CHRISTINA ENGLISH, SENIOR
TARYN CUNNINGHAM, SOPHOMORE
AUDREY ROHLFING, SENIOR
EMMA FAIRCHILD, SENIOR
EMILY GRIEGE, SENIOR
AHREN MUEHLEISEN, SENIOR
ALYSSA GRECO, SENIOR
JOEY FENTRESS, SOPHOMORE
STAFF
RAQUEL HERRERA , SOPHOMORE
ANDREW CAHILL, JUNIOR
JACK NELSON, JUNIOR
BEN ATKINS, JUNIOR
CORINNE PLUMB, JUNIOR
STAFF
NYAH KIM, SENIOR
MIA SCHEULEN, JUNIOR STAFF
LAILA ANDERSON, FRESHMAN
LUCY KIM, FRESHMEN
JIMMY MACDONALD, SENIOR
NEVAN SHIVELY, SOPHOMORE
THE TRUE EPIDEMIC PG. 6-7
SHOULD CHAPEL BE OPTIONAL PG. 9
BUY IT. SELL IT. BUY IT. WEAR IT. PG. 10-11
THE YOUNG GENERATION’S SCREEN DILEMMA PG. 8
HOW HUNTING CAN BE BENEFICIAL PG. 12-13
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY PG. 14
DOES JEWLRY IMPEDE THE ABILITY TO PLAY? PG. 16
FIRST EVER WCA GIRLS WRESTLING TEAM PG. 17
NON-WILDCATS HELP OUT THE HOCKEY TEAM PG. 18
WCA BASKETBALL IS BACK PG. 19
BASKETBALL HOME OPENER PG. 20
As the year winds down and the Christmas season inches closer, most of you all (and us) are thinking about the final exams that loom just before freedom. The stress of every project that teachers try to squeeze in right before break coupled with the pressure that comes with finals studying is enough to drive anyone insane.
The hardest part of this hard week is finding time to rest and find peace amidst the whirlwind which surrounds us. Even if the studying stops, there’s still sports practices and games, school dances, family commitments, and more. And on top of all that, the community seems to be restless now as well. Other schools in the area have faced terrifying threats and events in the past few weeks, and, overall it is so easy to feel that peace is a far-away idea.
But, there is hope even in the midst of chaos. Taking a moment to sit, breathe, pray, walk, read–to REST in the height of anxiety is of utmost importance. The holiday season carries with it a spirit of peace even if you do not personally believe in
the peace that comes with the birth of a Savior, and if you do abide in that hope, then there is even more abounding joy that a forever peace exists. Believing in that true peace, though, feels nearly impossible when minds overflow with to-do lists and review guides.
True peace comes when intentional time is spent with the Lord and with those who care about us and the rest we need, and it comes when we prioritize peace that lasts instead of simple, temporary fixes. A break from work may come in the form of a FaceTime call with a friend, watching Netflix, scrolling through TikTok, or working out at the gym, but these temporary breaks do not provide chaotic minds with true rest.
I encourage you all to find true peace as you push through the last stretch of a challenging semester, and to take this long break as a time to find some form of lasting rest before life yet again spins out of control. Protecting your peace is a challenge in a world that constantly tells us to go go go, but the reward is greater than any amount of studying.
Signed, 800 News and Anna Grace Likes, Editor-In-Chief Contact us at 800news@wcastl.org if you have any ideas, questions, or concerns.
October through November of 2022 Saint Louis High Schools have faced multiple tradegies concerning school shootings and threats.
Saint Louis school districts faced a true tragedy on October 25, 2022, when a former student of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School walked into school armed with a gun, killing both a fifteen-year-old student and a staff member and leaving many injured and traumatized. Since this school shooting, various threats have been made against other schools in the county. St. Louis government members have been in debates for weeks discussing what measures need to be taken to prevent events like these from recurring.
The second amendment comes into play when dealing with events and threats like these. Americans have the right to bear arms for protection, but this amendment has caused turmoil with school shootings. At eighteen, Americans have full discretionary power to handle firearms, but gun ownership does come with a long list of requirements. These are some of the Eligibility Requirements that a person seeking ownership of a gun needs: they must be 18 years of age, an American citizen, never charged with a domestic violence crime, not be a fugitive of justice, be a patient of a mental institution or rehab. Once the citizen’s criminal background has been checked and cleared, the citizen has every legal right to own a firearm and is given a permit. To many, these requirements seem fair and ensure that nothing bad could come out of this ownership, but guns have still gotten into the possession of people with malicious intent.
