The Lion's Tale - Volume 63 - Edition 2 - Oviedo High School

The Lion’s Tale staff

Editor-in-Chief

Kaden Bryant

Managing Editor

Lauren King

Copy Editor

Audrey Choate

Sports Editor

Riley Sanderson

Head Photographer

Audrey Strembicki

Photographers

Malikia Hamlet

Logan Hayes

Reese Sanderson

Briana Schierenback

Danielle Stein

Digital Artist

Jesreel Cruz

Reporters

James Bryant

Ava Des Marais

Merrick DiCarolis

Hunter Fuehrer

Cooper Garvey

Nelson Kanistras

Clare McCoy

Dominique Moise

Snow Pastermack

Madelyn Reno

Joshua Sabbia

Nicolas Spallone

Luke Thompson

Sanjoli Umrao

Brady Vaiarella

Faculty Adviser

Ben Langevin

Admin Adviser

Nancy Diaz

Principal Dr. Trent Daniel

Oviedo High School

601 King Street

Oviedo, FL 32765 P: 407-320-4199 F: 407-320-4213

Mission Statement

The Lion’s Tale is the student newspaper of Oviedo High School, located in Oviedo, Florida. Our mission is to provide news, feature stories, editorials and opinions relevant to our readers while upholding the highest professional and ethical standards. The Lion’s Tale follows copy standards outlined in the Associated Press Stylebook, 42nd Edition, published in 2007 by the Associated Press, and is a member of the CSPA, NSPA and FSPA.

Distribution

800 copies of The Lion’s Tale are distributed free to all students and staff at Oviedo High School. Subscriber information is available on OviedoJournalism.com.

Reader Contributions

Letters to the Editor are accepted and may be sent by post, e-mail or dropped off in Room 5-020. The Lion’s Tale does not accept guest columns and reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor. Full policy is available on OviedoJournalism.com.

Advertising Policy

The Lion’s Tale reserves the right to refuse advertisements. The full advertising policy of The Lion’s Tale is available on OviedoJournalism.com.

Wrapping up the 2022 year as it ends

(page 4). Alongside that features Taylor Swift’s new album, but rather than the typical song review, it delves into the true, less frequently talked about impacts that Swift has had in her position (page 5).

KADEN BRYANT | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Students remain excited as 2022 at last approaches its end. This edition tackles a plethora of differing, intriguing topics that The Lion’s Tale is excited to share before taking on next year.

With the Winter Showcase to close out the year, Oviedo has been at the top of its game. With band, choir, the drum line, Mane Attraction, and others in participation, OHS’ talent and skill was prevalent each night.

Featured in our opinion section is Audrey Choate’s unique perception of music and the impact it’s had on her

The features section includes mayor Art Woodruff’s success in his teaching and electoral career path (page 6). Foreign exchange student, Doroteya Kyupeliyska, is also featured in her journey of calling Oviedo home (page 10).

In sports, the football team finishes off the season 10-2 in the playoffs (page 7) with athlete DJ Scott leading them to the spotlight. Even with two natural disasters interrupting the season, they managed to make it far and appeared on the TODAY show.

Wrestlers Clayton Mitchell and Jonathan Dishman connect through their shared love of wrestling (page 7) and learn to succeed in the sport together.

The sports section also relives the 2022 World Cup and Paige Wisneski’s

dedication to volleyball (page 8). Hayden Kinder’s stellar golf performance and Simon Gong’s swim and dive success is highlighted on page 9.

Our entertainment section features a controversial outlook on the outrageously popular social media platform: TikTok. It delves into its projection of degeneracy upon adolescence and the longterm repercussions of it (page 11).

Page 12 features an overview of Spotify Wrapped and various students’ takes on what kind of music they find enjoyable.

Visit our constantly updated website packed with high quality content: oviedojournalism.com.

Happy holidays!

-THE LION’S TALE STAFF

Get to know our Roaring staff

SPORTS EDITOR SENIOR WRITER REPORTER

Riley is a junior and this is her second year on staff. Her dream career is to be a sportscaster like her role models Molly McGrath and Holly Rowe. In the future, she wants to attend either the University of Florida or the University of Georgia and major in dietics or sports communication. She has run track and cross country for two years and used to play soccer for 10 years. She likes to listen to music from artists like Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, and Outkast. In her free time, she likes to listen to music and watch whatever game is on TV. She is a proud fan of the Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, and US National Soccer Team.

Dominique is a senior and this is his first year on staff. As a passionate writer, photographer, and artist, he loves to express himself through art. He enjoys writing stories, sketching, and taking creative photos. He loves to play sports - his favorites are basketball, football and soccer. As a little kid, he enjoyed playing in multiple youth leagues. He even won first place in the HiSEF science fair. In his free time, he likes playing video games on his Xbox. Star Wars: Battlefront 2, NBA 2k, and Injustice 2 are some of his favorites. Music is another major aspect of Dominique’s life. His favorite genres are R&B, rock, and vaporwave. Lasagna is his favorite food.

Snow is a sophomore and this is her first year on staff. She enjoys writing to voice the opinions of people who’s voices often go unheard, hoping to encourage people to think with more calculated reasoning and open them up to new opinions. She doesn’t yet have any particular plans for a university or career path, but she’s excited to travel to different parts of the world to learn about different cultures that she can immerse herself in and see what the world has to offer. She’s excited to one day visit southeast Asia and the beaches in Greece. Her favorite color is pink and her favorite genre of music is lofi. Her favorite series to read is Percy Jackson.

Riley Sanderson

Dominique Moise Snow Pastermack

COMMITTING TO THE POOL: No longer up for grabs, Gabby Goodwin signs with Florida State University for Swim and Dive during signing day.

