November 2022

On March 10, 1949, the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949 (P.L. 30, No. 14) was implemented for the alterations, revisions, amendments and consolidation of laws regarding public school systems. Over the summer, the Pennsylvania legislature met again to discuss an amendment to the act, which is the Education Code Bill H.B. 1642. The Education Code Bill promotes a disability-inclusive education in schools across the Commonwealth.

The House Special Education Subcommittee held a hearing, during which many people discussed how they felt excluded from the school curriculum due to the lack of representation for the disabled. Republican House Special Education Subcommittee Chairman, Jason Ortitay and State Representative Joseph C. Hohenstein, who were both present, recalled that the testifiers made a solid point; “the concept of seeing one’s self represented in a role model fights the effects of exclusion and installs essential pride into learning minds.” Taking the argument into mind, Ortitay and Hohenstein

worked together to devise a proposal for the Pennsylvania legislature.

After the hearing, Hohenstein and Ortitay presented new legislation that encourages Pennsylvania schools to implement a curriculum that includes individuals with disabilities. The new legislation creates a three-year pilot program to instruct students on the political, social and economic contributions of disabled people in history. Additionally, the bill intends for schools to make accessibility changes for the better of their students. For instance, alterations to graduation requirements and staff training on educating students with special needs.

“My hope is that with disability inclusive curriculum, we can come closer to celebrating disability and diversity with pride,” Hohenstein said in an article published by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, “and we can bring about inclusion in our society, as well as a sense of internal pride and celebration in our differences. It is a shared truth that exclusion and failure to talk about diversity breeds stigma, shame, ignorance and misunderstanding. Every child deserves to be seen.”

Advancing with Hohenstein and the legislature, Pennsylvania

schools began to implement more disability-inclusive lectures starting in the 2022 - 2023 school year. Many history courses in public schools have begun revising lesson plans to accommodate their disabled students. Freedom social studies teachers acknowledge the impact this could have on their students.

“It creates an environment where you are all one. There is nobody isolated because of things they do not necessarily have control over,” Mr. Cole Eged, social studies teacher, says in regard to the new bill.

In addition, Eged adds,

“Here at Freedom, I believe we

On Nov. 8, Pennsylvania, along with the rest of the country, held its midterm elections. In Pennsylvania, citizens were able to vote for the positions of the United States senate, senator, seats in the House of Representatives and representatives of their respective districts. With the result of the state, even though the state came out mostly Republican, the votes turned toward the Democratic Party for most of the election. The two biggest wins for the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania were John Fetterman being elected as the representative of the senate, and Josh Shapiro being elected as Pennsylvania governor. Both terms will be held for the next four years, starting in Jan. of 2023.

Closer to home, democrat Christopher Deluzio won the position of the representative of the 17th district of Pennsylvania. This position was held previously by Connor Lamb, who left it to go against John Fetterman in the Senate race, but he lost in the primaries. Now that Deluzio has taken over his seat, Lamb

is no longer holding any political office seat, at least for the next four years. While in the running for the representative of the 14th district, Republican Jim Marshall had kept his seat from newcomer democrat Bruce Carper Jr. Marshall has kept this representative seat for over 16 years, showing that he has been liked among citizens for many terms.

This year, voting for the midterm election was huge in Pennsylvania. The midterms that were held in 2018 were thought to be huge, but this midterm passed that one majorly, going up by almost a 4% voter rate.

Between the Conway and Freedom Boroughs and New Sewickley Township, over 3,800 went out to vote for these midterms. This is predicted to be because many major issues were talked about for this election such as abortion rights, gas prices, inflation and LGBTQ+ rights. Which makes it no surprise that Fetterman and Shapiro had won, because they fight for all of these issues. A lot of younger voters were out at the polls this year too, most of them being first time voters.

“It [voting] was really cool because I saw my parents do it throughout my childhood and now I was finally able to do it,” senior Leyasa Young said.

Even though every election means something to everyone, midterm elections are always important to communities. They affect everyone's smaller districts and states, which means issues are more focused what matters to them, not just the common thread. Issues that happen everyday around the country happen in Beaver County too, so voters wanted to make sure that their voices were heard, and they showed that at the polls this year.

PITTSBURGH TEAM COMPETES

Many politicians from around the state were running for different elected offices for Pennsylvania government.

Janine Robinson/Unsplash

Students with disabilities are included in Pennsylvania curriculum for the 20222023 school year.

Bus schedule issues cause delays

Students struggle to plan around transportation inconvenience

CHRISTOPHER DENKOVICH Managing Editor

The schedules of most high school students are crammed and packed with school, extracurriculars, sports and even after-school jobs. This leaves almost no room for random surprises and delays. For example, when a student has to have an important project turned in by the start of school, they may need to turn it in late due to their bus showing up either late or not at all. The most crucial part of compulsory education is getting students into the building. Students who don't have a ride to and from school rely on transportation provided by the school. They have to put their trust and faith into the fact that the buses will abide by their set schedule to ensure they can get where they need to go when they need to be there.

“There are tons of issues with being late to school,” sophomore Johnathan Hein said. “It’s hard to deal with the embarrassment when you go to class late and everyone else is already there. You also have to shift your mind off of the late bus and try to get refocused on the school day at hand.”

The district first started to

notice issues with transportation after construction in New Sewickley Township last year. The issue this year, however, is much more frequent and not something that has a definite end date like construction. This year, Director of Transportation Ms. Erin Bluedorn says the issues are due to an insufficient supply of bus drivers.

“I think that this year has probably been a little more difficult than last year. Some students have been picked up late and others have not been picked up at all,” Bluedorn said.

Aside from a lack of bus drivers, issues can also occur with individual routes.

“Sometimes a driver has to call off and the substitute is unfamiliar with the route. There can also be confusion with unclear house numbers that lead to students getting dropped off at not exactly the right place,” Bluedorn said. “I try to talk to them every day. They are currently in the process of trying to hire and train new bus drivers.”

With the district almost powerless as far as being able to solve the lack of bus drivers, one thing they can do is look at different bussing contractors.

“We have looked into alternative transportation. We have approved some drivers from Fry Transportation.

They are not driving district buses but some of our vans for special education students,” Bluedorn said. “While it's not much, it's something we have done to help free up a couple of drivers.”

