Peace Pipe Chatter Volume 96

Edition 4

H * S * A * M

Black Friday Preview Pg. 7

Lennon Celebration Pg.9

November 10, 2010

Hidden Student Talents Pg. 6

2 Welcome

Peace Pipe Chatter Minooka Community High School

Blast from the Past

Looking back on previous PPC stories

by

Katie Jostes / Features Editor

301 S. Wabena Avenue Minooka, IL 60447 (815) 467-2140 Voicemail: ext 264 [email protected]

Editor-In-Chief Soozie Bahret

A&E Editor

Cover Design

Jake Hoffman David Tibble Liz Purcell

Aubrey Aspan Elaina Bartoli

Editorial Editor

News Editor

Alexa Bowen

Elaina Bartoli

School News Editor

5 Years Ago

25 Years Ago

MCHS over population

FFA

November 9, 2005

South Campus was still just a brainstorming idea. It was planned that, overall, there would be two high schools and they would hold 2,000 students each. Eventually, the two schools will become two four-year high schools as opposed to a freshmen- sophomore campus and a junior- senior campus. It is predicted that by 2014 Minooka would have over 3,000 students.

November 1985

Minooka FFA was chosen to host the parliamentary procedure contest. The parliamentary procedure method is used to conduct organized business meetings. It originated in the English parliament. Overall, Minooka took first place..

20 Years Ago

50 Years Ago

Students travel to Russia

Cheerleading group size

October 1990

Twenty-six students from Minooka traveled to Russia for a government program called Friendship Caravan. The organization teaches kids to remind themselves of common humanity and to respect and care for others. Throughout the trip, they had the opportunity to see Moscow University and to see a World War II memorial.

November 10, 1960

Twenty girls had tried out for the Minooka cheerleading team for the 1960-1961 season. The coaches felt that everyone deserved to be picked for the team, but they only had so many spots. Before that, there had been four or even eight cheerleaders. That year they decided to have only six make the team. They had practiced very hard to make it the best team yet.

On the cover:

The school play MASH, celebrates their success after performing on

November 5th and 6th. Cover designed by: Aubrey Aspan

Designed by Taylor Roop

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November 10, 2010

Extra Designer

Eric Klank

Taylor Roop

Design Czar

Interactive Editors

Melissa Magnus Aubrey Aspan

Shannon Lawlor Mallory Keck

A&E Photographer

Copy Editors

Danielle Luttrell

Danielle Luttrell Taylor Roop David Tibble Shannon Lawlor Liz Purcell Eric Klank Hayley Younce

South Photographers Dutch Nave Brandon Fierke

Sports Editors Elliot Johnson Chris Evans John Walsh

Sports Photographer Elliot Johnson Chris Evans

Features Photographer Dutch Nave

Features Editors Baylee Dibble Katie Jostes



Journalism I: Alyssa Aspan, Ali Bagley, Victoria Bavaro, Diana Harkey, Aaron Ladzinski, Jacob Lopez, David Magnus, Lindsay Miller, Ryan Nelli, Sylvia Pokolenczuk, Cori Salamon, Sarah Schimanski, Allyssa Smith, Graham Taylor, Crystal Uribe,Caleigh Beverly

Submission Policy:

The Peace Pipe Chatter strongly encourages suggestions and/ or responses to material printed on its pages. Letters to the Editor should be submitted to Mr. Thomas’s mailbox or to a Peace Pipe Chatter editor. While submission does not guarantee publication, PPC staff members will do their best to respond to all admissions. Submissions will not be returned. All submissions are subject to editing and will not be printed if they are considered to be inappropriate. They must be signed but may be printed anonymous upon request.

Opinion

3

Real life paranormal activity?

Ghosts are real! by

Mallory Keck/ Interactive Editor

Although there is no scientific proof that ghosts are real, it is proven that humans fear the unknown. The thought of an unseen presence in the room with us while we are sleeping is undeniably frightening. While it is only fear, one cannot erase the evidence of the roaming spirits around us. Scientists continually try their hardest to prove that ghosts do not exist, however, they live by the law of conservation of energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only change its form. Well what are humans? Our thoughts, movement, and feelings, are we not energy? This means that are spirits cannot be destroyed, and something has to happen to us after death. There are so many pictures floating around cyberspace of ghosts caught on film. Yes, some may be fake. Some, though, have been analyzed and proven to be authentic. There is a famous picture, the Jim Morrison ghost. It is a picture of someone standing by his grave and behind him you can see a faded shape of someone doing a pose often done by Jim Morrison himself. Multiple experts have checked the photo, and no manipulating has been done to it. This applies many pictures or videos that have evidence of ghosts. If it looks like a ghost and sounds like a ghost, IT IS A GHOST. Millions of people surrounding us claim to have been in the presence of a ghost. Is every one of them making their story up? If you are still feeling skeptical towards ghosts, pay a visit to Bachelor’s Grove. This is known as the most haunted place in Chicago. There have been over 100 claims of paranormal experiences including eerie lights, phantom voices, ghostly figures, strange creatures, unexplainable shapes in photos and sounds on recordings. This is

Designed by Alexa Bowen

one of millions of places like it around the world. The reason people try so hard to prove otherwise is to calm their own nerves. For hundreds of years, people have been claiming to have been through a paranormal experience and not every single person can be totally nuts. Even skeptics can become open-minded after going through a bone-chilling ghost experience. But like most things in life, you have to see to believe.

Ghosts? No way! by

Dutch Nave/ Feature Photographer

The existence of ghosts has been debated throughout the world of science for ages. But there is simply no need, for the answer is obvious. “No, the whole idea of ghosts is ridiculous,” said sophomore Jake Kuchenbecker, “They don’t make any logical sense whatsoever. You can’t explain

Cartoon showing the ghost of Jim Morrison. Jim morrison’s grave is outside the house. Cartoon drawn by Alexa Bowen.

