Volume 33, Issue 5
WAYZATA HIGH SCHOOL
tt November 14, 2014
trojan tribune
Photo by Naomi Liew
S e n i o r M ol l y L e w i s s h oo t s t h e p u c k pa s t s e n i o r A b by S a n f o r d o f t h e A n o k a To r n a d oe s a t t h e i r ga m e o n No v e m be r 6 . F i n a l s c o r e 1 - 1 .
inside this issue
Heroin use increases among teens in the suburbs A s p re s c r i ptio n pills b e c o m e m o re expe n sive, te e ns t ur n t o heroi n
By KENDALL GARVEY & MARISSA ABARA J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R S
Mono: the kissing disease PAGE 2
Stress induced panic attacks PAGE 3
Spamalot Reviews PAGE 4
Heroin, often considered a problem only in urban areas, is resurgent in the suburbs. According to founder and CEO of Drug Abuse Dialogues Carol Falkowski, law enforcement drug task forces seized 203.8 percent more heroin in 2013 than in 2012 statewide. According to the Minneapolis Police Department website, an increase in heroin use is related to an increase in the abuse of prescription narcotics and opioids such as Oxycontin. As prices increased for prescription medications sold on the street, users turned to heroin. Law enforcement, counselors, and health professionals say the problem is growing and the community is working to put a stop to this problem. The Star-Tribune reported in September that Hennepin County is on pace to exceed last year’s total of 56 heroin-related deaths. The Minnesota Student Survey has not tracked a significant increase in the use of heroin over the past 12 years. This may be because of two significant changes in the trien-
nial anonymous survey given to Minnesota high-school students. The 2013 MSS changed the oldest subsample from 12th to 11th grade, making analysis of trends less reliable. Furthermore, the wording of the relevant question changed in 2004 from “Used heroin or any other narcotics or opiates” to “used heroin.” 2013 Hennepin County tables report that 1% of 11th-grade males said they had used heroin in the past 12 months. The 2010 survey reported a 2% usage rate among 12th grade males. Use of heroin among females and younger students was statistically insignificant, according to the survey. In the 2001 survey 12th grade males reported a 5% usage rate in the past 12 months to the “heroin or any other narcotics or opiates” question. The city of Plymouth held a town meeting in late September to spread awareness of heroin and to discuss how prevalent it has become. According to Wayzata High School liaison Officer Chris Hendrickson, Plymouth will soon have lock boxes around the city where people can drop off extra prescription pills so they don’t fall into the wrong hands. In addition to the drop boxes, people will be able to bring their extra prescription pills back to their
WORLD NEWS Shedunga PAGE 4
Continued on Page 2
Mexico protests missing students Collapse of solidarity with Syrian refugees
By HANA KASSEM EDITOR IN CHIEF
Spacecraft Philae lands on comet wired.com
Stern’s Movie Reviews PAGE 5
Committed Athletes PAGE 9
pharmacy. Minnesota police are currently being trained to use Narcan, a drug that reverses the effects of narcotics. The legislature made it legal for first responders to carry and administer Narcan just this year. WHS chemical health counselor Judy Hanson said that heroin can have harsh effects on a person emotionally and physically. “There’s a lot of different scare tactics used for drugs and alcohol. People threaten that it is dangerous and can impact your life forever. This is true, but the thing about heroin is that you only have to use it once for it to be a life threatening drug,” Hanson said. “What we need to realize is that it is all around us, surrounding our communities. It is prevalent and we need to keep a watch out.” Through an intermediary, Trojan Tribune staffers solicited anecdotes from WHS students who had used heroin. Two students responded. These stories are anonymous and can’t be independently confirmed. “I started smoking weed in middle school, then it escalated to xanax and bensols. I drank a lot and got into oxycontin. My friend told me he could get me
A European spacecraft made history sci.esa.int Wednesday by landing on the surface of a speeding comet. Stephen Ulamec, head of the lander operation, said the spacecraft bounced upon landing because the thrusters that were meant to push the lander, called Philae,onto the surface and harpoons that would have anchored it to the comet failed to deploy properly. This achievement will lead to big answers about the universe.
Violent protests have globalresearch.ca erupted in Chilpancingo, Mexico after authorities said Friday that gang hitmen confessed to murdering and incinerating the bodies of the 43 students that went missing in September after the local police force handed over the students. Citizens furious with the massacre torched the ruling party’s Guerrero state headquarters and momentarily took a police commander prisoner. Riot police clashed with protestors in running street battles. According to CNN, 1,000 people, led by students and the radical CETEG teachers union, marched in Chilpancingo before throwing stones and firebombs at the police.
bbc.com
Syria’s neighbors are sharply reducing the number of refugees crossing their borders. Less than 18,500 Syrians fled their country in October compared with over 150,000 a month on average in 2013. “Civilians are not getting out and sufficient aid is not getting in. It is a collective betrayal against men, women and children inside Syria, who are living in danger and destitution and are in acute need of assistance,” said NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland in a statement.
The Trojan Tribune {November 14, 2014}
Mononucleosis continues to spread By KENDALL GARVEY J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
Way zata has seen cases of mono spread through the student body each year. According to medical information provided by Way zata Children’s Clinic, mononuc leosis, other wise known as the “ kissing disease”, is an infection that causes fever, sore throat, fatigue, and enlarged l ymph nodes in the neck, and can lead to a significant loss of time from school. “I sometimes tease students that their tonsils are kissing, that ’s how swollen they can be,” said school nurse S ue Abraham. “It has been hard to keep up with school work but teachers overall are super understanding with late home work and helping me understand the material that I missed in c lass,” All y Cranfield (11) said. According to the medical information provided by Way zata Children’s Clinic, the vir us is passed along by direct contact with saliva.
HEROIN CONT.
