Coginchaug Regional High School Student News
crhsnews.com
May 12, 2017
Volume 23, Issue 5
Wizards Score $3,000 for Project Grad
The Cost of the Wall By Seth Azevedo
By Brendan Sirois and Adam Doolittle
On Tuesday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m., the Harlem Wizards came to Coginchaug Regional High School to take on the Dribbling Devils for a fundraising event. This event raised $3,000
to help fund Coginchaug Project Graduation. Students and parents throughout the district came to enjoy the impressive performance put on by the Harlem Wizards.
Children were able to participate in contests and receive autographs from players during halftime. For game video and more photos, check out crhsnews.com.
circumvented the physical barrier. Overall, this measure was discontinued for a reason, so why shouldwe revive it? According to Trump, it will stop drug trafficking, which is so much more sophisticated than those walking across the border illegally. Cartels are much more likely to build tunnels, fly drones over
the walls with drugs, or just drive through or over fencing. Unless the wall was built significantly underground, driving up the price, or made too high to drive over with a ramp, again increasing price, there would be simple ways to circumvent it, without bringing technology into it at all. Increasing
The current border between the United States and Mexico is home to much unrest. Photo by Associated Press
President Trump has made his plan to construct a wall on our southern border a priority for Congress to address going forward in his term. Although the cost of the wall depends on who you ask, $21.6 billion dollars is the internal estimate discussed earlier this year. That is merely the pure dollar amount, not accounting for environmental damages, diplomatic damages, or other costs associated with such a massive project. The administration has claimed they will make Mexico pay for the wall, but for now the American public is fronting the costs. Furthermore, most of the strategies to make Mexico pay end up putting the burden on American consumers or citizens. Why should
Inside This Issue
we do this? According to the proponents of this project, it will stop illegal immigration, halt the flow of drugs, and promote job growth. This wall, built to stop illegal immigration from Mexico, comes at a time when more people are returning to Mexico than exiting. Mexico’s economy is improving, becoming more stable. Immigration from Mexico is no longer increasing; it has stagnated and even appears to be decreasing, albeit slowly, according to the PEW Research Center. Some have attributed this to the Secure Fence Act, which President Bush passed in 2006, providing funding for 700 miles of fencing along the southern border. This covered some
NYTimes Found Poems- 2 International Travel Tips- 3 National Honor Society- 4 Boys Outdoor Track------ 5 Sports Updates --------------- 6 Sports Updates------------ 7 College-Bound Athletes -- 8
Photo by Ricky Sorensen
of the easiest to build areas and was deemed too expensive to continue. This was just fencing, not a big, beautiful concrete wall. People crossing the border have found ways around, through, under, or over the wall. They’ve moved to open areas, cut holes in areas rarely patrolled, dug tunnels, crossed by hot air balloon, and generally
Helmedach and Labasi reach 100 hits.
Upcoming Events
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May 22 - Spring Pep Rally May 26 - Early Dismissal May 27 - Junior/Senior Prom May 29 - No School May 31 - Senior Scholarship Night 6:30 p.m. CRHS June 1 - CRHS Awards Assembly 7:25-9:00 a.m. June 2 - Senior Picnic
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May 12, 2017
“New York Times” Found Poems The “New York TImes” runs an annual Found Poem contest in April to celebrate Poetry Month. Senior Journalism and Creative Writing students composed poetry using words only found in a “New York Times” article of their choosing.
“Coexistence or Resistance” Based on “Shifting the Focus of Political Style” By Ginina Bellafante
Volume 23, Issue 5
“The New Outreach”
Based on “Marketing Natural Body Care Products, With a Side of Activism” By Jane L. Levere
“Truth is Pliable in Trumpland” Based on “Has Trump Stolen Philosophy’s Critical Tools?” By Casey Williams
The President dresses up useful Lies “alternative facts” uncomfortable realities “fake news” elevates belief to the status of truth We can never Have knowledge about the world in its entirety Claiming to know the truth Is
Assertion of power.
