Trojan Tribune Issue 9 2013-14

WAYZATA HIGH SCHOOL february 7, 2014 / volume 32, issue 9

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Cold weather causes shifts in calendar On January 31st, Superin@quinncullum tendent Chace Anderson announced recommended changes to the district’s calendar due to the cold days.

These recommended COLD Cont’d page 3 changes include stuBy QUINN CULLUM S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

Seniors sign their way to a new beginning

By DAVANTE WASHINGTON NEWS EDITOR

Eight of Wayzata’s best athletes commit to playing at the collegiate level.

The eight to commit were Aaron Petterson, Saul Eugene, Mckenna Evans, Mary Franke, Drew Greely, Brandon Lingen, Michael Smith, and James Smith.

Aaron Peterson, a member of the boys national team, will be running cross country next year for the Coyotes of South Dakota. The team has had a lot of success and the potential to maintain that success in the future, said Breyer.

“I look forward to SIGNING learning more about Cont’d page 16

A DOMINATING FORCE Science Bowl A and B teams took first and second place at their State meet.

Science bowl blows away competition Science Bowl dominated last EDITOR IN CHIEF weekend at state, @k_talerico with their A and B teams coming in first and second place respectively.

The tournament was held at Macalester College, who hosted 32 teams from across Minnesota. State is the only tournament besides national that Science Bowl competes in.

According to Daniel Qu (10), B team was not even expected to play at the tournament; they were first in line on a waitlist of teams to play. When a team didn’t show up, B team was granted the opportunity to play.

In the preliminary rounds, A Team went 7-0 and B team went 5-2. Both teams advanced to the playoffs, where they each beat several teams by large margins, knocking them into lower brackets.

“We played against Wayzata B three times,” said A team member Orien Zeng.

“We both got into the double elimination tournament where we ended up facing off.”

By KATIE TALERICO

Photo by Katie Talerico

SIGNING AWAY THE NEXT FOUR YEARS Twelve seniors committed to their schools this Saturday.

Included (from right to left) were Michael and James Smith (Cornell), Bandon Lingen (University of Minnesota), Drew Greely (University of North Dakota), and Mary Franke (Colorado State University.)

“That round, Wayzata B beat A team by about 106 to 28, which is a big margin,” said Zeng. Both teams advanced to finals where A team beat B twice in a row.

A team’s win means they will get to go to national in Washington, DC this spring.

Only the first place team qualified for nationals.

A team included captain William Zeng(12), Joseph Chen (10), Orien Zeng (11), Jayant Chaudhary (12), and Nathan Stocking (12). B team was composed of Daniel Qu (10), Jeffrey Lee (10), Daniel Ibeling (10), Faheem Jabir (11), and Sruti Paladugu(10).

Despite losing three of their top senior players next year, Qu said, “I think next year we’ll be strong still since Orien and Sruti are both great captains.”

“Science bowl has been rough in the past,” said Qu. “Schools like St. Paul Central and Chanhassen have often beat us. I believe this year was our best finish.”

The team was honored by senator Erik Paulsen in a recent speech. On Monday, they were filmed by WCCO’s news team.

LAKE CONFERENCE

DRIED OUT

By MATT JOHNSON S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

On January 23rd, 2014, the Minnesota State High School League board came to a unanimous vote to change the Classic Lake football conference system to a district structure.

This new plan will completely scrap the conference system and will implement districts up to 16 teams similar in size and location.

High schools in the conference have struggled to fill their eight game schedule due to a lack of opponent interest to schedule games.

All the powerhouse Lake Conference teams have problems year after year finding nonconference games because teams don’t want to sign themselves to a probable loss.

“One of our schools is looking to spend $35-40,000 this year to travel well into Wisconsin to play a game,” said MSHSL Director Kevin Merkle via Kare11.com.

“Should they really have to do that?” Merkle said.

“When the Classic Lake conference disbanded and Wayzata was placed in the Lake Conference, it caused some teams to leave and left us in a conference of five teams,” said Wayzata head football coach Brad Anderson. “This creates problems for all our conference teams to fill four of eight games for a full schedule,” Anderson said.

Coach Anderson isn’t the only coach that has voiced his support for the new system.

“I think it is a great thing,” said Dave Nelson, Minnetonka High School head football coach. “For years now, we struggled filling out our schedule. There are only five teams in our conference (Lake), that leaves you with four football games you have got to find and it has been tough. We have taken many trips to other states, Wisconsin, Missouri and North Dakota. So, it will be good to play teams in the Twin City area,” Nelson said.

Teams like Minnetonka and Wayzata will no longer have to look very far to fill their 8-game schedule. Not only will this district system fairly match schools by size and location but all the teams will have to agree upon their given schedule.

Photo Illustration by Katie Talerico

DISSOLVING THE LAKE CONFERENCE The Lake Conference is to change to districts next year.

Very few teams wanted to play the Lake Conference due to its comprised set of highly skilled teams. The Minnesota State High School League unanimously voted for the change.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

NEWS 2

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

Plymouth K-9’s receive protective vests

By DAVANTE WASHINGTON NEWS EDITOR

Student senator to visit Washington DC Wa y z a t a High School senior Priyanka Narayan has won the competitive United States Senate Youth Program, earning her the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and work alongside United States Senate members.

“The program is for outstanding students in leadership positions who may have a future in public policy. The students get to spend a week in Washington D.C. and experience the national government,” said Narayan.

Narayan may also get the opportunity to meet with the National Defense Secretary, Supreme Court Justices, Senators and the President or Vice President.

Narayan will travel to Washington D.C. the week of March 8th and will be there until the 15th.

Two students from each state, one male and one female, are selected to be apart of the program each year through an application process.

“I applied this year, since I am on the Board of Directors for the Indian Association of MN. The Minnesota Senators select students in the state based on leadership, recommendations, academics, other extracurricular activities, and essays,” said Narayan.

The students will then spend a week in Washington D.C experiencing the national government. They will be able to hear major politicians speak about current issues.

Each student is also awarded a $5,000 scholarship for undergraduate studies.

Those students are encouraged to study history or political science according to The Hearst Foundation, which runs the program.

By CHRISTY WILLIAMS S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

In effort to keep Police K-9 dogs protected, Plymouth residents have been donating money.

These K-9 vest protect the dogs against bullets, knives and other ballistic threats, said Plymouth Assistant House Director Scott Kleist.

The department has received four vests for their K-9s: Knight who is two, Odie who is three, and Stryker who is five, said Kleist. The first three coming from Vested Interests in K9s, a nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts.

Vested Interests has donated 571 vests

since 2009, according to their website.

The fourth vest was paid for by donations from different community members, said Kleist. Plymouth Creek Elementary Principal Sarabeth deNeui said, during a Plymouth Creek family service night Alex’s Lemonade stand raised money for the K-9 vests.

These vests range from $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the size and protection of the hardware, said Kleist.

In the last 10 years blunt trauma has been the result of 60% of police K-9 unit deaths, according to Fallenofficersremembered.org. A donation drive was started 10 years ago for police dog protective gear, said Kleist. Not until now are local departments receiving theses vests.

Chamberlain sings to second place Cydney Chamberlain (11) com@quinncullum peted in a the West-Central regional vocal competition from January 10 to 12 and landed second place. This second place finish also makes her first alternate for nationals.

She left school that Friday for Des Moines, Iowa to compete against numerous vocalists. “I performed four pieces, all in different languages: English, French, German, and Italian,” said Chamberlain.

While this competition may have been a new experience for Chamberlain, vocal competitions are not. Chamberlain took fourth place this Fall at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition, which was held at St. John’s University. She has also been a member of Minnesota Opera’s “Project Opera” (their youth training program) for years.

At WHS Chamberlain sings as a soprano in Concert Choir. “I think that Cydney is very dedicated to music and that dedication causes our section and ultimately our choir to sound better,” said Katie Hochmuth (12).

“I’m lucky enough to have sung with her in all 3 years of high school so far. Her spoton pitch, strong voice, and passion for music has anchored our section every year,” adds Haley McNiff (11).

If the first place vocalist from the WestCentral regional competition should be unable to perform for any reason, Cydney will be ready to compete at nationals and will surely represent WHS well.

By QUINN CULLUM S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

Photo by StarTribune

MANS BEST FRIEND: Knight, a two year old German Shepard, models a donated K-9 protective vest. One of four donated to the depatment within the last year.

Pep fests not for heart week

Unlike years past, there will be no pep fest @quinncullum during this year’s Heart Week said Principal Mike Trewick.

Normally, WHS has pep fests both during Homecoming and Heart weeks.

After the events of Homecoming week this year, questions were raised about why there would no longer be a pep fest during Heart week.

“This decision was made after last year’s

By QUINN CULLUM S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

l

assembly. I went to the NHS advisors and asked them if there were benefits to giving up over 50 minutes of class time for the assembly and they said ‘no’...So we actually cancelled that last March,” said Trewick.

“All assemblies have some issues. We need to deal with the issues and canceling them is not the way to deal with this issue,” adds Trewick. Trewick said he has not ruled out a Homecoming pep fest for next fall.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

NEWS 3

COMING SOON TO A CLASSROOM NEAR YOU

By JARED KAUFMAN | S E N I O R

The Graphic Novel, Issue II, is a Success Who’s your favorite superhero? There’s a class for that!

