The Northwest Missourian

NORTHWEST

MISSOURIAN

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

MARYVILLE, MISSOURI

NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

VOL. 110, NO. 6

@THEMISSOURIAN

NEWS BRIEF

Enrollment sees another overall spike Northwest’s total headcount this fall is 7,870 students, which is the highest enrollment in institution history, according to the University’s fall census count last week.

This year, the University recorded an 8% increase from a year ago, which also marks the fourth consecutive fall that Northwest saw an increased headcount.

While overall enrollment has seen an increase, undergraduate enrollment as a whole dipped.

Northwest recorded 964 firsttime freshman, which is 284 fewer students than the headcount for the 2020-21 school year. That marks a 23% decrease in freshman this year.

The increase in total students is due to increases in the following categories: international students, which increased 59 percent; graduate students, which increased 44%; online students, which increased 19%; and dual credit students, which increased 16%.

Northwest has also been able to maintain a high retention rate — 76% — which is the amount of the previous academic year’s freshman class students who chose to return this fall. This marks the second-highest retention rate in the institution’s history, just behind the 2018 rate of 78%.

Of this year’s freshmen class, 38% identify as first-generation college students. The University also has 305 first-time transfer students, up 4% from last fall.

In a news release, Northwest President John Jasinski attested to the University’s ability to retain students during COVID-19.

ROSCOE FLINT | NW MISSOURIAN

Aramark employee Madhu Babu Arla reads over a new order slip during late night service. As of Sept. 21, there are 12 job postings for Aramark dating back three months.

APPLICATIONS DOWN SIDNEY LOWRY News Editor | @sidney_lowry

Jobs left T open in student worker turnover Wellness hires new assistant director

hough there has been a labor shortage nationwide, Northwest has been battling problems of its own when it comes to student employees and applications.

Paula McLain, coordinator of student employment, said there may not be a shortage of student employees just yet, but there are less applications being seen in comparison to previous semesters.

“This is kind of the prime time to be hiring,” McLain said. “I would say that there are not as many applications that we normally see per job.”

Job opportunities haven’t been a problem, as McLain said that there was an overwhelming amount at the beginning of the semester. Usually it takes 24 to 48 hours to post a job, but there were so many that Human Resources needed another day or two to post them.

McLain said that the difference in application

RIAN CASWELL News Reporter | @rian_caswell

Wellness Services welcomed Nikita Alimohammad as the new assistant director of Wellness Services’ Education and Prevention.

In this role, she will promote the well-being and success of Northwest students through educational programs and prevention services.

Alimohammad replaced the previous position holder, BK Taylor. During Taylor’s time at Northwest, he put a large emphasis on creating an environment where students felt comfortable talking about mental health. He put as many new programs into action as possible to improve student engagement. Alimohammad said she hopes to continue this emphasis in her new position.

She also joined the Northwest Well-Being Steering Committee, which is a leadership team within Wellness Services that tries to create a campus environment that supports the community and their well-being.

Alimohammad has a master’s degree from San Diego State University in public health health promotion and behavioral sciences, and she is also a certified health education specialist.

She joins Northwest from her previous position as the mental health and suicide pre-

vention specialist at Washington State University.

Assistant Vice President of Health and Well-Being Chris Dawe assisted in hiring Alimohammad and said he is excited about adding her to the team.

“Nikita’s experience and knowledge in this field makes her a great match for this job and the Wellness Services team is confident that she is going to be a great asset to supporting the well-being of Northwest students,” Dawe said.

Wellness Services aids in the six dimensions of wellness: physical, social, emotional, occupational, intellectual and spiritual. With a background in mental health promotion, Alimohammad said she hopes to add to the promotion of these areas with students.

“I am most excited about increasing student engagement at Northwest and getting students feeling well,” Alimohammad said.

“The dimensions of wellness can get overwhelming sometimes for students, so I am most looking forward to helping ease that process so that students are feeling well, healthy and successful.”

Her new position started Sept.

20, where she began to provide her team with research, design, planning and implementation.

SEE WELLNESS | A4

submissions from this year compared to previous years is a mystery to her, but it’s not only a campus issue. Northwest offers community job postings on the student employment page, and McLain said there have been issues with community postings getting student applicants.

“I had an off-campus person that reached out to me and said ‘I have had no applicants, none, and I think it is a job that I think would be of interest to an education major,’ and I was very surprised,” McLain said. “I’ve never had that happen.”

McLain said the wage rate isn’t the problem when it comes to employment; the job posting that had no applications had a starting rate of 14 dollars an hour.

The average wage at Northwest is around $8.60 an hour, but can be anywhere up to $9.50 an hour. Fulltime students must be paid at least the federal minimum wage according to the Department of Labor.

SEE EMPLOYMENT | A4

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

To celebrate Hispanic History Month, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion invited Mercedes Ramirez Johnson to speak to students about her experience of surviving a plane crash and her experiences as a Hispanic woman Sept. 20.

DI Office hosts alumna speaker for Hispanic Heritage Month events QUENTIN MORRIS News Reporter | @TheMissourian

Northwest is showing its support of Hispanic Heritage Month through events held by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion held two events. One was a movie night showing Disney’s “McFarland, USA” Sept. 16. For the second, the DI Office brought in Mercedes Ramirez Johnson to speak to students about her

experience of surviving a plane crash and her experiences as a Hispanic woman Sept. 20.

“McFarland, USA” is a true story about a white high school football coach who loses his job and gets a new job in a poor, predominantly Hispanic high school. The coach eventually starts a cross country team after he sees that some of the students are exceptional long-distance runners. The movie highlights Hispanic culture and the

poor socioeconomic status of small farming towns.

Gabriela Garcia-Adam was one of the attendees at the movie night. She is from a similar town as the one shown in the movie.

She is of Hispanic heritage, as both of her parents immigrated from Mexico. She said the movie “I was a runner. It brought back a lot of memories,” Garcia-Adam said. “I come from a part of California where up until junior high, it was at least 80% Latino, and in high school, it was more like 95%.”

According to the United States National Archives, the U.S. celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic-American champions who have inspired others.

SEE HERITAGE | A4

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NEWS

Sept. p 23, 2021 @TheMissourian

A2

COVID-19 case rate stays level for NW NATHAN ENGLISH Managing Editor | @nathan_3nglish

COVID-19 cases have remained steady the last few weeks at Northwest. The University averaged almost 14 active cases per day from Sept. 1319, making up a little over 20% of the county’s total active cases during that time.

The University is set to host its largest weekend of events in the fall semester, outside of Homecoming. Family Weekend is scheduled to take place Sept. 24-26, with the largest event being the first Bearcat football home game of the season against Central Oklahoma.

Most of the events for Family Weekend, including the football game, will take place outside where the risk of transmission of COVID-19 is lower.

Lt. Amanda Cullin, a member of the Crisis Response Team 2, said the team will be keeping a close eye on COVID-19 data following this weekend.

“We are not anticipating any huge changes because of the event(s),” Cullin said.

COVID-19 cases in Nodaway County have stayed consistent through the month of September, but Nate Blackford, president of Mosaic Medical Center - Maryville, said he is concerned by an apparent rise in cases among children.

“We are seeing more and more kids, it seems, even under the age of 12 being impacted,” Blackford said.

Of the 109 people who tested positive for the coronavirus in September, 32 of them have been under the age of 20.

Tabitha Frank, nursing supervisor for the Nodaway County Health Center, echoed Blackford’s concerns about cases among children.

“That’s something that we want to try and help prevent as much as possible,” Frank said.

“The way to do that is for those that can get vaccinated to be vaccinated and, you know, for everyone to take precautions.”

At the time of publication, children under the age of 12 are not eligible to receive the vaccine for COVID-19. Pfizer conducted trials on a variation of the vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years, and the results show the vaccine was effective. Pfizer plans to submit for FDA approval of the vaccine for children by the end of September, and approval could happen by Halloween, according to the New York Times.

Children under the age of 12 have been one of the hardest hit demographics by the delta variant in recent weeks. More children have been hospitalized from the virus during that time span than at any other time in the past 18 months. Currently, children make up over one in every five new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Local vaccination rates continue to lag slightly behind state and well behind national rates. Data showed fewer than 42% of people in Nodaway County were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of publication. A little over 47% of people in Missouri and 55% of people in the U.S. have been fully vaccinated.

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Average COVID-19 cases at NW Sept. 13-19 Vaccination rates continue to creep upward at Northwest, Cullin said. Wellness Services at Northwest has continued to accrue vaccination records as part of voluntary giveaways, the last of which will take place Oct. 1. Around 40% of students and 61% of employees have shared vaccine information with Wellness at the time of publication.

Booster shots have begun to be administered to those

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who are immunocompromised.