With a national bus driver

CURRICULUM, FROM PAGE 1

do a great job in itself, already doing a lot to include individuals with disabilities. Whether it be intellectual, physical, social or emotional, myself - and the rest of us in the district - definitely implement various ways to include everybody.”

The Pennsylvania legislature

shortage striking the nation, all the district can do is have patience and try their best to hold out and hope for the issue to resolve as quickly as it can.

continues to work on behalf of all, including those with various physical or intellectual disabilities. Following the legislature are schools like Freedom, which continue to implement inclusive education systems for the better of the students.

NEWS IN BRIEF

MADISON SANDERS News Editor & BRIGETTE RICHARD Asst. News Editor

HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS FIRST

T.H.I.N.K. AWARD

Ms. Maria Porter was selected as the first teacher to be recognized for the T.H.I.N.K. award. The award stands for five different qualities, showing that the teacher is tenacious, helpful, inspirational, notable, and knowledge- able. Porter won because she had gotten the majority of the votes throughout high school. Juniors Skylar Scobbo and Chase Grable presented the award to Porter at the school board meeting on Nov. 3.

NOVEMBER STUDENTS OF THE MONTH AWARDED

High School awards Student of the Month for Nov. 2022. The theme for this month was "Creativity". The students were freshman Helena Buli and Dominic Severin, sophmores Hailey Stinar and Sawyer Wahlenmayer, juniors Pogue Regan and Aiden Pournaras and seniors Leannah Messenger and Trayce McFarland.

ROSA ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Effective June 30, 2023, Mr. John Rosa would retire from Freedom Area School District. Rosa is the high school cyber coordinator and the district's athletic director. Rosa also helps out with varsity football coaching, he is the junior class sponsor, high school student government sponsor, high school YEA sponsor, and high school varsity club sponsor.

STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN PMEA COUNTY CHORUS

Five members of the high school chorus traveled to Blackhawk High School to represent Freedom at the County Chorus. Rylee Baucan, Steffan Paganie, Libby Smith, Janna Kline, Jazmin Winterhalter, and Kyler Brown spent the day learning 5 different songs with a group of students from choirs throughout the county, before performing them for the public the evening of Nov. 10.

Buses line up outside of the middle school waiting for students to be released. Driver substitutions can cause students to ride a different bus than they normally ride.

Christopher Denkovich/FHS Press

Powering Pittsburgh Students pitch renewable energy solutions in competition

CHASE GRABLE Asst. Sports Editor

Pittsburgh is a city with many different professional sports teams, renowned universities and a place that is known for its previous history with steel and other mechanical inventions during the industrial revolution. What is more to be had? Some may argue that the answer to this vague question is energy conservation and efficiency. Students Logan Bickerstaff, Logan Larrick, Jason Mengel, and Christopher Denkovich rose to the challenge to answer this question in the Powering Pittsburgh competitions.

Powering Pittsburgh is a competition that incorporates all fields within STEM that allows students to create innovative ideas and put them to the test. These competitions ask students from all over Western Pennsylvania to find a cutting-edge plan to power the homes, businesses and buildings of Pittsburgh all while being energy efficient. Students are given a month to formulate their ideas and model them before they present them in front of a panel of judges. If the students triumph in the preliminary round, they will then earn the opportunity to compete again at Acrisure Stadium in

Pittsburgh.

During these competitions, the judges will grade the students on a multitude of different categories that will determine the overall grade for the teams involved. The teams will be graded by each judge on their category, environmental sustainability, their models, economic profitability, feasibility and their readiness to

present their project. Each one of these individual categories will be graded out of five points, and this process will be completed by each of the four judges separately to determine the overall grade of the project per team.

On Oct. 27, these students traveled to the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit to present their model to the first set of judges, going under the team

name of “The Pittsburgh Wheelers”. Their plan revolved around the use of hydroelectric power while utilizing a water wheel. The Wheelers succeeded, with a nearly perfect score of 118/120. With this, they received a perfect score of 30/30 from three of the four judges.

“It felt really good to win the first round. It is especially nice because when we did this project in middle school we did not make it past the first round. It was a good feeling of redemption. As for the project itself I really had a lot of fun working with all of my friends on a project we worked very hard to complete,” Bickerstaff said.

The students were then invited to compete at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 9 in the finals.

At the finals, the Wheelers had to face off against eight other teams from various regions in Pennsylvania. Sadly, the Wheelers did not end up on the podium for the final event, but they were championed by the judges and other event faculty as being “the future of Pittsburgh” and “innovative”. “It felt good to think that we had a chance to win money for our school’s science department and get the opportunity to visit Acrisure Stadium,” Larrick said.

Getting involved in the classroom

Classes incoporate more hands-on learning for students

PAIGE YOUNG Editorial Editor

Getting hands involved in class activities is becoming more and more popular among class curriculums. Learning is no longer always sitting in a classroom listening to lectures, taking notes and reading textbooks. Whether a student is working in a shop, a lab, making t-shirts or even using a 3D printer, students learn plenty of life skills and ways to work with new technologies.

This year, a new class was offered to students called “Make and Break”. This class gets students involved in the engineering field. Students complete activities where they work with 3D printers and make concrete warriors that they would break with bowling balls. They also test how much weight their projects can hold, things like bridges made from paper. The class is taught by Mr. Jesse Gagich.

Students can also get hands-on work and experience in Mr. David Badmos’s classes as well. Robotics is a popular class where students learn how to build robots, and prepare for the BotsIQ competition They participate in working with welding techniques, machinery and wiring.

This class also offers students the opportunity to discover careers in technology and engineering fields. Badamo teaches woodworking classes and a home maintenance class, too. Woodworking classes allow students to get familiar with woodworking equipment and safety procedures. Students learn detailed calculations and drawings in the advanced classes. Home Maintenance offers a class that can be referenced in students' future lives. The class offers repair and maintenance of materials and functions of residential structures. Students learn about tools and get their hands on basic repair projects that can be completed at home.

“It’s cool being able to learn about technology and being able to use it in real world situations,” senior David Denkovich said.

Science classes also provide hands-on learning for students. When taking a science course, there’s a good chance one will have to complete many labs throughout the year. There are many Science curriculums to choose from throughout four years of high school. Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Anatomy classes are all classes where students will constantly be working in labs. They will learn things like trial and error methods, ways

certain chemicals will react with each other when mixed or even examine different hair follicles or skin cells under microscopes. Science courses are taught by teachers Dr. Wargo, Ms. Homa, Ms. Circle and Ms. Evans.

