Volume 8 issue 5 final

C

Vol. 8 Issue 5

THE CHRONICLE

Mill Creek

Chronicle

FAST NEWS

-Peyton Manning -politics

Wandering Souls VARSITY BASEBALL Inside Scoop on...

PROM

SPRING BREAK -Safety Tips -Destinations

VARSITY SOCCER

Hoppmeyer Mcgee

March / April

24 16

25

Table of

Contents 4 Fast News

12 22

5 Literary Championship 6 Hawk With A Story:

entreprenuers Kyle and Brennen

8 Spring Break Dangers 10 Spring Break Destinations most popular beaches this year

16 18

12 Wandering Souls

a breathtaking view into the lives of Mill Creek’s adventurers

14 Body Positivity

feeling more comfortable with your body in the warmer weather

sports overviews and profiles 16 Soccer

Kick it with the top varsity soccer players

18 Baseball

get to know the players and take a peek into this year’s season

22 Track & Field

Keep track of this year’s top T&F athletes

24 Lacrosse 25 Tennis 26 Golf 28 Prom

Dress to impress with these quirky prom trends

Masthead Editors

Alyssa Casole Marisa Hernandez Kaitlyn Neher

Online Editor Gavin Childers

Management Ashley Baptiste Olivia Parks

Photographer Kyle Lowe

Staff Writers

Julie Akin Kelsey Bruce Faith Montgomery Madeleine Moody Eric O’Hara Michelle Ortiz Amauri Richardson Collins Sainovich Megan Smith Camron Williams Cover Design: Ashley Baptiste, Kaitlyn Neher Cover Photo Credits: Noah Hollis Pictured in Cover: Keely Hoppmeyer Top Photo Credits (From Left to Right): Kyle Lowe, Lindsay Stevens, Katie Hill Side (From Top to Bottom): courtesy of Branton Fletcher, Camron Williams, Kyle Lowe

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Fast News

Presidential candidates Hilary Clinton, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and Bernie Sanders during debates. PHOTO: Bloomberg

By: Collins Sainovich

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton continue to score big as they both pick up victories in their parties. Trump won in Georgia with 39% of Republicans voting for him. Marco Rubio came in second with 25% and Ted Cruz followed him with 24%. John Kasich and Ben Carson were the other two candidates, both receiving only 6% of Georgia Republican votes. Clinton won Georgia by a landslide with 71% of Democratic votes. Bernie Sanders, Clinton’s only competition in her party, had nearly a third of Clinton’s votes with only 28%.

American astronaut Scott Kelly returned from space at 11:26 p.m. on March 1st. Kelly was accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov.

He spent a record-setting 340 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station. That brings the total days Kelly has spent in space to a record 543 days. Kelly was part of a NASA study to see what effects long-term space living had on humans. His identical twin brother who is a former astronaut stayed on Earth so the two can be compared.

Astronaut Scott Kelly takes a selfie as he passes above Earth. PHOTO: Scott Kelly

Hacker “Guccifer” was sentenced to four years in prison. PHOTO: Reuters

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has continually been asked about her email scandal in which it was discovered that she had used her private email to send emails containing classified government information. However, the government has just granted Romanian Hacker Marcel Lazar Lehel, or “Guccifer”, immunity, so he will not be arrested for any of the crimes he admits to if he tells the government everything he discovered in Clinton’s emails. The information in the emails has the potential to shift the entire Presidential campaign.

Legendary NFL quarterback Peyton Manning retired Sunday March 7th. Manning ended his iconic 18 season career with a second Super Bowl championship under his belt.

Manning was the first pick in the 1998 draft, going to the Colts. He played there until 2012 when he was picked up by the Denver Broncos. This year he became the oldest quarterback at 39 to ever win a Super Bowl. Manning is one of the most influential figures in NFL history and many fans hope he may stay in the world of football as either a sports analyst or coach.

Peyton Manning celebrates after winning the 50th Superbowl. PHOTO: Getty Images

HAWK WITH A STORY...

A Kickstart to

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Rehbach Und Fruend R

By: Camron Williams

unning a business is a hard enough ordeal, but with school work piled on top of it, many people would deem this balancing act much too difficult.

Two students at our school, Brennen Powell (11) and Kyle Evens (12), have taken on this seemingly impossible challenge. The duo operates an auto part sales business, known as RUF, out of a local warehouse that sells parts for a multitude of vehicles on the internet.

RUF, which stands for Rehbach Und Fruend, was started in Germany by Brennen’s uncle, Martin Messtesheimer.

In a recent interview, Powell said “The company originally started as a typical auto parts sales store, but with the progression of computers and internet technology the brand took to the internet. At the time, this shift was considered a novel yet risky idea, but it brought great reward as the company began shipping parts all over Germany.”

Today RUF is the biggest auto parts sales company in all of Germany.

The American branch of the company was founded in the summer of 2014 after a visit to Germany when Mr. Messtesheimer proposed the idea to the two boys who were only 15 and 16, respectively. Their first shipment arrived in August of 2014, and Evens said “We had anticipated those parts for a few months, and by the time that they actually got to us it was like Christmas. We were both so excited to start up the business and prove ourselves to Mr. Martin.” Akin to many online businesses their startup was a little rough as they were beginning to

Top: Evens and Powell examine a friend’s BMW Middle: A closer look under the hood of the BMW Bottom: Evens and Powell finalize a sale on their website

PHOTOS: Camron Williams

adjust to the harshness of the business atmosphere, but Powell said “It was a bit of a struggle at first, but once we got our system of organization straightened out, it was much easier from there on out. That had to be sorted out first because a disorganized business leads to all sorts of problems and in the end a very unhappy customer.”