Blackford said Mosaic is preparing for booster shots to open up for those over the age of 65 but is still awaiting guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other entities.

Area hospitals, the Nodaway County Health Department and Northwest are still awaiting more information on Biden’s executive order from Sept. 9. The order mandated vaccines for government employees, healthcare providers and businesses with over 100 employees.

Shortly after the mandate, Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s office issued a press release condemning the order. The release called it “unconstitutional” and an “assault on freedom.”

As of now, courts have referenced Jacobson v. Massachusetts as the standard for the constitutionality of vaccine mandates. The case was decided in 1905, when the Supreme Court ruled that mandates for smallpox vaccines were constitutional.

“Right now, we are just waiting and seeing,” Cullin said of the mandate.

LINCOLN HISPHER | NW MISSOURIAN

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A line of students walk out of Colden Hall, still wearing masks due to the mask mandate Northwest put in place at the beginning of the school year.

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NEWS

Sept. 23, 2021 @TheMissourian

A3

Animal shelter sees volunteer shortage SIDNEY LOWRY News Editor | @sidney_lowry

The New Nodaway Humane Society, a no-kill animal shelter in Nodaway County, is struggling with a shortage of volunteers since students have come back from summer break.

Shelter Manager Wendy Combs said volunteers are essential to the success of the shelter and the well-being of the animals.

“Volunteers are an asset to the shelter because the staff comes in and cleans, but a volunteer can come in and spend time with an animal, where the staff may not have that extra 20 minutes to take them for a walk,” Combs said.

Last year, everything was done by appointment because of the pandemic, but now people are able to help out the shelter whenever they can. All they have to do is take an introductory course that goes over how to care for the animals.

“Now people can come in anytime, and maybe that communication just hasn’t been there,” Combs said.

Not only are volunteers a significant factor in the success of the shelter, but they’re also key to helping animals get adopted.

Kayce Fish said when volunteers spend time with the animals at the shelter, the animals learn socialization. Volunteers can take the

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

Kayce Fish, a New Nodaway Humane Society employee, holds a toy up while taking a picture of a puppy that will be available for adoption. Recently, the shelter has had a shortage of volunteers since students have come back from summer break.

animals and get them acclimated to outside factors, such as children and large groups of people.

“It sometimes makes them leery of people, which is sometimes harder to adopt out if they’re not getting those one-onone moments that help them get out of here,” Combs said.

Though there are staff at the

shelter who help with the animals, Kayce Fish said the volunteers are crucial to understanding the animals’ behaviors and personalities.

“It also helps us to build that dog or that cat’s profile,” Fish said. “If they take them on a leash, they come back to us and say ‘this dog is great on a leash’ or ‘this

dog knows how to sit and stay,’ so they’re really what keep us going.”

Volunteers also play a part in getting animals adopted by talking to others about the animals they interacted with at the shelter.

“Our volunteers also help us spread the word,” Fish said.

“They come in and play with one of these dogs, and then they go

home and say ‘hey, look at this dog I got to play with,’ and we get a lot of adoptions from people who said they had a volunteer tell them about this dog.”

Kylie Farrow, a Northwest student and animal caretaker at the shelter, started at the New Nodaway Humane Society as a volunteer. She then became a part of the staff because of the family atmosphere the shelter provided and to continue helping the animals.

Farrow still volunteers at the shelter on her days off, so she can play with the animals without having to do her regular duties as an employee.

“I can just put all of my effort into playing with the dogs outside, letting the cats loose and letting them have their free time without worrying about having to take them out of their cages to clean them,” she said.

Volunteers can take the introductory class on Wednesdays and Saturdays to prepare for spending time with the animals at the shelter. All volunteers under 13 must be accompanied by an adult, and if they’re under 18, they must have a risk waiver signed by a parent or guardian.

“Volunteers are always needed,” Fish said. “It’s critical for our animals to get that interaction to get them into successful homes.”

Hope 4 All reveals student mental health sculpture funded by grant KAILEE FORD News Reporter | @kailee_ford

was given to Northwest in 2018 and has provided for numerous mental health programs at Northwest. The grant has a span of three years for the University to use the funds. All grant funds have been appropriated, but any leftover funds could have been used until the end of this month.

Zeigel has been at the forefront of the mental health initiatives provided by the grant.

Programs such as “I Will Listen” and “Reflect, Connect, Move” have been made possible with the grant money.

Trainings and workshops such as “Respond” help students learn to address the topics of suicide and prepare them to address mental health in friends and classmates.

“Even though the grant is ending, I think Northwest has now seen the positive impacts of promoting mental health,” Zeigel said.

During the 2021 spring semester, Hope 4 All partnered with Active Minds and the Behavioral Sciences Association to host an event called “I Will Listen,” a mental health awareness event

Wellness Services and Hope 4 All will be unveiling a sculpture funded by the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention grant at 3 p.m. Sept. 28 in the space between North and South Complex. The sculpture is meant to remind students to not be afraid to reach out to someone about mental health.

The idea for the sculpture was originally created by former Northwest art students, and $5,000 from the grant was allocated to supply the artists. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, campus closed, and those art students graduated before they could build the sculpture.

Senior Elizabeth Herrick then reached out to Hope 4 All Coordinator Monica Zeigel and presented her idea for the art piece. Grateful to have found someone to create the piece, Ziegel worked with Herrick and allotted $200 for the sculpture.

The grant, totaling $306,000,

that Zeigel has worked to make an annual event since last semester.

When applying for the grant, one of the requirements for using the money was that a portion would be allocated to a work of art to represent mental health. For Herrick, having positive mental health means being comfortable.

“I’ve struggled with my mental health, and I hope we can all be comfortable,” Herrick said. “I think being open about mental health can help other people be less afraid to reach out.”

The sculpture is located in the space between North and South Complex and is titled “Helping Hands.” The arms were made from molds of Herrick and her friends’ arms and took a lot of time to make, which pushed back the unveiling of the art piece to Sept. 28.

Herrick said she is relieved that the sculpture is now finished and is excited for when they unveil it. Herrick will speak at the unveiling, along with Zeigel and Assistant Vice President of Health and Well-Being Chris Dawe.

RENEE HASKELL | NW MISSOURIAN

Wellness Services and Hope 4 All will be unveiling a sculpture funded by the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention grant at 3 p.m. Sept. 28 in the space between North and South Complex. The sculpture is meant to remind students to not be afraid to reach out to someone about mental health.

Zeigel said she is looking forward to continuing working on the mental well-being of students at Northwest, even without the help of grant money.

“Everything we do affects our mental health,” Zeigel said. “A student who is mentally well is a successful student.”

As always, students are welcome to use Wellness Servic-

es for counseling by contacting 660-562-1348 during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or contact the University Police Department at 660-5621354 outside of business hours.

Faculty and staff can call the University employee assistance program at 800-964-3577.

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Sept. p 23, 2021 @TheMissourian

A4

CRIME LOG

HERITAGE

CONTINUED FROM A1

for the week of Sept. 23 Northwest Missouri State University Police Department

Sept. 19 There is a closed investigation for possession of marijuana at Perrin Hall.

Sept. 18 There is a closed investigation for trespassing in Parking Lot 61.

There is a closed investigation for property damage at Perrin Hall.

There is a closed investigation for a liquor law violation at South Complex.

Sept. 16 There is a closed investigation for property damage at Franken Hall.

There is an open investigation for motor vehicle theft at Tower Suites.

There is an open investigation for stalking at an unknown location.

There is an open investigation for stalking at the J.W. Jones Student Union.

Sept. 15 There is an open investigation for harassment motivated by bias at Tower Suites.

Maryville Department of Public Safety Sept. 18 A summons was issued to Lillian R. Jeffers, 19, for a minor in possession on the 400 block of North Buchanan Street.

A summons was issued to Ethan J. Freeman, 18, for driving while intoxicated, a minor in possession, and careless and imprudent driving on the 700 block of North Main Street.

Police recovered lost or stolen property — a lawn mower — on the 700 block of North Laura Street.

A summons was issued to Dylan A. Begeman, 18, for a minor in possession on the 300 block of North Walnut Street.

A summons was issued to Loegun M. Covey, 21, for driving while intoxicated, failure to maintain the right half of the roadway and failure to maintain financial responsibility on the 1500 block of North Country Club Road.

Sept. 17 There is an ongoing investigation for tampering with a motor vehicle on the 400 block of North Walnut Street.

There is an ongoing investigation for tampering with a motor vehicle on the 1100 block of East Fifth Street.

There is an ongoing investigation for a disturbance call on the 200 block of East Summit Drive.

There was an accident between Donna R. Parmelee, 83, and a parked car owned by Ernest E. Florea on the 1600 block of North Ray Avenue.

