Patriot Press Spring 2007 by FTHS Patriot Press

Freehold Township High School

The Patriot Press

Issue 4

281 Elton-Adelphia Road Freehold, NJ 07728

March/April 2007

Brr. . . it’s cold in here Frost is Mr. FTHS this year by Diana Egizi

Photo by Christine Shaw

Senior Alan Frost proudly wears his crown after being named Mr. FTHS 2007.

As I rushed into the gym on Tuesday, February 20, 2007, I had no idea what to expect. The gym was buzzing with anticipation, and as I made my way to squeeze myself on the bleachers, there was no doubt in my mind that I was in for an incredible night at the 2007 Mr. FTHS. It began with beautiful hosts, seniors Lindsay Bader and Erica Kulp, who introduced judges English teacher Katie Quinn, special education teacher Mike D’Antonio and Fran O’Connor. Before the competition, everyone was talking about which senior contestant they thought would win. Some had deﬁnite names already in mind, while others were simply stumped. “All the boys have been working really hard,” said Kulp, whose close surveillance of the rehearsals assured it would be a tough competition. Many supposed that Josh Wetstein would win, as he had begun the competition that night with an extra ﬁve points in his favor due to his victory in the money-collecting competi-

NOTHIN’ BUT NET

tion, in which he raised $184. No matter what happened, as Around the Clock Entertainment dee-jay and FTHS senior Dan DeFranco pumped up the music, I knew I was in for a crazy show. The boys began with an exhilarating group dance choreographed by seniors Devan Brash and Jen Jones. The contestants included: Shaun Hazard, Brian Cooney, Chris Kausch, Brian Brikowski, Garrett Rothstein, Dan Cugini, Josh Wetstein, Joe Buccheri, Dustin Fontaine, Chuck Polotti, Joe Solek, Mike Tse, Marcus Roberson, Alan Frost, D.J. Fountain, Chris Buckner, Ryan Curran, David Gulick, Julian Estremera, Matt Poricelli, and Johnny Keegan. Soon after the group dance, the casual wear competition began. The boys conﬁdently strode out in their favorite casual clothes as the evening picked up. Most notable was Dave Gulick’s light saber expertise as he yelled, “Use the Force!” Next up was swim wear, which sent the audience into hysterics— priceless moments unfolded as

each contestant strutted their best beach wear. Notable appearances were: • Matt Poricelli and Brian Cooney’s one-piece surprise • a “censored” Joe Buccheri • Alan Frost’s roller-blading skills • old lady beach bum Garrett Rothstein • Josh Wetstein’s pink Speedo and pigtails as the Coppertone girl, and • Chris Kausch’s impressive snowboarding gear and “Alaska State Beach” sign. Overall, it seemed to be another hilarious opportunity for some FTHS guys to dress like women, which is, of course, always appreciated. After a short ﬁlm about the contestants’ preparation, it was time for the talent competition, for which the boys had arranged intricate group dances to win the judges’ favor. See MR. FTHS, page 7

FT wins Shore Conference Tournament

by Vincent Stanziola

Fans from all towns piled in to the Ritacco Center in Toms River for another terriﬁc game on February 24, 2007. But once again, the better team came out on top. The Freehold Township Patriots (23-1) defeated the Christian Brothers Academy Colts (19-7) for the third time in the season (which has never been done before) 55-49 in front of a sellout crowd of 3,089. Freehold’s ﬁrst appearance in the Shore Conference Tournament was certainly a memorable one. Senior Eddie Fischer, MVP of the game, led all scorers with 22 points. “I get the offense going,” Fischer told the Asbury Park Press. “That is what coach tells me to do whether it is scoring or dishing,” Fischer said. “Coach knows whenever I have the ball in my hands something good will usually happen. So, that is what I try to do.” Eddie continues to impress and his superb play throughout the tournament and came up big in the clutch when Freehold needed him the most. But Eddie isn’t the only one who played well in crunch time. His little brother, Ju-

nior Kevin Fischer, also came up big, hitting a huge three pointer (from his brother) to put the Patriots up 46-43 with 1:15 left in the game. It was K. Fischer’s only points of the game, but he hit the shot that counted.

on what he wants to run,” Coach Golub said to another Asbury Park Press reporter. For the last minute, the game was all about free throws. Senior T.J. Lafalce, who had 15 points, closed the door hitting two free throws to make it 55-49. Patriots had a great year, as they brought home the gold for their ﬁrst Shore Conference Title ever. They now stand on top of the Shore at 23-1. They have accomplished more than you ask for, and the season is still not over. “I’m just going to hug and kiss them. I don’t know what to Photo courtesy of Kimberly Aleski say. These guys are just unbelievable. They are just an unbelievSeconds later, with a score able group of kids,” Golub said at 46-44 with 50 seconds to go, about his team. “To beat CBA a miracle happened. E. Fischer three times in one year is just a ridrove to the lane, got fouled, and diculous feat that I never thought threw up a most ridiculous Mi- we would accomplish. And you chael Jordan-like shot that banked get a group of kids like this probin. The crowd went absolutely ably once in a career, and I’m just berserk and the Patriots were now going to enjoy it.” Coach Golub up by four. “Yeah, Eddie is just and all of Freehold should enjoy Eddie. Tonight, he was just feel- it. ing his game. He was feeling his For more on FT basketball, offense. There were times he was turn to page 10 yelling to me from the foul line

Photo by Stefanie Kern

‘Sweet Charity’ is sweet by Stefanie Kern

After Ed Gattsek’s orchestra plays the last brass chords of the overture, a spotlight picks out a girl with her boyfriend’s name tattooed in a heart on her arm. Charity, a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve, is meeting her boyfriend at the park. She submerges him with compliments, but instead, he grabs her bag and submerges her in the lake. The Patriot Players 2007 musical production of “Sweet Charity,” presents the story of “on optimistic girl who just wants to be loved,” lead Kim Wilpon describes. Charity has a tacky job as the hostess of the Fan-Dango ballroom, where sultry girls drape

themselves over a railing and seduce the audience. After insisting that she would never let another man take advantage of her, Charity bumps into Vittorio Vidal, played by Dustin Fontaine. He is struck by her casual humor, but still favors his lovely ﬁancée, Ursula, acted by Brittany Kapulsky. Charity is disappointed. She goes to the YMCA in pursuit of culture, but winds up stuck in the elevator with Justin Moore, who plays the part of Oscar, an anxious accountant. See MUSICAL, page 6

Op/Ed Page

SOUNDING OFF

Kayla Khan wants those four days of her life back! This was supposed to be the year that the No Child Left Behind Act ﬁnally paid off for the Class of ‘07. It gave underclassmen at FTHS what they deserve, the horror of standardized tests. We seniors anticipated a week of half-days, when we would be rewarded with a reprieve from class for three years of hard work; more importantly, we looked forward to laughing in the faces of younger students still trapped in HSPA’s grip. Instead of a week of a little well-deserved appreciation, seniors were forced to sit through a travesty of entertainment. Monday’s volleyball tournament was fun, at least for those who participated. Everyone else sat in stupors in the bleachers and became bored with their own best friends. Nancy Kil summed it up, “It was boring. I was hungry. I felt packed in, like cattle. I felt like I was in prison. They

wouldn’t let me pee!” Tuesday’s movie was even worse. Half of the senior class booed all through the ﬁrst halfhour of “Gandhi.” The other half was nearly comatose. Nicole Incorvia conﬁded, “I fell asleep. Don’t tell them that.” My apologies, Nicole, but the public has a right to know the truth. Wednesday’s trivia competition was also at times factually inaccurate. Either the “correct” answers to the questions were wrong – for example, Hurricane Katrina did not hit in the past year – or the questions themselves were “wrong.” For the information of the Class of 2007, no President ever died in the bathtub. Admittedly, there were some as Matthew Doherty would say, “bright spots in a dark, dark room.” Mrs. Higley, bless her soul, provided us with pretzels on Wednesday. Most seniors

had the opportunity to register to vote. To be fair, on Tuesday, Mac rescued the sanity of the senior class by substituting “Indiana Jones” for that horrible MovieThat-Will-Not-Be-Named. Plus, on Thursday, seniors were able to actually choose the movie we watched, “Forrest Gump.” Nevertheless, these small acts of mercy do not excuse the administration for the unforgivable crime of boredom. The victims, we seniors, were robbed of a week of our lives. A few nerdy seniors actually admitted that they would rather have suffered through the tedious HSPA yet again, rather than sit on a bleacher watching other people’s sneakers scuff the gymnasium ﬂoor. What the administration put seniors through during HSPA week was – imagine Michael Yodice pronouncing the following word in his Brooklyn accent– “torture (TAW-cha)!”

