by Eva Gucker
For the Wildcats’ last home game of the season, the girls played exceptional basketball against the North Adams-Jerome Rams, winning 57-25. Offensively the Wildcats had few flaws with only 11 turnovers and had excellent ball movement with 15 assists. Unselfishness was the key to many of the Ladycats’ points. “The ladies did a great job of sharing the ball and making the NA-J zone move,” said Coach Hoover. Well-executed fast breaks and having the ball change sides of the floor was a team effort that led to many baskets for them also. One offensive highlight was a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that found nothing but nylon as time expired in the the third quarter by senior Eva Gucker.
Not only did Pittsford do well offensively, other parts of the game brought them success as well. Great rebounding stopped the Rams from keeping possession of the ball for long. Although during some parts of the game help-defense lacked, denial from the ball and strong close-outs made it hard for NA-J to score much. This was a great finish for the Wildcat’s regular season games on their home court, especially for the seniors. “I’m very proud of Eva’s and Marisa’s contributions to our program for four years. They are good students and hard workers, and we’ll miss what they bring,” said Coach Hoover.
Junior Katelyn Kipfmiller led with 19 points and seven rebounds. On the defensive end, senior Marisa Hamilton led with five steals, to go along with 15 points. The Pittsford girls will move on to the state tournament next, playing Manchester at Hanover-Horton at 6:00 p.m. on March 2.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tech Talk w/ Andrew Schultz
Today I have a few items that are of amazing detail and with great uses. Some of these products you could use to help your every-day life but one of them is for the extraordinary people in our military that may save lives and stop enemy factions and countries from using military force or weapons. Some of these products may help save lives, or they just may help stop from getting your ankle sprained, twisted, or broken.
Item: What if you need to hold that one thing in place just long enough so you could put a screw in it to hold it for good? Well, you would also be left over with the glue on the item. With this new product you can actually use this glue and it will just dissolve in hot water and allow a clean surface when you’re done. It will still allow you to hold that item in place.
Item: Let’s say you’re taking a hike in the woods and you manage to fall off a rock, yet you land on your feet and you ankle starts to hurt. There’s now a new material produced to be used in football pads, boots, and bulletproof vests that will, when you just lightly touch it and put some pressure on it, will deform and be flexible, but when you put force into it like a bullet or a hammer, it will be as hard as a concrete wall. Theoretically, if you would have had this material in your boots, you would have never hurt your ankle. The material is made up of a polymer that will not dry, freeze, or melt.
Item: What if you need to hold that one thing in place just long enough so you could put a screw in it to hold it for good? Well, you would also be left over with the glue on the item. With this new product you can actually use this glue and it will just dissolve in hot water and allow a clean surface when you’re done. It will still allow you to hold that item in place.Andrew’s Take: This glue is a very neat product that my come in handy if you need that third hand. When you go to use it, the adhesive actually will not come loose until you dump the hot water on it, which is what I think is the neatest part.
Item: When you run out of batteries for you favorite mp3 player or electronic y
ou are always scrounging for more or you go out and buy brand new ones. Well, batteries are not cheap any more, running like $5-$6 at local stores. With this new product you may never run out of batteries again and you don’t even have to worry about the bulky rechargeable battery packs. These new batteries actually plug into your nearest electronic with a USB port to charge them, not taking up much space; they can just sit and recharge while you watch your favorite movie or play your game. The USBcell batteries last ten times longer than normal alkaline batteries, even though they are not very good for low-drain products like remotes.
ou are always scrounging for more or you go out and buy brand new ones. Well, batteries are not cheap any more, running like $5-$6 at local stores. With this new product you may never run out of batteries again and you don’t even have to worry about the bulky rechargeable battery packs. These new batteries actually plug into your nearest electronic with a USB port to charge them, not taking up much space; they can just sit and recharge while you watch your favorite movie or play your game. The USBcell batteries last ten times longer than normal alkaline batteries, even though they are not very good for low-drain products like remotes. Andrew’s Take: I think that this battery will bring new life to high-drain products like cameras and mp3 players just for the fact that it only takes 5 hours for a complete charge, which really isn’t that long of a time. Though not everything takes a AA battery, they are working on AAA and cell phone batteries that run on the same style of the AA batteries.
Item: Let’s say you’re taking a hike in the woods and you manage to fall off a rock, yet you land on your feet and you ankle starts to hurt. There’s now a new material produced to be used in football pads, boots, and bulletproof vests that will, when you just lightly touch it and put some pressure on it, will deform and be flexible, but when you put force into it like a bullet or a hammer, it will be as hard as a concrete wall. Theoretically, if you would have had this material in your boots, you would have never hurt your ankle. The material is made up of a polymer that will not dry, freeze, or melt. Andrew’s Take: This product would be great for the people in the military overseas for their boots and their vest, but the only thing I wondered about the material is, will it get hot or will it get cold? Not like burning hot or freezing cold, but will it retain the temperature. Other than that one point, I don’t see one thing that I don’t like about this awesome material.
Don’t wait to plan for future
by Jacob Richards
There are a lot of people in this world that wake up and know they have to go to their job that they hate, and wish they had a different job but can’t because of positions they put themselves in. People end up either having kids too soon or not going to college after high school and following their dream. Studies have shown that people with jobs they don’t want are stressed from either not making enough money to provide for them or their family, or from working in a stressful environment. That’s why you have to start making decisions in high school. Take time and evaluate what all is out there.
Find something that you like to do on your own time, whether it is be being outside or in front of a computer screen, or dealing with animals, etc. Whatever you like doing and makes you happy, go for it. A smart choice is to not wait after high school to do something. Studies have shown that people that take time and wait usually don’t go and do the things they wanted to, or when they go to college they can’t remember all the things they learned in high school. So that’s why it is so dumb to be lazy and take time off because the real world never takes time off.
There are a lot of people in this world that wake up and know they have to go to their job that they hate, and wish they had a different job but can’t because of positions they put themselves in. People end up either having kids too soon or not going to college after high school and following their dream. Studies have shown that people with jobs they don’t want are stressed from either not making enough money to provide for them or their family, or from working in a stressful environment. That’s why you have to start making decisions in high school. Take time and evaluate what all is out there.
Find something that you like to do on your own time, whether it is be being outside or in front of a computer screen, or dealing with animals, etc. Whatever you like doing and makes you happy, go for it. A smart choice is to not wait after high school to do something. Studies have shown that people that take time and wait usually don’t go and do the things they wanted to, or when they go to college they can’t remember all the things they learned in high school. So that’s why it is so dumb to be lazy and take time off because the real world never takes time off.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
JV boys hoops team sweeps another series, captures 11th conference victory
by Dillon Cooper
The Pittsford Wildcats, who were coming off of a huge victory against Litchfield, were focused on their next opponent: the Hillsdale Academy Colts. The first meeting ended with a very high scoring affair but very poor ball control, which led to quick points for the Colts, who kept the game within twenty points in the second half. Nevertheless this match up would be a redemption act for the Wildcats as they set out to prove that they could do much better than what they showed on that hardwood. The ‘Cats would prove that they were still, obviously, the superior team, winning this match 51-26.
The game would start off really slowly and with the Academy scoring very few times as the Wildcats looked to run early and often. Changing defenses from full court, to half court, to half court traps among other concepts that confused the star-stricken Colts. “We really hustled all over the place,” recalled sophomore leader Kyle Wyatt. The Wildcats would only lead by a few points at the half, giving up seventeen points, but in the last 68 ticks P-ford went on a run to be up twenty-seven to seventeen. “We gave up seventeen points in the first half and that wasn’t like us,” continued Wyatt.
The men in blue would come out of the locker room with confidence and would build up a lead that submerged the Academy and sealed a Wildcat victory.
Even though the Wildcats came up on top in this affair they are going to have to go back to that very familiar friend, the road, and travel to Tekonsha to take on the Indians. This will be a test for the Wildcats but a test that should result in a great outcome for Pittsford and extend their conference record to 12-1!
The Pittsford Wildcats, who were coming off of a huge victory against Litchfield, were focused on their next opponent: the Hillsdale Academy Colts. The first meeting ended with a very high scoring affair but very poor ball control, which led to quick points for the Colts, who kept the game within twenty points in the second half. Nevertheless this match up would be a redemption act for the Wildcats as they set out to prove that they could do much better than what they showed on that hardwood. The ‘Cats would prove that they were still, obviously, the superior team, winning this match 51-26.
The game would start off really slowly and with the Academy scoring very few times as the Wildcats looked to run early and often. Changing defenses from full court, to half court, to half court traps among other concepts that confused the star-stricken Colts. “We really hustled all over the place,” recalled sophomore leader Kyle Wyatt. The Wildcats would only lead by a few points at the half, giving up seventeen points, but in the last 68 ticks P-ford went on a run to be up twenty-seven to seventeen. “We gave up seventeen points in the first half and that wasn’t like us,” continued Wyatt.
The men in blue would come out of the locker room with confidence and would build up a lead that submerged the Academy and sealed a Wildcat victory.
Even though the Wildcats came up on top in this affair they are going to have to go back to that very familiar friend, the road, and travel to Tekonsha to take on the Indians. This will be a test for the Wildcats but a test that should result in a great outcome for Pittsford and extend their conference record to 12-1!
Students should consider military training after high school
by Justin Renigar
Students go through high school every day not knowing what they are going to do after they graduate. Most go to college because it’s not a huge change; it’s still pretty much the same as high school, just on a higher level. Some go because they think that’s just what your supposed to do after high school. Why not try something different, think independently, and try a military option?
You can get the same education in the military as you do in college and in a lot of ways you will be better trained, not only in your career, but also as a person. Once you get through basic training then the entire stereotypical getting punished and being a robot is over. After that, it’s all about learning what you want to do, just like college. There are actual schools inside your base where you are stationed at and it’s just like a college class.
In my opinion I think the military is the best way to go because of all the benefits you get throughout your whole life. When you go to college, you have to spend thousands of dollars to do it. The military pays you to do what you want to do. So not only are you getting an education, but you’re making good money; possibly more than any job you will be able to get right out of high school. Then if you’re still not satisfied, you can still go to college after you’re done with the military and they will pay about 40% of your college.
Once you get out of the military then you are pretty much set up for life. The military gives you a great reputation and will really make you stand out in any job that you apply for. In most cases, if you apply for a job with military experience behind you and you’re competing against people that only have a college degree, you will probably get the job simply because you were in the military. They know that you have hands-on experience, good discipline and work ethic, and that you know how to work under pressure. You will learn all of this in the military. Also, on top of that you have a good amount of money to give you a huge head start.
So if you’re not exactly sure what you want to do after high school, consider the military. It’s a great way to start off your life. You get good training mentally and physically, a great reputation, money, and benefits that will help you throughout your whole life.
Students go through high school every day not knowing what they are going to do after they graduate. Most go to college because it’s not a huge change; it’s still pretty much the same as high school, just on a higher level. Some go because they think that’s just what your supposed to do after high school. Why not try something different, think independently, and try a military option?
You can get the same education in the military as you do in college and in a lot of ways you will be better trained, not only in your career, but also as a person. Once you get through basic training then the entire stereotypical getting punished and being a robot is over. After that, it’s all about learning what you want to do, just like college. There are actual schools inside your base where you are stationed at and it’s just like a college class.
In my opinion I think the military is the best way to go because of all the benefits you get throughout your whole life. When you go to college, you have to spend thousands of dollars to do it. The military pays you to do what you want to do. So not only are you getting an education, but you’re making good money; possibly more than any job you will be able to get right out of high school. Then if you’re still not satisfied, you can still go to college after you’re done with the military and they will pay about 40% of your college.
Once you get out of the military then you are pretty much set up for life. The military gives you a great reputation and will really make you stand out in any job that you apply for. In most cases, if you apply for a job with military experience behind you and you’re competing against people that only have a college degree, you will probably get the job simply because you were in the military. They know that you have hands-on experience, good discipline and work ethic, and that you know how to work under pressure. You will learn all of this in the military. Also, on top of that you have a good amount of money to give you a huge head start.
So if you’re not exactly sure what you want to do after high school, consider the military. It’s a great way to start off your life. You get good training mentally and physically, a great reputation, money, and benefits that will help you throughout your whole life.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Quiz Bowl and Quiz Busters teams compete
by Brooke Maxson and Emily Hines
In 2004, Alex Fether, Tim Fether, Colin Hepker, and Cianna Shrutt, all members of the Quiz Bowl, competed in the Quiz Busters and were the first team from Pittsford High School to make it to the final four in the green division. Recently, the PHS Quiz Busters team, which includes junior Cody Krasny as team captain, juniors Tyler Wilson, Derra Clark, Chloe Hepker, and freshman Elliot Krasny, followed the winning footsteps of 2004’s Quiz Busters team in making it to the final four in the green division. These two teams are the only two teams in the history of Quiz Busters at PHS to make it this far.
In 2004, Alex Fether, Tim Fether, Colin Hepker, and Cianna Shrutt, all members of the Quiz Bowl, competed in the Quiz Busters and were the first team from Pittsford High School to make it to the final four in the green division. Recently, the PHS Quiz Busters team, which includes junior Cody Krasny as team captain, juniors Tyler Wilson, Derra Clark, Chloe Hepker, and freshman Elliot Krasny, followed the winning footsteps of 2004’s Quiz Busters team in making it to the final four in the green division. These two teams are the only two teams in the history of Quiz Busters at PHS to make it this far.
On January 24 the Quiz Bowl team traveled to Camden-Frontier High School to compete in the high school county tournament. They took first place in the public school division, but as tradition would have it, they placed second behind the first place winners from Hillsdale Academy. We say tradition because if you take a look in the trophy case in the high school you will see several trophies naming PHS second place winners in the buzzer competition. “On January 24, I think we did well; We were the best public school there, but Hillsdale Academy just got us in the questions that we really didn’t know. They were a little faster. I think we could practice more,” shared Elliot. 
On February 7, Pittsford’s arena and buzzer teams both competed. The arena team is the team where students sit around tables and write down answers to questions. The buzzer team is where students answer question by hitting a buzzer, both with a limited amount of time. The junior high buzzer team unfortunately did not place in this competition. Competing on the 8th grade buzzer team was Travis Wilson as captain, Andy Houser, Brandon Stover, Dillon Terrill, and Jacob Page. The 7th grade arena team consisted of Lucas Smith, Caleb Timberman, and Jacob Meyer. “At the junior high level, I want the kids to gain experience at thinking and acting quickly. The experience that our high school teams gained in seventh grade paid off in our successes this year,” said Mr. Olson. Although Mr. Olson is proud of the junior high Quiz Bowl team, he still wishes for more students to participate. “What concerns me is the few numbers that we have in seventh grade, for these are the future high school teams. Part of the problem, I think, is the fact that we practice during lunch and turn out is small. I approached several seventh graders individually, but the interest wasn’t there,” stated Mr. Olson. Although the junior high Quiz Bowl team didn’t do their best in this particular competition, the team captain says they’ve done well over-all. “I think we represented our school very well; I think we did well for being the best public school. We could have done better with trying to study the Academy and be quicker on the buzzer,” reflected Travis.
The QuizBusters Jr. will be taking a field trip to MSU on March 24. Competing in this will be Travis Wilson, captain; Andy Houser, Brandon Stover, and Dillon Terrell. The alternates will be Mariah Natzke and Jacob Page.
Kalahari received tidal wave of PHS seniors
by Andrew Schultz
When we arrived at Kalahari everyone stared at the building in awe, then ran to the storage compartments underneath the bus to gather their entire luggage. As we all walked curiously into the lobby, arms full of bags, we were told to patiently wait while our rooms were being prepped. We got into two rooms; one for the women and another for the men, and then we hit the park. While gathering a few people and walking through the park, the first thing people noticed was the size of the place: it seemed like a Super Bowl arena with multi-colored waterslides going throughout the entire building.