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ghosts.” There is simply no scientific proof. Eyewitnesses have only reported pictures and sketchy video evidence. So far, science has only had proof that they do not exist. Even though there are many socalled “eyewitnesses,” they don’t have the physical evidence to back it up. Ghosts are simply just “smoke and mirrors.” The strange noises people hear when they have “paranormal encounters,” are simply just the wind. According to gizmodo.com, a website dedicated to gadgets, scientists made a room with speakers that emitted infrasound and electromagnetic waves, which simulated frequencies related to paranormal experiences. Volunteers entered and were asked to report any “strange feelings” as soon as they felt them. All feeling associated with the paranormal had no link to the volunteers location within the room. The researchers came to the conclusion that the volunteers were expecting to feel something. It is all in the mind. For the ghosts sitting on gravestones or faces appearing on walls, are all examples of the human mind playing its tricks. According to about.com, “ghosts are psychological phenomena: we see them because we expect to or want to see them. A grieving widow sees her dead husband because she needs to; she needs the comfort of knowing that he is all right and happy in the next world. Her mind produces the experience to help itself cope with the stress of the loss.” In conclusion, ghosts are just figments of our own imagination and depictions of our state of mind. If you believe in them, then you might see them. If not, then you will not.

November 10, 2010

4

News

End of the earth postponed by

Elaina Bartoli/ News Editor

The good news? The world may not end as everyone may have thought in 2012. The 2012 apocalypse may be off by decades, according to livescience.com. The end of the world was proposed to be in 2012 due to the end of the Mayan calendar, but that calendar was converted to today’s Gregorian calendar by Mayanist researchers, a and it was discovered

that this day might be off by up to 50 or 100 years.

But there is bad news to go with this discovery, we now do not know when this apocalypse will occur,

whether it will, or if the world will end along with it. All we know is that the calendar may have been inaccurately converted, and the Mayan calendar end may not fall in 2012, or any time in our lifetime. Another controversy is that although the Mayan calendar ended in what we thought was 2012, how do we know this means the world’s end? Maybe the Mayan calendar maker just got a hand cramp. It is, indeed, a mystery.

local, national, international

Typhoon hits Eastern Asia! Taylor Roop/ Copy Editor

by

In late October, much of eastern Asia has been preparing for the incoming typhoon named Megi. It first struck on October 18th. According to CNN. com, Megi has killed at least 11 people in the Phillipines. Despite the low death toll, the typhoon has been estimated to have affected over 250,000 Filipinos. It has

W h a t is

left thousands of them homeless.

The hurricane then headed over to China. Megi may be the strongest typhoon to hit China this year. The storm hit the island of Taiwan, causing

flooding and deadly landslides that had killed over 30 people. China evacuated over 150,000 people and told more than 50,000 fishing boats to come back to port to brace for the storm. More than 150,000 people have fled for safety in the Fujian Province. Mother nature can cause both wonder and chaos. Just be thankful that we have men like Tom Skilling to warn us when trouble is on its way.

Veterans Day? The 2010 election results are in by

Jake Hoffman/ A&E Editor

Each year, there is no school on November 11 due to Veterans Day. What is the purpose behind this holiday? Although WWI officially ended in June of 1919, fighting had ceased seven months earlier when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on November 11, 1918. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first Armistice Day. The original concept

was for a day observed with parades and public meetings to celebrate the end of a disastrous war and to honor the soldiers who

fought in it. It was made a legal holiday in 1938, but in 1954 it became a day to

Designed by Elaina Bartoli

honor American veterans of all wars. It went from Armistice Day to the current Veterans Day. Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11 as a celebration to honor America's veterans and all they have done for this country. At 8 p.m. on this November 11t, HBO will be airing a documentary about Veterans Day called Wartorn, sharing stories, photos, and journals from soldiers dating back to the Civil War era up to the present War Against Terror.

by

Hayley Younce/ Copy Editor

The results are in from last week's 2010 Illinois election. In a close race for governor, Pat Quinn (D) beat Brady 47% to 46%. The 84th district rep is Tom Cross (R), beating Grosskopf 56% to 44%; Sue Rezin (R)

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beat Gordon 56% to 44%

for 75th district rep. The 11th district US House

rep, Adam Kinsinger (R), beat Halvorson 57% to 43%, and 14th district US House rep Randy Hultgren (R) had a 51% lead over Foster’s 45%. The newest addition to Illinols’ senate is Mark Kirk (R), who had a 48% to 45% lead over Giannoulias. In addition, the amendment to recall the governor passed.

November 10 , 2010

5

School News

Board looks at costs by

Create

Students

Jake Hoffman/ Eric Klank

Money was the topic of discussion at the October 21 District 111 school board meeting. The first part of the meeting was concern brought up by a local citizen, angered by some of the spending. He had seen that some extra money after the building of South Campus was going to be put into dance rooms for the campus. He had thought that it was unnecessary and the money should’ve been put into returns for the tax money. Board members had a lengthy discussion on a request to purchase new wrestling mats at South Campus for $38,000. Most of the board members were in favor of purchasing these mats from the MCHS wrestling team. However, Chris Balkema raised his own For junior, Tasha Peters this lovely girl was designed concerns about the high cost purchase. from a picture she had seen once before. She got the MCHS display their creative artwork. This lonely little bear Balkema pointed out the fact that none of inspiration and just started drawing on a day that she was was designed by freshman, Kayly Windbiel. Captions by Katie the members of the board knew about the bored. This piece was named “Midnight Beauty.” Jostes. current condition of the mats, and whether or not they even needed these mats. However, James Butterbach came back to Balkema’s points saying that the increased amount of mats will allow more athletes to play, and athletes are more likely to get higher grades than a non-athlete. by Aubrey Aspan/ This leads to the nurse’s plot of revenge. plays Trapper John McIntrye. Throughout After the board voted for purchasing the Cover Designer The performers flee in fear and discuss and the play the entire cast in making mischief mats, there was one nay, from Balkema, ultimately don’t give the doctors the time as they go throughout their daily lives. the rest were unanimous for buying the This year’s fall play M*A*S*H, a draof day. Fans of the original M*A*S*H show mats for MCHS’s wrestling team, the voted ma/dark comedy, took place on Nov 5 and The antics continue throughout the rest may ask how are they going to fit eleven ended up being 6-1. 6 in the cafetorium. M*A*S*H or Mobile of the story as the unit attends a football years of storyline into only a few hours? Later on in the meeting while discussArmy Surgical Hospital, is about the game and save lives in the process. This Well, they accomplished this by combining the concerns of budgets, Dr. David doctors and nurses of the 4077th during ing characters that originally weren’t in the year’s cast had a huge hurdle, to adapt Middleton, superintendent, brought up the the Korean War the play for the cafetorium instead of the same seasons, while pulling out many of loss of over $443,000 in revenue for school The TV series originally aired from auditorium. “The space is a lot different, the original shows main events. spending this year. 1972 to 1983 and is set in South Korean the the stage is smaller and the acoustics are In one part of the performance, a travelSome solutions that are going to be 50’s. The camp is isolated from the rest of different,” said junior Christina Duris who ing entertainment troop breaks down and looked into in the future were suggested. the war. It is full of their humorus is forced to stay at the M*A*S*H unit. It plays Margaret “Hotlips” Houlihan. The biggest one would be the “pay-to-play” antics that remind me of college kids turns out to be three attractive women. In Nevertheless, it is a fantastic play. option. This would cause registration fees pulling pranks and practical jokes. order to impress the women, the doctors The directing, acting, music, and humor for student-athletes. A good amount of the “They are in a terrible environment and treat them like royalty. This frustrates the all contribute to an outstanding dramatic female nurses who have worked beside performance. “Board” Cont on page 13 they try to make the best of a bad situation,” said junior Chauncey Turpin who them and have never been treated like this.