HITTING NEW MILESTONES: Cassidy Reischauer, celebrates after successfully benching their new personal best at the Oviedo Vs Lyman meet.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE STEIN

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBICKI

SPECTACULAR SHOWCASE: A talented winter performance combined of Choir, Band, Dance, and other students performing at the Winter Showcase.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE STEIN

CAPTIVATED: The Oviedo art club meets outside to paint, being inspired by nature around them.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE STEIN

SANTA SURPRISE: With Christmas right around the corner, Santa stops by the take photos with students during exam week.

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBICKI

SAME AS IT EVER WAS

How ASD dictates the way I experience music

AUDREY CHOATE | COPY-EDITOR

Music and its various genres are an almost-universal medium for expression and communication; the art form is appreciated across cultures and among individuals of all kinds. Indeed, the rhythmic arrangement of sounds is something that has been of utmost importance to countless people in the history of the human race. However, the perception of music can and does differ with background, demographic, ideologies, or mental condition. This is, for instance, why different people may prefer different types of music, as there is no objective basis for determining its quality (or that of any art medium.)

A particularly relevant example of this is the fact that music is often experienced radically differently by autistic people. This is not something that is negative or detrimental; in fact, it is an example of a positive impact of greater detail perception. While heightened sensitivity to sensory input is a hallmark of ASD and can lead to largely negative things, such as sensory overload, the trait itself can give rise to artistic proficiency and greater academic achievement. While I cannot speak for every autistic person, I believe that my current relationship to music would be almost completely foreign to me if I was neurotypical. I don’t think I would have a complete disinterest in music, to be clear, but I wouldn’t enjoy it with the same passion and fervor. It is also doubtful that I would

utilize the same meticulous analysis in regards to seemingly trivial details in instrumental melodies or lyrics. Describing how music sounds to me is an almost-impossible task, as the experience is so deeply subjective. Each note, each beat of percussion, and each melody come together to create an all-encompassing sea of sound and sensory experience, while still keeping their individualities intact. Every little detail in a piece of music is clear to me, especially if I have listened to it many times. I can often pick out subtle differences between different mastering of tracks and assess what makes each version enjoyable to me. I can tend to be annoyed if there is something ‘off’ about, for instance, a remastered track, even if I cannot quite put my grievance into words.

Much to the amusement of others at times, I tend to repeat songs over and over again, and I do not ever necessarily become tired of a particular track; I simply find another one to fixate on. In a given song, there is often a certain point in the song that is particularly fascinating to me, and I may repeat this part until I feel fulfilled. Oftentimes, these are points in the song in which the pattern of the instrumental changes, or the music blends together seamlessly.

I mostly enjoy music in terms of albums. Albums are collections of songs that often share some sort of unifying characteristic or story; this sort of organization makes the listening experience worth it. The

gradual progression of a given album is also quite fascinating. In a concept album, it is a story to be told, often intended to be open to interpretation. In a conventional album, the songs may share some theme, ideology, or sound; the sound may change as the album progresses. Compilation albums are also quite fascinating; in a “best of,” for example, it is interesting to see how their music may have changed over time. Lyrics are often enigmatic to me. While I can pick out particular syllables or sounds, I often have to read the lyrics to a song to know the words. Being unable to translate the sounds I hear in songs into words can cause frustration for me, as I understand a small amount but not enough to be satisfied. Due to this, I often enjoy music in foreign languages, music that is largely instrumental, music that is heavily distorted or noisy, or music that is very repetitive in its lyricism. I either want to understand all of it, or none of it.

For instance, one of my favorite bands, the German electronic group Kraftwerk, have semi-repetitive music largely centered on technology and how it relates to human communication. Perhaps I enjoy these slightly figurative songs about robots and computers largely because these metaphors put socialization in a context that is scientific, objective, and simple. (Or, perhaps, it’s not that complicated, and it’s just ‘more fun to compute.’)

While the Talking Heads were neither instrumental nor foreign, the unique perspective of many of their songs is very interesting to me. More

specifically, I admire the unabashedly eccentric career of frontman David Byrne; or, more specifically, how he was able to ‘stop making sense.’ While Byrne was diagnosed with autism quite late in his adult life, his ASD undoubtedly influenced all aspects of his art. Humorously dubbing himself an ‘anthropologist from Mars,’ much of his work and persona is fixated on a perspective that is fundamentally outside of the paradigm of neurotypical human communication, which appeals to me greatly. (Same as it ever was!)

My collection of physical media also informs the way I consume music. To me, there is something about collecting compact discs, records, or audiocassette tapes that cannot be satisfied by streaming services alone. It is not just in regards to the sound quality (although, I do prefer the sound of music on vinyl or compact disc,) or aesthetic value. I love sorting my various albums and singles by various metrics, and seeing the way they fit together when I am finished. To hold the tangible manifestation of my greatest interest is something that cannot be replicated in any other way.

MELODIC ARRANGEMENTS: Audrey Choate’s compact disc collection, organized by alphabetical order and release date. The work to create this order is worth it to her, enhancing the experience of listening to music.

“Each note, each beat of percussion, and each melody come together to create an allencompassing sea of sound and sensory experience, while still keeping their individualities intact.”

-Audrey Choate, 10

PHOTO BY AUDREY

CHOATE

“Albums are collections of songs that often share some sort of unifiying characteristic or story.”

-Audrey Choate, 10

MIDNIGHTS MADNESS

Taylor Swift: we shouldn’t shake off her negative impacts

TORI BAER | REPORTER

Music flows from the speakers as the soft hum of the car tunes into the music. The steady beats from any familiar pop song blend into the background. The recognizable “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift begins to play. A few songs later, the intro to “Anti-Hero” begins once more. In irritation, a different station is clicked, revealing Swift’s voice once more. Everyone knows who Taylor Swift is as she has made a definite imprint on society. As expected, she has many dedicated fans that listen to her music. Many might not realize that her effect is not as positive as it seems. No matter the quality of her work, it is always met with unrivaled adoration. On the release of Midnights, every song was ranked above 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. This truly shows the magnitude of her success. With the album being a hit, radio stations and stores have taken the liberty to blast it all day, every day. The repetition of the same songs will cause those listening to become agitated.