The water park isn’t the only thing that Kalahari has. They also have spas, hot tubs, and very nice hotel rooms. The rooms we stayed in had two queen-sized beds with a pull out bed in the couch, free high-speed Internet and a nice Philips 32-inch television with pay-per-view movies. Most people who stayed up moved from room to room and the rest just stayed in their room with other people, playing cards or just messing around. Some people that tried to go to sleep got a rude awaking. “When I took Jeff and body slammed him in our room, it was pretty sweet. We pretty much beat the (stuffing) out of him. Let’s just say Jeff would try to go to sleep and we would wake him up multiple times in ways that no one would want to be woken up,” said Lance Wilson.
Some people thought that the whole park was a blast, but most people had their favorite slides and parts. “I liked the Victorian Falls; even though the line was really long, it was worth it,” replied Lyndsey Klatt. But some people liked the pools, like Andrea Schaedler. “I liked all of us in the wave pool,” she said. Since it was the first time for most of us, remembering the rides’ names was a little hard. “I like
d the one slide that’s not the big toilet bowl, but the little blue slide,” said Lance.
Overall it was a good trip for everyone, including senior advisor Mr. Irelan, who was a great help in getting the trip organized with our class officers. “The senior trip overall was pretty awesome,” said Gene Stockford. Lance just wanted to play the clown and stay out of the fighting. “It was all good because I wasn’t in any of the drama, I was all set. It was one big comedy movie to me,” explained Lance. Mr. Irelan said it was a learning experience when we got back into class the following day and he also told us how great the trip went.
Some people think that school is not important and pointless; well, you’re right! But when you become a senior, your school life will change. As you progress forward you start to get your own stairs that no one is supposed to use, your own day of school to skip, you get your last meal as a senior and you also get to go on a senior trip.
This year the seniors chose to go to Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, Ohio for two days and one night. The whole trip was about two 
hours there and back but it seemed longer for the seniors that stayed up all night playing Xbox 360 and hanging out with friends. On the way down the bus was pretty comfortable, other than the small bathroom and the extremely small televisions that were oddly placed. We stopped at the rest stops on the way there and back, got food, and then continued our scenic trip to Kalahari.
hours there and back but it seemed longer for the seniors that stayed up all night playing Xbox 360 and hanging out with friends. On the way down the bus was pretty comfortable, other than the small bathroom and the extremely small televisions that were oddly placed. We stopped at the rest stops on the way there and back, got food, and then continued our scenic trip to Kalahari.When we arrived at Kalahari everyone stared at the building in awe, then ran to the storage compartments underneath the bus to gather their entire luggage. As we all walked curiously into the lobby, arms full of bags, we were told to patiently wait while our rooms were being prepped. We got into two rooms; one for the women and another for the men, and then we hit the park. While gathering a few people and walking through the park, the first thing people noticed was the size of the place: it seemed like a Super Bowl arena with multi-colored waterslides going throughout the entire building.
The water park isn’t the only thing that Kalahari has. They also have spas, hot tubs, and very nice hotel rooms. The rooms we stayed in had two queen-sized beds with a pull out bed in the couch, free high-speed Internet and a nice Philips 32-inch television with pay-per-view movies. Most people who stayed up moved from room to room and the rest just stayed in their room with other people, playing cards or just messing around. Some people that tried to go to sleep got a rude awaking. “When I took Jeff and body slammed him in our room, it was pretty sweet. We pretty much beat the (stuffing) out of him. Let’s just say Jeff would try to go to sleep and we would wake him up multiple times in ways that no one would want to be woken up,” said Lance Wilson.
Some people thought that the whole park was a blast, but most people had their favorite slides and parts. “I liked the Victorian Falls; even though the line was really long, it was worth it,” replied Lyndsey Klatt. But some people liked the pools, like Andrea Schaedler. “I liked all of us in the wave pool,” she said. Since it was the first time for most of us, remembering the rides’ names was a little hard. “I like
d the one slide that’s not the big toilet bowl, but the little blue slide,” said Lance.Overall it was a good trip for everyone, including senior advisor Mr. Irelan, who was a great help in getting the trip organized with our class officers. “The senior trip overall was pretty awesome,” said Gene Stockford. Lance just wanted to play the clown and stay out of the fighting. “It was all good because I wasn’t in any of the drama, I was all set. It was one big comedy movie to me,” explained Lance. Mr. Irelan said it was a learning experience when we got back into class the following day and he also told us how great the trip went.
Weber wins individual district crown
by Chelsie Darrow
Individual districts were Monday, February 23 at Addison Schools. Pittsford wrestled well, though they did not place. Senior Chase Weber took 1st in his weight class, beating Calvin Sullins of Sand Creek in the finals. Taylor Hatfield placed 2nd struggling with a tough opponent in the semi-finals but still pulling though with a victory. Taylor tells of the wrestlers strong will. “We have to practice hard , work hard and just have the will to win because if we lost we wouldn’t’ be able to wrestle for the rest of the year.” Following Taylor and Chase were Kurtis Brackman wrestling against Tim Decker and Ben Wines beating Austin Spieth of Reading, both placing third with pins.
Regionals will be Saturday for the Wildcat wrestlers. Hopefully the wrestlers will keep working hard and keep their will to win to bring home a victory on Saturday night, and hopefully send a lot of wrestlers to the state meet. Good luck wrestlers!
Individual districts were Monday, February 23 at Addison Schools. Pittsford wrestled well, though they did not place. Senior Chase Weber took 1st in his weight class, beating Calvin Sullins of Sand Creek in the finals. Taylor Hatfield placed 2nd struggling with a tough opponent in the semi-finals but still pulling though with a victory. Taylor tells of the wrestlers strong will. “We have to practice hard , work hard and just have the will to win because if we lost we wouldn’t’ be able to wrestle for the rest of the year.” Following Taylor and Chase were Kurtis Brackman wrestling against Tim Decker and Ben Wines beating Austin Spieth of Reading, both placing third with pins.
Regionals will be Saturday for the Wildcat wrestlers. Hopefully the wrestlers will keep working hard and keep their will to win to bring home a victory on Saturday night, and hopefully send a lot of wrestlers to the state meet. Good luck wrestlers!
Don’t let video games destroy the fun of activity
by William Belson
With the months to come there is also the great weather that is accompanied by them. Instead of staying inside and playing video games during the great weather we get only a few months out of the year in our great state of Michigan, go outside and have some fun like most of us used to when we were little kids, or like they did a long time ago when dinosaurs roamed the… I mean when your parents were kids.
Some of you that read this paper may be the greatest gamers and think, “How can someone not have the latest videogame system?” These frivolous things are, in my opinion, a waste of money and time and should only be used on a rainy day or a snow day, when there is absolutely nothing you can do. Video games have been taking all the excitement of life and turning them into almost a complete joke, such as playing outside like we used to when we were kids. I guess instead of encouraging you to go outside and shoot baskets, play baseball/wiffle ball with your friends, throw the football around, etc, your parents must love you enough to just say “Shut up! Here’s the (insert game console here) you wanted!” and give you what you want to keep you quiet.
I will agree with you gamers that video games are fun to play and will admit I bought a videogame system, but regret that I ever did. What happened to all of the kids that used to shoot hoops in their driveways? What happened to just tossing the football around in the yard with buddies? I know what happened to that—we live in the videogame era and we are now consumed by it, and those kids now spend 72 straight hours on the latest videogame.
Video games have desensitized these young adults and caused them to be extremely lazy and help increase the obesity percentage in America in young adults. These video game companies should be ashamed of what they have done to what America used to be like when kids went outside and shot hoops for hours just to pass the time (or even excel at an athletic event) instead of wasting time and electricity on something entirely frivolous. As time goes on, the entire situation keeps getting worse. Since the start of the “great” videogame era that started in the ‘80s, it has gotten quite out of control, in my personal opinion.
If the videogame era keeps on proceeding like it has, we will never be able to reverse the damage it has done on kids today. Psychologist have discussed this certain idea of the generation after us and decided that they will not be quite as capable of being able to read peoples’ faces and know how they feel. I do agree with what the psychologist say about what is in store for the kids of tomorrow. What I am talking about is not just my opinion. Newspapers, internet blogs and studies discuss how bad video games are effecting our youth such as the increase in violence, decreased social skills, and obesity. A study shows that there has been an increase in obesity by 300 percent in three decades caused by video games and television, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
So when the first 60-degree day comes, put down the controller from your beloved game system and pick up a football or baseball; just something to help you enjoy the “the greater things in life”, such as the lawn that was finally released from its bond with the winter snow, and breathe deeply that fresh air that makes everything so much better once it reaches your lungs. Yes, there is nothing that can replace the outside and the fun you have out there.
With the months to come there is also the great weather that is accompanied by them. Instead of staying inside and playing video games during the great weather we get only a few months out of the year in our great state of Michigan, go outside and have some fun like most of us used to when we were little kids, or like they did a long time ago when dinosaurs roamed the… I mean when your parents were kids.
Some of you that read this paper may be the greatest gamers and think, “How can someone not have the latest videogame system?” These frivolous things are, in my opinion, a waste of money and time and should only be used on a rainy day or a snow day, when there is absolutely nothing you can do. Video games have been taking all the excitement of life and turning them into almost a complete joke, such as playing outside like we used to when we were kids. I guess instead of encouraging you to go outside and shoot baskets, play baseball/wiffle ball with your friends, throw the football around, etc, your parents must love you enough to just say “Shut up! Here’s the (insert game console here) you wanted!” and give you what you want to keep you quiet.
I will agree with you gamers that video games are fun to play and will admit I bought a videogame system, but regret that I ever did. What happened to all of the kids that used to shoot hoops in their driveways? What happened to just tossing the football around in the yard with buddies? I know what happened to that—we live in the videogame era and we are now consumed by it, and those kids now spend 72 straight hours on the latest videogame.
Video games have desensitized these young adults and caused them to be extremely lazy and help increase the obesity percentage in America in young adults. These video game companies should be ashamed of what they have done to what America used to be like when kids went outside and shot hoops for hours just to pass the time (or even excel at an athletic event) instead of wasting time and electricity on something entirely frivolous. As time goes on, the entire situation keeps getting worse. Since the start of the “great” videogame era that started in the ‘80s, it has gotten quite out of control, in my personal opinion.
If the videogame era keeps on proceeding like it has, we will never be able to reverse the damage it has done on kids today. Psychologist have discussed this certain idea of the generation after us and decided that they will not be quite as capable of being able to read peoples’ faces and know how they feel. I do agree with what the psychologist say about what is in store for the kids of tomorrow. What I am talking about is not just my opinion. Newspapers, internet blogs and studies discuss how bad video games are effecting our youth such as the increase in violence, decreased social skills, and obesity. A study shows that there has been an increase in obesity by 300 percent in three decades caused by video games and television, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
So when the first 60-degree day comes, put down the controller from your beloved game system and pick up a football or baseball; just something to help you enjoy the “the greater things in life”, such as the lawn that was finally released from its bond with the winter snow, and breathe deeply that fresh air that makes everything so much better once it reaches your lungs. Yes, there is nothing that can replace the outside and the fun you have out there.
Response intervention proves effective at elementary level
by Brooke Maxson and Carley Bruner
Around the time we came back to school from summer vacation, there were many new things put into effect in the high school, junior high, and elementary. Incorporated with these new things was the response intervention in the elementary section. For those of you who didn’t read the first article introducing the response intervention, it’s simply a program for the students in grades K-5 which is designed to help the students improve their reading and other reading-related skills. According to a number of teachers, this system has proven to be effective.
The response intervention has been working out well for the 3rd graders. “With the kids that are having trouble we spend 90 extra minutes a week and read naturally. They have required reading that they need to do,” 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Sanford explained. “The RTI happens mostly with me and not the other teachers, but it’s showing that it helps the students really learn a lot. There’s a lot of progress. I had one student double their reading speed since the beginning of the year. I think it’s the individual attention that really motivates the kids to do well. Some of them do enjoy the program and some of them don’t, but I think they enjoy seeing success,” Mrs. Sanford shared. Although the program is going well, it’s still early to say a whole lot. “It’s still fairly early to tell; they’ve only been doing it a couple of weeks, so I still have to do some diddling and I’m having them read out loud to see how fast it’s going to be increasing. I think their attitude is a little better when they’re able to read at their own reading level and there isn’t as much frustration that they feel,” said 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Saunders.
The 4th graders seem to be benefiting from the response intervention also. “They’re supposed to make like an 8-10 wpm gain from the beginning to the middle of the year. I’ve had 27, 31, 25, 30, 57, 37, etc. words. Both my boys and my girls, it doesn’t matter. It helps them,” said a pleased Miss Burkhart. The elementary teachers are working on finding fun ways to keep their students interested in reading. “Every 10 lessons it changes to a new story, so one day we’ll start a new story, but continue to add on to the story, so the kids love it. They’re like ‘Oh what’s going to happen next?’ Right now we’re reading one about treasure and gold. They went on a hunt and they were searching for the treasure. Today they have found the treasure and they’re working on getting it back home without people finding it, so they (the students) love that it just adds on and continues and it’s adventurous,” said Miss Burkhart.
I didn’t interview all of the teachers in grades K-5, but I was told that all of the grades are reacting well to this new program. “Yes, the program is working very well. The nice thing about it is we work on the individual level. What one child may need someone else may not. The teachers are on board and the administration is doing very well. It’s successful,” explained elementary principal Mr. Shaw.
With every good thing there are, of course, some disadvantages. From what I’ve heard, there are very few problems with the response intervention, apart from the extra time it consumes. Despite the fact extra time has to be spent, most agree it’s time well spent. “Besides re-juggling your schedule and re-organizing a little bit, I think it’s working really well. We have a lot of people there to help pull out the kids,” said Mrs. Saunders. Another minor problem is student absentees. “We have kids that are absent for a week and that’s the only problem. You can’t delay a whole class to go back,” said Miss Burkhart. These minor inconveniences will hopefully disappear with time. “We made the big changes a while ago and now we’re just working on running the program. We tweak it as we go,” explained Mr. Shaw.
Now you know that the students in the elementary aren’t being deprived of any individual lessons. This may affect you, high-school students, if you have younger siblings participating in the intervention. The response intervention is just one more step towards making Pittsford schools the place people want to send their children and the place current students want to stay.
Around the time we came back to school from summer vacation, there were many new things put into effect in the high school, junior high, and elementary. Incorporated with these new things was the response intervention in the elementary section. For those of you who didn’t read the first article introducing the response intervention, it’s simply a program for the students in grades K-5 which is designed to help the students improve their reading and other reading-related skills. According to a number of teachers, this system has proven to be effective.
The response intervention has been working out well for the 3rd graders. “With the kids that are having trouble we spend 90 extra minutes a week and read naturally. They have required reading that they need to do,” 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Sanford explained. “The RTI happens mostly with me and not the other teachers, but it’s showing that it helps the students really learn a lot. There’s a lot of progress. I had one student double their reading speed since the beginning of the year. I think it’s the individual attention that really motivates the kids to do well. Some of them do enjoy the program and some of them don’t, but I think they enjoy seeing success,” Mrs. Sanford shared. Although the program is going well, it’s still early to say a whole lot. “It’s still fairly early to tell; they’ve only been doing it a couple of weeks, so I still have to do some diddling and I’m having them read out loud to see how fast it’s going to be increasing. I think their attitude is a little better when they’re able to read at their own reading level and there isn’t as much frustration that they feel,” said 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Saunders.
The 4th graders seem to be benefiting from the response intervention also. “They’re supposed to make like an 8-10 wpm gain from the beginning to the middle of the year. I’ve had 27, 31, 25, 30, 57, 37, etc. words. Both my boys and my girls, it doesn’t matter. It helps them,” said a pleased Miss Burkhart. The elementary teachers are working on finding fun ways to keep their students interested in reading. “Every 10 lessons it changes to a new story, so one day we’ll start a new story, but continue to add on to the story, so the kids love it. They’re like ‘Oh what’s going to happen next?’ Right now we’re reading one about treasure and gold. They went on a hunt and they were searching for the treasure. Today they have found the treasure and they’re working on getting it back home without people finding it, so they (the students) love that it just adds on and continues and it’s adventurous,” said Miss Burkhart.