M*A*S*H: The School Play ReMix

Designed by Soozie Bahret

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November 10, 2010

6

Features

MCHS Got Talent! Eric Klank / News Editor

by

MCHS has about 2,400 students that roam both campuses each day. With the wide variety of students MCHS has in its district, you cannot help but wonder: What are Minooka students capable of? Minooka’s Battle of the Bands over Homecoming Week showcased some of the best musical talent MCHS offers. Drummer Jacob George Jarz was a part of the two piece band “The Roastbeef Nuns,” who took first in the battle of the bands this year. “Winning was really cool, I work hard and take lessons for drumming, and the $430 I won wasn’t bad either,” said Jake Jarz, senior. “Also, a big inspiration for me and Matt Brick (the other piece of The Roastbeef Nuns) is the band The White Stripes.” There are also a few rappers that roam the halls of MCHS. Senior Greg Collins, better known as Yung G, is one of the better known rappers. He recently released a new single called “Waiting” which is even for sale on iTunes along with his new and upcoming CD! “I’ve been working a lot for the internet self promoting myself and getting my

Jacob George Jarz shows off his drumming skills at Battle of the Bands during Homecoming week. Photo by Eric Klank.

brand out there, and my CD has been doing good on iTunes,” said senior Greg Collins. However, musical talent is not the only thing that MCHS has to offer. The competitive video game league, MLG, recently had a competition in Washington, D.C. the past month. Senior

“The looks I get from some people when I show off is pretty entertaining,” said O’Brien.

Designed by Baylee Dibble

Zach Armstrong attended this tournament for the video game Halo: Reach. “I was disappointed in my run in the tournament, but at the same time satisfied, we made it to the sixth round in the tournament,” said Armstrong. He plays the team slayer circuit with other players from out of state. Not every talent presented by MCHS students is as widely known. Many students have bizarre, yet useful talents that can still be taken advantage of daily. Beth O’Brien is a senior who danced and participated in cheerleading for most of her life. This helped account for her talent, her flexibility. O’Brien is capable of bending her body in all sorts of ways, she

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can bend her back to the point were her head is below her waist while she is still standing straight up with her legs. “I really like my flexibility. The looks I get from some people when I show off is pretty entertaining,” said O’Brien. “The speed that I can tie my shoes is equivilant to the crack of Indiana Jones’ whip,” explains Danny Bahret, senior. Bahret can tie his shoes at a pace that is unmatched, except by his twin sister, Soozie, he can tie the loops together at the blink of an eye. Brian Hushaw, junior, claims to be an expert spear fisherman. “I spearfished with my grandpa at a young age, and I’d like to think I’m good at it.” His fishing talent is something that can be used if he were to ever be on a reality show like Survivor and takes pride in his talent. Overall, Minooka’s wide variety of students allows for it to have some of the best talents. Who knows what else could be hiding in this student body.

Yung G is one of Minooka’s best rappers. Photo taken from iTunes.

November 10, 2010

Features

7

Volunteering close to home Volunteer Location Morning Star Mission

Volunteer CoordinatorTerri Murphy Volunteer Coordinator 350 E. Washington St. Joliet, IL 60433 Phone: (815) 722- 5780 Fax: (815) 726- 9450 www.morningstarmission.org They help by, “...providing food for the hungry, clothing for the needy, shelter for the homeless, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ for all”

all together,” said Tyler Cipriani, junior. It’s a great opportunity for all students to serve those who might not have the means to It’s that time of year again. The time provide a nice meal for them and their family where everyone gets to stuff their faces with otherwise. delicious food and give thanks for all the “Since we don’t have a lot of soup great stuff in their lives. But, caught up in all kitchens close, I think it will help out our the excitement, community “In a media saturated, fast-food, shallow people tend to and show that forget about a little help relationships world, it’s nice to sit down and those who are can go a long have a conversation over a bowl of chili,” said less fortunate way,” said Pastor Jason Domingo. and are lucky to Alexa Smith, have any meal, junior. let alone a Thanksgiving feast. All of the volunteers are excited to get There are plenty of opportunities in this to make a difference. “I get to help out and area to help those in need. One of them is show God’s love to everyone!” Smith said, right here in Minooka. The high school youth when asked why she was looking forward to group, 360, at Minooka Bible Church is this night. hosting a chili dinner on November 21st for “I’m excited to be able to just share a anybody who wants to come. The students meal with people. In a media saturated, fastwill be preparing and serving the dinner, as food, shallow relationships world, it’s nice well as just enjoying a good time with the to sit down and have a conversation over a people of the community. bowl of chili.” said Pastor Jason Domingo of “It’s just one of those things that brings us Minooka Bible Church. Baylee Dibble / Features Editor

by

Volunteer Location Daybreak Soup Kitchen

Office of Youth MinistryJeremy Hylka Contact(815) 730- 8599 [email protected] 611 E. Cass Ave. Joliet, IL Volunteers help, “...to prepare lunch for those less fortunate!”