WHS communications teachers Meaghan Decker and Mark Ferry co-created the course “The Graphic Novel,” and they started the second year of teaching it last week.

“We wrote the course together, but Mr. Ferry did the paperwork to get the course passed. The course developed because we would always talk about graphic novels.

We had read really different comic books – I hadn’t read too many superhero comics, but I had read modern-age, adult-geared comics published by Vertigo, an imprint of DC,” said Decker.

Decker said the two teachers collaborated on writing the course. They created a framework, then split up the units and wrote the curriculum. Then, they worked together to finish the details. Most of the

course was created during the summer before last school year, Decker said.

“We get a lot of students who are really into superhero comics; I can even learn from them. It’s good to see that graphic novels that are not superhero comics are just as engaging for these students,” said Ferry. Decker agreed. “Every student read every single reading assignment – and ahead of schedule!” said Decker.

“My favorite comic book we read in class is Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. But my favorite of all time is a 60-issue series called Y: The Last Man, by Brian K. Vaughan,” said Decker.

“It’s a small class now,” Decker admitted. “But there’s a lot of enthusiasm. We encourage students who have never really read comic books to sign up. It’s a fun challenge.”

S TA F F W R I T E R

| @jaredography

¿Quieres aprender más español este año?

Now you can learn even more Spanish at Wayzata High School! Allison Jakucki teaches Spanish 5, a course new to WHS this year.

“We changed the Spanish curriculum several years ago to increase exposure in elementary and middle school, which means more students are coming right into Spanish 2 at the high school,” said Jakucki. She explained that students may finish Spanish as juniors, and Spanish 5 was created by the Spanish teachers as a way to eliminate the possible gap between high school and college Spanish.

Spanish 5 can be taken before, after, or at the same time as AP Spanish.

“The course is taught in Spanish and is an upper-level course. Other Spanish classes mainly focus on grammar and the structures of the language, but here we can delve into more universal themes,” said Jakucki. Since students already understand the language, the class can learn about culture by including authentic music, film, art, and writings, Jakucki said.

Jakucki graduated from Wayzata High School in 1994, and she said her experiences at WHS inspired her to want to teach the course. “As a senior, I was in Spanish 4, an existentialism class, and a humanities class, and all of them started melding together. I started making connections between what I was doing in all the classes. In fact, I read a paper by a Spanish philosopher in my English existentialism course, then I read another paper by the same person, written in Spanish, in my Spanish class.

And that’s really my goal for this course – for students to see global connections and overlaps between Spanish and their other classes or life events,” Jakucki said.

“I have one section of 13 students now.

Usually that’s too small of a class to run, but we got permission to keep building up our Spanish program,” Jakucki said.

“So far I have been very impressed with the level and quality of the Spanish I hear in the room. Hopefully more students will be interested to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Wayzata’s New Courses New Courses for 2013-2014 New Courses for 2014-2015

Photo by Jared Kaufman

GRAPHIC NOVEL SUPERHEROES The two teachers of the Graphic Novel course -- Mr. Ferry reads The Dark Knight Returns and Mrs. Decker reads The Death of Superman. Besides superhero novels, the class also reads historical novels and memoirs written in graphic novel form. Let the rivalry begin!

Cultural Dynamics Through Literature Project Score! Broadcast Media and Systems Yoga and Group Fitness Criminal Law #Trending Topics The World in Non-Fiction Spanish 5 CONT’D From page 1

What is the Wayzata Leadership Academy?

Wayzata Leadership Academy is a group of students who have the goal of promoting the five pillars of success, Responsibility, Respect, Relationships, Ethics, and Awareness. We work on many projects to make Wayzata a better environment for all students. Some of our projects include the Anti-Bullying shirts and Pillar of the month.

What does Trojan Pride mean to us?

“When we walk down the halls we see all types of people, nationally recognized artists, D-1 recruits, math geniuses, state-champs in all kinds of activities, highly-ranked musicians, etc. etc.

We can be proud of all these things, but to us, Trojan pride means more. It means respecting everyone and being responsible for the happiness of our school. Bullying is by no means absent in our school. The snide comment that you thought was playful banter could affect people. It’s a big school, but if everyone takes care of their neighbors it will truly be a “better place”. This tight knit community, in addition to our many extracurricular and academic achievements is my definition of Trojan Pride.”

We are working on a project to promote bullying awareness by sharing people’s stories and how they affected them and the people around them. If you think you know someone who would be willing to talk, or if you are someone who is willing to talk please contact Sarah.

Rudell.Beach@wayzata.k12.mn.us or WLACharacter@gmail.com. This is a great opportunity for all students to get a better understanding of what other students are going through and to become aware of the ongoing problem of bullying. We hope to raise awareness about the subject and to help to put an end to bullying. The WLA sincerely thanks you for your participation in this video and your continued support of ending bullying.

Article by Soomin Song

students attending school on Presidents’ Day (February 17) and the school year being pushed back by one day to June 6, 2014. These recommendations will be evaluated by the district’s School Board, but are expected to be approved.

Superintendent Anderson recognized that while “we are still within the state requirements for student contact days/ hours at this time in grades 1-12, we are adding two additional days of instruction to provide students with enough time and opportunities to ensure adequate focus on the key learning objectives.”

These two days will serve as a buffer for any future cold days. The district website states that in addition to the two extra days of school, there will be a reduction in “...the total number of currently scheduled late start dates at Wayzata High School.”

However, the website does not specify which

Digital Photography Home Construction & Maintenance Software Engineering Culture Studies in Action

days will no longer be late starts.

If there are more cold days in the future, Superintendent Anderson says that “...we would look at the week of June 9 or we could potentially take a look at the two days immediately before spring break (March 27 and March 28).”

Any further extension of the school year in June will most likely not impact seniors.

“It is unlikely that we would seriously consider moving the date of Commencement... families have been making plans around this date for quite some time and I don’t see a scenario that would result in us having to move the Commencement date,” states Superintendent Anderson.

While it seems as though this cold weather may never come to an end, Superintendent Anderson states that he “...remains confident that we can find ways to meet the State time requirements and wrap up the school year in a timely fashion!”

OOPS! WE FORGOT TO CREDIT

Kevin Zheng

Maggie Scanlon

Movies are a popular Valentine’s Day date. Are these recent films worth watching, or better as background noise as you focus on something (or someone) else?

REVIEWS BY ANDREW STERN

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT The written and directorial debut of Tom Gormican, this romantic comedy stars Zac Efron, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, and Imogen Poots. Going into it, I was excited for this film.

Despite some questionable movies he’s been in, I still like Zac Efron. After Chronicle (2012) and Fruitvale Station (2013), I’m sold on Michael B. Jordan.

And Miles Teller shows a lot of prom-

ise, after a knock-out performance in The Spectacular Now (2013), and rave reviews for his upcoming Whiplash (2014), which just took the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. Brandon Trost as Director of Photography was the cherry on top.

The story follows three friends as they find themselves in “That Awkward Moment” in a relationship, where you have to decide where it’s headed.

After Mikey’s ( Jordan) wife decides she wants a divorce, Jason (Efron) and

Daniel (Teller) vow to stay single with him, with mixed to poor results.

The actors in That Awkward Moment are all very charismatic, and they work well together. The dialogue is fast-paced and effective. Although there’s nothing too amazingly hysterical in the film, it’s very charming throughout - even in its crudeness. The pacing is fast, and the film stays in the “entertaining, but nothing too special” place the entire way through.

The film is a bit unbalanced, however.

It leans heavily towards the relationship between Efron and Poots, and skims the other two. On top of this, the story is as formulaic as it gets. There are a few subtle surprises, but for the most part it’s pretty trite. The characters lack dimension and the plot lacks realism.

On the whole, That Awkward Moment is a bit disappointing. I wouldn’t say it’s a bad movie though. The cast’s charisma carries the film, and makes it relatively enjoyable. With a lesser cast, it would be much worse. 6/10

LABOR DAY Adapted from a Joyce Maynard novel, Labor Day is directed by Jason Reitman. However, it stands out from Reitman’s other films, including Thank You for Smoking (2005), Juno (2007), and Up in the Air (2009), because of a distinct lack of cynicism and dark comedy. Starring Gattlin Griffith, Kate Winslet, and Josh Brolin, this romantic-drama tells of an escaped convict (Brolin) who takes refuge at a single mother’s (Winslet) home.

Labor Day is soppy, melodramatic, and completely unrealistic. The entire film screams of a school-girl’s romantic fantasy. A tall, dark, and handsome man, on the run from the law, comes to the rescue of a heartbroken mother. The man isn’t dangerous, he’s just misunderstood. He’s sweet, great with kids, and an amazing cook. Their love has to be kept a secret though, because of the overly aware neighbors and ever-present police. It’s incredibly similar to the type of contrived garbage you’d find in a Nicolas Sparks’ novel.

