part of the HHCA community: students, mentors, and parents. This year in particular was filled with heaps of joy, laughter, memories, unity and spiritual growth. All of the mentors, students, and parents that came are already looking forward to Retreat ‘25. Until next year!
The Presidential Election
By: Christopher Nguyen
In an already polarizing year, the nation’s eyes once again turn to the White House. The 2024 presidential election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris has already proven to be extremely close, with the deciding electoral votes most likely coming down to a handful of swing states including rust belt states Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. The two presidential candidates have already debated on September 10th at the National Constitution Center hosted by ABC. This followed a last minute ticket change by the Democratic party from incumbent President Joe Biden to Vice President Kamala Harris, which was officially announced on July 21st. CNN has contacted both campaigns to set up a potential third debate hosted by the network on October 23rd, however they have failed to come to an agreement. The next debate is set to be between Democratic Vice Presidential pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Republican pick Ohio Senator J.D Vance on October 1st at 9 pm hosted by CBS. Seniors who will be 18 years old before November 5th and teachers at HHCA can take part in the 2024 election by registering to vote in-person, by mail, or online. Absentee ballot deadlines along with registration and voting deadlines are shown below.
Absentee ballot deadlines
Request ballot (received by)
By 5PM on Oct 25
Return ballot by mail (received by)
By 7PM on Nov 5
Return ballot in person
By 7PM on Nov 5
Registration deadlines
By mail (postmarked by) Oct 7
In-person at local election office
By 5PM on Oct 4
Online
By 11:59PM on Oct 6
New Building Progress
By: Luke WIlliams
Since spring of last year, HHCA has been building a new building, dedicated for Upper School students. Much work has been done in constructing this building since the ground was broken back in May. Daily, as students walk by the construction site they can tell how much work has been put into the building. This new building acts as not just a testament to the school’s past but to its future as well. Currently the building appears to be roughly 40% done, it’s on course with its projected completion date. If you or a family member are interested in supporting the creation of this new building, check out Hilton Head Christian Academy’s created to soar campaign on HHCA.org.
RECIPES
Madison’s Menu
By: Madison Moore
This month’s recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake
Difficultly: 6/10 : Intermediate (Criteria based off of time, skills, money, and equipment required to bake the dish)
Credits to: butternutbakeryblog.com that acted as loose basis for my own recipe
Necessary Equipment: A 9” springform pan
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
1 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 cup of butter, browned
For the Batter:
Four 8oz packages of cream cheese (at least two being full fat), room temperature
1 cup of brown sugar, packed 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste/vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of full fat sour cream
4 large eggs, room temperature
One 15 oz can pumpkin puree
Madison’s Menu
By: Madison Moore Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350 F and coat the inside of a 9″ springform pan with nonstick spray. Put a baking tray of significant depth beneath it that will act as your water bath at a later time. Place the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt and heat until browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. When the brown butter has cooled, pour it into the bowl and mix well.
3. Pour the crumbs into the springform pan and press firmly to secure your crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then allow to cool while you make the batter.
4. In a bowl, using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and sugar and mix on low speed until smooth and combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix again on low speed to smooth the batter.
5. Next, add the vanilla, salt, and cinnamon into your mixture and mix on low until combined. Repeat this process for your sour cream and then for your eggs, two at a time.
6. Take a break from your batter for a moment to prepare enough water to go into the pan underneath your springform. Boil enough water to fill the pan (mine was extremely shallow, and thus, was 2 cups). This will act as your “water bath”. This will help to regulate temperature, thus keeping your cheesecake from cracking and uneven baking.
Madison’s Menu
By: Madison Moore
7. Back to the batter. Mix in the entire can of pumpkin puree on low speed. When it appears to be fully mixed in, remove the bowl from the mixer and mix the batter by hand. Scrape down the sides and bottom to ensure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into the crust and spread it smoothly. It should completely cover the crust with plenty to spare. Now with the boiling water, open the oven door and pull out the bottom rack just enough for you to access the baking pan. Carefully pour the water into it and push the rack back in. Quickly close the oven door.
9. Bake for an hour and 30 minutes. When it’s done, turn the oven off and crack open the oven door. Let the cheesecake remain in the oven for another hour. After that hour, let it cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Then transfer to your fridge and let it chill (uncovered) for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Enjoy!
Tip: Use the deepest pan you can find for the water bath!