“Great Barrier Reef” Based on “Shed a Tear for the Reefs” By the Editorial Board
A panorama of kaleidoscopic value A tragedy with no mystery Harboring fish of vast variety, Providing protein for millions of people. Global Warming Heating the 1,400 mile stretch The fossil fuels we burn Caused the death of our brightly colored forests With no recovery #SaveTheReefs
“Prescription Drug Epidemic” Based on “The Cost of Not Taking Your Medicine” By Jane E. Brody
“Young Girl’s Journey” Based on “Girl Boxer” By Emily Sheskin
Dreams- Sex Requirement: None Girl Boxer: a young girl’s journey in a male-dominated combat sport A YOUNG GIRL’S JOURNEY Women’s boxing: nowhere near men’s boxing A YOUNG GIRL’S JOURNEY Amateur International Boxing Association: encouraging women to box in skirts A YOUNG GIRL’S JOURNEY Genuinely loves the sport A YOUNG GIRL’S JOURNEY Unsupportive schoolmates A YOUNG GIRL’S JOURNEY Her father- following his daughter’s leadsupporting her as best he can Drive fueled by the love and support of her father A YOUNG GIRL’S JOURNEY
“Change”
“Outrunning Suspicion” Based on “The Comeback: Justin Gatlin” By Michael Powell He settled into his sprinter’s crouch, Slowly extending his feet back into the starting blocks He was 33 An ancient in the world of sprinters. The finals of the 100-meter dash Caught between expectation and hope Back from disgrace and exile, One man blocked his path: Usain Bolt. The gun sounded His stride grew long and wild I got sucked into all the hype.
“Draining the Swamp” Based on “Spicer Argues That More Public Disclosure Is Unnecessary, Even Harmful” By Glenn Thrush “He is not interested in public disclosure” Drain-the-swamp? Greater public disclosure was unnecessary, harmful Drain-the-swamp? “Major step backward” for presidential transparency Drain-the-swamp? Ever...release the information “We’ll have to get back to you on that.” Drain-the-swamp? We “didn’t elect him to do whatever he wanted” Drain-the-swamp.
“Washington”
Based on “A ‘Cuban Missile Crisis in Slow Motion’ in North Korea” By David E. Sanger and William J. Broad Based on “How to Build Resilient Kids, WASHINGTON Even After a Loss” By Sheryl Sandberg Everything changed. crisis — the propaganda and deception swirling around I turned for advice to a friend. United States undermine effort She said that the most important thing was nuclear explosion is primed and ready to go, satellite images show. To say how much I loved them. trump and his aides United In the fog States will no longer tolerate I tried to get through this. American position toward a nuclear weapon, a long Forgetting lines in a school play. Failing a test. range missile, and developing a hydrogen bomb Losing a big game. Seeing a friendship unravel. emerged surprised Hardships are severe. North Korea We sometimes feel helpless, but it’s O.K. to be sad a military short of armed conflict And it’s always O.K. to ask for help. so we can avoid the worst Our feelings matter, and we are not alone. Translation: Pre-emptive strikes are off the table, at least for now.
crhsnews.com
Supplements: What to Use and Why By Sydona Tregoning
Photo by Sydona Tregoning
Whey Protein The main use of a protein supplement is when you are lacking protein in your diet or to speed up recovery by drinking it at the end of a workout. Whey protein contains a range of essential amino acids, which are absorbed quickly by the body. Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) Branch chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) are the building blocks of protein. They are essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own, so they need to be consumed through a diet or through supplementation. Taking 6-10 grams of BCAAs before your workout can decrease soreness and increase recovery. It has also been proved that taking branched-chain amino acids, especially leucine, will stimulate protein synthesis. Studies show that leucine is the most anabolic, or growth-promoting, amino acid. Overall, supplementation of BCAAs can help promote muscle growth and repair and reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Glutamine Glutamine is an amino acid used in protein synthesis, supporting muscle growth and also supporting and regulating the immune system. Glutamine is an easily attainable amino acid for people who consume a protein-rich diet. Glutamine can be found in almost all major food groups that are rich in pro-
tein such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, beets and beans. This amino acid is helpful by preventing breakdown in the gastrointestinal tract, which is where 70-80 percent of the body’s immune tissues are located. Glutamine is most beneficial for those whose goals are to lose fat and maintain muscle. Creatine Creatine is a natural substance that contributes to the production of adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP. This substance provides energy for muscle contractions, which is vital for weight lifting. In shorter terms, creatine increases the ability to produce energy rapidly to allow a person to train harder. This allows for a slight boost in muscle capabilities, which can translate into bigger and stronger muscles. If an individual’s goal is to increase muscle mass and performance, creatine is proven to be beneficial. Omega-3 Fish Oil Omega-3s can not only enhance workout recovery and increase muscular gains, but they are also necessary for cardiovascular, brain, joint, eye and skin health. The body can’t make Omega-3 fatty acids on its own because it must be consumed through a diet consisting of fish, avocados and nuts. It is important to make sure Omega-3s are prevalent in your diet to decrease muscle breakdown and increase protein synthesis.