Black Friday: Day of the Jungle by

Soozie Bahret / Editor-in-Chief

The traditional day-after-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza has become a fullcontact sport, with crazed shoppers determined to find the best deals. Retail stores turn in to jungles, and the shoppers, animals. In last year’s frenzy, a worker at a New York Wal-Mart was trampled to death when the store opened its doors. Also, two shoppers were shot in a dispute at a Toys “R” Us in California, and all in the name of Black Friday. Black Friday is the Friday right after Thanksgiving, and the most anticipated shopping day in the U.S. As early as

Designed by Katie Jostes

the 19th century, shoppers have viewed Thanksgiving as the traditional start to the holiday shopping season, an occasion marked by celebrations and sales. Department stores in particular locked onto this marketing notion, hosting parades to launch the start of the first wave of Christmas advertisements. According to Time.com, the term “Black Friday” itself was originally used to describe the Sept. 24, 1864, stock-market panic set off by plunging gold prices. In the 1960s, Newspapers in Philadelphia transformed the phrase, using it to describe the rush of crowds at stores. The justification actually came later, tied to accounting balance sheets where

black ink would represent a profit. Many see Black Friday as the day retailers go into the black or show a profit for the first time in a given year. By the 1990s, Black Friday became an unofficial retail holiday nationwide. Now in 2010, the sales are not only in the stores, but online. It is easier to find what one is looking for and even easier to see something is sold out. And at least on the web, shoppers know they are safe from a human stampede. Most stores will release their Black Friday ads about a week from the actual event. Despite the store efforts to keep their sale prices unknown until as late as possible, most ads are usually leaked

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online way before they are supposed to be seen. Consumers must beware of scams or false bait. For example, Sears has an ad out for “Black Friday Now!” that will occur on October 29th-30th. According to bfads.net, “We have gone over the advertisement and it is nothing more than a standard weekly advertisement. In fact, some of the ‘hot deal, 50% off’ items on the front page aren’t discounted from their current prices.” As of now, there are no ads leaked, but only rumors of what is sure to be a monumental Black Friday that is expected to account for over $40 billion in sales.

November 10, 2010

8

South

Coffee craze in kids

Jacob Lopez/ Journalism 1

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What is coffee? Teachers, parents, and now even some students are seen with the mysterious drink. What is it, and how does it affect your body? South Campus’s Ms. Shelly Kruse, teacher of child development and Foods and Nutrition I, said, “I drink two cups a day, and usually another caffeinated drink, such as a soda. It’s important for me to have at least one cup a day. My first coffee was recommended to me when I was 15 or 16 years old, by my friends… I think that a person should be no younger than thirteen before drinking caffeinated drinks.”

Kruse further explained herself by stating, “Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, making a person jittery, and increasing their heart rate. I think that, developmentally, teenagers are ready for that.” Kruse included that caffeine consumption has tripled since 1970. In 1999 there were 108 million coffee consumers spending 9.2 billion dollars in the retail sector and 8.7 billion dollars in the foodservice sector for coffee in America (SCAA 1999 Market Report). In 2000, the National Coffee Association

Freshman football looks back by

Graham Taylor/ Journalism 1

The freshman football team had an eventful first year, with the A squad finishing with a 5-4 record. Before the last game, some of the players reflected about their first high school football year. Orange team right guard, Mike Kasencak, freshman, said he had never played before. “Nope, [it’s my] first year,” he said. Kasencak said he liked football. “I get to hit people. [It] gives me something to do and keeps me out of trouble,” Kasencak said. He said he was proud of both his performance and his team’s performance. Kasencak said he can improve on, “staying low and breaking down [before hitting].” As the team goes, he offered suggestions. “[We need to avoid] penalties,” said Kasencak. David Kohler, freshman, also shared his views about football. Like Kasencak, it was also his first year.

Designed by Mallory Keck

He enjoyed the season saying it was “alright.” Kohler, however, wasn’t satisfied with his performance. “I haven’t caught a ball, he said. Kohler said he could improve, though, by “work[ing] harder and be[ing] a team player”. Avery Wilkins, freshman, was also eager to talk about his first year playing football. He is the second right tackle for the orange team. Wilkins summed up his experience by saying, “Ehh… practice was okay, [but] I did it all for the playing. The games were worth it.” “I guess I did the best of my abilities. It was only my first year, “ said Wilkins. He continued to say he needed to work on firing out during the snap. He’s planning on playing next year. “I’m gonna go through weight training in the off-season and I’m gonna go for it,” Wilkins said. For many first-time players, the freshman football team had a good first season.

found that 54% of the adult population drinks coffee daily. Mr. Kevin Murphy, social studies, said, “ I had my first cup of coffee around 10 years old. I remember it was a cold morning, a little foggy. I was sick of drinking juice. I poured my first cup and never looked back.” Murphy thinks coffee would be appropriate in a school environment, with students as well as teachers. “Life is too short for bad coffee. Believe it should be allowed if it is of high quality (Kenyan High Growth), [and] if students

can handle the pressures that come with coffee drinking (spilling),” he wrote. Like Murphy, Mr. Kevin Gummerson, social studies, thinks that coffee consumption is okay for students. “There are some proven health benefits to having a cup of coffee each day. There is an urban legend that coffee stunts, so if that is the case you might want to wait until you’re done growing. If you don’t you might not ever be able to ride a roller coaster at Great America,” he wrote. Who knows, maybe MCHS will support coffee and students someday.