It’s obvious that the actors are all trying their best, but they’re just not given a lot to do. The extent of Winslet’s part never goes past shaking and lookCONTINUED ing helpless. Brolin seems restrained, next page and doesn’t attain his normal screen

presence. Griffith, playing the main character and eyes for the audience, is surprisingly solid for a child actor, and holds the film together. JK Simmons, Clark Gregg, and James Van Der Beek have supporting roles, but they never appear for more than a scene or two.

As the title would suggest, Labor Day primarily takes place over a long Labor Day weekend, and it feels that long, even with a sub-2 hour runtime. The pacing is slow, and there are plenty of scenes that don’t contribute much to the story. The scenes move with a particular stillness that makes it feel as if time were standing still.

Labor Day marks Tobey Maguire’s second film in a row where he serves as narrator, the first being The Great Gatsby (2013). Labor Day suffers the same unfortunate fate as Gatsby; it’s obvious a lot of talented people worked on the movies, but the contributions didn’t result in a coherent film. Although Labor Day is much more balanced and less grating than The Great Gatsby, you don’t need to see it unless you’re sure it’s your type of movie. 4/10

I, FRANKENSTEIN I like to think of I, Frankenstein as a spin-off of The Dark Knight (2008). After Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent turns into “Two-Face” and falls off that building, his memory is wiped and he believes he’s Frankenstein’s monster, caught in a war between angels and demons. At least, that’s what I chose to believe while watching Aaron Eckhart do his best Batman impression in this Stuart Beattie-directed film, adapted from the classic Mary Shelley book and a Kevin Grevioux graphic novel.

After a quick montage outlining how Frankenstein’s monster (Eckhart) killed

his creator’s wife (and indirectly Dr. Frankenstein himself ), he is attacked by demons, but saved by the Gargoyle Order.

He is then named Adam and learns of the battle between angels (that are Gargoyles), led by Leonore (Miranda Otto), and demons (that are nameless faces in suits), led by Prince Naberius (Bill Nighy).

To maintain a PG-13 rating, there is very little blood. Instead, the demons “descend” - by turning into orange beams of light; the angels “ascend” - by turning into blue beams of light. At 92 minutes, I, Frankenstein is small in scope. This works to the film’s advantage though. While I, Frankenstein feels like it ends too quickly, it maintains a fast pace throughout.

It’s nothing too innovative, but the special effects in the film are fun to look at.

The creature designs are one-note but nonetheless interesting. The fight choreography is also very solid. The Wolverine (2013) Director of Photography Ross Emery does the cinematography, and it’s dark but aesthetically pleasing.

All of the actors in I, Frankenstein look like they’re having a great time. The characters are one-dimensional, but the performances are fun. Bill Nighy plays the villain, and he’s a joy to watch. Aaron Eckhart’s talents are wasted here, but he’s anything but apathetic.

I, Frankenstein has a very serious tone, but I don’t think you should watch it as

OSCAR NOMINATED live f ilms

a very serious film. The movie becomes much more entertaining when you laugh along with the over-the-top performances and absurd plot. I don’t know if campy was the goal or not, but everyone involved clearly put in a lot of effort. Eckhart trained for six months to handle all of the fight choreography. While passionate filmmaking doesn’t necessarily bring good results on a technical level, it typically makes a film much more exciting. I, Frankenstein may not be a “great” movie, but it certainly isn’t boring. How much you’ll enjoy it depends on how serious you take it. 5/10

SHORTS

animated f ilms

1. Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything): This French film about a mother

1. Possessions: This Japanese entry is about a

leaving her abusive husband doesn’t treat you like you’re stupid.

It leaves you in the dark and then slowly reveals details, all the while increasing in intensity. It feels completely real, and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

man who encounters a plethora of possessed household items while seeking shelter from a storm. It’s wildly engaging, surreal, and beautifully animated. It’s the only one of the bunch that I genuinely did not want to end.

2. The Voorman Problem: This film from the UK,

2. Mr. Hublot: This story about an eccentric re-

starring Martin Freeman and Tom Hollander, is about a psychiatrist examining a prison inmate who believes he is god.

Though somewhat one-note, it’s darkly funny and incredibly entertaining.

3. Helium: This Danish short film about a janitor who

tells a patient about a magical fantasy world is produced by 5-time Oscar nominee Kim Magnusson. The special effects are incredible, the performances are very good, but it’s a touch overlong.

4. Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?): This 7-minute Finnish film about a family late for a wedding builds towards a well-delivered albeit predictable joke. It’s entertaining, but there’s not much to it.

5. Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me): This

Spanish film about African child soldiers starts off strong, but then quickly loses steam until it’s dealing entirely with cliqués.

By no means is it bad, it’s just the weakest of the bunch.

cluse who takes in a robot dog is visually stunning.

Unfortunately, a contrived story takes away from the unique world that’s created.

3. Room on the Broom: This adaptation of the

children’s book of the same name has a varsity vocal cast - including Simon Pegg, Timothy Spall, and Sally Hawkins. The claymation looks great, but at a repetitive 26 minutes, it should probably be reserved for kids only.

4. Feral: This black-and-white entry about a wild

boy being integrated into society starts off as artsy, and finishes as pretentious. A bland story and lack of closure leave you feeling unfulfilled.

5. Get a Horse!: This nostalgic Disney cartoon is

likely the most well-known of the lot, having appeared before Frozen (2013). However, the mixture of classic Disney and mediocre 3-D animation is awkward, and the forced story makes the mere 6-minute runtime seem like an endeavour.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

ENTERTAINMENT 6

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

Photo by Katie Talerico

TAKINGCENTERSTAGE

The winter Black @k_talerico Box plays are not shy when it comes to fragile topics. Two years ago, they tackled homophobia in The Laramie Project, and before that they took an overzealous, sexual and feminist twist with Moliere’s Don Juan.

This year, The Heidi Chronicles tells the story of Heidi Holland, an art historian, and follows her life throughout the feminist movement of the sixties, seventies, and eighties.

“The play also focuses on Heidi’s relationships throughout her life,” said Bridget Sperry (12), who plays the titular character. “She faces the complicated issues of one-sided relationships, gender inequality, social acceptance, and pressures as well as her battle to strongly stay true to herself and what she believes is right instead of following the paths of those around

By KATIE TALERICO EDITOR IN CHIEF

her.”

“It’s about independence and the search for self-reliance,” said Luke Soucy (11), who plays Heidi’s lover and friend with whom she has a long, tempestuous relationship.

“The play is challenging in that it takes place over four decades, and that growth of human development has to be portrayed,” said Soucy.

“It isn’t a normal play with sequential scenes. Instead, the show is made up of segments of Heidi’s life from different eras, each with decade appropriate fashion and music,” said Sperry.

Sperry says her greatest challenge is switching ages between the scenes.

“In the prologue Heidi is 42, and in the next scene she and her friend Susan (Abby Maas) are 16 at a dance in the 1960’s,” said Sperry.

“It’s a fun challenge for all the actors because it gives us a chance to fully develop characters that have many

“Insanity runs in our @tayloremily68 family.

In fact, it practically gallops.” That line is possibly the most famous from Joseph Kesselring’s 1939 play Arsenic and Old Lace, this year’s 9th grade and 10th grade Black Box play.

The play tells the story of a newly-engaged Mortimer, who soon discovers that his family is not only composed of crazy people, but homicidal ones as well. Garrett Lane (10), who plays Mortimer, explained that the producing the infamous play didn’t come without struggles.

“This show in particular has a lot of dialogue,” Lane explained, “That has been the biggest struggle for most of us.” As A DV ERT I S I N G M A NAG ER

Janet Scanlon (10) plays an old woman with a taste for murder in “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

Photo by Katie Talerico “The cast dynamics are the best part of the show,” said Bridget Sperry (above) who plays the titular character in “The Heidi Chronicles.” Above, she breaks out of character alongside costar Luke Soucy (11).

A TASTE FOR MURDER

By TAYLOR CRANFIELD

Photo by Katie Talerico

more dimensions and are not limited to chronological acting,” said Sperry.

The most fun of the play? According to Sperry, it’s the cast dynamics. “We are all really close friends so spending time rehearsing is always a blast and it never feels like work because we are laughing so much.”

The show is directed by Adam Hegg, whose insight into the characters and passion for the show make the experience an incredible one Sperry said.

Sperry said, “[This is] the story of an era of change, and it is told with charm, humor, and allows the audience the chance to connect with characters.”

“It’s a beautiful work of art,” said Soucy.

The show opens on February 26 at 7:30 in the Black Box. Performances are on February 27, 28 at 7:30 and March 1 at 2 PM. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens, and $10 for students.

for playing a character as complex as Mortimer, Lane said his biggest personal struggle was “portraying a man going crazy.”

“The show was actually written with more male characters than females, so we changed some of the genders of the characters to include a mix of females and males in the show,” said Shawna Spiry (9), who plays an assassin/plastic surgeon.

Adam Hegg, the show’s director, said that the problems didn’t stop with the lengthy dialogue. Wayzata’s infamous five “cold days” put quite a dent in the rehearsal schedule. “We lost five days to the snow,” director Adam Hegg said. As an actor, Lane explained that him and his fellow cast mates had to “run lines by [themselves].”

“There’s a lot of lines, a lot of monologues and two person scenes, so it’s definitely been hard to memorize lines,” said Spiry.

