Spectrum - Oct. 1, 2020

Candidates’ paths to victory

Boys’ Bowl

Page 2

Page 5

‘Toons Page 8

Detroit Catholic Central

Volume 84, No. 1 October 1, 2020 27225 Wixom Road, Novi, MI, 48374

Shamrocks return to school safely Cole Nogawa ‘22

Safety protocols, improved technology, and hybrid model make return to school possible As you roll over in bed and press “snooze” on your alarm clock for the fourth time this morning, you haphazardly glance at its face.

The cold, unforgiving screen reads simply, “7:45.” In the blink of an eye, you bolt out of bed in a state of sheer terror.

“I live half an hour away from CC,” you think. “I’ll never make it on time,” you lament. You sit back down -- steeling yourself for Mr. Hancock’s inevitable wrath -- when, suddenly, you remember: today is an A day, and you don’t have to go into school.

The above paragraph is a dramatization of a scene acted out daily in hundreds of households across Southeast Michigan. Detroit Catholic Central students of all ages rigidly and abruptly sit up in bed, only to realize that their momentary panic was entirely unwarranted. Others are not so lucky -- their panic is entirely justified, and they find themselves late for school.

Histrionics aside, the bold decision to hybridize education at CC in the wake of the pandemic could not have been realized without the swift implementation of numerous pieces of distance learning technology.

Chief among these are devices such as the TVs, speakers, cameras, and microphones that allow classes to be livestreamed.

Mr. Brian Bedard ‘96, Registrar and faculty member at CC, stated that “the idea [to introduce TVs and cameras] was received with a little bit of trepidation.”

“There’s positives as far as what it’s capable of doing,” he continued, “but there was also nervousness about the privacy of the classroom and the intimacy of the classroom.” Ultimately, Mr. Bedard and the administration concluded that the positives far outweighed the negatives, and so the TVs were installed. This new technology, however, presented its own challenges.

“There was no way to avoid [having] to upgrade the bandwidth, [having] to improve just . . . everything,” Mr. Bedard commented.

The school identified a better WiFi network as essential to distance learning during the initial stages of the decision-making process, allowing them to begin work upgrading it as early as summer vacation.

Students and teachers alike have been adjusting to this new technology over the course of the quarter.

“With different teachers and their different methods of teaching there are a few frustrations,” remarked junior David Mondrusov.

“I have a variance of technology used to see assignments, turn in homework, take tests, etc., and it can sometimes be a lot to keep track of.”

After several weeks, however, Mondrusov found himself pleasantly surprised by the student body’s response to hybrid schooling. He observed that “all parts of the school have adjusted to this drastic change.”

He concluded, “This situation is like none we’ve seen in our lifetimes, and to see the way that the school has responded is inspiring.”

Above: Senior Nathan Arao hard at work in Mr. Aiello’s classroom Right: Griff reads some Papa Walt to the AP Lit gents

Photos by Gomez

Mr. Steven Lemieux, Catholic Central’s favorite AP Chemistry teacher, offered the following insight: “My experience with technology has been positive, all things considered. We were all met with the same challenges as every other school during the pandemic, but we were able to rise above the challenge.”

“This is one of the things that makes us great,” he observed, “our ability to respond to trials and tribulations.”

CC’s hybrid schedule has allowed students to physically attend school, a privilege enjoyed by few during the pandemic.

The Brotherhood, as well as the administration, faculty, and staff, has been patient, resourceful, and adaptive beyond belief.

The remarkable fortitude and positivity of the student body is best exemplified by David Mondrusov’s personal opinion of bidiurnal attendance: “It’s a tough situation, but the break every second day is nice to have.

It gives us a chance to recharge and not fail our test the next day.”

Despite the hardships endured and sacrifices made by the students of Detroit Catholic Central, the Shamrocks remain triumphant and unfazed, ever ready for more.

“This situation is like none we’ve seen in our lifetimes, and to see the way that the school has responded is inspiring.”

Student Activities adapts to new circumstances Jack Smith ‘21 Things feel different at Catholic Central without the normal buzz of activity. Intramurals, clubs, and sports have slowed or even stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic regulations, and their loss is felt heavily.

Sports are starting to begin their seasons, but students are currently not allowed to attend. That leaves those not currently involved in a sport with nothing to look forward to at the end of the day, no break in the action between school and home, and no outlet for built up energy. Thankfully, Student Activities is hard at work to ensure that there will be fun and safe activities for all students to enjoy.

Mr. Carrier, Fr. Kauffman, and all of the students of Student Activities have remained diligent during this time of uncertainty.

According to Mr. Carrier, the main goal of Student Activities at the moment is “trying to come up with creative ways to do things in a safe and responsible way.” He also said that he is looking forward to seeing the new ideas that Student Activities will be able to come up with.

“We get stuck in a rut sometimes, doing the same things over and over again every single year,” he said. “So years like this are always exciting in that they can bring along fun and new traditions.”

Mr. Carrier went on to say that the biggest challenge facing Stu-

dent Activities is the separation of Group A and Group B. When asked if we will ever see an event where the groups will be able to mix, he replied, “The hope is to eventually see some activities where these two groups can participate together.

We’re looking at an Intramural Kick-

ball playoff that would have the two groups facing off against each other, and we’re also looking at the potential for some Friday night or weekend events that would include everybody.”

Students should keep an open eye and an open ear for upcoming events.

Mr. Carrier says Student Activities is

currently working on barbecues, potential football game events, driveins, new intramural sports, a laser tag event, and even Boys’ Bowl activities.