The Beaver County Career and Technology Center (CTC) offers many programs to juniors and seniors for jobs and life after high school. The program consists of many hands-on learning

activities. CTC offers programs like cosmetology, carpentry, electrical work, culinary arts and more. Students will learn real life work situations to further better them once they graduate.

Getting students involved in the classroom helps keep them on their toes and can helps them have a better understanding of ongoing units and lessons being taught.

Sophomore Christopher Denkovich, juniors Logan Larrick and Logan Bickerstaff and sophomore Jason Mengel present their renewable energy proposal at the Powering Pittsburgh competition at Acrisure Stadium on Nov. 9.

Chase Grable/FHS Press

Students in Ms. Evans’ Honors Chemistry class work on a lab, experiencing chemical and physical changes.

Chase Grable/FHS Press

Pullen hired as new School Resource Officer

LAINEY TUSZYNSKI PR/Marketing Director

For nine years as a resource officer, Officer Thomas Liberty was a friend, role model and teacher to the students and staff. He shared many laughs, created bonds, formed memories and made an impact. On Oct. 31, Liberty officially retired and is no longer Freedom’s Resource Officer. On Nov. 1, Freedom welcomed Officer Greg Pullen to take his position.

“I had the privilege to be Officer Pullen's field training officer when he was a new officer with the New Sewickley Township Police Department. I immediately recognized Officer Pullen as a caring, compassionate and fair person, who will make great strides as the School Resource Officer,” Liberty said.

Before his work with the New Sewickley Township Police Department, Pullen worked as a fishing guide, an athlete, a counselor for at-risk youth and a steelworker. He then decided to change courses with his career and become a police officer. Pullen earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Gannon University. He has been working for the New Sewickley Township Police Department for the past nine years.

During this time, he has held multiple roles, which include patrolman, field training officer and detective.

“I became a law enforcement officer to make a positive difference in people’s lives. I believe it is important for all students to have a safe environment to learn, develop and be successful. Being a school resource officer gives me the opportunity to be one of the many positive role models in the school district who will make a positive difference in students’ lives,”

Pullen said.

Pullen’s goals at the high school are to promote a safe learning environment for all students and to develop positive relationships that connect the students, the community and law enforcement. Creating strong bonds allows students to feel more comfortable with Pullen and makes it easier for them to go to him when they need someone to talk to.

“The advice I would offer to Officer Pullen would be to be yourself,

always advocate for the students and no matter what, always remember the community wants two things; their kids to be educated, and they want their kids to be safe, and as the School Resource Officer, you take part in both,” Liberty said.

Being a new face to the students, Pullen strives to understand the communities needs by getting to know the students and staff. Pullen has been doing this by introducing himself in the morning, in the hallways between classes, during lunch breaks and during Personal Learning Time. It is important to know that even though Pullen is in a place of authority, he is a person, too. Aside from working for the New Sewickley Township Police department, Pullen enjoys fishing, hunting and watching his daughter play basketball and softball. Many students and staff share these interests. Pullen encourages all the students to stop into his office at any time and introduce themselves or just say hi. In any instance, students and staff members meeting and communicating with each individual in the community is a great way for our school to feel connected. Meeting new people can be exciting and a way to create new friendships that could last a lifetime.

Referee shortage affects local athletes

JANEY PARKS

It is gameday, the high school team is warming up and getting mentally prepared to take on their biggest rival in the section. The whole team is getting hyped by listening to their favorite songs to get them pumped up for the big night. All of a sudden, the coach gets a call that they can’t find a referee for the game that night. The excited teammates must tuck that happiness and optimism away in hope to bring it out at the rescheduled game, not knowing if they would be able to at that unknown time.

This is how various game days have played out during the sports seasons in Pa., including Freedom, for the last two years. Although reschedules may not always happen directly before a game is supposed to start, it still catches players off guard and can affect student life outside of the sport, as well as gameplay.

“There have been times when there were only two referees on the field instead of three because they couldn’t get another one, it made making calls difficult because fouls wouldn’t get called or were called too often. The referees didn’t know whose job it was to make the calls because they could not get another referee

physically there,” junior Madison Meyer said.

Not only does the shortage of referees affect scheduling, but it also interferes with students after school life as well. Students are often very busy during their sports seasons and if a student decides to play two sports that have an overlapping season, scheduling can become very messy. Finding time to do schoolwork may already be a problem for kids that play sports, but with referee uncertainties, matters get more complicated and difficult.

As the years go on, the number of referees available has gotten significantly slimmer. Across the state, there has been a 27% drop in referees for wrestling, a 23% drop for baseball and softball as well as basketball, a 19% dip for volleyball and an 18% for soccer, according to the PIAA.

When the Covid-19 virus struck the nation, referees were not needed because there were no sports going on. Now that sports are back up and running, there are none to be found. On top of that, some referees that have been officiated for years and have proven to be trustworthy, are possibly getting too old to be running around on fields or skating around rinks late at night for hours upon hours.

When older and wiser referees

step down, there are also not many young people that are willing to step up to the plate. Many of the referees think that $75 isn’t worth getting bullied by a bunch of teenagers for hours on end. Lack of respect towards referees could play a role in the shortage, some teens may act out of anger towards referees in the heat of an intense game. Some people

forget that referees and umpires are human, not robots. Sometimes they make wrong calls, but they don't do it on purpose and they very often do not deserve the hostility they receive. Although it is the referee's job to make close calls that some players may not agree with, anyone as well as referees may hit a breaking point eventually.

Before school, Officer Pullen stands outside and signs in junior Tyler Henley. While signing in Beaver County Career and Technology Center (CTC) students, Pullen has conversations with the students and gets to know them.

Lainey Tuszynski/FHS Press

Many referees say they got into officiating because of their love of the sport; however, several factors are causing many officials to resign.

Photo Editor

Janey Parks/FHS Press

Are celebrity platforms too high?

Many celebrities use their influence to spread negative messages

AIDEN POURNARAS Staff Writer

With the power of social media in today’s world, it is extremely easy to spread messages. Many celebrities have a loyal audience that track their every move.This means it is vital that they watch what they post and say, as they hold a strong influence over many people, including children. However, not all influencers use their platforms for good. Celebrities spreading negative messages has become increasingly more common as it becomes easier to reach a large pool of followers.

