9 minute read
06 Sadie’s Dance
from Spring Issue 2020
theWINTER dance
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On Feb. 8, ASB hosted a Sadie Hawkins’ dance, a semi-formal event where girls ask boys to be their dates. In the weeks leading up to the dance, the school was abuzz with excited talk and cute, high-effort proposals.
Soon, the day of the dance arrived, and, as dolled-up students approached the West Ranch gym, they were greeted by life-size polar bears surrounded by decorative snowflakes and branches of spruce. Inside the gym, students tore it up on the dance floor to tunes such as “Toxic,” “Wannabe” and “Truth Hurts.” Students on light-up platforms went wild as the dance floor was dominated by charismatic amateurs and pro dancers alike.
One could see backflips and aerials causing resounding cheers from the crowd, and multiple times during the night, some brave individuals decided to crowd-surf. In the corner of the gym, a photo booth allowed students to create a material memory of the night.
All that dancing was bound to make students hungry, and ASB delivered with treats wrapped in white and gold paper that seemed almost too pretty to eat. A life-size chessboard and Connect Four gave students taking a break from the mosh-pit hoopla a fun activity to participate in.
Mid-dance, the DJ sensed the atmosphere relaxing and cranked some slower tunes. Students could indulge in a bit of irony as they slowdanced in the dark to the Joji song of the same name, “Slow Dancing in the Dark.” “Breaking Free” from “High School Musical” allowed many couples to soar and fly as Troy and Gabriella, as the world around them faded to mere iridescence.
The highlight of the night was no doubt the Staff Sadie’s Court, a student-chosen group of teachers awaiting the coveted titles of “Sadie’s King and Queen.” The nominees included, but were not limited to: math-and-baseball extraordinaire Mr. Burrill, AP Biology teacher Mr. Smith, and Marine Biology and Cheer teacher Mrs. Coe. However, there could only be one King and one Queen, and English teacher Mrs. Frame and campus supervisor Juan Lopez took the cake, donning faux-fur capes in West Ranch colors as they accepted their title of Sadie’s King and Queen 2020. The crowd went wild for the teachers once again as they danced a celebratory dance: “Hey, Macarena!” Near the end of the night, students began to mill out of the gym: some barefoot, some glittery with makeup and others with sweat. Kids left the Sadie Hawkins’ dance with shining eyes, music playing in their minds and memories that will last forever. Story by Emily Yoon Photos by Emily Yoon and Mary Waugh
Story and graphics by Harneet Arora
Music is a piece that consists of a variety of sounds woven into a composition that evokes emotion. Its universal application allows it to be present at nearly every moment in our lives, whether it be during times of celebration or times of grief. It has the ability to bring out memories, to allow people to reminisce of a favorite vacation or remember their times spent with high school friends. In other ways, music has the ability to impact athletic performance. Whether it is when going to the gym or warming up before a basketball game, many use music as a way to mentally prepare themselves for the tasks ahead, frequently encouraging them to push through particularly difficult workouts. Thus, with such a wide variety of songs from numerous different genres, The Paw Print compiled a playlist from four Wildcat athletes so we could get a glimpse of what music inspires them to compete and ensures they achieve the highest level of performance.
Abby Welch
They’re considered to be our ‘track workout’ songs because Shelbi Schauble played these same two songs every single workout. But now that she’s graduated, we play them whenever we want to pay tribute to Shelbi and the hilarious memories she brought to our team. “ “ Cross Country 3. 2. 5. 4. 1.
“Chit Chat” Beach Weather
“Cereal” Peter Wellman
“Your Eyes” Neovaii
“River” UMI
“Bring Me to Life” Evanescence
“Wild Thoughts” DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna “XO Tour Llif3” Lil Uzi Vert
“Powerglide” Rae Sremmurd
3. 2. 5. 4. 1.
Ariel Miron
It all depends on my mood. If I feel like I need to focus and calm down, I play one of the slower songs. If I have to get pumped up or fell a burst of energy, I’ll listen to songs that focus on the beat and bass drops. “ “ Basketball
Tom Oh
One track is pretty much the band talking about how bad their lives were so it makes me want to work a lot harder, so I don’t have to live that kind of life. Another track makes me want to hit someone with a chair so it’s perfect for games. “ “ Tennis
3. 2. 5. 4. 1.