Because people and her fans hold her in such high regard, they ignore that some songs can lack depth, which influences the music we hear. She may release similar music if there is positive feedback, putting it into an endless loop of okay-sounding songs. For example, new songs such as “Anti-Hero” have no highs and lows in melody and emotion. Poetic lyrics are not a requirement in every song, but her lyrics are irrelevant and can be difficult to grasp. This could also impact other artists’ music. If they idolize Taylor Swift, they are likely to create a similar style of music which may

include a related writing method. This would, overall, be altering popular music culture and making it more uniform.

Now, of course, there is a more pressing matter concerning Swift: the Ticketmaster fiasco. Fans reported having to wait hours in line to get a hold of a ticket. Many were unable to, even when it was their turn. The Verified Fan System made sure of that. The System was originally designed to prevent bots from buying tickets.

However, some die-hard fans were not able to be verified.

Not to mention, Swift had announced that the tickets would be cheaper than they ended up being on the Ticketmaster site, leading to even more outrage from fans. Between all of these factors and millions of fans worldwide on the site, it met its inevitable fate: crashing.

Although the Ticketmaster issue was not entirely her fault, Swift received plenty of backlash for it. She did not deal with the problem properly by not taking action. Swift should have come up with a different solution to satisfy her fans, not just follow what Ticketmaster caused. Taylor Swift did not bother to inform Swifties that the tickets would be more expensive on the Ticketmaster

site due to their pricing algorithm. This shows no care as she only allowed those lucky enough to be verified and willing to pay for tickets at a higher pricing point to go to her concert. She only served an apology as she did not realize that the ticket site would not be up to the challenge of millions of fans. A possible solution would have been Ticketmaster improving their site and then having fans “rebuy tickets.” Or, perhaps, using multiple sites that would intercommunicate how many tickets were still available during the time of the purchases. That way, there would not be too many people on each site, making it less likely that it would crash. However, she did not provide any of her own solutions to the mix, rather allowing Ticketmaster to get away with everything that occurred. Taylor Swift is no exception to being put on a pedestal, practically untouchable. Because as with any popular music artist, fans are ready to shove them under the spotlight. She does not always deserve that light shining on her. All that she has caused is evidence of that. Rethinking her actions first is wiser than jumping on her bandwagon like everyone else.

“Taylor Swift not only has great music in terms of the rhythm, but it’s her lyrics that really hooked me to her music.” -Emily Harris, 11

“I think that she writes for people who only enjoy surfacelevel songs with minimal instrumentals and mediocre lyrics.”

-Lorenzo Brown, 11

PHOTO | GLENN FRANCIS

WORKING FOR THE FUTURE

Mayor Art Woodruff builds a welcoming community

LAUREN KING | MANAGING EDITOR

Art Woodruff sits at his desk in the science classroom at Oviedo High School, grading through papers in the early morning sun. A buzz fills the quiet of the room and his eyes snap to his phone screen, which illuminates a pop-up of a caller. Setting the academic work to the side, the Mayor of Sanford picks up the phone to find out that the parts for the 100-year-old sewage system are still being held up. A sigh sounds, but his heart doesn’t feel heavy. He hangs up. Woodruff will get the job done - whatever it takes.

Having dedicated just about his entire life to the people, Woodruff sets himself up for success to ensure the community is satisfied. He has been teaching for nearly four decades and has been running in the Sanford office for half of them.

“I’ve told people I think one of the reasons I manage to do well being elected is that for 37 years, I’ve had to get along with anyone who came into my classroom. So I can get along with people pretty well,” Woodruff said.

The only time Woodruff took a break from his civic duty was in 2014. He took off for four years from being the Sanford District 1 City Commissioner to care for his kids during their developmental years in middle school. Woodruff was re-elected for the position in 2018, then appointed as mayor in 2020.

Once he was first elected, the original fault Woodruff sought to correct was the way development was going. He fought for the restoration of Mellon Park instead of it being torn down to create a hotel and conference center.

“It was for the community . . . A lot of people used it and to see it change to something that would be privately owned, taking the space away from the residents - I thought that was a bad move and I didn’t think it would succeed,” Woodruff said. From the start, it is evident that he

had the community’s best interests in mind. Protecting a Sanford icon - home to basketball courts, a sparking lake, and the sounds of jovial children on playground sets.

“I want things to be good for my kids when they grow up . . . I don’t know that they’re going to stay in Sanford, but if they do I want them to have a good place to live. Likewise, for other kids growing up . . . I want Sanford to be a place where people want to stay,” Woodruff said.

Juggling between such virtuous ambitions, many students and staff speculate how the high school teacher and mayor balances out his schedule. One week might be only five hours of mayorship duties, the other week could be 15 hours.

“It just varies widely, based on what meetings to go to and things you’re trying to take care of,” Woodruff said.

His aspiration is to cultivate a safe environment for the people of Sanford and to fulfill their desires, listening to the voices of a community and returning their support with his.

“Mainly [to sustain] just good government, getting things done, and taking care of the city and making it a good place for everybody to live,” he said.

Whilst maintaining the security of the city, Woodruff is working faithfully to expand its appeal to visitors and the working class. To do so, he is looking to increase the entertainment value of downtown Sanford by opening bars, restaurants, retail stores, and offices.