ROSCOE FLINT | NW MISSOURIAN

Aramark employee Madhu Babu Arla prepares an omelette during late night. Student employees are important to campus operations; they are relied on similarly to full-time workers.

EMPLOYMENT

CONTINUED FROM A1 “At this point, what we are seeing in the community right now, I’m not certain it is just the wage rate,” she said.

Another issue is that some student employers are getting into the hiring process later than they had the year before. Though the pandemic had many negative impacts on the community, being able to do interviews over Zoom sped up the hiring process.

Supervisors were able to interview students who weren’t on campus before they came back in the fall or spring semester, allowing the majority of the process to be completed online.

“They were ahead of the game when it came to the fall semester,” McLain said. “Before, supervisors would wait until classes started because they’d be on campus and want to see them in person, whereas when COVID-19 hit, that wasn’t a viable option.”

This year, McLain said, employers are likely switching back to in-person interviews, which could have slowed down the process and made it look like those job postings were up longer.

The pandemic caused many

to change their career paths, according to USA Today; similarly, McLain said that reevaluation of priorities and what they are interested in may have caused the lack of interest in student employment.

McLain said student employees are vital to the success and operations of the University, and they are relied on like the full-time employees. Without those student employees, the workload for everyone in the office is shifted.

“We are behind schedule a little bit, so I don’t know if that’s the impact right now, but I can tell a difference in our workload because we are short student employees in our office,” McLain said.

When a department does have a job posting, it is typically only there for three business days. McLain said that in previous years, supervisors wanted postings removed after three days because they were getting so many applicants, but this year, she has had many requests to extend their job postings.

The Bearcat Caller position has been on the job postings board since Sept. 7 and is still there because the University hires anywhere from 20 to 40 students, not

because of a lack of applications.

Turnover is another problem that occurs with student employment.

“What tends to happen is that students overcommit,” McLain said. “The first thing they look at to cut is the job. Right around the middle of the semester, the influx goes up.”

Aramark, the service that provides food and catering to the University, said that while there seems like an decrease in student employees, this is not uncommon.

Spencer Martin, Aramark senior food service director, said turnover has led to the increase in postings seen through Aramark.

“Maybe some students think they can manage the load then get behind and drop some hours or shifts, so we routinely post new positions that are currently filled in order to generate applicants and keep the labor pool up in case we need to replace positions,” Martin said.

Despite all the reasons as to why there is a possible lack of interest in student employment or a lack of applicants to jobs in the community, there seems to be no definitive answer from the University standpoint.

“I wish I knew,” McLain said.

“It’s a mystery to me.”

Results of freshmen elections to come out next week

Sept. 16 Police recovered lost or stolen property — a driver’s license — on the 400 block of North Main Street.

Sept. 14 There is an ongoing investigation for larceny on the 200 block of South Main Street.

There was an accident between Rylee M. Luke, 17, and Tom D. Downing, 56, on the 1500 block of South Munn Street. Luke was issued a citation for careless and imprudent driving.

KAILEE FORD News Reporter | @kailee_ford

Northwest’s 99th Student Senate addressed freshmen elections, organization appropriations and voted in a new junior class representative at its Sept. 21 meeting.

Junior Class Representative Sydney Looney said that the results for the 2021 freshman class representative elections will be announced next week. Candidates are campaigning, and seven freshmen are running for four representative positions.

Looney said she feels good about the elections and that she is glad so many students are running. Voting is open until Sept. 24.

WELNESS

CONTINUED FROM A1 She will be working with 17 other members of the Wellness Services team at Northwest.

“As I have been here, listening to the students and just watching them interact, I have gradually started to work on creating ideas that are best fit for our campus,” Alimohammad said. “Something that is important to me is getting students engaged and knowledgeable about the appropriate information and resources.”

Northwest Wellness Services aims to get students engaged with its services so they can provide ample support. With Alimohammad joining the team, they are excited to see the new ideas she brings to the table and the possibility of implementing changes to help in all students’ success and well-being.

NEWS

SILVIA ALBERTI | NW MISSOURIAN

Sophomore Class President Nate Brown stands during the Student Senate meeting Sept. 21. During the meeting, Senate addressed freshmen elections, organization appropriations and voted in a new junior class representative.

Organization appropriations The Organizational Finance Committee appropriated $500 to the Student Veterans Association to help fund a mental health event and barbeque at 11 a.m. Sept. 22 at the Memorial Bell Tower. The Senate voted to appropriate those funds at Tuesday’s meeting.

Hispanic Heritage Month was first introduced in 1968 during the peak of the U.S. civil rights movement. Originally, it was just a Hispanic heritage week, and it would take place on the week of Sept. 15. This is because many different Central American countries celebrate their independence on that particular day.

President George H.W. Bush was the first president to extend the celebration of Hispanic heritage to a full month. This was to include other nations’ independence celebrations that take place in the following weeks.

“It’s important to remember where you came from, and don’t be afraid of your culture,’’ Garcia-Adam said. “It’s OK to be proud of two worlds.”

Ramirez Johnson is a Northwest alumni. She was a student at Northwest when she was in the plane crash. Ramirez Johnson used her life experience of the plane crash to tie in the importance of situational awareness in everyday life.

Ramirez Johnson said when she was in college, some classmates struggled understanding where her parents were from.

“I don’t know how many times when I was here at Northwest I would tell people I am half Colombian and half Nicaraguan. Half the time, people would not know where Nicaragua was; they thought it was in Africa,” Ramirez Johnson said.

She said that some had never even heard of Nicaragua or Colombia, the two countries her parents are from, and used it as a teaching moment.

“For those of us that are a part of a community, whether you are African American, whether you are Hispanic, whether you are female or LGBTQ — whatever the case may be — we become ambassadors of what group we are in,” Ramirez Johnson said.

She said Hispanic Heritage Month is important to her because of everything her parents did to help set her up for a better life.

“For me it’s important because I come from a long line of fighters, of brave people. Like, I would not have the guts to move to Austria to start a new life in a culture I don’t know anything about. I don’t know the language, and I’m going to build a new life and have a family in search of success,” Ramirez Johnson said.

Ramirez Johnson said she could not see herself going through the same struggle as her parents did.

“Call me chicken, but I do not have the gravy to do that. It’s a month where we can celebrate the bravery of our ancestors, the bravery of our families,” Ramirez Johnson said.

Student Veterans Association President TJ Goldizen talked to Senate about the “Home of the Brave” event and asked for the funds to help with catering costs. The event will raise awareness about mental health in veterans and is free for all students to attend. Wellness Services will also be at the event providing resources to students.

The original cost of catering was $630 for the barbeque. The University Police Department donated $100, and the remaining balance after Senate appropriations was covered by the Student Veterans Association.

Goldizen announced his resignation from Senate last week and addressed the Senate as an organization leader, not as a member, at Tuesday’s meeting.

Goldizen said he resigned due to personal reasons, and he has already submitted a recommendation for a replacement.

As for the rollover budget appropriations, Treasurer Jenna Lee-Johnson said that no additional applications requesting funds had been submitted. Applications are open under Student Senate on Bearcat Link.

New junior class representative Student Senate also voted on a new class representative, filling up the last empty position for junior class representatives.

Junior Danny Heller was nominated by Junior Class Representative Garrison Kennedy and said he wanted to get more involved at Northwest.

“I think I’d be a valuable asset and provide honesty in Senate,” Heller said. “I’m very excited to join.”

OPINION

Sept. 23, 2021 @TheMissourian

A5

FOR THE CULTURE:

Codeswitching shouldn’t be taboo CORBIN SMITH Opinion Editor @curly_corbs

I want to address something that gives me a sense of discomfort, or maybe it’s better described as a feeling of self-doubt.

It’s not something out of my control or something people do to me — well, not directly anyway.

I’m talking about code-switching.

I guarantee that everyone has done some degree of codeswitching whether they’ve realized it or not. It’s a common act of social psychology that allows us to adapt to new environments and try to fit in. I’ve had some people call me fake for it, but it shouldn’t be frowned upon.

Google defines code-switching as the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation. For example, when bilingual individuals switch to their second language to talk to someone new or, in my case, when I switch from formal English to Ebonics after speaking to my non-melanated friends.

Ebonics is somewhat of its own language used by Black Americans. It’s kind of like the Black community’s way of spicing up American English.

It wasn’t until recently that I noticed my code-switching tendencies. One night, I was riding in the car with one of my roommates when a rap song started playing. As I was tapping the display of my phone, the wording of my sentence switched from formal to slang to fit the environment my brain perceived it was in. Weird, right?

After all, you shouldn’t be ashamed of who you’ve grown to be in your many years of living. It’s disrespectful to yourself to put on a facade depending on who you’re around. Although I agree with these statements, they don’t necessarily fit my situation.

