Inside This Week's Issue Shady Bunch, Faculty Grid, Student of the
Volume 41, Issue XI
Week, and Sudoku
Edited by Joe Egler '16 and Ryan Naehr '16
The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph's Prep
December 4, 2015
Weighing in on the Swimming Team
By Joe Console ‘17 The upcoming season is very crucial for the Prep’s swimming team. First of all, the team has lost several impactful seniors that helped to carry the team to a second place finish at the 2015 PCL Championship. “[The team] lost six seniors, and a huge chunk of talent off our team,” says Marcello Garber ‘17. “[Last
Coach George Willard, we had a very successful season. We placed second at both PCLs and Districts, and everyone dropped time from the beginning of the year. We also sent some kids to States and broke some school Prep Swimming is beginning its first season records. We hope to continue under Coach Voss. This season is also that success this year,” says year’s season] was highlighted by our two current college crucial because the team is Garber. The year prior to swimmers, Brandon now headed by its third head Coach Willard’s sole Mackenzie ‘15 and Joe Furze coach in three years. Contined on page 3 “Last year, under ‘15.”
By Aidan O’Connor ‘17 Last year, the Prep robotics club was booted up for the first time, with integral leadership coming from Bryan Zikoski ‘15. From its humble beginnings as a club of just twelve members, it has grown to boast more than forty this year. The team is split into groups of between four and seven students, each working on one robot. Liam Fitzpatrick ‘16, Liam Nester ‘16, Luke Skobieranda ‘16, and Hayden Coy ‘16 lead the team this year. With the advent of the club came many donations from generous benefactors. In the back of the Mac lab, there is a new official
competition field. There are plans to increase the number of robots from two to eight, as well as changing the PC lab to a robotics workstation. This change will allow all interested students to receive the opportunity to have handson experience. Next September, the Prep will even host its own competition for middle school students. The competitions take place among local high schools, with Downingtown East and West and the Haverford School acting as the main competition. The challenge changes each year, but this year’s challenge involves a basketball-like game called “Nothing but
Prep Robotics Shoots and Scores in its Second Season
Prep Robotics is alrady experiencing great growth in just its second year of operation.
Net.” The team controls the robot with a controller, but there are bonus points for autonomous action. The senior robot even has a function to lift its opponents off of the floor. The team
hopes to qualify for the state championship, and even nationals. “The competitions have a lot of energy with fans cheering and students making Continued on page 2
last minute changes to the robots. Discussing strategy throughout the day, and working with a team, makes the day a lot of fun. The competitions are usually an all day Saturday event, and you compete every half hour,” says Mrs. Hoffman, club moderator and computer science teacher at the Prep. For being in just its second year, Prep robotics has already experienced great growth and is set to achieve even more in the coming years.
Robotics (Cont'd)
The robotics team works to build bots to compete in the "Nothing but Net" game, pictured above.
The Shady Bunch Releases their New Single “Kareem”
Here, Lou “Louie Shades” Ciarrocchi ‘15 and Ed “Ed Rem” Rementer ‘15 are shown on the set of the music video for their latest single.
By Joe Egler ‘16 Kareem AbdulJabbar, the NBA all-time leading scorer and a six-time champion, was well known for his signature “skyhook,” a unique take on the traditional hook shot. A staple throughout his 20-season career, this play has since
served as the inspiration for the latest single released by the Shady Bunch, a hip hop duo composed of Prep alumni Lou “Louie Shades” Ciarrocchi ‘15 and Ed “Ed Rem” Rementer ‘15. “The actual concept behind the hook is based around using the idea of
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s hook industry is it’s always shot and my team, the Shady changing,” says Ciarrocchi. Bunch. When I wrote the “Understanding how the hook, I wanted to get the industry is changing and how message across of my music to adapt to the changes is vital and family being all I need because refusing to conform and recognizing who actually will never help in this case.” He claims that one’s is family to me. After that thought got across, I decided mindset is crucial to his ascent to tie that all in by saying this in the midst of a dynamic is the best hook ever through industry characterized by relating that to calling myself constant fluctuation. “One of the most Kareem,” says Ciarrocchi. Released on important things I’ve learned November 10, “Kareem” is the difference between successful and debuted to success, garnering being more than 1,000 YouTube unsuccessful can come from views in twenty-four hours, something so small [as] your after a hiatus by the duo. mindset and how you handle Ciarrocchi is currently a what’s thrown at you.” In light of how his freshman at Loyola University New Orleans, while Rementer mindset affects his approach studies at Temple University. to music, Ciarrocchi stresses However, according to that “finding [our] own Ciarrocchi, making “Kareem” individual sound is essential.” entailed several challenges, He says that, in addition, like much of the work of the marketing has been a persistent obstacle for the Shady Bunch. “As far as obstacles Shady Bunch. go, the thing about the music Continued on page 3
Faculty Grid By Von Hobe '17
What would be a song on your workout/pump-up playlist? What is your least favorite present-day radio song?