heroin and I said I would tr y it once but ended up getting addicted,” said S tudent 1. “I first star ted doing dr ugs out of curiosit y, and then it began to be my way of coping with depression, anxiet y, and stress. My last experience was traumatizing. I was mixing dr ugs and alcohol with heroin and that night I went home and overdosed. The next morning I woke up in the hospital with people shaking me. I was reall y scared and confused and I literall y had no idea what was going on,” S tudent 1 said. “I didn’t need any convincing that I had to get sober.” “I was just having a reall y awful day,” said S tudent 2. “O ver a two day period I snor ted heroin multiple times.” “I didn’t get any physical withdrawal symptoms but mentall y the addiction was ver y strong,” said S tudent 2. Asked if Way zata has a heroin
“ To stay away from this sickness it would be smar t to not share things such as sil ver ware and cups. Kissing can also spread this disease,” Abraham said. The experience is different for ever yone, but it is common to feel tired according to D r. Bur ton A. Benson, a pediatrician at Way z ata Children’s Clinic. Zoe Mir viss (12) said, “ The overall feeling just drags you down.” Dr. Benson has seen hundreds of patients who have been diagnosed with mono. “ The peak age in our c linic area is 15-24 years old. The incubation period is 4-8 weeks so most people are not aware of who they got it from unless there is an obvious contact. It can be found in the blood for 3 days but can be in the saliva for 32 weeks and deep in the throat for 18 months. Most people who suffer with mono recover completel y without any long-term complic ations. S ymptoms begin to improve within one or two weeks.” Mono is not a life threatening
disease to most patients. Howe ver, at times it can be dangerous. “A swollen spleen or liver are usuall y present and can lead to splenic r upture in 1-2 in 1000 people diagnosed with mono, which can be life threatening. We usuall y insist that there is no physical activit y for 3-4 weeks, because that can lead to a r uptured spleen,” Benson said. According to the Wayz ata Children Clinic ’s medical information, there is no direct treatment for the disease, but the best way to re vive energ y af ter being diagnosed is to eat right and more impor tantl y, get lots of rest. “Usuall y the younger patients listen to their bodies better than adults. Adults and older teenagers are too busy to slow down and it of ten
problem, S tudent 2 answered, “Absolutel y.” Dr. Teri Gunnarson is Division Chief of Hospital Based S er vices in the Depar tment of Emergenc y Medicine at S t. Mar y ’s Medical Center in D uluth and has witnessed heroin overdoses. “Heroin slows down breathing and can stop it altogether,” Gunnarson said in an e-mail exchange. “Most heroin overdoses occur when heroin is combined with other dr ugs with a depressant effect, par ticular l y alcohol. W hile overdoses caused by a single high dose of pure heroin may cause immediate death, many overdose victims do not fall into an immediate coma. It is of ten a prolonged process of breathing becoming slower, the brain becoming damaged through lack of oxygen, and eventuall y the person dying. This means that the person can generall y be helped if they have assistance in time,” Gunnarson said. Heroin overdose symptoms not
onl y inc lude decreased breathing, but also stomach cramps, dilated pupils, white patches on the tongue, a drop in blood pressure and musc le spasms, according to various souces. “ The damage that heroin can cause the body can last a long time and sometimes may be irreparable, which for a teenager will impact their life fore ver. Heroin abuse can and usuall y does lead to a powerful physical and psychological addiction. Many addicts are unaware of the long term effects of heroin. The risks of health complications, diseases, infections, and overdose make long-term heroin use one of the most perilous dr ugs,” G unnarson said. “Researchers are investigating the long-term effects of heroin addiction on the brain. One result is tolerance, in which more of the dr ug is needed to achie ve the same intensit y of effect. Another result is dependence, characteriz ed by the
Photo from emedicine.medscape.com
comes back around with a much longer course than if they would have gotten the rest that they needed,” Dr. Benson said.
need to continue use of the dr ug to avoid withdrawal symptoms. L ong term effects on the brain and motor skills tend to be more severe with heroin,” said Gunnarson. Dr. G unnarson believes students, parents, and teachers need to be aware of the dangers that come along with a rising trend in heroin use. “Once a teenager has been taught and educated about dr ugs, they can better avoid them and we can prevent more cases of illegal use by youth. Dr ugs can give a sudden pleasurable effect, but the dangers could be end less. We do not want oursel ves and the younger ones to suffer from a mistake that is not noticed by many. The school is one of the places where they can be taught how to take care of themsel ves and become better citiz ens of societ y, so dr ug education is a must.”
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
NEWS 3
Panic Attacks: Just stress or an anxiety disorder? By ANNA RODRIGUEZ & MAGGIE HARLESS I started to have episodes where I would hyperventilate and cry unNEWS EDITOR & SENIOR STAFF WRITER controllably.” According to Social Worker Becky “I still didn’t know that I was havHalvorson, a handful of students are ing panic attacks until about my fourth having panic attacks or panic attack episode when i started to go numb and symptoms every week. black out and was brought to the hosThere are many aspects to a panic atpital,” said a senior girl. tack and they can affect a wide vari“I was really scared and a little ety of students. According to District ashamed because I had no idea what Nurse Sue Abraham, “Symptoms run a was going on with my body. It felt like wide gamut: sweating, chest pressure, I was shutting down,” said the senior. “I heart palpitations, a feeling you can’t had to go to the emergency room and catch your breath or choking sensation, trembling, dizziness, chills or sweating, started to have tests done, but a doctor nausea and/or abdominal discomfort. ultimately told me that I was just havSometimes people complain they feel ing a panic attack.” The senior said she was surprised she they are “going crazy” and feel they are was suffering from anxiety. “I think my losing control in the situation or feel attacks are caused from being overcomdisengaged from reality.” mitted and under a lot of stress, but at According to Halvorson, often times the time I didn’t really have any friends factors of anxiety include a student’s to talk to and that definitely made me sleeping patterns, diet, and exercising feel alone and vulnerable.” or lack there of. Halvorson also said But this senior is definitely not alone. that panic attacks affect a wide range According to the 2013 Minnesota stuof students. dent survey, 23% of 11th grade males One anonymous student shared about and 40% of 11th grade females have her own experience with anxiety. “I trouble with anxiety; a striking constarted to feel like I couldn’t breathe in trast to the 15% of all Americans who all the way, but it was worse at night. will suffer from a panic attack at some At first I thought it was just a side efpoint according to the Sierra Tucson fect to some medication I was on at the treatment facility. time, but then about three months later
“Mindfulness can be extremely useful for people with anxiety. Some students have dealt with anxiety before and know what’s while other students have never had it happen before and are taken by surprise. The first time is always pretty scary, but we are trying to normalize things like panic attacks
and let everyone know that a lot of people deal with this” said Halvorson. “I think our school has very high expectations and it’s easy to get anxious, but if you dont know whats going on, it makes it that much scarier” said the senior.
Opening of County Road 47 Pushed Back T h e o p e n NEWS EDITOR ing of the south end of Peony Lane and County Road 47 has been pushed back from its original November 1 date to sometime later in the month. According to the Plymouth Public Works Direction Doran Cote, “The plan for both is to have them open after Thanksgiving, weather permitting. They will both need to be shut again after the school year to complete.” By ANNA RODRIGUEZ
The city needed a U.S. Corps of Engineers permit according to Cote. “They held it up for a historical and archeological review of the project and that held up the start,” said Cote. Weather also may prove to be an obstacle for the rest of the construction on Peony Lane. “If the ground freezes we may not be able to pave asphalt,” said Cote. Despite current delays, Cote said the project as a whole may be finished ahead of schedule.
