The Cougar Claw Tomball High School Feb. 2014 Vol. 57, Issue 3 THSCougarClaw.com
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coming home His service to his country is over, and now William Kaczynski can focus on his daughters, beginning with a surprise homecoming at school. Story, Page 8
Meet the ‘Goon Squad’
Can baseball do it again?
Gamers story teaser goes here, pleas.e, and should be here.
A year after winning a state title, team returns to field.
Student Life, Page 6
Sports, Page 16
FEB. 2014
Tomball joins District 19-5A
Memorial remains district foe
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THE COUGAR CLAW: NEWS
Staff Reports The good news: Tomball students will have a much shorter drive to most district games next year. The bad: Those district games may be much tougher to win. The state released the new UIL district alignments for the next two years this month, and Tomball will see some changes. First, the school moves to District 19-5A, as the state adds a new Class 6A for the larger schools. Still in our district from this year’s 22-4A is Tomball Memorial, Spring Woods and district power Stratford. New to the district will be Waller, Brenham and the two Magnolia schools. “The travel to Fort Bend was very difficult because of the traffic and other things we had to deal with,” said principal Greg Quinn, who likes the makeup of the new district. “I would like to see us compete against Waller and the Magnolia schools. They are close and have been rivals in the past. “It would be nice to rekindle some of those rivalries.” For coaches, the new district brings new challenges. “Lots of familiar faces with some new teams thrown in the mix,” said baseball coach Joe Heckathorn. “Tough competition – Stratford and Brenham have great all-around programs that will be competitive in every sport.”
Band director Steve Fry said he is “very excited” about a district that involves much less travel. “The schools are close to home, so it helps on travel and allows more parents to go to the games,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get a bigger crowd coming to our home games with Magnolia, Mag West and Waller. “All the stadiums are very good stadiums for the bands to perform in, so overall I’m very excited about this district.” Basketball coach Brad Ball predicts Memorial, Stratford and Spring Woods will continue to be the teams to beat for his sport. Sports isn’t the only area where district competition will increase. Clint Cottom, the theater teacher, sees a much stronger district for One-Act Play competition. “It’ll be a bloodbath!” shouted Cottom. “These schools will be much tougher in the one-act play. Spring Woods will be difficult. Magnolia will be very strong.” Indeed, all academic events will be tougher. “This will put us in a much tougher district for academic competition,” said Jerry Fordyce, Academic UIL coordinator for THS. “We are keeping a couple of schools that beat us in district last year, while the Magnolia schools, in particular, put a real emphasis on academic competition and will be very competitive.”
Kagan’s story
Shattered Lives grim reminder not to drink, text and drive Sam Abrahams
Pierce Leus was crowned Mr. Debonbair two weeks ago after his ‘Crocodile Dundee’ routine.
Leus named Mr. Debonair Staff Reports Fifteen Tomball High School senior men lined the stage in the auditorium to compete in the annual Mr. Debonair show. Slowly but surely, the group of contestants was narrowed down to one winner: Pierce Leus. The contestants competed to impress the judges in three categories: Dream jobs, formal wear, and the interview. Now there was only one Mr. Debonair, but other awards were given out as well including: Best Smile, Austin Estes; Best Eyes, Carter Campbell; Best Legs, Jack England; Best Hair, Taylor Weems; and Mr. Congeniality, Tristan Born. But Leus won the hearts of the judges with his wit and confidence. “Let’s be honest, I knew I was going to win,” he said.
Shattered Lives showcases how dangerous and deadly drunk driving and texting and driving can be. More than 60 people from the junior and senior classes are participating this year, and it seems to be all anyone can talk about. “It’s a great experience,” said junior Morgan Koteras, “It really shows how It really shows tragic those types of things how tragic can be. Evthose types of erything can things can be. change in a split second. Everything can It inspires change in a split people to make the right second. decision to - Morgan Koteras not drink and drive.” Shattered Lives is a representation of the tragedies that occur from accidents from drinking and texting while driving. With students dressed in all black, cars from real crashes, and the ‘Grim Reaper,’ students get a real feel for how serious these things can be. According to newsday.com, “Researchers at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park estimate more than 3,000 annual teen deaths nationwide from texting while driving.” Like the saying goes, “It can wait.” The event this year is on Feb. 26-27. Want more on Shattered Lives? Check out a photo gallery of the 2012 event at http://thscougarclaw.com/galleries/2012/03/27/shattered-lives/
The Charms have these and other shirts on sale now.