May 12, 2017
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The Cost of the Wall continued from page 1 border patrol personnel and funding without necessarily building a fence or wall would work just as well, if not better. Rep Will Hurd (R-Texas) says in an opinion piece for the Washington Post a wall is the “least effective way to secure the border” and goes on to suggest “a flexible, sector-by-sector approach that empowers the Border Patrol agents on the ground with the resources they need”. The wall will require ex-
By Seth Azevedo
tensive labor, but they will be low-paying jobs that will be gone in three years. Furthermore, instead of being used to promote job growth through this construction project, the money could be used to fulfill President Trump’s promise of $1 trillion on infrastructure. This would include updating poor water and sewage piping and repairing highways. These projects would be a larger benefit, increasing safety and preventing crises like
what happened in Flint, Michigan. Trump’s wall would be detrimental to our national identity, harmful to the environment, damaging for diplomacy, expensive, and ineffective. President Bush tried to build it, when it was more needed, and even then it was deemed ineffective, with the illegal immigrant population growing. The wall should not be built; Congress was right to take a stand and not fund it in the bill for April 28.
International Travel Tips By Liv Preneta
Heading out of the country for vacation, business, or a combination of the two? Use these tips before you head out on your adventure to be sure you are prepared for international travel. PACKING Lay out all of your clothes before putting them into your suitcase(s). Packing can be difficult, as it is tough to determine what to bring and what to leave home. It is always a good idea to lay out all of your clothes in piles, according to article of clothing, in order to make sure that you don’t over/under pack. Leave your vanity at home. Although it is tempting to bring all of your makeup and beauty products with you, those products can add a lot of weight. Sift through your beauty bag and take out any unnecessary products. Make sure that any valuable jewelry/items are either packed safely or left at home. Leaving your favorite accessory items at home might be tough, but often times they are not safe in your suitcase. When being transported, whether in carry on or check in luggage item, it is possible for
them to get stolen or broken. Sometimes it is better to leave these valuable items at home. Leave a little extra room in your suitcase. Who doesn’t love to shop, especially in a new destination? In case you might want to bring home souvenirs for your friends or new items for yourself that you just couldn’t leave behind, it is a good idea that you leave enough room in your luggage to pack those items. Check the weather reports in your destination before you leave. You never know what the weather might be in a different country, especially if it is during a rainy season. Be sure to check the weather before you pack in order to dress appropriately and have the proper articles of clothing necessary to be comfortable and enjoy your trip. Mix style with comfort. Sightseeing, or just simply exploring your destination with almost certainly be on your list of activities to do while there. This might include lots of walking and though it is difficult to resist your favorite shoes, it is also important to take your own comfort into consideration. You will thank yourself later for acking a comfortable pair of shoes.
HEALTH Always carry medicines that you might use often if you were at home. Advil, NyQuil, Imodium, Tums, etc. are some medicines that you might use often at home. Although it is likely that a drug store will be wherever you travel to, it is better to be familiar with the pain relief that you are using. Always refill your prescriptions before you leave. If you take any prescriptions, in order to ensure that you do not run out while you are on your trip, always ask your doctor about a re-fill before you leave. Be aware of where your international embassy is. If there is a problem during your trip such as a lost passport or a dangerous situation, your government will be able to track/ contact you and get you to safety. Notify your credit card company where you will be traveling. Often times, fraud is discovered due to mysterious transactions in unknown places, but not notifying your company of your travel plans could cause the company to block your card.