Leading the way in these unprecedented times, Student Activities continues to be a true representation of the unwavering spirit of Catholic Central.

Above: Juniors John Terhaar, Declan Lee, Cole Nogawa, and Spencer Lent playing Spikeball at the pregame BBQ Right: Mr. Babicz enlightening the boys at the Fall Sports Assembly Photos by Mr. Cornish

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The Nation

October 1, 2020

Civil unrest rocks United States Black Lives Matter: roots and purpose

Peaceful protests elicit change

Nick Dewhirst ‘21 and Brendan Nordstrom ‘21 Black Lives Matter is a social movement protesting against incidents of police brutality and racially motivated violence against black people. In July 2013, “#BlackLivesMatter” began trending after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a white, middle-aged man, who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, a black, unarmed teenager, during a physical altercation.

Upon the occurrence of similar events,

a group of civil rights activists swiftly established the non-profit organization Black Lives Matter. The founders, Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi, are passionate and determined to accomplish social justice; they have received honorable awards in their field of work.

In the several years since its establish ment, the organization has recruited millions of supporters, mostly in the United States and large European nations, who speak out against all racial prejudice and encourage unity.

For the past four months, nearly 26 million of these supporters have taken to the streets in over 2000 cities, making it the largest social movement in the history of the United States. Some of their specific goals include the decriminalization of marijuana, reparations for black farmers and Native American communities, the closure of immigration detention facilities, rights for disabled and transgender people, the decelaration of climate change, and the creation of suitable low-income housing.

However, nothing has been thrown around more than the word “defund,” specifically the defunding of the police. This phrase may seem radical at first glance, yet “reallocating funds” is a more fitting definition. People in support of defunding exist on a spectrum, with a minority seeking the extinction of police. However, the majority of supporters simply want the diversion of law enforcement funds to other areas of the community, while still sustaining police in some form.

Police departments receive the most funding of any other public municipalities with over an estimated $100 million last year. Yet, as the police budget increases, crime has not decreased.

James Lindenberg ‘21

Simply put, the scope of police is too wide as they are forced to deal with everything from jaywalking to homicide investigations. This also includes confronting dilemmas they are untrained for, such as mental health crises.

The diverted police funds would be supporting institutions that could attack crime from the roots. This includes mental health services, low-income housing, centers to ease addiction, and schooling to promote success.

The implementation of these services in minority communities prevents overpolicing, which leads to a decrease in brutality. This also allows police to focus on more serious crimes that they are suited for.

With the Black Lives Matter movement still roaring in many cities, change is inevitable; however, the form that it comes in will be subject to much debate that will determine how successful the future of America will be.

Since the death of George Floyd on May 25, the United States has seen immense social unrest in the form of both violent and non-violent protests.

These protests have acted as a voice for the Black Lives Matter movement, which has made itself known among the American population. But, aside from spreading awareness for this cause, what else have these protests achieved?

This raises the question as to whether or not protests have any effect on various organizations or the way the government operates. In order to find a conclusion, we must look at different types of protests and what effect they can have on our society.

As we have seen in many major cities across the nation, citizens have taken to the streets in protest.

Some of these protests have turned violent, even resulting in the death of police officers and civilians, but the majority of them have remained peaceful.

Many smaller cities have taken more peaceful forms of protesting by holding marches, boycotting businesses, and starting social awareness campaigns.

We have seen many nonviolent protests in the past such as the acts of Mahatma Ghandi, who protested British oppression in India, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who led the Civil Rights movement here in the United States. Clearly these protests resulted in monumental change in their respective societies.

As for current peaceful protests in America, they have been successful in highlighting many flaws within our society, exposing systemic racism and police brutality -- without putting the lives of others at risk. It is because of these peaceful protests that these ongoing issues are being addressed in many states and cities across the nation.

It is clear that protests can affect society, politically and socially, because government officials are now complying with the demands of protestors and are looking to dismantle the current social issues.

Protests have been occurring for thousands of years, and depending on how they are handled, can make an impact on society.

Under the Constitution, we are within our rights to speak up when we see injustice in our community. It is important that we, as a country, stand up for what we believe in and create a better future for generations to come.

Under the Constitution, we are within our rights to speak up when we see injustice in our community.

Swing states to determine the election Logan Welter ‘21 It’s no secret that the presidential election this year is considered by many to be one of the most important in American history.

With such a momentous election on the horizon, it’s important to know the candidates and what they are going to need in order to win over the American people.

Since the president is not directly elected by popular vote, President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will need to secure the majority of electoral votes to win. The candidates will need to focus on some states over others in order to do so.

President Trump will likely have a secure hold in Texas and other southern states, while Biden will likely secure New York, California, and the rest of the west coast.

However, there are eight states that, over the past few elections, have flipped between voting Democratic and voting Republican: Arizona (11 electoral votes), Florida (29), Georgia (16), Michigan (16), Minnesota (10), North Carolina (15), Pennsylvania (20), and Wisconsin (10).

Whichever candidate wins the majority of these states will most likely win the election.

As a challenger, Joe Biden’s goals are simple.

He needs to convince the public that Trump’s presidency has done much more harm than good.

He will likely call to attention Trump’s Covid-19 response, which many people see as inadequate. He will also likely bring up how he will be more open to the demands of Black Lives Matter as a strategy for ending the riots and protests.

One of the main challenges that Biden will face is that many people do not believe that he is mentally healthy enough to be president.