“Since so many people look up to celebrities due to their popularity, people are more likely to take their opinions into consideration. Celebrities using their platforms to spread hate and negative messages is so wrong because of the influence they have on their fans,” junior Cassidy Harris said.

Recently, there has been a lot of controversy involving popular hip-hop artist Ye West, a.k.a Kanye West or Kanye. Due to unpopular opinions and an unstable mental situation throughout the years, West has had a steadily declining public persona, but recent

events have been more problematic for the rapper’s reputation. West has been banned from multiple social media sites after making antisemitic tweets on twitter, as well as saying many other hateful things. Being one of the most popular artists in the world, he reaches a large audience, and the things he has said have offended and negatively influenced many individuals - especially his younger fans.

West’s actions have also had other severe consequences for him. In response to his inappropriate social media presence, many companies and people are disassociating themselves with him. West’s popular clothing line, Yeezy, has stopped being sold by many companies. Adidas, which formerly manufactured and sold the Yeezy brand, completely cut ties with West and his brand, along with other

companies such as GAP, Balenciaga and many more. This has cost West millions of dollars, allegedly decreasing his net worth by about $1.5 million. In addition to this, he has lost a large amount of fans and has received a remarkable amount of backlash from the public. Many people are disgusted by the comments he made and refuse to associate themselves with him.

“My opinion has changed about him. He was, for what I thought, a good person. Then he said something hateful. Now, all of my respect for him is gone,” sophomore Jordan Delon said.

In a world where information and opinions can be spread to millions of minds with a simple click, those who have large influences must be very conscious of what they share online. The things that are put out on the internet can leave a lasting impact on many people, more specifically the youth. Inappropriate things shared on social media can also be offensive and can lead to discourse within certain online communities. Rather than negatively influencing and impacting their followers, celebrities should work on spreading positive messages that inspire others and bring people together.

used to have a pool?' High school former pool space now used for storage

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Imagine it is the summer of 2010, and looking for something fun to do with your friends you decide to go to the pool located at your high school and spend a couple of hours swimming or sunbathing. Students around you socialize and you can feel the summer energy around you, while also anticipating the exciting school year to come.

Flash forward 12 years, and the area where the pool used to be is now out of order and being used as a storage space. The area that was previously a sunbathing platform connected to the pool room has since been converted into batting cages for baseball and softball. It has been said on various occasions that funding those twelve to thirteen years ago was simply not enough to keep up with the pool area and it had to be shut down. There have been auctions for some of the materials in the pool room but it was not enough to get rid of the surplus amount of objects sitting in there. Some materials in the area are not able to be sent out however, because they come from grants. Many of the materials in there are school

supplies that are being repurposed for further use throughout the schools.

“We continue to find homes for the repaired items. We upgrade items that are in the pool area. We build and fabricate many items from our pool stock,” the director of building and grounds Gary Mortimer said.

Some people have concerns about why this area has not been repurposed for classroom space or something else along those lines. However, this comes

down to money costs for building repairs and facility upgrading plans.

“Well, since closing the pool, the school administration and the board of directors have discussed the repurposing of the pool area. Currently, the school has a contract with Smart Building Works, a firm to provide facility upgrading plans,” Mortimer said. “So they're kinda coming out and providing us with maybe a plan of what to do with the space, what would

be more feasible to do with the space.”

Getting to the baseline of why this area is being used as storage also comes down to the fact that the whole school is lacking in storage space. Empty classrooms and the former pool area are both being used as storage space due to the surplus of materials and not enough space to put all of these materials to use. While maintenance staff tries to get through the area annually, the area has been rekeyed in order to keep students out of the process for liability reasons.

While some students may not even have a clue that this pool area exists, some teachers that were here when it was open have hoped that it will be put to a use that benefits the students. Possibilities for the room are endless, but money may prohibit some instances from taking place. The bottom line is that this isn’t a case of just one renovation in one area but in the future renovation of the entire school. With events that have happened recently in the high school, like heater problems and bathroom flooding among other things, it has become evident that a district-wide facility plan is needed.

“ I think [the pool area] would be a vital tool in the construction of the building and renovation of the building, and then whatever they decide to do with it after the fact, it would then be the final key,” Mortimer explained.

Yeezy, a brand owned by Kanye West, has stopped being manufactured and sold by Adidas after West’s antisemitic comments made on social media.

Damian Barczak/Unsplash

'Wait,

The former pool, which has been emptied since 2011, now serves as a storge area for school supplies.

Leannah Messenger/FHS Press

JANEY PARKS

Photo Editor

LEANNAH MESSENGER

Editor-in-Chief (Print)

Artist popularity creates ticket buying difficulties for fans

MEGAN EVANS Copy Editor

“Taylor Swift just announced that she’s going on tour! Get tickets now! Now, before they are all gone!” an average Taylor Swift fan probably said on Nov. 1, when Swift announced her world tour. Lately, the rush to get concert tickets for artists all around the globe has been significant. People have been waiting online to get tickets for their favorite artists hours before the time of sale even starts.

Many people have been struggling to get tickets. Complications of all kinds arise such as high prices, glitching servers and simply no tickets being available.

“It’s a bit of an inconvenience that concert tickets are so much money,” senior Megan Jones said.

According to Variety, Ticketmaster holds back as many as 90% of a concert’s tickets for the secondary market: credit card companies, promoters, radio stations, or artists’ fan clubs. Other tickets are bought in bulk by resellers, who use bots to resell them at a higher price. So, everyone who wants to go to a concert has to fight to be included in the leftover 10%.

The social media platform Tik Tok has brought lots of attention to certain artists. Fans post updates about them and a lot of the time, post about tour dates. This causes a lot of

people to want concert tickets even more and to jump on the bandwagon. “Hype” circulates around singers, and the line waiting to see them live multiplies.

Swift announced that her tour tickets would be on sale on Nov. 18, and she also included a presale link on her Instagram story. Fans quickly swarmed the link to be considered a “verified fan” and to have a better chance of getting tickets. However, lots of people were experiencing server crashes.

“I was trying to use the link about 30 minutes after she first announced the tour. I was pretty early, and already, the website was crashing. I was having a hard time trying to even log in,” senior Brandi Bonzo said.