Girls golf putts their way through great season Alysse Bagley/ Journalism 1 The MCHS girl’s golf team has made success look easy in their 2010 season by winning conference and even winning their own regional. “Even though I did not compete in conference or regionals, it was still awesome watching all my teammates compete,” said Becca Peeples, freshman. Leading the scores for Minooka were Rachel Herzberger with an 82, Sam Gewalt with an 88, Allie Omatto with a 94, and Krystal Paramo with 95. “We did not just rely on one player or a really low score to win our matches, we won conference and regional’s with a strong performance from all of our girls,” said Joe Host, varsity coach. Coming together for the conference win led the girls to a strong start in their regional match, which they hosted themselves. “During regionals Sam Gewalt, Rachel Herzberger, and Krystal Paramo had outstanding performances,” said Host. by

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It is safe to say most eyes were on freshman, Caroline Brown. “To be honest I was really nervous because I was a freshman competing with much more experienced golfers,” said Brown. Caroline proved herself with a solid score of 42 in her first varsity match. This is when Coach Host decided to give her a chance. Another key golfer who contributed was Sam Gewalt. The senior was a team leader along with a motivator. “Almost every match this year was won by Sam. She really took a lot of pressure off our younger girls,” said Host. The girls had many amazing athletic abilities. “I would have to say our biggest asset of our team this year was our consistency and evenly distributed scores,” said Host. Athletes, such as the MCHS girl’s golf team members, know success does not fall in your lap. However, it is obvious they have achieved.

November 10, 2010

Arts John Lennon: 70 years of influence

& Entertainment

Liz Purcell/ A&E Editor/ Copy Editor

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This past October 9, the 70th anniversary of John Lennon’s birthday was celebrated by bringing his influence out to a new generation. According to www.gigwise.com, the music, media and gaming industry honored his work by reissuing his albums and bringing his music to youthful audiences via Rock Band. Though this musician will always be greatly missed, his lyrics and music live on. His widow, Yoko Ono, believes that the former Beatles’ lyrics are still relevant today and hopes the reissues of the albums will “help bring his incredible music to a whole new audience”. Also in honor of preserving his influence, the track “Imagine” is being featured in Rock Band 3 and the entire Imagine album is going to be downloadable for Rock Band games. The exact day that Imagine will be downloadable has not yet been announced, but Rock Band 3 is now available. Lennon lived a full life of music and activism in both universal issues and strong controversy. On the night of October 9, 1940, the legend was born. John Lennon faced destiny as it lead him through a rich life of fame, controversy and adversity. Lennon was referred to as “the smart one” of The Beatles. He has been fully credited in being the founding member of the band itself. A pensive thinker with a strong social awareness, Lennon’s influence within The Beatles pushed a lot of the cultural movements of the 1960s. “He was one out of the few whose unique and capturing voice and style of writing will always be heard,” said Andrew Wojnarowski, junior at Joliet Catholic Academy. “His impact on music will always be

Designed by Liz Purcell

listened to John Lennon’s peace cry, back in the 1960s and 70s and today. “And this is only the beginning,” said Lennon on a documentary called Man of the Decade, filmed December 1969. “This sixties bit was just a sniff. The sixties was just waking up in the morning, and we haven’t even got to dinner time yet. And I can’t wait, you know, I just can’t wait.” Lennon left the Beatles in the fall of 1969, following up with the album Imagine, a simple yet strong message about how the world would be without some of the biggest difficulties (war, religious disputes, hate crimes). According to www.

9

Bieber Fever

Sweeps America by

Melissa Magnus/ design czar

Justin Bieber captures the hearts of teenagers everywhere. Photo credit of sodahead.

looked at with great pride.” Writing songs such as “Norwegian Wood,” “Revolution,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “A Day in the Life,” Lennon’s creative power produced universal Beatles hits. Lennon was fully aware of his talent. When asked what he thought of fellow band member George Harrison in a From top left: John Lennon stands in New York Rolling Stone interview, he replied: City. The Beatles walk the streets of London in “He’s pretty good. I prefer myself. I the famous portrait. Photo credits of iconvsicon. have to be honest, you know.” com and beatles museum.com. In the decade of change, Lennon became a peace activist, encouraging biography.com, Rollingstone would later everyone to “give peace a chance” and to list the title track as the third greatest song stop hate and violence. Not only did his of all time. music affect the entire world, his activist As his musical accomplishments cries changed the way the world would continued far after the breakup view war forever. of The Beatles, Lennon’s peace “Give Peace A Chance” continues to be “Lennon” continued on an anti-war anthem to this day. Imagine (no pun intended) if everyone in the world page 13

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Justin Bieber has been touching the hearts of teens and tweens around the world since 2006 after videos of him singing were discovered on YouTube. The 12 year old boy’s innocent appearance, and upbeat songs spread like an epidemic across the country leaving millions of teenage girls struck with “Bieber Fever.” Being the youngest person to reach the top of the charts since 1963, Bieber became more than successful, so it is no surprise that this teenage heartthrob is expanding a line of merchandise throughout stores across America. “I think its crazy how popular Justin Bieber became in such a short time, especially considering how young he is,” said freshman, Haley McCabe. Although Bieber’s expansion into the merchandise industry is not a surprise to many, it may be shocking to some that Bieber is entering the beauty market. The 16-year-old singer teamed up with OPI to design a new collection of nail

“Bieber” continued on page 13

November 10, 2010

10 Arts New ways to love Star Wars

& Entertainment

by David Tibble / A & E Editor/Copy Editor

Since 1977, Star Wars has been the most popular and most enduring film franchise of all time due to its groundbreaking special effects, likeable characters, and a compelling story of good vs. evil. Though the movie series has ended, George Lucas and friends are doing a lot to ensure that Star Wars will live on for years to come. Star Wars still impacts MCHS students today. “I didn’t watch my first Star Wars movie until this year,” said senior Cesar Villalobos. “All my life, I really didn’t think Star Wars was that big. I only thought those people who went to Star Wars conventions liked those movies. After asking around, however, I noticed that there were lots of different kids my age that had watched Star Wars. It seemed like I was the only one who hadn’t. So I ended up watching my first Star Wars movie. After I was done watching it, I couldn’t believe I had missed out on this during my childhood. It was such a great movie.”

Recently, it was announced that all six movies would be rereleased in 3D in numerical order starting in 2012. Only one

movie will be released per year, meaning that those who only like the original trilogy will have to wait until 2015. All six movies will also be released on Blu-ray next fall. The original trilogy movies will feature neverbefore s e e n deleted scenes in high

Fawcett, senior. The Star Wars universe is also being kept alive through TV as well. After spoofing the original Star Wars, Family Guy will spoof Return of the Jedi in a new special airing next y e a r called “It’s a Tr a p . ”

“It’s just a way to steal money from nerds”-Hayden Fawcett, senior.