CASH FOR VOTES by Jason Cherchia

With the presidential primaries more than ten months away, several candidates have already thrown their hats into the ring. Why? This is the most wide open election since 1928 because there is no incumbent president or vice president running. That means this election is going to be about one thing: money. With a nation that recently endured a very competitive midterm election that saw Congress change hands, the country is ready to take a break from politics. People see very little difference between any of the candidates and hardly any difference between either of the two political parties. That is why over the next few months, candidates will begin to pelt us with ads that tell us why they deserve your vote. No candidate has been able to energize the public as in the last few elections. In the end, candidates with the most money will win, whether or not he or she has the most money today. The less people know about you, the more money you have to spend. However, the largest challenge will be getting people to the polls

on Election Day. The electorate is less likely to prefer one candidate over another and is even less likely to vote. Today’s frontrunners are Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the Republicans. However, each has his own problem, namely that each is not conservative enough for the Republican base. It is possible that two more conservative candidates, Sen. Sam Brownback (RKS), and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, will become the nominee. However they both lag far behind in raised funds. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) are the leading Democrats. They are often seen as too liberal to win a general election. Dark horse John Edwards is likely to mount a strong challenge, although he also has not raised enough money. Money in politics is like water on pavement: it ﬁnds every crack and crevice. We can be sure that every candidate will use that to his or her advantage.

New parking rules has students seeing red It seems that turning 17 is now readily equipped with Big Brother and his Wrath of Fear. The Board of Education’s new rules concerning teen driving all comes down to this- how far can they go? The line has to be drawn somewhere. School should have no say in my punishment if I do something wrong that doesn’t concern it. But the Board of Ed has recently started to introduce and enforce new rules, each stricter and more frustrating than the last. After the accident in the Boro, police were

patrolling school parking lots pulling over cars with more than one other passenger. Did this lead to people following the rules? Maybe in some cases, but I’ve also heard of people getting tinted windows, or having the third person duck in the back seat just to avoid being caught. This can’t possibly be safer. Students need to drive, and they need a place to park. Nearly every high school student is in an after school sport or activity. This makes it almost impossible to ﬁnd someone who not only shares

Freehold Township High School

P A T S T A T S

The Patriot Press

Stefanie Kern Christine Shaw Editors in Chief Anson Ahne Features Editor Priscilla Abad Mike DeCarlo News Editors Matt Juron Sports Editor Kayla Khan Copy Editor Ms. Kimberly Aleski Adviser Staff Stephanie Candullo Siew Yen Chai Jason Cherchia Matt Claro Elisabeth deBeus Laura Di Mattina Stephen Domke

Caroline Dwyer Diana Egizi Chris Farnkopf Joe Fontana Jeff Fox Billy Hicks Matthew Horwitz Melyssa Horton Mike Kirshenbaum Jordana Kranz TJ LaFalce Matt LaMagna Brett Levinson Kristin Lindquist Meagan Lorenz Stephen Marietta Khaled Mowad Dan Mullanaphy Asma Mumtaz Bianca Porter Melissa Rothman Jenni Saunders Brian Schwartz Heather Smith Ben Sugarman Vincent Stanziola Olivia Tkach

the same exact schedule, but lives nearby as well (considering that our school holds students from Marlboro to Howell). If the school can’t provide everyone with parking, they should make it easier for us to ﬁnd rides. Having more than one person in a car does not cause accidents, speeding and other distractions do. A new rule stated that if you were caught speeding either going to or from school your parking pass would be taken away. This leads to two major points: one, if two students suddenly lose their

pass, they most likely won’t start taking the bus but would catch a ride with someone else, contributing to the driving with more than one person problem. Two, why should the school have any say in what I do outside of school? An even newer rule states if you are caught speeding going anywhere in the ﬁve surrounding towns, not only will the school be informed but they will punish you in addition to police punishment. If I’m late going to church one Sunday, suddenly the school is just as involved as much as the police are.

by Christine Shaw

Why even have police forces if the Board of Ed is going to take care of everything anyway? Waving a shameful ﬁnger in our faces is not the answer. Provide insightful seminars about the consequences of speeding, have passionate speakers come speak to us with real life stories, do anything to reach us. As more accidents keep happening, playing Big Brother not only may be the cause of more harm, but feels like a violation of privacy - more importantly it is one.

You r Most Tr usted News Sou rce by Da n Mu l la naphy

World News

Giuliani, Obama, Clinton, and McCain: The 2008 Wolf Pack by Stephen Marietta The big issue is who is in the 2008 presidential election. It promises to be a most interesting election, in which the current frontrunners include a woman, an African-American, and a Mormon. While this race is clearly still open, there are already some frontrunners in each party. In the Democratic spotlight is Senator Hillary Clinton of New York. She is universally known for having a rather strong, almost overbearing personality, which can be seen in by the conﬁdent start to her campaign with the assertion, “I’m in it to win it.” She has a number of advantages at her disposal, including an enormous bankroll (she has the ability to mobilize two-hundred million dollars in days) and a highly qualiﬁed staff, including former

Democratic National Convention chairman, Terry McAuliffe. Her opinions are extremely liberal, which could be either an advantage or a handicap in the highly polarized political arena. Many wonder if America is truly ready for a female president. Others criticize Hillary Clinton as an opportunist who is too polarizing for the nation. The other Democratic frontrunner is Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, currently the only African-American in the Senate. The eloquently-spoken Barack Obama is widely viewed as the United States’s potential uniﬁer. While many of his opinions are not ofﬁcially known, he has been reported to support universal healthcare and withdrawal from Iraq. While his policies may be appealing to

the electorate, Obama lacks the experience and the money that have come easily to his other more experienced contenders. Lester Maceren, a Freehold Township senior notes that, “At this rate, I am not supporting Barack Obama because he seemed to come out of nowhere in politics. Both Clinton and Edwards have an edge in that aspect, and I think that’s one important thing that will go against Obama in the election.” While he may be an excellent speaker, he is a generally unknown candidate and lacks available funding, which could hurt him in the long run. Running for the Republican Party is Rudy Giuliani, ex-Mayor of New York City. He is well-known for having a tough personality and is very experienced in managing

crises – he kept New York City together during the September 11th attacks. Freehold Township senior, Garrett Rothstein comments, “The people need a good strong leader who has proven he can lead in a time of crisis. Guiliani has already shown the country he can lead … when … times get rough.” Giuliani is one of the most socially liberal Republicans. He supports gay rights, gun control, and abortion. For this, he has been denounced by members of his own party. In addition, critics have directed attention to his two divorces and his sloppy record on civil liberties. Still, Giuliani remains popular with the voters as “America’s Mayor.” John McCain, another frontrunner, is the Republican senior Senator of Arizona. He is the

BOMBS AWAY!: North Korean disarmament by Caroline Dwyer

At a multinational nuclear conference on February 13, North Korea agreed to end its nuclear program. It has also agreed to disarm – at least, in terms of nuclear weapons – in addition to stopping production and precluding all further work on nuclear materials and warheads. North Korea made this agreement after extensive talks with the U.S., South Korea, Japan, China, and Russia. According to the agreement, North Korea must shut down, within sixty days of signing, its main nuclear reactor and allow U.N. inspectors into the country to verify their cooperation. If the nation meets those requirements within that time frame, North Korea will receive aid equal in value to 50,000 tons of heavy fuel-quality oil from the ﬁve countries that negotiated the disarmament deal. However, South Korea, which has been sending aid to North

Korea, has decided to cease all further shipments of aid supplies to North Korea, including muchneeded food supplies, as well as fertilizer for agricultural works sponsored by their northern neighbor. South Korea has agreed to recommence aid to North Korea at a future date: the date on which their beneﬁciary complies with all terms contained within the six-nation nuclear agreement. In reaction to this news, one anonymous junior commented, “A compromise could be reached where UN inspectors would be allowed to oversee the process of shutting down the nuclear productions…[that way] South Korea can be reassured and continue sending aid [to North Korea].” Another junior, Richard Gerbino, stated, “North Korea is a threat to the United States’ security and must be dealt with imme-

diately - whether diplomatically or militarily.” He was happy that something was ﬁnally being done about North Korea’s nuclear program. It would be safe to say that the rest of world is also happy that the eccentric Kim Jong-Il has ﬁnally consented to ending his country’s nuclear program. In the past, the leader of North Korea has been openly hostile toward America, other Western nations, and North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons. He was seen as a threat to all democratic bodies, including America. This agreement comes in the wake of North Korea’s earlier tests of nuclear weapons. One test produced a blast equivalent to that of approximately 500 tons of TNT. This concession from the generally uncooperative North Korea is a promising indication of a return to normalcy.