I didn’t interview all of the teachers in grades K-5, but I was told that all of the grades are reacting well to this new program. “Yes, the program is working very well. The nice thing about it is we work on the individual level. What one child may need someone else may not. The teachers are on board and the administration is doing very well. It’s successful,” explained elementary principal Mr. Shaw.
With every good thing there are, of course, some disadvantages. From what I’ve heard, there are very few problems with the response intervention, apart from the extra time it consumes. Despite the fact extra time has to be spent, most agree it’s time well spent. “Besides re-juggling your schedule and re-organizing a little bit, I think it’s working really well. We have a lot of people there to help pull out the kids,” said Mrs. Saunders. Another minor problem is student absentees. “We have kids that are absent for a week and that’s the only problem. You can’t delay a whole class to go back,” said Miss Burkhart. These minor inconveniences will hopefully disappear with time. “We made the big changes a while ago and now we’re just working on running the program. We tweak it as we go,” explained Mr. Shaw.
Now you know that the students in the elementary aren’t being deprived of any individual lessons. This may affect you, high-school students, if you have younger siblings participating in the intervention. The response intervention is just one more step towards making Pittsford schools the place people want to send their children and the place current students want to stay.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wildcat grapplers gearing up for the state tournament
by Chelsie Darrow
The Pittsford wrestling team had a very good meet on Saturday, February 14. Overall the team got 3rd place, which is very good considering all of the teams that were there. The teams that participated were Clinton, Sand Creek, Morenci, Adrian Madison, Pittsford, Colon, Bellevue, and Climax-Scotts. The top three teams at the Crossover League meet were 1st place Clinton, 2nd place Sand Creek, 3rd place Pittsford. Pittsford wrestled their way to the first place win in the SCAA.
The individual performances were very good on Valentines Day with junior Taylor Hatfield in first. Junior Kurtis Brackman and senior Chase Weber each took second, followed by senior Ben Wines and junior Luke Irwin in third. Senior Ben Wines was not very happy with his performance. “I didn’t do very well because I lost and got third,” said Ben.
The Pittsford wrestlers had a strenuous wrestling meet on Thursday, February 19. The Wildcats fought hard and pulled out a second place overall finish. Unfortunately Jonesville’s wrestlers beat the Wildcats with the home-mat advantage. The score was Jonesville 41 and Pittsford 33. Pittsford’s wrestlers did fairly well considering that the Jonesville Comets are ranked 10th in the state. If the ‘Cats hadn’t had so many voids, they probably would have beaten the powerhouse Comets. The winners on Thursday were Hatfield, Weber, and Wines, all winning with pins. Brackman followed with a 10-8 win in overtime.
Check out the Wildcat Times tomorrow (hopefully) for an update on how the ‘Cats did at individual districts last Saturday.
The Pittsford wrestling team had a very good meet on Saturday, February 14. Overall the team got 3rd place, which is very good considering all of the teams that were there. The teams that participated were Clinton, Sand Creek, Morenci, Adrian Madison, Pittsford, Colon, Bellevue, and Climax-Scotts. The top three teams at the Crossover League meet were 1st place Clinton, 2nd place Sand Creek, 3rd place Pittsford. Pittsford wrestled their way to the first place win in the SCAA.
The individual performances were very good on Valentines Day with junior Taylor Hatfield in first. Junior Kurtis Brackman and senior Chase Weber each took second, followed by senior Ben Wines and junior Luke Irwin in third. Senior Ben Wines was not very happy with his performance. “I didn’t do very well because I lost and got third,” said Ben.
The Pittsford wrestlers had a strenuous wrestling meet on Thursday, February 19. The Wildcats fought hard and pulled out a second place overall finish. Unfortunately Jonesville’s wrestlers beat the Wildcats with the home-mat advantage. The score was Jonesville 41 and Pittsford 33. Pittsford’s wrestlers did fairly well considering that the Jonesville Comets are ranked 10th in the state. If the ‘Cats hadn’t had so many voids, they probably would have beaten the powerhouse Comets. The winners on Thursday were Hatfield, Weber, and Wines, all winning with pins. Brackman followed with a 10-8 win in overtime.
Check out the Wildcat Times tomorrow (hopefully) for an update on how the ‘Cats did at individual districts last Saturday.
Varsity girls basketball ruins Tekon celebration with blowout victory
by Eva Gucker
Pittsford had a similar game against Tekonsha as they did the first time they played them, with great defense and good offensive ball movement, winning 48-24. This being T-kon’s own “Snow-coming,” the Wildcats knew that they needed to be prepared for the Indians’ excitement.
The Ladycats had a great start, putting pressure full-court on the Indians and allowing almost no gaps for the opposition to penetrate or pass. “Defensively we had a strong game, and that helped out a lot of the offense side, too,” said junior Katelyn Kipfmiller. Pittsford held Tekonsha to a 16-2 lead in the first quarter, and improved to a 24-6 lead at half time.
Pittsford’s intensity continued through out the game as great defense was a main contributor to the Wildcats’ success. Pittsford was also able to capitalize on Tekonsha’s zone defense that gave them a lot of opportunity to slip behind their defense and score.
Katelyn was the game’s lead scorer with 14 points and senior Marisa Hamilton led Pittsford in rebounding with 7.
Pittsford had a similar game against Tekonsha as they did the first time they played them, with great defense and good offensive ball movement, winning 48-24. This being T-kon’s own “Snow-coming,” the Wildcats knew that they needed to be prepared for the Indians’ excitement.
The Ladycats had a great start, putting pressure full-court on the Indians and allowing almost no gaps for the opposition to penetrate or pass. “Defensively we had a strong game, and that helped out a lot of the offense side, too,” said junior Katelyn Kipfmiller. Pittsford held Tekonsha to a 16-2 lead in the first quarter, and improved to a 24-6 lead at half time.
Pittsford’s intensity continued through out the game as great defense was a main contributor to the Wildcats’ success. Pittsford was also able to capitalize on Tekonsha’s zone defense that gave them a lot of opportunity to slip behind their defense and score.
Katelyn was the game’s lead scorer with 14 points and senior Marisa Hamilton led Pittsford in rebounding with 7.
Hollywood helping write the comeback script for Michigan
by Mike Fauls
Recently, Michiganders have been under attack by the dreaded unemployment monster. With jobs being cut like a Thanksgiving turkey and what seems like no hope for the future in sight, many people have been moving out of their hometowns, if not the whole state.
Many people think that the economy as of late will have a permanent effect on how we as Americans live. Well, recently it seems as though at least Michigan will find its silver lining, and no it’s not a major comeback from the big three. If you haven’t noticed yet, movies are beginning to be filmed right here in the good ol’ mitten, such as Gran Torino and certain scenes from Transformers (the scene at the end of the movie with Megatron chasing Sam, the building is the old train station in Detroit).
The reason that so many of these movies are being filmed here is the fact that Michigan offers up to 42 percent of your production costs to just disappear, as a sort of discount that’s cut to the movies. That’s a lot of money. Tax breaks are also involved for these movie companies. Also, if you look around, Michigan isn’t a bad place to film; there are woods, lakes, bustling cities, sand, and plenty of rural area. It fits just about any of the areas that you can think of.
Many people think that this can help Michigan be put back on the map. “I think that it could help the local businesses because more people would move here and that means that there would be a cash flow,” senior Jessica Beard said. Sophomore Braily Lee responded by saying, “I think that it would help to because of the cash flow, but also because it would be a long-term thing.” When asked, both students agreed that there could be negative effects on the surrounding environment. This has the potential to open up a LOT of jobs in
Michigan (possibly over 100,000) and we need all the help we can get.Michigan has been struggling for a while and this will hopefully put us back on the map and bring people to the area. Who knows, maybe in the future Detroit will be the next Hollywood.
Recently, Michiganders have been under attack by the dreaded unemployment monster. With jobs being cut like a Thanksgiving turkey and what seems like no hope for the future in sight, many people have been moving out of their hometowns, if not the whole state.
Many people think that the economy as of late will have a permanent effect on how we as Americans live. Well, recently it seems as though at least Michigan will find its silver lining, and no it’s not a major comeback from the big three. If you haven’t noticed yet, movies are beginning to be filmed right here in the good ol’ mitten, such as Gran Torino and certain scenes from Transformers (the scene at the end of the movie with Megatron chasing Sam, the building is the old train station in Detroit).
The reason that so many of these movies are being filmed here is the fact that Michigan offers up to 42 percent of your production costs to just disappear, as a sort of discount that’s cut to the movies. That’s a lot of money. Tax breaks are also involved for these movie companies. Also, if you look around, Michigan isn’t a bad place to film; there are woods, lakes, bustling cities, sand, and plenty of rural area. It fits just about any of the areas that you can think of.
Many people think that this can help Michigan be put back on the map. “I think that it could help the local businesses because more people would move here and that means that there would be a cash flow,” senior Jessica Beard said. Sophomore Braily Lee responded by saying, “I think that it would help to because of the cash flow, but also because it would be a long-term thing.” When asked, both students agreed that there could be negative effects on the surrounding environment. This has the potential to open up a LOT of jobs in
Michigan (possibly over 100,000) and we need all the help we can get.Michigan has been struggling for a while and this will hopefully put us back on the map and bring people to the area. Who knows, maybe in the future Detroit will be the next Hollywood.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Varsity Track girls get new uniforms
By William Belson
The 2009, girls varsity track season is just around the corner bringing along the springtime awesomeness. With the new track season there also comes new uniforms for the girls squad this year, making it time for the girls’ old uniforms to go into retirement.
The old uniforms have been in use by the girls “from five to fifteen years,” said AD Mr. Hoeft, making it time for new uniforms to take the torch. “The old ones are tired and match quite poorly,” said Mr. Hoeft. That must be something the girls think. The uniforms will have “a little different of a style but no major changes,” said Mr. Hoeft
The money that is paying for the uniforms doesn’t just come out of thin air; the payment for the uniforms will come from our very own Pittsford cross country runners. Mr. Hoeft estimated that the new uni’s will cost a cool grand. Hopefully the uniforms will last the estimated ten years, which seems to be the normal life span.
The uniforms must be threadbare from the description, and no wonder the girls seem so ecstatic about the uniforms. “I am excited about them because our old uniforms were really, really old and we needed new ones” said sophomore Elainee Poling.
The girls will work their butts off in these new uniforms and supposedly look stylish doing it, so come watch them when meets start and see how the uniforms look.
The 2009, girls varsity track season is just around the corner bringing along the springtime awesomeness. With the new track season there also comes new uniforms for the girls squad this year, making it time for the girls’ old uniforms to go into retirement.
The old uniforms have been in use by the girls “from five to fifteen years,” said AD Mr. Hoeft, making it time for new uniforms to take the torch. “The old ones are tired and match quite poorly,” said Mr. Hoeft. That must be something the girls think. The uniforms will have “a little different of a style but no major changes,” said Mr. Hoeft
The money that is paying for the uniforms doesn’t just come out of thin air; the payment for the uniforms will come from our very own Pittsford cross country runners. Mr. Hoeft estimated that the new uni’s will cost a cool grand. Hopefully the uniforms will last the estimated ten years, which seems to be the normal life span.
The uniforms must be threadbare from the description, and no wonder the girls seem so ecstatic about the uniforms. “I am excited about them because our old uniforms were really, really old and we needed new ones” said sophomore Elainee Poling.
The girls will work their butts off in these new uniforms and supposedly look stylish doing it, so come watch them when meets start and see how the uniforms look.
Winning season is clinched in home blowout for JV Wildcat hoops team
by Dillon Cooper
The Pittsford Wildcats, who were just coming off of a heart-breaking loss to Jackson Christian, were playing at home against a team that they had beaten earlier on the road by over twenty points. The visitor, the Terriers of Litchfield, were left a sub-par ball club thanks to academics and players getting into trouble with the school. Nevertheless the ‘Cats would come up on top with magnificent 72-23 victory.
Litchfield would chalk up a quick two points in their favor but soon the Wildcats would start unloading from three with freshman Drew McOscar sinking five triples within the span of a quarter. “I just got hot,” said McOscar with a smile. Every Wildcat had his way in contributing towards the team, who were all destined to have the same goal: to produce a blow-out victory in front of their loyal family and friends! At half the Wildcats were up 45-10 and the order was to work the offense and get a good shot; don’t force anything into a bad situation, just get lay-ups or simple, wide-open J’s. The second half continued with much of the same result. The Wildcats got easy baskets and fast-break points that lead to a big deficit.
With a win last night the Wildcats secure a guaranteed .500 season which is good news! They are currently 10-5 overall and have five games left in their season. The men in blue will play another home game against the Hillsdale Academy Colts, which will hopefully be a replay of this game!
The Pittsford Wildcats, who were just coming off of a heart-breaking loss to Jackson Christian, were playing at home against a team that they had beaten earlier on the road by over twenty points. The visitor, the Terriers of Litchfield, were left a sub-par ball club thanks to academics and players getting into trouble with the school. Nevertheless the ‘Cats would come up on top with magnificent 72-23 victory.
Litchfield would chalk up a quick two points in their favor but soon the Wildcats would start unloading from three with freshman Drew McOscar sinking five triples within the span of a quarter. “I just got hot,” said McOscar with a smile. Every Wildcat had his way in contributing towards the team, who were all destined to have the same goal: to produce a blow-out victory in front of their loyal family and friends! At half the Wildcats were up 45-10 and the order was to work the offense and get a good shot; don’t force anything into a bad situation, just get lay-ups or simple, wide-open J’s. The second half continued with much of the same result. The Wildcats got easy baskets and fast-break points that lead to a big deficit.
With a win last night the Wildcats secure a guaranteed .500 season which is good news! They are currently 10-5 overall and have five games left in their season. The men in blue will play another home game against the Hillsdale Academy Colts, which will hopefully be a replay of this game!
Varsity hoops squad stays perfect with wins over JCS and Litchfield
by Justin Fish
The Pittsford Wildcat boys varsity basketball team show their true colors again by beating one of their toughest opponents of the season, Jackson Christian Royals, 66-57, and moving their record to a perfect 14-0.
Senior Clark Pelham had 27 points, going 6-10 from the 3 point line, 9-14 from the free throw line, and he had six assists. Not far behind was junior Garet Lee with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals. Junior Seth Weber dished out seven assists.
“Our strengths this game was our teamwork, we stuck together and talked together, and our weaknesses were our foul shots,” said junior Brad Beach. “I thought Clark did really good and I thought the way he was able to get those 27 points because of his staying after practice and shooting,” said Beach. “We moved the ball well against their half court trap and he had his feet set and his hands ready and he was hitting shots, and the kids found him,” commented Coach Burger on Pelham’s 27 points.
“[The key] to breaking the half court trap was how well Gamble and Weber handled it at the top against (JCS senior Erik) Austin and their guards and then going from the middle to the wings…I thought that was key,” said Coach Burger.
The guys moved to 15-0 with a blowout victory over the Litchfield Terriers, 76-47. The game started flatly with the Wildcats up by 12 at the half, and then everything erupted from there. “I think that we moved the ball pretty well, but we were flat in the first half. We picked it up in the second and started to play like ourselves,” commented junior Cody Krasny. “I thought we were strong holding onto the ball, sharing the ball, and I thought we shot well. We still have things to work on as far as focusing and playing with intensity against teams that maybe we are a little more talented than,” said Coach Burger.
Lee contributed 22 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks, and three assists. Not far behind him was sophomore Brandon Williams with 14 points and eight rebounds.
“I was very pleased with how well Brandon played, I thought he took a step forward and this stage in the year he should start playing like a junior and he started to last night,” said Coach Burger commenting on Williams’s 14 points.
Wildcats play again next week on Tuesday the 24th to see if they can stay on the road to perfection.
The Pittsford Wildcat boys varsity basketball team show their true colors again by beating one of their toughest opponents of the season, Jackson Christian Royals, 66-57, and moving their record to a perfect 14-0.
Senior Clark Pelham had 27 points, going 6-10 from the 3 point line, 9-14 from the free throw line, and he had six assists. Not far behind was junior Garet Lee with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals. Junior Seth Weber dished out seven assists.