At the same time, he will have to con-

vince moderate Americans that he will not bring a socialist government into effect, or that he isn’t a “trojan horse” for socialism.

While there are those in Biden’s base that support socialism, many moderate Americans still believe that the mixed economy of the United States is a more effective economic policy.

As the incumbent, President Trump has to focus on creating a positive image of his presidency.

Before March, Trump would have been able to deflect attention away from social issues and talk about his economic policy.

Trump’s economy created record growth in the first three years of his presidency; however, because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns nationwide, the economy stagnated and ultimately tanked.

If Trump wants to use the economy as his campaigning strategy, he will need to

convince the people that he will be able to bring back the economy stronger than ever.

Addressing social issues will be a lot more tricky. Prior to George Floyd’s death, many people had problems with the way that the police handled certain cases, especially those involving a black suspect. But they did not have the same kind of intense passion that they had after the death of Floyd.

Many moderates that want to see police reform may be wary of the way that a second Trump term will address the continuing protests.

Key swing states in the 2020 Presidential election

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Editorials

October 1, 2020

Logistical hurdles complicate potential vaccine distribution

Vaccine being developed at record speed Tommy Shea ‘21 Covid-19 vaccines are viewed as the future resolution to the current pandemic. President Trump has promised that every American will receive a vaccine by April, a daunting deadline. Assuming a reliable vaccine is developed, there are still other obstacles that arise in its distribution.

The transportation and storage of a vaccine is a dispiriting feat. One of the leading Phase 3 (limited testing) vaccines must be kept at -112 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping this temperature would either completely eliminate or severely limit the country’s ability to establish temporary kiosks, much like those used for Covid-19 testing. Therefore, the burden would fall to hospitals and local pharmacies that don’t have the means to store such a vaccine.

Assuming that all hospitals are able to attain the ability to store such a vaccine, transportation is still a major obstacle. The rapid development of a vaccine has been made possible by international cooperation, which means that a vaccine may need to be shipped from overseas. This long distance travel creates more room for error. Sustaining arctic temperatures through the air or by sea through varying climates requires global collaboration. Once the vaccines are on American soil, freezer trucks are

needed to bring the vaccines to hospitals. There is an incredible amount of work and delegation needed to be done before a vaccine of this nature could be available to the American public.

Ignoring the storage and transportation dilemma, the actual vaccination of individuals is another arduous task. Only 44% of Americans say they would receive a government-approved vaccine, which means that public health departments would be responsible for educating the people on the safety of the vaccine. Historically, vaccines for major diseases, such as measles and polio, need to be distributed to 50-94% of a population for vaccination herd immunity to be successful.

Educational posters, advertisements, and billboards are all strains on the already underwhelming public health budget. Furthermore, the distribution would require an increase in personal protective equipment (PPE), hyperbolic needles, and disinfecting wipes, which have become scarce. In the spring, we saw how hard PPE was to find as states had to order masks directly from foreign allies due to a shortage here in the U.S. The $150 billion distributed to state and local governments for Covid-19 relief under the Federal CARES Act only lasts through the calendar year. The distribution of a vaccine would be very strenuous on the public health departments’ budgets.

Boxing fights to regain popularity Aedan Branigan-Brown ‘21 As long as man has seen dawn and dusk on this Earth, he has clenched his fists. Everyone has at some time or another in their life. If you’re like me, at three years old you started by telling people, “I’m gonna bop you in the nose,” and then gave ‘em a good nosebleed. But whether you’ve put up your dukes for a duel of fisticuffs or just have some fun, you’re far from becoming a boxing champion of the world.

Floyd Patterson, two-time heavyweight champion of the world, the youngest man to ever claim the heavyweight title at the time, and the first man to regain the title, wrote a great book called Basic Boxing Skills. In it he says, “The sport of boxing is not something that can be mastered without study and hard work. You must learn the fundamentals and the more advanced refinements and spend a great deal of time in painstaking practice.” And many have.

From the first heavyweight champion of the world, John L. Sullivan, and the greats who followed him, boxing has enthralled and entertained the world for over 150 years.

With 17 weight classes and new fighters entering the ring everyday, it’s easy to see why.

There’s names everyone has heard of, even if they’ve never watched more than a three-round exhibition match. Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., just to name a few.

But boxing isn’t just a lost art and a dead sport. There’s fighters out there whose hearts flame with fury, just waiting to become the next great. If you don’t believe me, turn on the next title fight when you get a chance. The welterweight division now is full of warriors, and a great place to start if you want to get into boxing.

Some say that boxing has passed its prime.

But boxing has a rich history and impacts us in a way that’ll make you think otherwise.

Joe Louis was one of the greatest fighters of all time, and his legacy still lives on in Detroit. The old Kronk Gym is still more than just a memory, producing cham-

A proven and widely available vaccine is improbable in the coming months, so the current safeguards of masks, washing hands, and social distancing will likely have to do.

Posthumous albums: Where’s the line?

Andrew Ciarelli ‘22

A Shamrock (right) goes toe-to-toe during a 1950s bout. pions like Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns.

Boxing is part of Catholic Central, too. Fr. Gerard French was the coach for our team, which lasted from 1942 to 1961. Its inception is credited solely to him, developing it into one of the best programs in Michigan. In the boxing team’s time, it reared many Golden Gloves champions, leading it to national acclaim.

As for recent events in boxing, the title fight between Yordenis Ugas and Abel Ramos for a vacant version of the WBA welterweight belt on Sunday, September 6, peaked at 1.2 million viewers. This is the highest of any event since the pandemic.