Having plenty of experience under his belt, Woodruff understands how to tackle obstacles. The main hurdle to leap over is having the financial opportunity to do what must be done to sustain and develop the city.

“It has to do with budget - with having enough money to do what we want to do. We’re trying to build a fire station and pay our police and firefighters enough money that we can keep them. We have a 100-year-old sewer system . . . and we

can’t get the parts [to fix it],” Woodruff said.

Sanford has been his home for many years, as well as for his ancestry. His family started up in the city in 1844 as farmers. His great-great-greatgrandfather and his son became leaders of the community and the city continued to grow from there. His great-greatgrandfather was the mayor in 1903.

Having grown up in Sanford, Woodruff accounts that everything was moving out of downtown. Activity was in a decline and it was a downturn for the city. The once bustling city became quiet as residents moved away to find bigger and better things.

“One of the things I wanted to do was bring it back - bring Sanford back,” Woodruff said.

Whilst he helped pave the way for the city, he does not take credibility for all of the achievements he made. He believes

that while he leads the charge, his staff are also to receive recognition for their aid.

“It’s hard for a person to take credit for any particular thing … [because] it’s a lot longer-term than one person. It’s the commission as a whole pushing things along,” Woodruff said.

Serving the community for two generous decades, Woodruff is thinking of this being his last term.

Despite this being Woodruff’s final walk as mayor, his trail of accomplishments speaks for itself. He has developed the city of Sanford into a thriving home for the people, giving opportunity for future prosperity - whether it be individually or the community as a whole. He will be leaving behind a 20-year-long run of good deeds and he continues to be a role model for students at Oviedo High School: promoting integrity, trust, and duty.

PUTTING IN THE HOURS: On the chilly morning of Dec. 7, teacher Art Woodruff working at his desk. He is sorting through classwork for his computer science class, managing a routine that gives him the opportunity to dedicate his efforts to Mayorship.

LIONS COUNTRY

Oviedo Lions finish season 10-2 in playoffs

RILEY SANDERSON | SPORTS EDITOR

After a season highlighted by a historic postseason run, a TODAY show appearance, and two hurricanes, Oviedo’s 2022 Fall football season has officially come to an end. Head coach Greg Odierno, known as “Coach O” to fans and players, closed out his second season at Oviedo with a 10-2 record, largely improving from last season’s 6-4 record.

“We’ve learned a lot more about his system since Coach O has been around for another year,” said senior kicker Owen Proth.

During the regular season, the Lions defeated three teams that ended up qualifying for the playoffs- the Lake Brantley Patriots, Lake Mary Rams, and Hagerty Huskies after coming back in the second half of all three games. This type of competition in their schedule proved the Lions’ capability of being true playoff contenders. They beat the Hagerty Huskies 26-18 in the Mayor’s Cup rivalry game, also known as the notorious “hometown showdown.”

“Leadership was a little bit scarce in the beginning of the year,” said senior

offensive linebacker Noel Keller. “A couple of us had to step up and once we did that we were solid throughout the season.”

Additionally, Odierno led the Lions to a district championship win against the Lyman Greyhounds and a victory of 22-21 in overtime against the Wharton Wildcats, Oviedo’s first playoff win since 2012.

“Our offensive line did an outstanding job all season long,” said Coach Odierno. “Omari Wyatt, Tim Benedict, Gian Deliz and Jacob Thelen all had tremendous seasons that I think didn’t always get the credit they deserved.”

When hurricanes Ian and Nicole came along and delayed two games, including Round 2 against Jones High School, the team was confined to practicing in the Commons, the school cafeteria. Although Oviedo ended up falling to the No. 2 seeded Jones Fightin’ Tigers in Round 2 of the FHSAA Division 3M playoffs, the Lions managed to prove themselves as a powerful team once again by persevering through their disadvantages.

“I definitely wanted to try and make a run to the state championship, but I mean, we got put in the sixth hardest

LIONHEARTED

Clayton Mitchell and Jonathan Dishman share a bond through wrestling

With having to befriend new teammates, learn from a different coach, and adapt to a unique environment, beginning a sport can be difficult for many aspiring athletes – especially if you have no prior experience in the sport or even know anyone on the team. Having someone who wants to join the sport with you can make the process a lot easier.

For juniors Clayton Mitchell and Jonathan Dishman, this is a sentiment held dearly to them. The duo began wrestling their freshman year at OHS. In the beginning of their high school careers, both of them struggled with finding a sport to play, but then found wrestling. While at first reluctant to join, the two’s friendship inspired each other to join.

“Clayton was telling me about wrestling and to come to practice and I’ve loved it ever since,” Dishman said.

Throughout their time in wrestling, the two always hang out with each other

on and off the mat. Because of their bond, they drive each other to work the hardest they can in the wrestling room.

“We both benefit from each other because we always work together to help improve ourselves,” Mitchell said.

Both Mitchell and Dishman qualified for and competed in regionals the previous year and are now looking to make it to states. Clayton had a winloss record of 22-15 last year, and Jonathan had a record of 13-11. This year, the two are more determined

division in the country,” said senior Keller. “It was definitely cool for us to put Oviedo back on the map and get to Round 2.”

This season is only the beginning of Odierno’s impression on Central Florida high school football as a head coach. The improvement from the previous year alone shows the positive impact he has had on

Oviedo’s program in just two seasons.

“You can only do that if your players are mentally and physically tough,” said Odierno on the team’s success.

“I wanted to coach a team that cared for each other and had fun playing. I also value toughness and I think that we had that throughout our team.”

because they are in their junior year and are more experienced as wrestlers.

Wrestling is a sport that requires lots of time. With two hour practices after school five days a week, the sport can be draining for some. What makes it easier for Mitchell and Dishman is having each other to hang out with during these long hours.