Harry Styles is another artist who has become very popular, and consequently, his tickets have become harder to buy. On May 20, he had a one-night-only show in New York. Alumni Alexis Surenda and Baylee Stewart managed to get tickets.

“With the One Night Only being a special event, the only people able to buy tickets were those who got codes. Out of all the people who registered to be picked for presale codes, I managed to be one of them. So the following day after receiving my code, I had to get in a queue for ticket sales. This was the most stressful process. There can be so many people ahead of you in queues, and you must have every piece of information you may need on

hand,” Surenda said.

After being lucky enough to be chosen for ticket presales, Surenda had to be ready to buy the tickets as fast as possible.

“Once I got in to pick the seats, all of them disappeared so fast. It was stressful trying to find two seats together (for me and my friend I was taking) with all of them being taken so fast. Eventually, I zoomed in on seats, picked two and hit enter to buy them. Overall, the hardest part

wasn't necessarily being picked for a code, but trying to get seats together without them being taken right from under you by another person,” Surrenda said.

Even though getting tickets has become stressful for some, people still feel that going to concerts is worth the hassle.

“I was a little shaky from anxiety, but overall the concert was totally worth it,” Surrenda said.

Illustration: Megan Evans/FHS Press

Freedom Area High School 1190 Bulldog Drive Freedom, PA 15042 www.fhs-press.com • @fhspress

Reality check: Thanksgiving edition

The dark roots of Thanksgiving revealed

EDITORIAL BOARD

Looking back on younger years, students can remember the fun days leading up to Thanksgiving break. This could consist of eating snacks from “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” as well as watching the movie together, among many other things. One key event that many remember is dressing up as “Pilgrims and Indians.” However, in this adolescent age, many didn’t understand the cultural appropriation of the costumes, and they just went along with what they were told to do. This made an inappropriate adaptation of a group of people and glanced over the true history behind Thanksgiving. Whether being taught inaccurate information or not understanding the significance of taking responsibility as a nation, this holiday isn’t as pretty as it seems.

In general, there is a lot of controversy with Thanksgiving. There are many historical inaccuracies that have consistently been pushed on students at a young age. Conflicts and tensions ran through the relationship that the Native people had with settling Europeans. Europeans were forcing themselves into a land that they did not own and that other people were already living and thriving on for thousands of years. Capturing land comes with genocide, disease, mass bloodshed, raiding and much more. There was not an innate friendliness like we had been taught to believe, but more so the antithesis. The great myth is that the Pilgrims and Indians were inviting towards each other and that the Native people invited them to take over their land. This is simply not true.

Creating a holiday that is centered around friendliness, community and this myth of our “founders” gave the nation a sense of nationality that didn’t need to be there. It gave people an opportunity to look over the dark past of colonizing and gave a pretty title to very serious colonialism. New Englanders took an opportunity in 1769 plant the idea of founding America on behalf of the pilgrims in an attempt to boost tourism in, soon to be irrelevant, New England. Basically, they wanted to create a lie centered around founding America so that people would keep moving in. Even though there was a sort of alliance between a Native Tribe and Europeans, it wasn’t based on unity, but was based on hope for survival and

some type of truce. The brutal reality of this coming together was that the tribe leader wanted to save their people from decimating disease that was already killing so many.

Even though Thanksgiving was actually founded on bloodshed, it doesn't mean that Americans can’t celebrate a holiday based on the act of giving thanks. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln encouraged Americans to recognize the last Thursday of November as “a day of Thanksgiving.” For many in America, Thanksgiving is a hard holiday individually. Some don’t have the resources, money or food to provide for themselves and their family members.

Violence in politics serves as threat to democracy

backlash?”

DISTRIBUTION

The FHS Press is a monthly print publication, distributed to students and staff on the Freedom Area School District campus and to the community at a number of local businesses. If you would like to display or distribute the FHS Press at your business, please submit your request via email to fhspress@freedomarea.org, and our staff will do its best to accommodate.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The views presented herein are not representative of the school, faculty or administration; they are solely the views of individual student writers. The unsigned editorial board story represents the consensus of the entire student Editorial Board. It is the policy of the Freedom Area Board of Education that the FHS Press and its affiliated website reproductions have been established as forums for student expression and as voices in the uninhibited, robust, free and open discussion of issues. It is the aim of the Editorial Board to represent a variety of viewpoints with fairness and equity.

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New information may be published at is arises. Verified print inaccuracies will be corrected in the next print publication. Verified online inaccuracies will be corrected as they are discovered.

JOINING OUR STAFF

Production of the FHS Press is a collaborative effort by students enrolled in Print Media Workshop, Freedom Area High School's advanced journalism course, available to sophomores, juniors and seniors. While staff positions are reserved for students enrolled in the course, all students are welcome to work with our staff to contribute stories, photos, artwork, etc. Each newspaper print issue is planned near the beginning of each month and is published near the end of each month, with several rounds of edits taking place in the interim. Students interested in contributing to the FHS Press are welcome to join the staff for any planning meeting and are encouraged to contact any member of our staff for an up-to-date meeting schedule If you are interested in becoming a part of the FHS Press staff by enrolling in Print Media Workshop, please contact Mr. Fitzpatrick or visit room 226 at any time.

OUR STAFF

Leannah Messenger Editor-in-Chief (Print) Christopher Denkovich Managing Editor (Print)

As kids, everyone had that one friend who refused to lose. You could win “fair and square,” but still your friend would argue that you cheated. This kind of behavior ruins the game. Politics seem to be running the same way, and it is ruining democracy. As poll workers count ballots for the upcoming Pennsylvania election, everyone should play by the rules and the winner will be announced, “fair and square.”

Recent events regarding violence in American politics are a cause for concern. A riot at the Capitol, death threats towards poll workers and an attack on Paul Pelosi are all threats to democracy. They pose the questions,

“Will there continue to be controversy regarding mail-in ballots and election fraud?” and “Will poll workers and politicians continue to face a

On Jan. 6, 2021, the attack on the Capitol was sparked from the claim that the election was stolen from former president Donald Trump. Before this major event, poll workers in Arizona were facing threats, with at least 140 documented threats. Poll workers quickly went from learning about how to count ballots to learning self-defense. These threats towards them were not only alarming because they put the workers in harm, but it also caused a shortage of people who could work the polls.