Given their company’s European origin, the majority of RUF’s parts fit German brand cars such as Mercedes, Mini Cooper, BMW, and Audi, but they also sell parts that fit some Chevy, Ford, and Jeep models. When asked about their main sales, Evens said “The majority of our parts sell to BMW and Mercedes because a lot of their cars are designed with the same parts, so they fit a lot of models which makes them accessible to a lot of customers.”

After being in business for close to two years now, the American division of RUF has certainly increased in success Evens said “It’s just been a great experience to get this opportunity as a teenager. Running a business has definitely been difficult, but it is definitely worth the risk.” The two are definitely proud of the progress that they have made, and Powell said “I’m very thankful that my uncle gave me this opportunity. It’s certainly not one that very many people get, especially not as teenagers. I just want to live up to the progress that he has made in Germany as a businessman.”

““It’s just been a great experience to get this opportunity as a teenager.

Running a business has definitely been difficult, but it is definitely worth the risk”.

SPRING BREAK

BY ALYSSA CASOLE

Spring Break is a time where people take vacations or make day trips to enjoy their time off from school. Whether you travel or stay home, the risk of spring break dangers is the same.

Watch your drinks: Never take a drink that has been opened, avoid using cups if you have the option of a drink with a cap, and never leave your drink unattended.

All it takes is one glance in the other direction for someone to spike your drink. This occurrence can happen at any party or location, whether you traveled or stayed home.

Two of the most common substances used to spike drinks are Rohypnol and Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Rohypnol comes in a pill form that quickly dissolves in drinks. This pill will cause a color change in your drink if it contains dye, turning it a different shade or making the liquid cloudy. This was a protection put forth by the producers- the pill is light green with a bright blue core, according to DrinkAware.

GHB is a colorless, odorless liquid. It can leave a slightly salty taste in drinks but this can be hidden by flavoring in drinks, according to Above the Influence. Another drug used to spike drinks is Ketamine. Ketamine is a white liquid that has a distinct, bitter taste. It works quickly; there is limited time to act before the sedating effects, according to Women’s Health. It is best to keep your drink with you at all times, as to avoid contamination.

NEVER WALK ALONE, ALWAYS BRING A FRIEND.. PHOTO BY ATTORNEY MELONE

Stick to packaged foods: Food can be tampered with in ways similar to drinks. Do not accept opened or uncovered food.

Unopened bags of chips or candy are more safe options, but the best option is to eat before you attend an event that strangers will be attending as well.

DANGERS

BE SURE TO CHECK THE WEATHER FOR THE AREA YOURE TRAVELING TO AND TO PACK ACCORDINGLY. PHOTO BY ANNENBERG TV NEWS.

Bring a friend: Since you’re going to be attending parties or events with strangers, the best thing to do is bring a friend. There is safety in numbers, and bringing a close friend instead of a new acquaintance is recommended. Bring someone you can rely on in case of emergency. Always bring a designated driver, even if you or anyone with you are remotely thinking about using any substances. Not only will a sober friend keep you from dangers, but also hopefully keep you from public embarrassment. Choose wisely.

You do not want to bring a friend who will abandon you, purposely put you in harm’s way, or that you cannot trust.

Location, Location, Location: If you are traveling for spring break, be sure to check the travel warnings online. The most recent warning for popular spring break destinations was for Mexico; this is due to the fact that “U.S. citizens have been the victims of violent crimes, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery by organized criminal groups in various Mexican states, according to the U.S. Department of States. The U.S. Department of States updates the warnings when they “you to consider very carefully whether you should go to a country at all”. They update the alerts when “short-term events we think you should know about when planning travel to a country” such as health alerts, events that could cause strikes, and other disturbances.

While spring break is supposed to be about fun and adventure, it can be ruined quickly by careless actions. Stay safe and alert.

Spring Break By: Kelsey Bruce

Spring Break 2016, from April 4 through April 10 may hold many potential memories for Mill Creek students, with time for activities, friends, and family. Some Mill Creek students such as Delaney Moore (11) may spend their time, “Training for a track meet,” while others like Alexis Casa (11) may be planning to, “Spend time with friends,” while some kids may be planning a trip for this year’s Spring Break. However the time spent, this will be a nice break for the hardworking population of Mill Creek.

The most popular place to visit during Spring Break is Florida, as assumed by 83% of a sample of the Mill Creek population. Florida

PHOTO : QUARTS AFRICA

is the most common Spring Break destination between all of the other places around, with most popular locations such as Miami or Panama City Beach being only 350-700 miles from Mill Creek High School.

The first, most common destination within Florida is Panama City Beach.

PCB features many outdoor activities, such as outdoor concerts, popular restaurants, and amusements parks that keep guests interested for days at a time. Although this may host a younger crowd, families can also enjoy the beaches PCB has to offer, but there are always other locations such as Miami, Florida and Tampa, Florida.

Affordability

becomes a factor especially when hosting a family, but places such as Miami and Tampa have many price opportunities that incorporate many budgets.

The sandy beaches and hot temperatures Florida offers make it a very popular Spring Break destination with approximately 35% of the population already planning a trip to its’ beaches.

Another popular Spring Break destination seems to be the beaches of North Carolina, specifically Myrtle Beach. USA Today even named Myrtle Beach the top Spring Break destination of last year, 2015.