Add some school pride to your wardrobe Staff Reports Several organizations on campus have extra shirts and other promotional material for sale. Here are a few if you want to add some Cougar Pride to your wardrobe. SENIOR SHIRTS: See Mr. Vierkant if you’re interested in any of the senior t-shirts from this year. The shirts are $15 each. DANCE CLASS: Shirts are on sale for $10 each. Stop by the dance room or see Miss. Melton. CHARMS SHIRTS: They have several designs still for Charms. The baseball tee style is $5; the red shirts are $8 for regular t-shirts, $10 for dry fit; and the grey shirts are $10 each, or $16 for the dry fit. See Miss. Melton in the dance room. YEARBOOK SHIRTS: The Yearbook Minions shirt is on sale for $8 each. Stop in Room 1201 and see Mr. Fordyce. ACADEMIC UIL: The back “Property of THS Academics” shirt is on sale for $8 in Room 1201. SOCCER HOODIES: The hoodies come in black, red or white and have the logo Tomball Cougars across the front. They are available for $25 from Coach Fancher in Room 1241. COUGAR CUPS: The Cougar Den Coffee Shop has two different cups for sale. The first is a red cup that can be used for hot or cold drinks. It is $10, and there are very few left. The second is the new insulated cup made for cold drinks, which also comes with a hard plastic straw. It is $8. Both are on sale at the coffee shop. COUGAR LANYARDS: The red lanyards with TOMBALL COUGARS in white letters are $3 each and on sale in Room 1201. STUDENT COUNCIL SHIRTS (Previous years only): Shirts from previous years are on sale in Room 1205 for $5 each.
Tomball FFA teacher Jessica Reeves visits Kagan Lucas at M.D. Anderson Hospital last month. Kagan, 11, died of Leukemia last week.
Cancer claims life of girl adopted by FFA program Hayley Beebe Kagan Lucas, an 11-year-old cancer patient that the Tomball FFA program adopted this year, lost her ongoing battle with Leukemia last week. Kagan’s mother posted on her carepage, “Kagan went to be with our heavenly father this evening.” Family and friends are leaving comments full of love and support. Ag teacher Jessica Reeves, whose department adopted Kagan and had been raising money to help with her treatment, wrote in an e-mail to school staff: “It is with a very broken, heavy heart that I share with all of our family
that Kagan Lucas passed away this evening from leukemia. She will be celebrating her 12th birthday tomorrow in heaven with Jesus. I cant even begin to imagine what the Lucas family has been through and the seemingly unbearable road ahead, but we have peace in the fact Kagan is suffering no more.” On September 4, 2013, Kagan was diagnosed with Leukemia, a blood cancer, and admitted straight into MD Anderson Hospital. What started out as small symptoms quickly evolved into an extremely aggressive form of leukemia, resulting in organ and kidney failure, lung and blood pressure issues, and infections.
She has had to undergo chemotherapy, dialysis, feeding tubes, and so much more, including very rare white blood cell (WBC) transfusions—an occurrence so uncommon that only two hospitals in the U.S. do this. The ag department heard about Kagan through her father, who is the ag teacher at a school in Katy. Competitors throughout the school year, the two programs are friendly rivals, and students jumped to help when they heard about the teacher’s daughter. A website was created to help the family with medical bills, at http://www.kaganlucas.org. Any amount is appreciated.
DEC. 2013
Staff Editor-in-chief: Leanne Haas Sports Editor: Leandra Carty
Senior considers what she would have done differently
News Editor: Jynn Schubert
Micaela LaPeer
Feature Editor: Micaela Lapeer Online Editor: Adam Bergeron
THE COUGAR CLAW: Opinion/EDITORIALS
Video Editor: Drew Gilman Staff Writers: Julian Gite, Valentina Munoz, Maria Ramirez, Wendy Salazar Design by Bailey Swanson & Tyler Swanson Editorial Cartoonist: Drew Gilman For more on the Cougar Claw staff, check out our online edition at THSCougarClaw.com Letters to the Editor Policy: The Cougar Claw publishes letters to the editor in both print and online editions. These can come from students, parents,faculty/staff and others with an intrest in school. Letters will be edited for grammar and length, but the author’s intent and point of view will never be compromised. All letters must be signed. Questions, comments or concerns, contact adviser Jerry Fordyce at: jerryfordyce@tomballisd.net phone: (281) 357-3220 fax: (281) 357-3248
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If we could do high school over . . .