User groups continue to develop school additions By MADDIE ORZESKE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Principal on S pecial Assignment S cott Gengler has convened sev-
eral “User Groups” with representatives from Wold Architects to “design” cer tain aspects of the building additions based on student and teacher input. One contentious proposal would model the new learning spaces on the open c lassroom st yle. According to W ikipedia, the open c lassroom st yle has fewer permanent walls to “promote movement across c lass areas.” According to Gengler, new wing designs inc lude more windows and more space to allow and encourage movement. Instead of the current “ horseshoe” model, the center of the wing will be commons space, inc luding couches, genius bars, and soundproof breakout rooms. Proposed designs also call for a mezzanine--a balcony over looking the commons areas. According to existing designs, newl y constr ucted c lassrooms will be an additional 30-50 square feet larger than existing c lassrooms. Details of how these spaces will be arranged and furnished are on the agenda for discussion in the user groups. According to user group presentations, the goal in designing the new rooms is to allow flexibilit y for each teacher. P lans call for each room to be outfitted with uniform storage space, but the furniture will be movable to adjust to the individual teacher ’s needs. Designs in ne w c lassrooms call for 100” smar tboards, 24 diagonal inches larger than the current smar tboards. Larger desks for teachers are also on the drawing board. The degree to which the technolog y and furniture updates will be incor porated in the existing building is under discussion in the user groups. According to current plans, some funds will be allocated to allow existing c lassrooms to
function as efficientl y as the ne w ones. This may be a gradual process as technolog y gets replaced. In addition to the 17 ne w c lassrooms, the ne w designs feature six science labs, special education c lassrooms, and three business labs. Much of the school renovation discussion is focused on the common areas. One feature proposed for the ne w wing is a “mini media center,” providing individual study rooms and space for work. In the west side of the school, added square footage will be de voted to the music and ar t wings, athletic wing, and the cafeteria.
from the stadium. Also proposed for the space: a securit y desk and a new drop off area for students.
Instead of the cur rent “ horseshoe” model, the center of the wing will be commons space, including couches, genius bars, and soundproof breakout rooms.
P lans for the so-called lower commons features a beefed-up dining room. The plans propose to double the siz e of the cafeteria, with eating spaces var ying from sof t-seated booths to cafe stools and high tables. Traffic will be rerouted to lessen congestion in the ser ving area. According to usergroup presentations, the ne w spaces will be flexible enough to accommodate e vents like school dances, which could be held in the cafeteria/ commons area. The upper commons will be designed with a balcony over looking the cafeteria. The ne w commons will triple the width of the existing space, inc luding a large set of doors to allow entrance
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The Trojan Tribune {November 14, 2014}
Spamalot: Far from dead B y M AG G I E H A R L E S S S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R
“Spamalot” may be the most entertaining production the WHS players have put on in my four years as a student. When you go to see the show be ready for a good time, but be warned: you really do need a sense of humor. With an interesting mix of cultural references, blatantly ignoring social taboos, and a surprising number of jokes that involve bodily functions, the show is perfect for a high school crowd--but be sure to leave your toocool attitude at home. If you’ve never seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail then you will probably be a little lost through the whole first act of the play. Even I had trouble following the transitions and I’ve seen the film a few times. But no amount of confusion can take away from the talent of the 60 piece cast. Andrew Stern (12) was born to play King Arthur, and truly was the shining star of the performance with his effervescent acting and humor brought to every scene. Patsy, Arthur’s squire, played by Lillian Walker (12), completed Stern and made the two a dynamic duo that was impossible not to get a smile from. The Lady of the Lake character was turned into the Ladies of the Lake in our production. The three ladies played by Sarah Taft (12), Shivonne McCarthy (12), and Annika Isbell (12) were phenomenal. All three girls are such
talented singers that you should be prepared to leave the auditorium with a little less self esteem, but with “Find your Grail” from the 7th scene tuck in your head for the rest of the weekend. While the French knights were a bit hard to understand, the scene lived up to the film. And if you know that the French Taunter number 9, Alizee Falque (12), really is a French foreign exchange student, it makes the scene even funnier. The second act took humor that potentially toes-the-line and made it so breezy that it is impossible not to laugh through the whole thing. Be sure to keep an eye out for Sam Sanderson (11) as Herbert, and Mack Spotts-Falzone (12) as Lancelot in the second act. They definitely stole the show for me. Once again Megan Olmscheid (12) and Sam Sanderson shone with their impeccable dancing through the whole production. If they’re in a dance number, odds are you’ll have a hard time looking anywhere else. The Black Knight’s scene was absolutely ridiculous in the best way possible. With the scene being a favorite in the film, Ian Hebeisen did the Black Knight justice.The sheer campiness of the scene makes the whole scenario 100% entertaining. From the colorful costumes to the fabulous pit orchestra, even those lacking a sense of humor can find something to enjoy in this production.
Photos by Grant Hill
Shedunga Part IV takes The Garage By SONIA NECULESCU
Rolling off the tip of many tongues at Wayzata, the name ‘Shedunga’ has become a common word in WHS student vocabulary. Yet, confusion regarding the significance and impact of this tradition persists. Although a prominent aspect of Wayzata student life, many are unaware that Shedunga was first conceptualized years ago. According to Dylan Kunkel (11), “Shedunga is not the name of the concert. It’s the name of our record label.” Kunkel and his friends dreamed of handling their own record label named Shedunga ever since Eric Deering (11) invented the name for a middle school ETD project. Simply desiring an opportunity for their bands to play in front of an audience, Shedunga founders Kunkel, Deering, and Tanner Colpitts (11) began planning the first beloved Shedunga Blowout. According to Kunkel, “Somehow everything fell together and worked.” Leaving all setlists, rules, and troubles aside, diverse bands of WHS students gathered to create and enjoy music as part of the first of many Blowouts. “I remember it being offhandedly one of the most glorious nights of my life” said Kunkel. Though its creation was unique, the drive for the Shedunga Blowout comes from within the students. According to Deering, Shedunga allows students to express themselves among their peers through the art they create. “ I think that’s why people love it. Shedunga gives people a chance to be excited and feel validated through playing their own music,” said Deering. For James Moroz (12), Shedunga is an inclusive environment like no other offered at Wayzata. “Being at Shedunga is honestly like nothing else. People who might not normally hang out come together to listen to live music performed by friends or peers at their school,” said Moroz. Marcus Findley (12) shared that Shedunga improved SENIOR GUEST WRITER
his high school experience and developed his character. “Shedunga made me a happier and more confident person. Making people sing and dance with [me] was the cherry on top,” said Findley. Shedunga has not only impacted those performing, but also the diverse fanbase and student population that partakes in the festivities. For Francisca Saenger (12), Shedunga is the event to attend for a good time. “Shedunga turns an ordinary night into an extraordinary night. I never thought being around deafening music and hundreds of pubescent teens could be such a riot,” said Saenger. Senior Megan Larson eagerly looks forward to every Shedunga Blowout. “It’s a great place to hear good music and meet great people. I’m glad there’s going to be another one,” said Larson. Simply put by Kate Herda (12), “Whether you’re in a band or just a loyal fan, it’s always a night to remember.” As part of the fourth Shedunga Blowout, students can expect beloved traditions accompanied with new elements of change. This year, the Blowout will take place at The Garage in Burnsville on November 22nd Photos by Hannah Vogel
from 6:00-11:00PM. The event is free of charge and doors open at 5:30PM. Shedunga Pt. IV will feature 13 bands comprised of combinations of WHS Students including Findley, Kunkel, Colpitts, Deering, Moroz, Sam Hidani (12), and Bobby Rethwisch (10). Those invested in Shedunga culture hope to see a large crowd at the upcoming Blowout. “You gotta keep your life moving, man. Shedunga is a unique sensation- be there,” said Rethwisch. Other Shedunga enthusiasts, such as Kunkel, strongly encourage students at WHS to attend this patiently awaited and beloved event. “Come to lose yourself in a wave of over excited children and loud noises. Come to get your head kicked in a little bit and get woken up for the rest of the year. Come to show musicians that someone cares about their music. Those are the reasons- Shedunga forever.”