STOCK MARKET CRASH: What goes down, must come back up by Michael DeCarlo The stock market heavily and steeply declined on February 27. In one day, what began in China where the Shanghai stock index dived by a full 9%, ended with the Dow Jones 416-point plummet, the biggest drop in four years. The next day, there was another smaller decline in value. What is happening to the economy? In the wake of the massive sell-a-thon, the market has begun to slowly recover. On March 6, buyers returned to purchase many of those stocks that had been simultaneously sold in the week prior. The bidding reached its highest point all year, which is both impressive and somewhat encouraging. However, the market is still heavily volatile, and the climb in value has not yet been deemed fast or steep enough to be seen as real recovery by the men and women on Wall Street. Analysts have agreed that it could take months or even years for the stock market to fully recover. After the crash following

September 11, 2001, the market dropped, and it was only in October 2006 that the market rose to the level that it had been at in late 2000. Eventually, the market will go back up, and all will be right with the world. For some, however, months and years are far too long to wait. Take high school students, for example – especially juniors and seniors. For a number of them, the market needs to go back up in a hurry. The parents of some college-bound students have been able to rest easy; years ago they opened up a college fund for their child, and it has been steadily growing. Some of these funds were in stocks, so they could grow faster than in typical savings accounts. After the crash on February 2, those funds, which had previously been earning money, lost tons in a short period of time. Now parents and their children face a serious problem: college is right around the corner, and next year’s

tuition just is not there anymore. There is no resolution yet to these widespread personal dramas in this recent aftermath of the stock market crash. In regards to the stock market crash, junior Brittany Mara commented, “My mom works for Merrill-Lynch, and my college fund was largely in stocks. Now I’m not sure how much more I’m going to need to take out in loans after senior year.” Most college loans need to be paid off within ten years, so college grads ﬁnd themselves laden with thousands of dollars of debt. Junior Bryan Matis, who considers himself lucky to not have a stock-based college fund, also said, “It’s unfortunate how forces out of students’ control have such a huge impact upon how they’re going to pay for college.” Hopefully, the stock market will go back up in a hurry – for the sake of college-bound students across the Freehold Regional High School District and throughout America.

most experienced of any of the candidates, at seventy-two years of age, who vehemently supports a one-hundred thousand troop surge in Iraq, along with government and campaign reform. While his qualiﬁcations and merit are incontestable, his supportive stance on a largely unfavorable war will doubtlessly dog his campaign, as well as its contributions. If he wins, McCain will also be the oldest president ever elected. The numerous and extremely different candidates all indicate that the 2008 election will be an extremely interesting one. America will doubtlessly wait with bated breath to see who will be the next President of the United States.

As a future voter, senior Kayla Khan realizes the importance of the upcoming presidential election. Photo by Stefanie Kern

What can be done about teenage suicide? by Khaled Mowad

Each year in the United States nearly two million teenagers attempt suicide. Of these, thousands of them succeed in taking their own lives. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 24, tailing behind homicide and unintentional injuries. Suicide is, furthermore, the second leading cause of death for college students. Though the state of New Jersey ranks relatively low in suicide attempts, Monmouth County has seen a recent surge in the suicide rate, which has alarmed many parents, students, and politicians. Just a few years ago, in 2002, Monmouth County school districts saw a frightening nine suicides in the course of the year. Suicide is a public and mental health concern because of the intense shock of those close to the victim and disruption of daily life caused by the devastating nature of such an event. Freehold Township Junior Nathan Weiss believes, “Suicide isn’t really something I think about. I’m a pretty happy guy, but I guess you never know what is going on in some people’s mind. It could be your best friend who might be contemplating suicide. In that regard, I guess we and the school as a whole should pay more attention to preventing suicide.” Many students even in this school know of someone who has been affected by teen suicide or even know ﬁrst-hand of someone who has committed suicide. Surprisingly, it has become more common. Early in February, a student from Glen Rock

High School in New Jersey was found in an inner courtyard on the school grounds, dead from an apparent suicide. Equally horrifying was the tragedy of a teen from Old Bridge who, while home from Stanford University, killed himself while in his bedroom. Disasters like these occur as often as once every week in states like Wisconsin. New Jersey is lucky to experience them much less often. Nevertheless, teen suicides are some of the most painful and devastating events that wreak havoc in the family, school, and community at large. However, sources of help can be found all over, from friends, family and therapists. Junior Matt Juron comments, “I think as with any tragedy that afﬂicts the school, there are going to be a number of students who may not handle the stress in the best possible way. It is especially necessary for the school to be greatly involved when it comes to student suicide and try their best to help students cope and prevent suicide.” Oftentimes, it is difﬁcult for the casual observer to tell whether a student may be depressed, let alone to the point where he or she would take his or her own life. The fact that the University of Stanford has experienced a string of three student suicides in 2005 – in spite of being named by Princeton Review as the school with the “happiest students” – goes to show that anybody can be at risk. One should not hesitate to offer or seek help if it seems even remotely possible that someone is suicidal.

School News

‘Genghis’ conquers again Senior Kayla Khan named National Merit Finalist by Kristin Lindquist

Freehold Township High School’s Class of 2007 has a National Merit Finalist in the house! Upon learning of her Finalist status, senior Kayla Khan, nicknamed “Ghengis,” was ecstatic but not overwhelmed. “This is what I set out to accomplish,” she insists. “Sophomore year, I made up my mind to win that competition. And that was that.” Using positive afﬁrmations, Khan psyched herself up for success by hanging the NMSQT chart on her bulletin board. Over a period of months, she checked off each stage as she advanced, telling herself not to doubt that she would make it. “Believing you will get the score you want is half of the trick,” she conﬁdes slyly. “The other half is being a good test taker.” To prepare for the PSAT, Khan took practice exams from study books handed down to her by friends who had already graduated. She readily labels herself a

nerd, “I memorized over a thousand vocabulary words, but don’t ask me to remember any of them now!” Khan pushed herself to study all on her own, without a tutor, review class, or online practice tests. Her hard work paid off with a 2280 out of 2400 on the PSAT, which she had not taken sophomore year. Her plan for success on the actual SAT was the exact same strategy employed the year before. Khan took the SAT only once, in October 2006, and scored a 2370 out of 2400. This score, along with her transcript, extracurricular activity resume, and an essay, were sent to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Khan confesses, “Ms. Nimick and Mr. Rieder really did all the work. They made sure everything went to the right place.” Khan’s dream is to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, which trains Army ofﬁcers. She wants to major in

Military History, learn Arabic, and complete Airborne School. If accepted to the Academy, whose acceptance rate is lower than that of Princeton’s, Khan would graduate with a B.S. degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in what she calls, “The ﬁnest military institution in the world. Sorry, Navy midshipman. Hooah!” Khan’s advice for underclassmen aspiring to National Merit status is, “You don’t need to blow hundreds of dollars on a fancy review class to get a decent score on the SAT. Invest in two or three good review books and take timed practice tests, including the essay, over and over. Save your notes from Algebra II; you’ll want to study them for the Math section. Never skip questions. Even if you just guess, if you answer every question, you still have a chance to get a perfect score!” Congrats to Kayla Khan for this well-deserved honor.

prano, Kira Redzinak, grade 12, soprano, Marissa Santiago, grade 11, alto, and Sarah Stapleton, grade 12, alto. Heim also helped students prepare for All-State choir. He attests that All-State is more difﬁcult to qualify for because the music is more challenging. Forty-eight high schools in Monmouth and Ocean Counties auditioned for All-Shore, but All-State involves every high school in New Jersey. Students who made All-State choir are Ratanjot “Tanja” Rekhi, grade 12, alto, and Marissa Santiago, grade 11, alto. Mr. Heim said “It’s really great to be a member of the chorus class and get to perform in beautiful concert halls and meet new people. You also have fun and it’s deﬁnitely worthwhile.” Gattsek, the band teacher, manages FTHS’s involvement in AllShore and All-State Band. There are two All-Shore bands, jazz and symphonic. In order to make either of them, a student must pre-

pare a solo, present major scales, and site-read. Judges gauge their style and speed, among other criteria. The students prepare outside of school with their individual teachers. Gattsek occasionally organizes rehearsals, usually for three to four hours. He enjoys helping the students and affirms that auditioning for All-Shore, even if a student does not qualify for membership, increases musical ability through sheer practicing more difficult material than usual. Last year, only fifteen students made All-Shore, but this year, twenty students made the symphonic band. Students who made All-Shore jazz band are Bruce Krywinsky, grade 9, trumpet, Kevin Natoli, grade 10, trumpet, and Joshua Koubek, grade 12, trombone. When all is said and done, auditioning for All-Shore and All-State Band and Choir is a cool, fun opportunity that deserves more recognition.

ate that new sound that everyone will love. These band members span all grades, backgrounds, and genres, but they all share one thing: a love of music. Sophomore Keith Leming is the drummer of his band Sleep State Sleep, which has been together for six months. The punk rock band likes to experiment with other sounds, such as electronica and hardcore. They are planning to send demos to recording venues, in the hopes of making an album and getting a good deal. To promote their band, they use the ever-popular MySpace, make up ﬂiers, and sell t-shirts.

Another band, Pulse, consists of juniors Shane Brower, Max Resnick and Tim English. The band has been together since September of 2006. Their demo “In the Basement” has seven songs, and there are more on the way. The members of Pulse consider themselves true music lovers, who could care less about the ﬁnancial aspects of the music world. “I’d like to take it as far as possible, but I’m not in it for the money and fame,” drummer Tim English spills, “I just love to play.” Pulse has its own MySpace, and they also hand out ﬂiers to get publicity. The members of Pulse have

Students are in tune for AllShore, All-State Band and Choir by Jordana Kranz

Practices for All-Shore and AllState band and choir have begun. Alyn Heim, the chorus teacher, and Edward Gattsek, the band instructor, have been helping the students prepare. Heim plays a pivotal role for All-Shore and All-State choir. He coaches the students for solos, acts as audition manager, and designs the web-page. What does it take to be in All-Shore choir? First, one must be a member of the school choir. Heim says that a pleasant singing voice was not enough; students must also demonstrate proﬁciency in arpeggios and scales. To prepare, the students sing parts as a group before singing them alone. Heim also makes a recording that will help the students to practice. Students who made the AllShore choir this year are Emily Deluca Daly, grade 9, soprano, Sarah Frank, grade 12, alto, Brittany Kapulsky, grade 12, soprano, Jurae Kim, grade 10, soprano, Kristen Lindquist, grade 12, so-

Photo by Matt Tanico

Freshman Liz Lopez reads a poem at Reader’s Theatre.

