The Sentry, November 2015

J A C K S O N

T H E V O L . X LV I , IS SUE 3

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P R E P A R A T O R Y

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Sound of Music ALSO INSIDE: Cross Country Runners Win Pacers Reunite

What is your favorite fair food?

What spooks you?

“A big ol’ turkey leg” - Taylor Wallace

“Mayonnaise” - Ally Walker

“Fried Oreos” - Reese Friday

“The Flu” - Ashley O’Mara

“Fried monkey tail” - Maddox Henry

“Grasshoppers; they are terrible” - TJ Barnet

“Water from the log ride” - Vann Crawford

“John Nix” - William Purvis

“Good ol’ stick o’ corn”- Luke Lofton

“Fair food” - Martha Rayner

“Taffy”-AnnAdair Backledge

The Dark”- Maggie Waller

Favorite Mascot Haynes Horsley- Big Al Paul Andress-The Shucker Russell Robberts- The Poets Patrick Phillips- Toledo Rockets Hays Dubberly- The Fighting Okra Matthew Clay- The Colorado States Ram Sam Mosley- Gerber Life Baby Tanner McCraney- Syracuse Orange John Keeler- Fighting Camels Brittany Wilkinsom- Fighting Artichoke Lee Meena- Aunt Jemima Chatham Kennedy- The Two Sonic Guys

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Healy Vise- Green Wave Brendon McLeod- Mike the Tiger Elliot Weill- Mr. Clean RJ Green- Yell Leaders Ellis Abdo- Big Red Michael Wilson- Etrade Baby Holman Buchanan- Landsharks Blair Stockett- The Stanford Tree Ann Clardy Byrd- Pillsbury Dough Boy Mr. Hughes- The Patriot Gracie McCraney- A Pacer Flamingo

The Sentry

The Sentry

7PM 9-7* *TTVF t /PWFNCFS Table of Contents

Affiliated with MISSISSIPPI SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION www.mississippischolasticpress.com The Sentry is a student publication printed and released six times a year.

student writers, we try to reflect the thoughts of our most important readers-- the News & Features...........................................................................................4-9 As of Jackson Prep. Because of this, we attempt to approach many issues, some Entertainment...........................................................................................10-11 students more controversial than others. Nevertheless, the Sentry sta serves the school--her Homecoming 2015.........................................................................................12 students, her faculty, her family, and her community. The sta hopes to inform, to to entertain, and to question for the betterment of Prep and the lives of people The Sound of Music..........................................................................................13 educate, the Jackson community. The newspaper is produced by the Sentry sta, consisting of Sports........................................................................................................14-20 instudents both in and out of the senior high journalism class. Questions or comments?

Fun & Games.................................................................................................21 Our mailing address is P.O. Box 4940, Jackson, MS 39296. We would love to hear Opinion.....................................................................................................22-23 your opinions.

Candid & Random.........................................................................................24 EDITORIAL POLICY

jpsentry.net see our Instagram: jacksonprepsentry follow us on twitter: @jpsentry e-mail us: sentry@jacksonprep.net online at

visit us on facebook:

facebook.com/jacksonprepsentry

The Sentry accepts outside editorial pieces under the following guidelines: Op-Ed pieces are not simply rants. Pieces should be about things that can be changed or alleviated, or pieces may suggest a solution to a problem. Pieces should not simply jab at things of which the writer does not approve. Humorous opinion pieces are subject to the judgement of the editorial sta.

All opinion pieces are the views of the author, and the author only, with the exception of sta editorials, which are unsigned and reflect the consensus view of the students in the Sentry class. Sta editorials are the only columns in the paper that express the unified view of the Sentry Sta. This sta editorial process is comprised of two main steps. First, the sta talks amongst themselves about a topic and organizes a position on the issue on which all class members can agree. The editorial is then written and run past the sta members for approval.

Letters to the Editor are a great way to make your voice heard. To submit a letter, simply write to sentry@jacksonprep.net To submit a Guest Editorial, simply type your opinion, double-spaced with a minimum of 250 words, and submit it to sentry@jacksonprep.net.

Sentry Sta Editors-in-Chief Paul Andress • Haynes Horsley

Copy Editor Matthew Clay

Managing Editor Chatham Kennedy

Opinion Editors Sam Mosley • Elliot Weill

Assistant Copy Editors Brendon McLeod • Lee Meena

Business Manager Healy Vise

Website Editor John Keeler

Sports Editors Brendon McLeod • RJ Green

Assistant Business Manager Patrick Phillips

Assistant Website Editor Gracie McCraney

Assistant Sports Editors Ellis Abdo • Russell Roberts

Photography Editor Brittany Wilkinson

Social Media Editors Lee Meena • Holman Buchanan

Video Editor Tanner McCraney

Assistant Photography Editors Ann Clardy Byrd • Gracie McCraney

Fun & Games Editor Hays Dubberly

Graphics Editor Blair Stockett

Entertainment Editor Michael Wilson

Assistant Fun & Games Editor Patrick Phillips

Photography Editor Brittany Wilkinson

Assistant Entertainment Editors Ann Clardy Byrd • Ellis Abdo

Advisor Mr. Lain Hughes

November 2015

Contributors Jacob Aron • Hawthorne Cleveland • Preston Dubberly • Jackson Phillips • Madeline Puckett Forrest Smith • Anna Stack • Dylan Torrence • Madeline Van Pelt • Will Russell Ward • Nevin Wells • Jack Young

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Dallas Jordan Returns After Cancer Battle PRESTON DUBBERLY AND CHATHAM KENNEDY The Jackson Prep family is thrilled that Dallas Jordan, a current 9th grader at Prep, has returned to school after battling cancer.

Dallas was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in October of 2014. Dallas has learned many lessons throughout this past year, and she has displayed courage and determination as she has undergone cancer treatment.

Dallas could not attend school last year due to the lack of having a strong immune system, due to the effects of her treatment. She could not really go anywhere, considering that germs are everywhere. When she started feeling better after treatments, she received help from Ms. Sophie Randolph and Ms. Allyn Ray so she would be prepared for ninth grade.

When Dallas was asked how it has been returning to school, she said, “It is hard sometimes and very tiring, but overall it has been okay. It is good to see all of my friends again.” Some of the best things people did to help Dallas were the gift cards she received and the money raised for her family, which helped with gas and essentials.

Cancer has changed Dallas’ life in a significant way.

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Dallas said that is extremely hard “not being able to walk, going to appointments with doctors, doing physical therapy three times a week, experiencing lots of pain throughout the day….not being able to go places where I can be exposed to sickness, missing school because I am too exhausted, never being able to run again, and never being able to play basketball again.”

During Dallas’ hardship, the nurses she encountered helped her so much. They always tried to do whatever they could to make her smile when she did not feel well. When Dallas was sick, the nurses brought her little gifts and made sure she had everything she needed.

According to Dallas, “they were always doing things to help me and they put up with me in the mornings.”

Dallas’ parents were always there for her when she was sick or in a bad mood.

Dallas said, “Even when I felt horrible, my parents were trying their best to help me and another big thing that helped were all the prayers.”

Dallas’ father, Mr. Kurt Jordan, who works as the Director of Physical Plant at Jackson Prep, said that after watching his daughter battle cancer and endure chemotherapy, his compassion for kids enduring can-

(left to right) Dallas Jordan, Meriwether Marchetti, and Genevieve Hurst

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cer greatly increased.

When asked what helped him most during this difficult time, Mr. Jordan replied, “The most important thing was depending on Jesus to get me and my family through this no matter the outcome. In my heart, I believe He surrounded me with the support, prayers, and generosity of others like Jackson Prep, the church, neighbors, and family members.” He said he is very grateful to finally have his daughter home.

Dallas has some good advice for kids going through cancer. If a kid is going through cancer, Dallas said for them to remember that they are not alone, addling that “knowing that someone else has gone the same things and has survived is very comforting.”

Through her journey, Dallas has taught the Prep community to have courage even in the most difficult situations.

RIGHT TOP: Dallas and friends upon her return to school.

RIGHT TOP: Dallas and her parents

Dallas Jordan with students from Holmes Community College.

Photos courtesy of Dallas Jordan.