“Our strengths this game was our teamwork, we stuck together and talked together, and our weaknesses were our foul shots,” said junior Brad Beach. “I thought Clark did really good and I thought the way he was able to get those 27 points because of his staying after practice and shooting,” said Beach. “We moved the ball well against their half court trap and he had his feet set and his hands ready and he was hitting shots, and the kids found him,” commented Coach Burger on Pelham’s 27 points.
“[The key] to breaking the half court trap was how well Gamble and Weber handled it at the top against (JCS senior Erik) Austin and their guards and then going from the middle to the wings…I thought that was key,” said Coach Burger.
The guys moved to 15-0 with a blowout victory over the Litchfield Terriers, 76-47. The game started flatly with the Wildcats up by 12 at the half, and then everything erupted from there. “I think that we moved the ball pretty well, but we were flat in the first half. We picked it up in the second and started to play like ourselves,” commented junior Cody Krasny. “I thought we were strong holding onto the ball, sharing the ball, and I thought we shot well. We still have things to work on as far as focusing and playing with intensity against teams that maybe we are a little more talented than,” said Coach Burger.
Lee contributed 22 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks, and three assists. Not far behind him was sophomore Brandon Williams with 14 points and eight rebounds.
“I was very pleased with how well Brandon played, I thought he took a step forward and this stage in the year he should start playing like a junior and he started to last night,” said Coach Burger commenting on Williams’s 14 points.
Wildcats play again next week on Tuesday the 24th to see if they can stay on the road to perfection.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Owl vomit does serve educational purposes at PHS
by Tommy Verdon
Ever wanted to dissect vomit? Me neither. However, that’s exactly what the ecology class is doing so that they can learn about the food web. They have spent about a week and a half trying to dissect an owl “pellet,” otherwise called throw up.
What you do is take one owl pellet and cut it open with a knife. When you open it up you will notice that there is a lot of hair and possibly you can already notice that there are some bones in it as well. After you cut it open you have to separate the bones from the fur while you are trying not to break the bones. The last st
ep that you have to do is glue the bones onto the paper so that you can tell if the animal was a rodent or not.
There were many challenges that the students had to overcome while they were trying to be careful but also hurry so that they can get the project in on time. Junior Shelby Strang had some troubles with the project. “Trying to get the fur away from the bones was hard,” said Shelby. They had learned many things about owls that they hadn’t known before. “I didn’t know that the owl regurgitated the bones from the animal that they ate,” explained Shelby.
Senior Andrea Schaedler had the exact same challenges that Shelby had as she also had trouble with separating the bones from the fur. “The hardest part for me was separating the fur from the bones,” replied Andrea. Andrea had also found out many things that she hadn’t known before. “I didn’t know that owls threw up their food,” said Andrea.
Mr. Cushman’s hardest part was trying to get the kids to actually do the assignment. “The hardest part was getting the kids to turn in the assignment. No, actually it was probably retrieving the bones from the fur,” explained Mr. Cushman. The point of this assignment to get the students to understand what went on in the food web. “We did this because we were talking about the food web and how it all interrelates and I thought that this would give them a better understanding about it,” replied Mr. Cushman
Ever wanted to dissect vomit? Me neither. However, that’s exactly what the ecology class is doing so that they can learn about the food web. They have spent about a week and a half trying to dissect an owl “pellet,” otherwise called throw up.
What you do is take one owl pellet and cut it open with a knife. When you open it up you will notice that there is a lot of hair and possibly you can already notice that there are some bones in it as well. After you cut it open you have to separate the bones from the fur while you are trying not to break the bones. The last st
ep that you have to do is glue the bones onto the paper so that you can tell if the animal was a rodent or not.There were many challenges that the students had to overcome while they were trying to be careful but also hurry so that they can get the project in on time. Junior Shelby Strang had some troubles with the project. “Trying to get the fur away from the bones was hard,” said Shelby. They had learned many things about owls that they hadn’t known before. “I didn’t know that the owl regurgitated the bones from the animal that they ate,” explained Shelby.
Senior Andrea Schaedler had the exact same challenges that Shelby had as she also had trouble with separating the bones from the fur. “The hardest part for me was separating the fur from the bones,” replied Andrea. Andrea had also found out many things that she hadn’t known before. “I didn’t know that owls threw up their food,” said Andrea.
Mr. Cushman’s hardest part was trying to get the kids to actually do the assignment. “The hardest part was getting the kids to turn in the assignment. No, actually it was probably retrieving the bones from the fur,” explained Mr. Cushman. The point of this assignment to get the students to understand what went on in the food web. “We did this because we were talking about the food web and how it all interrelates and I thought that this would give them a better understanding about it,” replied Mr. Cushman
Students use all skills (and learn new ones) in house building
by Jake Richards & Justin Renigar
If you like being outside and are a hands-on type of person, then you should consider house building for a Vo-tech Class. “I like being outside and not trapped in the school all day,” said Pittsford senior Jacob Gier. In house building you start off with nothing and you choose the designs of the houses you and your classmates want to build. Then you make an estimate of how many supplies you need to have to build the house. When you start building the house, you begin to see that over time everything you have done starts coming together and it begins to look more and more like a home. One cool thing about it to is you get to go outside and stay active for three hours of your school day. It makes the day go by a lot faster. And hey, who could forget the best part? “No homework,” said Pittsford senior Corey Gamble.
House building is also a good way to establish camaraderie. You get to meet new people from other places, just like real job, and work with these people. Kids come from all over the county so you have a lot of different kids there that have their own personalities. “Yeah, it’s cool working with different people,” said Jonesville student Jericho Kelly. With that being said, it is a good social environment and is really a team effort.
In school, you learn about all of the basics of the workforce like math, science, etc. In house building, you get to apply all of those skills from school to the job at hand. “Accuracy is very important,” said instructor Mr. Lubaway. You have to be precise on measurement and calculations, you get physical exercise, and hands-on experience. Whereas at school, you just do paper work. So it is a good trait to learn for the world ahead of high school.
The conditions (as far as climate and weather) are very different than that of school. House building is like a real job, you work in a climate that could be 100 degrees one day and 20 below the next. It teaches you a good work ethic because even though it may be nasty outside, that doesn’t stop you from getting the job done and at the end of the day you feel a sense of accomplishment.
If you want to get out and see what kind of skills you really have and how you will do in the real world then house building is a good way to start.
If you like being outside and are a hands-on type of person, then you should consider house building for a Vo-tech Class. “I like being outside and not trapped in the school all day,” said Pittsford senior Jacob Gier. In house building you start off with nothing and you choose the designs of the houses you and your classmates want to build. Then you make an estimate of how many supplies you need to have to build the house. When you start building the house, you begin to see that over time everything you have done starts coming together and it begins to look more and more like a home. One cool thing about it to is you get to go outside and stay active for three hours of your school day. It makes the day go by a lot faster. And hey, who could forget the best part? “No homework,” said Pittsford senior Corey Gamble.
House building is also a good way to establish camaraderie. You get to meet new people from other places, just like real job, and work with these people. Kids come from all over the county so you have a lot of different kids there that have their own personalities. “Yeah, it’s cool working with different people,” said Jonesville student Jericho Kelly. With that being said, it is a good social environment and is really a team effort.
In school, you learn about all of the basics of the workforce like math, science, etc. In house building, you get to apply all of those skills from school to the job at hand. “Accuracy is very important,” said instructor Mr. Lubaway. You have to be precise on measurement and calculations, you get physical exercise, and hands-on experience. Whereas at school, you just do paper work. So it is a good trait to learn for the world ahead of high school.
The conditions (as far as climate and weather) are very different than that of school. House building is like a real job, you work in a climate that could be 100 degrees one day and 20 below the next. It teaches you a good work ethic because even though it may be nasty outside, that doesn’t stop you from getting the job done and at the end of the day you feel a sense of accomplishment.
If you want to get out and see what kind of skills you really have and how you will do in the real world then house building is a good way to start.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Girls varsity hoops squad falls to league power
by Eva Gucker
Pittsford was left with a 58-40 loss to Hillsdale Academy after a demanding game that went back-and-forth until the fourth quarter. Although Pittsford was able to make enough plays offensively to stay with the Academy in much of the game, their defense is what hindered them from taking the win. HA took advantage of Pittsford’s lack of help defense and spread their players out to capitalize on Pittsford’s gaps, as guard Connaught Blood scored 30 points. “Our inability to limit the HA dribble penetration was the key to the ballgame,” said Coach Hoover. This led to a lot of foul trouble for Pittsford as well, having three girls foul out by the end of the game, two very early in the fourth quarter. “We got there so late all we could do was slap and foul,” added Coach Hoover. The Academy showed a full-court press most of the night, which led to some Pittsford turnovers because of lack of ball movement. At times Pittsford did move the ball well, but shots didn’t always fall. Overall, the Ladycats’ performance wasn’t enough to take on one of the league leaders in a solid HA team.
Pittsford was left with a 58-40 loss to Hillsdale Academy after a demanding game that went back-and-forth until the fourth quarter. Although Pittsford was able to make enough plays offensively to stay with the Academy in much of the game, their defense is what hindered them from taking the win. HA took advantage of Pittsford’s lack of help defense and spread their players out to capitalize on Pittsford’s gaps, as guard Connaught Blood scored 30 points. “Our inability to limit the HA dribble penetration was the key to the ballgame,” said Coach Hoover. This led to a lot of foul trouble for Pittsford as well, having three girls foul out by the end of the game, two very early in the fourth quarter. “We got there so late all we could do was slap and foul,” added Coach Hoover. The Academy showed a full-court press most of the night, which led to some Pittsford turnovers because of lack of ball movement. At times Pittsford did move the ball well, but shots didn’t always fall. Overall, the Ladycats’ performance wasn’t enough to take on one of the league leaders in a solid HA team.
Funnyman Kevin James is at it again in Mall Cop
by Justin Fish
Actor Kevin James (from the sitcom The King of Queens and the movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry); he is at it again with his much anticipated new movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
The movie opens at the New Jersey State Police Academy in the autumn of 2008. Paul (Kevin James) a single father, attempting to become a cop. He does surprisingly well on the obstacle course despite his size, but passes out due to hypoglycemia, and fails the course. Paul lives with his mother and daughter, who tries to find him a girlfriend on a dating website, as his wife previously left him, and he had been feeling lonely ever since. Disappointed that he fails, he tries to make ends meet as a security officer at West Orange Pavilion Mall. The next day as he is working with a new trainee he gives him a full tour of the mall and while he was showing him the mall he falls for a kiosk owner, Amy. After a few attempts to muster up courage, Blart tries to talk to Amy, but oddly enough asks her for hair products instead. Upon their second encounter Blart offers her a ride on his Segway, and they agree to meet later in a bar where the mall staffs are regular visitors. Unfortunately, Blart accidentally gets drunk and humiliates himself in front of everybody present. Thinking he has ruined his chances with Amy, Paul returns home in low spirits. Later Blart’s co-worker offers him his daughter’s phone so Blart could call Amy.
While Paul is playing “Rock Band” in the mall arcade a group of disguised robbers “seize” the mall. The robbers chase most of the staff and shoppers outside while holding some hostage. Among those being held hostage is Amy. Veck reveals himself to the ringleader, and intends to steal $30 million from the mall by obtaining the codes to the mall’s credit card machines.
The West Orange Police, led by Sgt. Howard, surround the mall, but are not exactly sure of the situation inside the mall. After a while Blart realizes that the mall has been taken over, he contacts Sgt. Howard. Realizing that Amy has been taken hostage he can wait no longer for help and takes matters into his own hands. He starts by weakening the robbers one-by-one, and recording the stolen credit car codes. Veck tries to escape to the airport and get away, but Blart and officers ambush him there. In the end, Blart and Amy get married and live happily ever after.
Overall I thought the movie was funny and a good movie but the storyline was kinda shaky, meaning that it was a typical movie with Blart falling in love with a woman and they end up marrying each other in the end. Kevin James is a good actor and a funny comedian, and I thought the movie was good, but the story line needed help. I also think that Kevin James was the perfect actor for this movie, as well as Jayma Mays as the actress.
Actor Kevin James (from the sitcom The King of Queens and the movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry); he is at it again with his much anticipated new movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
The movie opens at the New Jersey State Police Academy in the autumn of 2008. Paul (Kevin James) a single father, attempting to become a cop. He does surprisingly well on the obstacle course despite his size, but passes out due to hypoglycemia, and fails the course. Paul lives with his mother and daughter, who tries to find him a girlfriend on a dating website, as his wife previously left him, and he had been feeling lonely ever since. Disappointed that he fails, he tries to make ends meet as a security officer at West Orange Pavilion Mall. The next day as he is working with a new trainee he gives him a full tour of the mall and while he was showing him the mall he falls for a kiosk owner, Amy. After a few attempts to muster up courage, Blart tries to talk to Amy, but oddly enough asks her for hair products instead. Upon their second encounter Blart offers her a ride on his Segway, and they agree to meet later in a bar where the mall staffs are regular visitors. Unfortunately, Blart accidentally gets drunk and humiliates himself in front of everybody present. Thinking he has ruined his chances with Amy, Paul returns home in low spirits. Later Blart’s co-worker offers him his daughter’s phone so Blart could call Amy.
While Paul is playing “Rock Band” in the mall arcade a group of disguised robbers “seize” the mall. The robbers chase most of the staff and shoppers outside while holding some hostage. Among those being held hostage is Amy. Veck reveals himself to the ringleader, and intends to steal $30 million from the mall by obtaining the codes to the mall’s credit card machines.
The West Orange Police, led by Sgt. Howard, surround the mall, but are not exactly sure of the situation inside the mall. After a while Blart realizes that the mall has been taken over, he contacts Sgt. Howard. Realizing that Amy has been taken hostage he can wait no longer for help and takes matters into his own hands. He starts by weakening the robbers one-by-one, and recording the stolen credit car codes. Veck tries to escape to the airport and get away, but Blart and officers ambush him there. In the end, Blart and Amy get married and live happily ever after.
Overall I thought the movie was funny and a good movie but the storyline was kinda shaky, meaning that it was a typical movie with Blart falling in love with a woman and they end up marrying each other in the end. Kevin James is a good actor and a funny comedian, and I thought the movie was good, but the story line needed help. I also think that Kevin James was the perfect actor for this movie, as well as Jayma Mays as the actress.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
JV boys basketball team falls on road to JCS
by Dillon Cooper
It was a Friday night and the Wildcats were traveling to Jackson Christian High School to take on the Royals. The Royal had no freshman and five juniors (four starters) on their team, so they were far older and more experienced than the Pittsford guys. “I can’t see how this helps out their program,” expressed head coach Mr. Hodos. The Wildcats, who were 9-4 at the time, had an opportunity to guarantee at least a .500 season which is where the bar was set last year. P-ford would fall short in this one, losing a tough, physical game 51-36.
The game would start off slowly and both teams were battling. Due to a loss of focus, Pittsford was turning the ball over like crazy but they made up for it on the defensive end, keeping the gap close and the margin for error was still there. “We were hustling very well, but we turned the ball over too much,” explained sophomore leader Robby Wheeler. The Wildcats would go into the locker room at halftime only being down seven. The first half had been a battle of who could turn the ball over the most and was a bloody affair, too.
The second half was much of the same except less turnovers and more scoring was accruing. It seemed like no matter how hard the men in blue fought, the Royals would have an answer to every possible equation. “We didn’t play our best game,” continued Wheeler.
The Pittsford JV Wildcats are now 9-5 overall and still have six games to prove that they could end this season on a very high note. They play Litchfield at home on Thursday night, a team that they beat easily on the road earlier this year, and look to sweep this year’s season series with them!
It was a Friday night and the Wildcats were traveling to Jackson Christian High School to take on the Royals. The Royal had no freshman and five juniors (four starters) on their team, so they were far older and more experienced than the Pittsford guys. “I can’t see how this helps out their program,” expressed head coach Mr. Hodos. The Wildcats, who were 9-4 at the time, had an opportunity to guarantee at least a .500 season which is where the bar was set last year. P-ford would fall short in this one, losing a tough, physical game 51-36.