Myrtle Beach, roughly 350 miles from the school, offers family friendly environments

Destinations with restaurants, shopping malls, and beaches. With much to offer and a general temperate climate, Myrtle Beach is a perfect vacation spot.

Spring Break may generally be seen as a time for beaches and hot climates, but why not venture out to more unpopular destinations this spring break? Places like the Grand Canyon may be unorthodox, but students such as Joanna Russell (12) who visited the Canyon last year, understand that it can be just as fitting for a vacation as the sandy Florida beaches. Or invest in a trip out of the country to a destination such as Mexico or Europe, which are also mildly popular Spring Break destinations.

Travel funds such as airfare and hotel expenses should be considered when planning a visit to such places, but these destinations are filled with beautiful scenery,

exotic climates, and tourist activities that will provide memories for years to come.

Although taking a drive down to Florida or spending time in the sun on a cruise may be common Spring Break activities, many students this year are simply spending time at home with their families or friends.

From a sample of 200 Mill Creek kids, about 30% of those students are staying home and relaxing this break.

Many kids such as Lyla Figueroa (11) are actually making plans to spend this spring break, “Working and spending time with friends.” Lily Crawford (10) speaks for a large portion of the Mill Creek population that says they will use their spring break time to, “Catch up on sleep.”

However students may choose to spend their time, Spring Break will be guaranteed to be a good break.

Wandering

Souls By: Gavin Childers

W

hen most people think of vacation, one word comes to mind: relaxation.

For these people this involves beaches, lakes, five star resorts, fancy hotel rooms, and other things of a pampering nature. However, still for others, time off from school is not about extreme comfort, but about finding an opportunity to go outside of their comfort zone. These people are backpackers, climbers, kayakers, and other champions of the great outdoors. While most people will be off reclining on the beach somewhere, these free spirits will be off braving the wild and having the greatest adventures of their lives. After all, for them, it is all about escaping the routine of the pampered world around them.

“I think everybody is an outdor person, they just deny it and get too comfortable.”

The great thing about adventure is that for those who go looking, it is not so hard to find. Of course, part of the compromise is knowing that not every detail will go exactly as you planned it. But for some, the unpredictable nature of the outdoors is the real draw. As Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia said, “when everything goes wrong that’s when adventure starts.” Of course, everyone has their own interests. Climbers, fishermen, surfers, hikers, backpackers, and mountain bikers all can be considered “adventure seekers” and they all have one thing in common, a passion for discovery.

Coach Csehy

Science teacher Coach Csehy is an avid thru hiker who has made it his mission to complete the extensive Appalachian Trail. Whenever somebody on the trails asks if he plans to make it all the way to the trail’s finish in Maine, he replies that he hopes to someday. This has earned him trail name “someday.” Starting in 2003, Coach Csehy has completed at least one segment of the trail each summer. He hopes to reach the finish in about 6 more summers...

...Csehy’s passion for adventure started when he was young, when he went on camping trips with his father and brother in a program sponsored by the YMCA. “I think everybody is an outdoor person, they just deny it and get too comfortable,” said Csehy. His favorite thing about hiking is the fact that there is simply one goal, to get to the finish. One day he hopes to accomplish his dream hike, reaching the summit of Mt. McKinley in Alaska.

Branton Fletcher Junior Branton Fletcher is an avid backpacker, canoer, camper, and orienteerer. As a life scout currently working on his Eagle, he has had a lifelong passion for the outdoors. “As long as I can remember I have had an urge to explore,” said Fletcher. For his Eagle project, he is building a one mile segment of a walking path in the neighborhood Hedgerows. This spring break, he is going on an important trip to attend the National Orienteering Championships in Ohio. This annual championship is held in a different part of the country, and it requires competitors to race to navigate unusual terrain using a map and compass. Each competition is composed of three events: a sprint, middle distance, and long distance race. “My favorite event is the long distance race, as it can take up to two hours for an experienced orienteerer to complete and really tests your navigational skills.”

Fletcher began orienteering at the age of 8. It was introduced to him by his father, who picked up the sport while he was in the army. Last summer, Fletcher was involved in an extensive, two week long, scout led back-packing trip in New Mexico.

? o h W d n a hat, Why,

W : y t i v i t i s o P Body

Body Positivity, the movement that is sweeping, not just the nation, but the entire world. According to The Body Positive, this movement’s is meant to “teach people how to overcome conflicts with their bodies so they can lead happier, more productive lives.” This specific organization within the movement has the goal of “inspiring youth and adults to value their health, unique beauty, and identity so they can use their vital resources of time, energy, and intellect to make positive changes in their own lives and in the world”.

In today’s society, especially among teens, body image is a huge concern. In fact, among Mill Creek students, in a survey of 116 responses, 46.1% said they would consider themselves to be “body positive” only sometimes while 13.9% said they were not body positive ever. According to the National Eating Disorder Association, body image can be defined as “how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or how you picture yourself in your mind”. Body image, positive or negative, encompasses a person belief about their own appearance, including memories, assumptions, and generalizations, how a person feels about their body, including height, shape, and weight, and how a person feels in their body or how a person senses and controls their body as they move. A positive or healthy body image is being “happy and satisfied with your body”, or being comfortable and accepting of how you look. A negative or unhealthy body image is being “unhappy with your body”, or having a desire to change yourself, either your body size or shape.