The Sentry

Prep Uses 3D Printing to Lend a Hand HOLMAN BUCHANAN Since the beginning of the school year, physics teacher Ms. Marsha Hobbs and Prep senior Matthew Clay have been working diligently to design and produce a prosthetic hand, and not just a toy one.

The hand was given to Braden McCay, a 6-year-old Madison resident, who is missing all of his fingers and the majority of his wrist.

Rick Psonak, a local prosthetist, approached the school with the idea and presented the opportunity to Prep. He knew Braden through his church and wanted to help him get a hand that was more affordable than a traditional prosthetic limb.

3-D printers have an unlimited variety of purposes, and in recent years there has been exploration in making prosthetic limbs.

In most cases, the printed limbs will function just as well

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November 2015

A traditional prosthetic hand would cost more than 10 times what the materials cost for the printed limb. as a traditional prosthetic limb.

Countries all over the world have helped create and advance designs, so there is already a wealth of knowledge about the process online.

Printed limbs have proved to function well and be economical. A traditional prosthetic hand would cost more than 10 times what the materials cost for the printed limb.

The process is fairly straightforward: Find the gen-

eral design online, make adjustments for the specific application, print the pieces, cut/polish the pieces, and then assemble.

Hobbs handled the design and printing aspect of the build.

Obviously, there is no “one size fits all” hand design, so she started with the most fitting blueprint she could find.

The structure was scaled and adjusted where necessary to match Braden’s unique hand.

She spent upwards of 20 hours working on it, along with countless hours of planning.

During the printing process, supporting plastic is added onto to the original design to prevent distortion.

This means that there is extra plastic that doesn’t belong on the print; the only solution is to cut it out, polish it, and make sure everything fits.

The cutting/polishing was handled by Matthew Clay. Clay had experience making retainers at an orthodontist over the summer; this gave him the nec-

essary skills to work and shape the plastic.

When Hobbs approached him, he accepted right away.

The process was tedious and sometimes frustrating; Clay says he broke more fingers than he actually made correctly. It took him approximately 20-25 hours of work as well.

Clay and Hobbs worked together to assemble the hand.

The hand was given to Braden on Wednesday, September 30, in the Fab Lab of Prep’s senior high building.

According to Clay, “We have some minor details to adjust, and a little fitting left to be done but, on the whole, it turned out awesome. We are so happy with it.”

Judging from the smiles in the Fab Lab, everyone else felt the same way, especially Braden.

For related video, visit us at jpsentry.net/33770 5

Junior High News

by our JH Correspondents

Junior High Students Help Kids

Breakout Bible Study Starts Mornings Off Right MADELINE PUCKETT How would you like to go to school early in the morning and learn about God while eating donuts? Then Breakout is for you. Breakout is a Bible study for 7th-9th graders made of groups divided by age and gender that get together every Thursday morning at 7:30.

There are about 15-25 students that participate in each group.

There have been small groups at Prep for many years, but 6 years ago Ms. Powers asked Ms. Waits to be the faculty member in charge of organizing the Bible study.

This is where Breakout began, along with a once-a-month, big breakfast for the entire junior high called Unleash. “My goal for Breakout is that you, as BY

students, learn to grow your own relationships with Christ,” says Ms. Waits. She also hopes that students get to know each other and “take off the mask.”

Ms. Waits knows everyone goes through tough times, and that students need to be the light in a person’s life if they are having a rough time. She hopes to cross the lines of different friend groups and learn to support and encourage each other.

This is the first year for student leaders who will be asked to co-lead meetings a few times a year, as well as reaching out to other students in the grade about participating in Breakout. Each group can plan service projects and get togethers outside of Thursday morning meetings. Be sure to come this

Tours and Tailgating

MADELINE VAN PELT On Friday, October 23, 2015 at the same time of the tailgates, many prospective students came to the Jackson Prep campus to observe what goes on at Prep.The teachers get ready to meet and greet the students, showing them around the classrooms and showing them what they are going to learn.

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If you’re in junior high and would like to write, draw, or take photos for The Sentry, contact Mr. Hughes (lhughes@jacksonprep.net)

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ANNA STACK This year, Jackson Prep’s community partner is our local children’s hospital, Blair Batson. The student council organized a drive for supplies to be placed in the waiting rooms and other areas around the hospital.

Members of the student council placed signs around the Junior High building and visited each of the homerooms to encourage students to bring different supplies such as coloring books, colorful bandaids, and new magazines.

Students brought these items to the Junior High foyer until October 23. The supplies will be taken to Blair Batson and placed within the hospital for use by children and their families who are awaiting treatment. Throughout the year, our school will sponsor and support Blair Batson with many projects similar to this.

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HAWTHORNE CLEVELAND Basketball is one of the few sports that just about anyone can play. Jackson Prep has allowed all the seventh graders to participate on teams that are divided into two groups, one team for boys and one for girls.

The coaches all want to make you better and let you have lots of fun. Between games of knock-out, h-o-r-s-e, and just scrimmaging with the team, basketball is a sport everyone will enjoy. If you choose not to play, the teachers have set up a study hall during sixth period while the team practices. Basketball in the seventh grade is so much fun, so everyone should least give it a try. See you on the court in sixth period seventh graders, this is something you do not want to miss.

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Ms. Welch and Ms. Waits having fun while getting their classrooms ready to show everyone all about what we learn in math at Prep.

7th Grade Basketball

The Sentry

Visiting Writers Series Brings in Jerry Mitchell PAUL ANDRESS On October 13, 2015, prizewinning reporter Jerry Mitchell addressed the student body as part of the annual visiting writers series. The visiting writers series has brought in a number of distinguished writers in Mississippi and in the United States. Writers that have visited in the past for this series include Marshall Ramsey and Rick Bragg. Marshall Ramsey is a cartoonist for The Clarion-Ledger, and Rick Bragg is a famous author who wrote All Over but the Shoutin’.

Jerry Mitchell is an investigative journalist for The Clarion-Ledger. He played an instrumental role in reopening the case against Byron De La Beckwith for the 1963 killing of Medgar Evers in Jackson. By-

ron De La Beckwith was finally found guilty thirty years after shooting Medgar Evers, largely due to Jerry Mitchell’s bringing the case back.

Mitchell is famous for solving or reactivating “cold cases” from the past, especially involving the Ku Klux Klan. Mitchell was a recipient of the MacArthur “genius grant” award, which gave him $500,000 dollars.

In his talk, Mitchell explained some of his more famous stories and gave students some insight into the people and circumstances behind the crimes, as well as behind his investigations.

After addressing the student body, Mitchell met over lunch with a smaller group of students. There, he shared

PAUL ANDRESS Every year Jackson Prep brings in speakers to participate in the Global Leadership Institute Inspirational Forum series. These forums are designed to inspire students to lead better lives.

This year the GLI brought in Jacob Eckeberger to teach the students the importance of being safe on social media. Eckeberger is from Bloomington, Illinois where he gets to work with teenagers at Youth Specialities. Eckeberger also has a passion for teaching teenagers about the importance of being smart and safe on social media.

Eckeberger started his work at Prep weeks before he came to give the forum. At the beginning of the school year, every student took a survey about how they used social media. This survey asked questions such as: “How much time do you spend

on social media?”. Eckeberger used this information to put together statistics to present at the day of the forum.

On October 22, Eckeberger came to Prep and addressed the student body. He wanted the students to understand how serious social media is, but to understand that “you are more important than what your cell phone says about you”.

He showed all of the statistics of how students use their phones and how often. He told students to make sure not to post pictures on social media that you will regret later on. He also wanted students to understand the importance of being safe on social media. The ways to stay safe are to not post your location, set your account to private, and to not communicate with strangers.

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more of his experiences and offered tips on reporting and on confronting the fears that keep people from taking risks.

Mitchell had a few words of encouragement for Prep students. He told the students to “be willing to live fearlessly and live beyond fear.”

He also quoted Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, “If there is not something you are willing to die for, you are not willing to live.” He also made a reference to Deuteronomy 23:5 about how curses can be used as blessings.

He ended the luncheon by telling the students that his favorite part about uncovering the cases is getting to know the families who were affected by the crimes. He enjoys seeing these families get justice.

Jerry Mitchell talking to students at a luncheon after the forum.

Photo by Paul Andress.