The riot in the Capitol was a devastating day for most Americans. In a study by Pew Research, Americans were asked to describe their reaction to

Ana Shipman

Editor-in-Chief (Digital) Luke Snavely Managing Editor (Digital)

Madison Sanders

News Editor Brigette Richard Asst. News/Business Manager

Mikalah Smith Features Editor Skylar Scobbo Asst. Features Editor

Paige Young Editorial Editor Calla Reynolds Asst. Editorial/Copy Editor Troy Pawlowski

Sports/Copy Editor Chase Grable Asst. Sports Editor

Megan Evans

Copy Editor Kaylee Ostrowski Photo Editor

Janey Parks

Photo Editor Lainey Tuszynski PR/Marketing Director

Aiden Pournaras

Staff Writer

EDITORIAL BOARD

Christopher Denkovich

Chase Grable

Leannah Messenger

Kaylee Ostrowski

Janey Parks Calla Reynolds

ADVISER

Mr. Aaron Fitzpatrick, M.Ed., MJE afitzpatrick@freedomarea.org

Brigette Richard Skylar Scobbo

Ana Shipman

Luke Snavely

Lainey Tuszynski

Paige Young

Freedom Area High School, Room 226 (724) 775-7400, x581

AFFILIATIONS

Thanksgiving can have a major misconceptions about a true between the Pilgrims and Native Americans, sometimes including a turkey and feast.

KAYLEE OSTROWSKI

Photo Editor

With political violence in America on the rise, it is crucial to stand against it in order for democracy to prevail.

Illustration: Kaylee Ostrowski/FHS

Press

Tyler Donaghy/Unsplash

the riots. 37% expressed strong negative emotions, and 35% expressed shock and anguish. With the majority of Americans having similar feelings about the attacks, one might think that the country would be able to come closer together, but it seems that the country has stayed divided.

Finally, the attack on Paul Pelosi sparked more concern for the safety of political leaders. David DePape, a 42-year-old man, was accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s residence. The

accusations included an attack on Paul Pelosi and a kidnapping attempt. This attack made millions of death threats toward politicians turn into so much more. As more and more political violence continues to occur, it furthers America from a true democracy.

Americans should focus on voting and creating change by using their individual voices. It is important to keep in mind that the people have the power to vote for leaders in and out of office.

The future of American politics is looking ugly, but it doesn’t have to be that way. For true democracy to continue to prosper in America, it is crucial

that violent crimes stemming from political ideologies must come to an end. Internet users should fact-check and research any information they receive from an unreliable source. Politicians should work to be truthful, and respect the democratic process. The country as a whole should work towards respecting the democratic position and respecting one another's opinions. It is important for people to find common ground and stray from dangerous conspiracy theories.

Most recent trends stolen from minorities

ANA SHIPMAN Editor-in-Chief (Digital)

Ever since the beginning of the media, it has been riddled with white people while people of color (POC) were pushed to the side or had a mockery made of them. Not only POC, but also people who are within the LGBTQ+, specifically gay men and drag queens. As of now, since the rise of TikTok and social media as a whole, there has been little to no change. Stolen trends go all the way from fashion down to the way different people talk.

Starting on TikTok, the newest and most recent trend is the “clean girl aesthetic.” This aesthetic includes little to no makeup, long lashes, glossed lips, gold jewelry and slicked back hair. Many are praising the beautiful, skinny white girls for this effortless look. However, not too long ago people were ridiculing POC, specifically Latinas, for this exact style. Being called names while being made fun of for their vernacular was extremely common and completely normalized on social media. The “ghetto” look has been stolen from POC and turned into a “that girl” aesthetic.

Hailey Beiber, someone who is in the public eye a lot, is no stranger to stealing trends. For example, her new

“brown glossy lip,” which is nothing new and commonly worn by POC. This lip look can be seen as insensitive for POC who were belittled for their features. It can be seen as hypocritical because the same people who desire these lips could have possibly bullied someone else for this exact feature.

On top of this, people also steal language and sayings from many minorities. Starting with the word “slay,” a phrase used so often that it has become a part of many people’s daily vocabulary. Originating from Black and Latino drag queens in Harlem, it was a way to commemorate other drag queens stating that they are “killing it.” The word emerged from POC and people within the LGBTQ+ community being ostracized simply for living their life.Those same people are being bullied for using the word in today’s day in age. Drag queens are still being pushed down for using terms that straight people use regularly. Being called offensive names and slurs is not an uncommon occurrence.

Another word or saying that was blatantly stolen is “period.” Many have transformed this word from “That’s on period,” to “period” and finally to “periodt.” Also originating from Black LGBTQ+ members, it has become a normal phrase for many.

"You see something that is very typical of American slang, which is that it draws a lot on African American slang in the same way that American music draws very heavily on jazz and blues and African American music traditions," linguist Micheal Adams said. "In a sort of

cultural appropriation typical of white Americans, it doesn't even seem to be African American anymore." Although many people are finally starting to call these issues out, that is not enough. Many are not crediting the people, or groups of people, who need to be credited.

Trends are constantly being taken from people of color and people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Lindsey Yoo/NPR

'Meet me at midnight…'

Digging deeper into Taylor Swift’s new album

LEANNAH MESSENGER Editor-in-Chief (Print)

From the breathy start of “Lavender Haze” and the upbeat toon of “Bejeweled,” to the conclusory tone of “Mastermind” and the regretful and reminiscent sound of “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” Taylor Swift evoked a variety of sounds and emotions in her new album “Midnights.” With 13 original songs, having the album last 44 minutes, plus six more “3 am tracks” added to the album at 3 am the night of release, fans and listeners alike were stunned by the range accomplished. Swift somehow managed to take each person who listened to her album on a journey through her thoughts during the late night hours. The overthinking, the longing, the regret and the hope that one seeks during the night were portrayed throughout the entire album. Relating to so many fans, Swift produced yet another extraordinary work of art.

Fans worldwide stayed up until midnight on Oct. 20, desperately awaiting her tenth studio album. While Swift is known for her teasers and easter eggs throughout all of her media, a new album was still a shocker for many. On Aug. 29 she posted a picture of the album cover and revealed the title to fans, describing the album as, “Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life…”. Fans were stunned. Swift was back at it again and no one was going to stop her. She then proceeded with “Midnight's Mayhem” and would tease fans with track name

THANKSGIVING, FROM PAGE 7

Families fight behind the scenes, even if the “pictures turned out nice.” There is also a massive abundance of food waste that occurs. Still, with a falsehood of founding and a completely peaceful dinner, one must understand the truth of the matter. It’s the school system's job to teach the truth to their students. Teachers should have the choice as to when teaching the truth of the relationship between the Native Americans and Pilgrims is best, but before that,

drops and extra information about each song, keeping everyone on their toes. Then comes the album itself: 13 sleepless nights she warned and 13 sleepless nights was most definitely given.