Students enjoy the musical talents of their peers James Moroz (12) and Tanner Colpitts (11) at Shedunga in June, 2014.
STERN
AT THE CINEMA REVIEWS BY ANDREW STERN
DESIGN BY DIAMOND SAMPSON
The directorial debut of Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler is the most recent vehicle for Jake Gyllenhaal. Written by Gilroy, the story takes us into the underground L.A. crime scene. Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, a man desperate for work, who discovers nightcrawlers - freelance camera crews that film serious crimes and accidents. Bloom takes a liking to the industry and attempts to break into it. Gyllenhaal’s performance is uncomfortable in the best way possible. You know from the moment he appears on screen that there’s something slightly off about him, but the film makes the brilliant decision to create some likeability with Lou Bloom, until it’s slowly revealed what a manipulative sociopath that he actually is. Gyllenhaal lost twenty pounds for this role in attempt to seem like a ‘hungry coyote’. His character is unnerving but his performance is amazing. Rene Russo, Gilroy’s wife, gives a fantastic performance as Nina, a local TV news producer. Bill Paxton is great but doesn’t have much
screen time or opportunity to develop his character. And Riz Ahmed gives a wonderfully subtle performance as Bloom’s sidekick. The film is photographed by Robert Elswit Paul Thomas Anderson’s resident cinematographer. With most of the film taking place at night, light is used in the film sparingly, with haunting results. The juxtaposition between the dark and beautiful images of L.A. and the horrific police scenes creates a wonderfully uneasy environment. As an audience member, you’re so engrossed in the mayhem of the night that it’s actually the most shocking when there’s a quiet daytime scene. Nightcrawler has some wonderful social commentary in its script, but can sometimes get too self-indulgent when making its points. The second act felt repetitive, with the same pattern of scenes happening over and over. It felt like the filmmakers had found some concepts that were shocking and daring, but they didn’t quite fill up a full movie, so they kept hitting the themes over and over. Then the third act runs entirely too long, trying to introduce too many ideas with not enough time. That said, the film is wildly entertaining all the way through. It’s a great character study with some good social commentary. It does some pretty extraordinary things with its small $8 million budget. It’s unsettling yet enjoyable, and I would highly recommend it. 8/10.
There’s been a lot of hype surrounding Interstellar - Christopher Nolan’s new film. In fact, there’s a lot of hype around Christopher Nolan himself; he has a small, devoted fanbase that treat him like a god. On IMDb’s “Top 250” list (based off of user ratings for the films), he has 6 films in the top 60. At the time of writing this, Interstellar is already at #11. This goes to prove two things: One, that the imdb rating scale is fundamentally flawed. And two, that people are ridiculously excited for this movie.
to watch every frame he’s onscreen. Anne Hathaway is tolerable as the daughter of the head of NASA as well as a leader on the spacecraft, however her performance as well as her character leave much to be desired. A lot of time is spent with Jessica Chastain as Murph, McConaughey’s character’s daughter. Unfortunately, her character is there mostly to deliver rushed and somewhat unnecessary plot details, so some of her more emotionally powerful scenes are lost. There are some nice cameos from John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, and Michael Caine, as well as a couple of nice surprise appearances. The strong supporting cast definitely lifts the film up a level. Compared to some of Nolan’s other works, the story to Interstellar is pretty linear. In fact, a reason I don’t really like comparisons from this movie to 2001: A Space Odyssey is that 2001 is very surrealist while Interstellar explains just about everything. There’s generally not a lot of room for interpretation because this film explains everything that happens several times in detail. While this makes the film very easy to comprehend on a first viewing, it also likely makes subsequent viewings much less enriching. And despite being very scientifically accurate, the film’s big universal theme is that love transcends all. Which, to be honest, is horribly disappointing. Nonetheless, Interstellar fulfilled my need for a 3-hour existentialist drama. The film’s length may prove to be a problem for some people, especially because of some pacing issues, but I really love lengthy and ambitious films. I think that’s the best word to describe Interstellar: ambitious. And personally, I’m always willing to watch an ambitious picture. 8/10.
Nightcrawler
Interstellar
In an undisclosed future date, the earth has been put through countless trials and tribulations, and has become mostly inhabitable. The humans call themselves “caretakers” as they attempt to live a normal life and survive. However, unbeknownst to the general public, the earth will soon become entirely impossible to live on. Because of this, a secret NASA mission takes place to explore a worm hole near Saturn for potential habitable environments. Visually speaking, this movie is a knock-out. It’s a space movie at its heart, and spares no expense to show as many stunning images as it can. What separates this film from Gravity is that this movie is an existentialist drama with the visuals catering to the plot, while Gravity is an action film with the plot catering to the visuals. Not that either of these options are necessarily bad, but Interstellar is much more emotionally draining, while Gravity feels like riding an overly long rollercoaster. Interstellar was also shot on film and relies heavily on practical effects, which creates a much more immersive environment. Despite the inclusion of several characters that were merely plot or exposition devices, the performances are very strong in this film. Matthew McConaughey gives an out-of-this-world presentation as the retired engineer-turned-farmer who must leave his family to lead the space expedition. Handled by weaker actor, many of his scenes would have really held the movie back, but instead McConaughey is a joy
Big Hero 6 is the most recent Disney animated film, following up Frozen and Wreck-it Ralph. What’s significant about this film is that it’s actually based off of a Marvel comic book. And it actually ends up being much better than a majority of the other Marvel movies. The story’s main character is Hiro Hamada, an engineering child prodigy who forms a bond with a large robot named Baymax - Hiro’s last connection to his deceased older brother. There’s a lot of great visual ideas presented in this film. The animation is up to par with what you would expect from a Disney animated movie, but honing in on the superhero genre allows for some exciting concepts to be explored. While most of the action taking place on screen is entirely unbelievable, it’s clear that the film is aware of this fact and is choosing to make an inspiring kids film rather than involve too much logic. Unfortunately, it very much feels like the visuals and animation took precedence
Big Hero 6
here. The story is very clichéd and melodramatic. Following a formula, you’re able to predict everything that happens in the film a good 20 minutes before it actually happens. Not to mention that there are barely any characters introduced in the film. When you have a big reveal over who the villain in the story is, it’s generally not a great idea to only have two possible options and dismiss one of them partway into the second act. Thankfully, Big Hero 6 has a great sense of humor. Baymax is a very charismatic robot and there’s a lot of enjoyment in watching it interact with it’s environment. The supporting characters are individually pretty onenote, but work well together. Unlike other animated kids films, you never really get sick of one character or particular joke. The humor is for all ages, and the film explores some themes that often go ignored in a kids movie. I haven’t seen a newly-released kids movie I’ve liked as much as this one since Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2. The excuse that a movie is ‘made for kids’ is an often-used one to avoid putting in actual effort. And for as many problems as I had for this film, there’s a strong heart to it, and it surpasses the ‘appeasing your kids’ level of entertainment. 7/10.