Jacob Eckeberger Teaches Social Media Safety

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November 2015

If you’ve got a cartoon or illustration you’d like to see on the pages of THE SENTRY, contact graphics editor Blair Stockett.

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Teacher Profile: David Hogue

BY HAYS DUBBERLY Mr. David Hogue teaches all levels of Latin courses that are offered at Jackson Prep.

He is in his eleventh year at Prep and also sponsors the Junior Classical League (JCL).

Hogue is considered by his students as very laid back and is seen as a mellow teacher.

Hogue is from the small, rural town of Tensas Parish, Louisiana, which is full of cotton fields and woods. He has fond memories of driving past the Mississippi River on his family’s land to build campfires on the sandbars. Tensas Academy was a small private school that Hogue attended, and his graduating class only had fourteen students. As a high school track athlete, Hogue remembers coming to the state track at Jackson Prep and was impressed with the size of the school and the quality of track and weight room.

His mother is originally from Jackson and his father is from Tensas Parish. He was one of eleven children and was the second youngest in the family. His household life could be very chaotic at times. Reading

was a way for Hogue to have down time by himself. Speaking on his family life, Hogue said that, “ Since I was almost the youngest, my house started looking more and more normal as the older siblings left to go to college. Eventually, I had my own room.”

Hogue met his wife while working weekends at Twin Lakes Conference Center and has been married for nine years.

The Hogue family is a member of Redeemer Church, PCA.

Mr. David Hogue looking laid back as always. Photo by Hays Dubberly

They have three boys, David (6), Judah (4), and John Micah (1). They have a nine-year-old lab named Cora.

Hogue graduated from Louisiana State University with degrees in Latin and Greek and did his postgraduate work at the University of Florida in Latin. Latin is his favorite subject, but he also loves Western civilization. He loves to spend his free time reading and watching Netflix shows that are based on science fiction and British mysteries. He also enjoys swimming for exercise and entertainment.

Hogue looks up to C.S. Lewis because Lewis made him want to get into academia.

His favorite book is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which was written by C.S. Lewis. He likes to listen to Pandora and listens to the bands Mumford and Sons, Eisley, Lumineers, and Regina Spekter. Some of Hogue’s favorite movies include Princess Bride, the Mission, Chariots of Fire, Gosford Park, the Godfather I, II, and III, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Empire Strikes Back.

Star Trek (TNG), Firefly, Sherlock, Foyle’s War, Battle-

star Galactica, and Longmire are some of Hogue’s favorite TV shows. His list of favorite actors include Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Paul Giamatti, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Crawfish is the favorite food of Hogue and he is also fond of crawfish pasta. His favorite vacation is going to the beach and sitting on a patio at night while he listens to the waves of the ocean. However, skiing in Colorado would be a close second.

Questions and Answers Where do you see yourself in twenty years?

“Who really knows? Hopefully travelling to Europe, spending a lot more time with my wife now that the kids are off in college, and drinking a lot more coffee with friends.”

What is your hidden talent?

“Telling stories.”

relational. If I can be a good husband, father, and friend, I think that will be my most significant accomplishment.”

Where do you see America in 75 years?

“I think the US will still be the superpower of the world. It will be a lot more diverse and probably more socialist when it comes to healthcare, work benefits, and poverty alleviation.

Christianity will be less married to the Republican party and more focused on its mission to society. And hopefully, we will have a lot more trains. Flying cars wouldn’t be bad either.”

Do you believe in space aliens, if so where are they living?

“As much as I like science fiction, I’m not too optimistic that there are other races out there, but who knows? People used to think that no one lived on the bottom half of the globe.”

What is your greatest accomplishment?

“I would like to say that my greatest accomplishment is

Student Profile: Nosyatina Turcal PATRICK PHILLIPS Nosyatina Turcal, better known to students as “Nos,” was born on December 24, 1998 in Bethlehem, Israel.

Nosyatina lived in Israel for 7 years with her mom, dad, and sister. Nosyatina’s mother scheduled an escape from the country because of segregation laws. Israeli segregation laws prevented Nosyatina’s family from leaving Israel because they are considered Palestinian. Nosyatina and her family managed to escape Israel with the help of her non-Palestinian BY

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step dad. In 2007, they moved to the Philippines to start a better life.

While in the Philippines, Nosyatina learned 2 new languages, one of which she was forced to learn in less than 3 months. “Me and my family did not feel welcomed in the Philippines” she said during an interview. Nosyatina’s dad had to leave the country in 2008 because he needed better medical attention due to his motorcycle accident. Nosyatina, her mom, and sister stayed in the Philippines for 4 more years. Finally,

they managed to move to Mississippi to be reunited with their dad on November 7, 2012.

When Nos arrived in Mississippi, she attended New Summit for two years to get caught up on her studies.

“When I drove by Prep, I told my dad ‘Prep is my dream school that is where I want to go,’” she says.

Nosyatina’s current favorite subject is Physics. Nos hopes to attend Mississippi State where she will study science, and pursue a career as a cardiovascular surgeon.

Photo courtesy of Nosyatina Turcal

The Sentry

Prep Replacing iBoss

BY ELLIOT WEILL, LEE MEENA, AND SAM MOSLEY Recently, the school has decided that they will do away with the current filter system known as iBoss. The reason is because Prep has upgraded its 100 megabyte bandwidth to a 500 megabyte bandwidth. This has caused iBoss to become obsolete with the current bandwidth.

The head of technology for Prep, Ms. Laura Bishop, has been pushing for this increased megabyte width and new filter system to replace iBoss. The new filter will be put in placelater this year. (For security reasons the Sentry staff is not allowed to release the name of the new firewall that will filter the Prep WiFi).

This new system will allow more students to be on at

New system planned for early 2016 the same time without having to worry about the internet randomly crashing.

Among students, the most unfavorable aspect of iBoss is probably the content filter.

Many students feel that the main purpose of the filter is to limit the number of distractions on the internet. While this may be true for a few websites, the actual reason concerns with bandwidth. Before upgrading, the 100 megabyte bandwidth capacity was not enough to accommodate for everyone considering the amount of devices in the school. This means that

streaming services like Netflix and Spotify immediately ate up most of the bandwidth, leaving little for the classrooms.

However, after the 500 megabyte upgrade, the school’s WiFi will be able to handle these services, if the school chooses to do so.

Since the school will be able to handle these streaming services, it is now a possibility that they will be allowed. But why allow “distractive” services on the new filter? Well, since students sometimes have free time to kill during study hall, they may want to listen to Spotify on their devices instead of sneaking music from their phones when the teacher isn’t looking. Ms. Bishop would gladly discuss these options to any student.

The new system will not

Frustrated Prep student is denied access to common website. Photo by Elliot Weill.

November 2015

only increase internet speeds, but open doors to many new ways to access the internet, Later on, Ms. Bishop hopes to introduce different ways to change internet access by different grade levels. This would allow for the higher grades to have more access and trust than the lower grades.

Another innovative idea would be to have an incentivebased way to give extra internet accessibility, so that students might could earn enhanced acces. Turning away from iBoss is the first step toward more innovative ways to allow access to the internet.

All over the school the students responded with positive opinions of what the new system might bring to the school. Senior Vann Crawford said “I am really excited be-

cause now my education will not be hindered”. Juniors Ann Clardy Byrd and William Purvis seemed really excited by saying “I guess it’s cool” and “It’s gonna be sweet”.

Even the teachers glad to see improvements on the horizon. Said drama teacher Mr. Kenneth McDade, “I am wonderfully excited”.

Enhanced internet access might allow teachers new possibilities on how to teach their classes in innovative ways.

The school has not even installed this new network yet and it seems the campus is already buzzing with excitement about the new network enhancements and all the possibilities it will behold.

Prep students recognize this infamous web pop-up as it blocks them from websites.

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The Martian: from the Page to the Screen Book Review MICHAEL WILSON

The Martian, a science fiction novel by Andy Weir, recently met a book to film adaptation.

The premise is that there is a crew of 6 astronauts on the Ares III Mars mission, and they land for what is supposed to be 30 sols (1 sol is 24 hours and 40 minutes and is the term for a Martian “day”).

After landing, it doesn’t take long for things to melt down.