FTHS students of all colors celebrate Black History Month by Olivia Tkach

On Wednesday, February 21, Freehold Township students attended a Readers’ Theatre celebrating Black History Month. The event was organized by English teacher Kathleen Quinn and her senior English classes. Students gathered in the auditorium where they listened to poems and speeches by famous African American people, as well as original poems by seniors. Erika Gordon read a personal essay titled “Hip Hop is Dead.” It addressed the lack of substance in hip hop music. Seniors Katie Pettinatto and Crystal Mahoney created a slideshow displaying the faces of famous African American people. Students also expressed themselves through music. One student, 12th grader DJ Fountain, shared a moving song about his little sister’s death called “Flowers for the Dead.” He brought listeners to tears. Another extremely talented student singer, senior

Amara Pinnock, sang “This Little Light of Mine.” Other musically talented people, such as the band Oolong Fuse, performed throughout the day. FTHS students did much more to celebrate Black History Month. The Drill and Break team presented routines that were instant crowd-pleasers. Students also read lyrics to songs written by famous African Americans, as well as inspirational speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. They shared the selected readings because they found them inspirational. Whether it was singing, reading poems, or displaying slideshows, the Black History Month Readers’ Theatre assembly moved many students. The event successfully shared the struggles that African Americans faced in the past. It celebrated the African American culture and the battles that it has overcome.

Photo by Stefanie Kern

Choir members practice hard in hopes of making All-State.

WHAT’S THAT SOUND? FTHS booming with student bands by Melyssa Horton

The music scene among New Jersey teens is booming, to say the least. Kids have been going on band websites and MySpaces, looking for some good, new music. Now these music lovers are making their own band websites, ﬁlling them with the band’s background, song lyrics, and demos CDs, in order to promote their bands. Students in Freehold Township High School were surveyed, asking if they had their own bands and what new music was out there. It has been discovered that several aspiring musicians have arisen to form their own bands, trying to cre-

commented that they are up for a good show any place, any time. Those who remember the Battles of the Bands held here at FTHS in early December most likely recall the winners of the event: the post-hardcore band Set On Display. Guitarist and lead vocalist Zackary Feinstein put on an amazing show with the rest of his band mates, Matt (vocals), Mark (drums) and Nick Tse (guitarist). The band members came together from Howell, Freehold, Jackson, and Millstone, to create Set On Display in July 2006. When asked how they promote their band, Zack replied, “[Like many other

bands], we use MySpace and PureVolume, but we mostly rely on …word of mouth.” They’re hoping to put a CD together by April, and they have also said that they can be expected to be found playing more shows in the future. These bands put on shows throughout the area. If you want to hear some good music, look them up on MySpace. Better yet, go to a show and check out some of the local talent. It certainly cannot hurt and these aspiring rock stars would doubtlessly appreciate the support.

School News

Drill and Break team step it up in 2007 by Heather Smith

The Drill Team has been acknowledged more this year than any other year. They are performing more at basketball games during halftime and getting the crowd ready for the rest of the game. The crowd’s reaction toward their performances has been phenomenal. When asked what she felt the main reaction of the crowd was, novice member Liz Lopez replied, “A lot of people came up to me, asking when we are doing something next…and [telling me] how fantastic we are.” Next year the team is hoping that they can have more performance

time. “We can only hope for the best. There was a positive feedback from when we performed at half-time during the basketball games. Hopefully, the people

Photo by Matt Tanico

E-mail your interesting school news stories to ft.patriotpress@gmail.com

JSA students gather in D.C. as Kings of Capitol Hill by Melissa Rothman and Elisabeth deBeus Fifty students from the Junior State of America’s Freehold Township Chapter attended the Mid-Atlantic Winter Congress in Washington DC from Friday, February 23rd to Sunday February 25th. There, the student delegates passed bills, argued important issues, listened to speeches, toured America’s most famous monuments and danced the night away. Immediately upon arrival in D.C., Township attended the Capitol Hill Speaker’s Program. The engaging speakers made time to answer as many student questions as possible. The highlight of the program was definitely when one of the speakers was interrupted by a phone call from none other than former NYC Mayor, and newly announced presidential candidate, Rudy Giuliani! Friday also featured the keynote speaker Ambassador Samir Shakir Mahmood Sumaida’ie, Iraq’s permanent representative to the United Nations. Ambassador Sumaida’ie gave a first-hand account of Iraq’s current state. He provided students with insight into the Iraqi peoples’ point of view and stance on the war. The ambassador ultimately clarified the confusing

situation in Iraq. Committee hearings in a mock congress were the main event in DC on Saturday. Students passed bills on topics from immigration laws to laws on capitol punishment. JSA is run like the actual government, and bills must be passed in the house and the senate to become “laws”. Student delegates worked on preventing bad bills from being passed, by arguing against them. JSA provides an excellent way for political expression and for students to explore politics and expand their knowledge with like-minded peers. After the committee hearings, there was a political fair, where organizations such as PETA and the NRA handed out stickers, bracelets, pens, and information pamphlets to try and get students involved. However, Winter Congress was not all work and no play. At night there are dances, monument tours, and debate contests. Two students from Freehold Township, Bryan Matis and Sandyha Ghanta are seeking elected ofﬁces within the organization. Winter Congress 2007 proved to be an exciting and educational weekend for the JSA students at Freehold Township.

who are in charge of allowing exposure see that we are down for anything and for any opportunity they give us. We, as a team, jump at every chance we get and do our best to make it count,” co-captain and junior Lauren Luz comments. Some of the freshmen on the team entertain hopes that someday Varsity jackets will be available to the Drill Team. The Drill and Break Team’s advisor, Jo-Ann Price, is very proud of the team this year. The team prides itself on being one of the only teams in the district that makes up its own routines and

changes them from year to year. The Drill Team is ready for every game. Declares senior and captain, Amara Pinnock, “Regardless of whether the crowd is hyped about a game, we will always be hyped. Plus, the Drill Team combined with the bleacher creatures is an unstoppable ‘hype-producer’.” Aside from competition, pep rallies, basketball games, Black History Month, and Multicultural, members of the Drill Team are just happy to step. Sophomore Aisha Akhter says, “It feels good being a part of a group of people

that have fun and perform for others.” Students and faculty are very proud of the team and hope to see them at more half-time games in the future.

Photo by Matt Tanico

Freehold Township celebrates National FFA Week by Priscilla Abad

One of the most active yet un- through plant sales on Valentine’s Some of the biggest events for recognized organizations of Free- Day and Thanksgiving. This year, FFA members are the State Conhold Township High School is the in a combined effort with the NJ ventions. At these conventions, FFA. The National FFA’s mission Farmers Against Hunger Associa- FFA members from across New is “to make a positive difference tion, the Freehold Township FFA Jersey compete against each othin the lives of students by devel- packed over 6,000 pounds of ap- er in a certain agricultural topic in oping their potential for premier ples for homeless people. order to win and move on to the leadership, personal growth and FFA also invites guest speak- Nationals. For example, in the career success through agricul- ers. Colleges usually send some- Floral Design category, students tural education.” Originally titled one over to talk about their agri- are shown a flower arrangement the Future Farmers of Ameriand have to identify flowers ca, that name has changed to in the model. The event of National FFA to include the Tractor Driving consists of wide range of agricultural cadriving through an obstacle reers and sciences. course and taking a safety The week of February 17th test. These were just a few , FFA displayed murals on the examples of some of the windows of the cafeteria. FFA FFA events. Other events members spent that Monday include a public speaking after school decorating the competition, a dairy idenwindows in order to prepare tification test, and a Turf for National FFA Week. The Grass Competition. advisor, Kristina Guttadora, Those who wish to be stated that the purpose of the apart of the FFA must first week was “to promote awareapply to the Animal and Boness and increase pride in the tanical Sciences Academy. program…and spread agriculLuckily for next year’s aptural awareness.” plicants, Kristina Guttadora In honor of the week, FFA says “next year the acadescheduled many after school my is accepting 25 new stuPhoto by Siew Yen Chai activities. They spent Tuesday dents, which is a record for in the Little Theatre watching FFA president Cassie Halpin tends to plants in us.” Once admitted into the a movie. On Wednesday, mem- the school’s greenhouse. Academy, members join a bers created FFA flyers to hang tight knit and active organiaround the school. After Thurs- cultural programs and persuade zation that focuses on agricultural day’s mandatory meeting, there FFA members to attend their education. was an intense game of walley- college. Also, experts in the field FFA club president, Cassie ball. Then, on Friday, the mem- of agriculture come in to speak Halpin commented that the focus bers flaunted their official FFA about their career experience and of the FFA is “what we can do to jackets during the school day. give advice to the members. Vice better ourselves and to better the FFA week is only a small por- President Matt Mattia comments school.” Clearly the FFA is doing tion of what they do throughout that the club “basically plans out an excellent job in doing that. the year. They also raise money your life.”