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ECO Club Hosts Annual Hunger Awareness Banquet
Submitted by Madame Donna Cashore Bonjour! On Friday night, ECO club held its annual Hunger Awareness Banquet. The club raised over $1,100 to be donated to three local and international organizations whose missions are to help eliminate world hunger. ECO club members worked tirelessly to organize this event, make homemade soups to serve, and homemade desserts to auction. (Pictures of the event will soon be on CRHS Facebook.) To raise the highest amount of money ECO has ever collected at the banquet would not have been possible without the crosscurricular support from Ryan Bothamly and Jamie Bowman. I would like to express publicly my deep gratitude to each of them for way they stepped up voluntarily to donate their talents, time, and teacher
May 12, 2017
Volume 23, Issue 5
National Honor Society Inductees
Katherine Annecchino Carol D’Agostino Erica Fontanella Thomas Koba Madeline Montz Victoria Slight Daniel Turecek Maxwell Wondolowski
Garret Basiel Ashley Dana William Glidden Faith Mancarella Cal Pitruzzello Claire Sorensen Alyssa vanEyndhoven
Colleen Coogan Aubrey Figoras Laura Hinsch Stefan Marczuk Charlotte Planeta Alexander Stephan Adriana Wimler
skills to work with students to create and donate student-made pottery and student-made cookies to be “sold” and auctioned off at the banquet. Their work brought together a great number students, possessing a wide range of skills, to demonstrate CRHS Core Ethical Values that went above and beyond the every day. These teachers’ selfless contributions gave our students another opportunity to understand that the skills they learn every day at CRHS contribute positively to their school, community and truly to the greater world. ECO (and I) equally thank all who attended the banquet and/or donated in other ways to generate the positive financial outcomes and the community connectivity of the ban- ECO Club raised over $1,100 at their Annual Hunger Awareness Banquet. quet. Photo by Alyssa van Eyndhoven Merci, merci, merci!
Another Successful Music Trip By Paige Copeland & RaAnna Kurek
This year, the Coginchaug Music Department attended The Festivals of Music adjudication in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The band and choir ensembles played and sang three songs of their choosing in front of three different judges. The ensembles competed against teams from other parts of the US.
The Coginchaug Music Department brought their Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Jazz Band and Concert Band. Once they performed their songs, a judge gave the ensembles feedback. The awards ceremony was held at Busch Gardens. The judges placed the ensembles either first,
second or third and rated them superior, excellent, or good. Concert band placed first with a superior rating. They also were awarded “Best Overall.” Jazz band placed third with a superior rating. Both Concert Choir and Chamber Choir were placed third with an excellent rating.
Ashley Tang and Mary Mitchard are members of ECO.
Trophies from the music trip are housed in the auditorium lobby at CRHS.
Photo by Alyssa van Eyndhoven
Photo by RaAnna Kurek
crhsnews.com
May 12, 2017
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Outdoor Track Finally Clinches Marty Roberts Invitational After Six-Year Drought By Adam Doolittle
On Saturday, May 6 the Coginchaug Blue Devils hosted the Marty Roberts Invitational track meet. The boys have not won this meet in six years--until they took home the title on their home track. The boys were able to capture this title by beating 20 other teams. When asked about his team’s performance at the
meet, senior captain Flynn Molkenthin said, “Our team did very well, and everyone came together and stepped up and did what needed to be done, and we ended up bringing home some hardware.” The boys are very optimistic that they will win Shorelines and have a good shot at winning states.
Record Journal Invitational By Megan Decker
On Thursday, April 13, the boys outdoor track team competed at the Record Journal Invitational held at Lyman Hall High School in Wallingford. This meet, unlike others, had both varsity and junior varsity heats, which allows everyone on the team to get a chance to compete. At the meet, there were no class S or M schools, so it was a different type of competition for Coginchaug. They went up against class L and M schools such as Southington, Platt, Cheshire, Malo-
Travel Tips
ney, Sheehan and Lyman Hall. Although they won’t be seeing any of these teams again until state competitions, it was a good way for the boys team to go up against bigger schools and showcase all of the hard work that they put in over the April break. “This meet was a good starting point for the boys, and we will keep improving from here on out,” said boys head coach Mike Ford. Highlights from varsity include Flynn Molkenthin placing third in the 200m dash, Korben Paul placing
ous situation, your government will be able to track/ continued from page 3 contact you and get you to safety. SECURITY Notify your credit card Be sure that your pass- company where you will port has been re-newed/ be traveling. has over six months until In case you use your card its expiration date. overseas, your credit card Although the US allows you company will not see this to use your passport up to as strange, and cancel your the date that is in the cov- card. Often times, fraud is er, some countries will not discovered due to mysteallow you to enter if there rious transactions in unare fewer than six months known places. until your passport’s ex- IN THE AIRPORT piration date. It is always Check your departure possible that something gate and flight time. might happen to keep you In case of any cancellations in that country for longer or delays, it is always good than expected, and the to be sure that your flight country wants to ensure is on time and you know that you will be able to get what departure gate you back to the US. are supposed to be at. Be aware of where your Bring a copy of your passinternational embassy is. port/ a second form of If there is a problem that identification. you encounter during your In case of an emergency trip such as a lost passport such as a loss of your passor you are put in a danger- port, be sure to bring an