When a harsh sandstorm blows through their camp a member of the crew, Mark Watney, is impaled by an antenna blown from a receiver dish. As the weather conditions worsen the crew is forced to scrap the mission and leave their crewmate whom they think has died. Due to a fair amount of luck he (Mark) survives. This novel is about Mark’s survival and how he must stay on Mars.

Occasionally the reader is transferred to the operators and heads of NASA and see things from their perspective. This book, which while

Andy Weir’s The Martian book cover

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being a science fiction novel, is based in a relatively close time, making it seem as though this incident could happen any day now. Well that is if we were putting men on mars.

Personally I find the book hilarious. For instance a few quotes that can give a feel for the book would be: “Me: “This is obviously a clog. How about I take it apart and check the internal tubing?” NASA: (after five hours of deliberation) “No. You’ll **** it up and die.”

So I took it apart.” (This is in reference to a broken water reclaimer, which as the name suggests to reclaims water from the air), and another, “Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.”

- Andy Weir, The Martian.

These quotes should give a look at the kind of book this is. I personally rate it 9.5 out of 10, for all it is, which includes being a short, fun read.

For all of those people that blow off the book and say things like “Why would I read the book when I can just watch it?” Forbes Magazine’s website features an article giving three main reasons. Reason one: the science “It’s science made entertaining, and it’s a lot of fun.

You get the “lite” version in the film...”. Reason two: humor, “The Martian is a very funny movie. Humor is its secret weapon...But the book is even funnier.”. And last but not least number three: the problems were more and better, Probably my biggest gripe with the movie was how much of the latter half of the book’s obstacles were simply cut altogether.”. In conclusion just go pick up the book and read it, you will enjoy it.

Movie Review HAYS DUBBERLY The Maritian was a book that was adapted into a screenplay and released in theaters on October 2, 2015. It was directed by Ridley Scott. Matt Damon plays Mark Watney in this science fiction movie. During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and was left behind by his crew.

However, Watney survives and finds himself stranded alone on this hostile planet. Despite the harsh circumstances, Watney always seems to make light of the situation and never panics.

Watney must now survive on Mars with a small amount of food that would have only allowed him to survive around 150 days. He must figure out how to grow food on Mars, a planet which is hardly capable of growing any food.

Watney learns how to grow potatoes with human fecal.

After a while, NASA figures out equipment and electronic devices are being moved from one place to another over many sols. They soon learn that Mark

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Watney is alive but do not want to release this information to the media and his crew members.

When it was released to the media that Watney was alive, NASA received serious backlash and began working tirelessly on a project to save him.

Things seem to be going fine on Mars until Watney’s base camp blows up and destroys all of his food. He uses duct tape to repair his base, but he loses all of his food and must ration it out. He is no longer able to make food anymore since the cold atmosphere destroyed all of the crops. This makes the rescue become much more stressful since he cannot live on his own much longer.

After one rescue mission fails because the rocket exploded, NASA decides to tell the crew members that Mark Watney is alive. They decide as a group to return to Mars and save Watney. Watney is launched into space and must meet the crew at perfect speed and timing, or he will die. It looks as the mission will be a bust until he pops a hole in his glove to pro-

pel toward the crew members’ space shuttle By sheer luck, the crew is able to save Mark Watney and return back to earth.

This science fiction movie received praise from NASA because the scientific facts from the movie were extremely accurate. All of the science information that the movie talked about was extremely interesting. The only problem for me was that it took me some time to figure out that a “sol” was the span of a day on Mars. I must have easily missed that information at the beginning of the movie.

The Martian received excellent reviews from Rotten Tomatoes with a 93% rating. There was humor throughout the entire movie, and there was never a dull moment. Matt Damon does a tremendous job and lives up to the expectations. Lawson Marchetti, Co-founder Jackson Prep Film Club, said the movie was “a superb tale of survival filmed with technological precision and scientific accuracy.”

Matt Damon did an excellent in playing Mark Watney.

The Sentry

A Fair To Remember CHATHAM KENNEDY For 156 years, Mississippians have lined up outside of the state fairgrounds in anticipation for carnival games, rides, and entertainment. The annual Mississippi State Fair began on October 7th and lasted until October 18th. Over 700,000 people walked down the midway, inhaling the sweet aroma of fried everything.

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State Fair. The famous Biscuit Booth was back at the fairgrounds for its twenty-second consecutive year. Fair-goers swarmed the green stand that tirelessly produced free, fluffy biscuits brimming with Blackburn Syrup. The pig races were back on the dirt track for another year. Different species of potbelly pigs raced past the audience in search for the promised cookie. Once again, the State

Tori Johnston and Beth Ann Young at the Talent Competition.

Photo courtesy of Beth Ann Young

Fair Talent Competition lit up the Mississippi Trade Mart with a variety of young, talented individuals. Jackson Prep was well represented in this competition. Beth Ann Young, a tenth grader, made it to the finals of the Senior Division.

In the Intermediate Division, seventh grader Tori Johnston shared the title of grand champion in addition to receiving second runner-up.

This year, the State Fair had a great entertainment lineup. Artists such as Kraig Parker, Corey Smith, and Joe Nichols wowed audiences. On October 14th, over two hundred people attended the Shawn Mendes concert. Many Prep students went to this concert including tenth grader Anne Clark Harvey who reflects on her experience stating, “The atmosphere may have been stinky and stuffy, but Shawn was most definitely the life of the party.”

Rides that debuted this year in the midway were the

The Mississippi State Fair Photo by Matthew Clay

Speed, a turbulent thrill-ride, Thunder Mountain, and Gouda. Eleventh grader Jordan Davis states, “My favorite ride was the Speed because it made you feel like you were falling face first towards the ground. I love to people watch and one of the best places to do it is at the

fair.”

While the 2015 State Fair has come to a close, Mississippians continue to look forward to this tradition that will be back when the first cool wind blows next October.

Shawn Mendes Brings “Something Big” to the Fair ANN CLARDY BYRD This year at the fair many popular artists played.

One of them included Shawn Mendes, a 17 year old boy who grew up in Ontario, Canada. His career began through Vine, occasionally posting videos of himself singing; and one day his fame took off. He has been touring with Taylor Swift, singing his new album Handwritten. Handwritten is filled with many of his most popular songs, including Stitches and Something Big. When it was first announced that he was coming to the Mississippi State Fair, many teenage girls all over the state were very ecstatic. There was a huge crowd expected to BY

November 2015

come hear him perform.

Every day it was announced over the radio station, Y101, that he was coming, so even if you weren’t a Shawn Mendes fan, you knew he was going to be there.

Several people got the chance to meet him by winning a contest that Y101 sponsored.

Many anticipated his arrival, and went to the fair several hours early in order to get a spot close to the stage. The stage was set up under a large tent with many colorful lights and huge speakers. Tickets to the concert were included with admission to the fair.

Many Jackson Prep students attended this concert.

Shawn came on stage around

7:30 where the tent was already packed. There were many fans cheering him on and singing along. He played his most popular songs and incorporated other artist’s songs within his own. At the end of the show he came back on and did an encore singing Life of the Party.

Shawn’s fame will continue to grow as he begins to play in larger areas, so this may have been a one time thing for Jackson but it was a huge success!

Shawn Mendes jamming out on stage.

Photo By: Ann Clardy Byrd.

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Double the Queens, Double the Fun GRACIE MCCRANEY AND BRITTANY WILKINSON Homecoming was a huge success this year. It took place on Friday, October 9. The theme of this year’s dance, voted on by student council, was Old Hollywood.

At the beginning of the week, student council members decorated the halls of the Senior High to get students in the spirit of Homecoming. There were festivities that lasted all week including ice cream, popcorn, and sweet tea served, along with karaoke and a movie on Patriot Avenue. On Thursday, students were allowed to dress as their favorite Hollywood character. Students were also allowed to wear their homecoming t-shirts with jeans on Friday. The pep rally on Friday introduced the homecoming maids escorted by friends. The sophomore maids were Macey Abraham and Maddy Mazzaferro. The junior maids were Ann Clardy Byrd, Anne Rivers Mounger, and Anna Kate Williams. The senior maids were Mallory Abraham, Haley Litchliter, Amber Mabry, and Martha Rayner. The maids were elected by their peers. When the seniors on the court were announced, they threw candy, toys, and even pickles into the crowd to get students excited.