The Cougar Claw Newspaper Tomball High School 30330 Quinn Rd. Tomball, TX 77375
Even if you’re not going to UT or Texas State and staying in Tomball for Lone Star, senior year can be stressful if you aren’t prepared for it. As a senior, I’m swamped with stresses like prom, college decisions, and scholarships. Looking back, I wish someone would’ve told me you can distribute the stress onto all four years. I’m sure everyone’s heard “Freshman year counts!” But as cliché as it is, it really does. Not only do your grades count, but your time, too. I thought college essays were pages and pages long, but most are only 500 words. You could take 30 minutes a month and practice college essays and by the time it’s time to write your actual essay, you’ll have it so under control you won’t even think twice. Another piece of advice I can give you is to spend your summers wisely. I spent summers lying in bed watching Netflix until 5 AM and sleeping ‘til three. I never thought about taking a credit during the summer until this past summer when I took government and economics, and I wish I had taken more throughout high school. Basically, your social life won’t be compromised senior year if you get your stuff under control the other three years. Your time is valuable even if you won’t be in the Top 10 Percent. Enjoy high school, but make sure you know when it’s time to buckle down for your future. Here are some tips for every year of high school: Freshman Year: • Find something you can stick to all of high school. Whether it be a sport or club or band, find something. It looks great on college applications and helps you make lasting friends. • Get your basics out of the way. Take speech, fine arts, etc. so you don’t have to worry about what credit you need to graduate senior year. You’ll thank yourself later when you have two senior release periods. • Take a summer school class! • Decide if pre-ap classes are for you
Sophomore Year: • Practice college essays. Take 30 minutes and look at this year’s prompts and crank out an essay. Work with a friend and give criticisms to each other. You might hate it at the moment, but you’ll be glad when writing your actual essay comes out with barely any effort. • Get a job and put 10% a paycheck away into savings. Whether it be babysitting for your next door neighbor, or getting a job as a cashier, start doing something. You won’t notice the 10 bucks every two weeks, but you’ll definitely notice the hundreds of dollars you saved by senior year. • Start making a log of clubs your involved in and volunteer hours. When filling out my college applications, you forget about those three hours sophomore year you spent volunteering at the animal shelter, but you won’t if you log it. • Take an SAT and/or an SAT class! You can take the SAT up to three times and being familiar with testing format lowers your testing anxiety. Junior Year: • Start looking at potential colleges. Go on a few tours. College visits won’t count as an absence. Knowing what college and getting an idea of an area of study you’re interested in helps out more than you know. • Take the SAT. You’ll get your results and see which areas you need to focus on. Don’t wait until senior year to start taking your SATs, because if you need to up your score, you’ll be stressed. • Start looking at scholarships and apply to them. The closer you get to leaving for college, the more you’ll get stressed about money. Senior Year: • If you’ve followed this list you probably won’t have much to worry about other than maybe your last SAT and scholarships. • Do your college applications over the summer so you’re not swamped with school work and applications. Don’t forget to also fill out your FAFSA, or financial aid paperwork. That money disappears fast, so get it in early. • Second semester, don’t make lower than an 85 so you can exempt your finals. Think ahead and you’ll be glad you did.
Want more? Check with your counselor about where you should be on college applications!
Other views
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I wish the school would be more accepting of people with mental and social disorders. A lot of students feel very uncomfortable giving speeches in front of the class or being forced to work in groups. - Elise Wade Dear Elise, I understand the social anxieties that one may have when working and speaking with and in front of strangers. However, being able to lead and work with others is a skill that everyone will need in their lives, especially in the workplace. Speech has the potential to be a very beneficial class, but I can see how one may feel outcasted because of a social disorder. I think the best way to handle this situation is for that student to talk to their teacher about their problem. The teacher should do their best to let the class know that it’s okay to be nervous to help their students feel more comfortable around each other. - Leanne Haas, Editor-in-Chief Dear Editor, I think that we should change the cougar in the front because it is old. People make fun of it. - Katrina Parks Dear Katrina, Let’s be honest: We shouldn’t change the cougar because it’s old. We should change the cougar because it’s ugly. I’m sure the U.S. would’ve given back the statue of liberty to France had it been that ugly. The cougar makes our school look like we have low standards. I think the reason we haven’t changed it is: 1. it cost a lot of money; and 2. we need something to put in its place if we do get rid of the cougoyle. Maybe another artist will come along and donate their reject cougar for us to