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ATHLETES
Connor Olson-Cross Country University of Minnesota On his visits Olson meshed well with the golden gopher team and knew that it was the college for him. Olson enjoys all the school has to offer, and it is important for him to be close to family. He is looking forward to proving himself at the next level and would like a chance to look back at the team’s progress at the end of his college career. “It’s an honor to be able to compete at the next level. I would like to make the most of it,” said Olson.
Photo by Naomi Liew
Will Holmgren - Golf NDSU Will Holmgren is looking forward to continuing his golf career at North Dakota State University next year. “I chose to play at NDSU because I enjoy the coach and the other players on the team, and believe that it will be a great fit for me,” said Holmgren. When asked about his time as a Trojan, Holmgren said “We have had some great success and it has been fun to be on teams that know how to win and get stuff done and I will never forget the kids I played with from 7th grade to senior year and all the fun memories I made.”
Haley Ruegemer-Swim and Dive Iowa State Haley Ruegemer has wanted to swim for a collegiate team, and is looking forward to doing that at Iowa State University. When on a recruiting trip, Ruegemer enjoyed the welcoming team and the close proximity to home. Ruegemer is excited to travel and compete within the Big 12 Conference. “From my time as a Trojan athlete I will take away the value of the team and how supportive they all were, in and out of the pool,” said Ruegemer.
Sabrina Leuer-Volleyball University of Minnesota-Crookston Sabrina Leuer is excited to play volleyball at Crookston University next year. This has been a dream of Leuer’s since she was a child. Leuer said “I am looking forward to playing highly competitive volleyball and getting to know my future teammates.” Leuer is ready for this new chapter in her life.
The Wayzata senior athletes pose for a picture before the ceremony on November 12th.
Mary Whiting-Swimming and Diving University of Pennsylvania Mary Whiting has always been focused on her academics and knew that she wanted to go to an Ivy League school. Whiting is looking forward to not only studying business through one of the best programs in the country, but also continuing swimming at the University of Pennsylvania. Whiting is prepared to use her potential and put in the work on her new swim team “family.” She has enjoyed being part of the Wayzata swimming and reaping from the training that Wayzata has to offer.
Sophia Shaver-Hockey University of Wisconsin-Madison Sophia Shaver is fulfilling her dreams of playing hockey at University of Wisconsin- Madison. Shaver looks forward to playing at such a high level and hopes to win a national championship. Shaver said “I have learned teamwork and leadership which are characteristics I will take on the rest of my hockey career,” Shaver is excited to begin her career as a badger.
Paige Sorenson-Hockey Merrimack College Paige Sorenson is continuing her passion for hockey by playing at Merrimack College next year. She has grown up playing hockey and could not be more excited to continue. Sorenson said “I am most excited to be a part of a collegiate family and coached by well experienced coaches.” Sorenson is more than thrilled to be attending Merrimack.
Anna GimmestadSoftball Bucknell University Anna Gimm e s t a d chose to further her softball career by playing at Bucknell University next year. Gimmestad said “ I could picture myself living there” Gimmestad liked that the school valued outdoor activities, which she really liked, as well as academics. She looks forward to being a part of a team where everyone looks out for one another. Gimmestad is excited to start her new chapter but will always carry along the sportsmanship she learned from being a Trojan.
Megan Larson- Swimming Bowling Green State Megan Larson has chosen to pursue her swimming career at Bowling Green State University. Larson felt at home when she went to a weekend stay. “I’m definitely looking forward to the friendships that I will develop on the team,” said Larson. When asked about what she will take away from being a Trojan, Larson said “From learning sportsmanship and teamwork to winning a state championship, the Wayzata swim team has taught me so much.”
Reagan Williams-Softball Lindenwood University Reagan Williams has chosen to play softball at Lindenwood UniversityBelleville. Williams likes that the school has a really good criminal justice system, which she wants to pursue a career in. “I’m looking forward to being able to make a new family with my team,” said Williams. Williams is excited to continue her career in a city that she loves.
Tia Dille-Starks-Volleyball Augustana College Augustana has everything Tia DilleStarks was looking for in a school, including athletics. “I really wanted to go to a smaller college that wasn’t too far from home and Augustana fit those standards perfectly,” said Dille-Starks. Dille-Starks is excited to continue to play volleyball a little longer and is going to take the leadership and communication skills Wayzata taught her to college.