The boys outdoor track team won the annual Marty Roberts Invitational at CRHS on Saturday, May 6, defeating 20 teams for the victory. Photo submitted by Flynn Molkenthin
sixth in the 200m dash, Peter Schulten placing first in the 1600m run, Max Sartor placing second in the 110m hurdles, Reid Rodrigue placing third in high jump, Cooper Berry placing second in pole vault and fifth in triple jump, Justin Gagner placing fifth in shot
put, and Joe Venables placing second in javelin. Highlights from junior varsity include Cameron Nielsen placing first in the 400m dash, Ty Seymour placing second in the 400m dash, Kyle Satagaj placing sixth in the 400m dash, Brendan Dana plac-
ing fourth in the 800m run, Owen Gonzales placing third in the 1600m run, Tim Arcari placing third in the 110m hurdles, Ryan Genest placing fifth in discus and second in javelin, and Tanner Jameson placing sixth in discus and placing first in javelin.
extra form of ID/ a copy of your original passport. Often times, if you lose your luggage, an ID will be asked before you claim your bag. Bring lots of snacks in a carry-on bag! When traveling abroad, the flight is often very long. It is important to bring your own snacks to hold you over until your very first yummy meal in your destination. Do NOT pack anything that could get you stopped by security. Although bringing a water bottle in your carry on might not seem harmful, however aiport security will take any liquid that you are carrying that is over 3oz. This also goes for objects that could potentially be threatening to others safety such as pocket knives or personal scissors. ON THE PLANE
Know your time zones. When you arrive abroad, the time zone might be different and you will experience “jet lag”. In order to prevent feeling tired instead of enjoying whatever beautiful destination you are flying to, make sure that you catch up on your sleep on the plane, or even stay awake to push through the day and not miss any time that you have on your vacation. Always come prepared with entertainment. Downloading music, movies, or even bringing travel games, cards, books, and magazines on the plane are just some ways to occupy your time on the long plane ride. Dress in layers. The plane temperature could vary from arctic tundra to heat wave in the sahara. Pack a sweatshirt over a short-sleeved shirt.
AT YOUR DESTINATION Ask for help if needed. When in a foreign country, a change in culture/language can be very intimidating; however, immerse yourself, and ask for help. Bring a charger adapter. Something that not many people remember is that wall outlets are often different in other countries that the United States. You can usually find an adapter at a store such as Walmart or CVS in an international travel section. Activate any capabilities that you might have paid for with your phone. Before leaving for your trip, you might have payed for an international travel pass with your phone in order to be able to use it abroad. When in the foreign country, don’t forget to go into settings to allow activate your cellular roaming capabilities.
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May 12, 2017
Volume 23, Issue 5
Golf off to Strong Start; Looks to Continue Success As of May 8, Coginchaug has a 6-1 record in conference matches and is 7-4 overall. Currently sitting at fourth in the Division IV State ranking, the team looks to improve. Having already lowered their average score from what it was at this point last year, the team looks to make an impression in the state and Shoreline Conference championships. Coginchaug’s first match took place on April 18 at Black Hall Club in Old Lyme. Sophomore Tyler Woodward had the best score of the team with a 41, and Coginchaug nearly won, having only fallen behind by 10 strokes. In the next match on April 20, Coginchaug faced off against North Branford at
By Kyle Fontaine & Jack French
home and crushed them. Tyler Woodward again had the lowest score, leading the team to a 45-stroke win of 171-216. The following week, Coginchaug hosted a trimatch with Old Lyme and East Hampton. They placed second, having lost to Old Lyme by only 3 strokes and beating East Hampton by a score of 174-237. On April 27, they played Valley Regional High School at Fox Hopyard, one of the most difficult courses in the Shoreline Conference. In the past, the conditions have been very different depending on the weather, so the players didn’t know what to expect when they showed up; however, they came ready to play and defeated Valley with a sea-
son best score of 169-200. The team played Morgan at home Monday, May 1. Morgan started this season with a losing record, so the players were confident they would be able to show up and easily win, and they did. They finished with a score of 167, beating Morgan who finished with a 192. Tyler Woodward, Photo by Erin Hassmann a sophomore On Thursday, May 4, starter on the team, said, “Morgan was tough last Coginchaug hosted yet anyear, but we’re playing very other tri-match, this time well right now, and I think with Portland and H-K. Coginchaug lost each time we can win this one.”