The game would start off slowly and both teams were battling. Due to a loss of focus, Pittsford was turning the ball over like crazy but they made up for it on the defensive end, keeping the gap close and the margin for error was still there. “We were hustling very well, but we turned the ball over too much,” explained sophomore leader Robby Wheeler. The Wildcats would go into the locker room at halftime only being down seven. The first half had been a battle of who could turn the ball over the most and was a bloody affair, too.
The second half was much of the same except less turnovers and more scoring was accruing. It seemed like no matter how hard the men in blue fought, the Royals would have an answer to every possible equation. “We didn’t play our best game,” continued Wheeler.
The Pittsford JV Wildcats are now 9-5 overall and still have six games to prove that they could end this season on a very high note. They play Litchfield at home on Thursday night, a team that they beat easily on the road earlier this year, and look to sweep this year’s season series with them!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Varsity girls hoops team overcomes slow start, routs Terriers
by Eva Gucker
After a rough start against the Litchfield Terriers, Pittsford turned it around to a 55-32 win. The first half was a struggle for Pittsford defensively. They were unable to make stops in the full-court game and fill gaps when pushed back into the half-court setting. Offensively the Ladycats were able to keep up, even after some turnovers due to a soft trap at half-court. Coming back into the second half Pittsford picked it up defensively by filling gaps better and trapping Litchfield’s point-guard at half-court. Litchfield was unable to do much without her penetration, so this led to many turnovers and possessions for Pittsford. “We had really great defensive stops and we capitalized on their mistakes,” said senior Marisa Hamilton. Later in the second half, foul trouble impaired both teams with two Pittsford players and two Litchfield players fouling out. This did not affect the outcome for the Wildcats, though. They easily kept a 23-point lead to end the game. Marisa had 18 points of her own. Junior Katelyn Kipfmiller had 11 rebounds and Autumn Buckner collected 10.
After a rough start against the Litchfield Terriers, Pittsford turned it around to a 55-32 win. The first half was a struggle for Pittsford defensively. They were unable to make stops in the full-court game and fill gaps when pushed back into the half-court setting. Offensively the Ladycats were able to keep up, even after some turnovers due to a soft trap at half-court. Coming back into the second half Pittsford picked it up defensively by filling gaps better and trapping Litchfield’s point-guard at half-court. Litchfield was unable to do much without her penetration, so this led to many turnovers and possessions for Pittsford. “We had really great defensive stops and we capitalized on their mistakes,” said senior Marisa Hamilton. Later in the second half, foul trouble impaired both teams with two Pittsford players and two Litchfield players fouling out. This did not affect the outcome for the Wildcats, though. They easily kept a 23-point lead to end the game. Marisa had 18 points of her own. Junior Katelyn Kipfmiller had 11 rebounds and Autumn Buckner collected 10.
PHS students share Valentine’s Day plans
by Brooke Maxson and Tommy Verdon
As we walk through the halls of PHS, we see many happy couples. Alright, some aren’t so happy and some are just unsure, but I suppose that’s not our business. Either way, Valentine’s Day has swung around and for many couples nationwide, including those right here at our school, this is a special day to look forward to. I talked to several couples in the junior high and high school and asked each one if they had any special plans for Valentine’s Day. I discovered most couples felt honored to be asked because it’s not that often Pittsford’s sweethearts hit the spotlight together in the Wildcat Times. The time has come for us to give them recognition.
As fate would have it, it turns out there are a few events on Saturday, February 14 that have come in the way of any elaborate plans the couples may have wished for. “I have Science Olympiad and he has a wrestling meet,” said junior Elainee Poling when referring to her boyfriend, junior Taylor Hatfield. Sure, it may hinder some plans, but it won’t eliminate them overall. “We might go to the movies later if we both get back in time. I’m probably going to buy Taylor some roses and a big, giant teddy bear,” kidded Elainee. This being Taylor and Elainee’s second Valentine’s Day together, Taylor also obviously feels comfortable picking on Elainee. “I’m going to buy her one chocolate kiss. I’m also taking her to McDonald’s,” Taylor said with a sarcastic laugh. This couple isn’t the only one working around sports events. “Chase has a wrestling meet and I get to go watch him do that. That’s our wonderful Valentine’s Day,” remarked sophomore Abbie Brackman when asked about her plans with her senior boyfriend, Chase Weber. This will also be Chase and Abbie’s second Valentine’s Day together. Again, school events have created obstacles for junior Cody Krasny and his girlfriend, senior Franny Marino. “I have a Science Olympiad meet and then I have rehearsal until like 5:30, then maybe afterward I’d be going to his basketball game…and that’s still not official. So we probably won’t be doing much of anything,” said Franny.
Many high school and junior high students have boyfriends or girlfriends that don’t attend PHS. Junior Carley Bruner’s boyfriend attends Hillsdale High School. “I’m getting up early and going to Science Olympiad and then we are going back to my house and probably watching movies. Then maybe we’ll go to dinner. My present is going to be late for him, but I’m going to get him chocolates and I don’t know what else,” junior Carley Bruner said. This will also be their first Valentine’s Day spent together.
It turns out most of the couples at PHS don’t really have any huge plans. Several of them just go with the flow. “I’m just going over to his house and doing whatever, probably watching a movie,” said 9th grader Stephanie Reyome, in referral to her 9th grade boyfriend of three years, Drew McOscar. Some will take the traditional route and just go to see a movie with their special someone. “I’m taking Leah to go see Friday the 13th,” commented senior Ben Farley. Some students don’t really feel any certain way towards Valentine’s Day, but appreciate the gifts they have received in the past anyway. “It’s just like any other day, but last year Lance got me candy and a picture frame. He also got me perfume and lotion like I stink or something,” joked sophomore Miranda Beard when she was talking about her boyfriend, senior Lance Wilson, who she will soon spend her second Valentine’s Day with. A few couples have their own, special ways of celebrating. “We really couldn’t figure out what we wanted to do, so we decided to go to the store and buy fruit and ice cream and make smoothies since we both love smoothies,” explained sophomore Emily Hines in referral to her first Valentine’s day with her other half, junior Collin Taylor.
Despite school-events, sport-events, and Valentine’s Day apathy, Valentine’s Day remains unchanged for many. For many it’s an occasion that’s greatly looked forward to and of course it’s a great time for surprises. Whether you’re buying roses or candy for that special someone, it’s the thought that counts, so even telling someone how you feel could make the day a special one.
As we walk through the halls of PHS, we see many happy couples. Alright, some aren’t so happy and some are just unsure, but I suppose that’s not our business. Either way, Valentine’s Day has swung around and for many couples nationwide, including those right here at our school, this is a special day to look forward to. I talked to several couples in the junior high and high school and asked each one if they had any special plans for Valentine’s Day. I discovered most couples felt honored to be asked because it’s not that often Pittsford’s sweethearts hit the spotlight together in the Wildcat Times. The time has come for us to give them recognition.
As fate would have it, it turns out there are a few events on Saturday, February 14 that have come in the way of any elaborate plans the couples may have wished for. “I have Science Olympiad and he has a wrestling meet,” said junior Elainee Poling when referring to her boyfriend, junior Taylor Hatfield. Sure, it may hinder some plans, but it won’t eliminate them overall. “We might go to the movies later if we both get back in time. I’m probably going to buy Taylor some roses and a big, giant teddy bear,” kidded Elainee. This being Taylor and Elainee’s second Valentine’s Day together, Taylor also obviously feels comfortable picking on Elainee. “I’m going to buy her one chocolate kiss. I’m also taking her to McDonald’s,” Taylor said with a sarcastic laugh. This couple isn’t the only one working around sports events. “Chase has a wrestling meet and I get to go watch him do that. That’s our wonderful Valentine’s Day,” remarked sophomore Abbie Brackman when asked about her plans with her senior boyfriend, Chase Weber. This will also be Chase and Abbie’s second Valentine’s Day together. Again, school events have created obstacles for junior Cody Krasny and his girlfriend, senior Franny Marino. “I have a Science Olympiad meet and then I have rehearsal until like 5:30, then maybe afterward I’d be going to his basketball game…and that’s still not official. So we probably won’t be doing much of anything,” said Franny.
Many high school and junior high students have boyfriends or girlfriends that don’t attend PHS. Junior Carley Bruner’s boyfriend attends Hillsdale High School. “I’m getting up early and going to Science Olympiad and then we are going back to my house and probably watching movies. Then maybe we’ll go to dinner. My present is going to be late for him, but I’m going to get him chocolates and I don’t know what else,” junior Carley Bruner said. This will also be their first Valentine’s Day spent together.
It turns out most of the couples at PHS don’t really have any huge plans. Several of them just go with the flow. “I’m just going over to his house and doing whatever, probably watching a movie,” said 9th grader Stephanie Reyome, in referral to her 9th grade boyfriend of three years, Drew McOscar. Some will take the traditional route and just go to see a movie with their special someone. “I’m taking Leah to go see Friday the 13th,” commented senior Ben Farley. Some students don’t really feel any certain way towards Valentine’s Day, but appreciate the gifts they have received in the past anyway. “It’s just like any other day, but last year Lance got me candy and a picture frame. He also got me perfume and lotion like I stink or something,” joked sophomore Miranda Beard when she was talking about her boyfriend, senior Lance Wilson, who she will soon spend her second Valentine’s Day with. A few couples have their own, special ways of celebrating. “We really couldn’t figure out what we wanted to do, so we decided to go to the store and buy fruit and ice cream and make smoothies since we both love smoothies,” explained sophomore Emily Hines in referral to her first Valentine’s day with her other half, junior Collin Taylor.
Despite school-events, sport-events, and Valentine’s Day apathy, Valentine’s Day remains unchanged for many. For many it’s an occasion that’s greatly looked forward to and of course it’s a great time for surprises. Whether you’re buying roses or candy for that special someone, it’s the thought that counts, so even telling someone how you feel could make the day a special one.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Girls JV basketball team working on a great season
by Justin Renigar & Jake Richards
When people talk about high school sports they’re always talking about the varsity teams. They don’t take the time to realize that with no JV team there would be no varsity team. The JV team deserves a lot of recognition this year with their steady 14-2 record. They have good key players and know how to work well as a team.
The JV team has an outstanding record this year, especially with only seven players. They’ve had some tough opponents, but didn’t let the little bit of defeat get to them. They are still winning game after game and are showing no signs of backing down. With this kind of momentum they could go the rest of the season without another loss. “I think we will go undefeated for the rest of the season. We’re ballahaulics,” said junior Amber VanBuskirk with plenty of confidence.
The girls on the team had a lot of confidence when asked about their team and how they try to improve every week. “We have set goals for every game we play. Our goals are to have less than three turnovers and to have at least six points a game,” explained sophomore Jade Smith. They also have goals to meet in practice as well. “We focus on things that need improvement from the game before,” said Coach Burkhart.
They have a good routine practice, a good coach, and all the skills it takes to be a great team. They have gone against many formidable opponents. “Without a doubt, Climax was our toughest game so far,” said sophomore Lacey Smith. Lenawee Christian and Reading were also two tough teams as well, as they are the ‘Cats only losses. With only four games left in the season, people are anxious to see what the outcome will be for the entire season. If they finish strong and win the rest of their games, this will be definitely be a season to be proud of.
When people talk about high school sports they’re always talking about the varsity teams. They don’t take the time to realize that with no JV team there would be no varsity team. The JV team deserves a lot of recognition this year with their steady 14-2 record. They have good key players and know how to work well as a team.
The JV team has an outstanding record this year, especially with only seven players. They’ve had some tough opponents, but didn’t let the little bit of defeat get to them. They are still winning game after game and are showing no signs of backing down. With this kind of momentum they could go the rest of the season without another loss. “I think we will go undefeated for the rest of the season. We’re ballahaulics,” said junior Amber VanBuskirk with plenty of confidence.
The girls on the team had a lot of confidence when asked about their team and how they try to improve every week. “We have set goals for every game we play. Our goals are to have less than three turnovers and to have at least six points a game,” explained sophomore Jade Smith. They also have goals to meet in practice as well. “We focus on things that need improvement from the game before,” said Coach Burkhart.
They have a good routine practice, a good coach, and all the skills it takes to be a great team. They have gone against many formidable opponents. “Without a doubt, Climax was our toughest game so far,” said sophomore Lacey Smith. Lenawee Christian and Reading were also two tough teams as well, as they are the ‘Cats only losses. With only four games left in the season, people are anxious to see what the outcome will be for the entire season. If they finish strong and win the rest of their games, this will be definitely be a season to be proud of.
Is your favorite NBA team or player in my five?
by Dillon Cooper
There are many teams that have proven worthy of making my top five; their record reflects their great play so far this season. First, a look at my top five teams so far in the NBA:
5. San Antonio Spurs (34-15)
The San Antonio Spurs make my top five because of one good reason, experience. They know what do down the stretch in ball games and their line-up has great efficiency and have great chemistry together. With the play of Power Forward Tim Duncan, Small Forward defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, Shooting Guard Manu Ginobili, and Point Guard Tony Parker, which between the four they have won four NBA championships in the last eight seasons, they will be a great tetrarchy in the West. San Antonio, as they sit right now, is sitting in a pretty sturdy spot at second place only behind the great Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs can not afford to lose focus now as their division is very stacked and with only a three and a half game advantage over the newly charged New Orleans Hornets and the banged up Houston Rockets, who are sure to rise again through all of the injuries and be one of the West’s best teams, again. The gray-bearded San Antonio Spurs are going on one of their toughest parts of their schedule and if they come up with big wins they will be a force to be reckoned with come April.
4. Orlando Magic (38-12)
The Orlando Magic is a team that is very young and inexperienced, thus making t
he playoff the last couple of tries. They are a front-runner in the Eastern conference which just last year was a laughingstock of the league, compared to the David vs. Goliath look when you compared the West vs. the East. Nevertheless the Magic are on the right track, making a big splash in the first part of their 20th season in the National Basketball Association. The Magic are 28-0 when PG Jameer Nelson makes 44 percent of his shots or better, they're 4-9 when he shoots worse than 44 percent, and they're 4-1 when he doesn't play. Talk about a barometer! They’ll put that last statistic to the test…..because Jameer Nelson is possibly out for the remainder of the season with torn right labrum, in the same shoulder that he has had problems with before. This will be a big blow to the Magic organization.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-10)
The Cavs are numero tres on my top five only because of their poor play against teams in their own division. They are a weak 1-6 versus the top six teams in the East. This stat really caught my eye, but their league-leading 23-0 home record also stood out. LeBron James just but up a hefty 52 points in the Garden versus the New York Knickerbockers and was the first player sense Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain to record a triple double while scoring 50 plus (he also had ten rebounds and eleven assists). The adding of superstar, PG difference-maker Mo Williams, was a big advantage for Cleveland and I definitely have the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference final playing against the Boston Celtics.
Boston Celtics (42-11)
Despite having an early skid after a game against the Lakers on Christmas Day which Celtic fans want to forget as soon as possible, they seem to be back on the right path in a huge way, even though they lost at home to the top three teams in the west they are still leading the way and setting the pace for the league at a solid 41-10. Despite being swept by the Lakers in the two games series this year, I still think that Boston is a big favorite to repeat as NBA champions. As long as the Celtics stay healthy they should be all right, but I still do think they will have to make a move before the trade deadline just to get some more depth in their bench. Leon Powe and second year Glen “Big Baby” Davis have really stepped up their game from last season and this will be a major factor in the coming months.
1. Los Angeles Lakers (41-9)
The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that is just isolated from all other competitors in the west. The Lakers, who are probably in the weakest division in the West (they lead 2nd place Phoenix by eleven and a half games) and if the season were to end today they would seal the number one seed easily, without any question. They lead the Spurs by five and a half games for the top spot in the West and with Kobe Bryant being Kobe Bryant, and playing like the reigning MVP should, he’s certain to lead his team to another finals appearance, hopefully.