Of course, boxing is just getting back into

Photo from Archives

the swing of things, no help to the shutdown and slacking promoters. In one of the most anticipated pay-per-view events in recent times, “Iron” Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. have agreed to an eight-round exhibition match.

The fight is scheduled for November 28, 2020.

Clearly, boxing isn’t dead yet. Maybe pick up a copy of Floyd Patterson’s Basic Boxing Skills. At the very least, put on an old fight and hype yourself up for Tyson’s return to terrorizing the ring. You can even settle for one of the Rocky movies.

But aye lad, for all you know, you’re the next world champ.

Premature death has unfortunately become a common part of the music industry, plaguing rap and rock artists for the latter half of the past century.

It’s not an easy decision in determining what to do with the songs and albums left unattended. Most labels turn to posthumous releases, where there’s no fine line between “memorial” and “cash grab.”

In the beginning of 2020, rapper Mac Miller’s first posthumous album, Circles, was released, getting a variety of positive reviews and averaging 83 on Metacritic, an album review website. The LP takes a strong creative stance to blend rap with R&B, acoustic with digital production, and happiness with sadness. Circles was in the works before Miller’s death, making it a good sequel to his 2018 album, Swimming.

In July, Interscope Records released the album Legends Never Die, a compilation of tracks from hip-hop artist Juice WRLD. The album sold nearly 500,000 units in the first week, making it the biggest posthumous debut since 2Pac’s R U Still Down in 1997. Juice WRLD also became the third artist ever to simultaneously hold five of the top ten spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

According to personal sources, he recorded nearly 2,000 unreleased songs prior to his death. If this statistic is accurate, there needs to be greater control of what gets published.

A moral question is raised: how far will a record label go to give fans new music? Historically, the answer is “too far.”

Jimi Hendrix, renowned guitarist of the ‘60s, has had thirteen albums released since his death in 1970. Aside from the first couple, none stand out to fans, and the most recent ones are made up largely of scrapped takes and remasters.

The same can be said for XXXTentacion, whose two posthumous albums were full of unfinished demos with features hastily thrown in to fill the gaps.

In an age where drugs and violence run rampant, we need to focus on preventing death among young artists while finding ethical strategies to deal with loss when it does happen.

It’s gradually becoming more difficult to find posthumous albums like Circles that stay true to their origins without sounding awkwardly out of place. Listeners will always love to hear new music, but when songs are inconsistent with the message and talent of their deceased creator, it’s best that they remain unreleased, out of respect.

A record hurricane season continues Nick Dewhirst ‘21 Hurricane season 2020 has been just as wild as the rest of this year’s events. For the second time in recorded history, the extreme number of tropical systems has caused the National Hurricane Center to move past the regular English alphabet and into the Greek alphabet for system names. The only other time this has happened was 2005, the year of Hurricane Katrina. Nine tropical systems, including four hurricanes (Hanna, Isaias, Laura, and Sally) with one major hurricane (Laura), have made landfall so far in the United States, tying the record for the most landfalls in a single hurricane season. With a large fraction of hurricane season left to go, the record could still be broken.

The most recent system, Tropical Storm Beta, made landfall only a week and a half ago, flooding portions of the Houston Metropolitan area. Beta produced one of Houston’s top ten most significant rainfall events in recorded history: Nearly 13 inches of rain was measured over the course of three days, more than half of which fell within a 12-hour period.

Most impactful to the United States was Hurricane Laura, which made landfall in southwestern Louisiana early in the morning on August 27 as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 MPH. The National Hurricane Center warned coastal locals of “catastrophic” and “unsurvivable” storm surge, and, unfortunately, the wording verified. Post-storm analysis confirms storm surge peaked at over 17 feet near Cameron, LA, the epicenter of the storm’s destruction. Seventy-seven deaths have been directly attributed to the storm, and stripped trees and leveled homes now mark the landscape. It will take many years for complete recovery to occur.

Three weeks later, Hurricane Sally made landfall southeast of Mobile, AL, on September 16 as a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 105 MPH. The damage was not quite as intense as Laura’s, but the track of the storm caught many off guard.

Just a couple days prior, a landfall near New Orleans was anticipated by the National Hurricane Center, but an increase in southwesterly winds aloft earlier than forecasted caused the storm’s track to turn from northwest to northeast off the southeastern Louisiana coast. Locals in Mobile and Pensacola, FL, were not expecting the core of the storm, so many were unprepared as the storm’s winds snapped their trees and blew off their roofs.

Rainfall was also a significant issue, more so than Tropical Storm Beta in Texas. Areas near Pensacola were inundated with over two feet of rainfall within a 30-hour period, and radar estimates show accumulations over three feet may have occurred locally.

What can experts attribute to this record season? To their credit, a well-above-average season was forecasted, but most did not anticipate it to be quite this active. Record warm sea-surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea allowed for rapid intensification of the storms as they trekked westward. A barrage of thunderstorm complexes from western Africa created a constant supply of areas of interest for tropical development.

And very weak to no wind shear, or the change of wind speed and direction with height in the atmosphere, allowed the majority of areas of interest to quickly develop into named tropical systems.

Sea-surface temperatures will remain above average through the rest of the fall, so additional tropical development is inevitable through November 30, the official end of hurricane season; however, a quiet stretch through at least early October is likely, as robust thunderstorm activity over western and central Africa has ceased for the time being.