That night, our football team dominated against Parklane. During halftime, the members of the court were escorted down the field by their fathers and grandfathers. They were accompanied on the field by the Pacers and the band. When it was time to announce Homecoming Queen, everyone was surprised, yet excited, to hear that for the first time in Prep’s history there was an exact tie in the votes. Mallory Abraham and Amber Mabry were both crowned by last year’s queen, Millie Waller. Millie was accompanied by Patriot Man, Lawson Marchetti, and the crown bearers, Abby Duncan and Taylor Caton. The new queens smiled for pictures in their crowns, then led the court off the field.

After the game it was finally time for the dance. Patriot Avenue was beautifully decorated with lights, tables of food, and a band. This year’s band was the Patrick Harkins Band. They played lots of good dancing songs and even allowed junior, Lawson Marchetti, to share the stage with them for one song. At the dance, students enjoyed taking pictures, spending time with friends, singing along and dancing. Student Body President in charge of Homecoming, Brooke Womack, said, “I think homecoming went really well this year. We had a lot of people come to the dance and got great feedback about the band!”

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Members of the court pose for a pre pep rally selfie.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Nenon.

Amber Mabry and Mallory Abraham are the 2015 Homecoming Queens.

Photo courtesy of Mallory Abraham.

Junior maids: Anne Rivers Mounger, Anna Kate Williams and Ann Clardy Byrd Photo courtesy of Taylor Byrd

5IF 4FOUSZ

Prep Comes Alive with The Sound of Music HOLMAN BUCHANAN The Sound of Music was performed at the school Saturday, October 22, and on Monday, October 24th. Auditions were held in May and the roles were chosen.

Practices started at a workshop for the cast during the summer. The principal roles have been practicing three to four nights a week since the end of the summer, while the other members of the musical have been practicing a few nights a week since the beginning of October.

Ms. Dianne Holbert says that this was one of the most musically talented casts she has worked with. She also notes the stage managers, Claire Porter and Rebecca Sistrunk, have been her right hand people and a huge help to the production.The sets for the musical were all designed and built by parents, who worked on Tuesday nights since June. All of the costumes were rented from a company in Florida that uses real Broadway costumes.

Ms. Holbert says she decided to do The Sound of Music because it is the 50th anniversary of the film this year. Lawson Marchetti, who played Max Detweiler, says that all the principal roles “nailed it.� He also said how happy the cast was to perform in front of a sold out theater Monday night. The Sound of Music has been raved on by many and was by far one of the best productions Prep has ever put on.

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Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Nenon

t /PWFNCFS

Girls’ Soccer Dominates, Scoring the #3Peat

Coach Duncan and his team celebrate their third straight championship.

Photo Courtesy of Clayton Noblin

HEALY VISE The Lady Patriots’ season came to a successful finish as the girls won their third straight MAIS State Championship. The girls won state for classification AAAA division 1. The championship marked Coach Duncan’s eleventh Championship at Prep with his girls’ teams.

The Lady Pats soccer program has been a highly successful program. In the span of eighBY

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JA in the postseason.

In the first round of the playoffs the girls played MRA at Prep for the girls last ever home game. The team beat MRA 2-1 but the game was not as close as the score shows since MRA scored their one goal late the game.

Two days later the girls played JA at raider field for the finals. The patriots got off to a great start as Maddie Harris and Clayton Noblin each scored a goal. Their two goals led the patriots to a 2-1 victory over JA and clinched a three peat.

During the team’s banquet celebrating the girls’ successful season, multiple awards were given out to some of the team’s leaders based on the voting of their teammates. Beth Graeber received MVP; Clayton Noblin received Best Offensive Player; Addison Hughes recieved Best Defensive Player; Shelby Wilson received Most Improved; McKenzie Robinson received

the Patriot Award.

With five seniors graduating who all made the MAIS All Star Team, the Patriots’ look for the younger players to step up and fill their roles as they will be looking to four peat.

Seniors Olivia Brown and Maddie Harris pose with their medals.

Photo Courtesy of Olivia Brown

Boys’ Soccer 2015-2016 Preview

JOHN KEELER Now that the Varsity girls’ soccer team ended their season with a State Championship, the boys’ team is looking to do the same.

The boys’ team finished last season winning their 5th championship in a row and are eyeing their 6th this coming season. This feat has never been accomplished before and Patriots are looking to be the first.

They will start their season in early November when they will face some stiff competition from outside the MAIS classification.

They will be playing some of the top teams in the state including Ocean Springs, Southaven, Terry, Oak Grove, Oxford, and Clinton, but the toughest team may be Madison Central who won the 6-A State BY

teen years since the Lady Pats first championship in 1997, the Lady Pats have won fourteen championships. During that span the soccer team has had a six peat (1997-2002), a four peat (2005-2008), and presently a three peat (2013-now).

The team not only won the championship but had more wins than any other team in the MAIS. The team finished 19-5. Seniors Clayton Noblin

and Olivia Brown led the team in goals and assists. Clayton Noblin had 33 goals and 23 assists, while Olivia Brown had 17 goals and 12 assists.

Another senior leader McKenzie Robinson had a fantastic season as the team’s goalkeeper. She had 65 saves, 12 shutouts and only allowed 15 goals all season. McKenzie won the #MSPreps player of the week for her game saving performance in the soccer playoffs and championship. She had 8 saves in the playoff game against MRA and 9 saves in the championship game against JA. As the girls prepared for the playoffs after a close loss to JA in a shootout on the sixth penalty kick, they knew they were just one play away in the game from a victory. The Lady Pats had kept the motto all season long of “whatever it takes”.

They knew that they had the ability to defeat both MRA and

Championship last season.

The Patriots say they will be ready. Seniors TK Griffis, Griffin Draughn, Peyton Har-

The 2014-2015 Soccer Team hoisting the State Championship Trophy. Photo Courtesy of Heather McCraney.

rison, JC Pride, and Taylor Wallace are looking to lead the team through these challenges including winning another State Championship.

Luckily, these seniors have had plenty of experience playing in big games which will help them against a tough public school slate.

A major loss for the team this year is senior, Jacob McNeely. McNeely moved to Colorado this summer to work on improving his soccer skills.

The team is gaining some speed, however, with the addition of senior, Davis Clayton, who is new to the school and team this year.

Also, juniors Tate Fowler, Brent Hall, and Jacob Crawley will be asked to step up and fill McNeely’s shoes. They played huge roles for the Patriots as sophomores last season and

will be asked to step up this year to help be leaders of this years team.

Make sure you go out and support the Boys’ Soccer team

this winter and help them win their sixth championship in as many seasons.

The 2014-2015 soccer team posing for a final team picture after winning the State Chamionship.

Photo Courtesy of Heather McCraney.

The Sentry

Football Continues Dominance ELLIS ABDO The Jackson Prep football team is continuing their dominance as the playoffs approach.

They improved their record to 6-0 after a 47-28 victory over Lamar. Freshman running back Jerrion Ealy had a monster game rushing 10 times for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He also returned a punt 42 yards for a touchdown.

On October 2nd, Prep went to “the brickyard” to face Jackson Academy. The Patriots got off to a great start when they recovered a fumble on the JA 8 yard line on the first play from scrimmage. One play later, junior running back, Jacob Crawley scored an 8 yard touchdown to give Prep a 7-0 lead. Jerrion Ealy, Chance Lovertich, and Dylan Torrence added rushing touchdowns to give Prep a 28-0 lead. Ealy gave Prep some early momentum in the second half when he returned the kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown. Seniors Biggs Henry and William Garrard combined for 50 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns.

JA scored a late touchdown to avoid the shutout, but the Patriots left with a 53-7 victory.

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On October 9th, the team played Parklane in the homecoming game. Prep got off to a fast start, building a 38 point lead before halftime. Sophomore Quarterback Chance Lovertich had a great game, rushing for 2 touchdowns and throwing another to Davis Clayton. Jacob Crawley led the Patriots on the ground rushing 10 times for 65 yards and two touchdowns.

Tate Fowler and Graham Eklund anchored the defense each intercepting a pass. In the end Prep came out with a 51-14 victory.

On October 16th, Prep traveled to Hattiesburg for a big matchup with the PCS Bobcats. Chance Lovertich had a strong performance, throwing 3 touchdowns in the game. Graham Eklund had another great game, catching 2 touchdowns and returning a punt 56 yards for a touchdown. WAPT named Graham the Blitz 16 Player of the Week for his performance.

