Vol. 1 , Issue 7 2/7/2013
Lance Armstrong: Hero or Hoax ?
ASK VEEBEE!
Michelle Flanagan and Alisa Warren
Image courtesy of: sportsillustrated.cnn.com (fair use).
You know the story: he’s the professional cyclist who valiantly defeated cancer, only to make a huge comeback and win the Tour de France seven times in a row. He shared his story for the world to hear, turning it into the iconic Livestrong Foundation, established to provide support and inspiration for cancer patients all over. He was an icon, a hero, and an image of defying the odds for all. But it’s also known that the story, grand enough to be dubbed a fairy tale, did not wrap up there. He finally admitted to his crime of doping after the overwhelming evidence against him, speaking out about his confession for the first time in the now infamous Oprah interview. It’s a well-known fact that doping is a major part of the sport of professional cycling. Armstrong is not the only cyclist to be found guilty of the crime, so it can be argued that it was almost needed to excel, or even compete, in the Tour de France. So doesn’t that mean that the playing
ground was essentially level? In fact, Floyd Landis, 2006 winner of the Tour de France and former teammate of Armstrong, also admitted to doping. One of the turning points in Armstrong’s story is the confession of Landis in a 2010 interview, revealing the names of several others who also participated in this act of cheating, including Armstrong. Perhaps this is what ignited the swarm of questions regarding the validity of Armstrong’s claims in being clean. Armstrong responded to the accusations without hesitation, calling Landis, “desperate for attention and money,” dismissing him as a liar. And how about Betsy and Frankie Andreu, once close friends with Armstrong? They were witnesses to Armstrong’s disclosure of doping use while speaking to a doctor during his cancer battle. Their decision of refusal to lie about this doping confession led to some consequences with their former friend. Using his high position in the cycling world, Armstrong successfully convinced others in the community to not hire Frankie as part of their cycling teams. As for Betsy, she was repeatedly called “obsessive and vindictive”, along with other expletives. Their reputations were ruined, their dignity was at stake, and their family was on the edge of falling apart, all thanks to Armstrong. “I know as a Christian I’m supposed to forgive,” said Betsy Andreu in a New York Image courtesy of: wordpress.com (fair use). » See Armstrong pg. 7
FFA Succeeds in Tournaments
theknightwriter@ vbschools.net
Senior Spotlights: Kennedy Richards & Cameron King Page 4
CONTENTS News....................... p. 2
Jessica Gilts
The Van Buren FFA members have been spending a lot of time during the past month preparing for the statewide Career Development Events (CDEs). A CDE is a contest to test members on their knowledge on career opportunities within today’s agriculture industry. The recent contests include nursery and landscape, food science, tractor trouble shoot, ag sales and job interview. The competitions started in January and will continue into February. On January 15, Ashley Flick, Mackenzie Howard, Mackenzie Hiatt and Sierra Lowden traveled to Columbus to show what they were made of in the nursery and landscape CDE. As a team, they placed 27th in the state out of 45 teams. Kenny Chambers, Mackenzie Hiatt, Hailey Lowden, Sierra Lowden and Image courtesy of: mcsnc.com (fair use).
Submit questions for VeeBee to answer to
Olivia Sattler competed in the district food science CDE. The event took place at Upper Sandusky High School on January 16. As a team, they placed 3rd out of 10 teams. On January 17, Cory Rawson hosted the sub-district tractor trouble shoot CDE. The participants split up into teams of two to three and tested their ability to fix broken tractors. The teams consisted of: Collin Hiatt and Robbie Sanders, who placed 2nd, Kenny Chambers, Ashley Flick and Mackenzie Howard, who placed 4th, Brad Couchot and Ryan Schiefer, who placed 7th, and Desi Cunningham and Mackenzie Hiatt, who placed 18th. Desi Cunningham, Ashley Flick, Jessica Gilts and Brennon Swain battled it out at Tiffin-Sentinel Career Center for the district ag sales. They placed 3rd as a team and will take the online test on February 14 to determine if they go to state. Lastly, on January 29, Ashley Flick, Brooke Clausing, Jessica Gilts, Hailey Lowden and Zach Smith participated in mock interviews, filling out applications and completing follow-up letters in the job interview contest. The CDE was held at Arlington High School. Smith received second in his division and Klausing and Lowden both earned third in their division.