As the album starts with “Lavender Haze”, a fun and upbeat start to the album. She tells us that “I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me, surreal,” wanting that feeling of love. “Maroon” is next, and this song was a bit more reminiscent of what we

assume is a past relationship, especially when she says “I chose you, the one I was dancing with in New York”. Then comes “Anti-Hero” , the anthem that struck the Swifty community and many more as well. The main point she makes is “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me,” and she believes that everybody agrees. Many feel as though they can relate to this song because it takes on that overthinking aspect that many are conflicted with especially when relationships and

friendships come into play. Her only song that features another artist is “Snow on the Beach”, featuring Lana Del Rey, who sings background vocals. This song touches on how when two people are mutually falling in love, it can have this weird yet beautiful feeling to it.

Swift tells her fans that this album is going to be one that mixes sounds from over the years, so when “Karma” and “Vigilante [sic]” come on, fans realize they have a Reputationesque sound to them. Finishing off her original album, she gives us “Mastermind”, a song about putting all the pieces into place, designing the game of falling for someone and getting someone to fall for you, but the funny thing is they “knew the entire time.”

The album ends with six extra tracks that fans were ecstatic to receive. One that struck many was “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” which sets a regretful tone and she sings about how much she regrets a person and the actions that lead up to them. It takes on this religious parallel to losing her innocence and this song becomes an echoing psalm for those who regret.

In the end, Swift produced another amazing album. While at first listen through, it may not have been what fans were expecting, it still is a charttopper. She always finds a way to make each song a lyrical masterpiece while still holding on to that relatable song type she is known for.

they can shift the focus towards the meaning behind the holiday — giving thanks, families coming together, etc, instead of anything that can be construed as cultural appropriation. It is also the nation’s job to take responsibility for their actions in the “founding of America.” The nation must confront its dark past and strive to teach the truth, even if it isn’t nicely wrapped up in a ribbon.

Taylor Swift's new album, "Midnights," was officially released on Oct. 21. This was a major day for all "Swifties," as they had been anticipating an upcoming album.

Illustration: Megan Evans/FHS Press

Girls Soccer ends impressive season

MIKALAH SMITH Features Editor

After ending the section with an almost perfect record and a perfect record in the conference, the girls soccer team had high hopes for the postseason. The soccer team was left with two more regular season games before advancing to the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) games, where they were placed in the first seed.

The girls wrapped up their section games with two wins. On Oct.12, the girls played Eden Christian Academy at home. They came out with a win of 8-0. The following week they headed to South Side, and they won 5-1, bringing their conference record to 10-0.

Going into the WPIAL playoffs, the girls were seeded No. 1. They hosted their first playoff game and took on 17th-seeded Bishop Canevin on Oct. 22. The girls fought a long game, which led them to victory with a score of 8-0. Senior captain Julia Mohrbacher scored her 100th goal this game. A few days later, the team got back to work to take on the 9th-seeded, Seton LaSalle Setons. The Bulldogs only let two goals into their own net and scored five goals against the opponent, winning 5-2. This led the Bulldogs to the semi-finals.

The semi-finals game was held at North Allegheny on Oct. 31. The girls took on their rival, Greensburg Central Catholic, who they lost to last year in the semi-finals. The team fought hard and kept up. At the end of the game, the score was 3-3 which led to overtime. No one scored in the first overtime, so the game moved to double overtime, where junior Shaye Bailey got the game-winning goal. The Bulldogs were on their way to Highmark Stadium for the WPIAL championship.

The championship at Highmark was played on Nov. 4, where the team went up against Springdale, who was in the second seed. The team shut them out 3-0. The Bulldogs received their WPIAL championship gold medals and their trophy, and from there theyadvanced to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) championship games.

“My favorite memory was winning the WPIAL championship and blasting music on the bus while singing our hearts out to celebrate getting the win,” Mohrbacher said.

The team got a home-field advantage for the first round of state playoffs. On Nov. 9, the girls went up against Rockwood, shutting their opponent out 10-0. Bailey got seven goals in the game which led her to break the school record for most goals scored in a game. The team advanced to the quarterfinals against Karns

City on Nov. 12. Both teams traveled to Beaver High School to face one another. This game went into double overtime where the Bulldogs came out on top with a score of 4-3.

After winning, the team advanced to the semi-finals on Nov. 16, where they would meet up against Greensburg Central Catholic once again. Everyone was confident that the team had this win, which was played at Gateway High School. The Bulldogs played hard and shut Greensburg out 3-0. Bailey scored all three goals, receiving a hat trick. This meant the girls were heading to the PIAA championship.

The PIAA final game was played at Eagle View Middle School on Nov. 18. The Bulldogs were up against Southern Columbia, who the Bulldogs lost to in 2018. Although the team kept up, the Bulldogs ultimately fell short in the end with a score of 5-3.

They were awarded silver medals along with their trophy.

“We’re a very good technical team and we work out a lot of things. We just brought it all together and that combination put us where we are today,” head coach Colin Williams said.

The girls kept their heads up all season and kept their eyes on the win. Everyone proved that they are ready in any weather condition and ready to win against any team. This season was one to remember for both the athletes and students, and they look forward to the next season and all that they hope to accomplish.

After being awarded their trophy and medals at the PIAA State Championship game on Nov. 18, the team comes together to comfort each other.

Leannah Messenger/FHS Press

Hockey team hopes for improvements as season continues

SKYLAR SCOBBO Asst. Features Editor

The Central Valley hockey team consists of six different schools that come together to play on one team. The schools that make up the team are Freedom, Central Valley, Riverside, Hopewell, New Brighton and Beaver Falls. The team got together for the first time on Aug. 23 with a preseason practice camp. The camp continued on the 24, 25, 30 and 31 of Aug. for about an hour each day. During the camp, the players worked on various drills to improve their teamwork and skills. Also, in the preseason, the team had two scrimmage games against Moon and Beaver.