Finished Strong; Starting over Stronger “I am so proud of how this season has been turning out, considering we lost a talented group of varsity seniors last year,” comments Paige Larkin about the 2017 girls tennis team. In 2016, the team graduated phenomenal players ranging from singles to doubles team to key moral support members. With these teammates gone, the CRHS girls found it difficult to take on this season without them; however, led by coach Amy Schafer, the girls have proven that they are more than capable of taking this season on just as strong as last season ended. With their drive for success and teamwork, the team began their season with a win against their Seth Azevedo* Marissa Bizzario Sydney Brant Hailey Byrne José Cadena Paige Copeland
By Olivia Preneta
toughest competitor, Old Lyme, with a tight score of 4-3. Senior co-captains and four-year varsity members Paige Larkin and Jess Coughlin have proven that with teamwork, nothing is impossible. As a doubles team, these partners have led an undefeated season, keeping a streak of 11 wins. They hope to continue this streak as they take on upcoming competitors, East Hampton and Haddam-Killingworth. Although these captains have certainly made a name for themselves in the Shoreline, it is not just their doubles team that take all of the glory of the team’s success. “We have a really good group of girls this year,”
Larkin says. “There is so much talent, and our hard work in practice has always paid off for us. Not a single one of us are any less part of the team than another, and I’m so excited about the chemistry that we all have with each other.” With a record of 9-3, CRHS will continue to battle their way to Shorelines on May 24 and 25. Doubles teams will be playing at Westbrook, and singles will be split between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook. The team will also take on States on May 27, right before the CRHS prom. “I’ll be running from my match to get my prom dress on, but it will be worth it because I’m sure that our team will have success,” said Larkin.
Alsup Breaks Record By Charlotte Devers
The girls outdoor track team has been improving over the past couple of weeks, lowering their times in their events. The team placed second and third in the past two invitationals. Senior Allie Alsup ran
Jack French Erin Hassmann Brandon Johnson Josh King RaAnna Kurek Natalie Labasi*
Emily Mallinson Griffin Murphy Jack Murphy Jeremy Orozco Liv Preneta Lexi Raffles
her fastest 800M race at the Stafford Rotary Invite in April. She also broke the meet record, running a time of 2:17. Junior Colleen Coogan has also improved her 400M time, running faster at every meet.
Match Point for CRHS Boys Tennis? By Brendan Sirois
As of May 8, boys tennis held a record of 4-9. After back-to-back victories against East Hampton on May 3 and Wilcox Tech on May 4, the boys fell in a 7-0 loss against Old Lyme. The team looks to continue to win as they have won two out of their past three matches with just eight
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Megan Decker Charlotte Devers Adam Doolittle Lauren Fairchild Taylon Fay Kyle Fontaine
they played Portland, but Thursday they came ready to play, beating both Portland and H-K, finishing with a score of 180.
*May Print Production Team Mason SarroSydona Tregoning Twickler Lizzie Whitaker* Brendan Sirois Brendan Wiknik Chris Solomon Megi Zaclli Adviser: Ricky Sorensen Ms. Rebecca Suchy Cam Stockdale rsuchy@rsd13.org
The Devil’s Advocate is the official student newspaper of Coginchaug Regional High School, located in Durham, CT, representing the towns of Durham, Middlefield, and Rockfall. The DA is a proud representative of Regional School District 13; however, this publication is student-run and does not assume to reflect the views of RSD13 administration or staff.
games left in the regular season. They play away on May 9 and hope to use their recent momentum to beat Portland who is currently 1-10-2. If the boys continue to improve their record, they have a chance to advance to the Shoreline and State tournaments.