» See FFA pg. 7
» On Being the Minority » Teacher Feature » All-County Choir Participants
The Knight Life....... p. 3 Book Review - Forever Movie Review - Warm Bodies Heard in the Halls Valentine’s GIft list for Him or Her
Entertainment........ p. 4 » Senior Spotlights: Kennedy Richards & Cameron King » Darling Duos
Sports................ pgs. 5-6 » Life of a Wrestler » MVP of the Week-Ross Adolph » Superbowl Recap » Sports Calendar » Scoreboard » Wrestling Sectionals
News Con’t.............. p. 7
Vol. 1 Issue 7 February 7, 2013
News
The New Girl in Town From New York to Spain to Little Old Van Buren
On Being the Minority My Mission trip to Haiti Michelle Flanagan
Weeks of prepping and praying and list making, and ultimately, I was told, nothing would prepare me. They didn’t lie. Getting to Haiti doesn’t take very long. It only takes four to five hours to get into a different county that feels like a world away. When I told people I was going to Haiti, they acted like it was on the other side of the world. Really, it’s only 865 miles off the coast of Florida. Geographically speaking, it’s close. In every other aspect...it’s a different world. My church, eFree, decided to take a trip down to Haiti, led by Michael and Sarah Shaferly. The Shaferlys recently lived in Haiti for a year with their two kids. Michael is the son of missionaries, so he grew up in Haiti and is fluent in Creole (Haiti’s language). This made all of us feel much more comfortable. Altogether, there were thirteen of us. Ages ranged
from fourteen to fifties, and for some this was their third mission trip. For most of us though, this was our first. And everyone was nervous. Landing in Port-Au-Prince, I saw the beautiful countryside: mountains, pure blue oceans, and a light blue sky. But then I got off the plane. It was kind of like going into shock; it was 30 degrees leaving Ohio that morning, and it was in the mid-80s in Haiti. The climate, however, was the least of my worries. I got off the plane and saw Haiti up close, and realized it wasn’t breathtakingly beautiful anymore. Trash filled the streets as there is no fine for littering, and I was overcome by the smell of rotting food. I watched cars and pedestrians battle for ground, both ignoring traffic laws. People speaking Creole and yelling, “Blanc!” (“White!”) surrounded me. I’ve lived in Findlay my entire life. While I’ve traveled, I’ve never been the minority, and I’ve certainly never been stared at, pointed at, or yelled at. It was pretty humbling. My group arrived at Villa Ormiso, the place where we were staying. This is where our leader, Michael, grew up. In the complex I was surrounded by 20 foot high cement walls, topped with barbed wire. Here, I could finally say I was home. When I called my parents, I started crying. I was completely out my element. How could I help people I couldn’t even communicate with? I was
Madi Endicott You may have noticed a new face in the hallway this last semester at Van Buren. Sure there are tons of new kids at VB, but I’m not talking about students. This new face is a teacher. The freshmen probably know her quite well, but as for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, you may not have gotten the chance to be acquainted with Mrs. Erickson. Mrs. Leigh Ann Erickson is the freshmen English teacher and this is her first year at VBHS, but her ninth year as a school teacher. After graduating high school from Pennsylvania, she attended to the University of Delaware and majored in English and minored in Spanish. She has taught Drama and English in Chicago as well as New York City. She says the best thing about teaching freshmen English is “there is so much exciting change that occurs during Freshmen year, and I love to be a part of seeing those students grow into analytical thinkers!” Teaching is only one of Mrs. Erickson’s passions. Growing up just outside of New York, she had the opportunity of attending numerous plays and theatre performances which sparked her interest in acting. “Why I love acting is similar to why I love reading. Like how writers strive to represent life with their work, actors do the same. It can really impact an audience. I mean, I’ve seen lives transformed through theatre. It’s a really powerful art form,” she says. Mrs. Erickson has been all over the world on various adventures. She loves to travel and has been blessed enough to visit Spain, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, England, the Canary Islands, as well as numerous places across the US. Her aspiration of becoming an actress drew her to New York City where she got her Masters in teaching English at Pace University and eventually met her husband. She has studied abroad and spent quite some time in Spain where she said she “fell in love with the people, culture, and art of the beautiful country.” After starting a family by having baby Abraham and becoming an expert in the language, Mrs. Erickson and her husband thought seriously about moving to Spain for mission work, but instead we get the pleasure of having her on staff here at VB. Mrs. Erickson is also a cook! Her interest in cooking was stimulated by the Food Network as well as her experience in Spain. She likes to cook all kinds of food including stir-fry, pastas, and soup. She describes herself as an amateur cook, above the typical mom, and getting better. Mrs. Erickson is not the average English teacher. She has been on a lot of adventures and is full of inspiring stories. So next time you see her in the hall, say ‘hi,’ introduce yourself, and ask her about her adorable son, experience in Spain, or how her husband proposed to her. She’ll have a lot of interesting and insightful things to say. Favorite movie: Princess Bride Favorite Book: Jane Eyre Favorite thing about the freshmen class: Their sense of humor. Favorite restaurant: Naslada Bistro Favorite place to shop: H & M Favorite show on the Food Network: Iron Chef What was the most fun thing you did this summer: Taking my sweet one year old son Abraham to swimming lessons. It was hilarious. What is the best date you have been on? It was my first Christmas with my husband; we were in New Orleans and we ran into a jazz bar where there was this jazz music that was just magical. It was incredible.