The Guardian reports: “A police statement obtained by St. Louis TV station KMOV records that officers took the view the teenager was lawfully permitted to possess the weapon despite substantial evidence of troubling behavior. His family told police they had arranged for the teen to be treated for mental health issues, had put him on medication, and had even overseen a stay in a mental health institution” (St Louis school shooting suspect had gun confiscated days before attack | Missouri | The Guardian).
After the suspect was found, St. Louis police came to his house to begin the investigation and take his gun into
possession. The former Central Visual and performing arts student owned an AR-15 rifle that he used during the shooting. While the law says that citizens with a history of institutionalized mental illness do not have the right to bear firearms, this former student was permitted to own this gun. Police came to the suspect’s house intending to take him and the gun into custody, but this visit did not end with possessing his firearm since he had the legal right to own it, even though he used it for violent intentions.
Orlando Harris, the shooter, did not have any criminal history, hence why he was given the permit. His mother was devastated to hear he is responsible for this tragic event. The suspects mother claims that she had plans to place him in a mental insitutuion, and wanted to get him out of the house.
“And in his notebook, Harris described his ambitions: He wanted to be the deadliest school shooter in U.S. history. He had a list of names of people he wanted to kill. He was counting down the days at least three weeks before the shooting. He wrote that he knew he had mental health issues, but felt none of the medical professionals he worked with had taken him seriously.” said Austin Huguelet and Katie Kull of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (“A quiet morning, then screams and bullets: How the St. Louis school shooting unfolded”).
Since October 25th, various debates among government officials in Saint Louis County have been continuing over gun laws. Visual and Performing arts staff members have shared their feelings towards Missouri gun regulations, saying they are very broad. Some regulations did not prevent this young man from committing such a heinous crime or even let the law do what is just and take him into custody. He had obtained the permit, had no criminal histroy, and no mental health issues that were recorded.
Since this shooting, Saint Louis has faced more tragedy with gun violence at Marquette High School in Chesterfield, MO. On November 18th, Marquette students
School Shooting Statistics in America from 2001-2020 (National Center for Education Statistics) Image by: Alyssa Greco
were required to evacuate the building. They were dismissed early after a student stated on social media that they would bomb and shoot up the school. This was said the previous day (the 17th), and students were sent home again. Since the 18th, the suspect has been identified, and the proper measures were taken. Saint Louis County police department states that their close relationship with the Rockwood School District made it possible to take these measures quickly.
The threat was released via soical media, on Snapchat. Students were able to acces their phones during the school day, and saw this terrfying statement posted on Snapchat. Students reported the statement, allowing Marquette took the proper measures to evacuate the entire student body and send them home for the rest of the school day. Marquette staff members did not anticipate for something like this to reoccur, but the following schoolday another threat was reported for a bombing and shooting, sneding the students home again.
“Friday, several students told staff they were sent an image that said Thursday’s threat ‘wasn’t a joke’ and that an attacker was at the school with “something I can aim with while you run in fear,” according to a message sent to parents. Friday’s threat, according to Rockwood School District officials, gave a specific classroom number and said the attack would begin at noon” (https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ marquette-high-school-evacuates-closes-early-2-daysin-a-row-after-threats/article_24fdc346-9479-5ffb-b967d7656109ede4.htm).
High school students in the Saint Louis Area have lived in fear for the past month due to these tragedies. Saint Louis government officials and members of the Saint Louis School Districts will continue to debate the broadness of the gun laws in Missouri. They want to come to a fair but just conclusion to ensure the safety of adolescents and citizens across the county.
With the rise of a modern world, technology has become widely used. With the increase of technology use came the decrease of amount of sleep, free time, and face to face conversations. A major contributor to the current technology-obsessed culture was the pandemic. Many became affected by the cutoff from physical contact and social interactions. This resulted in a steep increase in people being online, especially those who are below eighteen. The uses for technology expanded greatly from just connection to distant, missed friends to solo, physically-isolated use. For people ages 8-18, the easiest way to disconnect and disengage from the world around them is through technology.
A survey led by Common Sense, a non-profit organization dedicated to researching important information to improve the lives of children and families, found that kids were not only using screens for connection with friends. With so much time on their hands, kids during the pandemic spent most of their free time on screens scrolling through social media. Melinda Wenner Moyer, journalist and author for the New York Times, discovered that, “Teens, for instance, reported spending more than three hours a day on average watching videos or TV [...] but only 20 minutes a day video-chatting with friends.”
Technology keeps getting into the hands of younger and younger kids.
A decreased independence comes along with the prioritization of technology in younger ages. Kids spend more time alone instead of going outside, having conversations, or having a family meal. Skills such as focusing and learning could become negatively affected by the excessive use of phones, iPads, or computers. Additionally, the safety of young kids on technology is never guaranteed. According to the AACAP, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, “Parents cannot assume that their child will be protected by the supervision or regulation provided by the online services. Most ‘chat rooms’ and social media sites are completely unsupervised.”
Most ‘chat rooms’ and social media sites are completely unsupervised.”
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Young kids, if not given boundaries, are exposed to an overwhelming variety of information ranging from educational to violent. Without that moral filter necessary, kids could believe that everything they see or read is accurate information. They are easily manipulated, misled, or cyberbullied. The problem here is that, during this time kids begin to discover and develop a sense of identity online as well as offline.
For future generations, the question is what the outcome will be. Technology use has increased greatly but, while being greatly beneficial in many areas, the negative effects on younger people increase as well.
Facing the problem of how rising technology is affecting our youth.
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“Parents cannot assume that their child will be protected by the supervision or regulation provided by the online services.Photo by Raquel Herrera
Chapel is admittedly one of the most widely discussed facets of the WCA community. This time of worship is not perfect, but what can we do about it? And how are those who run this time making it a God-honoring time?
In an interview with Mr. Ottolini, Director of Spiritual Life and the person running and organizing every Chapel all year round, he explained that chapel is one of the most discussed topics in the community.
Mr. Ottolini explains how administrators, teachers, and students have a lot of opinions about Chapel and how it is being run. “I probably have a meeting once a week about Chapel.”
“We have over 200 churches represented in the school, and we have a large contingency of people who have grown up in church all their life.”
He further elaborated on how difficult it is to get people engaged in something they have heard many times, while also catering to those who do not have as much of an understanding of the Bible. The melting pot of denominational diversity we have at WCA is wonderful and a testament to the unity we have in Christ, but it also can lead to many complexities in student engagement with worship.
“Students that have been in the Church all their life approach Chapel with a different context, as opposed to those who are maybe newer to the faith. And the goal of Chapel is to show that the Gospel can speak into both”
This can bring complication because some have heard these topics copiously and there are many other reasons as to why students struggle to engage.
“In chapel many students cannot focus on the message because others are goofing off. And it’s not exactly a cool thing [to focus] anyway.” said Chase Borage, Sophomore.
Because of the constant clapping, jeering, or laughing at chapel, it has become a time that students who wish to worship during chapel, cannot.
But giving problems without a solution is not useful. Mr. Ottolini brought up interesting solutions before even asked.
“I have been floating around the ideas with regards for student engagement and bringing a renewed spiritual developement to
Students gather in the arena to listen to the chapel band worship team.
Photo by Maddox Rosenberg
the student body such as an optional chapel, small groups, great questions, life questions, and worship in the word.” Mr. Ottolini explained.
There is no silver bullet, though, and all of these ideas come with their own pros, cons, opportunities, and limitations.
Amidst many conversation that Mr. Ottolini is having regarding chapel this is one of many ideas to encourage student engagement.
“Give your teenager a say in what and how things are done. IF your teenager has had a say in setting the agenda and the timetable they will be much more motivated to participate.” said Chris Hudson, Youth Specialist. With the myriad ideas that always get tossed out, it becomes quite difficult to find ways to improve.
Mr. Ottolini further admitted that chapel can be a bit of a battle, something that takes a lot of time to get right.
“I wouldn’t say it is a losing battle, just an evolving one.”
But the Spiritual Life Director left on a good note. He explained how as long as the gospel is being presented we are doing well. The community can argue on the smaller issues but at the end of the day Mr Ottolini works hard for our community.