Editorial cartoons from the Student Media classes
use so we may finally replace it. - Leanne Haas, Editor-in-Chief Dear Editor, If I could change anything in THS, it would be the fact that only the football and volleyball teams get pep rallies. All sports should be able to get the same support. - Irais Barraza Dear Irais, I agree that all sports should be recognized. Unfortunately, It would be quite hard to convince the district to allow a pep rally every time a team goes to a game, seeing as we only get a few rallies per year. A main reason football and volleyball get all the pep rallies is that these sports happen to be in season together first semester. But even though football and volleyball get a lot of attention in pep rallies, that doesn’t mean we can’t recognize other sports in other ways. Last year, the golf team got their own page in the newspaper, as did soccer, and our baseball state champs had two full spreads in the yearbook supplement. - Leanne Haas, Editor-in-Chief Dear Editor, I find that some areas of the school smell bad. I would like some Febreeze. -Sam Sharp
- Tori Fisk, PhotoJ
- Katherine Roth, PhotoJ
Dear Sam, This is why we keep sanitary wipes in the journalism room (thanks yearbook editors!) People are gross. I’m not sure if there are any laws against spraying odor agents in the hallways of a public school, but I’d personally write a story about any brave student willing to freshen these corridors, if it’s that any in(scent)ive. (I’m sorry, I had to.) - Leanne Haas, Editor-in-Chief - Hayley Beebe, Newspaper
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THE COUGAR CLAW: STUDENT LIFE
FEB. 2014
Meet “The Goon Squad” For these guys, gaming not a hobby, but a lifestyle
(from lett) Edward Mbata, Joe Torres, Chase Combs, Chance Coffman, Jacob Zillifro. Photo by Sam Abrahams
Video Games: “Sports for the Lazy” Jynn Schubert We’ve all heard of the NFL, and MLB, but what about MLG? Major League Gaming is a professional sports organization, started in 2002 by Mike Sepso and Sundance DiGiovanni. Their Pro Circuit roster currently holds Starcraft II, League of Legends, Mortal Kombat, Soul Clibur V, and King of Fighters XIII. Their goal is to turn game tournaments throughout North America into competitive, professional, spectator events. So what’s the appeal? “They’re like Sports for the lazy,” Said sophomore Jacob Zillifro. “That’s why I like them”. Zillifro and his group of friends can often be found behind the glow of a computer screen playing games like DotA, Dark Souls 2, and their favorite, League of Legends. “It’s a way to have fun with my friends when I’m at home” Said Chance Coffman.
Edward Mbata
Chase Combs
Mbata, sophomore, is the youngest of the five at 15 years old. His favorite game is Dark Souls 2, because “It’s competitive, and also hard.” He prefers playing PC games.
Combs, sophomore, plays more single player games. He prefers the graphics and storyline to multiplayer games after quiting LoL. “It was all we ever played.”
Joe Torres
Jacob Zillifro
Torres, sophomore, is newer to the game life. “I love them. They’re super fun and make me feel good about myself.” His favorite games are League of Legends and Smite.
Zillifro, sophomore, enjoys action and adventure. “I’m just a lazy son of a gun.” His favorite game is League of Legends, and he only plays PC games.
Hey Gamers!
“We’re the Goon Squad” said Zillifro, while fellow ‘Goon’ Chase Combs nodded beside him. “I’m sure the others would agree.” Though the five all have slightly different opinions on what game is the best, there’s one thing they all agree on. “The PC is the master system.” said Zillifro and Combs.
You asked, we listened. You wanted more news about the latest in tech and gaming, and the Cougar Claw has added a new regular feature in our print edition - the Tech Pages. Turn to Pages 10-11 for the first in what we expect to be a popular series. If you have suggestions or requests, drop them off in Room 1201 anytime. We welcome your input to help make our paper the best it can be. Enjoy!
Chance Coffman
“The PC is the master system.” - Jacob Zillifro
(from left) Torres, Combs, Zillifro, Coffman, Mbata
Dad
Your Future, Your ChoiCe!
Reporting for duty
At Lone Star College-Tomball, you matter. We want to help you advance toward that meaningful career best suited to your talents and abilities. We believe in doing all we can to make your college experience productive, enjoyable and profitable.
Sisters get the ultimate surprise
What can LSC-tomball do for you? We can help you:
Leanne Haas His boots are tightly knotted; his camouflage uniform is perfectly adjusted; and his neatly trimmed buzz cut is just peeking behind a sofa in a school classroom. He is waiting. Lieutenant Colonel William Kaczynski had been stationed in Afghanistan for 10 months. His daughters, freshman Haley and junior Maddie Kaczynski hadn’t seen him since October, when he was on leave for a short period of just a few days. Phone calls were not abundant. “Occasionally, he would call me, but the service was never good,” Haley said. With an unreliable service connection overseas, the girls were lucky to get more than a few minutes’ worth of randomized time talking to their dad. “It was hard because I am so close with my dad,” Madi said. The girls e-mailed their father when they could, but it couldn’t replace the face-to-face interaction other children take for granted with their parents. Waiting was a way of life for them. The sisters didn’t expect their father to come home for a while.