» See Haiti pg. 7
All County Honors Festival Jacob Szczublewski
For sports, players have the chance to be on an All-Star team, which is made up of the best of the best. Musicians have a similar opportunity in the Hancock County Honors (also known as All County) Band and Choir. High school students from any school in the county are able to audition. Accepted students have several all-day rehearsals to get their music ready. Van Buren often has a large number of performers in each; this year is certainly no exception. All County Choir participants this year are: Alli Arthur, Mary Davidson, Mary Beth Kane, Katelyn Renieke, Ashley Smith, Courtney Van Horn, Gabe Anderson, Ian Kern, Tom Rowles, Jared Smith, Kenzi Hiatt, Ayasha Keckler, Kaitlyn Kniss, Alyssa Miller, Natalie Risser, Olivia Sattler, Joe Baker, Mitchell Bayer, Matt DeVore, Austin Lako, and Wade Schimmoeller. All-County Band participants this year are: Cameron King, Joel Schumacher, and Dylan Sexton. This year’s performance will be held at Liberty Benton High School on Sunday, February 17 from 3-5 p.m. Don’t miss a great afternoon of music!
Image courtesy of Van Buren Year Book
Vol. 1 Issue 7 February 7, 2013
The Knight Life
Heard in the Halls Jessica Gilts
• What’s red and smells like blue paint? (You guess the answer) • *Through tears* I just took a 5-hour energy shot so I’m a little emotional right now!! • Student #1: I forgot my dress! Student #2: Oh…I thought that was a tablecloth!? • Woah, watch out! Don’t go sit on the train tracks! • Student #1: Do you know how many people are dead in the VB cemetery? Student #2: All of them. • Now that I know where his locker is, I can officially start stalking him. • (Friday spirit week sign falls) Student: Oh no! How will we know what to wear on Friday?!
Warm Bodies: A Twist on the Apocalypse Rachel Silver The film Warm Bodies, based on the book by Isaac Marion, takes an interesting spin on the zombie apocalypse. The awesome movie combines comedy, romance, horror, and action making it appealing to all. Nicholas Hoult plays R, a zombie who can't even remember his own name. In the search for food (what he calls food, you probably call friends), he comes across Julie, a human survivor played by Teresa Palmer. Upon seeing her, his dead heart beats. He goes against his nature Image courtesy of wordpress.com (fair use) and saves Julie. The two spend time together as he works to keep Julie away from other zombies. They stay in R's “home,” an airplane that was abandoned at the airport when the apocalypse occurred. Slowly, R isn’t so zombie-like. A big change begins taking place in a world where people have lost all hope. Julie's dad, who is head of the anti-zombie operation, isn't so comfortable with this change. While trying to overcome obstacles including zombies, family, and problems between the two of them, can Julie and R save the world, or will they fail to even save themselves? See Warm Bodies in a theater near you to discover the end to this comedic, romantic thrill.
Sweet Gifts for Your Sweetheart Laura Endicott With Christmas just behind us, the attention has turned to Valentine’s Day and the gift shopping that is known to be a pain for most people. Trying to find the perfect gift without being too cheesy or cliché can be a challenge for even the most perfect couples. Whether you are just beginning your relationship or have been together for a while now, you won’t have to stress this Valentine’s Day if you check out our list of gifts for him and her that will surely impress!
Gifts for him:
• Does he play a sport? Write down your inside jokes that you share on an object that is incorporated with that sport, such as a soccer ball! • Make him his very own mix tape. Have a specific reason for each song that you choose! • Write on the outside of a box “I love you more than” and fill it with cookies that have corny sayings written in frosting such as “girls love shoes” • Decorate a box with pictures of you guys and fill it with his favorites! Stuff it with his fav candy, chips, soda, beef jerky, or anything else you can think of!
Image courtesy of thefridgemedia.com/ (fair use)
• News flash: Boys like chocolate too! Buy him candy bars and label them with cute phrases such as putting “you are out of this world!” on a Milky Way.
Gifts for Her:
• Make a pillow out of one of your t-shirts. This gift is thoughtful and will surely melt her heart knowing you made it. • Make her her own chocolate covered strawberries! Get fancy and drip caramel or vanilla on them! • If you do give her a teddy bear,personalize it by buying a little shirt for it (buy an infant’s shirt) and pay to have a picture of you guys to be put on! You can do this at Walmart or ask Mr. Daniels photo print class. Image Courtesy of ec21.com (fair use)
• Lindor truffles may be the most amazing, yet cheap, chocolate out there. Remember that. • Make her a personal coupon book. The perfect amount of corny and sweet! An example of a coupon could be a trip to the Toledo mall or dinner at a fancy restaurant! Be creative.
Image courtesy of custompicturegifts.com (fair use)
• Table topics. Everyone knows girls love to talk. These cute little cards would be perfect for car rides or while you’re waiting for your dinner. It would be great for new couples that still getting to know each other.