I’m lovin’ it:Big Mac is Teacher of the Year by Bianca Porter

Teacher of the Year, Patrick McEvoy, works late again but loves every min ute of it.

Photo by Stefanie Kern

It may seem overwhelming for anyone to teach AP Government, teach Peer Leadership, be the school’s administrative assistant, be the advisor of three clubs, and attend grad school full time. However for Patrick McEvoy, FTHS Teacher of the Year, and our beloved self-titled nerd, it’s a small achievement for the heights he is destined to reach. For a man who states that he still “hasn’t reached his peak,” it does appear that this may be a highlight of his career. Students in high school often hear from at least one teacher, “I work. You work”. McEvoy does

not just say these words though, he lives by them. He is a man who leads by example and does not expect anything more of his students than he is willing to do himself. His students certainly have a lot to live up to. According to senior Frankie Clyburn, “Mr. McEvoy is an inspiration. He knows how to connect with his students on a level they can understand.” Senior Mike Sheffer contributed, “It is well-deserved because all his energy and efforts are put forth into his teaching career.” Similar feelings toward McEvoy are shared by not only other students but the

teachers as well. Social Studies teacher Melissa Babinski says, “He’s not only an inspiration to his students but to other teachers as well because of his dedication and hard work”. McEvoy says about his award, “I was surprised, I don’t really know what to say, it’s a nice honor. It really means a lot when it comes from your peers.” And as for the second parking spot he has earned conveniently in front of the school, McEvoy charitably remarks, “I think I’m going to auction it off for the Alzheimer’s walk.”

School News

MUSICAL: Spring play blooms again

by Stefanie Kern

Clockwise from top-left: Kim Wilpon takes center stage as the title role in “Sweet Charity;” Charity and Oscar (Justin Moore) share a tender moment; seniors Kira Redzinak and Kim Wilpon prepare for the show

They go on dates at the Rhythm of Life Church, Coney Island (where they coincidentally get trapped again in a parachute jump) and become engaged. Oscar suddenly decides not to marry Charity and pushes her into the lake. Charity emerges, this time with her handbag, and inquires, “Did you ever have one of those days?” It’s just the fickle finger of fate! “Sweet Charity’s” first performance on Thursday, March 15 by the star-studded cast was a colorful spectacle. Some strengths of this Freehold Township production include the scenery, the costumes and the choreography. The set was constructed with rich creativity. The sound effects brought the park to life, the lighting made the dance hall seem realistic, and the props (specifically the tambourines in the Pompeii Club dance sequence and the balloons and parachute in Coney Island) were imaginative. Senior Col-

All photos by Stefanie Kern

Are there alternatives to four-year colleges? by Stephanie Candullo

Stress is a main factor for all seniors this time of year. Applying and getting accepted to college, passing classes, ﬁguring out the future, in addition to countless more worries truly has seniors feeling the pressure. Now, more than halfway into the school year, many seniors are still clueless about what they will be doing after they graduation. “I ﬁnd it to be completely unfair that you have to decide your future for the rest of your life when you’re only 18,” says senior Michael Kirshenbaum. Although many are just getting accepted to colleges, there are some that have been rejected, some that haven’t even applied yet, and others that are simply waiting for an answer. Senior, Kristin Lindquist explains, “Thinking about college puts me in a very stressful state because it takes forever for colleges to get back to you.” However, there are many options for those who still haven’t had the time or just contracted the

common illness, senioritis. Brookdale Community College is a great option for many seniors, especially if they want to stay near home. When many students hear about Brookdale, its common misconception is that it is simply the “13th grade.” Meanwhile, Brookdale provides great opportunities and enlightening classes. Going here could also help save money for a four-year college that one can transfer into some day. Once a person transfers from Brookdale, colleges no longer look at high school grades or SAT scores, either; they only look at how many credits have been earned at BCC. Also, it is a great place for students who have undecided majors. Instead of wasting money at a 4-year college when a student has no clue about what they want to major in, Brookdale can help a student decide. Still, many seniors don’t want to attend college at all, yet feel as if they are looking into careers that requires training. There are many trade, union, and vocational

leen Kelsey designed costumes that were colorful and considerably portrayed a distinct New York culture. Ursula’s costume in particular was beautifully ﬁtting. “Sweet Charity’s” most extraordinary component was certainly the choreography. The intricate dance sequences in the Pompeii club and in the Rhythm of Life Church were on cue with the music and extremely entertaining. The original moves came naturally to most of the dancers. In addition, the musical number in Act 2, Scene 4, “Baby, Dream Your Dream,” performed by the talented Diana Egizi and Noelle Renner was worthy of a standing ovation. While the acting was generally strong, there were slight disappointments in the technical production, technique, and choppy staging. The leads had impressive vocal ranges, but the accents could use more work. The sound

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was unclear and the microphones erratically malfunctioned. Because the dialogue was not very fluid, the characters did not have much chemistry with each other. In addition, the crew could use more organization and practice for future productions. The musical may not receive much positive feedback because the plot was unusually strange. “Sweet Charity” is a strong production worth the five dollar ticket, but previous Township performances such as “Blood Brothers,” “Footloose,” “The Outsiders,” and “Pirates of Penzance” were much more audience-friendly. “Sweet Charity” was challenging to pull off because it is not well suited for a high school cast. The actors were theatrically endowed and the orchestra was musically gifted. Despite some staging difficulties, Freehold’s blue curtain unveiled yet another lively performance.

Freehold Township’s tournament was off the wall! by Anson Ahne

The Walleyball Tournament hosted by math teacher John Sciarappa on February 6 was one of the most highly anticipated events of the school year. Students planned weeks ahead in order to arrange their teams. Coach es Frank Gualtieri and Dave Warner were the tournament’s referees. They kept score and m a d e c a l l s f r o m the side lines. C o m e See Us and the Clevel a n d Steamers were the two teams that made it to the finals. Come See Us’s uniforms were Hooters shirts. The Cleveland Steamers were decked out in stylish headbands. In order to win, the Cleveland Streamers would have to beat Come See Us twice due to their one prior loss. Up to the finals, team Come See Us sported a flawless record. The Cleveland Steamers upset Come

See Us twice, clinching the title as Freehold Township’s walleyball champions. The secret formula to the Cleveland Streamer’ victory according to Magarine was that, “we tried to get the minimum amount of girls required (5) because we wanted to set the ball up for the guys so they can spike it.” The Cleveland Streamers’ opponent Smith, commented, “The other team managed to spread the ball very Photo by Anson Ahne well. They were able to pass the ball along well among their members and able to avoid giving the ball away to the stronger players on our team.” John Sciarappa observed that the Cleveland Steamers’ win was not unusual. This year marks the third consecutive year that the losing team has overcome the odds and won the tournament.

also recognized for our fundraising efforts with the FC2 project, and will also be sending two representatives to ICDC. Chapter Advisor Linda Bonaly was also recognized by the current State Officer Action Team, and presented with the Distinguished Service Award, also know as Advisor of the Year! At the very end of the Closing Session the new, 2007-2008 NJ DECA Photo courtesy of Lydia Wagner State Officer Action Team was ticipation the winners moving announced. Junior Chad Greeon to the ICDC were announced. holtz was elected to the position Freehold Township emerged of NJ DECA State President, juvictoriously with eight state fi- nior Evan Johnson was elected to nalists who will attend ICDC in the position of NJ DECA CenOrlando. Freehold Township was tral Region VP, and junior Chris

Farnkopf was elected to the position of NJ DECA State Communications Secretary. All State ﬁnalists, FC2 representatives, and all three newly elected ofﬁcers will attend the International Career Development Conference held in Orlando, April 18th through May 1st. ICDC will be a very exciting time for Township DECA. Students will not only be competing against others from around the country, but will also have the chance to experience Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and many other great attractions! Congratulations to all winners, and best of luck to them in Orlando.

schools that provide this training. Most of these schools are more inexpensive than going to a college or university. Also, these programs may only take about 1-2 years to earn a certiﬁcate or license. They will offer job opportunities before and even after graduating from the program. Vocational programs are offered throughout one’s high school career; however, there are students who may not decide what career they want to pursue in until it is too late. As always, it is never too late! Vocational programs offer post-graduation classes as well for a fee. Some still may not be interested in these options. Seniors should keep in mind that certain colleges have late application deadlines. Keep close contact with the college, and they will see that you are serious about attending their school. Graduation is coming soon for seniors, and although time is running short, it is never too late to look at all the possible options.

NJ DECA state ﬁnalists move on to Orlando, FL by Chris Farnkopf

The 2007 New Jersey DECA State Career Development Conference was an exciting time for Freehold Township DECA. Regional finalists competed at the conference held at the Cherry Hill Crowne Plaza Hotel, February 28 through March 2. Students competed in their respective events, ranging from Automotive Services to Retail Merchandising. On the first night, all competitors were administered a 100 question, multiple choice examination, relating to their respective career area. All preliminary role plays were completed the following day, with a final role play for finalists held late in the afternoon.