Hurricane Laura at peak intensity

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New Teachers

October 1, 2020

’Rocks are 2-0 entering Boys’ Bowl

New CC faculty, unmasked

Diego Cabello ‘22

Max Chensse ‘22

Ms. Julia Ribits

Ms. Alana Bahoura

Art

Math

Where have you previously taught? I previously taught K-12, and I also taught at Ladywood High School.

Where have you previously taught? Before CC, I taught fifth grade for five years at Our Lady of Sorrows.

Where have you previously taught? For the past two years, I taught at St. Frances Cabrini.

What is your favorite aspect of teaching? I get to make art all day.

What is your favorite aspect of teaching? The impact you can have on students and the connections you make with them.

What is your favorite aspect of teaching? Sharing my love for math with others.

So far, what is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about CC? I can’t believe how nice and welcoming everyone has been.

So far, what is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about CC? It’s an awesome, tight-knit community.

So far, what is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about CC? The rotating schedule at CC was very surprising to me. I think I have it down but then I forget it again.

Favorite music: Country, Christian, and sometimes EDM

Covid-19 has presented immense challenges in our lives, but the Catholic Central football team has adapted to these hardships while staying resilient. Since March 2020, uncertainty has surrounded the football season. The MHSAA announced August 15 that high school football would be pushed back to spring 2021, then reversed its decision at the end of the month. This decision came as a surprise, but the Catholic Central football team was prepared.

The team continued to practice and do all they could together while Covid-19 restricted them. When in-person, they stayed safe by wearing masks and sanitizing. When they hit the weight room, they went in shifts, washed their hands, and cleaned the weights after they used them.

Now, on the field, they wear masks and face visors and clean the football. On the sidelines, the team makes sure they are social distancing by using spaced-out markers. Junior quarterback Declan Byle says, “We look at the protocols we have to follow as a test of our discipline and as a challenge to be overcome.”

During the pandemic, the team continued to build chemistry and connections. The captains, seniors Sam Dersa, Michael Ramirez, Danny Turek, and Danny Scott, and junior Sean Field, showed great leadership, and at the end of last school year, Field created a website to keep the team engaged.

“Having to stay apart for a long time was a challenge to be overcome by the team,” he remembered. The coaches and captains held various Zoom meetings, and introduced inspirational speakers to create a more intimate environment within the team. Junior Ben Flake commented, “We haven’t let the coronavirus change how well we play as a team. We are becoming a mentally tough and formidable team based on the challenges that have come to us in the last six months.”

The team is under the guidance of Coach Dan Anderson, heading into his fourth season as head coach. Coach Anderson is coming off of a second place finish in the Catholic League and hopes to come back even stronger this year. At the Fall Sports Assembly, he remarked, “In the 29 years of my football coaching career, 2020 has been the craziest year, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride.”

This season, there are only six games. Every team makes the play-

Ms. Kendall Carter

Theology

Favorite album: Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life

Favorite album at the moment: Neck Deep, Rain in July

Mrs. Colleen Poullelaouen

Ms. Rebecca Joseph

Theology

English

So far, what is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about CC? Everyone has been so welcoming and kind.

Favorite thing about CC: A pleasant surprise is how generous, welcoming, and helpful the staff has been as I adjust to my “roving” lifestyle (teaching from a cart). The students, too, have been so polite and friendly, that it is a joy to come here each day! I truly love being at Catholic Central!

Go-to music: Anything by Billy Joel or Frank Sinatra.

offs, and how teams do in the regular season affects their seeding.

Since there are only six games, there is more gravity for each game.

In their first game of the season, the Shamrocks defeated Harper Woods High School by a score 21-12. Byle threw for two touchdowns, one to Dersa, and the other to Junior Connor Cohan. Sophomore Spencer Lyons also ran for a two-yard touchdown. This victory has helped to lighten spirits for the rest of the season and encourage them to keep their heads up.

Last Saturday, the Shamrocks defeated Brother Rice by a score

of 17-12. Fueled by a two-touchdown game for Byle, a 38-yard field goal by senior kicker Charlie Mentzer, and big third down stops by the defense, the Shamrocks came out on top of their rivals.

This Saturday, they will compete against Warren De La Salle in a rare evening Boys’ Bowl game. The game begins at 7:00 pm and will feature two of the Catholic League’s best.

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1

What is your favorite aspect of teaching? I especially love seeing students grow over the year, and I appreciate their unique personalities, their sense of humor, and their creativity.

What is your favorite aspect of teaching? Listening to the kids. They have such interesting ideas and conversations.

Photo by Mr. Confer

Senior Captain Sam Dersa stiff arms the defender in last season’s win over Detroit King.

Boys’ Bowl weekend schedule

Teaching experience: I have taught 30 years of English and Reading, and Theology for ten years.

Where have you previously taught? I have taught for 19 years at Walled Lake Western, in Connecticut, in New York, and even in Romania.

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Boys’ Bowl

October 1, 2020

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October

October

October

October

October

Shamrock Shuffle 1:45

Shamrock Shuffle 1:45 Shamstock 6:00

Pre-game BBQ 5:00 Boys’ Bowl Game 7:00

Senior Date Night 7:00 Movie 8:00

Boys’ Bowl Holiday No School

Boys’ Bowl 2020 Starting Line-Up

Defense

40

30

20

10

Shamrocks

50

Declan Byle QB

Boston Meisner Guard

50

Danny Turek Center

40

Moe Jaffer Running Back

2

72

75

30

22

Mike Ramirez Tight End

Sean Field Defensive End

20

Sam Dersa Wide Receiver

84

Tommy Grace Tackle

24

5

Sam Dersa Cornerback

23

Jackson Ewald OLB Bruno Guberinich Tackle

37

22

Moe Jaffer Safety

Braden Courser MLB Mike Beydoun Gavin Willard Tackle Safety Gavin Nafso Baechler Houser Guard OLB Connor Dewan Kam Davenport Connor Cohan Bruno Guberinich Defensive End Wide Receiver Tight End kam Davenport Tackle 4 0 10 10 3 0 50 20 40 30 20 Cornerback

17

82

53

75

54

85

18

42

17

Shamrocks

5

67

10

Offense

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The Campus

October 1, 2020

Cross Country team hits the ground running Patrick Michel ‘23 In early March, the Catholic Central Cross Country team was surrounded by uncertainty.