The season is at its midpoint and the All Star break is just a week away in the Valley of The Sun and if these teams continue their winning ways, and they most likely will, then they will be a major threat to any team that crosses paths with them. In just four months a chapter will be written in the NBA and there will be new kings that will rule this league and stand at the top of the podium with smiles and they will say that they are the best team in the world!
It is really hard to just isolate and pick the top five players in the NBA. You could go on and on about top five players in their respective position, division, conference, or just define them as a one of the greatest players to even lay a finger on an orange sphere that we call a basketball. All in all it was very hard just to pick the top five, current, players in the NBA but here goes nothing…
5. F- Danny Granger & Kevin Durant
Now I know Danny Granger isn’t the most classic household name but he will be as his stats prove it. Arguably the most under-recognized player in the game today, he is putting up big numbers. Averaging a cool 25.5 points per contest, he is really putting the Pacers on his back like a pack mule. Not only is he ranked fifth in scoring but he is averaging just a sliver under 40% from the three-point arc and a little over 88% from the free throw stripe. This is all stats, and we all know stats are irrelevant, but Granger does back them up very well, this being only his fourth year out New Mexico.
Kevin Durant’s numbers are very similar to Danny Granger’s. They are averaging the same amount of points but Durant is shooting better from the floor. The numbers are very impressive for the twenty year old, this only being his second year out of the University of Texas. Durant is really tearing the competition up and is showing the disappointed Portland Trailblazers that he, not Greg Oden, should have been the number one pick two years ago!
4. G- Chris Paul
Chris Paul is my number four guy because of his ability to shoot and his unselfish behavior on the basketball court when dishing the rock when it needs to be distributed. Paul, who is averaging a double-double a game in points and assists, is arguably the most talented and the overall greatest point guard in the league. Coming out of college we all knew this kid was going to be a good player but if anyone had predicted that he would be a star that is portrayed today I would say that person would have to be Nostradamus. Chris Paul is averaging 21.5 ppg and 11 assists per game, too. Earlier this season he set the NBA record for the most consecutive games having a steal and that tally was 109 straight games.
3. G- Dwayne Wade
Dwayne Wade is the Heat and that is why he is my number three. He isn’t totally the Heat, but he doesn’t really have that many contributors due to injuries. Wade’s only help is Shawn Marion, who was picked up with a trade last year from the Suns for big man Shaquille O’Neal, and Michael Beasley, drafted 2nd overall last summer. Wade is averaging 24.7 points per game and an even seven assists and despite being injury prone the last few years, he has remained healthy and always has a big role on the team night in and night out!
2. F- LeBron James
The King of Cleveland is my number two player in the NBA because he is just a total game-changer. LeBron is definitely in the running for this year’s MVP and every night, after the games are played, we compare LeBron’s stats to Kobe’s stats (more on him next). LeBron does have Kobe beat in one important category and that is scoring. He is the averaging a league best 28.5 ppg, 7.5 rebounds per game, and seven assists per game. LeBron’s Cavs this year are the best team James has ever been a part of. With LeBron only having one year left on his contract before he has a chance to opt out, and with rumors speculating that LeBron will go to the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers better get the most out of him while they still have him.
1. G- Kobe Bryant
Think about it: if you are down by one with three ticks on the clock, who are you going to give the privilege of taking the last, game-winning shot? The only person that I would really feel comfortable with is Kobe Bryant. The reigning MVP of the league should, in my opinion, bring home that trophy again. His numbers are very good; not off the charts, but who can guard him? If you lay off of him he’ll shoot it in your face, and if you guard him tightly, he’ll just drive around you, and if you double up on him he’ll pass to the open man. Even if he does drive, he will attract almost any and every player to stop him from getting to the rack and scoring a deuce. In my mind he is the player of the year and of the decade for basketball… maybe even the world!
There are many teams that have proven worthy of making my top five; their record reflects their great play so far this season. First, a look at my top five teams so far in the NBA:
5. San Antonio Spurs (34-15)
The San Antonio Spurs make my top five because of one good reason, experience. They know what do down the stretch in ball games and their line-up has great efficiency and have great chemistry together. With the play of Power Forward Tim Duncan, Small Forward defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, Shooting Guard Manu Ginobili, and Point Guard Tony Parker, which between the four they have won four NBA championships in the last eight seasons, they will be a great tetrarchy in the West. San Antonio, as they sit right now, is sitting in a pretty sturdy spot at second place only behind the great Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs can not afford to lose focus now as their division is very stacked and with only a three and a half game advantage over the newly charged New Orleans Hornets and the banged up Houston Rockets, who are sure to rise again through all of the injuries and be one of the West’s best teams, again. The gray-bearded San Antonio Spurs are going on one of their toughest parts of their schedule and if they come up with big wins they will be a force to be reckoned with come April.
4. Orlando Magic (38-12)
The Orlando Magic is a team that is very young and inexperienced, thus making t
he playoff the last couple of tries. They are a front-runner in the Eastern conference which just last year was a laughingstock of the league, compared to the David vs. Goliath look when you compared the West vs. the East. Nevertheless the Magic are on the right track, making a big splash in the first part of their 20th season in the National Basketball Association. The Magic are 28-0 when PG Jameer Nelson makes 44 percent of his shots or better, they're 4-9 when he shoots worse than 44 percent, and they're 4-1 when he doesn't play. Talk about a barometer! They’ll put that last statistic to the test…..because Jameer Nelson is possibly out for the remainder of the season with torn right labrum, in the same shoulder that he has had problems with before. This will be a big blow to the Magic organization.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-10)
The Cavs are numero tres on my top five only because of their poor play against teams in their own division. They are a weak 1-6 versus the top six teams in the East. This stat really caught my eye, but their league-leading 23-0 home record also stood out. LeBron James just but up a hefty 52 points in the Garden versus the New York Knickerbockers and was the first player sense Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain to record a triple double while scoring 50 plus (he also had ten rebounds and eleven assists). The adding of superstar, PG difference-maker Mo Williams, was a big advantage for Cleveland and I definitely have the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference final playing against the Boston Celtics.
Boston Celtics (42-11)
Despite having an early skid after a game against the Lakers on Christmas Day which Celtic fans want to forget as soon as possible, they seem to be back on the right path in a huge way, even though they lost at home to the top three teams in the west they are still leading the way and setting the pace for the league at a solid 41-10. Despite being swept by the Lakers in the two games series this year, I still think that Boston is a big favorite to repeat as NBA champions. As long as the Celtics stay healthy they should be all right, but I still do think they will have to make a move before the trade deadline just to get some more depth in their bench. Leon Powe and second year Glen “Big Baby” Davis have really stepped up their game from last season and this will be a major factor in the coming months.
1. Los Angeles Lakers (41-9)
The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that is just isolated from all other competitors in the west. The Lakers, who are probably in the weakest division in the West (they lead 2nd place Phoenix by eleven and a half games) and if the season were to end today they would seal the number one seed easily, without any question. They lead the Spurs by five and a half games for the top spot in the West and with Kobe Bryant being Kobe Bryant, and playing like the reigning MVP should, he’s certain to lead his team to another finals appearance, hopefully.
The season is at its midpoint and the All Star break is just a week away in the Valley of The Sun and if these teams continue their winning ways, and they most likely will, then they will be a major threat to any team that crosses paths with them. In just four months a chapter will be written in the NBA and there will be new kings that will rule this league and stand at the top of the podium with smiles and they will say that they are the best team in the world!
It is really hard to just isolate and pick the top five players in the NBA. You could go on and on about top five players in their respective position, division, conference, or just define them as a one of the greatest players to even lay a finger on an orange sphere that we call a basketball. All in all it was very hard just to pick the top five, current, players in the NBA but here goes nothing…
5. F- Danny Granger & Kevin Durant
Now I know Danny Granger isn’t the most classic household name but he will be as his stats prove it. Arguably the most under-recognized player in the game today, he is putting up big numbers. Averaging a cool 25.5 points per contest, he is really putting the Pacers on his back like a pack mule. Not only is he ranked fifth in scoring but he is averaging just a sliver under 40% from the three-point arc and a little over 88% from the free throw stripe. This is all stats, and we all know stats are irrelevant, but Granger does back them up very well, this being only his fourth year out New Mexico.
Kevin Durant’s numbers are very similar to Danny Granger’s. They are averaging the same amount of points but Durant is shooting better from the floor. The numbers are very impressive for the twenty year old, this only being his second year out of the University of Texas. Durant is really tearing the competition up and is showing the disappointed Portland Trailblazers that he, not Greg Oden, should have been the number one pick two years ago!
4. G- Chris Paul
Chris Paul is my number four guy because of his ability to shoot and his unselfish behavior on the basketball court when dishing the rock when it needs to be distributed. Paul, who is averaging a double-double a game in points and assists, is arguably the most talented and the overall greatest point guard in the league. Coming out of college we all knew this kid was going to be a good player but if anyone had predicted that he would be a star that is portrayed today I would say that person would have to be Nostradamus. Chris Paul is averaging 21.5 ppg and 11 assists per game, too. Earlier this season he set the NBA record for the most consecutive games having a steal and that tally was 109 straight games.
3. G- Dwayne Wade
Dwayne Wade is the Heat and that is why he is my number three. He isn’t totally the Heat, but he doesn’t really have that many contributors due to injuries. Wade’s only help is Shawn Marion, who was picked up with a trade last year from the Suns for big man Shaquille O’Neal, and Michael Beasley, drafted 2nd overall last summer. Wade is averaging 24.7 points per game and an even seven assists and despite being injury prone the last few years, he has remained healthy and always has a big role on the team night in and night out!
2. F- LeBron James
The King of Cleveland is my number two player in the NBA because he is just a total game-changer. LeBron is definitely in the running for this year’s MVP and every night, after the games are played, we compare LeBron’s stats to Kobe’s stats (more on him next). LeBron does have Kobe beat in one important category and that is scoring. He is the averaging a league best 28.5 ppg, 7.5 rebounds per game, and seven assists per game. LeBron’s Cavs this year are the best team James has ever been a part of. With LeBron only having one year left on his contract before he has a chance to opt out, and with rumors speculating that LeBron will go to the New York Knicks, the Cavaliers better get the most out of him while they still have him.
1. G- Kobe Bryant
Think about it: if you are down by one with three ticks on the clock, who are you going to give the privilege of taking the last, game-winning shot? The only person that I would really feel comfortable with is Kobe Bryant. The reigning MVP of the league should, in my opinion, bring home that trophy again. His numbers are very good; not off the charts, but who can guard him? If you lay off of him he’ll shoot it in your face, and if you guard him tightly, he’ll just drive around you, and if you double up on him he’ll pass to the open man. Even if he does drive, he will attract almost any and every player to stop him from getting to the rack and scoring a deuce. In my mind he is the player of the year and of the decade for basketball… maybe even the world!
PLAN tests help students plan for the future
by Chelsie Darrow
In December, all the sophomores gathered in the small gym for the PLAN tests. The tests were held to give the students a better idea on what will be on the ACT that they will take in March of their junior year. The tests measured the ability of the students to be able to think, reason and perform in academic areas of reading, English, science and math. This year’s juniors will be taking their ACT on March 5. Juniors can take the ACT any time on their own, but they must pay for it themselves. When the juniors were sophomores they had a chance to see what was on the ACT. This gives them a leg up, versus going into the tests blindly, because they have been there and done it.
The PLAN tests help the sophomores to see what the weaknesses and strengths that they have. By knowing this they can improve the areas that need to be improved. Sophomore Katie Fether definitely benefited from the test. “I think the PLAN test has helped me because it lets me know what will be in the ACT. The test showed me that I need to improve my science scores so now I know that I have to work harder in science,” said Katie. Along with the PLAN test, there is also a test that can be taken in 8th grade but we do not give that here at Pittsford. ACT however, is a requirement to graduate. Sophomore Virgil Schrom now has a better grip on what to study. “The PLAN test helped me because now I know what to study and what’s going to be on the ACT and what to study for. Mainly I need to study for English, because I didn’t do very good in there.”
This year’s sophomores excelled greatly in the subjects of reading and science. We can’t really compare the students year to year because of the simple fact that we have such small samples here at Pittsford. The scores of this year’s sophomores were very good overall, as they have been mostly every year here at Pittsford.
In December, all the sophomores gathered in the small gym for the PLAN tests. The tests were held to give the students a better idea on what will be on the ACT that they will take in March of their junior year. The tests measured the ability of the students to be able to think, reason and perform in academic areas of reading, English, science and math. This year’s juniors will be taking their ACT on March 5. Juniors can take the ACT any time on their own, but they must pay for it themselves. When the juniors were sophomores they had a chance to see what was on the ACT. This gives them a leg up, versus going into the tests blindly, because they have been there and done it.
The PLAN tests help the sophomores to see what the weaknesses and strengths that they have. By knowing this they can improve the areas that need to be improved. Sophomore Katie Fether definitely benefited from the test. “I think the PLAN test has helped me because it lets me know what will be in the ACT. The test showed me that I need to improve my science scores so now I know that I have to work harder in science,” said Katie. Along with the PLAN test, there is also a test that can be taken in 8th grade but we do not give that here at Pittsford. ACT however, is a requirement to graduate. Sophomore Virgil Schrom now has a better grip on what to study. “The PLAN test helped me because now I know what to study and what’s going to be on the ACT and what to study for. Mainly I need to study for English, because I didn’t do very good in there.”
This year’s sophomores excelled greatly in the subjects of reading and science. We can’t really compare the students year to year because of the simple fact that we have such small samples here at Pittsford. The scores of this year’s sophomores were very good overall, as they have been mostly every year here at Pittsford.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
JV boys basketball team sweep season series in lopsided affair
by Dillon Cooper
The Wildcats, who were fresh off a win against the physical Waldron Spartans, were now going to have to travel fifty-three miles to Burr Oak to take on the Bobcats. Pittsford would win this game with a 65-7 score.
Pittsford would open the game with 25 points unanswered and finally the Bobcats would locate the general direction of the basket and put the ball in the cup for their first points. By the end of the first half the score was 42-4. “We played pretty good,” said sophomore Levi Natzki. “I didn’t meet my goals but we still won,” he would later add. Head coach Mr. Hodos decided that it would be best to treat this as a practice or a scrimmage and run the Wildcat’s play to make them more efficient for future games, instead of running up the score.
Even though the Wildcats won against a struggling Burr Oak team, they will have their game put to the test this Friday as they travel to Jackson to take on the Royals of Jackson Christian!
The Wildcats, who were fresh off a win against the physical Waldron Spartans, were now going to have to travel fifty-three miles to Burr Oak to take on the Bobcats. Pittsford would win this game with a 65-7 score.
Pittsford would open the game with 25 points unanswered and finally the Bobcats would locate the general direction of the basket and put the ball in the cup for their first points. By the end of the first half the score was 42-4. “We played pretty good,” said sophomore Levi Natzki. “I didn’t meet my goals but we still won,” he would later add. Head coach Mr. Hodos decided that it would be best to treat this as a practice or a scrimmage and run the Wildcat’s play to make them more efficient for future games, instead of running up the score.
Even though the Wildcats won against a struggling Burr Oak team, they will have their game put to the test this Friday as they travel to Jackson to take on the Royals of Jackson Christian!
Students learning the ups and downs of stock market
by William Belson
Learning at Pittsford is always entertaining, especially when you are in Mr. Lovell’s class. Like all classes you need entertainment or something different so the class isn’t boring. The students from Mr. Lovell’s are trading stocks as a competition. Don’t be worried; the students are not trading real stocks, I was told. That would be even more drastic to the United States crumbling economy.
The buying and trading of stocks in this project is going to help these students to understand to stock market. “We are doing the stock market because we are trying to give them (the students) some experience looking at the stock market and speculating which was one of the causes of the Great Depression. This time around I think it is going to be a real good situation because of the dire situation in our economy this is the closest it has been since the great depression. The idea is for the students to see what speculation is all about,” explained Mr. Lovell.