During the mini awards session the top six competitors in each instructional area, announced in random order, were recognized for their accomplishments. Another exciting aspect of the conference was officer elections. Three students from Freehold Township ran for election to the 2007-2008 NJ DECA State Officer Action Team. During the closing session, the top finalists in each career area were called to the stage. Final scores were determined by adding each individuals test results to the score of the final role play. The top three individuals or top two teams have moved on to compete at the 2007

International Career Development Conference, being held in Orlando Florida. With great an-

Mr. FTHS

MR. FTHS: Frost takes home title

7 Continued from page 1

by Diana Egizi

“My favorite part,” reﬂected senior Samantha Lewis, “was the dance with Dan, Josh, Joe Buccheri, Dustin, and Chuck because it was well-choreographed,” referring to the group’s mind-blowing and virtually seamless Michael Jackson mix. Of course, many spectators also commented on Mike Tse and Joe Solek’s performance; lip-syncing and enacting the popular YouTube short “Shoes” in mini-skirts and tight shirts, the duo was quite a sight. Another favorite was the well-danced N’Sync performance

by Marcus, Alan, D.J. and Chris Buckner. Next, the formal wear, provided by Tuxedo Den, charmed the crowd as the boys (escorted by seniors Erin Buchanan, Tina Loftus, Jackie Watts, Jenna Impastato, Lindsey Mount, Lindsay Rizzo, and Susan Luca) strutted their stuff in gorgeous tuxes. Soon the question and response round began, where each contestant picked a question out of a jar and had to answer it. Memorable moments included: • Brian Brikowski’s most desired

superpower, X-Ray vision, as he explained, “I think you know why.” • Brian Cooney’s wise and excellent response to “What is the most difﬁcult thing about being a woman?” (Giving birth!) • Soon-to-be-star Dustin Fontaine’s personal connection to celebrity Jim Carrey. • D.J. Fountain’s touching guarantee of lower cost healthcare if he were president. • Alan Frost’s declaring his favorite moment of high school is coming in everyday to see his

girlfriend, Jenna Impastato! • Matt Poricelli’s stunning tale of being locked out of the house in his boxers during a blizzard. And before we all knew it, it was time for the winner to be revealed. It was shortly announced that Marcus Roberson and Dan Cugini were the ﬁrst and second runners up, respectively. The anticipation now mounted to complete silence as the audience and contestants alike held their breath. However, the entire room was satiated at last when the 2007 Mr. FTHS was

crowned—Alan Frost accepted the honor to rousing applause. All in all, the night was an enormous success, raising tons of money for the senior class and putting on an unbelievable show for the school. Every single contestant’s performance reﬂected his hard work, talent, love for his school, and outgoing disposition. Congratulations to 2007 Mr. FTHS Alan Frost, and thank you to all the boys for a hysterical, endearing night.

Photo by Christine Shaw

Photo courtesy of Yearbook staff

Photo by Christine Shaw

Cloc kwis e from top left: Mr. FT HS contestants take time out for s ome male bond ing; Chuc k Polotti gets re ady for a d ip during the swims uit competition; Dan Cugini flexes his “mus c les”; Marcus Robe rs on dazzles with his million dollar s mile; Joe Buc c he ri, Dustin Fontaine, Josh Wetste in, Chuc k Polotti, and Dan Cugini moonwalk the ir way into the he arts of the spe ctators, Alan Frost pos es Chris Buc kne r during the finale of the ir dance routine, Brian Cooney and Matt Porice lli show off the ir girlish figures during the swims uit competition; Brian Bri kows ki and Ryan Curran c le an up nice ly

Photo courtesy of Yearbook staff

Photo by Susan Luca

Photo by Christine Shaw Photo by Christine Shaw Photo by Christine Shaw

Features

Bands duke it out for album of the year by Ben Sugarman

2007 is only three months in, but has already been greeted by some early contenders for Album of the Year, by new and old artists alike. Presaged by its hypnotic pink cover, Deerhunter’s new album, “Cryptograms,” sees the band experiment with its distorted psychedelic vision in a collection of new, yet familiar, songs. No, the material’s technically original, but Deerhunter’s resemblance to its predecessors is more than a little visible, drawing its guitars and effect pedals from the heyday of Sonic Youth and its hushed vocals from contemporaries like Broken Social Scene. Despite the similarities, the record is still enjoyable. The title track is one of the more steady songs of the record, guided by the repetition of a sinister guitar riff and drum beat, before devolving into a mess of electronic noise. The band follows this up with mostly ambience, in “Providence” and “Red Ink,” sometimes offset by electronic rowdiness, in tracks like “Lake Somerset.” Quickly though, Deerhunter reveals its structured side. The muted aesthetic remains present,

but the band infuses it with more vibrant rock melodies, evident in later songs like “Strange Lights” and the ﬁnal track, “Heatherwood.” Also of recent release was Of Montreal’s new album, “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?” At once, the record simultaneously features the band’s most upbeat material and its darkest material. “The Past Is a Grotesque Animal,” clocking in at twelve minutes, brings out usually jubilant lead singer Kevin Barnes’ angry side. Barnes’ supporting cast in the song is an array of wild synthesizers and high-pitches “oos,” creating a mysteriously unseen undertone to the song. Besides this deviation, Hissing Fauna usually stays true to the band’s buoyant personality. Opener “Suffer for Fashion” shows the band take Guided By Voices-esque lyrics and make a cheerful electronic rock song out of them, and “A Sentence of Sorts In Kongsvinger” displays their trademark drum machine and catchy chorus, even complemented by a tropical glockenspiel. The Arcade Fire’s highly anticipated new album “Neon

Bible” is also one of contrasts. At any given moment, the group can be the most epic band on the planet or the quietest; each role, though, is played very well. The first single, “Intervention,” is in itself a grand production. Built up by an organ and the lead singer’s timid voice, the song eventually erupts into an exhibition of the band’s signature melodrama and orchestral magnificence. The title track, on the other hand, captures the Arcade Fire at their most reserved moment. One of the few tracks without some sort of buildup, “Neon Bible” is actually more folk than orchestra, though it does feature strings, and resembles something of a gentle lullaby. The album’s closing track, “My Body is a Cage,” best summarizes the varying moods of Neon Bible. Beginning with just whispered vocals and a quiet drumbeat, the song progressively revives the earlier organ, and adds warlike snare drums and horns to create an enormous demonstration of the band’s theatrical grandeur, paralleling the record’s final lines, “Set my spirit free.”

My Chemical Romance will carry on by Billy Hicks

In New Jersey, the music scene is cut-throat. There are thousands of music genres and even more bands struggling to make it. My Chemical Romance has been through it all – drug abuse, alcohol abuse, near suicidal attempts, and penniless road gigs. If you have ever been to one of their shows, seen one of their music videos, or listened to one of their phenomenally emotional music tracks, you will know that My Chemical Romance goes way beyond stereotypical musical barriers. They surpass the “Emo” standard that had plagued the music scene for years; MCR’s music is more than just witty rhyme and catchy guitar riffs. The band members, Gerard Way (lead vocals), Mikey Way (bass guitar), Ray Toro (lead guitar), Frank Iero (rhythm guitar), and Bob Bryar (drums), have something most bands lack today. Their music always has meaning. The story of “MCR” traces back to September 11, 2001. Gerard Way, then an aspiring art student, happened to witness the World Trade Center attacks and

wrote “Skylines and Turnstiles” to express the emotions after witnessing this. Soon after, Matt Pelissier was called in to play drums, Ray Toro was recruited as lead guitarist, and Mikey, Gerard’s brother, also joined while learning to play bass. The “little project” began recording scratch demos in Matt’s attic and soon signed to Eyeball Records. While playing with Thursday and Pencey Prep, the band met Frank Iero and soon added him to the crew when Pencey Prep broke up in 2002, just three days before MCR recorded their debut album “I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love.” In 2003, MCR moved on to “Reprise Records” and began recording their second CD, “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.” During this period, the band replaced Matt with a new drummer named Bob Bryar. This was due to a minor conﬂict during a show that sparked into a major one. As their musical career began to skyrocket, they played as the opening act for Green Day on the “American

Idiot Tour” in the beginning of 2005. On October 24, 2006, MCR released their third and most successful album to date, “The Black Parade.” It sold an astonishing 313,000 copies in its first week, completely shattering and surpassing the previous 38,000 copies sold by their second album in its first week. The album peaked to #2 on both the U.K. Charts and “Billboard Hot 100” and has since received triple platinum certification and was one of, if not the most highly anticipated albums of 2006. After all of this, MCR has many shows up and coming which include their own “The Black Parade Tour,” a headlining spot on the first day of New Jersey’s “The Bamboozle Festival,” and a spot in this year’s “Oxygen ‘07” in Ireland in July. With all that MCR has been through, it is hard not to like them. They were the underdogs of the music scene. Now, they are at the top, looking down at the scene they conquered.