Jerrion Ealy and Jacob Crawley added touchdowns to seal a 3810 win for the Patriots. By winning, Prep clinched the South AAA division and the number one seed for the playoffs.

Freshman running back Jerrion Ealy takes it to the house

Seniors take a picture with Coach Black after completing an undefeated regular season.

Photo courtesy of Sherry Mosley.

Prep faced off against Mag Heights on October 23rd. Jacob Crawley continued his great season rushing 8 times for 158 yards and 4 touchdowns. William Garrard added 102 rushing yards and a touchdown. The defense was dominant holding the Chiefs to 7 points. At the end the Patriots came out with a 39-7 victory.

Prep finished the regular season with a 48-0 victory over East Rankin. With the regular season complete the Patriots will have a bye week and will begin preparing for the semifinal game next week. The Patriot’s defense finished the regular season giving up an impressive 10.3 points per game. Senior linebacker Vann Crawford led the defense with 90 tackles, and 3.5 sacks. Graham Eklund led the secondary with 5 inter-

Graham Eklund making a tackle in the PCS game.

ceptions.

The offense showed its big play ability, averaging 37 points per game. Jacob Crawley finished with a team high 1109 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Jerrion Ealy finished with 716 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns. Chance Lovertich led the team in passing with 617 yards and 7 touchdowns.

The Patriots are looking forward to the playoffs and a chance at a 4th straight championship. Junior lineman Noah Sasser said, “We have had a great season and are ready for the big games coming up.”

against JA.

November 2015

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Softball Ends Season with Strong Showing

MATTHEW CLAY The 2015 Jackson Prep varsity softball team finished their season in early October. They played a staggering number of games: 43. Of those games, 36 were won. That’s an incredible 86% success rate.

They participated in over half a dozen tournaments, along with regular season games.

The team is coached by Cory Caton and Paul Fryant.

Their leadership has been outstanding, both for varsity and junior high team. Mary Anna Brad, a senior on this year’s team, reflects “They [Caton and Fryant] are two of my favorite coaches that I have ever played for. They invest so much of their time and energy into making us better, both on and off the field.”

This year’s team has three seniors: Cameron Lee Trussell, Mary Anna Brand, and Tori Jones.

Mary Anna Brand played BY

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left/right field this year, and feels like the many years playing has helped her grow considerably as an athlete and a person. She has made relationships with her teammates and coaches that will last a lifetime and is also excited to see what the future holds for Prep softball.

Tori Jones played third base this year. When asked for her thoughts about the end of the season, Tori Jones explained, “It hasn’t really hit me yet because I still have to play in the summer and next year but I won’t be playing with my sister [Dakota Jones] anymore.”

Tori will be playing Division 1 softball at FIU (Florida International University) next year.

She is “excited but nervous” because the school is so far away, and she will not know anyone at first.

Cameron Lee Trussell played second base this year.

Looking back, Cameron Lee

remarked, “It was by far my favorite season. We got along really well and played well too.

The relationships we made this year were great.” Cameron Lee already misses playing softball; she played 13 years.

Although seniors are usually credited for all leading the team, this year some of the younger girls took initiative as well. Drea Morgan, for instance, did an outstanding job pitching especially during the post season games. Olivia Sasser, a current 7th grader, started this year. “She started as a 7th grader and really played at a level higher than any of us anticipate,” noted Mary Anna Brand in reference to Olivia.

Despite their great record of 36-7, there were plenty of challenges throughout the season. The most memorable occurred during the state tournament from late September to early October. The opponents were all tough, but perhaps

Photos courtesy of Tori Jones

the hardest were Hillcrest and Parklane. Both of these schools are always big rival games for the softball team. The first loss came from Hillcrest, followed

by Parklane. The girls fought hard in both games, but could not pull through in the end.

Regardless of the outcome, they all seem positive and proud of what the team accomplished this season.

Volleyball Spikes To Third Place LEE MEENA The Prep Varsity Volleyball team placed third in the MAIS tournament held on Thursday, October 8. The tournament was held at Belhaven University where Prep defeated Hartfield in the quarterfinals. Their season concluded in the semifinals where they were knocked off by Presbyterian Christian School, who went on to play Jackson Academy in the championship.

The team had some key victories including Madison Ridgeland Academy and Hillcrest. A memorable point in the season occurred after a heartbreaking loss to Jackson Academy. Kelsey Harmon felt the team came together, explainBY

ing, “After a hard JA loss, it was tough to bounce back. But we used that as motivation to beat Pearl.” The team did just that by gaining 3 wins and no losses against the pirates.

The rising seniors for next year’s team are looking forward to what the coming season has in store for them. Junior Sarah Riley Jicka remarked, “We have a lot of returning players and we’ll be able to improve the team a lot.“ This year’s seniors included Olivia Baker, Courtney Burrow, Kelsey Harmon, Naomi Nhim, and Kristina Zouboukos.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Riley Jicka

The Sentry

Boys’ Basketball: Ready to Tip Off

BY ELLIOT WEILL

The first regular season boys’ basketball game kicks off at home on November 10th against Central Hinds. The basketball team has 5 preseason games. The basketball team is coming off of a good year last season and hopes to improve.

There are few changes to this year’s basketball team.

The team has lost three seniors from last year. This year we have five seniors and many of these players will need to step up and replace last year’s roles.

This year’s team has seniors: Jake Ray, Healy Vise, Grant Robinson, Graham Eklund, and Mitch Redding.

The team is led by head coach Chris Moore and assistant coach Andrew Mitchell.

This is Coach Moore’s second season as Prep’s head coach.

Senior basketball player Jake Ray says “Coach Moore is a good coach. He really gives us a lot of guidance and shows us insight into the game.”

This year Prep will take on the Oxford Chargers in basketball. The Chargers are a very good basketball team and Prep needs everyone’s support. The game is in Oxford on November 11th so mark the calendars and get ready to cheer on the patriots.

The basketball team has

many big games this year and will need the fans to show and support them. Senior basketball player Grant Robinson says that “The fans are important to the game. They really help more than people think, especially the student sectionThey are the glue that holds the team together.”

The big home games are against Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Jackson Academy, and St. Aloysius. The big Away games are against Oxford high, Southaven High, MadisonRidgeland Academy, and Jackson Academy. To see the rest of the basketball schedule just go to the Jackson Prep website.

Jake Ray pressing the offense and going for the steal.

Girls’ Basketball: Shooting for Glory

BY ELLIOT WEILL

The girls’ basketball season is upon us and officially starts on November 10th. One could say the season really started weeks ago because they have already started practices everyday after school. The girls have been working hard for this upcoming season.

The girls’ team is looking energetic, and this will create some exciting games for this year. Be sure to come to many of these games. They need the fans support this year playing a couple of tough opponents including Jackson Academy and Madison-Ridgeland Academy.

Since the girls’ basketball team usually plays before the boy’s

November 2015

team, this allows the fans to watch both games conveniently in one afternoon.

The team hopes to improve from last year which could be tough with the loss of four seniors from last season.

This year there four seniors on the team: Kristina Zouboukos, Haley Litchliter, Beth Graeber, and Clayton Noblin.

These seniors will need to step up to replace the roles that last year’s seniors had on the team.

The success of the team is not only in the girls but also in the coaches. The girls’ basketball team is led by head coach Michael McAnally and the assistant coach Juanita Ward.

Left: Haley Litchliter shoots a mid court jumper.

Right: Beth Graeber and Kristina Zouboukas deny access to the rim.

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Prep Golf Continues Streak in Ryder Cup BLAIR STOCKETT The 6th annual Jackson Prep vs. Jackson Academy Ryder cup was held October 13th at the Country Club of Jackson. Ten players from each team participated in this year's tournament. All of the players practiced hard for this and the team felt really prepared going in. Coach Bradford said “Our depth this year is really good all the way from top to bottom.”

The morning matches were in four ball match play format, which is when you and your partner take the lowest score on each hole and compare it to your opponents lowest score by declaring yourself one down, all square, or one up. Each BY

match was worth one point and ties are half of a point. After the morning matches were played, the scores were reported back to the club house. Prep led 3 to 2 after the morning matches and were determined to stay on top.