Body Positive, an organization that has developed out of this movement, defines the focus of the “Body Positivity Movement” as “not on weight at all, but rather the decisions you make day-to-day about how to parent yourself and meet your needs”. At Mill Creek, out of the 116 student survey, 59.1% reported never having heard of this movement before and 51.4% said they are unsure if they support the movement. When asked how they would define “body positivity”, some students replies included, “appreciating all body types especially your own and not comparing it to others” and “everybody being able to be loved and be who they are no matter what body type they have…people should be happy in the body they have and not judge themselves because people are beautiful just the way they are”.

By: Olivia Parks

Body Positivity is a movement focused on promoting positivity in all people, all genders; it encourages people to love and appreciate their body shape and size, their skin color, their height, and their physical features. One Mill Creek student defined this movement as “being uplifting and supportive of all bodies no matter the size, shape, gender, color, and etcetera”. Raising Children: An Australian Parenting Website says a few ways to encourage body positive attitude are teaching people about “appreciating your own body for what it can do, not just how it looks” along with “being proud of things that aren’t related to appearance”, and “accepting and valuing people no matter how they look”.

Unhelpful or negative body attitude can be developed through subtle comments and messages such as “you look great – you’ve lost so much weight”. The Body Positive speaks on the topic of the problem of medical concerns and obesity versus self-esteem concerns, “when fat is seen as a bad thing, the child feels she is bad. Fat is not something you have, it is something you are. We don’t say, ‘you have fat’, we say, ‘you are fat’…the child gets the message that this fatness is badness”. Instead of teaching to lose weight or that “fat” is bad, the Body Positive suggests teaching to “emphasize body trust, teach about diversity, celebrate individuality” or even “taking a weight neutral approach” through letting go of attempting to change weight but instead supporting self-care skills overall.

With warm weather and summer time fast approaching, try to promote body positivity in all people.

Try to focus less on the goal of a “spring break body” or being “bathing suit ready”, but rather focus on acceptance and love of one’s own body the way it is. At the beach, pool, or in general, attempt to keep your mind away from negative thoughts about others and yourself, instead promote positivity, self-care, and acceptance. Having body positivity and promoting body positivity has the capability of increasing physical and mental health as well as decreasing negativity overall.

The Plague of Negativity on Girls

According to ANAD, an estimated 0.5% to 3.7% of all women suffer from anorexia nervosa while 1.1% to 4.2% suffers from bulimia nervous during their lifetime.

When asked if a person could be “more or less ‘body positive’ depending on the activity, sport or activity they participate in”, 74.1% of Mill Creek students who participated in the survey said yes, activities, sports, and hobbies affect body positivity.

ANAD reports a significantly higher rate of eating disorders found in elite female athletes, around 20% reporting suffering from an eating disorder. Those in aesthetic sports, such as gymnastics, ballet, and figure skating were also found to be at the athletes with the highest risk of developing an ED.

Common Sense Media reports that girls as young as the age of 5 express “dissatisfaction with their bodies.. She Knows article “Kids discuss how the media affects their self-image” reports a young girl’s story; she tells about her and her friends at the pool at camp and tells how they’re all “sucking in even though we’re only in like third or fourth grade.” She tells She Knows, “you can pick out all your flaws, and then society does that as well for you.” The Mash, a weekly publication distributed to Chicagoland high schools, writes about teen girl body image in their article “See Myself, Hate Myself”. Here, teen reports write about social media and its ability to “enable the hate to stream 24-7” through Instagram fads, such as pictures of “thigh gaps”, which has produced nearly 2 million results on Google. One girl speaks of how “girls will comment on each other’s body types no matter what”.

Include the Boys Too!

When asked what they saw as a “spring break body”, many included answers that could encases all genders’ bodies including “not fat”, “super toned”, and “muscular and big”. Out of the same survey, 92.2% of students who participated said that they believe this moment applies to both boys and girls.

In a Buzzfeed video, “Things Men are Tired of Hearing About Their Bodies”, men sat in front of a camera and stated off criticisms they had heard about their bodies. This included statements such as, “real men have facial hair” and “you’re too skinny to be a man”. Men and boys are often forgotten or left out of the Body Positivity movement, which is unfortunate as a negative body image is not just a problem for girls but also plagues the mind of many boys. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Eating Disorders, ANAD, 1 out of every 10 cases of eating disorders are male subjects. In a study done by ANAD, the organization interviewed and questioned males that had been hospitalized for an eating disorder and 135 of them reported feeling ashamed of having a “stereotypically ‘female’ disorder”, leading to their reluctance to seek help and treatment.

At Harvard Medical School, a professor of psychiatry published his seminal work around muscle dysmorphia, “an obsession with bulking up also known as ‘reverse anorexia’”. Boys, especially in America, are viewed as “desirable” if they are muscular, tall, light skinned, and athletic. This idea leads to males becoming insecure about not only their weight, but also about their height, shape, and skin color.

Varsity Soccer

By: Maddi Moody and Michelle Ortiz

There are great expectations for both varsity teams this season, because all the team mates have an unbelievably strong bond together and they all are very motivated and excited for the season and where they hope it will go. Coach Godwin (varsity boys) and the players all have the goal for this season of making it to playoffs and hopefully becoming state champions. So far the boys’ varsity soccer team has won 7 out of their 8 games this season, and of those games they shut out West Forsyth, Northview, Dacula, Gainsville, and Oconee. On the other hand, our soccer Lady Hawks have won 6 out of the 9 games so far this season with two mercy rules against Central Gwinnett and Bermark. Coach Hayes (varsity girls) says that there are four beliefs that are keeping our Hawks SOARing on the field. “We have four beliefs, believe in the system, believe in the coaches, believe in each other, and most importantly believe in yourself,” Coach Hayes. Inspired and motivated, the girls go and play their best all with the goal of making it to playoffs.