Book Review: Forever Could Be Better Jessica Cunningham Summary: Katherine and Michael are seniors who recently met at a party. Instantly they began to form a romance like so many stories before them, containing as much speed and uncertainties as all teen love stories usually do. They’re each convinced that they’ve found the one, despite the warnings of their elders. As Blume illustrates their relationship through nothing more than dates, the story outlines the awkwardness and naivety of the first time, and tries to firmly declare what it’s like to be in young love. Jessica’s Judgment: Normally, I do a book recommendation but this is more of a review. This book has long stood as a must-read for teens, and has been recommended to me more than once. After reading it, I was appalled. First off, the original book was published in ’75 and after multiple editions, I still found there to be at least two glaring typos in it. As well, Blume completely overuses ellipses. Ellipses are for dramatic effect and should seldom be used. I understand that the title uses them so that’s probably why she continues to use them throughout the book, but she WAY over did it. Grammar aside, the book is nothing like real teen love. It’s unrealistic—it makes teens appear vapid, and it’s basically just lackluster in descriptions and emotions. She makes teens seem as unsophisticated and unimportant as most teen shows and movies do nowadays. Teenagers are viewed lately as nothing more than idiots who live to party, rebel, and have sex. This book does zero justice for what teens really go through, at least genuine teens. Plus, the book gets uncomfortable at times so if you feel like reading, here’s your warning. But I wouldn’t if I were you.
Image courtesy of librariyan.blogspot.com (fair use)
Vol. 1 Issue 7 February 7, 2013
Darling Duos The inside scoop on classmate couples Laura Endicott, Sarah Benson, Heather Clark As you walk into a grocery store, you are blinded with heart-shaped chocolates, fuzzy teddy bears, and numerous roses. Whether you aw at all of these loving gifts or turn back around and walk out the store, there’s no doubt everyone is surrounded by the adoring holiday this month. With Valentine’s Day peaking around the corner, why not showcase the love flowing through the halls at our high school? Nikki Miller and Ross Adolph, sophomores at Van Buren, reminisce on embarrassing moments and memories between each other. 1 What was your favorite present you received from each other? -Nikki: Pandora bracelet, 12 light pink roses and heath candy bar -Ross: Poster board full of different pictures of us 2 How did Ross ask you out? -He was jealous about something and said, “You’re all mine.” My reply was, “Technically, not yet,” and he answered back, “Well will you be then?” 3 Do you two have a song? -God Gave Me You by Blake Shelton 4 Describe an embarrassing/awkward moment between each other that may have “broken the barrier”? -Nikki’s belt loop somehow got stuck on a door and when she stepped back, the door came and hit her in the face. Courtney Van Horn, junior, and Elijah Cunningham, senior, describe their favorite things about each other with smiles and laughs. 1 What makes your boyfriend/girlfriend different than other people? -Elijah: “Cause she’s Asian,” he said with a laugh. -Courtney: His voice 2 What would be your dream date? -Courtney: I like our dates just the way they are. 3 If you were a couple in a movie, what characters would you choose? Iron Man and Pepper because Elijah loves it! 4 If you could describe your boyfriend/ girlfriend in one word, what would it be? -Courtney: Epic -Elijah: Real Alexis Clark and Nathan Keck, seniors, who have been dating for over two years, bring back their favorite memories and discuss their strong relationship. 1 Describe an embarrassing/awkward moment between each other that may have “broken the barrier”? Alexis: Oh how I dreaded this question. The most embarrassing moment (for me at least) happened the day after our first date. We had gone over to Chandler Riffel’s house to watch a movie, and I had brought a pack of Twizzlers that I’d bought from the movie theater the night before. Before the movie even started, all of the Twizzlers were gone. After the movie, I had started feeling kind of sick, so I decided I wanted to go outside to get some » See Duos pg. 7
SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS Kennedy Richards Cameron King Madi Endicott
A musical star is emerging from little old Van Buren and she's making herself known in a big way. You may have seen her perform at Coffee Amici's Friday Night Open Mics or even in Maumee at Village Idiot, but Kennedy Richards' singing, song-writing, and instrumental talent is not limited to these local performances. Kennedy is currently at work on her first musical album. That's right, Van Buren, one of our fellow classmates is hitting it big time with a debut album! So next time you see her in the halls, you better ask for her autograph because this girl is going places. Kennedy's love of music has always been a part of her life, but over her high school years she has really gotten into it as a passionate hobby. She says she loves music because of “how you can express your feelings and emotions with words and the music itself.” Kennedy's easy going, carefree personality will be reflected in her album which she describes as a “mesh of everything I like and listen to.” Her CD is set to be released this spring. Look for a review in an upcoming issue of The Knight Writer. What are your plans after high school? I've looked at Michigan, University of Kentucky, Bowling Green, and Toledo and I plan on majoring in philosophy, business, or, of course, music. What is your greatest fear? Getting older and having regrets. What was the worst day of your life? Any of the days I broke out in hives. Oh, when I went to the doctor and got the allergy testing where they had to poke me in the back. What is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you? One time at Cedar Point, Grace and I got attacked by ducks while everyone nearby just watched us. What is your favorite childhood memory? When I saw Bon Jovi live. It was my first concert. If you could see anyone perform live and get the whole VIP package who would it be and why? I would probably see Jack White, just because I like him a lot. Favorite band/ musical artist: White Stripes Favorite life quote: “No one owes you a ride.” Favorite place to shop: Goodwill