The Prep team has never lost a Ryder Cup and they wanted it to stay that way. Junior Charlie Miller said, “After losing to them last spring at state, we felt it was important that we would get it back with a win here.”

The afternoon matches were individual match play which is when you compare your score to your opponent’s score after every hole by declaring

one down, all square, or one up.

As the scores starting coming in, the points started adding up in Preps favor. Prep ended up winning 8 of the ten matches in the afternoon, which led them to a 11 to 4 victory over Jackson Academy. Sophomore Parker Daily said “It was great to beat JA again in the Ryder Cup.” Out of the 6 years the Ryder Cup has been played, Prep still remains undefeated.

Jackson Prep golf team poses after winning sixth straight Ryder Cup. Photo courtesy of Coach Bradford.

Cross Country Team Finishes Strong Strong

TANNER MCCRANEY The cross country season started at the beginning of the school year. The cross country team is led by head coach Malcolm Saxon and assistant coach Meredith Johnston.

These coaches have led both the girls and boys team to many top five finishes. Some memorable finishes include first place for the boys in the Jackson Prep Invitational, a second place finish for the girls in the Columbia Academy Invitational, a second place for the boys in the MRA Invitational, and the PCS Invitational.

Not everyone can go out and run long distances at impressive times. This requires many hours of practice and dedication. The Cross Country team practices every day during the week.

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The practice begins with stretching to prevent injury. Afterward, the team does different forms of distance running such as campus laps or bleachers to build up endurance and stamina. The team makes sure to stretch after the practice as well.

Ninth grader Jack Mullen said, “The running is hard and tiring, but being on the team and going to meets makes it all worth it.”

The MAIS Overall Class Meet ended the season and the team competed very well against the top cross country teams in Mississippi.

The boys finished in second place and the girls came in third. Griffin Draughn came in first place in the whole meet.

Photo courtesy of Easton Sheffield.

The Sentry

Preseason 1. Ohio St. 2. TCU 3. Alabama 4. Baylor 5. Michigan St. 6. Auburn 7. Oregon 8. USC 9. Georgia 10. Florida St. 11. Notre Dame 12. Clemson 13. UCLA 14. LSU 15. Arizona St. 16. Georgia Teach 17. Ole Miss 18. Arkansas 19. Oklahoma 20. Wisconsin 21. Stanford 22. Arizona 23. Boise St. 24. Missouri 25. Tennesse

November 2015

NCAA Football Season Review

So far this year, college football has been full of surprises, upsets, and breakout performances. Michigan St. beat Michigan with possibly the greatest ending to a game ever, while teams like TCU, Baylor, and Ohio St. have been cruising through their easy schedules. LSU and Lounard Fournette have had the most success thus far in the SEC, with their biggest test yet, and possibly the deciding game of the SEC against Alabama this week. While Ole Miss may control their own destiny in the SEC, after embarrassing losses to Florida and Memphis, things don’t look promising for title hopes. Stanford has regained their composure after a first game loss and now look like one of the best teams in the country. The AP top 25 is clustered with smaller colleges such as Toledo, Temple, Memphis, and Houston. After seeing the first ten weeks, the final weeks of the season sure do look like they will be full of excitement.

Playoff Prediction 1. Ohio State- There is no way that the college football committee will leave off Ohio State if they go undefeated the rest of the season, and with their schedule that is very likely even though they have looked terrible at times this season.

2. TCU/Baylor- Whichever team wins this highly anticipated match up will easily make it into the playoff considering they both have very easy schedules.

3. Clemson- Clemson is clearly the ACC’s best team and possibly the best in the country right now. With Florida State being their biggest opponent the rest of the season, I think Clemson will be undefeated heading in to the college football playoff 4. Alabama/LSU- I doubt that the committee would leave off an SEC team and these are the best two in the conference. Whichever beats the other, I think will win the SEC championship and be in the college football playoff.

Heisman Race Leonard Fournette- Fournette has dominated the most physical conference in the country in every game he has played. As of right now the Heisman trophy is his to lose. If he performs against Alabama and possibly in the SEC championship, it would be hard not to give it to him.

Christain McCaffrey- McCaffrey is probably the most dominant player in the Pac 12. He is doing it all for Stanford right now, and is the main reason that they have looked so much better in recent weeks.

Week 10 1. Ohio St. 2. Baylor 3. Clemson 4. LSU 5. TCU 6. Michigan St. 7. Alabama 8. Notre Dame 9. Stanford 10. Iowa 11. Florida 12. Oklahoma St. 13. Utah 14. Oklahoma 15. Florida St. 16. Memphis 17. Michigan 18. Houston 19. Ole Miss 20. Toledo 21. North Carolina 22. UCLA 23. Temple 24. Mississippi St. 25. Texas A&M

Corey Coleman- Corey Coleman already has 18 touchdown receptions.... in seven games. He has done very well in Baylor’s high powered offense, and even with a backup QB, is showing no signs of slowing down.

Trevone Boykin- Trevon Boykin is probably the most exciting player in college football. He always finds a way to make a play and put up big yards. Boykin is the staple of TCU’s offense, which is the reason that they have won so many games this season.

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HAYNES HORSLEY 19

BY:

RJ GREEN

Western Conference

Playoff Predictions: 1. Golden State Warriors 2. San Antonio Spurs 3. Oklahoma City Thunder 4. Houston Rockets 5. Los Angeles Clippers 6. Memphis Grizzlies 7. New Orleans Pelicans 8. Phoenix Suns Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions: 1. Cleveland Cavaliers 2. Chicago Bulls 3. Atlanta Hawks 4. Miami Heat 5. Washington Wizards 6. Milwaukee Bucks 7. Toronto Raptors 8. Indiana Pacers MVP Predictions: 1. Stephen Curry 2. James Harden 3. Lebron James 4. Anthony Davis 5. Russell Westbrook

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NBA Season Tips Off Season Preview The NBA Season is upon us, and there is a lot of excitement surrounding the season. The defending champions, the Golden State Warriors return almost their whole team from a season ago. Reigning League MVP Stephen Curry has backed up his superstar status so far with an impressive start to the year. The Warriors are at the top of preseason predictions because of the talent they return. They return almost all of their players from a year ago. The Cleveland Cavaliers ended the season with a loss to the Warriors in the finals. This spoiled the return to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio for NBA Superstar Lebron James.

James is very hungry to win a ring for Cleveland, and the Cavaliers are going to be the favorite in the Eastern Conference yet again. The Cavs return almost all of their production, while also adding Mo Williams, Richard Jefferson, and Anderson Varejao.

Key Offseason Moves The San Antonio Spurs made the biggest signing of the offseason when they picked up star big man LaMarcus Aldridge from the Blazers. They also signed veteran forward David West from the Pacers.

The Los Angeles Clippers were able to hold off the Dallas Mavericks pursuit of star center DeAndre Jordan and keep the big man in Los Angeles. The Clippers were able to also go out and get veteran Paul Pierce and Lance Stephenson to bolster the roster for a championship run. Although, the Mavericks were able to land Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews. The Milwaukee Bucks shocked a lot of people when they were able to land center Greg Monroe over franchises such as the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, and the Detroit Pistons.

Rookies to Look Out For Jahlil Okafor- Okafor comes into the league as the most NBA ready big man because of his offensive skill set. He will be relied on heavily for production as the 76ers have one of the worst offenses in the league.

D’Angelo Russell- The Lakers need a guard who can control the offense, so expect the number two overall pick to have a big impact.

Karl Anthony Towns- The number one overall pick in the draft will have a chance to be a star in Minnesota.

Emmanuel Mudiay- Mudiay comes in the NBA after spending one season playing pro basketball in China. His elite athleticism and ball skills will make him a force from day one.

The Sentry

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FInd the FIB!

HAYS DUBBERLY AND PATRICK PHILLIPS The game is Find the Fib. It’s extremely simple; each person has given three facts about themselves, but one of the facts is a lie. Find the fib!

Rosie Ferguson 1. “I can eat ANY food with chopsticks.”

2. “I have hugged Morgan Freeman.”

3. “I am a janitor at an office building on the weekends.”

Benjamin Wilkinson 1. “I know the administrative password.”

2. “I had my birthday in Yellowstone National Park.”

3. “I was ninja champion in my Drama I class.”