PHOTO: Noah Hollis

Madeline Gann (11) throws in the ball from the sideline during a game.

PHOTO: Noah Hollis

PHOTO: Noah Hollis

Keeley Hoppmeyer (11) runs the ball down the field with pressure from the opposition.

Isabel Eigenbauer (11) takes a corner kick during the game against Duluth

Q: “Who is your inspiration and what motivates you ?”

“What motivates me is when my players work hard for it motivates me to work hard for them because as a team you want to be one.”

Q: “What position do you play ?”

“I’m a goal keeper.”

Madison Jarvis 11

Q: “Who are you most excited to compete against?”

“I’m really excited to play against Duluth because they put our game from last year as their Twitter board and that aggravated all of us .”

Q: “How would your teammates describe you ?”

“A strong player who keeps their wrong.”

Q: “What are your goals for the future as a soccer player?”

“I aspire to play for Florida State because my dad went there.”

Q: “What do you look forward to most this season?”

Jana Magee 10

“I am excited to play against Grayson it’s going to be a hard game. I am hoping we get to playoffs.”

PHOTOS: Maddi Moody and Michelle Ortiz

Varsity Soccer

Davis Magee

12

11

David Quiceno

Q: Who is your inspiration?

Q: Who motivates you?

“My inspiration is Wayne Gretzky because he said you miss every shot you don’t take.”

“My family motivates since we use to always play together and it pushed me to play good for them .”

Q: When did you start playing soccer and why?

“I started playing soccer because I’m a legacy everybody in my family plays soccer.”

Q: What opponents are looking forward to playing against the most?

Q: Why do you like to play soccer?

“I like competition.”

Q: What team are you most excited to play against this season?

“I”m excited to play against Dacula.”

“I am excited to play against Gainesville.”

Q: What do you like most about soccer?

“What I like most about soccer is that it makes me feel like I am a part of something like. I’m part of a family.”

Q: How long have you coached varsity boys’ soccer at Mill Creek?

Q: What motivates you?

“This is my first coaching job.”

“All the fans that come out to support us and my family and my coaches motivate me to play good for them (his family) has always been pushing me since I was young to do my best.”

Q: Do you think we have a strong soccer team this year?

Q: What do you like most about soccer?

Q: What are your plans for making the a good soccer team this year?

“I like the bind that get with the whole team and the chemistry we make.”

“I want to make sure we are competitive in every game and for us to be a family we would like to be back at region champs

Q: What are your strengths and weaknesses?

“Our strengths we have really strong players on the team and our chemistry our team work is great because we all know each other .”

Brandon Ramos 12

“ I think we have a lot of good players with good leader ship.”

Q: What do you like about coaching at Mill Creek?

‘We’re in a very good region I think Gwinnett is a good region it offers a lot of challenges and allows us to figure out who we are .”

Coach Godwin

VARSITY BASEBALL

By: Faith Montgomery

The Creek’s Impact

“My favorite part (about MC baseball) is just being around my teammates and coaches every day. They’re a great group of guys to be around, and they keep the game fun, entertaining, and competitive,” says Straw. The tradition of Mill Creek Baseball is Lewis’ favorite part about the program.

He says, “since the creation of the school, Coach Jones has set a precedent that each year’s team has to live up to. We are wellknown around the state, and people respect us. Also, the coaching staff, our parents, and the community support us tremendously and provide everything that allows us to be successful.”

Region Playoffs

As a whole, the baseball team is most looking forward to region playoffs, which begin in April.

Matthew Lewis says, “I am most looking forward to region playoffs because the intensity level increases a couple notches. There are going to be a lot of close, exciting games.” As for Pendley, he is excited for the playoffs because he says, “I think we have a chance to be a high seed for state.”

PHOTOS: Kyle Lowe, Becca Lamb, Magic Moment

Get to know the team

Player Spotlights

Sam Buchanan

Height: 6’0” Weight: 175 Primary Position: Outfield

Andrew Martin

Height: 6’4” Weight: 190 Primary Position: Outfield SAM BUCHANAN SENIOR

ANDREW MARTIN SENIOR

Jay Pendley

Height: 6’2” Weight: 185 Primary Position: Right-Handed Pitcher Secondary Position: Outfield

Davis Sharpe

Height: 6’3” Weight: 195 Primary Position: Shortstop Secondary Position: RightHanded Pitcher

Matthew Lewis JAY PENDLEY JUNIOR

DAVIS SHARPE SOPHOMORE

MATTHEW LEWIS SENIOR

Height: 5’10” Weight: 165 Primary Position: Second

Jay Pendley

2016 VARSITY ROSTER PLAYER

#

PLAYER

#

Jacob Weisenberger

2

Beau Jones

15

Cameron Turley

3

Damon Cullins

16

Sam Strausser

4

Sam Buchanan

18

Ridge Stanton

5

Drew Carlisle

19

Gino Vizzi

6

Phillip Green

20

Jay Pendley

7

Christian Rutherford

21

Bailey Skelley

8

Bryan Petty

22

Zach Kross

9

Steve Kirk

23

Matthew Lewis

10

Ryan York

24

Dylan Wilson

11

Gibson Phillips

25

Davis Sharpe

12

Hunter Straw

27

Andrew Martin

14

Reid Hall

28

“As a team we hope to go deep in the playoffs and make a run at the state championship.”