“After practice sometimes we go and get McDonald’s because of how hungry we get after working out, and it bonds us as a team better,” said Clayton.

Going out to eat is something that really promotes team bonding. It truly

brings the team together and allows people to get to know each other better. It definitely was the way that they became closer friends and teammates.

“It’s not just practice all the time, with friends you can have fun and actually enjoy what you’re doing,” Dishman said.

Many people believe that wrestling is a sport that can work on and off the mat. It can improve some wrestlers’ personality or morals in their lives.

“Wrestling is something I can commit to,” Mitchell said. “It has made me feel more confident in myself and has made me a more outgoing person.”

LEADING THE PACK: Star running back DJ Scott runs the ball in round 1 of the playoffs against Wharton. He accumulated 164 total yards aginst the Wildcats.

PHOTO BY AUDREY STREMBICKI

PHOTO BY JOSHUA SABBIA

LION PRIDE: Jonathan Dishman takes down his competition during a wrestling match against Lyman at the Master’s Academy.

JOHSUA SABBIA | REPORTER

“...with friends you can have fun and actually enjoy what you’re doing...”

-Jonathan Dishman

WHAT IF: THE WORLD CUP

Reliving the USA’s wild 2022 World Cup

DOMINIQUE MOISE | SENIOR WRITER

After narrowly missing out on the 2018 World Cup, the US Men’s National Team was more than ready to return to the world’s biggest stage in Qatar. With coach Gregg Berhalter and Premier League star Christian Pulisic leading the way, the USA was sure to be in for an interesting experience.

In their first game, the US took on Wales who had veteran striker Gareth Bale at the helm. For most of the first half, the US played fast as they hustled around the field. Every opportunity to move the ball and attack was taken, but overdone passing led to plenty of openshot moments being missed. Defenders Sergino Dest and Weston McKennie were penalized in quick succession with yellow cards. Meanwhile, Pulisic got guarded ferociously by Wales. In the 36th minute, he broke out into open space with right-wing Timothy Weah and after giving an amazing pass, Weah put in a fantastic goal to give the US a 1-0 lead.

However, the second half would be extremely competitive as the Welsh turned it up. Wales became more aggressive while the US tried to hold on defensively and fend off fatigue.

Captain Tyler Adams was impeccable, making several key tackles, passes, and stops to keep the midfield under control. In the 81st minute, Walker Zimmerman upended Bale on a challenge in the penalty box resulting in a yellow card. A minute later, Bale

got the penalty kick just by goalkeeper Matt Turner’s fingertips to tie the game.

A few minutes of back-and-forth later, the game was over with a 1-1 draw. Despite the questionable officiating, the game could have easily ended 1-0 USA if not for some minute mistakes.

Next up was England – a team that was heavily favored to win it all. To open the match, both teams were somewhat cautious. It was like watching two predators eye each other for weaknesses. Nine minutes in, superstar striker Harry Kane nearly scored what would have been a gut-punching goal but was denied by Zimmerman. A few minutes later, McKennie passed the ball to Haji Wright, who tried to head in a goal but missed. After a near miss by McKennie, Pulisic had a chance but lasered the ball off the crossbar in the 32nd minute. Right before halftime, Turner made an epic save to keep the score at 0-0 heading into the break. McKennie had another chance but shot it too high again. After 20 minutes of excellent defense led by the dynamic Adams, Turner made a couple more great saves to keep England scoreless.

In extra time, England got a free kick in a dangerous spot but failed to score after a missed header by Kane. Minutes later, the final whistle blew resulting in yet another draw for the US, this time 0-0. Despite tying, the Americans were in a prime position to advance to the round of 16 if they could defeat Iran in the final group-stage game. Of

LION LEADER

Paige Wisneski dedicates herself to volleyball

When Paige Wisneski opens the doors of the gym, she sees the lights shining off the floor. She hears the student section cheering in the stands, the energy of the crowd lights up the room, instantly knowing the great game to come.

Wisneski is currently a junior and has been playing volleyball for over eight years. To get to where she’s at now has been a long journey. Years of long practices, late nights, and hard work can all be deemed towards Wisneski’s success as a player for the Lions.

“It takes a lot of just time and effort, showing your dedication and your

motivation to your sport, just like actually loving the sport and playing with your heart all the time,” Wisneski said.

In volleyball, each of the six players have their own position with its own role, Wisneski’s position being a setter. The setter’s job is to set the ball up to the hitters who then score the ball by slamming it over the net. It is a very selfless position that allows her to help the team to score.

“I like being a leader, helping my team on the court and off the court, it helps us combine as a group together to be able to get the job done, get what we need to get done and just vibe as a team and have fun, which is the main goal,” Wisneski said.

course, it was easier said than done.

Early on, the USA dominated possession but couldn’t get off any quality shots. In the 38th minute, Pulisic snuck in through two defenders and scored a ridiculous goal off a header pass by Dest. However, he suffered a pelvic contusion after getting kneed by Iran’s goalkeeper during the play. After a yellow card on Adams and a Weah goal that was denied due to an offsides call, the half ended with the US up 1-0.

In the second half, both sides got chances with Iran trying to equalize the score but falling short every time. In the final minutes, Iran nearly scored several times. It all culminated with under 70 seconds left in extra time as Iran nearly scored, the ball squeezed through Turner’s legs and slowly rolled towards the goal but Zimmerman fired the ball away right in the nick of time. Shortly after, the game was over and the Americans were headed to the round of 16.

The US had its work cut for them, but they were ready for the chance to make history. Pulisic nearly scored two minutes in but was stopped by 6-foot8 goalkeeper Andries Noppert. Eight minutes later, Memphis Depay was left wide open in the penalty box and scored to put the Dutch up 1-0. Risky defensive passing and impatient decisions by the US riddled the first half. With minutes left in the first, the US got more aggressive but allowed the Netherlands to go on a counterattack that led to another wideopen goal, this time by Daley Blind.