Questions arose about summer training, the annual camp at Pinery, and even the season.

The team fought through these hardships through weekly Zoom calls and logging runs on Strava, a running app.

When the announcement came that the team was clear to start training in June, they hit the ground running as practice began at Cass Benton park the following Monday.

This training lasted throughout the entire summer as the runners would wake up every day for practice at 7:59 to run anywhere from 3-9 miles.

“It was difficult for most to come together and practice,” senior captain Nick Dewhirst explained, “but we were out getting our miles in early in the morning all summer long. ‘Champions are made in the summer,’ as Coach Magni says. We’ve established our base, and now we’re refining small details as we near our most

Race at the Lansing Catholic Invitational. They then went on to win their dual meets against U of D Jesuit, Warren De La Salle, Livonia Franklin, and Flint Powers. They have only suffered one heartbreaking loss to Brother Rice by a mere three points.

The team is led by seniors Dan Carstens, Nicholas Cotton, Dewhirst, Christav Illikman, Nordstrom, Michael Rhadigan, and Andrew Susitko, juniors Brett Leidal and Josh Aleva, Photo submitted Dewhirst and Buckley pushing the pace and sophomores Matt important events this season.” through it and are working tirelessly Atkinson, Miles Buckley, Unfortunately, the annual cross everyday to reach peak form by Jack Kelly, and Josh Lassaline. country camp at Pinery Provincial the Regional and State meets.”

Coming up, the team has Park in Canada was unable to Thankfully, the Cross Country their final dual meet against be held, as the Canadian border season was able to happen, yet will St. Mary’s, followed by the was closed. This is the first time look completely different than a Oakland County Championship, that camp has not happened in normal year. Masks are to be worn Catholic Leagues, and Regionals. nearly 50 years. Senior captain at practice, and a limit of 70 people With a strong varsity team Brendan Nordstrom said, “With the per race was instated. Some of the and a lot of potential to improve Pinery camp being such a staple larger invitational races, such as as the season progresses, the of the Cross Country season, it Averill and Holly, were cancelled. team hopes to have a successful was difficult for the team to find They had a strong kickoff, race at the state competition. motivation. However, we fought finishing second in the St. Sebastian

The Varsity Lineup Senior Dan Carstens Senior Nick Cotton Senior Nick Dewhirst Junior Josh Aleva Junior Brett Leidal Sophomore Matthew Atkinson Sophomore Miles Buckley Sophomore Jack Kelly Sophomore Josh Lassaline

Shamrocks off to undefeated start Will Carstens ‘23 These last few months have been difficult for the Varsity Soccer team. Covid-19 has created new, unprecedented challenges for them.

No team before this one has had to figure out how to practice while social distancing, and no team before this one has had to deal with no preseason or such a limited schedule.

But the team has adapted quickly to

these challenges and come out far better.

“With a shortened season . . . every match we play is important,” said senior captain Andrew Memmer. “Although a few of our games so far have not gone fully to plan, we continue to find our identity as a team with each new result.”

The team, led by senior captains Chad Ewing, Jack Leuker, Memmer, and Clay Moscovic, and junior captain Vincent Stockton, is undefeated with a 4-0-2 record, including big wins against Catholic League rivals Brother Rice, U of D Jesuit, and De La Salle.

After every victory, team unity grows. The team is working incredibly hard to play well and keep everybody safe by enforcing social distancing and wearing masks.

Clay Moscovic

Will Nofar

of Sports Complex, located about ten minutes away from the teams’ hotels. Three different arenas were used; however, only one is set to be used for the conference finals and the finals.

Another obstacle the NBA had to overcome was the food served to the players. For the first few days, prepackaged meals were given to the players, which led to anger regarding the food choice.

Players even began trying to leave the bubble to acquire food.

Kings’ player Richaun Holmes was forced to self-isolate after he walked outside the bubble The practice facilities are located in hotel ballrooms. to pick up a food delivery. exposing himself to the virus. In addition to that, Thankfully enough, the league was able to Thunder guard and 6th Man of the Year Award finalfix the problem as they began to provide high- ist Denis Schroder left the bubble so he could be at er quality food. Chefs from around the coun- his wife’s side as she gave birth, and young Pelicans try, including Detroit native Shawn Loving, star Zion Williamson at one point left the bubble for made their way to Orlando to feed the players. an “urgent family matter.” The NBA decided that One more dilemma the NBA faced was what the returning players would be forced to self-isolate exactly they should do to players who left the bub- for two days before they could return to playing. ble. Within a week of the bubble beginning, ClipThe most important aspect of the bubble pers guard Lou Williams left the bubble and went has been its ability to stop the spread of Coto Atlanta, where he was seen at a club, potentially vid-19. As of late September, the bubble has

#1 Lakers - 4

#1 Bucks - 1 #1 Lakers - 4

Probably eat cereal or something. I’m usually hungry.

