Echo 16-17.4

The Echo

2016-17

Issue 4

THE ECHO Contents Page 2: Senior Interviews Page 5: Sports Wrap-Ups Page 8: The Addams Family Review Page 9: Tug Photos

Welcome to the Echo: Senior Edition!

The Echo Staff Editors-In-Chief: Skyler Fox and Emma Wylie Staff Members: Sarah Fly, Taylor Knight, Bailey Anderson, Alex Pareigis, Ridley Randolph, Olivia Criswell

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The Echo

2016-17

Issue 4

Senior Interviews

Conducted by Emma Wylie and Pictures by Sarah Fly For this year’s Senior Edition, we asked all of the Jacks and all of the Taylors of the Class of 2017 five questions about their time at BGA and their plans for next year.

This is what they had to say:

Jack Hines

Q: What are your plans for next year?

A: I’m going to UTC. Q: What are you hoping to study in the future?

A: I’m studying business at UTC and plan on working in real estate or real estate development after college.

Q: What will you miss most about BGA? A: I’m going to miss my friends a lot. I’ll still get to see them every once in a while, but I’ll miss hanging out with these guys. I’ve been friends with some of them for thirteen years.

Taylor Topping Q: What are your plans for next year?

A: I am going to be at Ohio State University next year.

Q: What are you hoping to study in the future?

A: I will be studying exercise science before applying to physical therapy school.

Q: What will you miss most about BGA? A: I will miss all the friends I’ve made and the teachers who have really helped me over the years.

Q: What’s one word you would use to describe your experience at BGA? A: Significant Q: Proudest moment at BGA? A: Finishing my college essay with Ms. Handelsman

Q: What’s one word you would use to describe your experience at BGA? A: Bittersweet.

Q: Proudest moment at BGA? A: Probably just finishing and graduating.

I’ve been here since kindergarten, so it’s a pretty proud moment for me to finally be moving on to my next step.

Pictured: Taylor Topping

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Jack Bolton Q: What are your plans for next year?

A: I will be attending Rhodes College.

Q: What are you hoping to study in the future?

A: Psychology/ Neuroschience.

Q: What will you miss most about BGA? A: All my friends and teachers.

Q: What’s one word you would use to describe your experience at BGA? A: Useful.

Q: Proudest moment at BGA? A: It hasn’t happened yet, but I think graduation will be my proudest moment.

Pictured: Taylor Knight

Taylor Knight Q: What are your plans for next year?

A: I am going to Union University to play soccer.

Q: What are you hoping to study in the future?

A: I will study International Business.

Q: What will you miss most about BGA? A: I will miss my friends the most.

Q: What’s one word you would use to describe your experience at BGA? A: Stressful.

Q: Proudest moment at BGA? A: Winning state in soccer.

Pictured: Jack Bolton

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Taylor Davis Q: What are your plans for next year?

A: I’m going to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Q: What are you hoping to study in the future?

A: Possibly nursing, physical therapy, or exercise science.

Q: What will you miss most about BGA? A: Being with friends and the close relationships with teachers.

Q: What’s one word you would use to describe your experience at BGA? A: Life-shaping.

Q: Proudest moment at BGA? A: Going to the final four in basketball.

Pictured: Taylor Davis

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The Echo

2016-17

Issue 4

Sports Wrap-Ups

By Sarah Fly and Baily Anderson

Girls Basketball The girls’ basketball team posted an impressive season of firsts during the 2016-2017 campaign. This year’s team finished with a record of 18-12. The beginning of the season was challenging because of the difficult non-conference game. A highlight of the non-conference schedule was the school's first ever defeat of the perennial power Knox Webb. After Christmas break, BGA began to find more consistent success. They posted an impressive 12-5 record for the final stretch of the season. After dropping the two regular season games to the FRA Lady Panthers, BGA had another first. They defeated FRA in the District championship 47-44. Allison Cowie and McClain Daniel were selected to the all-district regular season team, and Maddie Ledman and Kyah Keller-Smith were selected to the all-district tournament team. Allison Cowie reached the impressive 2,000-point mark and was the MVP of the district tournament. After winning the play-in game to get into the region tournament, the wildcats rolled over Friendship Christian 64-32 to secure a home sub-state game. This also put BGA in the region championship which was another first for the program. Allison Cowie was also selected to the all-region team. Although they lost in the championship, they would go on to host Lausanne in a sub-state game to mark another first. In the sub-state contest, the Wildcats were able to mount a fourth quarter rally and defeat Lausanne Lynx 54-48. With this win, the Wildcats earned a final four appearance, another first for the program. The accomplishments of the 2016-2017 Lady Wildcats Basketball Team is one for the history books. This team gained the respect of the BGA community, and they will not be forgotten anytime soon.