“Into the Unknown” Menzel, AURORA
“Stains” by Brockhampton
“Time Machine” by Willow Smith “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra
“All Mine” Kanye West “Blinding Lights” The Weeknd “Blueberry Faygo” Lil Mosey “Falling in Love” Dennis Kruissen ft. Langston “Plans” Luh Kel Kaden Espino I usually listen to these songs before a match because it helps me keep my focus. It also really boosts my confidence, and I can go into a match knowing I’m ready. “ “ Golf 3. 2. 5. 4. 1.
If you’ve been to any West Ranch football games lately, you’re bound to have heard Zach Van Bennekum’s name. The twoway senior caught 60 passes for 736 yards and 12 touchdowns while also being among the team leaders in tackles. Incredibly though, Van Bennekum’s athletic accomplishments go beyond just football. Van Bennekum is a senior captain in lacrosse and a clear leader on the team. “Zach is really the heart of the team,” described head coach Mike Borsos. “He’s incredibly athletic, and he’s got a really high lacrosse I.Q. He understands the game, he understands how the game flows, and he’s a great leader for us.” So what makes a great lacrosse player? According to Van Bennekum, “Lacrosse is about speed and pace. You have to be fast-paced, make decisions quickly, and you have to act quick. It’s about going fast and playing hard.” Coach Borsos added that in lacrosse, the players “are always doing something. There’s no standing around. There’s no watching. You’ve got to constantly be involved, so I think that’s what makes it a blast to play.” However, acquiring the skills and knowledge to become a strong lacrosse player wasn’t easy. “When I first started playing, lacrosse wasn’t a very well known sport in Santa Clarita. I was on one of the first lacrosse Story and photos by Noah Neri and Zach Singer
teams in Santa Clarita. So definitely there was a barrier between understanding the game and getting coaches who understand the game,” Van Bennekum detailed. Then, referencing the sport overall, he continued, “Over time we all came together, learned more, practiced more, and now we’re here and we’ve got tons of guys out here playing a really popular sport now.” Despite playing different positions in a variety of sports, Van Bennekum seems to transition rather seamlessly from season to season. “I think definitely a lot of skills translate between both sports. This is common with a lot of athletes, definitely like speed, quickness, toughness, are all attributes that carry over,” he remarked when asked about the move from football to lacrosse. After a long and decorated high school career, what are Zach’s plans for his final West Ranch chapter? “Another league win,” Van Bennekum responded, then continued to detail the program’s long-standing success. “We’ve never lost a league game in the history of West Ranch lacrosse, so we’re looking for strong play in league this year and another league title.” The Paw Print wishes lacrosse luck in their quest for another league win!
Coming off a strong second place finish last year, the varsity girls soccer team is on track to finish in the same position they were in during the 2019 season. However, after losing the first round of playoffs last year, they are back for revenge, aiming to get past the first round of playoffs. “We still control our destiny to finish second place if we do what we are supposed to,” commented head coach Eric White. “We have been playing really good soccer and our goals will still be continuing to play the best heading into playoffs.” The girls soccer team has also dealt with a slight coaching change. Assistant Coach Eric White, who was formerly coaching with his brother Jared White, has now taken over the sole position as head coach. “I haven’t really made that many changes. So the formations are still the same, the practice plans are still the same, and the team rules are also still the same,” remarked Coach White. “We wanted it to be as easy a transition as possible.” To encourage a smooth transition, the team has returned many of their starting players from last year, so they are continuing with the same high level of play. In addition, senior captains Amanda Baumgartner, Mia Bradner and Hannah Sullivan have all proved to be strong leaders on the team, strengthening the bond between the underclassmen Story and photos by Jasleen Arora
and upperclassmen. “On the field, I always try to use positive words and pick people up instead of bringing them down with negative criticism,” stated Baumgartner. “Off the field, I love to host pasta parties and coordinate team events.” With a few new players on the team in starting positions, a big factor is trying to establish trust so the players can play united as a team. “What helps a lot is communication and encouraging the girls even if you get down or even if we are up,” explained Bradner. “Just encouraging them to stay strong and play our game is what’s best.” Being a captain is more about being an advocate for everyone on the team and making sure that the friendship extends beyond soccer than just being a leader. “I want my girls to love soccer as much as I do, and hopefully they feel that they can look up to me,” said Sullivan. “I want them to be able to talk to me about anything, even if it’s not about soccer.” Overall, the soccer team has taken great strides to achieve a high level of athletic ability. Combined with consistent coaching ability and strong leaders, the girls soccer team has become more like a tight knit family.