I would be pretty sad, but a new app would come out like it.

#5 Heat - 4

#4 Rockets - 1

#5 Heat - 4

Lakers

#6 Jazz - 3 #2 Clippers - 4

Who is your ideal Spikeball partner?

Sommer Ray because she’s Mary Alma Mater, Hail Mary, super nice and supportive. and Our Father. What can I With her astounding personsay, I am a man of God. ality, she is the definition of a perfect teammate.

Sicko Mode

Heat

#3 Nuggets - 4 #3 Nuggets - 1

Mr. G

Mr. Griffin, wielding the Grammar Hammer, of course.

Mr. Dent because he’d paint you into a corner and you wouldn’t be able to get up.

I’d pray for all the “influencers” who need to get real jobs.

I’d sing sixty seconds of “Tea For One” by Led Zepplin (if you don’t recognize it, go look it up).

#3 Celtics - 4 #3 Celtics - 2

#2 Clippers - 3

#2 Raptors - 3

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know

Mr. Babicz certainly!

Who’d want to cross him?

#2 Raptors - 4

Messi: The latest billion-dollar athlete This past June, history was made in the sport of soccer. Thirty-five-year-old soccer superstar, Christiano Ronaldo, became the first billion-dollar athlete in the sport.

Ronaldo has gained much attention and appreciation over the years by both fans and well-known athletic brands alike. He raked in over a billion dollars in untaxed earnings, according to Forbes magazine, and placed fourth on The Celebrity 100, only passed by Kylie Jenner, Kanye West, and Roger Federer.

Lionel Messi, rival of Ronaldo, will now take the baton.

Messi brought in a total of 104 million dollars in untaxed career earnings, placing him fifth on The Celebrity 100, through deals with Adidas, Pepsi, Mastercard, and other companies in ad-

dition to his 80+ million dollar annual contract with Barcelona.

Messi now joins Ronaldo, Floyd Mayweather, and Tiger Woods in the billion-dollar athlete club.

What does this mean for the sport of soccer?

The answer is unknown. Unlike other professional sports, soccer teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona bid for players. This means these teams can offer as much as they would like for players.

With that in mind, this may lead to a dramatic increase in competition for obtaining players amongst global soccer teams.

In addition, players may start to demand higher salaries. The sport will finally make its debut after a long-anticipated return.

Lionel Messi still shines in maroon and blue, despite possible news of the star’s departure from FC Barcelona. Messi confirmed that departure was on his mind at one point but decided against it.

Spectrum

Spectrum Staff

Dixie D’Amelio, for no important reason

Our God is an Awesome God The Flash. Self-explanatory

#6 76ers - 0

#7 Nets - 0

Written and published by the students of Catholic Central since 1936.

Congratulations to

27225 Wixom Road Novi, Michigan 48374 Room 101

Sam Gomez

“Teach me goodness, discipline, and knowledge.”

Andrew Ciarelli

#4 Pacers - 0

#5 Heat - 4

#7 Mavericks - 2

What is a song that you can sing word for word?

#8 Magic - 1

#3 Celtics - 4

Nick D’Abate ‘21

Mr. Michalik would survive through prayer and wisdom alone. That man is unstoppable.

#1 Bucks - 4

#3 Nuggets - 4

Moscovic moving the ball down the sideline

What will you do if Tik Tok is banned?

still not seen a single positive test for the virus thanks in part to daily testing and strict regulation of people coming in and out of the bubble.

The bubble is now entering into its final few weeks of hosting games. Although it started off a bit rocky and isn’t completely perfect, it has proven to be effective in preventing the spread of Covid-19 and has given the players and fans alike the ability to cherish the game they love.

The Road to the Trophy

#5 Thunder - 3

9/29 - Brother Rice 10/1 - DLS 10/7 - CHSL Championship 10/8 - Clarkston 10/14 - Playoffs begin

Which teacher would win in a Battle Royale match and why?

Mr. Griffin because he’s an absolute beast, even though I’d beat him one-on-one.

Back in March, the NBA found themselves at the center of worldwide discussion regarding Covid-19. Following Rudy Gobert’s positive test back on March 11 the NBA suspended its season indefinitely, making them the first major American sports league to do so. However, the NBA now appears to be the poster child for safely returning to play in the age of Covid-19.

The NBA made the now-famous decision to resume its season inside of a bubble. The idea behind the bubble was that players, coaching staff, and commentators/reporters would be allowed to enter into an The bubble campus enclosed area where the pandemic would be contained. Everyone would enter into the bubble and have to self-isolate for 48 hours. After the 48 hours, all inhabitants of the bubble were immediately tested for Covid-19.

After all results came back negative, the NBA was ready to roll, and life in the bubble officially began. Once inside the bubble, players, coaches, and team staff were required to remain there in order to prevent the spread of the virus to the players.

The bubble is located on the campus of Walt Disney World in Orlando, where three hotels are split between the 22 teams who were invited. The games have been played at ESPN’s Wide World

#4 Rockets - 4

The Pop Culture Grid Who Are They?

Drew Laroo ‘22

#8 Blazers - 1

Upcoming Games

Photos by Mr. Confer

Memmer fights off a Pilot.

NBA institutes bubble to finish season

#1 Lakers - 4

“I truly feel that this team has done as good of a job as possible to keep our players safe while still putting in the proper work to get ready for this season,” Memmer added.

The soccer team plays Brother Rice at The Elm on September 29 and looks to continue its undefeated record.