Mrs. Schlegel
Mr. Oldham
"Die Toten Hosen" "War by Edwin Starr"
I don't really listen to the radio
"Happy Feet"
What is one movie that has made you cry?
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Who/what was your first concert?
Bruce Springsteen
Love Story
The Who
TSB (Cont'd)
Show support for The Shady Bunch by checking out "Kareem" on SoundCloud.
“Getting support through word of mouth and social media is crucial because, with it, your fanbase will steadily increase and spread out in a ‘family tree’ type of way,” says Ciarrocchi. “All it takes is one person to
tell one person and so forth before your name can spread all over. I would say finding ways to make this happen is an obstacle we are aware of, but nonetheless couldn’t be more excited to overcome with our new product.”
Mr. Miller
Ms. Baland
Anything by Sonny Rollins
I have no clue
Anything my sons listen to
Well I sure don't like rap music
There are a couple but I forget the names Frank Zappa
The Bridges of Madison County
ABBA
Swimmingsecond (Cont'd) in the PCL, with four
coaching season at the Prep, Mr. Morrissey held the coaching position. And many teammates have agreed that the new coach, Ms. Voss, is a great addition to the program and are very happy to have her. “[Voss is] really nice and has a lot of energy. She has a lot of new insightful tips that we haven’t heard before,” says captain Tim Rafter ‘16. Finally, as the team thinks about the course of their season, the general consensus among its members is that they plan to repeat as second in both PCLs and Districts to a very strong and competitive La Salle. Their ultimate goal is just to get as close to La Salle as they possibly can. “[Our goal is]
guys making it up to States as individuals,” says Rafter, “[with] many medalists at the District 12 championship meet and more than twelve All-Catholics.” Meanwhile, Garber’s personal goals for the rest of the year is to focus on breaking the school record in the 100 yard backstroke, “set last year by the G.O.A.T. himself, Mr. Brandon McKenzie.” He also wants to repeat with First Team AllCatholic honors. The team begins its long road to success with its first meet today at North Penn, with the season culminating some time in March with the PCL Championship.
Student of the Week
The comical Colin Coder '16 showed off his talents in the play.
By Aidan Donaher ‘16 This week’s student of the week is Colin Coder ‘16. You may recognize Coder as General Curtis
Lemay, as he starred in Cape consultant who makes a succeeded in doing so,” says & Sword’s production of living teaching men how to Coder. Kennedy’s Crisis: 13 Days in woo women. Coder is also a Coder, October. Coder has a passion formerly a rugby star, gave member of the improv club, for acting and movies, and up the sport that he loved in and like many of us, was on plans to major in film in order to focus on theatre this the email list for the SJP stock college. Coder is looking at year. exchange club. colleges such as Temple, Congratulations, Colin. “I felt like I Loyola Chicago, DeSales, and belonged in Cape & Sword La Salle to pursue this after the very first rehearsal. passion. Coder’s favorite The show has never been movie is Hitch, a romantic done on any stage before, so comedy in which Will Smith in many ways, like JFK, we plays Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, were trying to put a man on Editors-in-Chief a professional dating the moon. I think we Joe Egler '16
Scoreboard and Events
Hawkeye Staff Ryan Naehr '16
Staffwriters Aidan Donaher ‘16 Upcoming Games: Next Week at the Prep: Augie Lorei ‘16 Ryan Mannion ‘16 BASKETBALL: FOOTBALL: MONDAY, 12/7: Fintan O’Toole ‘16 28-29 Loss to La Salle in Away game Sunday 12/6 Fall Blood Drive Joe Pisacano ‘16 vs. Pennsbury the PCL Class AAAA “A” Day Stas Postowski ‘16 Championship game Kevin Sampson ‘16 BOWLING: TUESDAY, 12/8: Joe Schade ‘16 Home game Tuesday Feast of the Immaculate Joe Console ‘17 12/8 vs. Roman Catholic Conception Marcello Garber '17 “D” Bells Mike Grafenstine ‘17 WRESTLING: Prep Community Life Mike Haley ‘17 Match Saturday 12/5 vs. Meeting Von Hobe ‘17 Scranton Prep @ 10:00 “B” Day Christopher Magiera ‘17 a.m. Tristan Mordan ‘17 WEDNESDAY, 12/9: Aidan O’Connor ‘17 Gesu Christmas Project Mike O’Neill ‘17 Delivery Mac Riga ‘17 Mothers’ Club Liturgy & Kyllian Vong ‘17 Meeting Ronan Egan ‘18 Fathers’ Club Steering David Haddad ‘18 Committee Matthew Phillips ‘18 “C” Day Anthony Tigano ‘18 Joe Scott ‘19 THURSDAY, 12/10: “D” Day Moderator Mr. Leo Vaccaro '05 FRIDAY, 12/11: Dress Down Day Special Thanks To: “E” Day Mrs. Ree O'Neill
By Joe Egler '16 Games Recap: