The Paw Pint September 2014

The Paw Print Volume 4 Issue 1

Masters of Magic

P. 10-11

Selfie Fashion Homecoming Jackson Horoscopes Pros and Revival of rally Clark p. 8 Cons p. 4 the 90’s p. 21 P. 5 p. 16

Photos by Jenny Lee

News Seniors watch sunrise as a Pack for the first and last time Editors N. Bhumralkar & C. Ro CELINE KINER EDITOR IN CHIEF On Friday, West Ranch seniors gathered to participate in a graduating class tradition; at the crack of dawn, the class of 2015 sat down on the football field to commemorate the beginning of the end with this year’s senior sunrise. The event was simple and required minimal setup; the sun did most of the work, although ASB’s Jacob Shalkevich made sure that there was a moment of silence to recognize the students that the valley has lost in the past year. As the sun peeked over the mountains surrounding the Santa Clarita Valley, blankets and lawn chairs were spread out on the turf and an impressive amount of Krispy Kreme donuts were shared among friends. Class president Jessy Holen was able to express the mixed

emotions that hit the senior class with the realization that they would be graduating this year. “Being a senior and in the home stretch of high school is really bittersweet,” she said. “I’m excited to see where my life takes me in the next year, but it’s also so crazy to think about how fast these past three years have flown and how many memories and good times I’ve had throughout high school.” The senior sunrise was only the first of many senior activities that will take place in the next year, but as senior Jeffrey Wei said, “it was a symbolic and uplifting experience that brought the senior class together.” Holen stressed that to her senior year meant new opportunities as well, even though it’s a close to her high school career. “The sunrise is special because it reminds us that once our high school glory days are over, there will always be a new sunrise each day and new beginnings to look forward to in our lives,” she said. Well put, Holen.

Photos by Celine Kiner

Magic Mountain reveals a new ‘twist’ on an old classic ANDY SONG STAFF WRITER

For 36 years, the wooden roller coaster Colossus has been a Six Flags classic. With the announcement of Colossus’ close on Aug. 17, many people were left disappointed and curious of what could replace such a famous coaster.

Questions were answered when Six Flags Magic Mountain revealed a plan to combine the wooden classic with steel tracks to make the World’s longest hybrid roller coaster. Named “Twisted Colossus”, the steel tracks will allow for new ride experiences that were not possible before. Six Flags fans are excited for Twisted Colossus with its debut in Spring 2015.

“I am glad that Six Flags found a way to include the original Colossus and make a different kind of coaster at the same time,” said freshman Drew Stier.

Twisted Colossus was announced to have plenty of new features with the addition of steel tracks. The ride will include two lift hills, 18 airtime hills, and the impressive 128 foot drop at 80 degrees. A top gun element will be included, where the train slows down while upside down.

Twisted Colossus will also feature plenty of inversions and twists, including a Zero G Roll where the train is twisted 360 degrees. Unique to Twisted Colossus, two trains will be running simultaneously on two separate tracks. Because of this new feature, a high five element will be included where two trains pass a turn facing each other and give riders the illusion that they will be able to high five another rider.

For people who hate waiting in line for hours to ride a one to three minute ride, Twisted Colossus will have nearly four minutes of ride time making it worth the wait. With exciting new features and more to come, Twisted Colossus will give riders a unique experience.

“I was sad to see Colossus go. At the same time, I am glad that it will be getting an improvement and I can’t wait to see all the new changes,” said freshman Kenny Singh.

During a press release regarding Twisted Colossus, Six Flags Park President Bonnie Rabjohn said, “At Six Flags, innovation is in our DNA and with Twisted Colossus, innovation will go to an extreme level with record-breaking elements, faster speeds and steeper banks. This cutting-edge technology marries the best of both classic and modern coaster designs. It is definitely a twist on a traditional wooden coaster experience.”

Twisted Colossus will be the focal point in a newly themed location called Back Alley. Construction on Twisted Colossus is already underway, and is projected to be open in Spring 2015. Magic Mountain encountered a problem on Photo Provided by: Bakersfield Now , Daily News Sept. 8 during the take down of Colossus when a fire broke out as crews were working on the ride. The Los Angeles Twisted Colossus will come to Magic Mountain in County Fire Department was called to the scene and managed to contain the fire before any major damage or injuries Spring 2015. occurred. Despite the fire on Colossus, Six Flags is continuing to work on Twisted Colossus for its opening in 2015.

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News iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus hit the stores with soaring expectations

Whatsapp with the new Facebook Messenger?

ANDY SONG STAFF WRITER

With iPhones and other Apple products being very popular around the world, what is next for Apple? The iPhone 5S and 5C were released nearly a year ago, leaving consumers waiting for the new addition in Apple’s smartphones. Because the iPhone 5S and 5C were smaller updates compared to previous models, customers have been expecting a large update for the iPhone 6. Over the past few months, the iPhone 6 has been highly anticipated and numerous amounts of rumors were leaked regarding all the possible new features. With the end of 2014 approaching, the iPhone 6 has been a popular topic of discussion among consumers.

Rumors suggest that the iPhone 6 will be released in this month. With previous models being released in fall except for the iPhone 4, consumers believe Apple will continue the pattern. Rumors suggest that the iPhone will be announced on Sept. 9 and officially released on Sept. 19 as iOS 8 is to be released around this time.

Freshman Drake Sims, a current iPhone user, said “There are so many new and interesting features that the iPhone 6 will have such as bigger screens and better battery. I think it will be a great product.”

One of the new features will be a large structural improvement. With many other bigger smartphones available, the iPhone 6 will have two larger versions for the iPhone 6; one with a 4.7 inch screen and another model with a 5.5 inch screen. The 5.5 inch model is close in size to the iPad mini(7.9 inches) as “phablets” are becoming more popular.

The resolution of the screen will also be improved, making the overall phone brighter and clearer. The iPhone 6 will also become thinner and match the thickness of the iPod touch, giving the phone a lighter feel.

A new type of material called Sapphire glass will be added to the phone, allowing it to be slim and durable at the same time. Apple fans will no longer have to worry about dropping the new iPhone.

As phones have become a large part of our daily lives, better battery life and processor are important. The new processor and battery pack will be added to the iPhone 6 , allowing the phone to be more efficient and faster without burning as much battery. Wireless charging has also been in speculation to further improve battery life.

Because the iPhone 6 will have much more capability with the improved size and processor, larger storage is another new feature. So for all of you tech people, this new increased storage allows for more photos, apps, and music to be stored.

New photo and camera capabilities along with clearer resolution will be added with the iOS 8 update. For all the photographers and Instagramers, the new camera will make each photo clearer and more in depth, making every photo better than before.

However, the addition of improved features is increasing the expense for Apple. Because the manufacturing price will increase, the price of the product itself will most likely be raised. The price could by about $100 from previous prices, and may even cost more for the larger 5.5 inch model.

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News

Club Rush Day features a wide variety of clubs SYDNEY CHANG STAFF WRITER

Despite the extreme me weather during lunch oon n Sept.

S 17, West Ranch students tudents were able to enjoy the busy usy and lively atmosphere re ooff Club Rush D Day. This day gave club members an opportunity pportunity to spread awar awareness warrene e ss of their cl clubs and non-members a chance to join various groups. Many students enthusiastically advertised their organizations. The upper part of campus was bustling with members from different clubs holding up poster boards and handing out flyers with more information.

At the booths, officers tried persuading new members to join through earnest and cheerful smiles.

“This year, we’re trying to raise awareness for a cleaner campus through adding more blue barrels for recycling. Hopefully, those interested in our club will join,” said junior Nicole Torgesen, the secretary of the Help the Environment as a Team (HEaT) club.

(Top) Wildcats Against Cancer (WAC) encourage students to join the fight against cancer.

(Bottom) Future Doctor’s Association (FDA) officers, Daniel Lee, Jenny Lee, and Josh Han promote their club.

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Senior Emma Lee, a member of Astronomy Club, looks through a telescope to view the sky.

Students were greeted by many clubs b su such h as EDU Africa, i Gay Straight i h Alliance l (GSA), and Harmony. Many booths were crowded with students from all classes.

New members moved from table to table, asked about a certain club they were interested in, and signed up on the spot. Many were convinced of the benefits of something beyond themselves.

Collin Pham, a freshman who signed up for Key Club, said, “Joining clubs looks good on college applications. I’m really glad this event allows students to join all the different groups on one day instead of on multiple days, making it a little harder to look for interesting clubs.” Club Rush Day proved to be another success.

It was a memorable day for students to recruit more members and learn more about school activities.

All photos by Sydney Chang Students eagerly sign up for new clubs at Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Club Rush Day. members Kate Ryan, Michael Fleischmann, and Eva Schroeder welcome people to their club.

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News Hunger Games rally fires up the Ranch for Homecoming festivities Kiana Quick Staff Writer

The annual homecoming rally was here at the Ranch on Sept. 26. The very first thing you saw when walking into the gym was huge projection of the “mockingjay” symbol from the Hunger Games over the junior and senior sections. And a “May the odds be ever in your favor” poster hung underneath one of the scoreboards. This Hunger Games theme stayed present throughout the whole rally. JV and varsity cheer was the first of the performances and they started off strong, using music from the Hunger Games movie and also incorporated small audio clips from the movie. After cheer, a small mini game was carried out in which three football players Chase Killingsworth, Filipe Montazeri, and Bronson Feuer each had to throw a ball through a decorated hula hoop. The school’s hip-hop and dance teams fired up the gym or the introduction of the Homecoming court.

Each couple made their way across the gym in beautiful dresses and classy suits. It was Jake Killingsworth and Taylor Howard for the freshmen court.

Sophomores were Katie Jacobs and Robert Pablos. Juniors were Manshan Hothi and Kelsey Fernando. And the couple who were later crowned homecoming king and queen were Jacob Shalkevitz and Stephanie Rankin. The senior homecoming court then took part in a Hunger Games themed game.

The homecoming rally ended with an artist performing aerial acrobatics.

This “girl on fire” put on a dance while hanging from two gigantic sheets of special fabric that hung from the ceiling. Using just her feet, she hung upside down while in the splits. It was equally captivating and stunning.

“The homecoming rally was really entertaining and fun. They also stuck to the Hunger Games theme really well. I can’t wait to see how they top this one next year” said freshman Brandon Bedient.

Homecoming dance was ever in West Ranch’s favor Candace Ro News Editor

“Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor,” announced dazzling District 12 escort Effie Trinket.

The Hunger Games theme has been featured all throughout Homecoming week including the Homecoming Dance on Sept. 26.

The lights from the dancefloor shined brightly and the burning decorative flames could be seen from outside of the school, the mockingjay symbol also projected brilliantly alongside the campus. Roaring music was not only heard, but could also be felt as people waited in line to purchase tickets. For only 10 dollars, students were able to enjoy dancing, carnival rides, a photo booth, and food.

Many students also enjoyed how the exciting Hunger Games was integrated into all of Homecoming from the rally performances to the brunch activities. They all greatly contributed to the anticipation for the dance.

“I definitely enjoyed how the Hunger Games theme was incorporated throughout the week from the rally to the dance. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of my last Homecoming,” said senior Taylor Tampus. Toward the end of the night, students gathered to the dance floor to witness the crowning of the Homecoming King. Everyone cheered when Jacob Shalkevich was crowned.

“I was totally honored and humbled when I found out that I won. I want to give a big thank you to everyone who voted for me,” said Shalkevich.

After the crowning and a short dance, the clock struck midnight and students left the parking lot, never to forget the awesome Homecoming week behind them. From the exciting theme to the memorable dance, Homecoming was well put together thanks to the hard work of ASB. “This homecoming was amazing and a great turn out as expected.” said ASB Commissioner of Athletics Lauren Spector.

The night was an overall big success and provided lasting memories for all students who attended. Looking forward to the other dances ahead of this school year!

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Editor I. Kyoung

Opinions Through selfies, people gain opportunities to define themselves.

We have to be more Be careful about the careful about what pictures you post, we do. send, or take on your friend’s phone.

Even though the account may be gone, those pictures are still on the internet, somewhere.

This is my personality. This is what I like to do.

A form of selfconfidence that I don’t think should be quickly dismissed.

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SYDNEY CHANG STAFF WRITER SAMANTHA HARTUNG STAFF WRITER Provided by Claire Lee

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Opinions GISELA FACTORA STAFF WRITER

JAEUN PARK STAFF WRITER

JONG HAK WON STAFF WRITER

Illustration by Jaeun Park

Illustration by Jaeun Park

The Men’s Right Movement claims they are “tired of being oppressed by gender roles” and basically want feminists to stop whining and shut up.

They state their mission statement is to stop the everyday discrimination of men - particularly honing in on the issue of falsified rape.

Perhaps we should stop the rape first before getting to the fact that there are cases of falsified rape -- especially since the cases of fake rape are greatly less compared to the cases of actual rape.

Women can vote, women can run for president, women can divorce, shouldn’t we call it a day because everybody has equal rights now?

The sad truth is, everyday we must combat bigotry because there are still people in the world who believe gender, race, and religion should elevate them in society.

In such an advanced age as this, shouldn’t the discrimination have ended by now? We pride ourselves in being the most advanced species, but when see some of the idiotic comments people around our school make I wonder who’s really got it right.

And to the MRM: Women are people too. We have feelings and hopes and dreams and you’ll find that the majority of us has never falsely accused a person of sexual assault. Just because I have a different anatomy doesn’t mean you’re better than I am, than she is, than he is, or anybody.

Are we not human?

Humans have always had a fascination with the future. From questioning what we want to be when we grow up to questioning when widescale interstellar travel will be possible, it seems that from the very beginning of our lives we are more concerned with what is to come rather than what is happening now. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; we’re one of the only species with a sense of the future, which gives us an advantage when it comes to survival.

As well as drawing from the past to prepare for the future, humans also draw from the future for inspiration. Some of the most iconic stories of all time are set centuries in the future, “Star Trek” probably being the most famous and influential of them all. Many modern inventions were inspired by technology in “Star Trek,” including cell phones and iPads. The series has also influenced the likes of Neil deGrasse Tyson to enter the STEM fields. And it doesn’t stop at “Trek.”

Countless other technologies-- the rocket, the computer virus, even the Internet itself-- came from ideas in science fiction novels set in the future.

Today, the fascination with the future is still going strong. But there’s one twist. Instead of dreams of a utopian future society, the trend is now dystopian future societies, ruined by corrupt totalitarian governments; look at “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent,” and “The Maze Runner.” Our very own homecoming, in fact, is themed after “The Hunger Games.” While I fail to understand why you would want to theme an event after a story about warfare against an oppressive regime, it proves that modern day readers love their dystopian fiction.

Illustration by Jaeun Park

School has become a race. It’s about who has the best GPA, has the best SAT score, or is in the most amount of extra-curriculars. It’s a result of the highstakes system that has been set up. Nowadays, not getting into college is equivalent to throwing away any chance of a good adult life.

Competition locks people in a cycle. The winners, or those who do well, feel the satisfaction of victory and need to consistently do better than the rest. The only way to do this is by trying to further outcompete others. Success ends up being contingent on the failures of others. The standard for competition is a reflection of how badly others did. This can stifle cooperation that is necessary for effective learning.

If you’re in an AP or Honors class, being the kid that consistently gets low grades earns you the label of the “dumb” kid. The problem with this is that the label depresses people which means they’ll be less likely to work. This perpetuates a cycle where they are at the bottom.

There lies a more subtle problem. When there’s a competition, there’s a standard of victory. You can tell when someone’s won. If you know what will be tested, you win. This creates a system where people will slavishly memorize what will be on the test. Tests then become a competition of who can regurgitate memorized information.This stifles critical thinking as students are unable to think outside the textbook.

Focus on yourself and hold yourself to standards that are your own. Education is something that goes beyond just high school or college, so make it count.

For the full length articles, visit www.wrpawprint.com.

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Opinions

Provided by Politics

MORGAN SMITH STAFF WRITER

Please

Don’t Shoot

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Provided by Motherjones

Provided by NYT

On Aug. 9, the community of Ferguson was in an uproar over the unjust killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson. Dorian Johnson, a friend and eyewitness to the shooting, told CNN his account of the shooting.

“It was definitely like being shot like an animal,” Johnson told NBC News.

Piaget Crenshaw and Tiffany Mitchell were also witnesses to the shooting.

Mitchell told CNN that although she did not see what lead up to the confrontation, she could confirm Johnson’s witness account.

A private autopsy shows that Brown could have survived all but the last of at least six shots, a bullet to the head. Was one bullet not enough for Wilson? Why did Wilson feel the need to use such excessive force? These questions remain to be answered along with many others, as the Ferguson Police Department refuses to release many details of the case. The lack of clarity by the police is questionable.

Police officers are sworn to respect the rights of all individuals and act with honesty, courtesy, and regard for the welfare of others. The way the Ferguson and St. Louis Police Department have lived up to their oath is unacceptable. The fact that an unarmed teenager was shot to death by a law enforcement officer is unacceptable. Brown was somebody’s son. He was somebody’s brother. He was two days away from going to college.

He was a human being degraded and put down like an animal.

The police have done nothing to ease my mind, especially with their flippant attitude. The blue wall of silence is deafening.

“It was more than just a couple [of shots], but I don’t think it was many more than that,” commented St. Louis County Police Chief John Belmar at a press conference. Law enforcement could not try to minimize the situation more with this statement.

The Ferguson Police Department also has a history of abuse. In 2009, police officers falsely arrested Henry Davis for outstanding warrants that were for another man with the same name.

When Davis complained that there were no sleeping mats in his cell, several officers proceeded to beat him until he was nearly passed out bleeding on the floor. After being taken to the hospital, Davis was charged with four counts of “property damage” for bleeding on the officers’ uniforms. You can’t make this up.

Provided by CNN

Provided by WPMedia

It is infuriating that many more black men like Brown and Davis have been subjected to police brutality. In 1999, Amadou Diallo was shot to death after four plainclothes officers mistook his wallet for a weapon. Of the 41 attempted bullets, 19 hit Diallo who was unarmed. The officers were all acquitted.

Earlier this year, Jonathan Ferrell was shot 10 times by police.

Authorities believed that Ferrell was attempting to break and enter a house when he was actually seeking assistance after a car crash. Ramarley Graham was fatally shot in his apartment when police entered without a warrant looking for narcotics.

No weapons were found and the officer responsible was also acquitted.

The early morning of New Year’s Day in 2009, Oscar Grant was detained by police at the Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco. Grant was lying face down handcuffed when officer Johannes Mehserle shot Grant in the back four times. Mehserle claimed in his defense that he intended to reach for his taser rather than his gun. Did the mistake not register in his mind after the first shot? The egregious shooting was turned into the film “Fruitvale Station.” There is a clear pattern here. These were accounts of executions by police that were broadcasted on national news. But what about the countless other cases that occur daily?

Reporters from Fox News have the temerity to state unequivocally that the race card is being used. I might add that the phrase “race card” is a convenient way to dismiss all incidents of racism, even those that are confirmable.

“The only racial divide that is created here is being created by race baiters,” criticized former LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman.

The difference in views of excessive force by some police show that there is a racial divide. One night at the University of Tennessee, a rowdy house party spilled into the streets. When a photo of Caucasian party-goer Jarod Dotson being placed in a choke hold after resisting arrest was leaked, the officer at fault, Frank Phillips, was immediately fired for excessive force. How much more excessive is the murder of an unarmed, AfricanAmerican teenager on his knees while his hands are up pleading “please don’t shoot.”

These events make me question, who will protect the public when police break the law?

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Features JULIET BERNAL STAFF WRITER

Editor S. Soto

What’s in your Future?

You are bursting with energy. Share your ideas in class and participate extra this month; your classmates will appreciate your in-put

Aft pu er a sch tting few w e foc oolw ffort eeks or o u i to sed. k it’s nto y f not get As o t u i un a b k qu me t r de ette est o g rst ion et an r s din g.

ur yo d ell ban ot e t new tim he ng he t t ssi ys t ou se er is i ab ob ev e Th ends been now you’r fri ’ve ou k t if n u i yo ver.Y g, bu ling o hin g g tr y l t u r str choo g fo s oin . g elp h

Time for an attitude adjustment; stop stressing over the past. This month try and do less talking and more listening. Open yourself up--you can learn a lot of new ideas.

You’re ultra emotional lately and need to think your decisions through. An opportunity will come up to get away from school; take it, but set aside time to study.

l: goa club m r a r e gt for lon aiser to you a t se ndr s in size e to a fu hour pha Tim anize extra t. Em thing org put projec ds; no le or test rien luab la ur f re va . yo mo nds is frie n tha

It’s been an overwhelming couple of months, so it’s time to take a step back and take a little breather. Skip the parties coming up to stay home and relax.

Classes: Biology Marine Biology Birthday: October 29 What’s your favorite birthday cake?

“I actually don’t have a favorite birthday cake. My favorite birthday pie is pumpkin.”

Th is a jo is a g r e b per . Your at mo nt so b co nali ubb h to t n a y p n w ly, int ect w ill h curio ply fo e elp us ith r r you viewe you you m ra r a ke nd h a fe elp ext w r a buc ks.

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Features JACQUELINE HOFMANN STAFF WRITER

One Sweater, O

1.

Bomber jackets are an essential for me because they can add a pop of print to almost anything and they aren’t too heavy or too light for fall.

Boyfriend jeans are comfy and create the perfect balance between casual and fashionable.

iece of Lastly, booties look universally good with any piece clothing. They can really bring together a look regardless.

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Three Looks 3.

2.

For this outfit, I layered a chambray shirt under my cranberry sweater.

A knit skirt adds a bit of dimension to the look.

Th he blazer really helps give the overa The overall outfit a bit of sophistication. It also provides an optional layer.

Th The white jeans are also a refreshing break from th the typical dark wash.

You can’t forget your favorite fall drink!

Mine is a Caramel Macchiato.

Off cours urs this outfi tfitt wouldn’t look nearly as put course togeth tog ether eth e without w together this bold statement necklace.

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Celia Hofmann Centerspread Editor

Have you ever wondered how a magic trick works? Well, I’m not going to tell you the answer to that (I don’t even know) but, I did get a chance to catch up with two of West Ranch’s very own magicians, Joshua Johnson and Jacob Mower, who are auditioning for The Magic Castle this September.

For those who don’t know, The Magic Castle is a private club, restaurant and performance venue which hosts many highly talented magicians, nightly, along with celebrities, such as Neil Patrick Harris.

“We’ve been working on our audition for about a year now; that’s when we started getting serious about magic,” said Mower. “Joshua told me about the audition and I thought ‘I got a couple tricks, I could work something out.’”

But their interest in magic didn’t start a year ago; it began at a much younger age.

“I watched Chris Angel and the show “Mind Freak” a lot when I was young and I always wanted to know how that was done,” said Johnson.

“When I was in Vegas, I bought a magic kit and that’s how I got started.”

Mower had a bit of a different story.

“When I was about six, I went to the Disney magic store and I saw a man perform the hovering car trick. I was blown away,” he said.

And now they’re the ones blowing away audiences at church dances, home and school.

“I love watching them do magic,” said West Ranch junior and friend of Johnson and Mower, Victoria Tandy.

“They never fail to impress me; their tricks are extremely well rehearsed and entertaining. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them mess up.”

Not only do their

“It’s all about misdirection and being one step ahead of the game.”

tricks captivate their audience, but they give Johnson and Mower a feeling of fulfillment.

“My favorite part about magic is the reactions. Some people are hilarious and you’ll smile no matter what,” said Johnson.

They even have a few funny stories from people’s reactions.

“He was doing this trick and a kid walked up and said, ‘I know how that’s done’ when he turned the balloon over he just said ‘Oh wait, nevermind’ and walked away,” said Johnson.

Both Johnson and Mower learn their tricks through the aid of magic books they find on the internet.

“It’s all about misdirection and being one step ahead of the game,” said Mower.

They spend anywhere from days to months perfecting their tricks.

“This joker is all knowing. He knows all the cards in the deck and with a snap of my fingers he will be holding the card that you had picked out earlier.” Sure enough, with a snap of Johnson’s fingers the picture of the joker was holding an ace.

“This trick was hard to learn; it took me about a month,” said Johnson describing the trick.

As for their future, these guys have it planned out.

“I would love to perform at the Magic Castle, maybe not as a full-time job but definitely part-time,” said Johnson.

Both Johnson and Mower have a talent for performing magic tricks however, they see magic influencing their lives in very different ways.

“My career goal is to be a doctor but magic is a great skill to have,” said Mower. “It helps you be able to go up and talk to anyone without being nervous.”

Johnson and Mower’s magic is an incredible sight. The hard work they put into perfecting their tricks shines through as they perform. Their tricks may be perplexing but their knack for magic is obvious.

“My favorite part about magic is the reactions.”

JACOB

JOSHUA

M O W E R

J O H N S O N

Photos By: Sarah Castillo

Celia Hofmann Centerspread Editor

Have you ever wondered how a magic trick works? Well, I’m not going to tell you the answer to that (I don’t even know) but, I did get a chance to catch up with two of West Ranch’s very own magicians, Joshua Johnson and Jacob Mower, who are auditioning for The Magic Castle this September.

For those who don’t know, The Magic Castle is a private club, restaurant and performance venue which hosts many highly talented magicians, nightly, along with celebrities, such as Neil Patrick Harris.

“We’ve been working on our audition for about a year now; that’s when we started getting serious about magic,” said Mower. “Joshua told me about the audition and I thought ‘I got a couple tricks, I could work something out.’”

But their interest in magic didn’t start a year ago; it began at a much younger age.

“I watched Chris Angel and the show “Mind Freak” a lot when I was young and I always wanted to know how that was done,” said Johnson.

“When I was in Vegas, I bought a magic kit and that’s how I got started.”

Mower had a bit of a different story.

“When I was about six, I went to the Disney magic store and I saw a man perform the hovering car trick. I was blown away,” he said.

And now they’re the ones blowing away audiences at church dances, home and school.

“I love watching them do magic,” said West Ranch junior and friend of Johnson and Mower, Victoria Tandy.

“They never fail to impress me; their tricks are extremely well rehearsed and entertaining. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them mess up.”

Not only do their

“It’s all about misdirection and being one step ahead of the game.”

tricks captivate their audience, but they give Johnson and Mower a feeling of fulfillment.

“My favorite part about magic is the reactions. Some people are hilarious and you’ll smile no matter what,” said Johnson.

They even have a few funny stories from people’s reactions.

“He was doing this trick and a kid walked up and said, ‘I know how that’s done’ when he turned the balloon over he just said ‘Oh wait, nevermind’ and walked away,” said Johnson.

Both Johnson and Mower learn their tricks through the aid of magic books they find on the internet.

“It’s all about misdirection and being one step ahead of the game,” said Mower.

They spend anywhere from days to months perfecting their tricks.

“This joker is all knowing. He knows all the cards in the deck and with a snap of my fingers he will be holding the card that you had picked out earlier.” Sure enough, with a snap of Johnson’s fingers the picture of the joker was holding an ace.

“This trick was hard to learn; it took me about a month,” said Johnson describing the trick.

As for their future, these guys have it planned out.

“I would love to perform at the Magic Castle, maybe not as a full-time job but definitely part-time,” said Johnson.

Both Johnson and Mower have a talent for performing magic tricks however, they see magic influencing their lives in very different ways.

“My career goal is to be a doctor but magic is a great skill to have,” said Mower. “It helps you be able to go up and talk to anyone without being nervous.”

Johnson and Mower’s magic is an incredible sight. The hard work they put into perfecting their tricks shines through as they perform. Their tricks may be perplexing but their knack for magic is obvious.

“My favorite part about magic is the reactions.”

JACOB

JOSHUA

M O W E R

J O H N S O N

Photos By: Sarah Castillo

Features

A ROARING SUMMER

ERICA LEE STAFF WRITER

Provided by Alex Kim

Hey Big Ben, is that you?

This past summer Alex Kim visited London, England where he was able to see Big Ben towering over him.

This past summer Ashley Mayh Mayhall was invited ed along with 60 different players ayers to travel trave to Ireland forr a golf camp.

“I got to see a Broadway musical which was pretty cool. “Les Miserables” was better than I thought it would be, but it was more fun because I got to do it with my family,” said Kim.

Provided by Ashley Mayhall

“We played on a golf course with views like no other. It was absolutely breathtaking. The Kerry Cup changed my life and it truly was a trip of a lifetime,” said Mayhall.

Megan Deffenbaugh along with the West Ranch Dance Team attended the dance intensive, Dancerpalooza, at the Long Beach Convention Center for a week.

Provided by Megan Deffenbaugh

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“I loved learning new dances, but I enjoyed spending time with my friends more. I had so much fun meeting my favorite dancers!” said Deffenbaugh.

Jenny Myer traveled all the way to Asia; specifically, Beijing, China. While visiting Beijing, she had a tour of the Forbidden City was Myer’s favorite part.

“I think the hardest part w was getting used to the ffood. It was good, but it wasn’t the typical things that I would eat,” said Myer.

Provided by Jenny Myer

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Features

Jessica Pilner: Ice Princess Raylene Factora Staff Writer

Provided by Jessica Pilner

When junior Jessica Pilner first stepped foot on the ice at the age of four, she stopped skating because it was too cold for her. Today, she is a successful soloist ice skater, as well as part of a team that has world and national titles. It’s a good thing she put her skates back on.

“I came back to it, and everybody just kept saying ‘Oh, you’re a natural on ice.’ So I just stuck to it, and I eventually grew to love it,” said Pilner.

For seven years, Jessica has been taking soloist lessons from her coach, Erika Shorr, at the Ice Station Valencia. She trains with her coach about three times a week, in 30 minute sessions. Throughout the years, she has won and placed in many competitions.

“Jessica is an excellent performer and does well under pressure,” said Shorr.

“She shows good sportsmanship when things don’t go well for her, and there are many ups and downs, as with any sport.”

As well as performing as a soloist, Jessica is part of the Los Angeles Ice Theater, which competes in the Theater on Ice genre.

“We take musicals or plays or even stories that we come up with, and we put it all on ice with costumes, hair, and makeup. We take choreography and basically turn it into acting on ice,” said Pilner.

The Los Angeles Ice Theater (LAIT) was established in 2001. The team has won six national competitions and holds two world titles. Jessica competed with the team when they traveled to Logrono, Spain in 2013 for an international competition known as the Sur de Glace, or Ballet on Ice. In her very little off time from skating, Jessica likes to hang out with friends and chill with her family. Balancing school, family, and friends is hard enough, and with the addition of her skating, Jessica has to make many sacrifices.

Because of practice hours, Jessica misses the football games and dances on Friday nights, as well as activities happening on other days.

In addition to giving her a busy schedule,all the years of impact from skating have taken their toll on Jessica’s body.

“The tendinitis in my knees has made it difficult.

The constant jumping and landing on the ice hurts. I wear braces when it gets really bad, but sometimes I have to take a few days off.

It’s not major right now, but it could lead to something major.”

Despite all the sacrifices she makes and the challenges she faces, Jessica’s love for the sport fuels her to keep going. When she steps up on the ice, everything disappears except for that moment.

“It’s actually a great feeling stepping up on the ice. The crowd’s cheering, and I can just show what I can do on the ice and be myself.” said Pilner.

Jessica’s ice skating career wouldn’t be possible without the love and support of her parents.

“There is nothing I would rather do than watch Jessica skate,” said Tracey Pilner, Jessica’s mother. “When she’s on the ice, it makes me so proud, watching her and seeing all her hard work pay off. I never, in my wildest dreams, believed that she would skate all over the United States, let alone be going to Europe for the second time. This is just the beginning for Jessica.”

No matter where she is headed, the future looks bright for the 16-year old ice skater.

“When I’m on the ice, I just have this feeling that I’m home, and I know where I belong, and nothing could ever replace that feeling.” www. wrpawprint.com

Carly Sherwood-Souza makes a splash Lauren Lee Staff Writer

To many students at West Ranch, the swimming pool is just a scene of summer fun. But to Junior Olympic diver and junior Carly Sherwood-Souza, the pool is a place of serious competition and enjoyment.

Sherwood-Souza has been diving for five years, dedicating her time to both the West Ranch varsity diving team as its captain and the Junior Olympics Diving Team at USC. However, Sherwood hasn’t always been one with the waters and was initially a passionate cheerleader until she received an injury during her cheering years.

“I loved being in the air and flying, so when I found out I had to take six months off I was really upset. But when I started diving, it just clicked. I loved the water and I loved flipping and diving is just a combination of both,” said Sherwood-Souza.

Her love for the sport is evident in her many hours of dedication and her daily schedule consists of waking up in the morning, attending class, and then spending the majority of her nights at diving practice for three hours until 8:30 p.m. During her summers, the diver attends numerous practices with USC divers and during the school year, she participates in diving competitions all over America.

“Carly is a beautiful diver and my favorite thing about her technique is how high she jumps and how small her splashes are. Her diving influences me a lot because she always has a positive attitude and works super hard,” said Paige Richardson, who has been diving with Sherwood-Souza for two years.

Carly has achieved many accomplishments, which include receiving Woman’s Female Athlete of the Year at senior awards’ night, receiving the All American award, and making it to finals at Speedo Nationals.

“I don’t know if I can put into words how proud I am of Carly. I’m completely amazed how much courage, dedication, and Provided by Ca rly Sherwood-Souza tenacity she has when practicing, learning a new dive, and competing. I’m thrilled Carly has something she’s so passionate about,” said Lori Souza, Carly’s mother.

As Souza says, her daughter is very dedicated to her diving and manages a hectic schedule while most students cannot. A regular diving practice for Carly would be doing dry land with her team for an hour and then they would go into the water and do specific board training for one hour. Lastly, they practice the old and new dives for half an hour.

“Before every single dive I go over the actions of my dive. I close my eyes and then imagine myself doing the dive. I also tell myself that I can do it to build up my confidence which is very helpful to me.”

For junior Carly Sherwood-Souza, the Olympics would be the “ultimate dream,” however, her primary goal is to study medicine because the Olympics would take years of practice. But for right now, Sherwood-Souza is going to stick with diving.

“Diving is exhilarating to me because it’s never the same and it’s always different.”

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Editors M. Kang & R. Lee

New Ceramics class offers a good challenge MINJAE KANG A&E EDITOR

West Ranch recently added a new option for students interested in the fine arts. Ceramics II is an extension of the introductory Ceramics I class, which is one of the many fine arts classes offered at our school. I took Ceramics I during my freshman year, and I was definitely intrigued by the art form, fascinated to see my creations come to life.

While Ceramics I focuses on introducing students to the basic principles behind ce cceramics, ramics, Cera Ceramics amics II treats students ents as artists who are already lready familhe art form. iar with the Also, Ceramics I revolvess around creating g basic pieces,such as the lidded pinch pot ot and license plate, while Cerameramics II teaches aches students to incorporate original and creative ideas deas into more challenging g

pieces.

“They’re going to work on larger pieces that incorporate advanced and mixed techniques,” said Ginger Philburn, who teaches both Ceramics classes. “The class is more like a studio, where they just come in and start working without much instruction.” lass for Philburn says she has tried to start the class roughly two years now, and is very excited to finally have a higher-level class.

“I love the new class because I can try new types of projects with them, and I’m excited d to see the outc come,” she said.

The class currently holds only 11 1 students, and is merged with Philburn’s period 5 Ceramics me mics I class. Although thou it is small now, she expects the class to grow in coming years and hopes that Ceramics I students co a passionate about the art will hone their heir skills who are in Ceramics II. Cer “My Ceramics II students are really great,, especially C after having taken Ceramics I already,” she said. “I ha feel that they are really prepared, which ch allows me to challenge them with more intricate projects, like m the molds we will be doing.” doin Andrea Corona, An orona, a senior who really ly enjoys the hands on aspect of ceramics, ramiccs, is one of these students. studeent nts. She took Ceramics rami miics II because she mics wanted wannted mo more or of a

challenge after taking Ceramics I. “I really enjoyed taking the class last year, so I decided to take this class,” she said. “I like being able to be creative and sculpt projects.”

Corona is looking forward to a future as an art director for film, and feels that ceramics is a good platform to exe exercise her artistry.

Ceramics III students look to amaze us with their products this year. Out of the six projects beautiful product planned out this semester, she is Mrs. Philburn has pl most eexcited about the full wheel project. now, the whole class “Right no is kind of an experiment,” said. “But I’m really she said excited about it and excite look looking forward to seeing how it will seei progress with the pro projects.” pr For those oof you looking to take a Fine Arts class, rremember that Ceramtha ics iis always option, interest to new a option an opt ption i , aand nd now now,, you you can n ta ttake tak ake ke yyour our intere Photos by Minjae Kang heights. height hei ight gh s. s.

Breaking Tempo jam session atWest Ranch GISELA FACTORA STAFF WRITER

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Photos by Gi sela Fa

On Sept. 11, West Ranch was rocked by Breaking Tempo. Lead singer Robby Bruce, bassist Austin Anderson, lead guitarist Justin Tinucci, and drummer Austin Herzig played a half-hour set at lunch on the quad in front of the ASB office.

West Ranch was one stop on their fall high school tour to promote their album, “Beginning to End,” which came out August 26.

“Touring is very exhausting, but it’s fun,” said guitarist Tinucci. The band has been to five high schools all over southern California in just the past week, and will visit 60 high schools in the span of their tour.

They started their set with a cover of “I Write Sins, Not Tragedies”

by Panic! at the Disco, which drew a crowd to the area where the band was performing. The energetic crowd stayed as Breaking Tempo continued with more original songs, and another cover of “Demons”

by Imagine Dragons. The audience cheered as the members threw shirts and wristbands while they sang their hearts out.

As it was a 100 degree day, by the end of the set, the band was sweaty and exhausted, but they played to the best of their abilities. “We had some technical difficulties, but we believe that every performance is our best performance,” said frontman Bruce.

Their website describes them as a “four-piece band that likes to stay ignorant to the commonality of genres.” However, their sound is mainly alternative rock, with Bruce citing Panic! at the Disco, Twenty One Pilots, Fall Out Boy, and My Chemical Romance as influences.

There was also a merch tent where students could purchase shirts, CDs, and wristbands.

All in all, Breaking Tempo’s performance was surely a memorable occasion at West Ranch.

Follow Breaki

ng Tempo on

social media

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Justin Tinucci on the guitar.

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A&E

The book is (sometimes) better than the movie ALEXA HESSELDENZ STAFF WRITER

Provided by Big Fat Kill

Provided by Page Lady

“The Maze Runner,” written by James Dashner, follows the character Thomas who is brought into a place known as The Glade. Being completely wiped out of his memories from his past life, Thomas struggles to figure out his place in this new society. New supplies are brought to The Glade every week, and one boy is brought into The Glade every month. the only way to escape is to venture out into the maze surrounding the area, and anyone who has previously entered the maze has never made it out. As soon as Thomas arrives, things begin to change. Instead of delivering a boy, a girl is sent through “The Box.” Thomas and the girl, whose name is Alby, connect on a deep level and realize they have known each other in the past life.

The movie strayed away from the original premise of the novel. Taking on a darker twist, it definitely gave the audience shivers. The structure of the movie is very similar to the book, and Dylan O’Brien (Thomas) did a great job embodying not only the physical portrayal of the character, but the emotional intensity.

Wes Ball did a good job of not overloading the audience with cheesy effects that draw the audiences attention away from the plot. He did an excellent job creating the scary monsters in the maze. Though both were well made, I think the novel did a better job connecting with the audience.

“If I Stay” is a novel written by Gayle Forman following a teenage girl named Mia, who is faced with a choice: to stay on earth with the boy she loves or to proceed onto heaven alongside the rest of her family that recently passed in a tragic car accident.

This heart-wrenching tale pulls at the heart strings of the reader by introducing multiple different reasons to stay or to go. Once the reader is sure he or she should choose one way, Foreman throws a wrench into the plot that leaves you once again indecisive. Does she give up her future here on earth with the boy she loves and Juilliard knocking on her door, or does she move on to the rest of her family?

Developed into a screenplay, directed by R.J. Cutler, the story was retold in a way that follows the novel plot line verbatim. Chloe Grace Moretz, who plays the role of Mia, did an amazing job taking on such a complex character, and as an audience member, I found myself connecting with her. Though the casting was good, the rest of the movie was mediocre. It felt overdone and a bit cheap, which took away from the seriousness of the situation. I found myself laughing in parts I remember bawling over when reading the book. Overall, the book did a better job than the movie of creating an emotional connection with the audience.

Provided by Coming Soon

Provided by Page to Premiere

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Provided by Bunew Media

“The Giver” follows 11-year-old Jonas who is apprehensive of the upcoming ceremony, where he is to be assigned to a job in society. He is given the “receiver of memories,” a difficult and unique job which will cause him to feel pain and to be forever isolated from the rest of his family.

While training for his job, he experiences emotions and other revelations that he has never gone through before. Through these revelations, alongside the help of his mentor who he calls “The Giver, they devise a plan for Jonas to escape. Similar to messages in literature such as “Brave New World” and “Divergent,” Lowry directs this books to children to not only broaden their reading horizon, but cause them to question their belief of wrong and right.

Though this book was interesting, it contained multiple logical lapses and lacked originality.

The movie, directed by Phillip Noyce, did a good job with following the plot. It developed the suspense and the action that was a key factor in the book. My only criticism is that since it was a novel for children, making it PG-13 limits the ability for children who read this book to see the film. Also, the actors looked much older than the characters in the book. Though both were intriguing, I would have to say the movie was better than the book.

Provided by Amazon

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‘90s Fashion Revival evident in today’s clothing MINJU KANG STAFF WRITER

OVERALLS Overalls are probably one of the biggest st comeback trends from the ‘90s.

The denim slip-on became a fad CRO TOPS CROP during the ‘90s, especially when it “Crop tops were really in style in the ‘90s,” “Cro premiered on the Fresh Prince of Bel says math teacher Danae Towne.

Air. Many people are surprised that Many teenagers now match a crop top with a Man it has made a sudden return into the high waisted skirt or shorts. Crop tops are affashion world. fordable, and can be purchased at most clothing forda Although overalls were worn baggy stores generated for young adults. store in the ‘90s, they are now worn Without a doubt, the ‘90s style is extremely popuin a normal fit. Blue denim is and lar ar and has a lasting effect in the fashion industry. will always be the classic look, but “‘90s fashion is so likeable and trending again because acid-wash, floral, and white denim prints nts people enjoy nostalgia,” said teacher Linda Cox. are on the rise.

te Ka

Photos by Minju Kang

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UNBUT UNBUTTONED UN U BU UT FLANNEL W/ GRAPHIC TEE: The T he uunb unbuttoned flannel look became known to the world wor worl r because of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. His casual look quickly became a staple of 90’s clothing. lo Graphic tees depicting a large logo were normally worn underneath the unbuttoned flannel.

“Personally, I wore graphic tees with bands on them, because I actually went to their concerts and bought the shirt there,” said teacher, Linda Cox. “It’s so funny to see teenagers today wearing the shirts with Nirvana, Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd on them.”

COMBAT BOOTS Although California’s weather is warm, it doesn’t stop students from rocking combat boots. Back in the ‘90s, the “bad boys” and rock figures wore them as their goto shoes. Dr. Martens, the big brand for combat boots, are still popular amongst the 2014 crowd. However, because Dr. Martens are pricey, many companies, including H&M and Forever 21, are replicating the cool boots for cheaper prices. In the ‘90s, the combat boots were mainly bulky and black. These days, combat boots range from a typical black and an brown faux leather eather to burgund burgundy, and even floral print. Girls pair combat boots pai with practically w anything-- skirts, an leggings, jeans, le and shorts. an

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HIGH HIGH-WAISTED: G WAISTED: The CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. Th claimed aimed that “the higher waist is definitely in.” He’s right; people wear high waist jeans, shorts, and skirts.

“I love how high-waisted clothing creates an illusion of making your legs look long,” said Zoe Lief, a freshman.