The Trojan Tribune {November 14, 2014}
Opinion Film vs. Digital Movies Exchange
How you watch a movie can make a huge impact on your experience. W hether you watch the film in theBy ANDREW STERN on your S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R atres, TV, or on your computer can make a difference in how much enjoyment you can get from watching the film. Movies are by nature a visual ar t form, so you generall y want to have the best viewing experience possible. W hen you watch a film on TV or online the movie file is much more compressed and the screen is much smaller. And while being able to stop a film at your leisure can be convenient, it can also r uin the exper ience of the film. Not to mention that many HDTVs automatic all y come with a setting that adds extra frames to the films and makes ever ything look like a soap opera (if this is the case for you, go to the TV ’s settings and turn off auto motion). Movie theatres are wonderful, wonderful places. But there’s been a distressing trend that has been plaguing the film industr y for the past couple of decades. Most films are being shot digitall y, and movie theatres are projecting them almost
exc lusivel y digitall y. The reason why is perfectl y reasonable: digital files are much cheaper to shoot and project than film. W ith the latter, the images are placed onto actual physical film, but digitall y, the video files are saved onto an SD card. And it ’s much easier for movie theatres to show digital movies because the projectionists just have to press a button rather than deal with playing loads of film reels. However, film is of ten considered to be much more immersive than digital. Interstellar is shot on a combination of 35mm and IMAX 70mm film - an incredible rarit y nowadays. And not onl y was it shot on film, but in 249 theatres across the countr y, you can watch the film on 35mm or 70mm. W hile both 35mm and 70mm are preferable to digital, 70mm has a larger aspect ratio than 35mm, and allows for a lot more c larit y in the picture. W illow Creek Theatres is one of 10 theatres in the countr y that has the oppor tunit y to screen the film on 70mm. This is a big deal. Ver y rarel y nowadays is a film projected in 70mm. The Master did something similar back in 2012, but before then the last film projected on 70mm was Hamlet (1996). I won’t speak to the qualit y of Interstellar, but I will say that if you’re planning on seeing this movie, see
it in theatres. And if you’re planning on seeing it in theatres, don’t see it on a regular screen. W hile IMAX is an improvement, you reall y can’t beat film. The Great Clips IMAX Theatre at the Minnesota Z oo is playing the movie in IMAX 70mm film, but the theatre is more than 30 miles away from the high school. W illow Creek Theatres is much c loser, and it ’s honestl y my favorite place to go see movies. To quote the P ulitz er Priz e winning play The F lick, “F ilm can express things that computers never will. F ilm is a series of photographs separated by split seconds of darkness. F ilm is light and shadow and it is the light and shadow that were there on the day you shot the film. Digital movies - I think the phrase digital is an oxymoron - are actuall y just millions of tiny dots. These dots, or pixels, cannot express the variation in color and texture that film can. All the dots are exactl y the same siz e and the same distance apar t. Mr. S aranac, projecting a 35 millimeter film digitall y is like looking at a postcard of the Mona Lisa instead of the Mona Lisa itself.” Ever y time we ’re given the oppor tunit y to see a movie on film, we should take it. In the end, film creates a better experience.
“That’s what makes you hypocritical” “ I ’m in lo ve with you, and al l these little things… ” Cue the acoustic guitar and swooning gir ls. Many of us may recogniz e these l y r ics By STELLA WANG from one of SENIOR STAFF WRITER One Direction’s popular songs, titled “ Little Things. ” The song “ Little Things” descr ibes many insecur ities that gir ls seem to have, al l of whic h are image based. The singers croon “ I know you’ve ne ver lo ved the cr inkles by your e yes when you smile/ You’ve ne ver lo ved your stomac h or your thighs, ” and “ You stil l have to squee z e into your jeans, but you’re per f ect to me. ” I am guessing the intent of this song is to make gir ls f eel better about these “ lit tle things” that the y are insecure about. As young women, our flaws are constantl y pointed out to us, whet her it be by the media, our sel ves, or eac h other. But these songs are popula r bec ause natur al l y any gir l would want to hear songs like these f eatur ing a blac k and white montage of floppy haired boy s singing about how the y lo ve and accept al l the “flaws” that gir ls find in themsel ves.
Howe ver, this song is not empow er ing f or gir ls at al l. In no way does this song f oster confidence in being f emale. Instead it just teac hes young gir ls to seek vali dation through their male counter par ts and e valuate their wor th based on what a guy thinks of them. The line “ If I let you know I ’m here f or you, may be you’ l l lo ve yourself like I lo ve you” c lear l y suggests that it is the guy who has the power to make gir ls f eel confident. It is sad that these songs impl y that a gir l ’s self esteem must be boosted by male appro val, r ather than our own abilit y to recogniz e our selfwor th. This is not the o n l y s o n g by One Direction that s e n d s t h e w r o n g message to its listeners. T h e i r breakthrough s o n g , “ W hat M a k e s Y o u
Beautiful, ” celebr ates self-loathing as a precondition to being beautiful, again tel ling gir ls that we c an onl y f eel beautiful with the appro val of other people. The song star ts off with the ver y ironic l y r ic, “ You’re insecure, don’t know what f or. ” The gir l descr ibed in the song is unaware of her own beaut y, whic h apparentl y makes her e ven more desir able to the guy. S o why do we glor ify low self es teem in young gir ls? Fur ther more why do we recogniz e this as a reason f or a gir l ’s beaut y?
TROJAN TRIBUNE EDITORIAL STAFF Editor in Chief Hana Kassem News Editor Anna Rodriguez Sports Editor Hayden Farmer Graphic Designer Hannah Weas Advertising Manager Mahdy Michael Advisor David Motes
MISSION STATEMENT To address issues that Wayzata High School is facing; to investigate with courage, persistence and passion; to report the news with accuracy and without bias; to encourage thought, investigate events which incite praise and those which incite criticism; and to make connections between people in this community. EDITORIAL POLICY Editorial policies and content decisions are made by the student editorial board. The opinions expressed in the editorials, columns, and opinion pieces are those of the Trojan Tribune staff and are not necessarily the opinions of the advisor, administration, students, faculty, or District 284. The Trojan Tribune follows guidelines of the Associated Press Stylebook and is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association. ADVERTISING We accept ads that provides goods and services for the age group this publication serves, as long as they conform to the school and district regulations. Inquire for an ad sheet. The Trojan Tribune works jointly with the advanced television production class to produce Wayzata NewsBreak. Comments concerning NewsBreak may be sent to the address below. This publication is a limited open forum within the community of Wayzata High School. The newspaper is the product of Journalism students and others and is not the curricular work of a single class. Opinions, discussion, and input are always welcomed and encouraged. Comments, questions, thoughts, and ideas may be addressed to: The Trojan Tribune 4955 Peony Lane Plymouth, MN 55446 david.motes@wayzata.k12.mn.us
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
SPORTS 11
DREW’S PICKS OF THE WEEK
Broncos -9.5 @ Rams
If you take out their games played in arguably the two toughest environments in the league (Seattle and New England), Denver’s average margin of victory this year is 16 points. I’m not great at math, but I do believe that 16 is greater than 9.5, and the Rams don’t exactly strike fear into my heart. Thanksgiving comes early for Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, as the NFL’s best pass rushing duo should feast against a Rams’ offensive line ranked 30th in pass protection, according to Football Outsiders. I expect another blowout win for the Broncos, and another relaxing fourth quarter on the bench for Peyton Manning.
Texans @ Browns -3
“The Browns are favored?! And I’m picking them?!”That’s what I would have said if you told me this line before the season, but now, I actually think Cleveland should be favored by more. Usually, home field is worth three points for point spreads, so this line suggests that the teams are about equal. I don’t think so. The Browns are 6-3, albeit against an easy schedule, and 4-1 at home. The Texans, meanwhile, are 2-3 on the road, with their wins coming against the Titans and Raiders. Texans QB Ryan Mallett picked a tough place to make first NFL start, as the “Dawg Pound”will be rocking Sunday in Cleveland.