To start the second half, the US pushed forward to try to tie up the game. Every legitimate chance they seemed to have was stifled by an elite defense led by superstar Virgil van Dijk. Turner made three big saves in the 70th and 71st minutes to keep the score at 2-0. 76 minutes in, defender DeAndre Yedlin bounced the ball off Haji Wright who scored an incredibly unusual goal. It was now anyone’s game. However, the Dutch stomped out any chance of a comeback as a wide-open Denzel Dumfries scored five minutes later to make it 3-1. 15 minutes later, the game was over and the USA’s World Cup run was finished.

Despite this year’s World Cup run being very exciting, unpredictable, and nothing short of wild, there was an overarching sense of disappointment. The US had failed to reach the quarterfinal again. One question will hang over this squad’s heads for quite some time: “what if?” What if Pulisic scores early against the Netherlands? What if they win all three group-stage games? What if Gio Reyna played more minutes? But despite the sadness and pain of getting eliminated, the upcoming 2026 World Cup has created an encouraging sense of hope. For the next four years, the players can get wiser, stronger, and smarter while US Soccer cultivates the next generation of superstars. Nothing motivates, educates, and resonates with athletes more than experience and this year’s lesson will prove to be vital in growing the sport of soccer in America.

This year Wisneski made her thousandth assist and this achievement was a huge milestone for her and her volleyball career.

“I feel proud, just seeing how far I have come since freshman year.. just as a person and a player,” Wisneski said. “I am

thankful that I have such great teammates and coaches who have helped push me to achieve this accomplishment.”

Wisneski is just one of the many players that help make the lady Lions such a strong team, greatly contributing to the incredible volleyball season.

LUKE YOST | REPORTER

HITTING THE MARK: Junior Paige Wisneski hits the ball into Lake Howell territory.

PHOTO BY SARA SOBIK

SWINGING FOR SUCCESS

Hayden Kinder tees off the golf season

RILEY SANDERSON | SPORTS EDITOR

It’s not a coincidence that senior Hayden Kinder individually qualified for the 2022 FHSAA Region 3A Golf Tournament. All season and throughout his high school career, the golfer had put in the work to earn the opportunity to represent Oviedo. “I was proud of the accomplishment,” said Kinder, who has competitively golfed for eight years. “It was just cool being able to go to the next level for the school.”

As the team’s star golfer, Kinder has the accomplishments to back up his talent. He has been a varsity letterman for all four years of his high school golf career and was second team all-conference for his sophomore and junior seasons. During his junior season, Kinder won the “Longest Off the Tee” award and competed in the district championship tournament. This season, he was the boys

team captain and first team allconference. Kinder is also in the top 10% of all high school golfers in the state of Florida, per his iWanamaker scoring and putting averages.

“Hayden has the unique ability to live in the moment,” Coach John Howell said. “He has the ability to move on quickly so that one bad shot doesn’t become two or three in a row.”

As the boys team captain, Kinder sets an example of leadership and having a positive attitude to the other players.

“He was good with the younger players and made them feel like they were an important part of the team from day one,” Howell said. “He would wait until the last group came in each match and spoke to them before we got together as a team.”

Golf is a sport that most players normally compete individually in. Despite the isolated nature of the sport, Kinder makes an effort to unite

the team by supporting his teammates.

“Being with your team is kind of a cool experience,” Kinder said. “You’re rooting for your teammates and it’s just a good vibe all around.”

Kinder also demonstrates how dedication to the sport can improve playing technique. He frequently sticks around after team practices to do extra work.

“He works harder than anybody else on the team,” Tre Dahm said, a freshman on the team, “Playing with him just helps you play better because we can see him and learn from him.”

At this season’s district tournament, Kinder displayed his ability to think on his feet and bounce back in the middle of a match. Located in Port Orange, the course was experiencing steady winds from the coast that were not ideal golfing conditions. By the tenth hole, Kinder was approaching a score that wouldn’t qualify him for the regional tournament.

“When I caught up with him…I said that he was still in [the regional tournament] if he could play even or one under coming in,’’ Howell said. “He played the final six holes one under to qualify him.”

Hayden went on to compete in the FHSAA Region 3A Golf Tournament at Cypress Head Golf Club. Although he didn’t advance to the state tournament, his 2022 season was overall successful to end his high school golf career.

“It was Hayden’s ability to handle stress and live in the moment that helped him all season long,” said Howell.

LEADING LION

Swim star Simon Gong dominates the pool

RILEY SANDERSON | SPORTS EDITOR meet swimming a 54.58 100 meter backstroke and a 2:00.95 200 IM.

This season, Oviedo swim and dive was equipped with many incredibly talented athletes. With the State Championships on Nov. 5, a swimmer with a standout performance has grabbed the attention of those watching.

Sophomore Simon Gong has seen some major improvements in the pool this year, helping his team dominate the competition. Gong’s best strokes are the 200 Individual Medley and 100 backstroke. This year Simon will be one of two sophomore swimmers competing for the team in the state finals.

Since his freshman season, Gong has seen a steady improvement in his swimming abilities which has led him to where he is now. He has been swimming for approximately eight years, which has helped him get a leg up on his competition.

“Swimming has always been an important part of my life,” said Gong. “Going out there and doing my best every single time no matter the circumstance is what motivates me”.

Gong competed in the FHSAA 4A Regional championships where he swam in three events for the Lions, earning two personal records at the

These records are reflective of the time Gong spends working on his craft. Joining the Blue Dolphins swim club at an early age, Gong has been able to mold himself into one of the top swimmers in the state.