SPORTS CORNER New York Yankees season preview

by Matt La Magna

Arguably the most recognizable name in professional sports and definitely the most successful one, the New York Yankees are set to take the field this April for the 2007 Major League Baseball season. The Yankees, one of the premier clubs in MLB, have fallen upon hard times recently by not winning a World Series since the 2000 Subway Series victory over the New York Mets. While any other team would love to have the “failures” that the Yankees have (the Yankees have gone to the playoffs every year and have reached the World Series twice since their 2000 win), the Yankees are not satisfied. Year in and year out, the Yankees want to win a World Series, and this year looks like their best chance to do so since 2000. First, the Yankees have brought pitcher Andy Pettitte back to the Bronx. Pettitte, a starting pitcher who was key in the Yankees’ successful run in the 1990s, left the team after 2003 to pitch in his hometown, Houston. However, Pettitte did

not fit into Houston’s rotation. He looks to make an impact on a Yankee pitching staff that has suffered in the past. The Yankees also have been emphasizing youth for the first time in a long time. Pitching prospect Phil Hughes looks to be the next young ace and has already drawn comparisons to Roger Clemens, one of the greatest pitchers of all time. Second baseman Robinson Cano is one of the greatest young second basemen in the game, earning an All-Star spot last year. Finally, pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, the runnerup for the American League Cy Young award last year, will try to anchor the pitching rotation for many years to come. Will this be the year the Yankees win the World Series? Once again, the Yankees are fielding one of the best lineups in team history and this year they have the pitching to back it up. This combination means that the Yankees have a better chance than ever to be celebrating a World Series championship in October.

Major League Baseball is back again by Brett Levinson

During late February, Major League Baseball gets underway when all 30 teams report to camp in Florida or Arizona to participate in spring training. This year though, controversy surrounds baseball as the steroids scandal keeps getting bigger and bigger. More so than any other professional sports league, baseball is under the scrutiny of the fans and even the government. Late last year, the Hall of Fame voting was cast for the class of 2007. It was the ﬁrst year that Mark McGwire was eligible for entry. A minimum of 75 percent of all votes cast is needed in order to get a player in, but McGwire did not even receive 25 percent. Even though he blasted 583 homeruns in his career, including 70 in 1998, the former player could not overcome the suspicion that he used performance-enhancing drugs. Besides McGwire, many other prominent baseball afﬁliates have been suspected of using steroids. Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants is only 22 home runs away from tying the holy home run record, currently held

by Hank Aaron. However, he too is widely suspected of steroid usage. Last year, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig created a commission headed by George A. Mitchell to investigate the uses of steroids in the sport since the early 1990s. No progress has yet been made; the investigation has been a flop thus far. Players such as Gary Sheffield have called it a “witch-hunt” against Bonds, and the Players Union has been uncooperative. While these steroid dramas have tainted the sport, the crisis got even more serious on the week of February 27, when federal agents arrested people affiliated with a Florida pharmaceutical company accused of distributing steroids. On the list of clients of the store are Jason Grimsely, relative newcomer to the steroid scene. Gary Matthews Jr. Matthews had his finest year last year, and his name has now been thrown into the steroid suspicion of baseball world. The steroid saga has yet to be finished, but already before the season has begun, the season is tainted with deception.

‘The Black Donnellys’ will make you fall in love with the Irish mob by Christine Shaw “The Black Donnellys,” unlike “The Sopranos,” “The Godfather,” and “Goodfellas,” is not just another mob story. The story of this family brings a new view to the stereotypical New York gangster scene. To start, the story is about an Irish family in the mob and their struggle with power. The main story revolves around four Irish brothers living in a rough Manhattan neighborhood and is a mix between a crime drama, a soap opera, and a coming of age tale. Joey Ice Cream, a childhood friend of the

Donnellys, tells the story in ﬂashback while in prison (for what, we do not know yet), adding a bit of comic relief to the gloom that is the Donnellys’ predicament. The brothers, all in their young twenties/teens, have very different views of what is right and wrong, yet all share the common bond of protecting each other. Jimmy, the oldest, is clearly the hothead of the bunch, who has an eye for stealing and doesn’t think twice about murder. Kevin and Sean, the two youngest, are usually in some form of debt from gambling,

and are actually accidentally the cause of the beginning of a mob war between the Italians and the Irish. Tommy, on whom the story is mainly focused, is pretty much the only one with a conscience; he comes home from college to ﬁnd his family in a mess, and being the only responsible one, he takes charge and does whatever he has to in order for his brothers safety. And whatever he has to do really means just that. After his younger brothers kidnap an Italian bookie hoping to gain ransom money for lost debt, the Italian

mob ﬁnds out and for revenge, beats the youngest brother nearly to death. In order to take revenge for this, Jimmy kills the bookie that the brothers still had captured. The leaders of the Irish and Italian mobs talk and agree that if they kill Jimmy, all things will be settled between them. Overhearing this, Tommy knows he can’t let this happen and thus kills both leaders, among other men. Unintentionally, the Donnelly brothers become the new mob leaders of this neighborhood, yet are still hiding the fact in fear of retalia-

tion against them. Even though only a few episodes have aired, “The Black Donnellys” has already made millions of viewers fall in love with these Irish brothers who are just trying to ﬁnd their way. It promises to make you experience all aspects of their lives, from the trust of brothers, unexpected sympathy for murderers, the comedy of Joey Ice Cream, a star-crossed love story between Tommy and his childhood love, and most importantly, the meaning of family.

School Sports

FTHS wrestlers take to the mat at state tournament by Joe Fontana

Photo courtesy of the Berger family

Senior Mitch Berger tackles his opponent during a recent match.

Hopes are high for Freehold Township boys tennis team by Brian Schwartz

It is almost spring time again, and tennis season is just around the corner. With try-outs beginning, the entire team has high hopes for the upcoming season. While there is reason to believe that fewer athletes are trying out for the team, it has not put a damper on the spirit of the team. Austin Schindel, who has been on the team for ﬁrst two years of high school and is looking to once again make the team, says, “We’ll do well because the division is weak and we have returning starters.” Schindel brings up a key point. The weakness of the division, however, will not single-handedly carry Freehold Township to the top. In addition to a weakened competition, the team will have to continue to work hard and show dedication. Every member of last year’s team, from Michael Slotnick to Justin Bleich, displayed hard work ethic. Last year, every team member was able to bring his special ability on the court and contribute to the team. Some players were great at singles, while others set records on the doubles court. One of the teams most impressive records last year came from

the Kyle Mathews and Phil Levin doubles partnership. On the tennis court, they ended the division as one of the top doubles teams in the division. While Mathews has graduated, Levin still has great potential. In addition, almost every member of the team possessed great individual skill, something beneﬁcial in the game of tennis. Though positions on the team are clearly unknown at this time, the 2007 tennis season is looking better and better. In addition to the prospect on the court, the Freehold Township Tennis team has an off-court weapon, and that weapon’s name is Pender. Coach Pender is returning for a second year of intense coaching for the tennis team. Pender has an amazing ability to inspire all of those around him. With his great wrestling analogies and stories from yester year, it’s no wonder that the team gives one hundred percent everyday. Pender led the girl’s team through a successful year and will do the same for the Freehold Township boy’s tennis team. One can only wait and hope for the best.

Photo by Stefanie Kern

Junior Matt Juron prepares to return his opponent’s serve.

Wrestling, as a sport, requires hard work, motivation, and hours of practice. When most people hear the word “wrestle,” they most likely think of sweaty boys slamming a mat, pinning each other, and risking gruesome injuries. They may believe it is worse to lose in wrestling than most other sports. However, wrestling is not all about winning. The most important thing is to try one’s best. Mitch Berger, FTHS senior and four-year varsity wrestler, says, “If you lose, just keep being determined and bounce back. Hard work deﬁnitely pays off.” Berger ended his senior year with

an amazing record of thirty-four wins and three losses. He plans to attend Lehigh on a scholarship. Wrestling takes more heart and less weight than many would imagine. Wrestlers often have trouble cutting their weight in order to qualify for certain weight classes. Cutting weight was never a problem for Mitch Berger until his junior year, when he wrestled at the same weight class as in his sophomore year. As a senior, he moved up to the 119-pound weight class, which is closer to his natural weight. Berger came in third at the NJSIAA State Wrestling Region Six tournament.

Gene Accardi, sophomore from Freeehold Township, placed 6th in the NJSIAA State Wrestling Tournament at 103. He also came in second place in the 2007 Region Six Tournament. Another challenge in wrestling is respect for one’s opponent. Rivals on the mat must still have respect for one another as people – but each will still do anything to win! Wrestling teaches discipline and self-respect as well. It keeps participants in shape and healthy. In today’s obese America, that may be the most valuable victory of all.