I’m confident in who I am, and switching the way I talk to people shouldn’t be viewed as switching the portrayal of my personhood.

As mentioned in many of my previous For the Culture pieces, I’m biracial. Naturally, I’ve learned to fit in as much as I’ve learned that I don’t fit in. It’s a sad merry-go-round of identity crises and bouts of imposter syndrome. Code-switching may have been my way of coping with being “too white” at first, but now I’ve turned it into my own method of creating deeper connections with people.

Yes, it sounds like I have to act more black to fit in or tone back my culture to appeal to white savior complexes, but that’s not the case. The knowledge of my people’s history and my appreciation of Black culture keeps me secure enough to stay the same, no matter who I associate with. I’m the same person with the same actions; I just feel more comfortable speaking a certain way around certain people.

In the professional world, code-switching is somewhat of an unspoken requirement. I’m not saying slang is the antithesis of professionalism; I’m saying everybody needs to know when to use it and when not to.

That goes for anybody, regardless of skin tone.

ALEXANDRIA MESZ | NW MISSOURIAN

OUR VIEW:

School spirit needed in fall sports’ return to campus Imagine this: packed bleachers, a massive mixture of green and white and cheering that drowns out your own thoughts. All of that, along with defeated faces filling the visitors section while Bearcats chant their way to victory, sounds like a great day for Northwest Athletics.

It’s been nearly two years since Bearcat Arena, Pitch and Stadium have hosted fans of fall sports, and the community has expressed its longing to return to these venues. Likewise, athletes have missed playing their sports in their respective seasons. For volleyball, Bearcat Arena is still closed until at least the end of October for construction. But, with a plethora of Bearcat sporting events occurring in Maryville this weekend, it’s about time for Bearcat fans to show up and show out.

This year, Family Weekend is headlined by the No. 2 Division II football team in the nation. The Bearcats will face Central Oklahoma Sept. 25 in one of the most highly anticipated events on campus. It will be 665 days since the last time Northwest football stormed Mel Tjeerdsma Field for an official game, and between the family atmosphere

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“This weekend, probably not, I’ve got a lot to prepare for but I plan to go to the Homecoming events and the Military Appreciation games.”

”I do. My family is coming, the whole fam and we are big bearcat fans so we’ll definitely be at the football game on Saturday.”

“No I don’t plan to go to any games this weekend but I had a friend go to a soccer game a while ago. I just don’t have much interest in going to any.”

THE STROLLER:

Your Bearcat loves how quickly time flies Hey, do you guys realize midterms are like two weeks away? Because midterms are like two weeks away.

So, I’m sitting there in my normal Tuesday lecture class when this guy who gets paid

by Northwest to give me anxiety asked the class if we were ready for midterms.

Midterms? Dude, didn’t we just start or something? I think I took the syllabus quiz for your class like two days ago.

Was everybody else aware

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stray balls in the close-quarters venue could prove dangerous to fans, the matches will be a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience.

The women will play at 6 p.m. both days, so fans and family will have an opportunity to recover from the soccer game Friday and the football game Saturday to catch another nationally ranked Bearcat squad put on a show.

Talk about exciting — Northwest soccer might be the most fearsome team on campus this year.

The team’s physical play style never fails to put opponents on the ground when fighting a Bearcat defender for the ball. It’s fun to watch, especially when Northwest wins.

Soccer matches up against Missouri Southern at 3 p.m. Sept. 24 and will wrap up Family Weekend athletics against Central Missouri at 1 p.m. Sept. 26.

The soccer team is having success it’s missed since 2011 and volleyball is ranking higher nationally than ever before. It’s time for fans — students especially — to start supporting these events.

Fall sports are back, fans are back, and now it’s time for spirit to make its triumphant return to Northwest.

YOUR VIEW:

EDITORIAL STAFF Kendrick Calfee Nathan English Mary Grace Rice Sidney Lowry Jon Walker MaKayla Polak Corbin Smith Addalynn Bradbury Noah Crowe Alexandria Mesz

and general return of football to campus, it’s bound to be a fun day.

However, many students will be too focused on events happening on the other side of the hill prior to the game and could quite possibly fail to appear in the stands, though that’d be an errant decision. Yes, we all know about what happens in the grass lot across from the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse, where a slew of cars and speakers invade for the day. Students who haven’t witnessed a tailgate yet, prepare yourselves, but make sure you’re prepared for every other event, too.

There’s no way around it; basketball and football are the crown jewels of Northwest, and perhaps rightfully so. They consistently win and duke it out for national championships every couple years. However, fans should understand that the athletics department is deeper than that.

Volleyball, the No. 13 team in Division II, has two home matches Sept. 24-25 against MIAA foes Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State, respectively. The abnormal site of Bearcat volleyball in Hughes Fieldhouse is definitely a sight fans need to see. Although vicious spikes and

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this year was moving by this fast? I mean, people say “time flies when you’re having fun,” but I’m straight-up not having a good time right now, despite this semester moving at a sprint.

“The older you are the faster time moves” is something also said by old, white people in my life, but I put it on the not-true scale somewhere between trickle-down economics working and Taylor Swift being bad — the Venn dia-

gram of people mad at those last two takes is just a circle.

In my experience, freshman year was the fastest and each subsequent one has been a dense, mind-numbing slog filled with dread and despair.

It’s the inevitable slow march toward unfulfilling adulthood. I love college.

So, I’m not sure why this year is going by faster: maybe it’s the fact that Donald Trump is no longer in the White House, football has

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fans again or a fortune cookie I got this year said “uncertain things are ahead.”

Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that midterms are only a fortnight away. Hopefully, it’ll give you extra time to procrastinate preparations for them and then get anxious about your procrastination.

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Sept. 23, 2021 @TheMissourian

A6

HUMANS OF NORTHWEST

KENDRICK CALFEE | NW MISSOURIAN

Linda Parker stands in front of the Maryville Pizza Hut following her retirement this summer. Parker served as the general manager of the restaurant for 33 years.

Retired manager reflects on decades of service KENDRICK CALFEE Editor-in-Chief | @calfee_kc

The year is 1978. Van Halen releases its debut album, Reese’s Pieces makes its way into the candy aisles, Garfield appears in his first comic strip, and a hustle and bustle Maryville Pizza Hut is hiring for a waitress.

As a recent high school graduate with a fresh new car, Linda Parker needs a job to pay the bills. Waiting tables wasn’t her first choice, but she figures it’ll do until she can find something she likes better.

Linda Parker, 65, worked at Pizza Hut for 43 years before retiring this summer. Four decades of company and staff changes mirrored the times people were living in, but she never felt out of place at the restaurant.

“I really liked the people I worked with,” Linda Parker said. “You learn pretty early on that if you hire good people, they’ll help you out.”

Helping one another was the theme at Pizza Hut throughout Linda Parker’s tenure. After starting as a day shift waitress, she first learned to cook and supervise day shifts for previous general managers.

She worked her way up to general manager in 1988, after the store went through two managers in a matter of two years. She remembers the day the company asked her to step

up and what it meant to be approached with that kind of responsibility.

“It was a mixed bag of emotions,” Linda Parker said. “It was just nice to know they thought so highly of me, that I could handle that kind of thing.”

It was a different time, she said, back when management was hyper-focused on business. It was hard for certain managers to get to know their employees beyond a body in a uniform. But she didn’t want to manage that way, and she became eager to take over and make that part right.

Until the last few years of her management, Linda Parker said she didn’t really notice a generational gap between her and her staff. She always tried to hire people with a good work ethic, so it didn’t matter how old they were.

But this past year, she noticed she could be a grandma to most of her employees, which was funny, she said.

Several of her staff throughout the years have been college and high school students, an age demographic she said was particularly fun to work with, as they were “fresh based and full of wonder.”

“A lot of times, if you get their friends to work, too, it worked out really well,” Linda Parker said.

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At one point in time, she had a group of Northwest music majors working together on staff.

When customers would come in to celebrate their birthday, the music students volunteered to sing “Happy Birthday” in a three or four part harmony.

Of course, things weren’t always as easy in the four decades Linda Parker led the restaurant.

Hiring both full-time and parttime employees means a revolving door of people — some faces you get to know, and others you wish you knew better.

There was a time when the Pizza Hut staff pretty much turned over. Linda Parker had to hire a whole new staff, which proved challenging. There was a difference, though, in employees that were like a revolving door, and the good ones.

“The good ones always go away,” Linda Parker said. “The ones that you do form a relationship with, those are the hard ones. You know, they move on, they graduate and move on with their life, and if you’re lucky, you stay in touch in some form or another.”