BUCKET HATS: This floppy aand unique headwear trend started with LL Cool J an and his classic Kangol hat. Now, stars like Rihanna and SchoolBoy Q are bringing the look Rihann back. Bucket hats are can be worn by both back genders, and can complete a casual outfit. gen “The “T T casual accessory definitely makes you stand out in a crowd,” said student, G.B. sta Espino.

Es

BANDANAS: Originally worn in the ‘90s, this accessory was made popular by Guns n’ Roses’ front man, Axl Rose. Rapper Tupac remixed the look by wearing it with the knot in hi a Sop rici the front. As more celebrities showed o off their attention-grabbing headpieces, fans jumped M onto the trend. Today, bandanas can spice up any outfit.

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Student Question: What was your last Tweet and why?

Erica Lee Staff Writer

Students use Twitter to express their feelings and let their followers know what is going on in their life. Twitter is more popular than Facebook and other social media because tweets are short and easy to read; it’s a great way to stay in touch with your friends, and you can discover the latest news.

@J_Sklena “I want people to know that I am having a jolly time eating a macaron that is organic.”

@carolyneekim “She is my best friend and I wanted people to wish her a happy birthday.”

@briannaamart “I was nervous for my first soccer game because it was our first game of the season and we were going against a hard team.

@SoulSinall “I was bored” www. wrpawprint.com

Photos by Erica Lee

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Sports

Editors A. Lee & J. Meyer

Top Contenders Chase for XLIX Seattle vies for eliteness with another title NIKHIL BHUMRALKER NEWS EDITOR

The only thing the Seattle Seahawks and their notorious defense nicknamed the Legion of Boom have in their minds this season is to defend their championship title and win the Super Bowl for the second straight year, a feat achieved only eight times in the history of the NFL. Although this goal is a very lofty one, the Hawks have all the right assets. Their defense is the most effective in the league by far, boasting the best safety in the league in Kam Chancellor and top cornerback in Richard Sherman, both in the primes of their careers. Quarterback Russell Wilson, a born leader, is again under center this season, orchestrating an offense capped off by explosive wide receiver Percy Harvin and unforgiving running back Marshawn Lynch. With all these superstars managed by legendary head coach Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks look like they’re in great shape to write their names in NFL history for the second straight season.

“The Seahawks have the youngest core of players in the NFL by far. And they’re already the best,” said West Ranch junior Jake Hettinger.

New England searches for another ring AARON LEE SPORTS EDITOR

As long as sure-fire Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have the reins in New England, the Patriots will always be a top contender for the Super Bowl. This year however, the Patriots have upped their personnel even more, adding superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis to a very promising defense featuring safety Devin McCourty, defensive end Chandler Jones, and linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jerod Mayo. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, possibly the best ever to play the position, is projected to return to full power this season after a series of injuries last year and will continue his historically successful run with Brady.

With these extremely potent weapons on both offense and defense at his disposal, Belichick is set to work his masterful genius on the gridiron to restore glory to the renowned New England Patriots franchise.

“Brady and Belichick are the best QB-coach combo ever. They’ll come through,” said West Ranch senior and offensive lineman Jacob Shalkevich.

Denver quests for Super Bowl revenge BRYCE FENENBOCK STAFF WRITER

The Denver Broncos are seeking revenge for last year’s blow-out Super Bowl defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. Peyton Manning is hoping to lead his team back to the Super Bowl in his second season as the Bronco’s quarterback. With talented receivers such as Demaryius and Julius Thomas, a top ten defense, and a solid offensive line, there’s a good shot you’ll see them in the playoffs, and maybe even further.

The odds of the franchise winning this season’s Super Bowl comes in at 11-2, the highest in the NFL. Trailing right behind at 6-1, however, is their biggest rival, the Seattle Seahawks. If the Broncos can keep their foot on the pedal and continue to pull out wins, expect to see them as a dominant team throughout the season and post-season.

“The key to the Denver Broncos this season is for them to stay healthy. If they can stay healthy, they’ve got a big chance for the ring,” said West Ranch High School Principal Mark Crawford.

Many others hope so.

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Sports The Other World Cup – FIBA 2014 AMRIT KEHAL STAFF WRITER The Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball, or FIBA, World Cup is the worldwide basketball tournament in which the world’s best players go head-tohead. The United States has been extremely strong out of the gate in the scrimmages, and its magic is carrying over into the games that really matter. Spain is hosting the cup this year, and from Derrick Rose’s triumphant return as the world’s premier pointguard, to Paul George’s heart-breaking injury, this FIBA World Cup is already making headlines.

Paul George, the renowned star of the Indiana Pacers, suffered a terrible injury in a U.S. practice scrimmage. In the fourth quarter of the match, he landed awkwardly after a block attempt and broke his leg, benching him for the next season.

Aside from Pacers fans being in shock at the loss of Paul George, and Lance Stephenson, two of their best players, basketball fans everywhere are sending their condolences to Paul George. Many NBA players took to social media to send their thoughts to Paul George.

His injury also affected his FIBA teammates, as evidenced by their grim reactions on the broadcast.

Kevin Durant, the 2013-2014 regular season MVP, even withdrew from the tournament to avoid any-

thing else. Even West Ranch students were affected by this grisly injury.

“I’m more aware of my movements when I play,” said Athreya Anand, JV basketball player at West Ranch. After witnessing George’s injury, Anand didn’t want to suffer anything like it. The tragedy of Paul George’s injury is truly felt everywhere.

Thankfully, Derrick Rose, whose stupendous NBA career was plagued with injuries, returned to form against Brazil, with earth-shattering cheers of support.

Already, the U.S. men’s team is asserting their dominance in the sport, with an exhibition blowout against Brazil, 92-75. Derrick Rose is back, just as good as he was before the injuries, if a little rusty, and his presence is definitely exciting FIBA and NBA fans alike.

Rose’s teammates undoubtedly played more important roles, however, as Anthony Davis alone had 20 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks. James Harden and Klay Thompson both helped to round out the offense with 28 points between them.

Fans of any team or league were ecstatic that Rose was back, even West Ranch JV basketball player Oliwaseun Aderonmu, who said that Rose’s return is, “Good for the league as a whole.”

Rose, who many regard as the best player in his position, is also look

ing forward to the start of the NBA season.

In an interview with NBA TV’s Grant Hill, Rose was questioned about how his past experience in the 2010 World Cup, and his MVP season in 2011. Hill asked how these experiences make him feel about his return, to which Rose replied, “I’m kinda expecting it. I’m kinda expecting the same thing.” His positive attitude is sure to make Bulls fans very hopeful.

Not everyone is ready to believe in Rose just yet, though. Anand felt skeptical about Rose’s return, saying, “He’s not going to be as good as he was before.” The extent of Rose’s injuries has yet to be fully seen, and his athleticism may have taken a big hit.

Rose’s return to the hardwood certainly helped lift the weight of Paul George’s injury of the team’s shoulders, and though he didn’t play the next game, his teammates charged through with a blow-out against the Dominican Republic.

The U.S. team continued to dominate the competition, and won every game with a large disparity. This level of play surely helped them to win the gold medal on the weekend of Sept. 12. Not many people were actually surprised, though, not even Anand, who jokingly predicted his outcome for the World Cup. Before the scrimmages ended, Anand joked that, “India’s definitely gonna win,” and as India wasn’t in the World Cup, his ‘prediction’ could never come true.

A Look at Week 5 College Action ANDY SONG STAFF WRITER Week 5 of college football was filled with ranked teams trying to remain undefeated for a chance at the playoffs.

The No. 1 Florida State Seminoles played another close game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Jameis Winston and the Seminoles came back from a 17-point deficit to win 56-41 and remain undefeated.