Jacob Szczublewski
If you haven’t noticed Cameron King before, you must be new here. It is rather difficult to miss him, strutting about like a peacock through the halls as if he owned the place. An outspoken individual, Cameron won’t take grief from anyone. While not heavily involved in sports, Cameron is quite big on music. Cameron has been involved with band since the fifth grade, able to play everything and having been field commander this past year. He was also awarded the position as dance captain for the show choir as a one year singer/dancer which was quite a transition for his previous position in the essentials for three years. He also joined choir two years ago. Cameron not only plays in the jazz band, but was the one who started it this year. In addition, he recently started a band that includes our other talented senior spotlight. Cameron would not give an answer when asked about his plans after graduation, but is anyone who knows him surprised? Fondest music related memory? In band when Anthony Male sang “Amazing Grace.” If you could marry any celebrity, who would it be and why? Karen Gillan, because she’s a strong Scottish ginger. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? Unicorn blood. Because it is tender and fragrant. What infuriates you beyond words? Social injustice and stupid people. Superpower? Control time. Then I could speed it up, slow it down, or stop it as I see fit. If you could meet anyone, who would you meet? Joseph. To get his opinion on the whole God impregnating his wife thing. Parting thoughts? What is life? Is it a sacred blessing? A hellish curse? A cosmic accident? Or a byproduct of proton-ion heat exchange systems near deep sea vents? Or maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t matter.
Vol. 1 Issue 7 February 7, 2013 Volume 1, Issue 2
SPORTS
PAGE 5
MVP of the Week BriceLawrence
Life of a Wrestler
under your weight class by a couple of pounds, however, is okay. To keep par with their weight class, a wrestler might skip Ian Rafferty lunch, sleep with a sweatshirt on, run in Wrestling. It is a known sport at Van heavy clothes, or even spit into water bottles. Buren, but not well known enough. This “The hardest part of wresting is losing year marked the 35th Annual Van Buren weight,” said Chance Sonnenberg, a Invitational (VBI), a wrestling tournament sophomore wrestler. in which 23 teams participated. Still, when Athletes do whatever it takes to wrestle. someone thinks of Van Buren sports, There is also the obvious way of maintaining wrestling probably doesn’t come to mind. your weight by just having a balanced diet. While some of us are familiar with Raw This common sense applies to anyone who and WWE SmackDown, real wrestling is when wants to stay, or get healthy. two opponents enter a mat and fight for the A wrestler gains points against the right to win with pride and for a metal at opponent to win the match. There are several the end of the day, not for some oversized ways to get points. A take down, which cheesy belt. Raw and WWE SmackDown is self-explanatory, escaping out of your is staged; real wrestling isn’t planned by opponent’s control, and a reversal which producers to make a television show. It is is when a wrestler reverses the opponent’s when two wrestlers have to use their arsenal of knowledge on take downs, precise timing, move and gains leverage over the situation. There is also a near fall which is when you and all that have the opponent's time of shoulders four strenuous inches from the mat. training Lastly is penalty to win a points, such as match. It is an illegal move. A not always match ends when a about sheer wrestler is winning brute force, by fifteen points or technique the six minute timer is a major is up. factor in it. The matches are “When brief, six minutes at you look the most, although at state it may go into champions overtime. During and placers, that short period they’re not of time, a wrestler Image courtesy of Van Buren Year Book. just meatdoes very strenuous work. It heads but skilled wrestlers,” takes a lot of energy to pin your opponent let said Max Frost, a sophomore wrestler. alone win the match. Wrestling is a very close sport meaning Practically every weekend, the wrestlers you want to keep your center of gravity low have a meet. This is an equivalent to a and want to get in close to your opponent game in football. Wrestlers wait their turn and find the right opportunity for a pin. This to compete, getting pumped up for their really applies to smaller weight classes. Even match. Adrenaline coursing through their if you are ripped as can be, you still may lose, veins, as a match begins, the wrestler reviews due to flaws in technique. techniques to take down their opponent. Wrestlers compete by weight, so it is Once it starts, it is an intense six minutes or a major part of wrestling. If you are over a fifteen point lead. To see these athletes in your weight class, you are out of luck. You action, mark your calendar for the upcoming automatically forfeit any matches you would sectionals at Carey High School. have had and your opponent wins. Being
Sports Calendar February 7, 2013 *4:45 PM- Girls Freshman Basketball vs. Leipsic 5:00 PM- Boys Freshman Basketball vs. Liberty Benton *6:00 PM- Girls Basketball vs. Leipsic February 8, 2013 6:00 PM-Boys Basketball vs. Hardin Northern February 9, 2013 12:00 PM- Girls Basketball vs. Upper Scioto Valley *4:45 PM- Boys Freshman Basketball vs. Carey *6:00 PM- Boys Basketball vs. Carey
The M.V.P. of the Week goes to Ross Adolph and his performances for the past two weeks. Facing one of the top BVC opponents in Leipsic, Ross delivered a near double-double at home on January 28, bucketing 9 points and grabbing 9 boards in the 102-62 loss. The day after, Adolph recorded 4 points in the 84-42 loss to Lima Central Catholic. On February 1, Ross tallied 2 points and 9 boards to help out-rebound McComb 25-19, in the 62-46 loss. A day after the loss, Adolph recorded the double-double he was close to getting against Leipsic, but this time he tied with Brennan Swain and Draeton Fasone to lead the team with 15 points, and grabbed almost half of the Black Knights' rebounds with 11, the team totaling 26 rebounds in all.