Another challenge she often faced was corporate decisions affecting local customers. Certain products would come and go, which would frustrate people who were “regulars.”

One policy that was less than ideal, she said, was getting approval from higher up management to close the store when inclement weather happened. For several years, the closest her superior lived to Maryville was Olathe, Kansas.

Given the 118-mile difference, there were often contrasting kinds of weather between those two locations. Nonetheless, Linda Parker and her employees always did their best to make the most of it. After all, driving in snow to deliver pizzas could mean good tips, if you’re lucky.

“There were those that said ‘I love the cold, the snow. It usually puts me in a good mood.’ Well, it usually put me in a ditch,” Linda Parker said with a grin.

Inside the Maryville Pizza Hut, about five feet away from the entrance, Linda Parker sits in a booth with a glass of iced water talking to the new general manager Emily Garcia.

Garcia was first hired in 2019, working her way up the “corporate ladder,” much like Linda Parker did in the 1980’s, albeit at a faster pace.

Garcia, 20, took over after Linda Parker’s retirement. One of the youngest general managers in store history, Garcia’s role reflects Linda Parker’s trust and enthusiasm for younger generations.

“Linda did a really good job at making sure that we treated each other with respect and made sure to correct staff in the nicest way. She taught us how to be super proactive in everything,” Garcia said.

“She is very, very dedicated to her work,” Garcia said. “She definitely put in a lot of time. When it came to customers, she was really good at making sure they

KENDRICK CALFEE | NW MISSOURIAN

Linda Parker draws her bow while practicing for an archery tournament.

Parker has been involved in two different local archery clubs and has participated in several nationwide tournaments.

were satisfied. And when we did not satisfy customers, she got in contact with them and made sure that we made things right.”

Garcia attended Northwest for a short period of time but decided to take a break to build solid ground in management.

She plans to continue studying art education in the future, but for now, she is eager to follow Linda Parker’s footsteps.

“I definitely feel very accomplished,” Garcia said. “I put in a lot of time here, and it almost felt like I was doing it for nothing for a while, so (the promotion) made it worth it.”

Linda Parker grew up on a farm near Burlington Junction, Missouri, and graduated from West Nodaway High School. The youngest of seven children, she had a lot of people to look up to.

Her mother died when Linda Parker was 22, but she always looked up to her parents. They stood by and encouraged all of their children in whatever they wanted to do, she said.

“I never did find that job — the one I would like better.

I never looked again.”

-LINDA PARKER After she became general manager, Linda Parker’s father was proud but worried about how many hours she would end up spending there. She assured him that she would always take time for family.

She married her husband Greg Parker in 1975 and moved to Maryville just before her daughter started going to school, since they both worked in town.

Linda Parker has two grandchildren: Carl, 14; and Lauren, 9. Of course, running a pizza place made spoiling grandchildren easier. Even though Linda Parker prefers thin and crispy crust, she knows Carl and Lauren prefer hand tossed.

In her free time, Linda Parker likes to shoot bow and ar-

rows. She has been involved in two different local archery clubs and has participated in several nationwide tournaments. The past few years, it has been hard to find time to practice, she said, so tournaments have been put on the back burner.

As of late, the archery tournaments have been more about getting to socialize with people she only gets to see once or twice a year, than the competition. Tournaments have given her the opportunity to meet people from California to North Carolina.

“I’m old school. I’ve been at this a while now, and I try and stick to what I know,” Linda Parker said.

Her old school repertoire consists of Easton aluminum arrows, which are either straight or crooked, she said, but prefers it that way. For years she shot Hoyt bows but now shoots with a Win & Win Black.

This summer didn’t involve much bow shooting, however, since Linda Parker had knee replacement surgery shortly after retirement. Her last official workday at Pizza Hut was June 1, where she said her goodbyes to the staff.

Laura Mooney worked with Linda Parker at Pizza Hut for a little over 16 years as the assistant manager. She remembers Linda Parker being a leader who made the environment enjoyable.

“If I needed anything, she was always there for me,” Mooney said. “She was always there for people who needed a pick-me-up … She was just an all-around great person, and I wouldn’t choose anyone else to work for 16 years.”

After 43 years working in the food service industry, with plenty of stressful days under her belt, Linda Parker said her greatest piece of advice she could give to the younger generation is to not stress over things.

“I had an assistant who would tell me ‘nowhere in the Bible does God say worry about it,’” Linda Parker said. “I have worried about a lot of things that, looking back, it’s like, ‘well, that was silly.’ You get through everything. Don’t stress it and have fun. You have to look at the glass as half full.”

Back in her booth five feet from the entrance, Linda Parker wiped a droplet of condensation off her glass of water, the cup now half full, before taking a drink. She sat back in the booth and motioned toward the lobby.

“I never did find that job — the one I would like better,” Linda Parker said. “I never looked again.”

SPORTS

Sept. 23, 2021 @NWMSports

A7

’Hounds bounce back with conference win GAGE KAHLER Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

After a disappointing exit in the Excelsior Springs Tournament last week — losing on penalty kicks — the Maryville boys soccer team responded with a big conference win against Savannah Sept. 20.

Maryville senior midfielder James DiStephano’s two goals and two assists carried the ‘Hounds (5-2-1) to a 6-2 win over the conference rival and neighboring high school Savannah (3-2-1), elevating Maryville to 2-0 in conference play.

“I felt great,” said DiStephano. “Those that I scored were really well-played goals, and it’s just nice to get a big 6-2 win over a conference opponent.”

DiStephano had his big game while having to play out of position due to two key pieces being out for his team: senior defender Tegan Haer and sophomore midfielder Kason Teale, who is Maryville’s leading scorer.

“He played a position he hasn’t really played this year,” Maryville coach Chase Tolson said. “We had to move a couple things around with a couple of our starters being out, so I’m very pleased with how he performed.”

But DiStephano wasn’t the only one who had a big game for the Spoofhounds. After having a tournament for the ages, senior forward Jacob Ferris kept up his hot streak, putting up a two-goal performance of his own against the Savages.

UP NEXT MHS vs. Lafayette 4 p.m. Sept. 27 Bearcat Pitch

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Maryville senior Jacob Ferris fights through the defense during the Spoofhounds’ 9-0 win against Cameron Aug. 30 at Bearcat Pitch. The ‘Hounds will be back on Northwest’s campus when they host MEC foes Lafayette Sept. 27.

“To be able to score those goals, James (DiStephano) dribbled through a bunch of people and crossed it easily to me, and I just had to tap it in with my head,” Ferris said. “The other

one was just a through ball, and I just had to finish it.”

“That’s just kind of what he does,” Tolson said about Ferris.

“He’s just big, fast and his positioning is exceptional. He’s just

naturally going to score a lot of goals because of his speed and positioning, and we have a lot of players around him that are able to get the ball to him in dangerous places.”

SOCCER

BRADEN

Blackburn received the pass and stood within touching distance of the goal. Nothing was between her and the game-winning goal, except for one obstacle — Griffons junior goalkeeper Anna Mayer. However, when Mayer attempted to dive for the ball, she came up empty-handed, which gave Blackburn an open shot.

“I watched her go by the keeper, and after she shot it, I was just watching the goal,” Northwest coach Marc Gordon said. “From our angle, ‘Is it going to go wide or is it going to hit the net?’ Then, I saw the result.”

Gordon witnessed the ball hitting the back of the net with seven seconds remaining, giving the Bearcats a 2-1 upset over the Griffons.

Gordon said he was very excited and that it was a wellearned goal by Blackburn. He said she was frustrated from her play in the first half from her first two missed shots, and they were attempting to get the ball to her so she might be able to channel that frustration into positive results.

“It was just good to see her strike the ball,” Gordon said. “It was pure, it was firm and she put it away for us.”

Up to that point, the Bearcats (3-3) and Griffons (3-1-2) were stuck going back and forth, with both teams not getting much of anywhere. This can be proven by the similarity in both teams’ statistics at the end of the game, which included 14 shots for Northwest and 13 shots for Western. Additionally, each team recorded five saves.

Northwest managed to score the first goal, courtesy of freshman forward Adell Gore, who was in her first weekend of playing against MIAA opponents.

“It was super exciting to get my first collegiate goal, especially since it went towards a close 2-1 win,” Gore said.

The score remained 1-0 with the Bearcats in front until eight minutes into the second half, when Western freshman Carly Zabloudil got her first collegiate goal.

After the score evened out at 1, the Bearcats were stuck in a stalemate with the Griffons for the better part of 37 minutes.

Gordon said he was prepared to go into overtime.

“I was mentally trying to figure out which direction we wanted, depending on the coin toss, what side we were going to be on and what our lineup would look like, comparatively,” Gordon said.