“I started Blue Dolfins after swimming lessons at Riverside Aquatics,” Gong said. “It was a viable option, since the pool they swim at is very close to my house.”

Success for Gong is also shown in the classroom where he is one of the top members of his class. He is in the Oviedo Math club where he also helps them compete against other schools. Incredibly well-rounded in the arts, he is a highly experienced pianist and chess player.

Gong aspires to become one of the country’s top swimmers and earn a bid to the United States Olympic Trials. Despite having three more years ahead of him, Gong is already looking forward to the possibility of swimming at the Division I level in college.

Some of the things Gong enjoys most about the sport of swimming is that he gets too cool off in the sweltering summer, being able to stay in great shape, and seeing teammates and friends.

SWING: Senior Hayden Kinder begins the Hagerty match by teeing off at one of the first holes of the course.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE STEIN

DROPPING IN: Sophomore Simon Gong dives into the water at the FHSAA 4A District 3 Championship meet.

A NEW START

Doroteya Kyupeliyska calls Oviedo home

LUKE THOMPSON | REPORTER

This year, foreign exchange student Doroteya Kyupeliyska became a lion at Oviedo High School. Coming to the states has changed the way she learns and the way she lives.

Kyupeliyska lived in a very large city called Sofia that is located in Bulgaria. There, she would often go to the theater with friends to watch plays and go to the local mountains in her free time.

“There are so many things to do there,” she said. “We go to the mountains because it is very close and hang out with friends and do stuff outside everyday.”

Her old school worked quite a bit differently. Every day they had a different class schedule, and all the students would be in one classroom with teachers switching in and out between classes. They also didn’t have any after school activities, which has been her favorite addition at OHS.

“I’ve really enjoyed Oviedo so far,” said Kyupeliyska. “The school is so much different than the one I’m used to. I love all the sports and clubs.”

The clubs and events have impacted Kyupeliyska significantly. She now has access to many exciting opportunities that previously weren’t an optionlike joining the cross country team.

“I think [joining] was the best decision I’ve made so far here,” she said.

The only family that she has in the United States are very distant cousins that live in Oregon. The rest of her family remained home in Bulgaria. When Kyupeliyska came to the states, she didn’t know how to speak any English. She’s been learning it for two years at home all on her own.

Kyupeliyska loves it here. After all the new experiences she’s been able to enjoy here, she’s very happy with the switch and cannot wait to see what else is in store here in Oviedo.

“There are many things to do there. We would go to the mountains . . . and do stuff outside everyday.”

ADAPTING TO CHANGE: Sophomore Doroteya Kyupeliyska smiles brightly as the Florida sun hits the new school campus behind her. The change of scenary is incredible - going from Bulgaria’s majestic mountains to the Sunshine State’s sandy beaches.

A TRAINWRECK HITS SOCIETY

TikTok is Problematic

DOMINIQUE MOISE | SENIOR WRITER

In a world full of controversial social media, there is only one platform that is as insanely problematic as it is popular. And its name is TikTok. TikTok is a social media app that allows users to post short videos that are usually silly pranks, popular dances, weird memes, and crazy challenges. While it is targeted to teenagers and young adults, people of all ages create content on the platform. It has transformed from just a replacement of a previously popular app to a media giant that has over two billion downloads and generates billions of views globally.

But despite TikTok’s wild popularity, it has come under heavy fire in the past three years. It has been banned in several countries, including India and Afghanistan. From August 2020 to June 2021, it was nearly banned in the United States due to former president Donald Trump signing an executive order. The app’s moderation has been criticized for allowing obscene, immoral, vulgar, and inappropriate content to reign supreme.

With recent trends causing destruction, the opposition has grown even stronger.

How did TikTok become so popular? What problems is the platform causing? The answers are clear.

TikTok’s origin story begins back in Sept. 2016 when ByteDance (a Chinese internet technology based in Beijing) released the video sharing app A.me. Months later, it was rebranded as Douyin. While it gained traction in the Chinese market, founder Zhang Yiming wished to expand the app to reach the worldwide audience. Following another rebranding, TikTok was released internationally in the fall of 2017. However, it didn’t

start gaining a base until 2018, when American celebrities, like Jennifer Lopez, started creating content.

But it was the summer of 2020 that changed TikTok forever. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, people who were desperate for entertainment and joy turned to the app. The social media platform helped connect people during a time of isolation. Since anyone could go viral, it encouraged users to consume and produce as much content as possible. Not much else to do when you are stuck at home, right? However, as the world slowly returned to normalcy, the world’s addiction to the

app just kept growing. It is this undying obsession that has led to the massive problems TikTok has caused today.

Take the “devious licks” challenge for instance. Back in Sept. 2021, students started stealing things from their schools and posting what they stole or “licked”. At first, it was smaller items like tape, pencil sharpeners, and rulers. But as time passed, it started to become utterly ridiculous. Kids started destroying classrooms, stealing valuable property, taking street signs, and ripping out toilets. Yes… toilets! School districts around the country were left with millions of dollars worth of damage while misguided teenagers tried desperately to get a taste of internet fame.

TikTok is problematic due to its addictive nature, toxic practices, and distasteful content. Users spend over 95 minutes a day watching a plethora of short video content that’s proven to lower attention spans. In fact, nearly 50% of people find it “stressful” to watch a video longer than a minute. African-American content creators are subject to having their original content appropriated and copied at an unfair scale.

In essence, TikTok is a volatile, destructive app that is single-handedly projecting degeneracy and degrading the critical thinking of impressionable minds. Sure, other social media apps like Twitter and Reddit share some of these problems, but at the end of the day, none can compare. While its popularity cannot be ignored, TikTok is terrible and it’s never going to change.

“TikTok is a volatile, destructive app that is singlehandedly projecting degeneracy.”