7

Sports

October 1, 2020

Moderator Mr. Ianni

Dominic Aiello Aedan Branigan-Brown Diego Cabello Will Carstens Max Chensse

Editors-in-Chief Nick Dewhirst Brendan Nordstrom George Nunu

Staff Writers Andrew Ciarelli Nick D’Abate Gordon Jones Drew Laroo James Lindenberg Patrick Michel

Artist

Andrew Memmer

on being CC’s only

Photographer

National Merit

Sam Gomez

Cole Nogawa Tommy Shea Jack Smith Logan Welter Phobia

Semi-Finalist.

Shoutout

8

The Back Page

October 1, 2020

CC junior completes Eagle Scout project on campus

Phobia: “They tried to kill me”

Dominic Aiello ‘23 For most teenagers, a weekend consists of video games.

For junior John Smith, however, it consists of completing projects to become an Eagle Scout. Smith’s interest in scouting developed because of his friends’ older siblings; they joined cub scouts in first grade and remain close friends to this day.

To earn the status of an Eagle Scout, Smith has to complete Merit Badges and a specific project. The Merit badges are awarded for proficiency in areas such as first aid, survival, and citizenship skills.

Smith only has one badge left in order to obtain Eagle Scout status.

In addition to earning the badges, Smith built a flagpole for the CC Veteran’s Memorial as his Eagle Scout project.

“Most people look at a flagpole and think it’s pretty easy to put up,” Smith said, “but there’s all these nuances that you have to think about first, and for some, it’s impossible to factor them in.”

The project taught him more than he expected, and it required a lot of patience and improvisation.

When Eagle Scouts receive their rank, it’s added to their college transcripts. It is also one of the only high

Phobia ‘29

Smith leads his fellow scouts as they hoist the flag. school achievements that shows up on resumes regardless of age.

“The Eagle rank is a huge boost for college applications and resumes, and it also provides you with leadership experience. In fact, some colleges offer Eagle Scout exclusive scholarships,” Smith explained.

Scouting isn’t just learning survival skills and developing craftsmanship. You also develop strengths that you need in everyday life, such as patience, dedication, and overcoming obstacles.

One example of this came when Smith was working on his project.

Photo submitted

“When I first put the pole in, the sprinklers around the base turned it orange. I had no idea that was gonna happen. I ended up calling the manufacturers and brainstorming with them, and eventually the orange stain came out. But there was no way to plan for that,” Smith remembered.

On your average weekend, you can find John Smith helping out the community or going on a camping trip. Scouting is not for the faint of heart; rather, it is for those who are determined to solve issues and eventually overcome them.

Spectrum

Clorox 360 Electrostatic Sprayers.

Infrared scanners at the doors. Operatingroom-grade HVAC system. These all sound like great ways to protect your feeble, mortal bodies from the coronavirus, right?

Wrong. No they don’t. You all are idiots.

These “preventative measures” are the Basilians’ puny attempts to rid these decrepit hallways of me. But alas, I, Phobia, live on to tell the tales of your pathetic, useless lives.

Happenings have been admittedly different than what I’m used to in my 91 years roaming CC. Room 13 has mysteriously disappeared off the face of the earth, leaving a blank wall in its place.

Rumor has it you can still hear Mr. Magni’s angry screaming at Will Nofar.

Freshmen roam the hallways in confidence, which is silly considering they haven’t undergone the true right of passage for a man of Catholic Central: the icebreaker dance. There is no chance they will survive among the upperclassmen, who’ve already been forged in the sea of sweat, tears, and punctured water bottles. I expect this confidence to be short-lived, however, as someone will probably remember to tell them about exam season soon enough.

On a much more tragic note, with all these new teachers getting their own classrooms, there has been a sharp decline in my favorite sight during passing time: cart accidents. No amount of kids failing miserably at the morning temperature checks will ever replace the rush I get when Mr. Casey

What the teacher sees . . .

‘Toons y: er b m t Ar em M w re

‘21

d n A

Excuses in 2020

The CC snooze Day 1 of online learning

Gotta be ready by 8:00!

“Sorry Mr. G, dog chewed up my wifi router.”

5

6:5

Day 2 of online learning

0

8:3

I’ll just use the ol’ WiFi excuse . . .

would plow into a sophomore with reckless abandon. At least Mr. Geraghty will have somewhere to hang his Billie Eilish posters.

Some things haven’t changed though.

Seniors still try to get out of paying for parking passes, with a band of stadium lot kids setting up a lemonade stand out in Northville. It all worked out in the end though, when Luke Butler stopped by and dropped $30,000 on a Dixie cup filled to the brim with over-sweetened filth.

Chris Pro is still cranking out millions of views on Youtube with Fall Guys and Warzone content, Boston Meisner is still a communist, and DJ John Brady is still set to headline Coachella come next summer. Dewhirst, the Daily Dew, is still combing his hair, preparing for his first weather broadcast, and Alex Perez is still arguing with Ms. O’Connell about the 89.49% percent he got sophomore year.

I hate to admit it—I absolutely loathe it—but even I missed you disgusting children in my hallways; more so than I do over a normal summer, which I usually spend tormenting the kids doing hard labor for the maintenance department. I have been able to occupy myself with the unused e-Sports gaming setups that are collecting dust in the library.

Perhaps I really do care about some of you, or maybe I just like forcing you to listen to my rambling. Either way, it’s good to be back, driving into your heads the only thing you putrid souls need to know: I AM PHOBIA.