Following the game, Western dropped out of the Division II Top 25. Additionally, this game put the Bearcats at 1-2 against

“He was ready for his opportunity,” Northwest football coach Rich Wright said in the aftermath of the win Sept. 18. “He got a chance to come out here and get a start, and he played very well.”

Against Central, Hohensee was 14-of-18 for 260 yards passing and four touchdowns.

On the ground, the sophomore had three carries for 41 yards rushing and two touchdowns. It was a performance good enough for the best Division II passer efficiency rating this season

CONTINUED FROM A10

CONTINUED FROM A10

Junior midfielder Quinn Pettlon and sophomore midfielder Lane Hazen scored Maryville’s other two goals before the starters were subbed out and the backups took over.

The field conditions were in question prior to the game, as the northwest corner of Missouri received heavy rain beforehand.

“The field wasn’t great. It had just rained before we got onto the field, so it was a little bit wet,” Tolson said. “The grass was a little bit patchy, so the balls were bouncing around everywhere, not rolling as fast as they usually would, so we had to adjust. But once we had adjusted we started playing quickly and countered quickly. After the first 10 or 15 minutes, it got a lot better.”

“We need more wins like this,” Ferris said. “The more wins the better. It makes us look better, too, being able to score a lot of goals and get a big win like this.”

The Maryville boys will look to stay undefeated in conference play next week as Lafayette(0-7) will come to town Sept. 27 and Bishop LeBlond will come Sept.

30. Both of those matchups will be played at the Bearcat Pitch on Northwest’s campus.

(272.4), and it would’ve warranted a perfect quarterback rating in the NFL (153.8).

“I mean, I’ve been preparing to play for four years,” Hohensee said after the 100th overall matchup between Northwest and Central. “This didn’t really come as a big shock to me. I was nervous, but it’s not like I wasn’t prepared.”

Now, with Braden Wright expected out for a couple of months and Hohensee at the helm of the Bearcats’ offense, backup-quarterback duties are expected to reside between redshirt freshman Joseph Krause and freshman Chris Ruhnke.

HAT

CONTINUED FROM A10

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest sophomore Kaylie Rock high fives teammates as she walks back to the sidelines during one the teams scrimmage games against Augustana Aug. 27 at Bearcat Pitch. Northwest will play against Missouri Southern Sept. 24.

ranked teams.

One of their losses was to No. 3 Grand Valley State, and the second was the team they played two days before the Griffons: No. 7 Central Missouri.

The Bearcats walked onto Jennies Field for the second time this season, and from there, it was like a repeat of the first time, when they played Grand Valley State. The Jennies (5-1), similar to the Lakers, scored two first-half goals on the Bearcats and never looked back.

However, the Lakers did not score until the 32nd minute of the match, whereas it took two minutes for the Jennies to put a point on the board.

Sophomore forward Kaylie Rock said the team was not mentally ready to deal with a situation that included Central scoring so quickly.

“UCM is a very good opponent and has some really talented players, but I think there was more we could’ve brought to the table against them, and it just didn’t happen this time,” Rock said.

Against Central, the Bearcats were shutout for the second time this season by way of a 3-0 score.

Gordon said the team just came out flat and was never able to find a rhythm after the Jennies’ first goal. He said they then scored the second and that it’s really hard to recover from that against a quality team.

The response from the players after Sunday’s game, Gordon said, was a great testament to their toughness and grit. He said he has mixed feelings from the weekend, but Sunday showed

UP NEXT NW vs. Missouri Southern 3 p.m. Sept. 24 Bearcat Pitch

him that the players are capable of rebounding after adversity.

“I feel confident in what we’re able to do,” Gordon said.

“Now, it’s just finding consistency with the players and making sure we, as a coaching staff, are pushing the right buttons for them to produce.”

The Bearcats won’t have to wait long to have another shot at the Jennies, though, and will match up with them Sept. 26 at Bearcat Pitch, just nine days after the first match. It’ll mark the first official conference match of the season.

Rock said they will definitely be more prepared this time around.

“We now have a better idea of what their style of play is going to look like and what we need to do to better compete against them,” Rock said.

Before then, Northwest will play against Missouri Southern (1-3-2) Sept. 24.

Gordon said they are going to be a gritty group, and the team has to be mentally prepared for the Lions’ drive. He said the Lions have been playing hard but just haven’t quite got the results they wanted, and their numbers compared to the Bearcats are very similar.

“I’m not going to look past them,” Gordon said. “So, hopefully, we have time to view their film, see what they’re doing and try to control the chaos.”

On Sept. 24, 2011, the Saturdway of Family Weekend and a few hours prior to Northwest football’s 70-17 beatdown of Fort Hays, the players entered the locker room with the green jerseys hanging in each locker. After they left for a team breakfast, the jerseys were switched out for the black ones that Bostwick purchased before he passed.

“That was kind of his last gift to our football team,” Wright said. “We’ve always worn black since, always have the red paws on — just symbolic.”

This Saturday, the Bearcats (2-0) are hoping to emulate the program’s 53-point win on Family Weekend from 2011. This time, though, it’ll be against the Bronchos (1-2).

The programs have split the last meetings, with Central upsetting Northwest in Edmond, Oklahoma, during the 2018 season and Northwest exacting revenge with a 59-10 win on Family Weekend in 2019.

The Bearcats hope to win their second straight against Central behind the country’s sixth-best scoring defense, along with sophomore quarterback Mike Hohensee — who started his first collegiate game in Week 3.

Despite, statistically, being one of the best defenses in Division II, Wright is expecting more.

“I wasn’t overly happy with our performance,” Wright said of the Bearcats’ 47-7 win against Central Missouri Sept. 18. “All of that stuff’s going to be addressed starting, well, yesterday.”

“My goal is for our kids to play to our level,” Wright said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m not overly interested in statistics; I’m interested in what I see with my two eyes. The fact of the matter was that we could’ve really unleashed a dominating performance and didn’t.”

The Bronchos’ record isn’t necessarily reflective of their talents, Wright said. They were able to hand Missouri Western a

24-20 loss in Week 1 before losing their previous pair of games to Emporia State in Week 2 (3121) and Missouri Southern in Week 3 (14-10).

That was kind of his last gift to our football team.

We’ve always work black since, always have the red paws on — just symbolic.

- RICH WRIGHT

“Nick (Bobeck) does a good job of bringing a football team that’s well prepared,” Wright said of Central’s coach. “They took a tough loss last week, and they’re going to look to rebound from that.”

For Northwest football, and the entirety of Maryville, this weekend will serve as more than a weekend in which families unite after sendings students off to college. When the Bearcats take the field, it’ll mark the first game in Bearcat Stadium in 665 days.

There aren’t too many things similar to the atmosphere in Bearcat Stadium, Wright said, and he’s expecting a packed house — one he hopes is thronged with spectators donning black shirts and red hats.

Sept. 23, 2021 @TheMissourian

A8

Bearcats aim to bounce back in Hughes JAY MCKINNEY Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

With more than 700 attendees at Northwest volleyball’s home opener in the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse Sept. 17, the Bearcats were swept by then-No. 12 Central Missouri before bouncing back with a win against Missouri Western Sept. 18.

It wasn’t the start the thenNo. 7 Bearcats (8-2) were expecting, having the momentum of a 8-1 start to the season prior to the first meeting of the season with the Jennies (9-1).

“UCM brought it,” Northwest coach Amy Woerth said. “We didn’t bring it.”

Northwest was not able to defend against the Jennies’ rightside attack, which out-killed the Bearcats 39-29. Central hit at .252 %, led by Audrey Fisher and Kersti Nix with 8 kills each, while the Bearcats hit .061.

“They just were converting their digs to kills at a much higher rate than we were,” Woerth said.

In the first set, the Bearcats tied it at 6 before the Jennies went on a 17-3 run and eventually closed out the set. There was hope for the Bearcats, though, when they went up by 5 in the second set, but Woerth said that feeling didn’t last for long.

Heading into the third set, Central put it away, starting the set on a 13-3 run before eventually winning the third set 25-18.

It marked the Bearcats’ second loss this season, including their first in MIAA play.

The next meeting between the two programs will be Oct. 26 in

UP NEXT NW vs. Missouri Southern 6 p.m. Sept. 24 Hughes Fieldhouse

SILVIA ALBERTI | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest volleyball sophomore Sophie McMullen passes the ball in the game against Central Missouri Sept. 17 at the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse.

Warrensburg, Missouri, but Woerth and company aren’t expecting a similar matchup.

“It’s never fun to lose 3-0, so there has already been conversation about the next time we matchup and what we can do next time we play them,” Woerth said.

“It stung,” redshirt freshman middle hitter Abby Brunssen said about losing the home debut. “So, going into the next day, we had a revenge mindset. … We wanted to make up for the night before.”