awaited silently in anticipation as the door was opened. The girls were led closer to the back of the room where the couch sat. “How are you?” the Lieutenant shouted as he stood straight up from his hiding spot. The girls jumped in his arms. “I always had hoped that would happen like when you see videos of dads surprising their kids,” Madi said, “but I never thought it’d happen.” The journey for the girls had not been easy. Since they were small, they had moved among William Kaczynski (middle) is welcomed home by daughters the states for their father’s work. Haley (left) and Maddie (right), both flanked by their mom “We lived everywhere,” Haley said. and step-mom. Tomball had been their latest destination, Last Friday, however, the army officer having moved eight times prior. found himself anxiously waiting for a knock But after 20 years of serving his country on the door and a tap on the couch- the signal and several months spent apart from his famfor him to jump up and surprise his daughily at a time, Sergeant Kaczynski was finally ters. done waiting. The girls thought they were attending a This year, 2014, was to be the last of his student council book signing in the luncheon room, and were told to be there during lunch time spent overseas. “Are you done?” his hopeful daughters ask, that day. still embraced in his arms. Then there was a knock. The room, filled “I’m done.” with APs, supportive classmates, and family
• Earn an associate degree, workforce degree, or certificate • Earn transferrable credits toward a bachelor’s degree • Find the financial resources to attend college
it’s up to
you!
Contact the Recruitment, Outreach and Diversity Initiatives (ROaDI) department today to get more information, schedule a campus tour and start down the road to the future you deserve.
281.357.3782
LoneStar.edu/roadi
open Doors
THE COUGAR CLAW: TECHNOLOGY
FEB. 2014
Ryse: Son of Rome Starting off as a first edition game for the new Xbox one, Ryse has already received top marks for image design and story boarding. This unusual, beautiful, unexpectedly brutal game is so far the only major project for this console. "Smells like blockbuster" they say, and is “perhaps the main reason to buy this console.” In the game you play as a young roman soldier as he seeks revenge against the barbarians that have raided Rome and slaughtered his family. Throughout the story you are faced with challenges while earning the title of Centurion as you lead roman legionaries north to Britannia which is now England. After conquering the north, the young centurion begins to realize that it wasn’t the barbarians that killed his family but the Emperor Nero himself. Partyintheback of www.metacritic.com writes “Ryse is an absolutely beautiful game that delivers viscerally satisfying combat and an excellent narrative with fleshed out characters. This is what the next generation of console gaming is all about.” Ryse: Son of Rome is about going to beautiful places and repeatedly stabbing everyone you meet there. Developer Crytek’s Roman tale looks magnificent, and it’s typical revenge story setup is handled with great care, but the combat doesn’t always keep up with the high bar Ryse sets for itself in all other departments. Ryse’s biggest issue is that, not even halfway
Ryse’s biggest issue is that, not even halfway through its modest six-hour campaign, you’ll have seen and experienced a vast majority of your offensive options. Many games of this style rely on upgrades in the form of unlockable combos and items to add mechanical depth. But most of Ryse’s are boring passive bonuses that don’t change the way you fight. through its modest six-hour campaign, you’ll have seen and experienced a vast majority of your offensive options. Combat consists of basic hits, bashes, blocks, and heavy attacks. In most battles, you can chain these actions together in nearly any order and still be successful, which remains fun until the flashy animations start to lose their luster. There is a system in place to land perfect attacks, but those too are easy to execute once you understand them. Many games of this style rely on upgrades in the form of unlockable combos and items to add mechanical depth. But most of Ryse’s are boring passive bonuses that don’t change the way you fight. Your health bar can be extended, as can your slow motion power-up. Executions, which are the gory displays of dismemberment that Ryse revels in, are the other thing you’ll spend experience points on, but they’re
PAGE 10
League of Legends: Lunar Revel
Truth leads NA as of Feb. 6th Power (gray), Truth (Black) and Freedom (white)
School Picks: Favorite Video Game
Adam Bergeron
“When you tread the warrior’s path, the dirt beneath your feet might crumble, but the past lives as you follow footsteps that never change. Celebrate the new year by honoring those that have come before!” As the ever growing online game starts off the new year, Riot is asking: Which path do you chose? Summoners from each region (North America, Russia,
focused more on the showy outcome than the work it took to make them happen. When an enemy is weakened, you can initiate a brutal execution with one button tap. From there, you simply match your button presses to they color the enemy glows – either blue or yellow. You’re given ample time to hit the buttons, and even if you miss the execution still goes through. Hitting the prompt in time earns you a higher rating for the kill and nets more health, experience, or whatever else you have selected as an execution reward. Upgraded executions give larger bonuses for completing them, but the input hardly changes. So what’s the point? This one mechanical decision managed to extract most of the danger from a game about burly, cruel men who savagely kill each other. The standard hackand-slash combat is occasionally broken up by special gameplay sections that, at the very least, give you a break from the norm. Sometimes it’s as simple as manning a crossbow turret with unlimited ammo and mowing down barbarians. Warriors can be arranged into a phalanx and march them forward into fortified territory, blocking arrows and chucking spears Like your normal actions, none of the activities ask much of you. They’re about the spectacle. Which, to be fair, is pretty impressive. All in all Ryse is a great edition to the next generation of gaming. Cougar Claw rating 8 out of 10.