Patriots +3 @ Colts
While I love the Colts and think the hype surrounding Andrew Luck is well-deserved, I don’t think the Patriots should be underdogs at this point in the season. Ever since they got embarrassed by the Chiefs in a prime time game in week four and pundits questioned whether they were done as an elite team, they have steam rolled through their past five opponents. Brady and Co. have averaged over 40 points per game in that stretch, aided tremendously by Rob Gronkowski, who is finally healthy and back to his freak-of-nature form. Brady vs. Luck in an old school, ring ‘em up, last-man-standing type shoot-out on Sunday night? This should be fun.
Boys basketball looks toward state with a young team T h e might be a step up from recent and Johnny Beeninga at 6’0 are W a y z a t a years. “My main goal for the sea- the perimeter players that add SPORTS EDITOR basketball son would be for our team to make quickness to Wayzata’s big roster. has added it to state,” said Gelinske “We will “It ’s great to finally be able to play new talent to the roster and the have to get past tough teams like on this team, we have a lot of talteam hopes to improve on last Maple Grove and Champlin Park, ent and I believe we will be able to year’s 0-8 record against lake con- but our team has all the pieces to keep up with the Lake Conference ference teams. take on the best teams in state on this year,” said Slater The new Trojan captains for any given night.” A couple of key sophomores the 2014will likely 15 season see some are juniors big varTy Gelinske sity minand Johnny utes, Gavin Beeninga. Baumgart“Now that ner and we all have a Jack Soyear if varsiwada both ty under our played last belt, I think year and this seaI expect son will be them to be a huge step role players up from last this year. year,” said The TroGelinske. jans have The Team’s been workleading scoring in the er, Johnny off season Beeninga, to betwill be startter themPhoto by Jodi Walber ing at point selves as guard for the Former player Mitchell Sanchez pumps up the team before the game. The Trojans’ 2014-15 season will begin at individuals second year Eagan High School on Tuesday, November 25th. and as a in a row. On team. “We average Beeninga played 25 minWayzata will be a bigger team have built a lot of team chemisutes a game and averaged just less than they have been in the past. try that we didn’t have last year. than 16 points a game. Junior Austin Slater stands at 6’8 We all hang out as a team and this “I hope our team can be above and will most likely be a big time offseason we have really began to .500 this season and make a run player at the 3/4 position. Slater trust each other,” said Gelinske. to the state tournament,” said sat out last year as a transfer but “We have been doing workouts Beeninga. The Trojans lost six of saw varsity time as a freshman at as a team and also we have been their eight lake conference games Anoka. Juniors Troy Louwagie doing spring and fall leagues with by 16 points or less and now that and Brendan Broady both stand other schools,” said Beeninga. the boys have had time to create at around 6’6 and look to be the some team chemistry their com- main interior players for the Tropetitiveness in the lake conference jans this year. Ty Gelinske at 6’3 By HAYDEN FARMER
Boys soccer loses heart breaker
The 2014 pulled off a huge upset, knocking off Class 2A number one seed East Ridge 2-0 deS E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R Boys Soccer spite being outshot 17-4. Seniors Lewis Tournament O’Connor and Clayton Smith scored was one for the record books. Three for the Trojans, and junior goalkeeper undefeated teams entered as prohibi- Troy Louwagie had seven saves to keep tive favorites, yet none of them made a clean sheet for the second straight it to the championship game. Instead, game. two under The Photo courtesy of Grant Hill dogs faced off f i n a l in the final: the could fourth-seeded not have Trojans and unb e e n seeded Anoka. c l o s e r. The Trojans Parens finished the scored in regular season the 27th with a record of m i n 10-3-3, earnute to ing themselves give the the number one Trojans seed in the Seca 1-0 tion 6AA Tourlead, but nament. They Junior Troy Louwagie dives to save an Anoka goal in overtime Anoka rolled through on October 30th. Final score was 2-1 for Anoka. scored the competition, the equaldefeating Robbinsdale Cooper, Ros- izer in the 43rd minute. Neither Wayeville, and St. Louis Park by a combined zata or Anoka scored in the second half score of 8-2. Aside from the Roseville nor overtime, which led to a shootout to game, which went into overtime, it was decide the state championship. Anoka smooth sailing into the State Tourna- won in a nail biter, 5-4, and took the ment for the Trojans. title. Wayzata’s impressive performance The end was heartbreaking, but the earned them the fourth seed at State. season was still a huge success. The TroIn the first round, they took on Roch- jans had not made it to the State Tourester John Marshall. Senior Arthur Pa- nament since 2009, let alone reach the rens scored two goals and Clay Elmore championship. “Overall, we are really added another on the way to a 3-0 win. proud of our season,” said senior Max In the next round, the Trojans Martin. “We defied the odds.” By DREW CARTER
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014
Misfiring Trojans fall to the Irish The Way- high school. “As a senior, I wanted zata football my football career to end the best S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R team had way possible. Even though the their season wins and losses didn’t turn out the ended by the Rosemount Irish on way we hoped, we all loved being October 31, losing the game 49- with each other every day, grow14. ing as the season went on,” said The team fell behind in the first Charlie Chermak (12). half of the game giving Rose“It’s not always about winning. mount the Fo o t b a l l lead. An- Photo by Shannon Bedard is a tough t h o n y sport, but Clarke (12) it’s the and Ausg a m e tin Gordon that we (12) scored love. It’s Wa y z a t a ’ s not altwo touchw a y s downs in a b o u t the second b e i n g half. “Rosethe best m o u n t because came ready if you to play and Senior Anthony Clarke sheds a tackle from Rosemount senior Sam play evwe did not,” Sandoz and gains a Trojan first down. Final score 49-14 for the ery game Irish. said Ryan with all Keup (12). your heart, “We gave Rosemount too many no matter what happens we are alopportunities in the first half with ways going to be champions,” said turnovers and our offense wasn’t Trevor Bedard (12). quite clicking. My hope is that Because of Wayzata’s successful people remember it as a season history, there has been a constant full of constant effort from every pressure for success on them. Alsingle player in each game,” said though the 3-7 record this year Clarke. was displeasing to the players, For many seniors, every day after they still received support from school in the fall was designated the dedicated Wayzata commuto football for all four years of nity. By MELISSA TROUT
THE TROJAN TRIBUNE
SPORTS 12
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014
XC boys and girls headed to nationals By MADDIE ORZESKE
The Wayzata girls and boys cross country teams are once again both headed to Nike Cross Nationals on December 6th in Portland, Oregon. The high school cross-country post season began for the Wayzata teams after stellar performances at the MSHSL Section 6AA Championships at Gale Woods. With the state and regional competitions now behind them, the WHS crosscountry teams are once more in the national spotlight. The November 2nd state cross country meet at St. Olaf College yielded first place victories for both teams, with individuals Connor Olson (12) and Anna French (12) standing out as Wayzata’s top runners for the boys and girls teams, respectively. Olson took first place for SENIOR STAFF WRITER
the five kilometer race and French took first place for the four kilometer race. The top five Wayzata girls placed within 49 seconds of each other and Olson, Jaret Carpenter (11), and Ian Eklin (12) all finished in the overall top ten boys. Heading into the state competition, the girls were ranked second in Minnesota behind Wilmar, but they pushed their way back as the top cross-country team in Minnesota after several great races, culminating in their third state victory in a row. Sophomore Annika Lerdall in particular had a noteworthy 4K personal record, coming in second for Wayzata and 8th overall. The boy’s team finished with their lowest overall team score in Wayzata history at St. Olaf for their second consecutive state win. Olson pushed ahead of Hopkins rival Joe Klecker with a first place victory at the state meet.