Despite being swept for the first time this season, the Bearcats had a chance to redeem themselves less than 24 hours later. That opportunity presented itself in the form of a matchup with MIAA rival Missouri Western in St. Joseph.

“The good thing about volleyball is you get another shot the next day,” Woerth said.

Northwest exacted revenge, beating Western 3-1.

Brunssen, who had two kills on 13 attacks against Central,

had a career high 11 kills against the Griffons. She accounted for 12 total points throughout the four-set match.

“UCM blocked us really well,” Brunssen said. “So, going to Western, we knew we had to make some adjustments if we were going to get blocked like that, and I think we made that adjustment quicker than we did against Central.”

The Bearcats lost the opening set to the Griffons 25-22, making that four sets lost before winning the next three.

Having put the UCM matchup behind them, the Bearcats were able to find an offensive presence to win three straight sets, outscoring the Griffons by 27 throughout the final three sets en route to the win.

“I thought they did a good job pushing through a little bit of a rut they were going through and being able to be successful through their challenge with it,” Woerth said.

The win against the Griffons gave the Bearcats their first win in the conference and took them to 1-1 in MIAA play.

“UCM did overpower us, so going up against MO West, we knew we wanted to be the overpowering factor, and we did just that,” Brunssen stated.

The Bearcats will look to improve their record in the MIAA during Family Weekend, when they host Missouri Southern Sept.

24 and Pitt State Sept. 25.

Defensive mishaps plague Spoofhound softball against conference rival Chillicothe TRISTAN LYNCH Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

Defensive struggles are still the No. 1 priority for the Maryville softball team, as costly defensive mistakes led the Spoofhounds to a 13-0 loss in five innings in their matchup against Chillicothe Sept.

21 at the ’Hound Pound.

At the beginning of the game, things looked promising for the ‘Hounds. Maryville coach Chandra DeMott said she felt her team’s energy and communication was looking much better than it previously had.

“Energy looked better out of the gate tonight,” DeMott said.

“Communication and things like that were a bit higher, so in that regard, I’m happy with where the team is at.”

The Spoofhounds found themselves down quick, as Chillicothe opened the game with 2 hits, 3 RBIs and one walk, while

Maryville had 3 defensive errors, to put Chillicothe up 4-0 by the end of the first inning.

By the top of the third inning, the Spoofhounds found themselves down 11-0 with 9 total defensive errors. DeMott called a timeout to give her team a simple message: Collect yourselves and play better.

“We talked a lot about not saying, ‘It is OK,’ because it’s not OK, and we have got to do better,” DeMott said.

The ‘Hounds struggled all game to get their offense going, and DeMott said she felt that their tournament over the weekend had helped them get into rhythm.

“The girls are hitting, just Chillicothe is a good defensive team,” DeMott said. “So, they field the ball well and did not have any errors to capitalize on.”

Maryville finished the game with one hit, one walk and four strikeouts, with Chillicothe only having one defensive error.

Chillicothe would not slow

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Maryville High School freshman Emma Sprague runs for home base as the pitcher from Benton throws the ball to tag another player. The Spoofhounds are 1-7 in their season so far.

down after the third, adding on a couple more runs off two triples from junior Hope Hilton and senior Halle Rucker to finish out the game 13-0 in five innings.

Defensive errors continued to cost the Spoofhounds throughout the game, as they finished the game with a total of 12 errors while allowing 6 hits and 11 RBIs with only one strikeout and two walks.

DeMott knows defense will continue to be the main focus for the ‘Hounds, as cleaning up defensive errors is vital for them to win ball games.

“Errors cost us ball games. … We talked tonight in our post game huddle about cleaning up those errors and doing what they need to do,” DeMott said. “Because we don’t have time to practice, they are going to have to figure it out in

UP NEXT MHS @ St. Pius X 5 p.m. Sept. 23 Kansas City, Missouri

the moment.”

As the ‘Hounds continue to work on fixing defensive mistakes, DeMott also will continue to work with sophomore pitcher Ella Schultes on hitting her locations.

Schultes finished the game with 6 hits, 13 total runs, one hit batter, one walk and one strikeout.

“Ella pitched a great game for us, in terms of doing what she needed to do — kept the ball low on them,” DeMott said. “We are going to continue to work locations, because what pitcher doesn’t stop working on that? But, otherwise, I think she did exactly what was asked of her.”

SPORTS

’Hounds snap 4-game losing skid with big win against Plattsburg KESTON OLTMAN Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

In Maryville volleyball’s last week of action, the Spoofhounds won two of their six matches, including four losses at the Winnetonka Tournament, which was Maryville’s first regular-season tournament in two seasons.

The Spoofhounds (4-8) went into the Winnetonka Tournament after winning their previous two matches, a dominating 3-0 sweep over Excelsior Springs (4-9) and a 3-1 triumph over the Lafayette Fighting Irish (7-6).

Maryville failed to capitalize on the modest winning streak at the tournament, being swept in each game the team played.

With losses to Grain Valley, Hickman, North Kansas City and Pembroke Hill, the Spoofhounds were outmatched against the bigger schools, which is something Maryville first-year coach Bailey Cook wants her team to learn from for the remainder of the season.

“We learned a lot about ourselves,” Cook said. “I didn’t want them to hang their heads too much because, I mean, the teams that we played were big schools; they’re great teams. We did play well with them for the most part, and that was good for us to see.”

Despite losing those games in the Winnetonka Tournament, Cook said she thinks the losses will help her team as they move into conference play.

“Playing those big schools, they have a lot of the skill level that Cameron does, that we’re gonna see and that even some of the past teams that we’ve already seen,” Cook said. “Their skill level goes hand in hand, and sometimes we see that, sometimes we don’t. Having a little preview and seeing that over the weekend is going to help us.”

The Spoofhounds bounced back from the tough weekend with a 3-0 sweep over the Plattsburg Tigers (4-6) Sept. 21. Maryville showed its strength with dominating performances in each set, winning the first set 25-12, the second set 25-9 and the third set 25-7.

Maryville played a clean game against Plattsburg, limiting errors and using strong serves to control the match, something Cook was happy to see.

“We made a lot less errors on our end,” Cook said. “Our serves were better and stronger, our serve receive was better, we just had better passes overall. The game was in our control, which we didn’t have a lot of in Winnetonka, so it was nice to come back and kind of have that control again.”

UP NEXT MHS vs. Cameron 7 p.m. Sept. 23 ’Hound Pound

FULL STORY ONLINE:

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SPORTS

Sept. 23, 2021 @NWMSports

A9

MHS hopes to avenge home loss against Cameron WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

It had been 43 regular season home games since Maryville football’s 2010 loss to Savannah in Week 7 in the ‘Hound Pound.

All 43 of those games were a win for the Spoofhounds until their Week 4 loss this season against St. Pius X. Now, the Spoofhounds will have the opportunity to start a new streak.

For the ‘Hounds to do that, they will first have to go through another Midland Empire Conference foe, the Cameron Dragons. The Dragons (13) are coming off a home loss of their own, a 48-7 loss to the Chillicothe Hornets.

Now 1-1 against MEC opponents so far, Maryville will attempt to not only restart its home streak but also put itself above .500 on the season in conference play.

“

We both have the same record, and we will both be hungry to get a win.”

-MATT WEBB The Dragons have been outscored 156-48 on the season, allowing an average of 39 points per game, while scoring 12. In comparison, the Spoofhounds have been outscored 107-75, which calculates out to 18.8 points scored and 26.8 points allowed per game. However, Maryville coach Matt Webb said the Dragons’ offense is complex, and his defense needs to be prepared.

“We both have the same record, and we will both be hungry to get a win,” Webb said.

Webb said that the Dragons have run into some execution is-

sues with their players, but their offense still remains something to be respected.

What makes the Dragons’ offense complex, Webb said, is the wide variety of formations used. They motion a lot and use a lot of lineman pulls to set up their plays.

“They have a lot of things you have to make sure you defend well against,” Webb said.

Maryville junior running back Caden Stoecklein said the Spoofhounds have to get more physical each week. He said to compete against Cameron, physicality will especially need to be in action.

“We have to listen to our coaches and the game plan,” Stoecklein said. “Obviously, our program wouldn’t be what it is today without the coaches, so we need to realize they know what they’re doing.”

The ‘Hounds have committed 28 penalties this season, but last week against the Warriors, they committed five — their lowest number this season.

Webb said mental errors, such as penalties, are something they address each week in practice. He said the team has a good tradition, and its mental approach has always been generally good. However, the execution of that needs to translate during game time, he said.

“It’s exciting to play Friday night football, but we need to make sure we maintain our composure, execute better and not make those mental mistakes,” Webb said. “Kids don’t intend to make mental mistakes, that’s not what they try to go out and do. We just have to make sure we’re growing as a team and getting better.”