A cutoout of fan-favorite bounty hunter Boba Fett in Mr. Matt Thomas’s room at Central Campus. Photo taken by A & E Editor and Copy Editor David Tibble.

definition. These scenes will be special features separate from the movie. Students shared their views on the 3D movies. “I’m not big on 3D,” said senior Tom Dwyer, “but I will buy the Blu-rays.” “It’s just a way to steal money from nerds,” said Hayden

Another s h o w having a new Star Wars special is Robot Chicken. Robot Chicken Star Wars Episode III airs Sun. Dec. 12 on Cartoon

“Star Wars” continued on pg. 13

Easy A earns a solid A by

Danielle Lutrelle / Copy Editor

Olive Penderghast has a flawless reputation, a best friend, and an awesome family. But when a gay friend asks her to have a false hook-up with him to get the bullies off his back, Olivia’s world begins to change. One after another, more and more guys are asking to have an “imaginary fling” with Olive in exchange for gift cards until her reputataion has officially turned sour.

Designed by David Tibble

People start to think that Olive is someone she’s not, and she lets them. She starts to dress more provocatively and wears a red “A” on her shirt, standing for Adulterer, like in the Scarlett Letter. Easy A was released on Sept. 17, starring Emma Stone as Olive, Penn Badgley as Todd, Amanda Bynes as Marianne and Alyson Michalka as Rhiannon. Easy A was directed by Will Gluck and written by Bert V. Royal. Overall, this movie was great. The cast for this movie was hilarious. Stone and Bynes were hilarious and

played their parts perfectly. The writing was great. Everything flowed together and kept you on the edge of your seat. Here is an example of some of the impressive screenwriting: “Whatever happened to chivalry? Does it only exist in 80’s movies? I want John Cusack holding a boombox outside my window. I wanna ride off on a lawnmower with Patrick Dempsey. I want Jake from Sixteen Candles waiting outside the church for me. I want Judd Nelson thrusting his fist into the air because he knows he got

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me. Just once I want my life to be like an 80’s movie, preferably one with a really awesome musical number for no apparent reason. But no, no, John Hughes did not direct my life,” said Olive (Emma Stone) when describing how she wished the guys in her life would act like. A great things about this film is that you could start watching it in the middle and still understand everything that is going on within a few minutes. It starts out with a bang and leaves you wanting more. The Easy A has earned a solid A in my book.

November 10, 2010

Arts

& Entertainment

11

Apple Apps That you may not know about 4) iDoodle

Jake Hoffman/Soozie Bahret If you have an iPod or an iPhone, you may have a selection of apps on the device. But what about some of the strange or comical apps that you may not even know about? Here are 10 Apple apps that can be both productive and entertaining: by

Let’s face it: you’re too productive. But with iDoodle, you can wile away the hours drawing on your iPhone – circles, polygons, many colors. Designed specifically for the iPhone. 5) Can I Drive Yet? Helps you calculate if you’re sober enough to operate a motor vehicle; enter your relevant data (how many drinks, your body weight, etc.) and it spits out an answer, using national blood alcohol standards.

1) 911 Help

Turn your iPhone into a safety device: this app displays a big bold red 911 sign visible dozens of feet away from the device. It flashes to help others realize you need assistance.

2) Calorie Counter

Calculate your daily calorie intake based on age, weight and exercise level. If you’re feeling disciplined, it also gives you a number to shoot for to lose weight. (Cupcake, anyone)

The ever so popular Apple iPhone. Retailed starting at $199 for the 4G and $99 for the 3G

3) Dictionary

Not just a dictionary, but also a thesaurus. Comes in handy when you’re typing that business email and you want to seem suave.

Pandora:



Shannon Lawlor / Interactive Editor For many who have not heard of the website Pandora, here’s the scoop: It offers an exclusive Internet radio service by playing related songs based on how closely the songs are musically. According to webtrends.com. Pandora was created by the Music Genome Project in the early 21st century. Pandora’s process is that it breaks down a song into components and categorizes it with similar music. Therefore, a listener can hear new music according to the style they enjoy. by

Designed by Jake Hoffman

6) Podcaster An incredibly useful program to stream audio and video podcasts, using an iTunes-styled control panel. 7) MobileLife A cellular automation game, “Game of Life,” has been developed specifically for the iPhone and iPod touch.

8) Speed Type Measures your typing speed, with the top 200 scores saved. This game is not only fun but also improves your iPhone emailing skills. 9) MacLight Turn your iPhone into a flashlight, or give it a “campfire” flickering look, or a strobe light. Might be useful the next time the power grid goes down. 10) Gumball Bingo A multiplayer game that lets you chat with others while you wait for your winning combo. Plus: play 3 bingo cards at the same time. For more visit James Maguire’s article “64 Seriously Cool Ipohone Applications” on http://itmanagement.earthweb.com

Explore Music

The website popularity has grown enormously because of its enjoyable music and new method. It has over 2,000 different categories by which a song can be measured, according to wisegeek. com. I decided to give the website a try, so I typed in the song Just The Way You Are, b y Bruno mars. The song that came up was,

Gallery by Mario Vazquez. After going to this website for the first time, I became addicted. I now know a lot of new songs that vary within the type of music I love to listen too. “I love this cite because I have discovered a lot of unknown artists,” said senior Derek Gorga. Everyone has their favorite website they go on everyday to ease their boredom. For most people it would be Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter. For others, it would be a website where you can play games. More music lovers, Pandora is the word.

“I have discovered a lot of unknown artists.” -Derek Gorga

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Pandora Radio screenshotted here in this photo. Photo courtesy of Pandora.com

November 10, 2010

12Interactive Would You Rather... -Would you rather skip Christmas for a year, or skip your birthday for a year? -Would you rather be invisible or be able to read minds? -Would you rather find true love or 10 million dollars? -Would you rather be rich and ugly, or Poor and good looking? -Would you rather love and not be loved back, or be loved but never love? -Would you rather always take a cold shower or sleep an hour less than you need to be fully rested? -Would you rather always have to say everything on your mind or never speak again? -Would you rather be able to hear any conversation or take back anything you say? -Would you rather be able to read everyone’s mind all the time or always know their future? -Would you rather be forced to tell your best friend a lie or tell your parents the truth? -Would you rather be forgotten or hatefully remembered? -Would you rather be happy for 8hrs/day and poor or sad for 8hr/day and rich? -Would you rather end hunger or hatred? -Would you rather forget who you were or who everyone else was? -Would you rather get even or get over it? -Would you rather live without music or live without T.V.?