7

Varsity Baseball

Take me out to the Ball Game S

PHOTOS: Kyle Lowe, Becca Lamb, Magic Moment

By: Faith Montgomery

am Strausser, Mill Creek Baseball 2nd and 3rd baseman, said the most memorable game so far this season was the first game against Roswell, in which Jay Pendley pitched a shutout. During the game Pendley said that he “just focused on getting ground balls and getting guys out.” Strausser, looking back at the beginning of the

season, said, “It’s uplifting seeing how well our pitching does; it doesn’t put stress on our offense. It’s really nice having a good pitching staff and a good defense.”

The following game against Lassiter, Jay Pendley, Beau Jones, and Davis Sharpe all pitched to give Mill Creek another shut-out. For

Pendley, this game was the most memorable to him “because Lassiter’s a good ball club, and we managed to hold them to just one hit as a team.” First baseman Hunter Straw said, “The best part of the game had been when we had the bases loaded, one out, and a two-run-lead. We were able to turn a double-play and get out of there with a win, and our team was pretty fired up about that.”

Hunter Straw

Varsity Baseball

“We came in fouth last year [at region playoffs], but we want to be better and at least come in the top two so we can secure a home playoff game.”

Matthew Lewis

27

4

A Perfect Game

10

“Last season, we had a decent ball club. This year, we have more talent, and I’m hoping that will take us farther into the post season.”

On March 19 Junior Right-Handed pitcher Christian Rutherford pitched the first perfect game in MCHS school history against Cartersville- pitching a perfect game is so difficult that there is a .000983 percent chance of it occurring. In order to achieve the perfect game, Rutherford and the rest of the MC fielders combined to not allow any Cartersville batter to reach first base. Essentially, Rutherford did not walk any batters, hit any batters, or allow a Cartersville batsman to get a hit. The game against Cartersville ended 7-0 with 61 pitches thrown in order to create the 21 perfect outs.

21

Track

On your mark...

By: Eric O’Hara

Mill Creek’s track program is poised for a record setting year in 2016 with a number of previous athletes returning for the spring season.

The team overall is hoping to obtain its 6th consecutive region championship in a row while also being highly competitive in the state meet in May. At an individual level several athletes are hopeful state contenders looking to place high within the most competitive classification in Georgia. These aspiring athletes and competitors have been vigorously training every day since January 19 to prepare for the impending season. All of this training will eventually culminate in the state championship race on May 7 and 8 where Mill Creek athletes will compete for another potential state title.

Since January 19, Track and Field participants have been vigorously working and practicing, preparing for the approaching season. In order to return to their peak conditions, these boys and girls have been practicing five days a week from the moment the school day ends

until 4:30, past the time even the middle school students get out.

PHOTOS: Vivian Ojenda

Even at a glance, Mill Creek’s track program seems stronger than ever, and considered capable of competing for a state championship as a team. The program also has several strong contenders competing for individual state titles as well.

On the field side, senior Jacob Zambo will attempt to defend his pole vaulting title that he won at state in 2015.

Junior Nick Campbell hopes to place in the shot put while junior “Bun-Bun” attempts to place in the high jump. On the track side, senior Sam Costa will attempt to win the 1600 and the 3200 after placing sixth and third in 2015.

In addition, middle distance runner, junior Delaney Moore will be participating in the 800 and junior Jared Hayes will be running the 100 and 200. These distinguished athletes have a lot to prove and a lot to contribute after Mill Creek placed third last year in the state meet.

Katie Hill (12) gets

ready to begin her relay leg.

PHOTO: Vivian Ojenda

From Top to Bottom:

Kyle Baptiste (9) Dorien Cook (9)

Field PHOTO: Patty Moore

What is the hardest part of your event?

“Hurdling has a lot of technical aspects to it so for me it’s hard to work on everything at once while also trying to run as fast as possible.”

What is the hardest part of your event? “When you can’t settle into a pace. You’re constantly pressing and hurting.

PHOTO: Gwinnett Daily Post What does your training consist of? “We do more sprints than actual hurdles so most of our workouts consist of doing short sprints.

Coach Moore Kenan Tricic tells us that being faster is more important than having perfect form so we tend to focus more on that.”

What does your training consist of? “I train 6/7 days a week. Two track workouts and a long run. My other days are spent with relaxed mileage meant to recover from the previous workout.”

Delaney Moore What are your season goals?

Most important is staying healthy. I think that I can be a major competitor at state, but I have to make sure I get there injury free.”

What are your pre-race rituals? “The night before I take an ice bath and hydrate. I get a dinner with a lot of carbs and go to bed early. Race day I wake up, hydrate, and have a peanut butter bagel with a banana and get ready to race.”

What is your best time/event? “110 hurdles: 18.73, 300 hurdles: 46.53” What is your season goal? “Compete at county and then state” What is your pre-race ritual? “Before our races all of the hurdlers go through the same warmup”

What is the hardest part of your event?

“The hardest part about the 400 is keeping your composure and form throughout the whole race and fighting through the pain” What does your training consist of?

“My coaches do a great job of coming up with workouts that focus on speed and endurance which are vital to running the 400” What is your best event/time? “400, 51.77 200, 22.10”

PHOTO: Sherrie Campbell

What is the hardest part of your event? “Competing against myself to get better” What does your training consist of? “Practice every day after school and extra work on the weekends” What is your pre-race ritual?