The No. 5 Auburn Tigers had a blowout performance against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs with a victory of 45-17. The No. 6 Texas A&M Aggies avoided a loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks with a comeback win of 35-28 after trailing 28-14 late in the fourth quarter. The No. 7 Baylor Bears had a win of 49-28 versus the Iowa State Cyclones, keeping the bears undefeated.

One exciting game was between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Syracuse Orange, as the Fighting Irish won 31-15 despite five turnovers. Another blowout game happened between the No. 9 Michigan State Spartans and the Wyoming Cowboys, with the Spartans easily winning 56-14. The No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels played a tight game with the Memphis Tigers until the fourth quarter where the Rebels scored 17 points to win 24-3.

“I can’t wait for the college football playoffs this season. You would expect the top four teams to be competing, but anything can happen. Florida State and many other ranked teams were very close to losing,” said freshman Zach Soulé.

Exciting games outside of the top ten included the No. 11 UCLA Bruins against the No. 15 Arizona State Sun Devils, with the Bruins earning a major victory of 62-27.

The No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs had a close victory versus the Tennessee Volunteers with a win of 35-32.

The biggest upset of week 5 occurred between the Missouri Tigers and the No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks. Missouri came back with a touchdown with 1:36 left in the game and edged out the Gamecocks 21-20.

Despite being only five weeks deep into the college football season, many teams are making their effort to earn a playoff spot.

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Girls Lacrosse joins the sports roster here at the Ranch

Girl’s’ lacrosse is the newest addition to the West Ranch sports department. Like boy’s lacrosse, girl’s lacrosse is one of the fastest growing girl sports at the high school and collegiate level, so it was no surprise that West Ranch formed a team.

“Just like with boy’s lacrosse, we wanted to increase the amount of kids playing sports, and since we have enough girls that are interested, we can probably start a team this year,” said athletic director Cassandra Perez.

A female coach has not been hired yet, so West Ranch boy’s lacrosse Coach Mike Borso has been training both the boys’ and girls’ teams for their spring season.

“We are conditioning two days a week and practicing three days a week; basically we are doing it because none of our girls have ever played before, so it’s a really good time to get the stick in the hand and learn how the game is played,” said Borso.

Even though most of the girls have no prior experience in playing the sport, several have been exposed to it and wanted to try it out.

Sarah Castillo Staff Writer

“My brothers both play lacrosse, so I just decided to attempt to play, and I’ve really enjoyed it,” said junior Katie Flynn. “I haven’t played before, I’ve just thrown a ball with my brothers in the backyard.”

Sophomore Megan Ruff has known about girls’ lacrosse for a long time already and is excited for West Ranch’s new team.

“I helped coach a younger girls’ team and I fell in love with the sport,” said Ruff, who just began practicing the sport herself. “This is my first year doing club at Scream Lacrosse and my first year doing it at school.”

Others have never heardknown of the sport before and instead decided to join to try something new.

“You meet more people and be more social,” said sophomore Marisela Camargo, who has never played lacrosse before.

The team has been well-received, with about 29 members already on the team.

“It has gotten a ton of interest., Aa lot more than we thought it was gonna get,” said Borso. “If it continues to grow at this rate, I’m optimistic that we’ll have about 35-40 girls out for tryouts.”

The Ranch welcomes new volleyball coach

Sarah Ziskind Staff Writer

West Ranch’s girls’ volleyball team welcomes its new coach Brandon Pank. Coach Pank is anything but foreign to West Ranch as he previously served as an assistant coach in the 2008-2009 season.

Aside from coaching here at the Ranch, Coach Pank has spent many years coaching and playing volleyball for various schools and colleges.

“I’ve played for four years at the club level and I have a couple of junior Olympic medals.

I also played during college at California State University Northridge as an outside hitter,” said Pank “I then started coaching club about seven years ago.”

In addition Pank has coached 27 different teams and volunteer assisted on two colleges as well as coaching at Alemany High School and Notre Dame High School.

As a coach, Pank enjoys building relationships with other people on the court.

“Whether it be girls or boys, young or old, finding a way to have them understand your dialogue on a personal level so you can get them to perform the way you want them to is what makes me pas-

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sionate about my job.”

Sophomore Katie Jacobs has been well acquainted with Coach Pank and has worked closely with him for many years on current and previous volleyball teams.

“As a varsity coach he is very organized,” said Jacobs “He also knows how to communicate with us effectively and not in a way that is harsh. He definitely gets his message across and really knows how critique us on small things that make us so much better in the end.”

“We’re training our butts off,” said Pank “We’re doing a lot of skill based work and we’re trying to get the biomechanics down first, then we’re working as tactically as we can.”

Apart from working on skill, Pank expressed that he feels it is also important to include fun and laughter in each practice so the team can continue to build close relationships with one another.

With Pank’s experience and dedication there is no doubt that West Ranch will have no trouble maintaining last year’s record.

Photo by Sarah Castillo

Sophomore Megan Ruff practices everyday with the rest of her team as they gear up for the Spring season.

Regarding the rules of the game, girls’ lacrosse differs from boys’ lacrosse in certain ways. For example, a girls’ lacrosse team consists of 12 players instead of 10, and girls’ lacrosse does not use as much protection, like pads and helmets, as boys’ lacrosse does. The rules and equipment differ as well, however, “at the heart of it they are both a lot of fun,” said Borso.

All of the girls, no matter how experienced, have been training long and hard to be the best. Several have attended summer camps for the sport, and this semester they have been conditioning alongside the boys’ lacrosse team. Due to all their hard work, the team members look forward to positive results when lacrosse season begins in spring.

“I definitely want everyone to try their best, for everyone to improve, and I’m definitely looking forward to the games,” said Flynn.

The players anticipate victories as well.

“I think we have some good skills on our team, and I expect some good things, and I’m really looking forward to getting some wins this year,” said Ruff.

Borso shares similar sentiments.

“My hopes for the girls’ lacrosse team are that we’re competitive, and the girls really enjoy the experience, and that we lay a good foundation for the future that we can build on to the point where we can have two teams of varsity and junior varsity, and be the best in the valley,” said Borso. “We want to be the best team we can be.”

Be sure to cheer on our newest team when season begins in Spring.

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Sports Homecoming Game: the odds were not in our favor Nikhil Bhumralkar News editor The Wildcat Pack arrived in their “Blackout” attire last Friday to cheer their football team on during its Homecoming game against Oxnard, but the Cats weren’t able to claw their way out of an early hole, putting them at 2-3 before the start of Foothill League play.

Things were ugly from the opening kick, starting with a fumbled return on the team’s own 28-yard

scoring six plays later with a one yard touchdown run.

The rest of the half wasn’t much better. Oxnard’s offense continually moved the chains and converted four fourth downs on their way to two

more touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, the Wildcat offense, led by senior quarterback Chase Killingsworth, could not click. The score was 21-0 ing into the half, with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Killingsworth to senior wide receiver Brendan Moskal with 34 seconds remaining.

The Wildcats shot out of the starting gates to open Killingsworth connected with Moskal once again for a 42-yard touchdown, putting the team down by two touchdowns.

On the very next defensive stand, the Cats recovered a crucial fumble and Killingsworth made the throw to Zachary Farber.

comeback was never completed after Killingsworth threw his sole interception of the game with two

The Cats know that they have a lot to work on Oct. 10 against Saugus, who dominated the Wildcats in their last meeting.

Final Score: Oxnard 28 West Ranch 21

minutes remaining in the game, the Wildcats were Photos by Erica Lee

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