-Dominique Moise, 12

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE Spotify Wrapped and its impact on music consumption

CHOATE | COPY EDITOR

The release of popular streaming platform Spotify’s annual ‘Wrapped’ service is arguably one of the most exciting times of year for music fans. While Apple Music and ‘scrobble’ tracker Last.fm offer similar reports year-round, the way that Wrapped is presented is truly where the appeal of it lies. The social aspect of it is ever-present — Instagram stories, Twitter posts, and TikTok videos gleam with excitement (or disappointment) over one’s annual listening habits. Indeed, Wrapped and similar reports have greatly changed how people view their own music consumption; finding out what genres one favors or how much they listen to their favorite artists puts the year into perspective for many. However, there is an element of self-consciousness that is seen in discussions about these reports, which is worsened by the fact that music is a deeply personal interest for most.

The idea of individuality in regards to music is something that many view as being quite important. This is not necessarily a negative aspect of music listening; having something that is special to oneself can be a source of happiness. However, there is often a sort of ‘obscurity-competition’ that can become a cause of friction. This can manifest in, for instance, a person playing certain songs for days on end to achieve certain results on their Wrapped,

SWEETER THAN THE TREAT

Uncovering a hidden gem in the music industry: Cake

CLARE MCCOY | REPORTER

Cake: while many associate the word with a sweet treat typically received on their birthdays or special occasions, it has a much different meaning to those familiar with the talented band. While I dislike the dessert, the band leaves a sweeter taste in my mouth. Cake is an indie rock group that was made famous in the ‘90s by their album Fashion Nugget. The members include singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Daniel McCallum, and drummer Todd Roper. Surprisingly, their name has nothing to do with the food. Rather, it refers to the action of something being caked on –something that sticks to you and is hard to get rid of after building up over time. Their irrelevance to the adolescent population is curious because of the large mass of monthly Spotify listeners, reaching nearly three million last month. One would think that the vast amount of listeners would prove their popularity with young people, but asking any teenager will prove that the majority haven’t heard of them. Often, my friends will have no idea who I’m talking about,

while their parents know them well.

Cake has narrowly avoided being discovered by TikTok users; while it would be nice for them to be discovered on TikTok or another social media platform, there’s something uniquely special about having a niche band all to yourself.. Due to the group’s underground nature, it allows for opportunities to share an artist that many of my peers don’t know about – and feel special and different because of it.

Popularity of Cake first grew due to their interesting bass lines and general monotone singing, but what stands out is Cake’s overarching use of metaphors, genius songwriting, and of course, their incredible trumpet melodies. In most songs, they follow a storyline that is typically about love and special parts of life and the little details that go unnoticed in everyday routines.

Their song ‘Short Skirt/Long Jacket’ is truly special because of the pure nature of it; it describes all of the specific things that make up the girl of his dreams, and it has such an interesting and wholesome concept with every detail painting her as smart and capable (as well as being fashionable). The lyrics shine because

it’s so rare to hear people talk about strong, interesting, and intelligent girls in songs – to hear them value her beyond her looks or the love that she gives him. ‘Never There’ follows his relationship with a girl that tells him she loves him, yet does not return his affection – a girl that he can’t get to be there for him. Musically, ‘Never There’ is their best song, with an extremely interesting bass and drum combo, not to mention the entirely unique trumpet melody. Their most popular song, ‘The Distance’, has one of the more interesting concepts. On the surface level, it’s about a race car driver, but any amount of attention to the lyrics will open a world of metaphors. There have been many interpretations of these figures, which shows the true versatility of the songwriting. Some believe it’s about a man who died on the track before the race started, but others see it as a man who is pursuing his goals to the extreme. Another aspect of the song is mentioning a girl often, saying “she’s all alone in her time of need”. This ambiguous narration is captivating because it shows many sides of the same story. Personally, I believe that it’s about a man who has poured so much

or only listening to certain kinds of music on the app. Such a superficial culture surrounding music defeats the ethos behind Spotify’s Wrapped and services like it. This can stem from baseless, pretentious stigma around labels such as ‘pop-music,’ or a desire for one’s report to be seen as more refined or interesting. Unfortunately, such a pretentiousness can corrupt the intention behind fun and interesting services such as Spotify Wrapped.

Ultimately, however, it is clear that Wrapped provides a significant source of community. It can stimulate conversation around different types of music and allow people to discover new artists that they otherwise may not have ever heard of before. Spotify Wrapped and similar services allow music fans of all kinds to discuss their favorite (and least favorite) artists and songs, as well as what sort of music they hope to keep discovering in the future. The fun and colorful way that Wrapped is presented provides an accessible way of communicating for dialogue about music, and, more fundamentally, forms of artistic expression. Thus, it can be an invaluable way of connecting with one’s community. Indeed, this connection is not specific to Spotify Wrapped in particular; it is found in any medium that fosters this sharing of interests with one’s community and the world.

into his goals that he has abandoned the love of his life during the pursuit; while she tries to make herself known to him he is blinded by his own ambition. The beauty of their writing style is that you’re able to connect to it in so many ways.

It’s a near impossible task to describe the impact Cake has had on music for many. They romanticize the little things in life, inspiring all who listen to their music to connect with people differently. Between their trumpet features, John McCrea’s iconic singing voice, and their incredibly talented drummer and bassist, they are remarkably unique, and their sound will forever be unmatched.

“My music tends to be something I can sink into, a world away from the world around me. I like being able to tune everything out and just focus on myself and what’s happening in my headphones.”

-Naman Doad, 12

AUDREY

“My playlists tend to consist of music that reflects how I feel or can relate to. I really enjoy the transparency in Blue October’s music. It’s amazing to see Justin recover and how it changes his music and what he writes about.”

-Kara Janowski, 12