However, “despite being five practices behind, this show is going to be awesome,” said fines arts secretary Cindy Behrns, who organized the tickets and advertising for the play.

Ian Hebeisen (10) plays Mortimer’s brother Jonathan Brewster, who wants Mortimer dead. “This has a very different feel to it than some of the other plays at Wayzata. It’s a very funny show, but also with some suspenseful parts, so it has something in it for everyone.”

“The play is about murder: there’s really nothing more suspenseful and majestic than that,” said Spiry.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

&

ENTERTAINMENT 6

KINGS QUEENS

OF TWENTY FOURTEEN

By ALY TISTHAMMER & MEGAN BAILEY SENIOR GUEST WRITERS

What is the point of Heart Week? Why do we have the hilariously awkward Sing-o-grams, the hopefully inaccurate matchmaker surveys, the new and improved Carnival themed dance, and the third pajama Monday of the year?

In all of the festivities, the purpose of Heart Week can get lost on us. It’s important to recognize the spirit of spreading love, wether it is by raising money for a worthy cause or

showing compasion to others around you.

The Miracles of Mitch Foundation, the recipient organization of this year’s Heart Week proceeds, is a Minnesota charity that supports families who have children undergoing cancer treatment.

According to the Miracles of Mitch Foundation website, on Christmas Eve 2002, Mitch Chepokas, a nineyear-old cancer patient sat on his hospital bed and opened presents with his family, he heard crying from the room next door. Mitch had been diagnosed with cancer that spring, and knew that paying for cancer treatment was a strain on families. That meant that some of the kids didn’t get to celebrate Christmas with any gifts.

When Mitch realized that these kids who were already going through so much didn’t have the simple pleasure of Christmas gifts with family, he had an idea: with the money from his savings account, he would deliver each patient an envelope. In this envelope was a bit of cash, which supplied a little bit of joy and a little bit of hope along with it. Mitch couldn’t stop there. Mitch and his dad pinky-promised that the tradition would be continued, even after Mitch was gone. To Mitch’s family, a pinky promise is forever.

Leukemia is the most common form of cancer in children, according to cancer.org. Childhood cancer can have

a devastating effect on the patients and families, not only emotionally but also economically. According to ehow. com, cancer treatments can cost up to $52,000.

The Miracles of Mitch foundation helps these families with financial burdens. According to Tara Tobin, the marketing director for the Miracles of Mitch Foundation, in the last ten years, more than $2.5 million has been given by the Miracles of Mitch Foundation to cancer patients and their families, including $400,000 last year.

This money has supported families of cancer patients receiving treatment at four Minnesota hospitals. This support is given through a food pantry, All-Star weekends (special weekend getaways which provide relief from the stress of cancer treatment), and Camp Courage (an annual summer camp specially equipped to care for children with cancer). Each of these opportunities makes a huge difference to the children and their families.

Miracles of Mitch wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers, so if you are interested in donating your time, visit www.miraclesofmitch.org for all of the information in this article and more. Now is a great time to get involved.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, cancer incidence rates have remained relatively the same since 1970, the survival rates have climbed to nearly 80%. You can inspire hope in these children with the time you dedicate. Mitch would be proud to see that his pinky promise has been upheld. Thanks to one boy’s compassion, countless families have experienced joy amidst the trials of cancer.

VALENTINE’S DAY TRIVIA d. 90%

a. 80 b. 300

b. 10,000,000

ACCORDING TO THE CHOCOLATE MANUFACTURER’S OF AMERICA, HOW MANY BOXES OF CHOCOLATE ARE SOLD EACH YEAR FOR VALENTINE’S DAY?

c. 100,000,000

a. 36 Million

d. 1,000,000,000

b. 112 Million

APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY CARDS ARE SENT OR EXCHANGED FOR VALENTINE’S DAY?

a. 1,000,000

2. WHAT PERCENT OF VALENTINE’S DAY CARDS ARE PURCHASED FOR RELATIVES?

3.

b. California

HALLMARK HAS APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY UNIQUE CARDS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR VALENTINE’S DAY?

c. 80%

5. WHICH STATE PRODUCES THE MOST ROSES a. Florida

c. 175 Million

4.

b. 70%

d. 1,300

EVERY YEAR FOR VALENTINE’S DAY?

d. 249 Million

a. 60%

c. 500

c. North Carolina d. Texas ANSWERS:

B, D, A, C, D

1.

M

T

W

T

F

pajama day

stoplight day

usa day

trojan day

royalty day

SING-O-GRAMS DELIVERED DURING FOURTH BLOCK CLASSES

SALES DURING ALL FOUR LUNCHES

SALES DURING ALL FOUR LUNCHES

MR. WAYZATA AT 7:30. TICKETS $10 ADVANCE $12 AT DOOR

SALES DURING ALL FOUR LUNCHES

OF H

JEEVA PALANISAMY SECRET TALENT: Telling jokes CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Justin Timberlake. “God, I love that man.”

20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be a surgeon probably in a lot of debt.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOY: “My stuffed animal, which I brought with me all the way to adulthood.”

WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH Gandhi. “He’s an Indian guy and I like them.”

“What separates me from the competition are my Indian jokes.”

TOMMY ST. MARTIN SECRET TALENT: Singing and dancing CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Channing Tatum 20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be a successful businessman with lots of women.

HE LAUGHS AT himself.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOY: Lincoln Logs WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH Martin Luther King Jr.

“What separates me from the competition is that I’m the best looking.”

ISAIAH CAMMON SECRET TALENT: Spontaneous karate moves.

CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Jonah Hill 20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll hopefully be starring in an awesome movie.

HE LAUGHS AT Japanese commercials.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOY: Laundry baskets.

WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH Chris Farley “People say I light up the room with my smile.”

JOHN WOODEY SECRET TALENT: Strength CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Bruce Lee, minus the karate.

20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be living in Korea as a K-Pop idol, but afterwards he’ll be a computer programmer.

HE LAUGHS AT very dark colored humor.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOY: “I had this one blanket that was really special to me. We always had a lot of fun.

WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH George Washington, “to see what’s going through his head.”

“My dancing abilities separate me from the competition.”

BILLY YANCEY TALENT: Singing and dancing CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Zac Efron 20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be working as an engineer or just hanging out. Maybe he’ll win the lottery.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOYS: Action figures WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH The Beatles, “because they are crazy good and I think we would have really interesting conversations.”

“I’m exciting and my act is pretty awesome, so I have that going for me.”

K E E W T R A HE Photos by Kevin Zheng

STEVE KANGAS JOE DOOLY

JONNY ROBERTS TALENT HE’D DEMONSTRATE TO THE GAMEMAKERS: “I would use my bow, because I do archery. Also Katniss is pretty cool.”

CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Jonny Depp 20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll either be a biologist or a surgeon.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOYS: His stuffed animals WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH Martin Luther King Jr. “My personality and creativity will win me this competition.”

ZACH MITCHEM SECRET TALENT: Spear-throwing and food-eating. “I can definitely eat a lot more than T-St.” CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Leonardo Dicaprio because “we both have a lot of swag, a large vocabulary, and we look alike.”

20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be “living on the street in a box, hopefully.”

WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH Spartacus. “He was pretty much an animal.”

“If there was a Hunger Games for the Mr. Wayzata contestants, I would win. I’m pretty agile and I’m definitely one of the lighter kids and I run really fast. I can also do cartwheels.”

SECRET TALENT: Making friends CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Andy Samberg 20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be involved in business, staying happy, with his family, and will have bought his parents a house in Florida.

HE LAUGHS AT dumb humor.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOYS: Action figures WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH Teddy Roosevelt “because he would have fun hunting stories.”

“I have very curly annoying hair that never works which is unlike Tommy’s perfect flow.”

SECRET TALENT: “I’m pretty good at Dance Dance Revolution and I can recite a couple of Disney movies. Other than that, I’ll probably rely on my wit and charm.”

CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Tom Hanks 20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be an astronaut, or Space adventurer. There’s a difference.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOYS: His Gameboy.

WOULD GO TO DINNER WITH Martin Luther King Jr. “I lack remorse for my actions.”

MATT PRISBY SECRET TALENT: Really bad jokes CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: Andy Samberg 20 YEARS FROM NOW he’ll be living on the moon or in his car.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOYS: Hot Wheels WOULD USE A TIME MACHINE to go back in time and have dinner with myself.

“The competition’s biggest weakness: they’re not me.”

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE HEARTWEEK 10

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

Illustration by Carmen Santana

PASSION

in

P-TOWN

Living in the suburbs, date nights can get repetitive. Ditch the movie theatre and Applebee’s for one night and try something new.

By EMMA SCHMIDTKE SENIOR GUEST WRITER

Feeling the pressure to plan an amazing Valentine’s Day? You know that dinner and a movie doesn’t cut it anymore, but instead of cursing every romantic comedy you have ever dosed through, get creative. Here are some unique, local places to take your special someone or have a single girls or guys night out.

1. Skyzone Your partner will literally be bouncing off the walls on this date. There’s no need to get dressed up. Just remember to bring socks.

Skyzone is open from 11 in the morning to 10 in the evening on Fridays and is $8 for a 30 minute jump and $12 for 60. That still leaves time to grab a bite afterwards, perhaps at option number four.