The students doing the stock project are learning how the stock market works and it is also teaching them the importance of the stock market by their gains or by their losses on the stocks that they buy. “This project helps us understand how stocks work and by the looks of it we are going to need it in the future and it also helps us understand how the stocks work and how they go up and down” explained sophomore Kyle Wyatt.
One student seemed quite excited about the project and quite competitive. “It is fun and I am kind of excited because I want to make a lot of money and I really want to win. It is also beneficial, probably, if you get a lot of money like that you could actually do it (trading stocks) and know how, so later on you can do it for real because you know how to” said sophomore Abbie Brackman.
Once again there is never a dull moment in Mr. Lovell’s class, even when you are learning something. That is how we roll at Pittsford Area Schools.
Learning at Pittsford is always entertaining, especially when you are in Mr. Lovell’s class. Like all classes you need entertainment or something different so the class isn’t boring. The students from Mr. Lovell’s are trading stocks as a competition. Don’t be worried; the students are not trading real stocks, I was told. That would be even more drastic to the United States crumbling economy.
The buying and trading of stocks in this project is going to help these students to understand to stock market. “We are doing the stock market because we are trying to give them (the students) some experience looking at the stock market and speculating which was one of the causes of the Great Depression. This time around I think it is going to be a real good situation because of the dire situation in our economy this is the closest it has been since the great depression. The idea is for the students to see what speculation is all about,” explained Mr. Lovell.
The students doing the stock project are learning how the stock market works and it is also teaching them the importance of the stock market by their gains or by their losses on the stocks that they buy. “This project helps us understand how stocks work and by the looks of it we are going to need it in the future and it also helps us understand how the stocks work and how they go up and down” explained sophomore Kyle Wyatt.
One student seemed quite excited about the project and quite competitive. “It is fun and I am kind of excited because I want to make a lot of money and I really want to win. It is also beneficial, probably, if you get a lot of money like that you could actually do it (trading stocks) and know how, so later on you can do it for real because you know how to” said sophomore Abbie Brackman.
Once again there is never a dull moment in Mr. Lovell’s class, even when you are learning something. That is how we roll at Pittsford Area Schools.
DNA experiment A-OK to biology students
by Emily Hines
In biology you learn about many things having to do with life and how you function as a living person. Biology has to do with cells, organs, and why living organisms do what they do.
In Mrs. Clement’s biology class they are currently working with the structure and chemical make up of cells and their functions. Mrs. Clement decided to take a different approach to learning about cells by doing an experiment for a grade. The experiment was found exciting among her students.
“We extracted cheek cells just by swishing water in our mouth and then spitting it back into the cup. Then we put some different detergent and some other chemicals in the cup that break down the cell membrane and leave the DNA intact and make it cling together so it could become visible,” shared Mrs. Clement.
Students thought it was a good experiment to do because it helped in many areas of understanding biology. “It was a good visual, like instead of just talking about DNA, to actually see it helped,” stated sophomore Abbie Brackman. Up until the lab experiment took place students may have been a little confused with how the cell DNA actually worked and looked. “All we saw for a while was models of DNA and not what it actually looked like; seeing it was really cool,” stated sophomore Autumn Buckner.
This procedure isn’t so easy when it’s time to make it happen. There are many steps that involve looking at your DNA correctly. “The challenging part was when you had to wrap the cell around the rod so you could see it the right way,” stated Abbie Brackman.
Mrs. Clement’s experiment isn’t absolutely necessary in taking a biology class but she thought it was a good idea. “We’ve been studying DNA and the chemical structure and studying what it does and it was just kind of a fun way to kind of wrap up the unit and actually see our DNA,” shared Mrs. Clement.
In biology you learn about many things having to do with life and how you function as a living person. Biology has to do with cells, organs, and why living organisms do what they do.
In Mrs. Clement’s biology class they are currently working with the structure and chemical make up of cells and their functions. Mrs. Clement decided to take a different approach to learning about cells by doing an experiment for a grade. The experiment was found exciting among her students.
“We extracted cheek cells just by swishing water in our mouth and then spitting it back into the cup. Then we put some different detergent and some other chemicals in the cup that break down the cell membrane and leave the DNA intact and make it cling together so it could become visible,” shared Mrs. Clement.
Students thought it was a good experiment to do because it helped in many areas of understanding biology. “It was a good visual, like instead of just talking about DNA, to actually see it helped,” stated sophomore Abbie Brackman. Up until the lab experiment took place students may have been a little confused with how the cell DNA actually worked and looked. “All we saw for a while was models of DNA and not what it actually looked like; seeing it was really cool,” stated sophomore Autumn Buckner.
This procedure isn’t so easy when it’s time to make it happen. There are many steps that involve looking at your DNA correctly. “The challenging part was when you had to wrap the cell around the rod so you could see it the right way,” stated Abbie Brackman.
Mrs. Clement’s experiment isn’t absolutely necessary in taking a biology class but she thought it was a good idea. “We’ve been studying DNA and the chemical structure and studying what it does and it was just kind of a fun way to kind of wrap up the unit and actually see our DNA,” shared Mrs. Clement.
Varsity boys basketball team wins big (again) over Burr Oak
by Justin Fish
With the Wildcats undefeated on the season, Burr Oak proved no contest as they fell big by a score of 56-10.
The high scorer of the game was senior Corey Gamble with 11 points and three assists. Senior Clark Pelham and junior Wes Smith each had nine points. “[The keys in winning this game were] Burr Oak was just overmatched offensively and defensively, and we played hard and made some shots, and they were just plain overmatched,” commented Coach Burger on Tuesday’s blow-out. Junior Cody Krasny credited the victory to “our willingness to share the ball. Also, we worked well together as a team.”
The Wildcat boys put their undefeated record to the test on Friday night at Jackson Christian to try and pull out yet another win.
With the Wildcats undefeated on the season, Burr Oak proved no contest as they fell big by a score of 56-10.
The high scorer of the game was senior Corey Gamble with 11 points and three assists. Senior Clark Pelham and junior Wes Smith each had nine points. “[The keys in winning this game were] Burr Oak was just overmatched offensively and defensively, and we played hard and made some shots, and they were just plain overmatched,” commented Coach Burger on Tuesday’s blow-out. Junior Cody Krasny credited the victory to “our willingness to share the ball. Also, we worked well together as a team.”
The Wildcat boys put their undefeated record to the test on Friday night at Jackson Christian to try and pull out yet another win.
Varsity Ladycats play complete defensive game against Tekonsha, run away with win
by Eva Gucker
The Ladycats did a lot of good things Tuesday night against Tekonsha and it showed on the scoreboard with Pittsford winning 49-21. The girls played with intensity all night, reaching the goals that they had set for themselves such as having good help defense and ball movement. Although Tekonsha was able to get the ball over half-court against Pittsford’s press, their transition into half-court caused a lot of problems. When Pittsford moved into a man defense, the Indians were still unable to succeed offensively due to Pittsford’s great help side defense. “We played really good defense and we filled our gaps,” said junior Britney Houser. Offensively Pittsford was able to move the ball well which gave them a lot of good looks and good shots. Pittsford improved on their rebounding as well with six girls pulling down six rebounds each. If the girls continue to play with these improvements they will have a great winning opportunity against the league leaders, Hillsdale Academy, next Tuesday night.
Scoring leaders for Pittsford were junior Katelyn Kipfmiller with 19 points and senior Marisa Hamilton with 17 points. Senior Eva Gucker led the ‘Cats on the boards with seven, along with juniors Houser and Ashley Buckner.
The Ladycats did a lot of good things Tuesday night against Tekonsha and it showed on the scoreboard with Pittsford winning 49-21. The girls played with intensity all night, reaching the goals that they had set for themselves such as having good help defense and ball movement. Although Tekonsha was able to get the ball over half-court against Pittsford’s press, their transition into half-court caused a lot of problems. When Pittsford moved into a man defense, the Indians were still unable to succeed offensively due to Pittsford’s great help side defense. “We played really good defense and we filled our gaps,” said junior Britney Houser. Offensively Pittsford was able to move the ball well which gave them a lot of good looks and good shots. Pittsford improved on their rebounding as well with six girls pulling down six rebounds each. If the girls continue to play with these improvements they will have a great winning opportunity against the league leaders, Hillsdale Academy, next Tuesday night.
Scoring leaders for Pittsford were junior Katelyn Kipfmiller with 19 points and senior Marisa Hamilton with 17 points. Senior Eva Gucker led the ‘Cats on the boards with seven, along with juniors Houser and Ashley Buckner.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
One costly quarter dooms Ladycats vs. BCSP
by Eva Gucker
With the exception of the second quarter, Pittsford played a close game with the SCAA I league leaders but lost 58-43. Pittsford had success in the first quarter with their full-court press, but BCSP also showed a press of their own that gave them points. In the second quarter, there was a much greater struggle for Pittsford offensively. Pittsford turnovers became St. Phil points quickly and the Wildcats went from four down after one quarter to a 17-point deficit going into halftime. The Ladycats picked it back up the last half of the game, and didn’t let the Tigers increase their lead, but Pittsford was unable to catch up. “I think that we played well all the way around, but in the second quarter we lacked in defense,” said junior Katelyn Kipfmiller. Katelyn led with 20 points and seven rebounds.
With the exception of the second quarter, Pittsford played a close game with the SCAA I league leaders but lost 58-43. Pittsford had success in the first quarter with their full-court press, but BCSP also showed a press of their own that gave them points. In the second quarter, there was a much greater struggle for Pittsford offensively. Pittsford turnovers became St. Phil points quickly and the Wildcats went from four down after one quarter to a 17-point deficit going into halftime. The Ladycats picked it back up the last half of the game, and didn’t let the Tigers increase their lead, but Pittsford was unable to catch up. “I think that we played well all the way around, but in the second quarter we lacked in defense,” said junior Katelyn Kipfmiller. Katelyn led with 20 points and seven rebounds.
New RPG takes us back into time
by Mike Fauls
It’s 2:00 a.m. on a midsummer’s night and you’re playing your favorite game on your console. You’re in the zone. Then suddenly the enemy is all around you and you’re stuck with just a few arrows and you’re crouching behind a box knowing that you’re going to die and have to restart because you can’t pause the action and take in what’s going on.
Well my friends all of that is soon to change with Bio Ware’s (God bless ‘em) new game called Dragon Age: Origins. This is a return to their roots because it’s an RPG (Role-Playing Game) that is very similar to the Baulder’s Gate games that they’ve made. This is a game where, just like in Baulder’s Gate, in the middle of a fight you can pause the game, take a bird’s eye view of the area, select a character(s), make them do specific options, and un-pause the game so that whatever you want them to do will be done simultaneously.
It comes out for the PC in the second half of 2009, but here’s what’s really cool: it comes out for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 a little bit later…still in the second half of ’09.
A lot of people would say that RPG’s are fine the way they are right now and that they’re still really good. And I can completely agree; Mass Effect and Fable II were great, and still are. The replay-ability that each game gives you is massive. I still play them when I can. It’s just that a lot of gamers forgot where RPG’s were from and many people actually miss that feeling of control in a game. The latest PC Gamer has more of a detailed description of this magnificent-looking game. I know that I’ll be counting down the days to get this and as the saying goes, “There’s no school like the old school.”
It’s 2:00 a.m. on a midsummer’s night and you’re playing your favorite game on your console. You’re in the zone. Then suddenly the enemy is all around you and you’re stuck with just a few arrows and you’re crouching behind a box knowing that you’re going to die and have to restart because you can’t pause the action and take in what’s going on.
Well my friends all of that is soon to change with Bio Ware’s (God bless ‘em) new game called Dragon Age: Origins. This is a return to their roots because it’s an RPG (Role-Playing Game) that is very similar to the Baulder’s Gate games that they’ve made. This is a game where, just like in Baulder’s Gate, in the middle of a fight you can pause the game, take a bird’s eye view of the area, select a character(s), make them do specific options, and un-pause the game so that whatever you want them to do will be done simultaneously.
It comes out for the PC in the second half of 2009, but here’s what’s really cool: it comes out for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 a little bit later…still in the second half of ’09.
A lot of people would say that RPG’s are fine the way they are right now and that they’re still really good. And I can completely agree; Mass Effect and Fable II were great, and still are. The replay-ability that each game gives you is massive. I still play them when I can. It’s just that a lot of gamers forgot where RPG’s were from and many people actually miss that feeling of control in a game. The latest PC Gamer has more of a detailed description of this magnificent-looking game. I know that I’ll be counting down the days to get this and as the saying goes, “There’s no school like the old school.”
Wildcats win tough and grueling battle over the Spartans to improve to 12-0
by Justin Fish
In a very physical game, the Wildcats kept on rolling to stay unbeaten by beating the Waldron Spartans by a score of 58-43.
The game was a neck-and-neck contest leaving the Wildcats up 26-21 at the half. In the fourth quarter, however, their offense clicked a bit more to spread the margin of victory out to 15 points. Junior Garet Lee had another big night with 25 points and 18 rebounds and 2 blocks while senior Clark Pelham went 4-5 from the three point line for a total of 19 points and three assists. Senior Corey Gamble chipped in eight points. “Some of the key factors in winning the game were our keeping composure under duress and I thought that we made some key offensive plays, timely shooting. I thought that Garet stepped up big, and Pelham and Gamble had big threes late in the game which pushed us over the edge,” commented Coach Burger on the game.
The Wildcats’ next game is Tuesday, February 10, against Burr Oak on their home court.
In a very physical game, the Wildcats kept on rolling to stay unbeaten by beating the Waldron Spartans by a score of 58-43.
The game was a neck-and-neck contest leaving the Wildcats up 26-21 at the half. In the fourth quarter, however, their offense clicked a bit more to spread the margin of victory out to 15 points. Junior Garet Lee had another big night with 25 points and 18 rebounds and 2 blocks while senior Clark Pelham went 4-5 from the three point line for a total of 19 points and three assists. Senior Corey Gamble chipped in eight points. “Some of the key factors in winning the game were our keeping composure under duress and I thought that we made some key offensive plays, timely shooting. I thought that Garet stepped up big, and Pelham and Gamble had big threes late in the game which pushed us over the edge,” commented Coach Burger on the game.
The Wildcats’ next game is Tuesday, February 10, against Burr Oak on their home court.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Wrestling team wins two matches in quad at Colon
by Chelsie Darrow
The teams that competed at last Wednesday’s wrestling meet were Pittsford, Climax-Scotts, Colon, and Bellevue. It was a good evening, though, as the Wildcat grapplers went 2-0, beating Bellevue 42-12 and C-S 42-30. The only teams that Pittsford wrestled were Climax and Bellevue. So it was a fairly small meet compared to the previous ones that the wrestlers have had.
Once again we had many voids at this meet as we did with the Jonesville invitational. This is mostly because the MHSAA only allows the wrestlers to wrestle twice during one week. Pittsford’s wrestlers recovered very well from their last meet. Once again, seniors Chase Weber and Ben Wines went 2-0, pinning all of their opponents. Joining Wines and Weber with a 2-0 record was Cody McLouth, who also pinned both of his men. Junior Taylor Hatfield and sophomore Brad Bolenbaugh each had one pin on the night (and won via void in their other matches). Brad feels that their preparation had a lot to do with their performance. “To wrestle good like we did on Wednesday you have to lift weights and be willing to work hard,” explained Brad.
The teams that competed at last Wednesday’s wrestling meet were Pittsford, Climax-Scotts, Colon, and Bellevue. It was a good evening, though, as the Wildcat grapplers went 2-0, beating Bellevue 42-12 and C-S 42-30. The only teams that Pittsford wrestled were Climax and Bellevue. So it was a fairly small meet compared to the previous ones that the wrestlers have had.