As spring is fast approaching, winter sports are now drawing to a close. The Freehold Township bowling team in particular ﬁnished off their season with a ﬁnal record of 25-14 for the girls varsity and 20-19 for the boys varsity. The boys varsity team went out with a bang by going undefeated in three of their last four games. Exclusively for the Freehold team, Team Captain James Caraluzzi pulled out the season by receiving the highest game series with a score of 761, while Andrew Bohn had the highest game with a 280. Meanwhile, the varsity girls

ﬁnished second in the district. They also placed second in the Freehold Regional District Tournament. For the district, Pinar Huseyin had the all time high game and came in ﬁrst for bowling averages with an average score of 191. She also placed 29th in the State Tournament. Coach Joshua Orlinsky remarks, “She gave it her all and it showed.” Huseyin’s outstanding performance in the tournament leads Orlinsky to anticipate a highly successful team for next winter. Despite the numerous injuries that occurred during the season, all of the girls

came around with full recoveries and had an amazing season. Although next year some of the varsity teams’ key players will be leaving, the teams are still looking forward to the following year. As senior bowler Desiree Abad remarked, “Since last year, the varsity girl’s team has greatly improved and hopefully next season the returning players will continue to do their best.” Likewise, Coach Orlinsky maintains high expectations for his team after their successful performance and looks forward to another great year.

Township bowlers strike again by Jenni Saunders

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT on Swimmer Abby Muller by Asma Mumtaz

“Swimming is a sport that requires dedication and hard work. You can’t just have talent, you have to work hard to get far. It’s also a mental sport. Your mind has to be completely into it,” says Freehold Township senior Abigail Muller about the sport she can’t imagine life without. The star swimmer has devoted countless years of her life to the sport in and out of school. Muller ﬁrst began swimming for teams because “she always loved being in the water.” After a little encouragement from friends, she set off on her long journey through her swimming career. At age 7, Muller joined a non-competitive recreation team at Monmouth Heights, a local swimming club. There, she found her coaches making swimming even more fun than it already was. With support from her old coaches, Muller entered into the competitiveness of swimming when she made the Freehold YMCA team the following year. She has participated in both teams ever since. Muller has accomplished during her high school swimming career. As a freshman, she already made the varsity swimming team and broke the 400 free style relay

record. The subsequent year, she was voted Most Valuable Player on the girls’ varsity team. In addition, she broke the 200 free style record and the 500 free style record. With her on their side, the Freehold Township swim team placed 8th in the 200 free style and 7th in the 500 free style out of all Monmouth and Ocean County at the Shore Conference. In her junior year, Muller was designated Most Valuable Player again and broke her own record

cember and then broke her own record twice more. Muller’s bragging rights include being placed as top 3 swimmers overall, 500 free style, 100 free style, 100 brush stroke, and 100 back stroke. She is placed first in the 200 free style, 500 free style, and 200 individual medley. FTHS’s swim team placed third overall in the Shore Conferences. When asked if swimming is in her future, Muller says she plans to swim for either Fairfield College, which is one of the top Division 1 swim teams, or The College of New Jersey, which is one of the top Division 3 teams. However, she is uncertain if it can go further than that, since she says, “When you get older, it is tough to keep Photo courtesy of the Asbury Park Press for the 200 free going after colstyle. Now, Muller is the team lege. Swimming is a tough sport captain along with senior Rena to be at the top in.” Even if she Eleazar, another great swimmer isn’t swimming on teams, she with many records. A few re- will definitely do it as a hobby. cords Abigail has broken thus far When asked what her life would are the 200 individual medley and be like without swimming she the 400 free style relay records. hesitantly said, “I have no idea, One interesting fact about the 200 because I’ve been doing it for so individual medley record is that long that I can’t possibly imagine Muller had first broken it in De- life without it.”

Basketball

T HIS IS WHY W E’RE HOT

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hoagland

An insider’s perspective on the Shore Conference Championship by TJ LaFalce

All great teams know that the road to success is never an easy one. As a member of the Patriots championship basketball team this year, I will forever remember the hard work and payoff of this amazing season. From our record of 24-1, to winning the Kunhert Tournament Championship, an A-North Overall Championship, and a Shore Conference Championship, being a part of school history is awesome, and it couldn’t have been with a better group of guys. The bond our team has is so strong that we anticipated one another’s moves before we made them.

Most of us have been playing together long before high school even started. Marcus Roberson, Eddie Fischer, and I are all from Howell and played in the midMonmouth league together in 6th grade. Meanwhile, Alan Frost played ball with Marcus and Eddie since middle school, and in Freehold, Rodger Wilmot was playing with Chris Kausch and Corey Csakai. Each member of our team has brought a different style of play into our game. Having such a great season would not be possible without practice, dedication, great coaches, and loyal fans. When we suf-

fered out ﬁrst loss to Camden’s Leap Academy, outsiders started saying that we weren’t for real or that we were overrated. After eating pizza and watching a ﬁlm of the game at Coach Golub’s house, we had the toughest practice any of us can remember. While we didn’t even touch a ball, we were beat by the end. Golub said that we have to “practice harder than we play sometimes.” To anyone who knows sports, the saying goes that you “play how you practice,” but for us that wasn’t always the case. This tiny voice was soon in the back of our minds saying, “How good could we re-

Township downs the Tornadoes in a whirlwind by Matt Juron

On March 2, the unofﬁcial school dress code was “Bleacher Creature” apparel. In every classroom, students donned the standard blue Bleacher Creature shirts, or the new white Shore Conference Champion shirts. Basketball fever had hit Freehold Township, and tonight was one of the biggest games in school history. Before a seemingly neverending capacity crowd, the Patriots began warming up. Seats were hard to ﬁnd even a full hour before the game began. Many stood and watched near the exits. Township was scheduled to play Trenton, the fourth seed. Excitement had mounted all day long, and then at 6:00 p.m., the game was underway. One could hardly hear the whistles of the referee, as most fans seemed on a personal conquest to lose

their voices. Not once during the course of the game did Trenton handle the ball without receiving a chorus of boo’s. The game began evenly, with Freehold leading 26-20 at the half. Township had ended the second quarter on a 5-0 run. They continued their good play, beginning the second half on a 13-2 run, to bring their lead to 39-22. Trenton would not go away, however. The good team that they are, they chipped into the lead, one possession at a time, slowly bringing the deﬁcit down to 46-42, after Trenton nailed a three pointer. This quieted the crowd momentarily, until Eddie Fischer took the game into his own hands. From the right wing, Fischer pulled up for a three-pointer and buried it, right in his defender’s face. This immediately energized the Town-

ship fans. With 1:29 left, Trenton once again whittled the Freehold lead to 54-50. Then, Rodger Wilmot intercepted a Trenton pass on the left sideline and drove to the hoop. He made the shot and was fouled. After making the free-throw, Freehold led by 7. Fischer and Wilmot scored the Patriots’ last seven points to close off a thrilling game, 61-50. Freehold Township Senior Kevin Dunshee believes that, “Wilmot is the most underrated player on the team, and everyone here loves it. As long as defenses keep focusing on Fischer and keep overlooking Rodger, he’ll keep dropping 20 a game.” Trenton walked off the court, serenaded by the Bleacher Creature rendition of the classic 1969 Steam hit, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.”

ally be if we played as hard as we practice?” Not only do our coaches know the game, they were always ﬂexible and listened to our opinion. Some players like Marcus and Eddie go to Golub while I personally go to Assistant Coach Smith to help me when I need to get things off my chest. For every player it’s different, and we are lucky to have each other and our coaches. Not only did we win the championship, but we beat CBA three times this year, undoubtedly shutting down all those who questioned us. Behind our drive to win were our fans. The Bleacher Crea-

tures had more of a presece this year than ever before. They went to every road game, even showing up to games against weak opponents. During our big games, it felt like the whole student body was there, and our team would just feed off of the energy. They even added an original cheer this year, my personal favorite, the “Winning Team! Losing Team!” chant. We are very proud of ourselves and thankful for the support of not only the students of FTHS, but ALL of our fans, such as our families, teachers, and administration.

Eddie Fischer was the team’s most clutch player this winter. In games like the Shore Finals and the Sectional Semifinals, Fischer excelled in times of need. During the Shore Finals against CBA, he scored a game- high 22 points, including a jawdropping off balance shot with 53 seconds left giving the Pats a four point lead. Rodger Wilmot used his amazing athletic ability to secure his spot in FTHS basketball history. This prolific guard scored 15.67 points a game and dished 20 points in the Sectional Finals. Alan Frost put up some big games this season. This gifted athlete stood by his team through thick and thin and will never be forgotten. Frost was the unsung player on this team and had a terrific last high school season. Marcus Roberson played 14 straight double-digit games, 18 in all, and always got the crowd off of its feet. He made the season historic after the first CBA game, where he dominated de-

fensively and put up 17 points. A future college athlete, the always smiling Roberson made the school proud. TJ LaFalce is a paragon of hard work and enthusiasm. LaFalce rocked the ﬁrst CBA game and didn’t stop all season. Having 26 points and 10 boards, he created the fever that is still sweeping this school even though the season is over. With a team high 23 points per game, LaFalce himself was a force to be reckoned with. Brian Brikowski, John Keegan, and Chris Kausch played well all season too. “Brick” is arguably the strongest player on the team, one of the school’s top athletes also playing three positions for the football team. Brick will attend Akron University next year on a football scholarship. John Keegan, also a football player, saw a lot of time on the court this season in some big games. The tall and strong Chris Kausch dominated every chance he got this winter.

Basketball Senior Spotlight by Matt Claro