Photo courtesy of Kraig A Lungstrom The top 21 runners from the boys and girls team boys raced at the Nike Heartland Regionals on November 9th, finishing once again with impressive results. WHS raced among teams from seven states from the Midwest and finished first for both teams. The top female runner was senior Anna French, coming in 5th, while the top male runner was Connor Olson, finishing Senior Connor Olson running in the 5k at Nike Regionals. Olson finished 7th overall. first in the 5k event.
Alpine and nordic skiing look promising early ALPINE
around skiers and better people,” said Hoffman. “[Coach Mike Dzubay] would rather By Ellie Ronning have us learn for ourselves what we are SOPHOMORE STAFF WRITER doing wrong, so we can self-correct and improve as skiers,” said Olson. Practices for Alpine begin on “On every run we give it our all. November 10th, and continue on Whether that is working on pole through February. They have around touches, cross blocking, adding seven meets on their schedule for pressure to the outside or emphasizing this year, and with 55 close-knit team on our angles, we all take our own path members, good team chemistry and to achieve that ideal run through the prospects. course,” said Hoffman. “It’s going be a rebuilding year for the According to both Hoffman and girls after losing Laura Gove, our best Olson, this season will be one of the skier, and having two varsity members, most fun, and both are excited to myself and Claire Poppendeck, out for welcome new team members into the most of the season with ACL injuries,” team. said senior Hannah Olson. “Alpine is honestly like no other The boys expect to come out with because one, it is a co-ed varsity sport, a running start and build upon the and two the diverse personalities and successful year they had previously, said the types of people mesh seamlessly,” senior David Hoffman. said Hoffman. “Our team had a good run last year. “I’m so blessed to have joined such I believe our boys team will come out a close group of people and we have hot and will show our competitors become a small little dysfunctional what Trojans are really made of,” said family,” said Olson. Hoffman. “Like all varsity level sports the “I know that the girls will buckle largest achievement is being state down and really concentrate to prove champs,” said Hoffman. “And I tell they don’t need us to be good,” said you we are going to grab the bull by its Olson. horns and ski for it.” “Our coaching staff each year strives to improve the teaching and technical aspects to improve every one of us to become not just fast racers, but great all
NORDIC
successful team together, and we should be able to take advantage of the ‘golden Practices for nordic begin on year’ if we all stay healthy,” said Quirk November 10th, and continue on “Personally, I believe our team has through February. They have around a shot at the state title this year,” said thirteen meets on their schedule, and Blankenship. over 100 boys and girls on the team. “The guys are all so close to each other, Girls Nordic is coming into the season we are like a family,” said Blankenship. with last year’s state championship win “We take the sport seriously and training under their belts and hopes to continue is hard but it’s still a blast.” this success. According to Quirk both the boys and “The boys were 6th at state last year,” girls push each other to be better and try said senior Andrew Quirk. their hardest for the team. According to Quirk all of their scorers “Nordic guys varsity likes to get rowdy from state last year are returning to the and make a statement,” said Quirk. “We team, and they should have a good run at have the best team we have had in years.” making it to state again this year. “The potential for the boy’s team this “Both boys and girls teams are year is incredible,” said Blankenship. “We looking really good this year,” said senior haven’t looked this good in a long time” Carter Blankenship. According to The girls of nordic skiing pose for a picture at their meet last Febuary. Blankenship, the The 2015 season begins December 4th at Elm Creek Park Reserve coaches hold the skiers Photo by Kraig A Lungstrom to high standards, and both the boys and the girls teams are expected to make it as close to the state championship as possible. “We have all the pieces we need to put a
Girls hockey starts hot and hopes to carry momentum forward With winter j u s t around the corner the girls hockey team dusted their skates off and began practicing for their upcoming season. Although ten of the team’s varsity players graduated last year, captain Paige Sorensen (12) is not concerned and has confidence in her team, “we have a large junior class that will be able to fill the gaps that the graduating seniors left,” said Sorenson “I don’t think it will affect our team too much because we have strong players and I’m confident in their abilities.” The team’s hard work and determination is shown on and off the ice. They spend around 8 hours on the ice each week training, along with 3 hours of dry land training at Tiger Athletics to keep By Kendall Garvey JUNIOR STAFF WRITER
up with their toughest competitors, Minnetonka and Hill Murray. “Our greatest strength is our team speed, we have a very high tempo of play that will challenge other teams to keep up with us and tire them out,” said varsity coach Becky Wacker. Many members of the team have been playing together for years, “We have a well bonded team, we’ve collectively played together through youth hockey, we’re practically a family,” said goalie Sarah Stelter (11). The team has pre-game rituals to get them pumped “before we walk out onto the ice there is a big “W” on the wall of the arena, and each player touches the symbol with their glove for good luck, we also blast trap music in the locker room,” Sorensen added. Last Thursday the team faced Anoka, finishing with a score of 1-1, the team out shot Anoka 43-9. “It
was a great start to the season, our and accomplish our overall goal, teamed played well and everyone which is winning state. We are a stayed focused,” defensemen Izzy family and all are prepared to battle Shannon (11) said. On Saturday through every game this season,” the girls faced Coon Rapids and said Ally Wiitala (12). dominated all three periods. Captain Sophia Shaver received her first hat trick of the GIRLS HOCKEY: Sophomore Natalie Heising (#10) rushes season, and senior Maddy past her defender to get to the puck. Final score was 1-1. Johnson scored along with Sophomore Natalie Heising, the final score was 5-1. “Our strengths are our depth and team chemistry. We have 3 equal lines that all know how to put the puck in the net” said Sophia Shaver (12). It is only the start to a great season for the girls, as they make their way towards state, “I am very excited to see our team Photo by Naomi Liew come together even more