13310 Industrial Park Blvd Plymouth, MN 55441 (763) 331-3511

2. Magers and Quinn Bookstore Are you someone who is normally at a loss for words when it comes to love? Then take your date a place with thousands of words.

Roam the poetry and romance isles and read aloud from classic love stories. Who is a better wingman than Austen or Shakespeare? It is a perfect date if you are short on cash and still have not read The Fault In Our Stars no matter how many times your girlfriend has asked you to.

3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 822-4611

3. The Depot A romantic classic, ice skating is always a fun night. Watch Serendipity or another romantic comedy featuring an ice rink beforehand to get in the Valentine’s Day mood. Bundle up and bring along a thermos of hot chocolate. Admission is $6 for those 17 and under, $9 for adults, and skates can be rented for $7.

225 South 3rd Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55401 (866) 211-4611 or (612) 375-1700

4. Chef Lee Restaurant Applebee’s or TGI Friday’s can be adequate on Valentine’s day, but you are looking for something more memorable. If you are looking for an unique dining experience without having to go broke, try this familyowned local favorite. Entrees are an average of $11 and you have the option of either dining in or taking out. I hear the staff is really nice also. Tip well.

1400 County Road 101 N Plymouth, MN 55447 (763) 473-2518

5. Minneapolis Institute of Arts Let’s be honest, if you could fly your love to Paris on Friday, you would. But if airfare is too expensive and/or you have a fear of flying, just take him or her to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Pretend you are in the city

of love as you stroll through the museum’s impressionist wing. Must sees include Van Gogh’s Olive Trees and Monet’s Grainstack. The Institute closes at 5 pm on Fridays, so make sure to get there early and go out to eat in Downtown Minneapolis afterwards.

2400 Third Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55404 (888) MIA ARTS (642-2787)

6. Baking Don’t waste money on over-priced cookies from the bakery, invite your sweetie over to bake some with you (I recommend chocolate chip cookies; they’re simple, easy, and hardly ever fail. Plus, they’re delicious.) It’s unlikely that this will end in an adorable food fight in the kitchen, but at least you’ll have two sweet things to end the night with.

MONEY CAN’T BUY YOU LOVE

BU T I T C A N BU Y C A N DY, S O T H AT ’ S BA S I C A L LY T H E S A M E

DANCE AND CARNIVAL NIGHT SATURDAY!

T I C K E T S $ 1 0 I N A D VA N C E , $ 1 5 A T T H E D O O R ON SALE HEARTWEEK ONLY From left corner, clockwise: Chocolate mesh bags ($2), cupcakes ($2), Sing-O-Grams ($5, only on sale until this afternoon), carnations ($1). Must know your recipient’s f irst block class.

Making music for Mitch Sing-ograms will J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R again be performed this year on Monday, February 10th during 4th block classes.

All performances will be available for $5, and students will be able to purchase and preview the acts during all lunches today.

Choir students from all grades will be performing modern songs such as “Love on Top” and “I Want Crazy”, but will also include more dated hits like, “Build Me Up Buttercup” and “You are the Music in Me.” “It shows people in the school who don’t get involved in the music program that we do more than just classical music. We are versatile. Singing is our sport.” said Diamond Sampson (11).

All songs are sung a capella, meaning singers will not be supported by any musical background.

“Doing songs a capella can be a challenge for many groups, it is important to note the concentration that often has to go into finding that pitch,” said Maddie Orzeske (11).

“A capella is a very difficult way to sing.

It’s exhilarating to see a group of girls from all different sections work together. You laugh at the notes you miss, and it’s nice the way we can use constructive criticism without offense,” said Sampson.

According to Orzeske, Sing-o-grams have been at WHS for years, and have been used by National Honors Society to raise money for various charities.

The funds this year will help the Miracles of Mitch charity foundation. According to miraclesformitch.org, the charity works to help financially support families with chil-

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SINGING WITH SOUL The choirs will be performing Sing-O-Grams this year to benefit NHS’s Heartweek fundraiser.

dren suffering from cancer.

“Various sources of revenue, including sing-o-grams as well as candy and dance tickets sold during lunches, are all to be part of the contributions toward the Miracles of Mitch charity foundation,” said Orzeske.

Sing-o-grams are bought for various reasons, including expressing feelings near Valentines day.

“We help people express how they really feel. Any song can impact someone,” said Sampson.

On the other hand, a more common use of sing-o-grams is public embarrassment for friends.

“I like to buy Sing-o-grams because I like to embarrass my friends. It’s especially fun when you’re in their class and get to see their reaction,” Julia Lettenberger (11).

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THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

OPINION 12

TROJAN TRIBUNE EDITORIAL STAFF Editor in Chief Katie Talerico News Editor Davante Washington Feature Editor Meredith Johnson Sports Editor Emily Berg Opinion Editor Kate Carroll Photo Editor Sadie Bell Copy Editor Jared Kaufman Advertising Manager Taylor Cranfield Advisor David Motes

MISSION STATEMENT 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 the guidelines of the Associated Press Stylebook and is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association.

ADVERTISING

Contact the Trojan Tribune with questions regarding ads. 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.

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Comments concerning NewsBreak may be sent to the address below.

This publication is committed to providing a limited forum within the community of Wayzata High School, and one in which 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 Room C117

trojantrib14@gmail.com

Opinion Exchange How to Watch the Olympics: Ignore the Score You’re watching the Olympics wrong, Wayzata. The opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, is tonight.

By JARED KAUFMAN Once the S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R Olympics start, many of us will be rooting for Team USA and counting up the medals American athletes have received. Medal count has become an unofficial Olympic sport on its own. For us, the country that gets the most medals wins the Olympics.

But the Olympics were not originally intended to be “won” by a single country.

They were meant to be a safe haven from world conflict, where the best amateur athletes from around the world would put aside their differences for a few weeks of friendly competition. Nowadays, the Olympics are a major international sport-

ing contest, and because of that, there are lots of individual competitors in each event.

Americans are used to watching actionpacked, team-versus-team games like football, in which the score is always in the corner of the screen and viewers know exactly who is winning at every moment.

You are trained to watch for conflict, to savor the competition, to trash-talk the enemy. Right?

That same framework is applied to the Olympics, which is a mistake. The Olympics do not naturally lend themselves to our definition of two-party conflict, so American commentators try to frame the Olympics as being “won” by the country who has the most medals. And you’re pretty happy about this because you can just watch what you want to watch throughout the games, and then catch up on who won the entire Olympics at the very end.

But when else would you be able to watch an international badminton tournament? You wouldn’t. But you may prefer to watch ice hockey because it’s fast-paced, competitive, and familiar to you. You enjoy

ski jump and basketball, and when America wins you add that gold medal to our ever-growing medal total.

Imagine turning on the TV and seeing a dozen competitors play a sport you have never seen before, and seeing each athlete marked with a three-letter country code you do not recognize. Maybe you would turn off the TV. But don’t! Engage in it, enjoy it, and appreciate the unfamiliarity!

This is the Olympics, and even if you don’t know where in the world IRI or ESP or NOR are located, you can learn something about both world geography and the intense preparation, coordination, and precision that these unknown athletes possess to compete on the world stage.

Watch the Olympics for what it is. Don’t just write off a medal in luge as simply another stepping stone on our path to winning the Olympics. Why not actually watch the luge? Why not learn about the world of bobsled racing? Why not root for the five Minnesotans on the US curling team? Watch the Olympics right this year, Wayzata.

Tackling the real conflicts behind the SuperBowl 111.5 million people watched the Super Bowl this year. I was not one of them. The degree to which Americans are enter tained

By ZACHARY HELPPI by over-steSENIOR GUEST WRITER roided, overpaid, athletes. I checked Facebook once, to see a barrage of posts about the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning, and the general hype that is football in America. There were 25 million tweets, according to Twitter, among hopeful teens, absorbed in the trench-warfare-like game between the Broncos and the Seahawks. Millions of beer-bellied men, weighed down by four pounds of booze and nine pounds of chips, watched the wretched jingoism of beloved commercials.

As you sucked the Dorito dust off your

fingers and watched cute little puppies and horses, you probably weren’t aware that the National Football League (NFL) is a charity. According to IRS laws, charities aren’t supposed make significant profits. The NFL pays senior executives tens of millions of dollars. Networks rarely mention the subsidized nature of the NFL, because any emphasis on fair compensation to the public would call attention to their own bag-of-candy arrangements. Oh yes, the owners, despite their net worth of several billion dollars, do not pay the largest portion of the costs.

Even if you don’t watch or go to the Super Bowl game, it still costs you money.

Approximately 70% of the cost of the NFL stadiums is provided by taxpayers. The massive forced public funding bares a striking resemblance to the feudal systems of Europe in a type of parasitic rich welfare. The socialization of cost and privatization of profit is reminiscent of the fascistic model. The owners live like feudal lords, collecting public payments while contributing little to nothing to the people. For example, on Veterans Day

2012, the NFL announced it would donate $300 per point scored in designated games to veterans groups. Of course, CBS, Fox, ESPN and NBC praised this, even though the total donation came to only $432,000, which is less than a tenth of 1% of annualized NFL stadium subsidies and tax favors.