Jynn Schubert EU, etc.) will be asked to select one of three paths; Power, Truth, or Freedom. The most votes from each region will determine the path that region will have chosen, and the icon that members from each region will recieve upon the conclusion of the celebration. Cast your vote now, summoners! Or may Teemo haunt your games for the rest of season 4.
Staff Picks:
Jynn Schubert
Student Picks:
Super Mario Bros -Rob Sullens -Kyle Winn -Cindy Law Space Invaders -Clint Cottom “I’m too old for Super Mario. I had Pong!” Pac -Man -Mary Rendon -Billie Anne Dio “I could beat you ALL!” Tetris -Brenda Phillips Galaga - Jerry Fordyce “Definitely Galaga. That game was awesome!” Tecmo Bowl -Mike Metz -Gregory Quinn Battle Toads -Matthew Braun
Upcoming Games Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII PlayStation 3 RPG - - The final installment in the Final Fantasy XIII saga by Square-Enix. February 11, 2014 Thief PC Adventure , Adventure - - A reinvention of the acclaimed Thief franchise, this first-person adventure features intelligent design that allows player to use stealth to take the treasure February 25, 2014 South Park: The Stick of Truth PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360
Drew Gilman RPG - - Stan, Kenny, Kyle and Cartman set out to kick role-play gaming in the nuts with South Park: The Stick of Truth, March 4, 2014 Titanfall Xbox One Shooter , First-Person - - Set in a distant frontier torn apart by war, Titanfall gives players the freedom to switch between fighting as elite troopers and mechs March 11, 2014 Infamous: Second Son PlayStation 4 Action - - A new hero (or is it anti-hero)
gains amazing powers in this new chapter in the action franchise Infamous by Sucker punch March 21, 2014 Minecraft Xbox One Action - - Minecraft is an indie first-person action game where players can gather resources, dig holes, fish, plant crops, etc March 2014 The Elder Scrolls Online PC, Macintosh RPG - - Elder Scrolls Online is a massively-multiplayer online game set in the Elder Scrolls universe.
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THE COUGAR CLAW: FEATURES
DEC. 2013
Concert calendar Saturday, March 8: Chris Young Sunday, March 9: Selena Gomez Miley Cyrus Monday, March 10: REO March 16, Toyota Center Speedwagon Tuesday, March 11: Jason Ellie Goulding March 24, Bayou MC Aldean Wednesday, March 12: Jake Owen Arcade Fire Thursday, March 13: Maroon April 9, Cynthia Woods 5 Friday, March 14: Keith Urban RODEO Saturday, March 15: Hunter Tuesday, March 4: Brad Pais- Hayes Sunday, March 16: Pesado ley Wednesday, March 5: Eli Sunday, March 16: Banda MS Young Band Monday, March 17: Luke Thursday, March 6: Reba Bryan Friday, March 7: Usher Lorde March 5, Bayou MC
Social Media Etiquette Know rules of the road on information superhighway Sam Abrahams Nowadays there are so many different social media websites, it’s not even funny. From Instagram, to Twitter, to Facebook, it’s almost impossible to keep up with what to post on which account and when to post it. To help you out, here are some social networking rules that may be beneficial. • Rule #1: Don’t Photo DumpTry to avoid posting picture after picture. If you are at an event or special occasion, consider posting a collage instead of 30 different pictures back to back. This way, you don’t overwhelm your friends and followers. • Rule #2: Overuse of #hashtags? #nothanksWe hate to break it to you, but nobody on Instagram looks up tags in their search bar like #tags4likes and #face. If you want to tag your picture, try using a person or place, such as #Houston. • Rule #3: Selfie Control-
‘Just because you are hiding behind a computer doesn’t give your free reign to act as you please. You still need to treat people properly.’