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Boys Basketball This year, the boys’ basketball team finished with an overall record of 15-17 and a league record of 10-9. Jack Jewell and Dusty Williams were on the AllDistrict Regular Season Team. The team beat FRA to complete the sweep and become district champions. Jack Jewell was the MVP on the All-District Tournament Team, while Dusty Williams and Oliver Reese were on the All-District Tournament Team. The boys lost to USN in the semifinals of the Region Tournament. Jack Jewell made the All-Region Tournament Team.

Wrestling The boys’ wrestling team competed in multiple tournaments throughout the year and did very well. In the 2017 Division II State Wrestling Invitational Tournament, Tiy Reed (126 lb.) placed fourth, Conner Mitchell ( 145 lb.) placed fourth, and Teddy Holloway (182 lb.) placed fourth, as well. In the 2017 TSSAA Division II Middle/East Region Wrestling Tournament, Tiy was runnerup, Dolan Eckhart (140 lb.) placed fourth, Conner placed third, and Teddy placed third. In the 2017 TSSAA Division II Middle/East Region Dual Tournament, the BGA Team placed fourth overall.

Swimming This year, the following swimmers qualified for the Middle Tennessee Regional swim meet in the following events: EJ Jewell (200 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle, and 100 Backstroke), Elli Rogers (200 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly, and 100 Backstroke), Aaron Desmond (200 Freestyle, 100 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, and 100 Breaststroke), and Michael Mahoney (200 Freestyle, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly, and 100 Backstroke). In addition, the following swimmers attended the regional swim meet as relay swimmers: Graham Gibson, Ian Gray, Rayne Gray, Anna-Marie Grisez, Anna McCloskey, Adrien Steunou, and Landers Scott.

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Issue 1

Senior Sports Signings

Wrenne French (Soccer)- University of Tennessee Chloe Tremblay (Soccer)- Lehigh University Taylor Knight (Soccer)- Union University Jack Arnold (Soccer)- Yale University Henry Sanders (Soccer)- Birmingham Southern University Jake Holloway (Baseball and football)- Centre College Hannah Wright (Golf)- Washington and Lee University Walker Anderson (Tennis)- Hobart and William Smith Colleges

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The Echo

2016-17

Issue 4

Review of The Addams Family

By Emma Wylie The BGA theater department has proven itself a force to be reckoned with in the past few years. From The Wedding Singer in the spring of 2015 to Les Misèrables last year, Ms. Wallace and the talented students involved in each production have impressed audiences by providing either lots of laughs in the former or loads of tears brought on by the powerful performances in the latter. This spring, The Addams Family managed to do both in the best way. Madison Knight blew the audience away when she played everyone’s favorite demented teen, Wednesday Addams. Her vocals were killer, and her comedic chops could not have been more on target, delivering each line to sheer comic perfection without wavering. She didn’t give too much, but she gave just enough, and that takes genuine skill. Matthew Keith’s Gomez was hilarious, and his performance was the one to buzz about. He could have fooled anyone that he was, in fact, from Spain with that accent; it was spot on. Ally Dunavant once again graced the stage with a poise that it seems only she can bring. Her performance as Eponine in last year’s Les Mis was stunning, and she made the audience fall in love with her all over again with her take on Morticia, the show’s femme fatale. Parker Greenwood, who took everyone’s breath away last year with his incredible, unparalleled performance as Jean Valjean, took on a more youthful role as Wednesday’s eager boyfriend, showing his capability of diversity as an actor. Of course, his vocals were stellar. Reed Locke, Bennett Kesler, and Cooper Helm were too funny to handle, showing major talent as only sophomores. Laura Abbott provided a poise similar to Ally’s, yet in a very different role, giving a nice contrast to the darkness of the show. Her comedic timing was great, and she had a voice to match. Robbie Kirkpatrick, a junior, had us all laughing and crying at the same time when he began singing out of absolutely nowhere at the end of the show.

Props to Ms. Wallace for the staging. It was perfect and could not have been more hilarious. And props to Robbie for those vocals that may or may not have made a few of us cry (in a good way). The real show-stealer, in my opinion, was none other than Webb Bankemper. His vivacious energy is unmatched, and he, to me, embodied the spirit of the show.

He was weird, funny, dark, and lovable at the same time. Not only is that an incredibly hard thing to accomplish, but it’s what The Addams Family is all about. He gave a truly fantastic performance. Overall, each cast and crew member involved in the show deserves a million rounds of applause. It was truly a joy to watch, and I look forward to next year’s musical. Ms. Wallace deserves huge props as the director and choreographer of this show and the entire high school theater department. She has truly accomplished something great.

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The Echo

2016-17

Issue 4

Year of the Greer!

Photos from the Tug on May 8th

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