As far as other streaks go for the Spoofhounds, they currently hold one over the Dragons — a 14-game win streak that dates back to 2010. Additionally, in each of those wins for Maryville, the difference was at least two scores.

Webb said past scores don’t matter, no matter how big or from what year. From a schematic standpoint, he said, past matchups allow to better prepare for the team, but scores and statistics are useless from game to game and year to year.

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KENDRICK CALFEE | NW MISSOURIAN

Maryville High School defensive lineman Wesley Snead attempts to contain St. Pius X running back Robbie Sharp Sept. 17 at the Hound Pound. The Spoofhounds fell 14-13 on a blocked extra point attempt.

“You have to show up every week and focus on process football,” Webb said.

Stoecklein has amassed 184 yards rushing over the past three weeks, making him Maryville’s leading rusher this season.

“My confidence has been getting better throughout the season,” Stoecklein said. “I’ve been running harder, reading the holes better and making plays for my team.”

The ‘Hounds will stay at home for one more week before going on the road again for the fourth time this season.

For the time being, Webb said he feels very fortunate to stay in Maryville.

“Maryville has been known as ‘Title Town’ for a long time because of what the athletics bring,” Webb said. “Spoof-

hounds play at home on Friday, and the Bearcats play at home on Saturday. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

What makes coaching in Maryville so special for Webb, he said, was the community not only loves its football and other sports, but it loves to watch young people succeed. He said it’s a blessing to be in a community that values its young people as much as Maryville does.

“Friday Night Lights is not only about the football; it’s about the band, it’s about the cheer, it’s about the dance, it’s about the student section,” Webb said. “A lot of communities don’t have this environment, and we, as a team, all feel very fortunate to play and live in a community that values that.”

Webb said that is a big rea-

UP NEXT MHS v Cameron 7 p.m. Sept. 24 ’Hound Pound

son why the outcome against the Warriors was so disappointing.

The team did not put on its best showing, and the Spoofhounds will do what they can to fix that to come away with the win at home.

Stoecklein said the support from everyone is amazing, and he feels honored to play for a great program like Maryville.

“I’ve gone to these other towns and schools who just don’t have what Maryville has,” Stoecklein said. “It’s a big responsibility, but it’s also very pleasing and I’m grateful to be a part of it.”

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SPORTS

Second ’Cats catch chance COVID-19 Women’s NW volleyball hoops aims shorthanded for first due towin home virus of protocols. season.

Washedmatters Family away For Family Men’s home Weekend streak busted coverage with of Northwest Jan. 7 loss Athletics, to Ichabods.

see A8 A9

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Jan. Sept.14, 23,2021 2021

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest football fifth-year coach Rich Wright walks across the field at Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Missouri, during the third quarter of the Bearcats’ 47-7 win against Central Missouri Sept. 18. Wright’s routine of wearing a red hat is in honor of the late Scott Bostwick, who died of a heart attack in June 2011 after being named the program’s head coach.

Wright pays homage to late friend, former coach JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

R

ich Wright has donned that fiery red hat for the better part of the last decade. Since 2011, the Northwest football coach has worn it for 123 games.

Most spectators at Northwest football games would never think anything of Wright’s routine, and most probably don’t ever notice how much it sticks out on the sidelines compared to the Bearcats’ usual green and white color scheme.

But the intention behind that red hat has never been to blend in. Actually, it’s the exact opposite.

“He was standing on a sideline at Wayne State. He had on a white hat; we had white jerseys on, and nobody could see him,” said Wright, who was reflecting on the legacy of the late Scott Bostwick. “His nephew was holding the cords. (Bostwick) looked at him, and he had a red Nike hat on. He plopped his hat off, grabbed his hat and put the red hat on.”

Despite its original purpose, when Northwest football hosts MIAA foe Central Oklahoma this Saturday for the Bearcats’ first

game in Bearcat Stadium since Nov. 30, 2019, Wright won’t stand out as much as he usually does.

The players’ helmets will mirror Wright’s hat, featuring a red logo instead of the traditional green and white one.

Those traditions, both of which started in 2011 and haven’t stopped since, are to honor the coach who Wright grew emotional talking about at the Northwest Athletics Media Luncheon Tuesday afternoon.

“He was a big part of my life,” Wright said. “Always will be.”

Bostwick, who served as the defensive coordinator throughout the entirety of the 17-season Mel Tjeerdsma era, was tabbed as the program’s next head coach when Tjeerdsma elected to retire right before Christmas in 2010.

Despite being hired Dec. 31, 2010, he never got to officially be the head coach, dying of a heart attack June 5, 2011 — three months prior to the Bearcats’ first game that fall.

“When Scott got the head job, he and I were doing an interview, and they asked if I was going to wear the red hat, because the defensive coordinator wears a red

UP NEXT Northwest vs. Central Oklahoma 1:30 p.m. Sept. 25 Bearcat Stadium

hat,” Wright said. “He was like, ‘No, he’s going to find his own tradition, his own things to do.’ When he passed, I just felt like (wearing the red hat) was the right thing to do.”

And if there was one more thing Wright wanted to do for Bostwick — aside from continuing the chase to obtain a perfect defense — it was to assure the plan for his final soonto-be tradition got carried out.

Bostwick, Wright has previously said, was “as stubborn as the day is long.” He was longing for the program to have black jerseys as an alternate to the usual green tops the Bearcats wear during home games. After extensive convincing to Northwest’s administration, Bostwick’s request was fulfilled, though the players were never aware of the plan.

SEE HAT | A7

Soccer knocks off rival No. 13 Western

Urgent surgery puts ’Cats QB out 4-6 weeks JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

Northwest junior quarterback Braden Wright is expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing an emergency surgery to repair midgut volvulus — twisting of the intestine — Wright told The Missourian prior to the Bearcats’ 47-7 win against Central Missouri Sept. 18.

Wright attended a regularly scheduled conditioning workout, followed by team meetings Sept.

10, the Friday of Northwest’s impromptu week off. In that meeting, Wright said, is when he knew something was different.

“I went to the bathroom and quickly realized it was out of the ordinary,” Wright said. “I kind of just collapsed on the bathroom floor in Lamkin. I was just laying there, and the pain just kept getting worse and worse, to the point where I almost couldn’t stand up.”

From there, Northwest athletic trainer Elizabeth Theiman took Wright to the Mosaic Medical Center - Maryville, where he

was treated immediately.

“I got very lucky,” Wright said.

“It was, potentially, like, a lifethreatening thing if I waited a couple hours. … Liz is the reason why; she’s the one that got me to the hospital. She saved a lot.”

Based on the current timeline, though, the earliest he could return would be Northwest’s matchup with Northeastern State Oct. 23. The latest would be the Bearcats’ game at Missouri Southern Nov. 6.

In the Bearcats’ Week 1 win against Fort Hays — Wright’s only game this season after Lincoln canceled a Week 2 matchup due to COVID-19 protocols — he was 13-of-23 for 96 yards passing and a touchdown. Wright connected with senior wideout Kaden Davis for an 8-yard score against Hays to give Northwest an 8-point lead over the Tigers with a minute left in the fourth quarter.

In his first two seasons as the starter, the Elkhorn, Nebraska, native was named the 2018 MIAA Freshman of the Year and was a second-team All-MIAA selection in 2019. Should he end

WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

which he punted seven times for an average of 41.4 yards per punt. Four were downed inside the 20-yard line, including two at the 1.

In Week 3, though, Hohensee was the catalyst to Northwest’s 40-point win against Central. The St. Charles, Illinois, native scored six total touchdowns against the Mules.

There the Bearcats were, with possession of the ball and 20 seconds left in regulation of a 1-1 tie with Missouri Western Sept. 19 at the Bearcat Pitch.

They had just lost their previous soccer match two days prior and were on the verge of going into overtime with the then-No. 13 Griffons.

However, Northwest forwards sophomore Teagan Blackburn and redshirt freshman Sophie Cissell had other ideas.

As the clock continued to tick down to zero, Cissell made what the Bearcats hoped was the final pass of the game.

SEE BRADEN | A7

SEE SOCCER | A7

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest football junior quarterback Braden Wright commands the offense during the Bearcats’ annual Green & White Scrimmage Aug. 26 in Bearcat Stadium. Wright is expected to miss the next four to six weeks after surgery.

up exercising his medical redshirt, Wright will still have three years of eligibility, including the extra year given to each studentathlete because of COVID-19.

Sophomore backup quarterback Mike Hohensee — who serves as the team’s starting punter — started for Northwest against the Mules.

Hohensee was named the MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week for his Week 1 performance against Fort Hays, in