- Social media consultant Nate Kievman
If you feel the urge to take a selfie, and everyone does from time to time, keep the posting level to a minimum. Also consider using different poses when taking a selfie. Try and spice it up. You definitely do not want all of your selfies to look identical. • Rule #4: Cyberbullying doesn’t make you Cool-
Using social media to bash on people is not okay. Creating hate pages for your peers is insensitive and it doesn’t make you cool, or funny, or better than anyone else. Social media consultant Nate Kievman states that, “Just because you are hiding behind a computer doesn’t give your free reign to act as you please. You still need to treat people properly.” One of Kievman’s top social media rules is to be respectful. Don’t be a hater. • Rule #5: Reject RepostingYou probably see different pictures pop up on your dash all the time with something dumb written on them. For example, “Repost for good luck; ignore for bad luck.” Whenever you see something like this filter through your news feed, try and ignore it. Just because someone wrote a short little saying on a colorful background, doesn’t mean what they wrote is true. Overall social media is a great way to connect with friends and family, just remember these basic guidelines.
Speaking of online, don’t forget to download the THS Student Media app today for your smartphone. Available on the App Store and Google Play, search for Tomball High.
Looking back at the ’90s, from cartoons to music Sam Abrahams This is the last year that high school will be home to teens born only in the 1990s. Hard to believe, isn’t it? The ’90s were a great time to be around. With great music from Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Nirvana, new technology including cell phones and the internet, and television shows. Speaking of which, remember all of those great cartoons we used to sit around our TV and watch as kids? Well if you feel like reminiscing on the “good old days,” try visiting Nickreboot.com, a website where you can stream ’90s cartoons for free. From the show “Rugrats” to “Hey Arnold,” there’s a plethora of nostalgia at your fingertips. While some shows must be watched off-air online, one popular kids’ show from the ’90s and early 2000s has made a comeback: “The
Powerpuff Girls.” Now airing on Cartoon Network, the series has been redesigned with an edgier anime style to appeal to today’s generation of children. The first episode of the season aired Jan. 20, and the show still features all the same characters. Now, with all of this access to great ’90s cartoons and shows, you don’t need a time machine to be reunited with your childhood favorites.
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FEB. 2014
Goodman on Academic All-State Team
Lady Cougars open playoffs with big win
THE COUGAR CLAW: SPORTS
Leandra Carty With the girls basketball team on top of their game this season, their undefeated record of 21-1 and 13-1 in district sets them up for the playoffs. They have had a fantastic run and are now preparing to make their way to state championships. “We need to stay focused and we’ll do well if we stick to our game,” said Malaisia Chisholm. The bi-district game vs Millby HS was at THS Monday night. Once again, the girls were dominant. The Lady Cougars won 68-25, as several players had strong games. “It was a perfect way to start the playoffs, with a huge win,” coach Karen Lemker said. The team has worked very hard to get to where they are and hopes for the best outcome throughout the playoffs and beyond. “We need to continue to work as a team and trust each other,” said senior Mercedes Hopkins. “I definitely believe that we’ll be at the state tournament March 1st.” Next up for the Lady Cougars: The winner between Galveston Ball and Brazosport.
Malaisia Chisholm drives for a layup in a regular-season game earlier this year.
Boys, girls soccer teams eager for hot start
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Leandra Carty Coaches Martha Fancher and James Woodard put together two great varsity soccer teams that work hard and put in everything that they have. “Aside from some crazy weather, it’s been a great start to our 2014 season,” said Fancher said. “We have 18 girls on our roster, with 5 seniors, 7 juniors, 4 sophomores, and only 2 freshmen.”
The girls are off to a 6-6-1 start to the season, and both the boys and girls teams suffered 2-0 losses to rival Memorial. Tomball has quite a small district, meaning 4 out of 5 schools will automatically make it to playoffs. But slipping in quietly isn’t their style. “Last year we not only finished first in district, we were undefeated, so this year has a lot to live up to,” Fancher said. “This is a big
year with lots of great players and leaders leading the team.” Senior two-year co-captain and 2013 all-state player Renee Kelley is the starting goalkeeper for the girls’ team. Brianne Murray is co-captain and one of the toughest man-marking defenders. Madi Link, a junior, who has been on the varsity team since she was a freshman, is about as good as it gets when it comes to defending and organizing backline.