Contact Us Email: crhsdevilsad@gmail.com Twitter: @crhsdevilsadv Facebook: Devil’s Advocate Coginchaug Phone: 860-349-7215
crhsnews.com
May 12, 2017
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Devils Fighting to Stay Alive By Chris Solomon Coginchaug baseball was off to a great start at the beginning of their season, going 4-0 in their first four games. Following this great start, the boys dropped four of their next five games, each game well contested coming down to the final innings. No game was lost by more than one run. The Devils tallied up a 6-4 overall record at the time. Not ready to finish the season with a losing record, the boys went on to win four of the following five games against the likes of East Hampton, Portland, Haddam-Killingworth and North Branford. Each team had a similar if not better record than the Devils at the time, so each win was very hard to come upon. On Friday, April 28, the boys traveled to East Hampton to take on the 6-5 Bell Ringers. East Hampton got off to an early lead and led by 3-4 entering the sixth inning. The Devils were able to get the tying run to even the game
out at 4-4. Neither team was able to get a run in for the remainder of the sixth and the entire seventh inning. The Devils soon took the lead at the top of the eighth inning and went up 7-4. The Bell Ringers were unable to come back, and the Devils won 7-4. Following this momentum-building victory, the Devils hosted the 7-4 Highlanders of Portland on Sunday, April 30. The Highlanders proved to be no match in this meeting, as the Devils took the early lead and didn’t look back. Coginchaug completely shut down Portland on the offensive end and came out with the 6-0 victory. After dropping a competitive matchup against Cromwell at home by a score of 2-1, the Devils returned home to take on the 11-3, and No. 2 in Shorelines, Haddam-Killingworth. When these teams last faced each other, it was H-K who came out with the win following a
walkoff in the bottom of the seventh inning that broke the 0-0 tie. In the first inning, the Devils went up 3-0 over the Cougars and were able to hold onto the lead for the majority of the game. In the sixth and seventh innings, the Cougars clawed their way back into the game and tied it 3-3 after two RBI’s. Junior catcher Danny Turecek bats against Cromwell. The Devils shut down Photo by Lauren Fairchild the comeback effort In the final game in this line and state records beat the top of the seventh, and the game went to five-game span, the boys fore the playoffs for each extra innings. In the eighth traveled to North Branford respective tournament. Check our website for deinning, the Devils again on Thursday, May 4. The shut down any attempted Devils once again came out tails of the boys’ next big score by the Cougars and victorious (4-1 final) and matchup on Monday, May 8 against the top team in were presented with the moved to No. 9 in Class S. Looking at the remainder Shorelines, Morgan, who rechance to win the game. MacGuire O’Sullivan was of the season, four of the cently lost their first game the winning run on base Devils’ last six games are of the season by a score for Coginchaug. He ad- at home against very tough of 10-1 to Valley Regional. vanced to third base, and teams such as Morgan, Val- This game gives the Devils Cal Pitruzzello was up for ley Regional, Old Lyme and a lot to prove against the the Devils with two outs. East Haven (out of confer- team that was previously An error by the first base- ence). These games will ranked No. 6 in the state man allowed O’Sullivan to prove to be very important before their first loss. score, and the Devils won for the Devils who are try- Check out more baseball ing to improve their Shore- photos at crhsnews.com. 4-3.
Softball on Dominant Win Streak; Helmedach, Labasi Reach Milestone By Chris Solomon
Following a slow 3-4 start to their season, the Coginchaug girls softball team soon got on a fivegame hot streak in which they outscored opponents by a score of 89-5 (including shutting out two teams entirely), bringing the team to 8-4 overall. The girls have been working very
well together and have been improving dramatically over their last five games. They appear to be playing like a completely different team than their start to the season. This win streak meant a little more to two seniors on the team this season. Destiny Helmedach
Natalie Labasi celebrates her 100th hit of the season. Photo by Mrs. Grenier
and Natalie Labasi both reached the same milestone: reaching 100 hits. Helmedach’s 100th hit came during a 23-0 blowout win against Morgan, while Labasi’s hit came just four games later as the girls dismantled Cromwell by a score of 183. This is a feat not many softball or baseball athletes are able to achieve, and it was even sweeter for the both of them that they were able to share this moment together; both girls have played varsity all four years, won 49 regular season and state tournament games, reached one state tournament semifinals game, and made it to one Shoreline championship game (where they fell short to
Helmedach, left, celebrates her 100th hit. Photo by Melissa Grenier
North Branford by a score of 16-8). Despite their tough losses thus far this season, the girls have managed to remain undefeated (5-0 overall) at home. This undefeated streak will hopefully bring the girls some much needed momentum as they prepare to face tough Shoreline opponents, such as Haddam-Killingworth,
North Branford and Valley Regional, in the coming weeks. As all the seniors (Helmedach, Labasi, Grenier and Donnelly) look towards the remainder of the final sport they will play as a Coginchaug Blue Devil, they set their eyes towards finishing the season strong and returning to battle for another Shoreline Championship and State Championship.