Designed by Shannon Lawlor and Mallory Keck

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November 10, 2010

Jump “School board” continued from page 5 board saw this as an option and plan to pursue investigating it. However, Butterbach raised concern that some of the students would not participate in sports because they are not as fortunate. Members from the board all agreed that they would be able to give financial aid to those who needed.

“Star Wars” continued from page 10 the show other than it will take place during the beloved original trilogy of films. Supposedly, it will be aimed for kids but have appeal for adults as well. Star Wars is also being kept alive through videogames as well. The major release this year is Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, the sequel to the best-selling Star Wars game of all time. Future Star Wars games include the online role-playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic and Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, based on the hit TV show. All this goes to show that Star Wars is not and never had been just a fad. If anything, a galaxy far, far away is even less far away now.

“Bieber Fever” continued from page 9

polishes inspired by his hit songs. The nail polish line will debut exclusively at Wal-Mart in early December. Teen fans will be able to purchase up to 14 shades in bright and vibrant colors. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Justin Bieber, but isn’t it a little weird that he came out with a line of nail polish?” said sophomore Amanda Burdick. Starting up a nail polish line is not the only breakthrough in Bieber’s ever expanding line of merchandise. Bieber’s die hard fans are eager to get their hands on anything to do with the teen pop sensation, and will soon be able to buy a Justin Bieber doll that plays small clips of his songs. Also, Bieber’s very first book, Justin Bieber: First Step 2 Forever: My Story, hit the shelves on October 12 this year. It has also been said that a 3-D move about Bieber’s life is scheduled to premier in theatres next year. “I am so excited that Justin Bieber is coming out with books and movies, he’s such an amazing role model for teens and kids,” said sophomore Alexa Miller. Coming out with new merchandise items, starring in movies, and making music is not the only things that Bieber has been up to lately. Although Bieber is extremely busy, he

13

still gets time to spend as a normal teenager with his friends. Unfortunately for Bieber, an innocent game of laser tag in early October resulted in a violent outbreak between him and another group of boys. For millions of teenage girls, Bieber can do no wrong, but according to online sources Bieber’s squeaky clean image was questioned after being accused of an alleged assault on a 12 year old boy during the heated game of tag. Apparently, Bieber was cornered by a group of boys at the arcade who began harassing him with gay slurs. Sources claim that Bieber retaliated, resulting in the father of the boys to file an official complaint. Although Bieber’s situation may not be ideal, this 16-year-old role model took the incident as an opportunity to spread the word about the dangers of bullying. It has been reported that Bieber is planning on speaking out to his fans during many of his concerts about the kind of bullying he experienced that made headlines. Whether it is dealing with issues on bullying, or coming out with a new line of merchandise, Bieber’s career continues to grow. Each and every day, this 16-yearold pop sensation is taking on the world one teenage heart at a time.

“Lennon” continued from page 9

Beatles, Lennon’s peace promotions and hate for the Vietnam War earned him an unfavorable spot in the Nixon administration’s eyes. They put an effortful attempt to have Lennon kicked out of the United States for a marijuana conviction that had taken place in Britain three years earlier. Documents later proved that the true reason he was kicked out was his activism against the unpopular Vietnam War. Once being granted U.S. residency in 1976, Lennon returned to the music world in 1980 by releasing Double Fantasy. On the night of December 9, 1980, Lennon was shot in the back by a deranged fan in front of Lennon’s apartment

Designed by Soozie Bahret

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complex. The world was not prepared for the heartbreak that the loss of one of the most influential and powerful musicians would cause. The smart Beatle will always be a prominent model for any humanitarian, peace activist and musician. Though his life was short, the success he accomplished in such a short amount of time is admirable and his advice lives on: “You are all geniuses, and you are all beautiful. You don’t need anyone to tell you who you are. You are what you are. Get out there and get peace, think peace, live peace, and breathe peace, and you’ll get it as soon as you like.”

November 10, 2010

14 Sports BCS Standings Chris Evans/ Sports Editor The new BCS standings came out October 24th with a surprising No. 1 team. The Auburn Tigers took the top spot after the fall of Oklahoma to Missouri. The No. 2 spot stayed with Oregon and following the still third is Boise State who many believe should be No. 2, but due to lack by

of schedule strength have failed to climb past the three spot. Rounding out the top ten are TCU, Michigan State, Missouri, Alabama, Utah, Oklahoma, Wisconsin. Seven of the top 10 teams are undefeated while the other three have one loss. The one-loss teams are Alabama, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Auburn will

have to stay perfect through the regular season and Alabama will be their biggest test the last week of the seas. Oregon has the best shot at staying undefeated with a weak Pac-10, while Michigan State has to play Iowa this weekend. Missouri will play Nebraska. Basically college football is unpredictable

and any team can lose any week such as Alabama, Ohio State, and Oklahoma have found out. But my prediction for the BCS Championship Game is Oregon vs. Michigan State both has favorable schedules the rest of the way and many experts believe they’ve done enough to get in. 

Nocsae Rethinks Helmet Standards John Walsh/ Sports Ediotr

by

Football is a rough contact sport . but when does rough become dangerous? Helmet to helmet injuries have steadily increased this year in pro football and in college. On Saturday, October 16th, Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was paralyzed below the neck after making a tackle in a game against Army. LeGrand’s neck and helmet smashed against the shoulder of an Army kick returner, and he collapsed instantly. Neurologists who reviewed LeGrand’s case said that it is unsure whether or not LeGrand will ever walk again. This brings up the danger in the sport. Concussions in football this year are incredibly high, and this has promoted officials to act. The NFL estimates that there are about 100 concussions each season. The National Organizing Committee for Standards of Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) have been looking into the helmet safety standards. On September 7, 2009, Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett suffered a fracture and dislocation of his cervical spine after being tackled and doctors said he had almost no chance of surviving. He defied

Designed by Chris Evans

Rutgers devensive tackle Eric LeGrand recovers a fumble. Photo by sports illustrated.