The alluring salary and lifestyle offered by the NFL entices youth to start reaching for those dreams by joining teams at an elementary age. Risks of life threatening concussions, extreme personality changes, abuse of painkillers and performance-enhancing drugs, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, dementia—all this, despite the new and improved body armor that football players wear, is still a concern to the future of players.

The Super Bowl is merely history repeating itself, a society of bread and circus. Like the ruined coliseums, America’s football stadiums are both a symbol of tragedy and a sign of humanity’s potential.

George Zimmerman enters the public eye again George Zimmerman is making national headlines again for the third time as he announces his next career move into “celebBy MEREDITH JOHNSON rity” boxing.

F E AT U R E S E D I T O R According to the Chicago Tribune, Zimmerman told Radar Online that boxing wasn’t something new to him. Boxing was something Zimmerman had done way before February 2012 when he made national news for the first time after he was accused of murdering seventeen -year-old Trayvon Martin.

The man behind organizing the boxing match is famous celebrity boxing promoter Damon Feldman. According to Radar Online, Feldman is known for all types of celebrity boxing, most that end in lawsuits and rigged matches.

For the match that is set to happen on March 1st, thousands of people have showed interest in the chance of being face to face with Zimmerman and give him “what he deserves”.

Celebrities that have stepped forward include Lindsay Lohan’s father, Michael, and rappers DMX and The Game. Since the case had such a national following, it doesn’t seem that it will be challenging to find someone to step in the ring with Zimmerman.

In an interview with Radar Online, one American, Vincent Edwards expressed what it would be like to face Zimmerman.

“It would be my honor to get in the right with him. Enough is enough, he killed that young man. I want to fight him not for what he did to Trayvon, it’s because he’s got a big mouth and I’m the man to shut it completely.”

This reaction isn’t surprising, considering many Americans believe that Zimmerman got away with murder by claiming self defense with Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law, which allows anyone who is scared for their life to shoot.

Introducing a new feature...

ASK JARED If you’ve been wondering about anything at WHS (questions could be about maintenance, bussing, school policy), email me questions at trojanopinion@gmail. com and I will pick some to answer in the next issue.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7TH, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

YES

It’s getting difficult to defend Justin Bieber and his compounding horrific societal offenses. But should he be deported?

By SONIA NECULESCU A substanJUNIOR GUEST WRITER tial number of people want the Biebs back in Canada.

Over 100,000 signatures have accumulated on a petition in favor of his deportation, implying the possibility of action taken by the White House. Those in favor claim that Bieber is both a threat to national safety and a negative influence on America’s youth. These claims are not untrue. He’s lucky that nobody was hurt due to his frivolous, drunken excursions.

The surfacing pictures of mug shots and strippers clearly fail to relay a positive image to the public.

Sure Bieber has committed more than his fair share of unforgivable offenses. But do these offenses even qualify for deportation? If we deport him on

these precedents, our deportation standards will be altered for future cases.

Why are we even so fixated on the petty happenings of Justin Bieber? There are more imperative immigration cases to be handled by the White House than this issue. Justin Bieber either needs to grow up or exit the spotlight rather than consume American pop culture and immigration issues f u r t h e r.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I would rather be faced with the White House tackling a societally beneficial immigration case than another news headline featuring a drunken Bieber entangled with more strippers. But that’s just me.

OPINION 13

NO

W h a t would m a k e Justin Bieber viable for grounds of deportation?

Unfortunately for the Biebs he qualifies under violation of moral turpitude Driving while under the influence is not grounds for deportation of an immigrant, but receiving a DUI while knowingly driving on a suspended license is.

The White House plans on addressing the petition with well over the necessary 100,000 signatures in f a v o r of deporting B i e b e r.

The petition describes him as “dangerous, reckless, and destructive”, and is “threatening the safety” of Americans. The petition also calls for revoking his green card, although the singer is actually in the U.S. on a temporary work

visa.

If an immigrant is a threat to the citizens of this country, should their actions be excused and looked past because they are a celebrity?

Bieber has proved to be reckless, igno- By HANA KASSEM rant, and arrogant J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R and needs a huge reality check. He should not be free of punishment. Bieber is creating a bad name for himself and for American values. We can’t let a narcissistic 19 year old boy make international news for egging houses and drunk driving while holding an American visa.

We also can’t forget about Bieber’s influence on the youth. In case you haven’t noticed, his fan base is strong and scary. These over-obsessed fans hold him to a higher status and refuse to view his actions as wrong.

If fans think he can do no wrong, what is to keep them from repeating his actions?

Give him back to Canada. Maybe some of that Canadian nice he seems to be missing will rub off on him.

STATE OF THE UNION STRONG Watching the first Afr i c a n Americ a n president address the 350

By DAVANTE WASHINGTON million NEWS EDITOR people in this great country, all I can make out of the wonderfully crafted speech is, “keep it up.”

In the last five years we have had an understandably frustrating relationship with the government. We have seen our nation’s debt grow by the billions, and unemployment rates reach numbers that haven’t been seen in decades. However, we are reminded this month by the leader of our country that prosperity is on the horizon. This is not a clearance to stop the hard work that has been put forth.

At the 2013 State of the Union address President Obama said, “We can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger.” Now in 2014, our union is even stronger. The US economy has grown 3.2% in 2013’s FY fourth quarter, unemployment has steadied to 7.3%, and American soldiers have begun to return home from a 12 year war on terror.

Over the past 18 months the United States has started to get back on its feet, and we can only begin to stand

taller if we maintain our hard work and entrepreneurial spirit.

President Obama made a point to emphasize the importance of keeping this spirit alive. “China and Europe aren’t standing on the sidelines; and neither should we. We know that the nation that goes all-in on innovation today will own the global economy tomorrow.” I agree, getting ahead in any market will put America at an advantage going forward. As O bama

brought up we’ve seen great success with American companies like Google and Apple.

As a nation continuing to grow, we cannot fabricate issues within our country. We cannot let parties stand in the way of getting things done for the people of this country, and we cannot scare so easy. All of this I agree with not because of any allegiance to a party, or personal opinions of the President, but because it is what will make this nation great.

WEAK

Surprisingly enough, I was not a fan of the 2014 State of the Union. There was a general theme of change, but it was severely lacking in plans for policy implementation. It has been a rough second term for Obama, with few successes to note. Inefficiency, government shutdown, and the lowest approval ratings for both congress and the president. “Americans' approval of the way Congress is handling its job has dropped to 9%, the lowest in Gallup's 39-year history of asking the question” (said who?) Compared to other recent re-elected presidents’ second January after election, the only president who had a lower approval rating than Obama’s 42% was Richard Nixon, at 27%, after the Watergate scandal broke.

Women’s reproductive health care was omitted from the address. 2013 was a strange year, with many states establishing laws restricting abortions and the Supreme Court striking down a mandate of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), allowing religious non-profits to deny using employee health insurance to cover birth control, Wendy Davis filibustering for eleven hours, and the list goes on and on. (<-- run on) You would think with Obama’s strong pro-choice views, they would be mentioned.

Latin American policy was completely absent. Obama’s Chief of Staff (CoS) Denis McDonough was a senior foreign policy advisor on his 2008 campaign before becoming CoS, with a speciality in Latin American policy. Usually CoS interests show through in the annual

SOTU; Jack Lew, (the predecessor to McDonough and current secretary of the treasury) was the major force behind KATE CARROLL first-term fiscal cliff By O P I N I O N EDITOR negotiations. Considering the burgeoning economic possibilities, untapped natural resources, and recent government changes it would have made sense to shift down south.

The most surprising was the lack of discussion on gun control. The SOTU came after 11 school shootings in 19 days. The Obama administration has recently been blassé on the issue, letting states like Colorado take the reigns. For goodness’ sake Obama - stop being afraid of the NRA! Vice President Biden has been able to tackle them before and I am sure that he can do it again.

Part of being President involves dealing with the hardhats of congress, something that given enough public attention and motivation can easily be done. There wouldn't have been a better time to rally both parties together on our impending fiscal doom.

Obama is a charismatic public speaker, he’s got intelligence, a good sense of humor, and a fantastic cabinet helping him.

The state of his union was sub-par. One thing is for sure: Obama will have plenty

to

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

SO

ENTERTAINMENT 14

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

CHIC:

WHAT THE

GIRLS

ARE WEARING

By SADIE BELL PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

@mssadiebell

HBO’s “Girls” is a realistic portrayal of post college twenty-somethings struggling in New York City to find a job, love, and themselves. I love “Girls,” not only because it’s like watching my future unfold before it has even happened, but because it depicts different, realistic women wearing realistic, affordable clothing.

Each of the ladies has her own style, illustrated through their personalities and what they wear, just like anyone in the real world.

“Girls” creator Lena Dunham’s character, Hannah Horvath, is an aspiring writer with self-esteem issues, a troubling love life, and recently cut off from her parents. Despite her many troubles, Hannah is convinced she’s the voice of her generation, “or at least a voice.”