Andrew Lott 1. “I can solve a Rubiks Cube in less than two minutes.”

2. “I’ve played every Pokémon game ever!!”

3. “I rushed for over 200 rushing yards in a 6th grade FPDS football game.”

Marley Parkman 1. “I have 2 pet peacocks.”

2. “I have been to Europe.”

3. “I was born in Taiwan.”

Prep Trivia facts

Shoutout to Ashley O’Mara for finding Gnaomie in the Sentry box outside of the Publications Room!

There will be three trivia facts about Prep. You will have four choices. Choose wisely!

1. What is Coach Walker’s middle name? a. John b. William c. O’Keith d. Brant 2. How many flag poles are on the Prep Campus? a. 3 b. 1 c. 4 d. 2 3. When was Fortenberry Threatre Built? a. 2013 b. 2015 c. 2012 d. 2014

Gnomes Wanted:

Answers to Find the Fib and Prep Trivia Facts are on page 22

November 2015

Well, members of the Jackson Prep community, it is time to start the search again. Jackson Prep is a big campus and now it’s time for you to keep your eyes opened wide. Hidden on campus are two garden Gnomes named Brodie and Gnaomie. You may be asking yourself, what do I get if I find one of these Gnomes? You get a shoutout in the next Sentry issue and a prize. The rules to this game are simple. Find the Gnome and bring it to Hays Dubberly or the student publications room. Last issue, only one Gnome was found, so there is one still hidden in its orignal spot.

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Busywork Takes a Toll on Students Opinion: Hays Dubberly

Jackson Prep has been known for its academic excellence for decades. However, there seems to be a belief among many teachers that assigning busywork is what makes their class “challenging, rigorous, and worthwhile.”

Busywork does not determine how hard a class is, but it shows how forty-five minutes of homework can be used inefficiently. By definition, busywork is “work assigned for the sake of looking or keeping busy,” according to Dictionary.com.

Students at Jackson Prep have to work on hours of mean-

an added burden to students.

In my opinion, busywork is useless and a complete waste of time. I feel as if many other Jackson Prep students would agree with my argument. Students are tired when they are overworked and need to unwind after a long day. A Jackson Prep student spends seven

hours of their day at school and works hard in the classroom throughout the day. It is very frustrating to know that this type of work will not help you in college or in a job in the future.

Nothing beneficial comes from assigning students busywork.

This is what busywork does to Prep students. Photo by Hays Dubberly

NFL, Get it Together Sports Opinion: Brendon McLeod

The National Football League, in recent years, has been completely unreasonable about a number of things.

The NFL is seen by many as a money making powerhouse, who only cares about how much their annual income may be.

This multi-billion dollar industry is without a doubt the king of professional sports in America, and has been by wide margin for more than 30 years.

The League’s stance on player safety is very hypocritical. Each year, the NFL adopts new rules designed specifi-

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ingless homework that does not provide any educational purposes. Some teachers feel the need to assign homework just to be able to say that they give homework. With a smaller amount of homework, students would be able to prepare for tests better.

With less time consuming homework, students would be able to study harder and score higher on tests for school.

Students would also be able to prepare for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT and could score higher on those tests. Higher scores on these tests could be the deciding factor for whether or

not a student would be accepted into their desired college.

Busywork can lead to students not having the chance to study the appropriate amount of time and not being able to do the best of their ability on a test. It also can lead to sleep deprivation and cause students to do poorly on assignments. There have been many times in my Jackson Prep career where I have worked on a project or assignment until midnight and felt completely exhausted the following day.

Many students at Jackson Prep participate in numerous extracurricular activities throughout the school year.

Teachers could make the counter argument that school must take precedence over any other activity. Sure, I would definitely agree with that statement, but there is not any reason to assign an absurd amount of work to do overnight. When teachers assign busywork, it is just

cally to improve player safety.

However, teams having to play games in 5 days turnaround contradicts the idea of player safety entirely. Playing two NFL football games in 5 days is basically the equivalent of being in two severe car crashes in 5 days.

During the month of October players from every team are allowed to wear pink on gameday’s to support breast cancer awareness. The NFL also sells pink gear in stores and online. You may assume that this money the NFL makes from these sales goes toward

the fight against this horrible disease. According to data obtained by ESPN’s Darren Rovell, only 8.01% of money consumers spend on NFL pink gear goes toward cancer research. Leave it to the NFL to actually make money off a “philanthropic” cause.

The NFL is quick to hand out fines and suspensions for alcohol and drug abuse, but their biggest sponsor is Budweiser.

Pro bowl cornerback Richard Sherman pointed this fact out to the media last year In addition to this, the NFL believes they have the power to regulate which headphones players can wear. Because they have an exclusive sponsorship agreement with Bose, any players who wear Beats headphones during warmups or post-game conferences

are typically fined.

The NFL has paid league commissioner Roger Goodell $105 million from 2008-2012, but still fights for every penny in providing healthcare for their players to maintain a good quality of life. The NFL has now made Roger Goodell’s salary unavailable to the public to avoid “distractions,” but I believe it is because they do not want to be transparent with the public.

At the end of the day, the NFL may be the most corrupt entity in the nation. Lets face it, as long as we continue to pour money into all things NFL-related, the league will get away with anything they want.

Answers Rosie Ferguson: 2 Andrew Lott: 3 Benjamin Wilkinson: 1 Marley Parkman: 3 1. C 2. D 3. A

The Sentry

NCAA Should Move Basketball Season Back Sports Opinion: RJ Green

March Madness is a term that has stuck with basketball fans for a while. The NCAA basketball tournament is always full of shocking upsets and close games. It has always taken place in March, and it has fit really well in late March and early April. The timing of the end of the season is not the problem though. The beginning of the basketball season is often not even paid attention to because of football season being at its’ peak.

NCAA Basketball would really benefit from moving back the season by about a month.

It will help the TV ratings a lot as well as the interest in the

sport. Instead of competing with football season for half of the year, they will have more of their own space on the sports calendar.

Issues with this would be no longer being able to say March Madness in reference to the NCAA Basketball tournament. If the season were moved back by about a month, it would put the tournament in April and May. This would be a change people would not be excited about, but the downsides do not outweigh the positives.

NCAA basketball is often not even paid attention to until late December or early January.

There are always great match-

ups and great tournaments early in the year that should be a lot bigger of a deal. Those will become a bigger deal if the season is moved back. Conference play will be moved back to around February, and it will get an increased amount of attention. Today’s sports world revolves around money and TV. Moving the season back increases attention therefore it will increase TV ratings and game attendance. The schools and conferences will make a lot more money because of this.

Another issue would be the time player would have to prepare for the draft. Pushing the season back gives less time for players to train between the end of the season and the NBA Draft. This issue can be solved by pushing the NBA Draft back by about two weeks. That would give plenty of time for prospects to prepare for the draft. There is a lot of time between the end of the season and the draft, and

not all of it is needed. It would be better if a few weeks were cut off the pre draft time.

Former Duke Star Jahlil Okafor slamming home a dunk.

MLB Should Review the Current Playoff System Sports Opinion: Sam Mosley

After watching the wild card game between the second best team in baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the third best team, the Chicago Cubs, it became quite clear that the playoff system needs to be drastically changed to make it more fair and watchable.

First off, both the Pirates and the Cubs did not

November 2015

belong in the wild card game.

This was absolutely ridiculous that the second and third best teams in baseball had only one game to advance in the playoff rounds, while inferior teams such as the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers got a full series because they won their weak divisions.

The MLB has the option to fix this dreadful playoff system.

One way is to go back to the old system with just one Wild Card team, but this would still leave out the Cubs, who were the third best team in baseball.

Another way is to completely do away with divisions which would take the top five teams for the playoffs. This would be just reverting back to what the MLB had for so many years before 1994. This would also destroy many great rivalries such as the Cardinals and Cubs, Pirates and Reds, and of course the Red Sox and Yankees.

By far, the best way for MLB to fix the playoffs is by adopting the NBA playoff system. This would keep the divi-

sions, but make it so they do not matter. Instead, the three best teams would get first round byes while the next two teams would have to play in the wild

card game. This would make the MLB’s playoffs more fair and would insure fans the best match ups in the playoffs.

Andrew McCutchen celebrating a walk off home run.

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Candid and Random