Pinning sectionals, and beyond Brice Lawerence Wrestlers are looking forward to the upcoming post-season, or the sectionals which will take place on February 15 and 16 at Carey High School. Regardless of how the regular season ends, everyone on the team qualifies and wrestles for sectionals at Carey. Immediately following sectionals, qualifying wrestlers will have a 2-week preparation period for districts, which will be held February 22 and 23 at the Stroh Center in Bowling Green. Following districts, qualifying wrestlers will then have a one-week preparation for state, which takes place February 28- March 2 at the Schottenstein Center at The Ohio State University. Best of luck to the Van Buren wrestlers in the postseason!
February 13, 2013 5:00 PM- Girls Freshman Basketball vs. North Baltimore February 15, 2013 6:00 PM- Boys Basketball vs. Arlington February 16, 2013 6:00 PM- Boys Basketball vs. Kalida February 19, 2013 *6:00 PM- Boys Basketball Bluffton
Vol. 1 Issue 7 February 7, 2013
SPORTS The Har“Bowl” Ryan Brauneller For the first time in 90 years, the National Football League featured brother verses brother coaching in the NFL Super Bowl. Jim Harbough, coach of the San Francisco 49ers, and John Harbough, coach of the Baltimore Ravens, met on Sunday to hold up the legendary Lombardi Trophy. People called it the Har”Bowl” or The Bowl of the Brothers.
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The two brothers have met before battling it out in a regular season game in 2011 with Baltimore flying 2,817 miles to San Francisco. John and the Ravens came out victorious with a 16-6 win over his brother Jim and the 49ers. This time, they meet at a neutral site at the Mercedes Benz Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints. The Superdome was built in 1975 and has held six different super bowls with the seventh being Super Bowl XLVII. The Baltimore Ravens struggled getting to the Superbowl. With injuries to their two biggest leaders, the team faced multiple adversities. Their 13-time Pro-Bowler, Ray Lewis, tore both of his triceps in week three and was expected to miss the remainder of the season. Surprisingly, he made a full recovery before the end of the season and the Ravens finished the season 10-6. Lewis played in the Raven’s first playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts defeating them 24-9. The Ravens then got their revenge on the Denver Broncos. After losing 34-17 in the regular season, the Ravens rallied to defeat the projected Super Bowl contenders in second overtime 38-35. The following week the Ravens flew to Foxborough, MA to face off against the New England Patriots. The Patriots were looking to return to the Super Bowl after a heart breaking loss to the Cinderella story New York Giants. Last year, the Ravens missed a game-tying field goal as time expired in the AFC Championship. Baltimore returned to the championship after earning a 2813 win over Tom Brady and the Patriots. Now they are celebrating the greatest victory of all as they walk through the streets of Baltimore with the Lombardi Trophy with a win over the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. The 49ers had a turbulent season. With two different quarterbacks leading the charge, Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick have both taken 1st string snaps with the offense. Alex Smith led the 49ers to the NFC Championship the previous season with a 13-3 record, losing the game by a game winning field goal to the New York Giants after a fumbled punt return. They looked to rebound after the heart breaking season charging to their 6th Super Bowl in San Francisco history. Jim Harbough and his team looked to bulldoze their way to the Super Bowl with Alex Smith leading the way. Early in the season, however, Smith suffered a mild concussion.