Hannah is also very self-absorbed and though she can tend to dress frumpily, her self-absorption is reflected through her clothing. Hannah makes a point to look like she doesn’t care to unsettle her peers and passer-bys by mixing prints such as a plaid shirt paired with a loose floral skirt and polka dot tights. Hannah dresses as any angsty hipster in Greenpoint, Brooklyn would by wearing oxford pumps, lace up ankle boots, printed tights, and dresses with wallpaper-like prints.

Through her clothing, we see Hannah wouldn’t want to be anyone but herself.

Like what the homeless man yells to her on the pilot episode, we look at Hannah and think, “Hello, New York.”

Hannah’s roommate Marnie Michaels is the classic “working girl” of the bunch.

Other than her serious baggage with her boyfriend of four years, Marnie is the most put together and it shows through her clothing.

Unlike her friends, Marnie can afford her rent and even has discretionary income to spend to make her look like a polished, yet age-appropriate, businesswoman. Marnie can be seen strutting the streets of Brooklyn in nude stilettos, a trench coat, and a classy dress paired

Photo from Aliza Mashadi

SECOND PLACE FINISH FOR “CHARLOTTE” At the Section 6AA One Act Festival on February 1, Wayzata’s “Dear Charlotte,” took second place. Under the direction of Rick Halley, Wayzata’s participation in the statewide One Act competition continues to grow stronger. The One Act has not placed well in the competition in years before against competitors from Holy Angels, Benilde, Bloomington Jefferson, De La Salle, Edina, Minneapolis Southwest, Richfield, Robbinsdale Armstrong, Robbinsdale Cooper and St. Louis Park. with a blazer. Marnie adds an embellishment to every ensemble by wearing oversized jewelry, a belt, or striking shoes to give her outfit the same freshness that captures her personality.

Hannah and Marie’s British friend Jessa Johansson is the poster child for a freespirit. Jessa looks like a walking Free People advertisement and has been known to travel on year long excursions around Europe.

Jessa likes to make a point of her sex-

ual freedom by wearing almost excessive amounts of sheer or masculine widelegged pants to prove she is comfortable with her body and identity. Traveled Jessa typically wears Bohemian trousers, billowy tops, and flowing skirts. She can be found at a warehouse party wearing an exotic feather ensemble or nannying at a Brooklyn park, looking like a walking thrift store.

Though she can’t be planted in one place for too long, Jessa blossoms in any environment and never fails to stray from her individualism.

Jessa’s cousin Shoshanna Shapiro is the youngest and most naïve of the group, still a full time student in search of a “Sex and the City” life. Shoshanna has yet to gain as much experience as the rest of the girls, but as a college student, Shosh is fully aware of everything trendy.

Shoshanna’s wardrobe is full of youthful bows, sparkles, and pastels. Shosh can

pair a blazer with a feminine dress and ridiculously oversized headband to give herself a couple extra years, while never losing touch with her innocent side.

Shoshanna proves you can make anything trendy your own and you don’t have to dress mature to look cute.

Whether you’re a Hannah, Marnie, Jessa, Shoshanna, or none of the above, these girls prove your style reflects who you are and they do so in a way that best fits them. “Girls” may not have the wardrobe of “Sex and the City” we all love, but it does have real women wearing affordable clothing. “Girls” has reality in its storylines, dialogue, humor, and even their wardrobe. “Girls” is real and that’s what makes it so loveable. We should admire these girls because while they are “busy trying to become who they are,” they might just truly be the voice of their generation.

Bookcase The

The Twin Cities' Oldest Independent bookstore.

est. 1963

◆ Over 12,000 books in stock ◆ ◆ Special orders arrive within days ◆ ◆ Book Signings • Live Music ◆

Photo collage by Sadie Bell

824 East Lake Street, Wayzata (952) 473-8341 www.bookcaseofwayzata.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

SPORTS 15

Girls’ hockey motivated to turn around season Girls hockey snapped a five game losing streak with a pair of big wins this past week.

They had a big win over Edina, who is currently ranked third in the lake conference.

The girls topped their big Edina win with a decisive thrashing of the Mississippi Eight Conference leader, Buffalo.

“Each conference game we’ve lost has only been by one goal, and in multiple cases those games have gone into overtime,” said Paige Sorenson (11).

Both games were close with scores of 3-2, and the Edina game ended in overtime with the winning goal scored by Sophia Shaver(11).

“We played really well as a team in all three periods [in the Edina game]. It was exciting, and I’m glad I was in the right place at the right time,” said Shaver.

The team currently has an overall record of 17-6-1 and a conference record of 3-5-0. Wayzata is ranked last in the Lake Conference and fourth in Section 6AA. “Section 6AA has been one of the most

By NICOLE STEPHAN J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

difficult sections in girls’ hockey for the past few years, with the eventual state champion coming out of the section all of the past three years. The nickname for the Section 6AA tournament is the “mini state tournament,” said head coach Becky Wacker.

The top four teams in Section 6AA, are ranked in the top six teams in the state said Wacker.

Sections are February 8th through 14th, followed by the state tournament from February 20th to the 22nd. Wayzata will take on Maple Grove High School first at 4:30 on February 8th.

The girls are preparing for this year by focusing on their weaknesses and watching films of other teams, said senior captain Carly Noble.

“I’m going to approach playoffs with an optimistic attitude and having faith in my team. Playoffs last year didn’t go our way, and I’m hoping this year will go differently,” said Noble.

“I believe we have a really good chance of getting to state this season because unlike past years, this year we have great depth on our team, and our desire to make it to state is deep for every grade level,” said Sorenson.

Gymnastics vault to victory T h e g i r l s @MERE_JOHNSON19 gymnastic team t o o k home first place this past Saturday, hula skirts and all, as they won the Breck Luau Invitational.

According to captain Kasey McCarthy (12), this was a costume meet, so instead of wearing normal warm-ups, they wore grass skirts, coconut bras and everything else associated with hula girls. “Although we didn’t win the costume competition, it was still a fun way to change up a normal march in,” said McCarthy.

The costumes give a fun twist to the competition, which makes it one of their favorite meets. “The Breck Luau meet is always our favorite meet each year. It is one of the most fun meets we compete in during the season. Our team, once again just tried to beat our previous performances, but more importantly we were not focusing much on how we were actually competing. We were mostly focusing on fun,” said senior captain Hannah Roth.

With this meet came new competition.

The girls faced a few new teams, such as Maple Grove, Pine Island and Breck. One team that they have previously faced was Austin, and they have always been tough to compete against.

“We have already competed against Austin and we knew they were our main competition. They are able to pull some high scores when they hit their routines (they beat us at the Lakeville Invitational). Knowing that, we tried our best in sticking our routines and maintaining focus on our skills versus theirs. Overall the skill level was around what we are used to competing

By MEREDITH JOHNSON FEATURE EDITOR

with,” said McCarthy.

Even with all the tough competition, the girls pulled out a first place win with a score of 144.875. According to Roth, the first place win came as a shock. They ended up beating the number one team in the state in division single A as well.

“We did win first place at the Breck Luau so this shows that we did have a good meet.

We weren’t as solid on beam as we usually are, but it didn’t have too much of an effect on our scores. We were all very excited to win our first place trophy at an invitational this season. It represented all the hard work and time we have put in this season so far,” said McCarthy.

“Competition season is starting to wind down as we only have one more invitational (Minnetonka Invite) before sections. Sections is one of the most important meets we have all season as it determines which team from our section goes to state. We also have JV conference on Thursday (2/6). This is a meet to show off all the talent we have on the JV team,” said McCarthy.

According to Roth, as a team they really need to work on their landings because every extra step decreases their scores. “This year, our team definitely has the skills, it just comes down to our landings mainly,” said Roth.

If the girls train hard and all stay on the same page, finishing in the top 3 in state is definitely a possibility for them.

“Being apart of this team has been so great in so many ways. First, being a captain for this team has been nothing but great. I have never seen athletes train so hard and want something as much as the girls on this team do, especially this year. With this being my last year ever doing gymnastics, I can’t explain all the support I’ve gotten throughout the season and the years. I couldn’t ask for anyone else I’d rather finish my gymnastics career with than the girls on the varsity team this year,” said Roth.

Photo by Andi Puls

Senior captain Chase Heising has the puck in their season opener on November 22nd. The Trojans won the game 4-3 in overtime.

Boys’ hockey season nears Sections

T h e b o y s hockey t e a m is 16-4-1 heading into their last four scheduled games of the season.

According to Chad Olson (12), the players act like brothers on and off the ice. “We’re like a family and will do anything to help our team win,” he said. With every win, the players’ bonds get even stronger and they continue to have that feeling of brotherhood, said Olson.

“We have such good chemistry and I think that’s going to help us win state this year,” said Alec Hemenway (12).

The boys know that the season will be over soon, and for a few of them, this is their last year. But for some, this is just the beginning “They have done such an amazing job of bleeding Blue and Gold,” said Wayzata Varsity Hockey Coach Pat O’Leary.

“It’s bittersweet because we are making it to sections, but we all know that our time together is short,” said Billy Duma (10).

Some of the seniors are content with leaving the hockey team because they know that it will be left in good hands.

Duma is one of the many sophomores on the varsity team.

By DIAMOND SAMPSON J U N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R

“I’ve been playing hockey my whole life,” said Duma. Being so committed and having such a passion for the sport has allowed him to become successful, like the other sophomores on the team.