Cougar football player Westin Goodman has been named to the first team Academic All-State Team by the Texas High School Coaches Association. Players Trent Hohl, Casey Harmier and Tristan Born were named to the second team, and Weston Shattuck was named as an honorable mention. “We emphasize academics as a Goodman priority in our athletes’ lives, and it is rewarding to see their hard work pay off with state-wide recognition,” said head football coach Danny Ramsey. “We are extremely proud of this achievement for our kids, and know that they can look forward to continued successes because of their efforts.” The Academic All-State team recognizes those students who have excelled in GPA, class rank and ACT/SAT scores while being active in athletics. At the 2013 Football Awards Banquet recently, the coaches also presented the Heart Award to Harmier, the MVP Award to Hohl and Shattuck, and the Coaches’ Scholar-Athlete Award to Goodman.
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Softball team hopes time right for run to playoffs Leandra Carty Softball season is just starting with great players and one of the best coaches around. With their biggest opponent being Memorial, they work hard and do their best to be the best. “This year we have a younger team than a lot of other schools, which is one of our weaknesses,” said Kayla Boucher. “But we have a great defense and an amazing bond as a team making us stronger as a whole, and I think we’re gonna do really good this year.” “Having a strong defense and pretty much the same team as last year are our biggest strengths. We have pretty much the same team as last year so we’re used to playing together and we have a really good bond as a team. We’re working to become better on and off the field and were excited to be starting the season together,” said Savannah Sandoval. The girls are working very hard and their toughest opponents are Tomball Memorial, Stratford and Ridge Point; “They are a really good team, but I don’t think that they have anything that we don’t.” Last year the softball team made it to playoffs and they expect to do just as well this year, but make it further. Varsity player Savannah Sandoval is optimistic about the season, “We will definitely make it to playoffs this year.” “Being able to execute when we need to and staying focused is something that we need to work on, but I think that we will do really well, honestly better than last year because were used to playing together,” Said Lexie Comeaux. They all believe that this will be their season and hopefully Tomball high school will come out and support them through their hard work.
Trevor Strong swims his way to gold in the 100 meter breaststroke with a new Regional Championship record time.
Strong finish at Regional meet Swimmer named MVP after winning 2 events Leandra Carty
The girls’ 200/400 freestyle relay team finished 15th in each event, while the boys took 14th in those events.
Trevor Strong won the 50 Freestyle and the 100 Breaststroke to earn MVP honors for the meet.
Trevor Strong won the 50 Freestyle and the 100 Breaststroke to earn MVP honors at the UIL 5-4A Regional Championship Swimming and Diving meet last weekend. Strong won the 50 Freestyle with a personal best time of 21.51, while capturing gold in the 100 Breast with a Regional Championship meet record. Strong will next compete in both events at the UIL 4A and Under State Championship meet
next week. Everyone who swam the first day of the meet qualified for the next day’s finals. Natalie Sexton finished 11th overall in the 100 Freestyle for the girls, while Olivia Bliven swam the 100 Butterfly to finish 13th. The girls 200/400 freestyle relay teams of Bliven, Sarah Bieker, Camree Ulbricht and Sexton finished 15th in those events. The boys’ team of Chance Buchanan, Abraham Lozano, Conner Walley and Strong finished 14th.
FEB. 2014
Can they do it again?
A year after title run, baseball looks for a repeat
THE COUGAR CLAW: SPORTS
Leandra Carty
PAGE 16
Cougar players celebrate after winning the Class 4A state championship last May in Austin.
Coaches and players received quite a keepsake after winning the state title - these large rings with the bold red “T” for Tomball and the words “State Champions” around the top.
Coming off a state championship last year, the new and incoming varsity baseball players have some big shoes to fill as the new season begins “The most important thing is getting the guys together to work as a team to build something just as special as last year,” Coach Doug Rush said. Although the team lost many key players last year, senior Braedan Holub is hopeful for this season. “We have lots of talent and hardworking players,” he said. With the team coming off of a championship season they have to work extra hard to keep up to their high standards. Although there is a lot of stress having to live up to last season, the players are ready to do what it takes to stay on top. “It feels great coming off of a championship season,” Holub said. “There was a lot of success but there are a lot more expectations this year and a lot of people doubting, so it’s going to be a lot of adversity to overcome. But we’ve always had success, and we’ve got to build off of it.” This will be a hard but interesting season as the baseball team grows and does their absolute best to make it to the championships again. But the boys know where their strengths and weaknesses lie, and what will be the key to another promising season. “I think we’ll do really well this season. We have a good coach and great team chemistry, so we play really well together,” Josh Covey said. “We definitely have pitching as our biggest strength; we have a lot of arms, but hitting is our weakness.” If the pitching holds up and hitting improves, the team has a good shot at more success. “We’ve prided ourselves on those things,” Holub said.