No new players from freedom joined the team. However, the returners from last year are junior Aiden Pournaras, junior Chase Grable and sophomore Noah Fessides. The head coach this year is Noah Yerdon, along with assistant coaches Brandon Davidson, Mike Essey and Ryan Maker.

On Oct. 3, the team started their season with an away game against Neshannock. Although the team lost 13-1, they learned a lot about their upcoming season. This game taught

the players what to do differently in hopes that one game may come out as a win. The team's home opener was on Oct. 13, and it was themed whiteout. To encourage students to attend, the first 50 students got a free shirt. On Oct. 20, the team played a home game against Deer Lakes. This was their pink-out game to support Breast Cancer Awareness, in which the team asked spectators to wear pink. Before the game, the team all handed Kate Grable, a breast cancer survivor and

mother of one of the players, a pink rose.

Hockey teams typically have one captain and two assistant captains. This season, the players on the team voted for Grable as one of their assistant captains. Grable’s position on the team is a defenseman; his job is to help the goalie protect their team's goal against the other team.

“Being a captain is a huge role, and it feels awesome to be respected by my teammates in such a way that

they have chosen me for this position,” Grable said.

Despite being a defenseman, Grable managed to provide an assist on a goal. An assist is when a player helps the goal scorer by passing them the puck. Pournaras is the leading goal scorer of the season so far. Leading the team with 5 goals and one assist, Pournaras has contributed to the team with a total of 6 points. Pournaras’s position on the team is a forward, whose job is to score goals and make passes.

“It feels good to be producing points, but I don’t care for individual points. I would much rather the team get some wins,” Pournaras said, “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who’s scoring as long as the team is getting points.”

In order to make sure the players stay ready for upcoming games, the team practices every Friday and every other Saturday. Along with practice, many players play for various travel hockey teams in the area.

Girls, Boys Basketball look to rebound for new season

TROY PAWLOWSKI Sports Editor

Returning for another season, the boys and girls basketball teams are starting to get ready for the upcoming 2022-2023 season. Over the summer and into the fall, both teams have had conditioning practices, as well as open gyms. With both teams losing some key senior starters and acquiring new faces, they look forward to a good season this year.

Last season, the girls team went on to have an impressive regular season record of 16-4, placing third overall in their section. The team was led by Head Coach John Kaercher, with assistant coaches John Barlamas and Sydney Kaercher. The team advanced to the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) championship, where they faced off against the North Catholic Trojans. While they suffered a loss by a score of 47-43, the team still qualified for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) playoffs.

They won all of their games in the PIAA playoffs up to the championship game, which was held at Giant Center in Hershey, where they faced off against the Neuman Goretti Saints. In an action-packed high scoring game, the Bulldogs ended up coming up short, losing by a score of 55-49. Even though they suffered a loss, it was a historic season for the

girls basketball program, finishing as PIAA Class 3A runner-up. Moving into the next season, the team lost a total of five seniors, most of which were starters.

For the boys team, last season’s record ended up at 3-19. Their season was hard fought, with losing some close games. The team also lost five starting seniors from last season. One notable win from the previous season was when the boys faced off against their long-time rival New Brighton Lions on Feb. 11. The Bulldogs ended

up winning the high-scoring game with a score of 92-72, where alumni Carter Huggins led the team with 32 points. Huggins led the team in total points for that season. Another big win for the team occurred on Dec. 17, when the Bulldogs dominated the court against the Mohawk Warriors, ending the game with a final score of 69-41. While the team only won a few games, they have been learning from their mistakes and improving on them.

Both teams look forward to

starting a fresh season this year. After the girls team having a historic season, they look to live back up to their high expectations once again.

“I look forward to bonding with the team this season, and the bus rides home after away games are also always really fun,” senior Nicholas Paganini said.

The girls basketball team takes a time out to talk through the game play against Neuman Goretti on March 25, in the PIAA State Championship game.

Kaylee Ostrowski/FHS Press

Skylar Scobbo/FHS Press

Rushing the puck to the goal, junior Aiden Pournaras attempts to score the team a point, in a game against Burrel on Oct. 13.

SPORTS SHORTS

LUKE SNAVELY Managing Editor (Digital)

FOOTBALL TEAM ENDS SEASON WITH WIN

After missing the playoffs, the Bulldogs had only one game left to play on Oct. 28 against their main rivals, the New Brighton Lions. The Lions had also missed the postseason, going winless. Ending the season on a high note, the Bulldogs defeated the Lions, 51-6. After this game, senior captain Damian Grunnagle reached 1,000 yards rushing on the season. The Bulldogs posted a 3-7 record.

BOYS SOCCER FALLS IN PLAYOFFS

After obtaining the No. 9 seed in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) Boys 1A playoffs, the boys soccer team traveled to Charleroi to take on the No. 8 Cougars on Oct. 24. In an intense game, the Bulldogs ultimately fell to the Cougars, 2-0. Including playoffs, the Bulldogs compiled a 12-5 record to end the season. The team hopes to bounce back next year and make another WPIAL postseason appearance.

STEELERS FALL IN STANDINGS, MAKE TRADES

At the trade deadline on Nov. 1, the Steelers had a record of 2-6. With many believing this to be a rebuilding year for the Steelers, the team traded away wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft. The Steelers also traded for Washington Commanders’ cornerback William Jackson III and a seventh-round pick, giving up a conditional sixth-round pick. Head coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, so the Steelers hope these moves keep it that way.

HISTORIC GAME PLAYED AT JIMBO COVERT FIELD

While the Bulldogs were facing New Brighton in an away game, a highly anticipated game between the Aliquippa Quips and Central Valley Warriors took place at Jimbo Covert Field in Bulldog Stadium. The Quips and Warriors had both won the state title last season in 4A and 3A, respectively. After moving up to 4A, the Warriors looked to dethrone the Quips as the Parkway 4A division champions. Packing the stands, over 2,000 fans watched to see which undefeated team would come out victorious. In a close bout, the Quips edged the Warriors with a second-half surge, winning 35-24.

PENGUINS HAVE SLOW STRETCH AFTER DOMINANT START

After a dominant 4-0-1 start, the Penguins slowed down, losing seven straight games. This made the Penguins rapidly drop in the standings after leading the Metropolitan division. The Penguins hope to rebound in the rest of November, as they have not missed the playoffs since the 2005-2006 season.