Kaepernick took over and complied a 7-2 record, leading the team to the big game. Earning a first round bye, the 49ers didn’t play the first week of playoffs. In their first match, they defeated the Green Bay Packers 45-31 with Kaepernick rushing for over 200 yards. The following week, they traveled to the number one seeded Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers came back from a 17-0
deficit at halftime to complete a comeback and a punched ticket to the Super Bowl with a 28-24 win. They are now suffering a disappointing 34-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl. Sunday, February 3rd consisted of a blowout, a blackout, and a shootout. The Ravens led the game at half time with a commanding 21-3 lead. Then on the opening kickoff, returner, Jacoby Jones, tied a Super Bowl record with a 108 yard kickoff return to extend the lead to 28-3. Then, unexpectedly, half of the Superdome had a power outage. That was when the 49ers shifted the momentum onto their side in an attempt to defeat the unexpected and comeback from 25 points down. They cut the lead down to 31-29 with minutes left after failing a two point conversion. The Ravens drove down and split the uprights with a field goal and extended it to 34-29. The Ravens got the ball on their 5 yard line and was forced to punt with 12 seconds left. The 49ers had one last shot, but the punter for the Ravens scrambled in the endzone for 8 seconds until he was forced out of bounds. That ran time off the clock and lessened the chances of a comeback. The 49ers couldn’t complete the comeback and fell short. San Francisco fell to 5-1 in the Super Bowl and Baltimore improved to 2-0. Joe Flacco earned the honors of Super Bowl MVP.
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S C O R E B O A R D
February 7th Scoreboard January 24, 2013 Girls Varsity: Girls JV: Van Buren-46 Van Buren-18 LB-68 LB-35 Boys Freshman: Van Buren-30 LB-48 January 25, 2013 Boys Varsity: Boys JV: Van Buren-62 Van Buren-29 Leipsic-102 Leipsic-37 January 26, 2013 Boys Freshman: Van Buren-34 LCC-44 Boys Varsity: Boys JV: Van Buren-24 Van Buren-29 LCC- 84 LCC-44 January 29, 2013 Girls Varsity: Girls JV: Van Buren-48 Van Buren-20 PH-66 PH-41 January 31, 2013 Girls Varsity: Girls JV: Van Buren-64 Van Buren-17 Vanlue- 45 Vanlue-41 February 1, 2013 Boys Wrestling- Placed 5th Boys Varsity: Boys JV: Van Buren-46 Van Buren-45 McComb- 62 McComb-49 Boys Freshman: Van Buren-29 Lima-23 February 2, 2013 Boys Varsity: Boys JV: Van Buren-62 Van Buren-49 Lima-72 Lima-62 Girls Varsity: Girls JV: Van Buren-58 Van Buren-24 New Riegel-62 New Riegel-32
Bucks fall in OT Madi Endicott With a stadium packed full of high lighter yellow, the Buckeyes appeared to be blinded at the start of Tuesday night's game in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They gave up a 13-4 run in the beginning minutes of the first half. But as their eyes adjusted, they ended up putting on that all familiar team performance with a few steals that led to easy fast break layups and a follow up dunk by Sam Thompson. OSU was off to the races and eventually caught up to number three Michigan and took a 31-30 lead at half. Ohio State managed to keep a meager lead for most of the second half, but Michigan's Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. were hot on the three point line and matched everything the Buckeyes put up. They went on an 8-1 run in the last three minutes to take the lead over the Bucks. Down by two with thirty seconds to go in regulation, OSU's Lenzelle Smith Jr. sunk a two-pointer that sent them into overtime with the score tied at 72. Burke sank yet another three in Michigan's first possession of the OT. After that the Buckeyes put up a defensive wall, but only managed to score two points in overtime, falling just short of the Wolverines' four; the final score being Michigan 76, Ohio State 74.
Minority Con’t. totally cut off from everything I knew with no transition time. I was still positive I was where I supposed to be, I just had no idea why. I prayed quite hard that night for God to open my heart to the country and the people. And He did. We went to church Sunday morning and even though I had no idea what the congregation was saying, I loved it. There was so much passion, and I was touched and astounded to hear kids singing songs I recognized, such as “Jesus Loves Me” and “Alleluia”. While they were singing and looking at us, all of the kids had giant smiles spread across their faces. The Haitians have the most beautiful smiles; pure white against dark skin. These people are incredibly happy, and insanely generous, despite having next to nothing. Our mission was to build a 20’-by-20’, three room home made out of cinder blocks and concrete, which typically takes one to two weeks to complete. Arriving to the job site on Monday, the foundation hadn’t been poured. Leaving on Friday, the roof was being assembled. It was amazing to see the progression of this house right before my eyes. I’m so used to seeing grades improve, or seeing running times drop, I forgot what physical labor could do and how you could literally measure your progression. While sightseeing on Tuesday, I came to the realization that the country was so much more than the poverty that coated it. It was filled with openhearted people and beautiful terrain. We went to a lookout at the top of a mountain, where you could see the mountains that encompassed so much of the island, and where there were no mountains, there was sea. The air was fresh up there, which was a nice change, and it was silent except for the noise
that we made while commenting on the scenery and snapping pictures. Driving down the street in our open-bed truck, the kids pretended to be shy. But we waved and smiled at them, causing them to do the same to us until we faded from sight. We set up a Sunday school for three days, with about thirty kids in attendance. While I was playing with the girls, one of them called me “Mama.” I stopped in my tracks. I was a little bit weirded out, being only sixteen, but I was also amazed; I had made a difference in a place where I didn’t think I could. The most important thing we did there was pass out a simplified version of the gospel and Bibles called tracks. And the amazing thing was watching how quickly it spread. The literacy rate in Haiti is terribly low, but the Haitians are very curious and thirsty for knowledge. One boy that we gave a track to didn’t know how to read, so he took it to his friends, and they read it out loud. That happened so many times. It was seriously so cool to see. All in all, we passed
FFA Contd.