“We knew [the underclassmen] they had talent. I’m looking forward to see what they do in the future,” said Chandler Lindstrand (12).

As they get closer to sections, the team’s connection grows stronger. They all know that no matter the situation, they have each other and they will continue to protect and support one another.

“My teammates are my best friends there guys you want to be around they always pull you up and never let you down,” said Mark Senden (10).

“All the upperclassmen take the time out to teach me new things, and they are all really good role models.” Duma said.

The boys begin section play on February 20th at the Plymouth Ice Center.

As the boys prepare for sections, Luke Paterson (10) just wants everyone to know that he and his team appreciate all the support given to them by their fans.

“A lot of our success is due to our fans.

They are a big part of how well we do because they continue to attend our games and support us,” said Paterson .

Trojets kick their way to the State Tournament The Trojet D a n c e Team has @sophietoland taken gym floors across the section by storm all season.

Invitationals and Thursday night meets were sneak peeks at this season’s competition dance team’s potential.

“This year we had many tough competitions considering our section is the most difficult in the state,” said junior Brooke Talen. The team left everything on the competition floor at Saturday, February 1 st ’s section meet.

After other teams and stiff competition had their run, the judges announced the Wayzata Trojets placed 3 rd in the high kick category and 1 st in jazz. Being that the top three teams advance to the state meet, the section champions had earned their medals and their spot to compete at the next level.

“Our goal as a team was to do better than we have before, and I believe we

By SOPHIE TOLAND SENIOR GUEST WRITER

did. Each dance felt amazing, and I could not have asked for a better last performance on our home floor,” said senior Maddie Honke.

Medals were awarded; hugs were given left and right, and the Trojets smiled all their way to accept their well-deserved trophy.

“Sections were a great opportunity to prove the strength and depth of our team, and getting the chance to advance in both dances will be an amazing opportunity with an amazing team,” said senior Sydney Riebe.

With the help and instruction of their experienced coaches, the Trojet Dance Team is preparing for their state competition on February 14 th and 15 th. “Our state team is preparing to be the best we can be without comparing ourselves to other schools.

We are going to keep working on team chemistry also, but I am most looking forward to making memories for the last time doing what I love the most with the people I love the most,” said senior Mia McMurray.

THE TROJAN TRIBUNE

SPORTS 16

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

Photos by Katie Talerico DOUBLING UP Sophomore captain Alec Wong (left) plays alongside William Drew (9) in a doubles match against Jack Buan (12). The team has recently been given only four tables from the althletic department, which limits the amount of players they can have practicing at any one time. Right, Vineeth Thirunavu (11) serves it up at practice.

Ping pong gets served by athletic department

Though the members of ping pong aren’t allowed to officially call themselves a team, they’ve begun practices and are ready for competition.

Despite the success the Wayzata Table Tennis team has had this past year, they have been in an ongoing conflict with administration over whether or not they are considered a school sponsored sport.

According to sophomore captain Edward Mu, the team has been going back and forth with administration for many years over this.

“Any athletic team has to be either a Lake Conference sponsored sport, or a Minnesota State High School League sponsored or endorsed sport,” said Wayzata High School’s Activities and Athletics administrator Jamie Sherwood. “The table tennis team is truly just a community based team.”

According to Sherwood, Mu had asked for permission to become a school sponsored team, and Sherwood declined.

“Being recognized as a team would allow

us to have more formalized practices, an advisor, and better organization in general.

However, as of our current situation, this is not possible for various reasons, and our team has to accept that,” Mu said.

“We just don’t have space for groups like this to meet,” Sherwood said. “This school is packed. Maybe if the building gets bigger and the referendum passes, there will be a space for groups like Edward’s to meet whenever they want, not just on Wednesdays or whenever there is free space.”

Sherwood said that he enjoys working with both Mu and co-captain Alec Wong (10), even if it is under the circumstances they are presented with.

“The thing I like about Edward’s team is that it’s Edward’s team,” Sherwood said.

“He comes in and negotiates for the team.

They do what they want. It’s student run, and they can go in whatever direction they wish. If the team was school sponsored, once they start going in one direction,

“I look forward to learning more about From page 1 myself as a person and developing skills I can take past college. Also, just enjoying myself with what I love to do,” said Breyer.

McKenna Evans, coming off of a national title, will continue her cross country running career at the University of Nevada. After not making the team just a few years ago Evans was still motivated to come back stronger. Her effort and determination earned her a spot on the top girls cross country team in the nation and a Division 1 scholarship, according to girls cross country coach Dave Emmans.

Mary Franke said, “I chose CSU, because it was an opportunity I could not pass up.

Very few people can say they are going to go D1 for athletics.”

Franke, also being a part of the girls cross country national team, hopes to maintain her success on the top level of the sport.

“I hope that can contribute to the team, and pass on my passion of the sport. I love running. I am addicted. I hope to continue to succeed in school, but also in my athletics,” said Franke.

The Trojans may have come up short this year in the run for another football state title, but three senior Trojans will still extend their football careers.

Drew Greely will join Wayzata alumni Daryl Brown (‘10) at the University of

North Dakota. “I picked the University of North Dakota because the coaches and program have a good plan for the future.

Also, the campus and education felt like the right place for me,” said Greely. “I am looking forward to earning my degree and playing the game I love for the next four years.”

“I’m just excited to further my chances to play the game I love,” said Saul Eugene. Eugene will be playing football for Southwest Minnesota State University next year, continuing to the next step in the sport he loves.

“I’m planning on being around the game for the rest of my life but this is my last chance to do so as a player and that’s pretty special,” said Eugene Last year Chris Whipson became a Gopher, this year it is Brandon Lingen that will be cheering “ski-u-mah.” Lingen first announced his commitment to the university back in October. Lingen told the Trojan Tribune in November, “The opportunity to play in front of my friends and family and to be so close to home is special.”

After this season, the Wayzata High School track team will say goodbye to two of its most successful sprinters.

Cornell University will welcome with open arms twins Michael and James Smith. The identical twins will share a track in New York state. “To be honest the package deal wasn’t something we had

By ELLIE RONNING

FRESHMAN GUEST WRITER

SIGNING

there’s no going back.”

The Wayzata Table Tennis team is a student based activity. According to Wong, he and Mu run the practices and try to lead the team.

“Our current status as a team allows us to compete against other schools in Minnesota A few times a month, we go and play other schools in organized scrimmages. This year our matches will include Harding, Jefferson, Orono, and possibly Benilde-St. Margaret’s,” Mu said.

“As a team, we train together and prepare for matches against other schools.

We compete against other schools various times in tournaments throughout our season,” Wong said. “Our biggest match will be the state tournament.”

“School sponsored teams have to practice everyday. They makes cuts, and they have an advisor. I don’t know if the table tennis team can do what they want to do with their current situation, or that what they

want to do as a school sponsored team is what’s best for them,” said Sherwood.

According to Wong, despite going back and forth with Sherwood and administration, there are still current disputes with the Physical Education department about equipment usage and practice times.

“The team borrows the tables from P.E.,” Sherwood said. “Recently, they have been limited to the use of four. I tried talking to the teachers, but the tables really do belong to P.E, and the teachers are the ones who have control over them.”

Still, both Mu and Wong have high hopes for the season.

“Our goal this year is to improve our table tennis skills and place better in state than we did last year,” Wong said.

“Our team gets along very well. We work very smoothly as a whole. Prior to coming together as a team this year, many of us were already friends,” Wong said. “I hope we can capitalize on that.”

Ever ything is going swimmingly As the end of the season draws closer for the boys swim and dive team so does the state tournament. Recently, following a win over Edina (103-83), all of the boys are determined they can each individually make it to state.

“We’ll start doing some lighter practices and resting after the Eden Prairie meet so that we can do well at sections and advance people to state,” said senior captain Miles Tracey.

Unfortunately for the team, only the top 16 in the state make it to finals for individual events.

“Some of the people who made it last year and should make it again this year are

Christopher Carlstrom (100 fly and back), Greg Arnold (100 and 200 free), Eric Mitchell (diver), Kevin Stowe (200 IM and 100 breast), and Caleb Zarns (diver),” said Tracey.

Although their confidence level is high, the guys still have extremely competitive races ahead of them such as Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Hastings, and East Ridge.

Last year Wayzata scored last in relays according to the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). Tracey hopes their top three relay swimmers this year will be able to compete in the race who are preparing with heavy practices.

The state tournament will take place at the University of Minnesota aquatic center from February 27th to March 1st.

originally planned. We both planned on running somewhere but just weren’t sure if it’d be at the same place. But I guess when an opportunity like Cornell was within both our grasps it was hard for either of us to say no,” said Michael. I enjoyed the campus, liked the coach and loved the team, “It doesn’t hurt that Cornell is pretty top notch as well,” said James. “As for competing at the next level, it’s a little bit of

everything. Excited to have the opportunity to compete at a level that so few reach, but also a little nervous because the competition is so high. That being said I’m not done with Wayzata yet and I look forward to this spring when hopefully our team can claim another state title,” said Michael.

By MAVRIK JOOS

S E N I O R S TA F F W R I T E R