Close win for senior girls
Stinson receives prison term By Brendan Perry Staff Writer A Los Angeles Superior Court judge recently sentenced former SPHS student Elijah Stinson to 12 years in state prison for assaulting classmate Jeffery Cortinez with a baseball bat in February 2008. Stinson, now 20 years old, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder without premeditation, and assault with a deadly weapon on February 23. Cortinez was nearly killed and is still suffering from severe brain damage caused by the assault. Now 21 years old, he is under around-the-clock nursing care and has severely restricted motor skills. “This entire experience has taken both an emotional and financial toll on my family,” said Cortinez’s brother, freshman Daniel Cortinez. Stinson was tried as an adult, despite being 17 years old at the time of the attack. Judge Candace Beason sentenced him to seven years in prison for attempted murder and an additional five for assault with a deadly weapon. The victim’s brother commented on the sentencing saying, “It was not enough, but we are happy that a decision has finally been made.” The 2008 baseball bat attack took place in Garfield Park. Cortinez was in the park with friends when Stinson, wielding an aluminum baseball bat, entered the park, accompanied by his then girlfriend Jeniell GalvanFranco. Stinson struck Cortinez in the head and fled the park with the assistance of Galvan-Franco, according to South Pasadena Police Detective Sgt. Jim Valencia. SP Police arrested Stinson and his girlfriend six days later. GalvanFranco accepted a plea agreement and served three years for acting as a getaway driver.
By Sofi Goode Staff Writer
Sam Gurley
Senior quarterback Stacy Lee breaks through four junior tackles to make an impressive TD run at last Friday’s Powder Puff. Lee, voted MVP by the crowd, helped lead the senior team to a 54-50 victory.
SPHS students react to Japan quake and tsunami By Christian Miyamae Assoc. Sports Editor Northeastern Japan was hit with an 8.9 magnitude earthquake 80 miles off the coast at approximately 2:46 PM Tokyo time on Friday March 11. It is the largest and most destructive earthquake in Japan’s recorded history. The 30-foot tsunami waves, which occurred shortly after the quake, caused most of the damage. Boats, cars, houses, and even entire villages were no match for its force. With the number of fatalities easily clearing the 2,400 mark, many say that it may reach the tens of thousands. Due to dis-
turbing images of the damages in the news, busy phone lines, and an increasing death toll, many Japanese residents in South Pasadena became anxious and concerned about the status of their loved ones in Japan. “I was worried. I missed school and watched the news to make sure my dad and his area were safe,” said sophomore Nicholas Sullivan, whose father lives in the city of Aomori. The city is about a three-hour drive from Sendai where hundreds have been found dead. Collectively, all students were “worried.” However few were as concerned as senior Jade Roman, whose uncle and See “Japan” on pg. 4
New football coach to head the SPHS team By Devin Mitchell Opinion Editor The athletic department announced on March 2 that they had hired Martin Konrad to be the new head football coach. Currently the defensive coordinator at the College of the Canyons, he replaces Ed Smith who resigned in December after 16 years as head football coach.
“I grew up in the Pasadena area. I’m familiar with the tradition at South Pasadena High School,” said Konrad. “It was an opportunity for me to be a head coach again.” “We were impressed with his experience with successful programs, he’s very enthusiastic, and we feel he can get the school excited and take the football program to next level,” said athletic
Bill Glazier
Martin Konrad speaks at Meet-and-Greet on Tuesday in the cafeteria.
director Ralph Punaro. Konrad did exactly that as head coach of the Flintridge Preparatory School, when he led the team to two appearances in the Quarter Finals of the CIF Playoffs and a CIF Championship in 2003. Junior tight end Justin Cornford said that while he didn’t know much about the new coach, that achievement was proof of at least some quality. After leaving Flintridge, Konrad was the defensive coordinator at West Ranch High School in Stevenson Ranch from 20052007 before going to the College of the Canyons for the past few years. Before getting into coaching, he played football in college at the University of the Pacific from 1992 to 1996. Konrad met with the players See “New Coach” on pg. 2
Birthday memorial for Salazar By Michael Abelev Staff Writer A birthday memorial was held for former South Pasadena High School student Sophia Ilona Salazar on March 3 at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Family, friends and anyone wanting to pay their respect to Sophia and her family were welcome to attend the event. The memorial included food and a large birthday card that was passed around for guests to write messages. Several attendees spoke to the group and following the speeches, a plane flew over the gravesite, carrying a message to Sophia. The service lasted from 2pm to around 4pm. “It was a very nice experience to have Sophia’s family and friends come together to commemorate what would have been her 18th birthday. A lot of people brought flowers and we signed this nicely decorated board for her. After a speech a plane flew by with a banner and we released 18 balloons for her birthday. It was really nice to be with her family and friends and see them again. It reminds me of how great of a person Sophia was,” said See “Sophia Salazar” on pg. 2
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Continuing a record that stretches back to beginning of the Powder Puff tradition, the senior girls won the annual football game against the juniors 54-50 last Friday night at Roosevelt Field. The score was unusually high and rumors spread that the game was rigged, as it supposedly has been in past years. In the 2008 Powder Puff game, the scores were allegedly switched at halftime. It was suggested that they might have to switch the scores again this year, as the game started off with the juniors scoring a touchdown in the first ten seconds. The next down, the seniors ran all the way to the opposite end zone, but the juniors scored two more touchdowns before the end of the first quarter. The touchdowns came at a high price. One of the junior quarterbacks, Lillie Moffet, injured her arm during the game. During halftime, the senior manleaders performed a routine. Normally, they participate in a dance-off against the junior manleaders, but this year the junior manleaders were banned from performing on the field. “Both groups had to show their routines to [Pep coach] Dani Babb,” said SPHS senior class advisor Mrs. Margaret Fullinwider. “The juniors’ routine [was] approved on Wednesday. On Friday during noontime activities, they performed an unapproved version and were banned from performing on the field.” “We knew [there were going to be consequences],” said junior manleaders Sean Ehrlich and Martin Lis. “We were prepared to get suspended.” After the manleader dance, the GQs—the male version of the homecoming court—was presented to the crowd. Senior Samuel Pons was announced as the GQ King. “As if winning state wasn’t enough,” the announcers said over the loudspeakers when Pons was named first place GQ. Pons had placed first in the CIF California State Cross Country Championships last November. The game ended with high morale. The seniors pulled ahead with two minutes to go and Stacy Lee scored a touchdown with fifty seconds left, ending the game with a final score of 54-50.
in this issue Opinion:
Financial woes and the wierdness of second semester seniordom.
12 Feature: 20 Sports:
Hot new eateries and a preview of the Invisible Children concer t.
Player profiles, winter CIF recap, and Swimming goes 2-0.