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all odds and walked again less then 3 months later, but people were still very uneasy about the safety of the sport. If these concussions continue the way they are, then NOCSAE will have to work harder on designing a better, more safer helmet for not only college and pro players, but for little kids in pee-wee football, who are also at risk. It will be difficult for NOCSAE to design a safer helmet for every age group because they need to take into consideration what causes concussions, such as where the player comes in contact with another player (helmet to helmet, helmet to shoulder pad, helmet to ground, etc.), so they need to make a helmet that can handle various conditions. The NFL has already been stepping in and setting fines for people that make illegal hits, such as helmet to helmet injuries and late hits that can cuase injuries. This is a very big issue in sports, in fact, there have been an estimated 100,000 concussions were reported among high school football players each season. That is an insane amount of injuries and that needs to change.

November 10, 2010

15

Sports

The Fun of Fantasy Football John Walsh/ Sports Editor by

We all know fantasy football is incredibly addicting, and mostly every guy student at MCHS plays it. But why?     Let me explain what fantasy football is and how it started. Fantasy football is a virtual game, usually played through the internet, that allows owners (people who play fantasy) to pick from a pool of every NFL player from every team for that year. Given the player’s performance each week, they earn points for the fantasy team. Offensive players tend to score more points than defensive, and running backs tend to be the first drafted. Owners compete against other owners in leagues, and the winner of the league at the end of the year gets either a cash prize, or bragging rights.   Fantasy football has really taken off since the Internet became popular, and it’s made the NFL a lot more fun and entertaining to watch. More people are watching NFL games because they want to see how their fantasy team is doing. NFL game packages such as NFL Sunday Ticket from DIRECT TV profit because of fantasy football, because fans want to watch every game every Sunday. Many people have different opinions on why they play.

Designed by Elliott Johnson

“I play for the money,” said junior Jamie Smith, “Who doesn’t like the nice 100 dollars?” Other people, such as junior Josh Jimenez, play for fun. “I just like to play with my friends,”

“I don’t play fantasy for the cash or the glory,” said sophomore Mike O’Neill, “I play for the ladies.” Most people agree that fantasy is so addicting because when you win, you want to play more. But when you lose, you

said Jimenez. Most fantasy websites have cash leagues or free leagues, and even in some of the free leagues, there is a cash prize at the end of the season for the best fantasy team on the site.

begin to fade interest. “I never lose,” said senior Dylan Harvey, “therefore, I can’t be stopped. Its kind of hard to get off.” Another reason why fantasy football is so addicting is the websites. Most websites

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that offer fantasy football like to promote their site and make it the best for fantasy. So far, espn.com, and yahoosports.com are the premier fantasy leagues. ESPN and Yahoo both have great user interfaces and Stat Tracker that helps even inexperienced fantasy football players have some sort of understanding of what’s going on. “I use the nicest Yahoo Sports,” said Smith, “It’s a lot better than ESPN.” Most fantasy football users have their favorite players as well. There are a total of between 12 to 20 players on a team, and most owners have one or two standout players that are really important to their team. “I love my Peyton Manning to Dallas Clark combo,” said Smith, “but Ray Rice has to be my favorite.” “Aaron Rodgers is a true phenom,” said Harvey, “And he’s closely followed by Tim Tebow.” Most people choose quarterbacks, running backs or wide relievers as their favorite players because they can get your team the most points, but Mike O’Neill chose a different direction. “My favorite player, no doubt, has to be Houston Texans kicker Neil Rackers,” said O’Neill. People play fantasy for many different reasons. For bragging rights, for money, or for fun. But no matter how you play, there’s no doubt that fantasy football is a way to bring people together.

November 10, 2010

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Sports

Inside 10.30.10: Best Day in Sports History? Sports Football starts off strong in playoffs by

The battle against the Quincy Blue Devil’s was won by a huge margin on Oct. 30. The score was 26 to 7. The MCHS defense was flawless and special teams blocked a total of four punts. The Indians went 8-1 during the regular season. This record has not been achieved in over 20 years. They played for title of conference champ against the Oswego Panthers on Oct. 22. The third and fourth quarters against the Panthers were filled with ups and downs and those infamous “huh?’ moments. The game came down to a goal line stand in overtime. Camron Thwaits intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter that

College Football Player Paralyzed 14

Fantasy Football Page 15

Elliott Johnson/ Sports Editor

completely changed the atmosphere of the game. the offense stepped up big in over time as Senior Kyle Banks steam rolled through the line to score on second down of the offensive drive. Blake Montella recovered a forced fumble after a huge hit by Zach Colvin and the Indians took the conference title. It was a three-way tie between Plainfield South, North, and them good ol’ Minooka Indians. “It was great to win back to back conference championships again. I think that we’ve proven that regardless the score or time on the board, we can find a way to win the game, and that’s a great characteristic to have going into the playoffs,” Junior Taylor Salazar muscles past a storm of Quincy Blue Coach Kooi. Devils in the first round of the IHSA 7A state playoffs.

XC advances Chris Evans / Sports Editor

by



Both the boys and girls cross country teams have both advanced to the state meet

BCS Standings Page 14

Designed by John Walsh

for a third consecutive season. They are also both coming off their highest ever finish at sectionals at Maxwell Park in Normal. The boys took 2nd with Joe McAsey, senior finishing eighth overall while the girls took third with Laura Simon (left), sophomore, finished seventh overall. The week previous the boys and girls team won the regional championship at Channahon Park. This was the first girls regional title since 2006 while this is the boys second consecutive regional title. The boys and girls were both undefeated in conference as well as winning the conference meet, making them undisputed conference champions. Both teams competed at the state meet at Detweiller Park, in Peoria on Saturday.

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Volleyball: champs On Nov. 2, the volleyball team won the first round sectional game against Quincy, beating them 25-23 and 25-21. They also won the first regional championship (below) in 11 years on Oct. 30, beating Normal Community High School who they swept in two games. They won conference with a 13-1 conference record and their only loss came to Oswego East. They played for the sectional title against Edwardsville in Pekin on Thursday.

November 10, 2010