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May 12, 2017
Volume 23, Issue 5
Meet Our Senior Players Lauren Donnelly Camden Stockdale By Sydney Brant By Griffin Murphy Lauren Donnelly has been a member of the school’s softball team for the last four years, a co-captain this year with Melissa Grenier, Natalie Labasi and Destiny Hellmedach. With the new season approaching, Lauren sees a lot of potential for this year’s team and is excited to see how things will play out. Q: What are your responsibilities as a captain? A: I mainly lead stretches with my other captains, make sure the girls are on time to games and practice, relay messages between the coach and team, and am a role model for the younger kids on the team. Q: What are you looking forward to this season? A: I’m really excited just to have the chance to play with my co-captains Natalie, Melissa, and Destiny one more time. We’ve been playing together since we were little, and being able to share this experience with them is incredible. Q: How do you think the team is going to do? A: I think we’ll have a pretty solid year. Maybe it won’t be as good as in the past, but we’ll have fun. Q: How do you feel about the seniors whom had left the team last year? A: Losing Emily [Smith] ,Taylor [Marino], and Gabby [Diaz] has definitely been tough because they weren’t just our teammates, but they were our friends. We have been playing together since we were little, and not sharing the field with them has been a big change for sure.
Photo by Paige Copeland
Q:Are there any underclassmen who have a promising future in the coming years? A: We have a pretty impressive freshman class. Carina Mancini, Taylor McDermott, and Skye Ryer will definitely be making some appearances on the varsity field. They’re a solid group of girls who work hard and have a love for the game. Bailey Zettergren and Alex Grenier will also be stepping up this year. They both will be playing 1st and 3rd which are important positions to fill at the varsity level, but we all feel that they’re more than capable of succeeding. Q: Do you plan on playing in college? A: It’s up in the air right now. If I were to play it would be for Elmira College in upstate New York. They’re a D3 school so while it would still be a big commitment, it wouldn’t be an overwhelming experience. I’d love to continue at the collegiate level, but for now we’re going to see how this season goes and then move from there.
The 5’10” MVP of the Football Club Stars Tournament and starting goalie for the Oakwood Soccer Club had one thing to say about his future in collegelevel sports: “I am very excited to join the team and join the Endicott family.” Coginchaug senior Camden Stockdale, after winning the United States Soccer Development Academy U16 Northeast Division Title with a record of 16-5-6, made his decision to play D3 Soccer at Endicott College. At just four years old Stockdale began playing soccer, and ever since then he has excelled. He played for Coginchaug and the South Central Premier Team up through U11, but at U12, he exclusively joined the Photo Provided by Camden Stockdale Oakwood Soccer Club. Stockdale committed to Endicott where he plans to continue his soccer career for the next few years: “I went there because the campus was beautiful, there’s a sense of family on the team, and it seems like the academic environment is prosperous.” He is going to study nursing there, and he believes “having to balance soccer and nursing is going to be a challenge,” but he has his family, team and coaches behind him.
Marissa Bizzario By Camden Stockdale
“I’m looking forward to making new friends and succeeding in cheerleading and school in general.”- Marissa Bizzario University of New Haven Competitive Cheerleading Position: Flyer Projected major: Medical Biology Background: She has been cheerleading for five years (8th grade at Strong Middle School) Achievements: MVP freshman and senior years Coaches Award junior and senior years First-Team All-Shoreline senior year Second Team All-Shoreline junior year Member of the Top Gun select group senior year Why did Marissa choose UNH? Marissa felt like she fit in and liked the professors, the campus, and the cheerleaders she met. How will Marissa prepare for college cheerleading in the off-season? Marissa will continue to work out and stretch, tryng to improve herself as much as she can individually before the team starts practices. What made Marissa choose medical biology? “I liked biology in school, so I looked into it. I also like helping people, so I thought medical biology combined both of my interests well.” Photo by Jose Cadena