Zach Smith, a first year participant in job interview, states, “I was nervous at first, but when everything got going I had more confidence and was more relaxed.” In the end, all the hard work paid off. The students put in a lot time and effort with after school practices and early morning meetings. “I am very proud of the members that participated in the contests,” said Ms. Bowersox, FFA advisor. “They put a lot of hard work and dedication into practicing. Win or lose, they are still developing skills that will be beneficial for their futures.
Duos Contd. fresh air. Nate went out with me and was holding my hand, and I abruptly stopped and threw up in the grass… Nate just stood there and held my hand and asked me if I was okay. He didn’t run away or rip his hand away in disgust; he just stood there with me and held my hand. I was absolutely mortified and so embarrassed. To this day, I am still embarrassed and I will not under any circumstances eat Twizzlers. 2 If you guys were a cartoon couple, who would you be? -Alexis: Probably Rapunzel and Flynn, from Tangled -Nate: Fred and Wilma from Flintstones 3 How did Nathan ask you out? -He asked me out in the middle of the hallway one morning before I went to my first class. After he asked me out, he wanted to make sure it was okay with my dad that we dated, which I thought was really cute. 4 What is your favorite thing about each other? -Alexis: Nate is so caring and respectful. He’s a great boyfriend and likes me just the way I am. -Nate: I really love her laugh. Even though these sweet, loving couples have one special person to dedicate their Valentine’s Day to, don’t feel the need to hover over a tub of chocolate ice cream on the 14th if you’re single. There’s plenty of love surrounding you from friends, family, and even those secret admirers you don’t know about. Go out to eat, buy a carnation, and spread the love to everyone this Valentine’s Day!
out 2,700 tracks. Hopefully it spreads like wild fire. For anyone who knows something is tugging at them to go on a mission trip, do it. If it is at all possible, do it. While I was super busy with make-up work the week I got back, the teaches were magnificently understanding. Staying after school for a few days made it possible to get everything done the week I returned. Honestly, I thought I would be far more stressed than I was. Seeing the kids who didn’t know how to read, or couldn’t afford to go to school (on average, school in Haiti costs $800 in American money per month. That’s a decent amount here, but it’s a fortune there.) has really shut me up about how much I have to do. Not saying that I never complained, I just finally realized how lucky I am. You don’t have to go to a foreign country to make a difference; there are many in need of help. If you’re worried because you’ve never done anything like a mission trip before, don’t let that stop you! Go with an open mind and open heart and you’ll be able to handle anything that’s thrown your way. If you go to church, check if they do any mission work. Check with your friends’ churches. Look online. If you’re willing to do a little research, chances will come. Money is another common issue, but people are typically willing to support you in whatever way they can, and many organizations do fund raising. So don’t let that dishearten you! If you’re willing to put yourself out there, good things are going to come of it. You may start out as uncomfortable (that doesn’t even begin to describe my emotions when my feet hit Haiti’s terrain), but it gets better. Just let go of your fears and open your heart to allow yourself to be changed.
Armstrong Contd. Times article following Armstrong’s Oprah interview, “but I’m not sure if I could do that. Lance tried to decimate this family, and I don’t think I can get past that.” To many, it could be seen that he was obsessed with keeping this false clean image, going as far as sabotaging the lives of others. It’s hard to look past this, but one can also look at the good he has done with the power of his name. The Livestrong Foundation was founded in 1997, the same year that Armstrong was declared cancerfree after extensive rounds of chemotherapy. It has partnered with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to publicize the issues of those who have had cancer, and those who have overcome it, more widely. But have many people changed their opinion of Armstrong in light of his confession? Kelly McCartney, a junior, says that before his confession, she was more supportive of Livestrong than Armstrong, but still appreciated the cyclist. Now, she says, “I think less of him, because it’s not right to dope, throw people under the bus, and blackmail them. I understand that there were many athletes doing it, but that doesn’t make it right.” However, her opinion of Livestrong has not changed because “it doesn’t have anything to do with doping.” But at the same time, it makes her wonder where all the proceeds are actually going, and takes away its credibility. “I don’t know if he’s a hero anymore in the sports world. But he’s a hero to the people that his foundation has helped.” Mary Davidson, also a junior, somewhat disagrees. “I think he’s still a good person, he’s just made bad choices. Everyone is judging him off of one decision, but no one but him truly knows the reason that he did it. And I definitely still support Livestrong. You can’t judge a whole company on one person.” Opinions about Armstrong are varied, but one theme that seems to be recurring is the mental separation of Armstrong and Livestrong; the public is not upset with the company, but with the man. But the rest is up to you: is Lance still your hero?