“Before I throw I warmup the exact same way every meet.”

PHOTO: Jared Hayes

Noah Campbell

PHOTO: Coach Rik Moore

What is the hardest part of your event?

“Probably getting the technique right, specifically inverting along the pole”

Jared Hayes

What are your season goals? “The main goal for the team this season is to get our sixth straight region championship and my personal goal is to break the 200 record.”

What is your pre-race ritual? “Before I race I talk to God and listen to music to get me in the zone.”

What does your training consist of?

“Training consists of mainly core workouts, so abs and obliques. We also do 30 meter build ups to increase our speed”

Alex Basset

What is your best jump? “My best jump so far would have to be at the Eagle Icebreaker where I jumped 12 feet.”

What is your pre-race ritual? “I take a shower and listen to my music to get me hype.”

Varsity Lacrosse PHOTOS: Kyle Lowe

VARSITY LACROSSE

By: Amauri Richardson

It’s Deeper than Lacrosse

BOYS This year the Mill Creek Hawks Lacrosse team is S.O.A.R-ing on field.

Starting the season off right, our varsity boys team nabbed two victories out of three games in the month of February with a great win against Greater Atlanta Christian, where they had a one-point victory in overtime (10-9). March is now coming to an end, and the team is getting closer to reaching their ultimate goal: to win region. As Hawk students, staff, and fans of the game of lacrosse we should be their biggest support system, as they S.O.A.R. we should S.O.A.R. on the sidelines.

GIRLS Mill Creek Lacrosse is a much anticipated sport throughout the school.

As the season heats up, many students are getting ready to support the team, whether they are an athlete or just a lacrosse fan. There are 10 underclassman on the varsity team for this season, including Kaitlyn Lesko (10) . “Our coach says this will be the best year Mill Creek will ever have, so I am very excited to be able to participate on the varsity team,” Lesko said. The assistant coach is Bob Merry and he’s in the Army Reserves, so they work extremely hard thanks to his help.

KELLY BROWN

Varsity Profiles #15

Q: How Do you feel about the season?

I feel really good. We’re 10-0, and I think we have a really strong team; we work well together and we’ve all played before Q: What are your goals?

To make it really far in the play offs, to go to the Final Four this year Q: Who is your inspiration?

My Mom because she pushes me to do my best and doesn’t let me give up and she doesn’t give up.

Q: How do you feel about the season?

I feel that we have great potential, and can go farther than we did last year.

Q: Who are some athletes that inspire you?

Greg Gurenlian, Ray Lewis Q: Stats?

100% (18-18) face off against GAC & 100% vs POPE What is your theme song?

Chief Keef – Bouncin’

ANDY MALAVER

#11

Connor Whitmore

KAITLYN LESKO

#10

#11

Q: what is your goal for this season? to make it to playoffs and ultimately state also to improve as a player personally Q: how long have you been playing and what made you want to play this year?

I’ve been playing lacrosse for 8 years and I was motivated to try out this year because I really like the atmosphere on the field and the team in general also the new coaching staff

Q: How do you feel about the season?

This season has gone really great so far, we are 9-0.We work together very well and are very close as a team, on and off the field.

Q: What are your goals?

Win region and be top 4 in state Q: Favorite player?

Kelly Rabil and Landyn White

Varsity Tennis

PHOTO: Katie Hill

PHOTO: Katie Hill

PHOTO: Katie Hill

PHOTO: Katie Hill

From top to bottom: Parker Wright (11) Sarabeth Jordan (10) Kirsten Nichols (12) Brandon Sullins (12)

By: Megan Smith

Varsity Tennis

“The squeaking of the shoes on the court and the smell of the fresh air” is how sophomore Sarabeth Jordan, varsity tennis player, describes the beginning of the tennis season. The Mill Creek Tennis program has always been a force to be reckoned with. However, this year the Mill Creek tennis team is better than ever.

Everyone knows the saying “practice makes perfect,” but the Mill Creek tennis team really exemplifies that quote. The players are constantly training, on and off the court, during the season and even during the offseason. Kayleigh Hahn, varsity singles player, said “I play year round tennis and train around five to six hours every day during the summer and around four hours every day during the school year, and the time I dedicate to this sport everyday prepares me each year for high school season.” The players at Mill Creek show constant dedication and commitment and it shows in their success.

Mill Creek’s tennis players are constantly striving to conquer their goals, and constantly setting new ones. Team captain, Brandon Sullins (12), said “Our main goal is to win region and it’s certainly in our reach if we can pull through and see our true potential.” This year, many of the Mill Creek tennis players are expected to go far and all of their hopes are high that they will in fact make it to region and even further.

All of the Mill Creek tennis players seem to share one common theme: the importance of team work. Tennis often gets described as an individual sport, but at Mill Creek, the tennis program is very much a team. Senior Kirsten Nichols said, “This season we are already more of a family and really connect with each other and support one another no matter how good we are playing.” Like most Mill Creek teams, the tennis players are a very tight knit group. Captain Brandon Sullins, said, “The team is the greatest part about playing Mill Creek tennis.

Players form bonds that most people will never understand unless they are on a team themselves.” The tennis team really supports one another and they believe that their team spirit is definitely a factor of their success so far.

The Mill Creek tennis program has been a strong part of Mill Creek since its opening in 2004. They have accomplished so much and are expecting to accomplish so much more. Being a tennis player for Mill Creek is very special.