Once again we had many voids at this meet as we did with the Jonesville invitational. This is mostly because the MHSAA only allows the wrestlers to wrestle twice during one week. Pittsford’s wrestlers recovered very well from their last meet. Once again, seniors Chase Weber and Ben Wines went 2-0, pinning all of their opponents. Joining Wines and Weber with a 2-0 record was Cody McLouth, who also pinned both of his men. Junior Taylor Hatfield and sophomore Brad Bolenbaugh each had one pin on the night (and won via void in their other matches). Brad feels that their preparation had a lot to do with their performance. “To wrestle good like we did on Wednesday you have to lift weights and be willing to work hard,” explained Brad.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Varsity girls hoops team crushes Burr Oak
by Eva Gucker
After a physical game, Pittsford scored a season-high 70 points, cruising to a 70-33 win against Burr Oak on Tuesday, February 3. This was a different game than Pittsford was used to, even compared to the first game versus Burr Oak. With their full-court press being successful, Pittsford was able to score six points easily in the first minute. This success continued through the first quarter, with many steals and good offense from Pittsford. Moving into the second quarter, Pittsford dropped their press and struggled to make defensive stops that should have been no difficulty for them. Burr Oak was able to cut through the Pittsford defense too easily. “We had big gaps on defense,” said junior Katie Stiver. On the offensive end Pittsford dealt with brutality, which stopped them from some scoring opportunities. The fouling continued the rest of the game, which led to the ejection of one Burr Oak player and the fouling-out of another. Senior Marisa Hamilton had 26 points of her own and eight steals. Brittney Houser led with 10 rebounds.
After a physical game, Pittsford scored a season-high 70 points, cruising to a 70-33 win against Burr Oak on Tuesday, February 3. This was a different game than Pittsford was used to, even compared to the first game versus Burr Oak. With their full-court press being successful, Pittsford was able to score six points easily in the first minute. This success continued through the first quarter, with many steals and good offense from Pittsford. Moving into the second quarter, Pittsford dropped their press and struggled to make defensive stops that should have been no difficulty for them. Burr Oak was able to cut through the Pittsford defense too easily. “We had big gaps on defense,” said junior Katie Stiver. On the offensive end Pittsford dealt with brutality, which stopped them from some scoring opportunities. The fouling continued the rest of the game, which led to the ejection of one Burr Oak player and the fouling-out of another. Senior Marisa Hamilton had 26 points of her own and eight steals. Brittney Houser led with 10 rebounds.
Varsity girls hoops team crushes Burr Oak
by Eva Gucker
After a physical game, Pittsford scored a season-high 70 points, cruising to a 70-33 win against Burr Oak on Tuesday, February 3. This was a different game than Pittsford was used to, even compared to the first game versus Burr Oak. With their full-court press being successful, Pittsford was able to score six points easily in the first minute. This success continued through the first quarter, with many steals and good offense from Pittsford. Moving into the second quarter, Pittsford dropped their press and struggled to make defensive stops that should have been no difficulty for them. Burr Oak was able to cut through the Pittsford defense too easily. “We had big gaps on defense,” said junior Katie Stiver. On the offensive end Pittsford dealt with brutality, which stopped them from some scoring opportunities. The fouling continued the rest of the game, which led to the ejection of one Burr Oak player and the fouling-out of another. Senior Marisa Hamilton had 26 points of her own and eight steals. Brittney Houser led with 10 rebounds.
After a physical game, Pittsford scored a season-high 70 points, cruising to a 70-33 win against Burr Oak on Tuesday, February 3. This was a different game than Pittsford was used to, even compared to the first game versus Burr Oak. With their full-court press being successful, Pittsford was able to score six points easily in the first minute. This success continued through the first quarter, with many steals and good offense from Pittsford. Moving into the second quarter, Pittsford dropped their press and struggled to make defensive stops that should have been no difficulty for them. Burr Oak was able to cut through the Pittsford defense too easily. “We had big gaps on defense,” said junior Katie Stiver. On the offensive end Pittsford dealt with brutality, which stopped them from some scoring opportunities. The fouling continued the rest of the game, which led to the ejection of one Burr Oak player and the fouling-out of another. Senior Marisa Hamilton had 26 points of her own and eight steals. Brittney Houser led with 10 rebounds.
Weber and Wines go undefeated at Jonesville wrestling invitational
by Chelsie Darrow
At the Jonesville team invitational Pittsford’s wrestlers had a rough day, though they still fought hard. The wrestlers had two team members go undefeated, seniors Ben Wines and Chase Weber. Chase gives his insight on how he wrestled on Saturday. “I thought I wrestled decent and my strategy is not to lose.” Coming close to that was Kurtis Brackman, who went 3-2 on Saturday. The teams that they wrestled at the invitational in Jonesville were Jonesville, Morenci, Bellevue, Portland, and Edwardsburg. Edwardsburg was the winner overall at Saturday’s invitational. Pittsford’s wrestlers gave up a lot of their points to voids that day which was due to lack of wrestlers and injuries. The Pittsford wrestling team still gave it their all at the invitational. They had very tough competition on Saturday since Bellevue and Morenci both had records of 2-3. The wrestlers could of fought a bit harder for the win but they can chalk it up for better luck at the next meet on Wednesday night.
At the Jonesville team invitational Pittsford’s wrestlers had a rough day, though they still fought hard. The wrestlers had two team members go undefeated, seniors Ben Wines and Chase Weber. Chase gives his insight on how he wrestled on Saturday. “I thought I wrestled decent and my strategy is not to lose.” Coming close to that was Kurtis Brackman, who went 3-2 on Saturday. The teams that they wrestled at the invitational in Jonesville were Jonesville, Morenci, Bellevue, Portland, and Edwardsburg. Edwardsburg was the winner overall at Saturday’s invitational. Pittsford’s wrestlers gave up a lot of their points to voids that day which was due to lack of wrestlers and injuries. The Pittsford wrestling team still gave it their all at the invitational. They had very tough competition on Saturday since Bellevue and Morenci both had records of 2-3. The wrestlers could of fought a bit harder for the win but they can chalk it up for better luck at the next meet on Wednesday night.
Mr. Bulgrien’s drama students start debates on popular issues
by Brooke Maxson
In today’s world, there is much controversy over many issues. Some peoples’ views on particular issues depend on whether that person is a conservative or a liberal, and some, on the other hand, aren’t a reflection of the person’s political views. We, as high school students, should have an opinion on several of the things we hear about in the news, from our families and friends, or just walking through the hallways at school. I’m sure many of the students at PHS have strong opinions about random issues, but they probably don’t typically get to express those opinions thoroughly. Some adults choose not to listen to us kids if the adults don’t believe our opinion matters. Wouldn’t it be nice if we got to sit down and express our point of view on an issue with no interruptions? Well, the 5th hour speech and drama students have just that opportunity, using the debate format.
To start, we chose a list of 30 topics that are potential things we could debate about that the students hopefully have strong opinions about. “We picked a list of 30 topics starting with non-volatile topics such as school uniforms and year-round school. After we get our feet wet we will do more difficult topics like abortion and capital punishment,” said drama teacher Mr. Bulgrien.
The drama students have learned that debating isn’t just arguing back and forth, throwing out random thoughts, and getting angry. We do it in a very prearranged and thought-out manner. “The students learn respect for the other side’s viewpoint. They learn to organize their own thoughts about a topic,” stated Mr. Bulgrien. There will regularly be about one debate each week. Each week we will choose two topics and three people will decide to state the pros of a topic and three people will choose to present the cons. The same will go for the other topic.
The first debate was during class on Tuesday, January 28. The two topics we debated on were the same two that Mr. Bulgrien mentioned, school uniforms and year-round school. “We’re starting with the easy ones on purpose because we don’t want to take disagreements personally,” explained Mr. Bulgrien. Unfortunately, the school uniform debate was uneven, with one team having two people and the other having three. In favor of school uniforms were Brandy Boies and Danielle Seabolt; disputing against school uniforms were Shelby Strang, Zak Smith, and Logan Cross. The three in favor of year-round school were Leah Ward, Carley Bruner, and Lynsey Klatt; the three in opposition to this topic were Alexis Cramer, Erica Church, and I.
According to the few debate students I talked with, the debates aren’t something they dread. “Yeah, I like the debates! Who wouldn’t? You get to argue against people and learn stuff as you research your topic. I’m good at looking up research and statistics for the topic” excitedly declared Erica. Reflecting the mind of a typical teenager, many students agree they want to jump at the opportunity to argue. “I like the debates because I like arguing,” simply said junior Megan Kemmer.
Just like everything else, debating also has its disadvantages. “I would say I’m pretty good at debating, but what I don’t like is having to stand up when I talk,” Church admitted. Some, on the other hand, don’t mind speaking in front of the class, but aren’t fond of debating in teams. “I like debating one on one because sometimes you may not agree with what your teammate wants to say,” said Kemmer.
Throughout this marking period, the debate students will continue to debate over trivial issues and eventually vital ones. So if you ever want to argue against someone about a topic you feel strongly about, but feel you don’t have enough facts or don’t know how to present your argument, don’t scream at your opponent because you don’t know how to get your point across. Instead, get in touch with the debate students and they’ll tell you the way to go.
In today’s world, there is much controversy over many issues. Some peoples’ views on particular issues depend on whether that person is a conservative or a liberal, and some, on the other hand, aren’t a reflection of the person’s political views. We, as high school students, should have an opinion on several of the things we hear about in the news, from our families and friends, or just walking through the hallways at school. I’m sure many of the students at PHS have strong opinions about random issues, but they probably don’t typically get to express those opinions thoroughly. Some adults choose not to listen to us kids if the adults don’t believe our opinion matters. Wouldn’t it be nice if we got to sit down and express our point of view on an issue with no interruptions? Well, the 5th hour speech and drama students have just that opportunity, using the debate format.
To start, we chose a list of 30 topics that are potential things we could debate about that the students hopefully have strong opinions about. “We picked a list of 30 topics starting with non-volatile topics such as school uniforms and year-round school. After we get our feet wet we will do more difficult topics like abortion and capital punishment,” said drama teacher Mr. Bulgrien.
The drama students have learned that debating isn’t just arguing back and forth, throwing out random thoughts, and getting angry. We do it in a very prearranged and thought-out manner. “The students learn respect for the other side’s viewpoint. They learn to organize their own thoughts about a topic,” stated Mr. Bulgrien. There will regularly be about one debate each week. Each week we will choose two topics and three people will decide to state the pros of a topic and three people will choose to present the cons. The same will go for the other topic.
The first debate was during class on Tuesday, January 28. The two topics we debated on were the same two that Mr. Bulgrien mentioned, school uniforms and year-round school. “We’re starting with the easy ones on purpose because we don’t want to take disagreements personally,” explained Mr. Bulgrien. Unfortunately, the school uniform debate was uneven, with one team having two people and the other having three. In favor of school uniforms were Brandy Boies and Danielle Seabolt; disputing against school uniforms were Shelby Strang, Zak Smith, and Logan Cross. The three in favor of year-round school were Leah Ward, Carley Bruner, and Lynsey Klatt; the three in opposition to this topic were Alexis Cramer, Erica Church, and I.
According to the few debate students I talked with, the debates aren’t something they dread. “Yeah, I like the debates! Who wouldn’t? You get to argue against people and learn stuff as you research your topic. I’m good at looking up research and statistics for the topic” excitedly declared Erica. Reflecting the mind of a typical teenager, many students agree they want to jump at the opportunity to argue. “I like the debates because I like arguing,” simply said junior Megan Kemmer.
Just like everything else, debating also has its disadvantages. “I would say I’m pretty good at debating, but what I don’t like is having to stand up when I talk,” Church admitted. Some, on the other hand, don’t mind speaking in front of the class, but aren’t fond of debating in teams. “I like debating one on one because sometimes you may not agree with what your teammate wants to say,” said Kemmer.
Throughout this marking period, the debate students will continue to debate over trivial issues and eventually vital ones. So if you ever want to argue against someone about a topic you feel strongly about, but feel you don’t have enough facts or don’t know how to present your argument, don’t scream at your opponent because you don’t know how to get your point across. Instead, get in touch with the debate students and they’ll tell you the way to go.
First Snowball a success
By Mike Fauls
A few months ago a poster was hung with a sign-up sheet next to it that said “Sign up for the Snowball Dance.” This was Pittsford’s first semi-formal dance and was held on January 24. The halls, as of late, have been decorated with both Homecoming decorations and possibly hundreds of handmade snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. The dance was held at the high school cafeteria and started at 7:30 p.m., lasting until 11:30 p.m. There were pictures available along with free brownies, pizza, and punch.
Many students signed up and dressed “snazzy” to bust a move and make a fool of themselves with their friends. Ex-journalist Braily Lee said, “My favorite part was just getting dressed up and acting like an idiot dancing with my friends.” Nicole Stewart said that her favorite part was, “Um just hanging out with my friends.” And funny-man Zac Vanlerberg said, “[My favorite part was] the punch…it was pretty good.”
The question now remains if this will be a one-time thing or if this will be annual and where all of the money is going. “I’m glad it’s over,” says Mr. Hodos, smiling. “All of the money is going to the sophomore class. Were going to try and do something different for a senior trip or something,” Mr. Hodos also said. There are tentative plans to try it again next year.
A few months ago a poster was hung with a sign-up sheet next to it that said “Sign up for the Snowball Dance.” This was Pittsford’s first semi-formal dance and was held on January 24. The halls, as of late, have been decorated with both Homecoming decorations and possibly hundreds of handmade snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. The dance was held at the high school cafeteria and started at 7:30 p.m., lasting until 11:30 p.m. There were pictures available along with free brownies, pizza, and punch.
Many students signed up and dressed “snazzy” to bust a move and make a fool of themselves with their friends. Ex-journalist Braily Lee said, “My favorite part was just getting dressed up and acting like an idiot dancing with my friends.” Nicole Stewart said that her favorite part was, “Um just hanging out with my friends.” And funny-man Zac Vanlerberg said, “[My favorite part was] the punch…it was pretty good.”
The question now remains if this will be a one-time thing or if this will be annual and where all of the money is going. “I’m glad it’s over,” says Mr. Hodos, smiling. “All of the money is going to the sophomore class. Were going to try and do something different for a senior trip or something,” Mr. Hodos also said. There are tentative plans to try it again next year.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Girls varsity hoops drops heartbreaker to 12-1 Waldron
by Eva Gucker
Pittsford played league-leader Waldron and was close to giving them their first league loss, but was unable to do so, losing 57-50.
Pittsford jumped to a 12-point lead in the first quarter due to Waldron turnovers caused by Pittsford’s full-court press. “We did a lot of good stuff. We had less turnovers than what they had. That helped us a lot,” said junior Alexis Cramer. The second quarter was a complete turnaround, however, and Waldron took advantage of Pittsford’s lack of offensive success. Pittsford lacked patience in their offense and was unable to do much with their press. The teams went into the second half with Waldron leading 31-29.
After making up for some flaws in the third quarter, it became a fourth-quarter battle with Pittsford only trailing by four. Pittsford had many chances to take the lead in the last minutes of the game, but missed shots and free-throws left them with seven-point loss.
Junior Katelyn Kipfmiller led the Wildcats in scoring with 19 points, also collecting nine steals. Junior Brittney Houser was the board leader with 10 rebounds, and senior Marisa Hamilton was solid all-around with 12 points, six steals, and three assists.
Pittsford played league-leader Waldron and was close to giving them their first league loss, but was unable to do so, losing 57-50.
Pittsford jumped to a 12-point lead in the first quarter due to Waldron turnovers caused by Pittsford’s full-court press. “We did a lot of good stuff. We had less turnovers than what they had. That helped us a lot,” said junior Alexis Cramer. The second quarter was a complete turnaround, however, and Waldron took advantage of Pittsford’s lack of offensive success. Pittsford lacked patience in their offense and was unable to do much with their press. The teams went into the second half with Waldron leading 31-29.
After making up for some flaws in the third quarter, it became a fourth-quarter battle with Pittsford only trailing by four. Pittsford had many chances to take the lead in the last minutes of the game, but missed shots and free-throws left them with seven-point loss.
Junior Katelyn Kipfmiller led the Wildcats in scoring with 19 points, also collecting nine steals. Junior Brittney Houser was the board leader with 10 rebounds, and senior Marisa Hamilton was solid all-around with 12 points, six steals, and three assists.
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