These athletes train hard, win often, and have built a very solid 2016 tennis team. sophomore Sarabeth Jordan said, “Getting to be 1 of the 8 varsity players out of 4,000 kids at my school who gets to walk around with the ‘Mill Creek Tennis’ logo on my shirt is definitely my favorite thing about being a Mill Creek tennis player.

It’s just one of those things that I will never forget.”

Mill Creek Golf

The boys’ golf team celebrates after their first tournament.

PHOTO: Peter Chung

Anika Blanton (11), Victoria Rodriguez (11), Grace Choi (12), and Allison Avery (11) at their first tournament of the year.

PHOTO: Victoria Rodriguez

Sam Harris (11) smashes the ball down the fairway.

PHOTO: Emily Jones

By: Collins Sainovich

The boys’ golf team teed off the season with a great performance at the Spring Hill Golf Course on February 27. The team placed first in the tournament with Peter Chung leading the team with a 67. Luka Kauralic finished second out of the Mill Creek boys shooting 73, and Juan Rodriguez third with 75.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better first tournament,” says Peter Chung (grade). “It went well for all of us.”

The boys’ team hopes to make it all the way to the state championships this year.

Confidence levels are high, and for a good reason.

“We have 12 guys on the team helping us get there and making this season what we hope will be a record year for Mill Creek,” says Zack Mullet (10).

The girls’ team also had a solid performance in their first tournament, and also had a good performance against North Gwinnett March 8.

“We didn’t do as well as we’d like to, but it gave us good feedback for the rest of the season,” says junior Victoria Rodriguez. “We have a good work ethic, and I think we have a great bond as a team and always help each other on and off the course.”

The girls’ team also hopes to make it fairly far this year.

“I believe we can win a lot of tournaments this season,” says Rodriguez. “Also our coaches really encourage us to work hard for the ultimate goal which is to win state and I think we can do it if we continue to work hard and believe in ourselves.”

Marie Lipski (12) hydrates during a tournament.

PHOTO: Emily Jones

Kathleen O’Neal showing off her beautiful white prom dress.

PHOTO: courtesy of O’Neal

Prom Trends

By: Maddi Moody and Michelle Ortiz

Once a year during spring, high school girls get ready for the most memorable night of their high school career, prom!

Each year girls pick many different dress styles, colors, and they all vary in prices, but it is evident that there are trends that are most popular for each year alone. According to Jacquelinepromdresses. com crop tops are the big trend this year being sold all over the country and worn to many high school proms.

Female students at Mill Creek going to prom took a survey asking what their dresses look like. According to the survey 56% students are wearing a form- fitted dress, about 28% are wearing a crop top dress, 5% are wearing a cocktail

dress, and 10% are wearing a different type of dress such as mermaid, and A-line floor cut.

Each year has its own colors for instance 2015 color of the year was masala, a deep red purple color, this year’s colors are soft blue serenity and blush pink rose quartz. Researchers believe that the colors of the year tend to affect the color dresses you will see at prom.

Well based on our survey 13% say they are wearing a blue dress, making this assumption correct, but the ever so flattering, black dress, of course won with 25% saying they had a black dress, 30% don’t know the color of their dress yet, 16% are wearing red and the remaining 15% are wearing dresses varying

in colors from purple, green, white, pink and even multicolor dresses.

While dress prices vary it seems that the majority of Mill Creek female students will buy a dress that is between $101- $300 based on the fact that 40% said their dress was within that price range, 28% of students dress will be between $301-$500, 15% buying a dress between $501-$800, 7% buying a dress under $100, and the remaining 8% buying a dress that is $801 and up.

It seems that the main dress trends that will be shown off at the Mill Creek prom will be crop top dresses and form fitting dresses in the colors black, blue, red and a variety of others.

Fast Facts 1.Prom will be held

Mikayla Newsom in her gorgeous white two piece prom dress.

PHOTO: courtesy of Mikayla Newsome

Potential hair and corset ideas.

PHOTO: Courtesy to Kathleen O”Neal and Blossom Street Flourist.

PHOTO: courtesy of KathleenO’Neal

May 14,2016 at the Gwinnett Center from 8-11.

2.The Friday before spring break is last day for $110 tickets, after that the price will rise to $150.

3.This does not apply to seniors. Senior tickets should be $60 dollars.

4.The theme is “Las Vegas.”

5.Lulu’s, Missguided, and Asos deliver dresses for less than $100.

6. Local hair salons include: Revival Salon, Genesis Salon, and Shenanigans.

Madi Coble and Savannah Glission showing off somepotential prom dresses.

PHOTOS COURTESY: Madi Coble, Savannah Glission

Mr. Steimer admires the third place winner of the Mill Creek Car Show.

Posing for their picture, the Literary State Champions prepare for their parade.

After handing out Easter baskets, members of the Senior Cabinet pose for a picture with the children.

Business classes engage in accounting during class.

SPRING SNAPSHOTS AROUND THE CREEK

Desperatley trying to win the face off, the Hawk’s Fo-Go pulls the ball out to the wing.

After taking an order, Chandler Tharp ensures that it is correct.

Volunteers filling up an ice cooler for the car show, where they also served food and drinks.

Ready to slam the ball, Kali Han winds up.

Bottom Right: In the midst of their State Championship parade,, the Literary State Champions smile about their victory.

Bottom Left: On game day, members of the soccer team have a quick meeting

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