In the end, some things are very clear. Chapel gives our community a chance to engage with the Gospel together every week. Chapel has been a lightning rod of critique, praise, and everything in between for years and years. Both of these facts will most likely remain and continue to prompt discussion and further proposals. Optional or not, it is not going away, nor is the need to work to continue making it relevant for the WCA community.
Giving students a choice to attend or not appeals to some but the question remains on whether it or other ideas are good for the school overall.
Reselling items has become popular in the last 5-10 years.
Christina English Staff Writer“In 2020, Etsy reported having doubled its revenue in comparison to the prior fiscal year, yielding 1.7 billion in revenue,” said Erynn A. Grifford from blog.vendoo. co. She also mentioned that “in the most recent reports, eBay’s annual net revenue exceeds 10 billion dollars, a significant rise in revenue in comparison with prior years.”
Buying and reselling items has now become one of the most popular ways to shop both online and in-person. However, it seems as if this form of shopping has come out of nowhere in the past few years. How has it become so popular within this generation? Where are the best places that people can shop for resold items?
A reseller is a person or a company who buys a product from one place and then sells it themselves for either a higher or lower price. eCommerce refers to the buying and selling of items that happens online, and stores that resell items online also fall into this category.
To the question of how it has become so popular, Jonathan Pierron from waste360.com explains that “while the idea of selling used items has been around for centuries, it is the prominence of these digital reselling platforms that are allowing this waste-reducing tradition to permeate the 21st century during the age of online commerce.”
This then brings in the factor that by reselling items, not as many things are being thrown away just because they’re old. Lots of people are behind the idea of saving the planet in many different ways, and reselling items lets people be able to help the environment in a fun and sometimes money-saving way.
Pierron shows the statistics of Clara Albornoz, co-founder and co-CEO of an online store called List Perfectly that strengthen this factor: “The website is responsible for more than one hundred million cross-posted items for sale, which translates to 100 million items that would otherwise presumably end up in landfills.”
““Clothes are made so cheaply now, they do not last and rip. Therefore, they are being left to rot in landfills,”
- Casey Thompson, founder and owner of Vintage405.
There’s also the fact that most websites or stores that do resell items like clothes or accessories are selling them for much cheaper than they were originally. An example of a website like this is “The RealReal”, where they sell luxury brands like Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vution, Dior, and many more for less than they originally were.
On the website cnbc.com, writer Trina Paul, over the summer, posted an article that lists a bunch of different resale places to shop online, including Facebook Marketplace, Depop, Mercari, and eBay. These places are well known for their great prices and their really cute products. Plato’s Closet is also an example of a good, in-person resale store that offers the same things regarding prices and products.
People also create their own shops where they resell items. This is what Casey Thompson, founder and owner of Vintage405, decided to do. At Vintage405, Thompson resells vintage clothing. These clothes range all the way from formal wear to old t-shirts, (some of these items going all the way back to the 1920s!). There’s also clothes for both men and women.
“Back in 2018, mom jeans were a huge fashion trend. My mom had kept over 20 pairs of her denim from the 80s including brands such as Levi’s, Rocky Mountains, Lees, etc,” said Thompson. “My grandparents also kept all their clothes dating back to the 1920s, really helping me start my inventory for free.”
Like Pierron, Thompson also thinks that it is important to reuse and recycle old clothes. She believes that fast fashion creates a lot of waste, and she believes that since “clothes are made so cheaply now, they do not last and rip therefore they are being left to rot in landfills.”
Even the popular brand Patagonia realizes this problem of wasting clothes and chooses to create products that are made from recycled materials. Through reselling clothes,
the world can avoid this problem of wasting tons of fabric, beads, and other materials used for clothing.
Now knowing this information about different places to shop resale, which place is the best of the best? Here’s what some students at Westminster had to say:
Senior Ava Hornburg said, “I got a Fleetwood Mac vinyl from a store in the West County Mall, and I got a Princess Polly dress from Depop.”
“I guess my best item that was resold that I bought was my iPhone XS,” said senior Kerriann Davis. “It is called a ‘refurbished’ phone.”
Horburg went on to say, “I think that in-person stores are the best places to buy resold items. When you order something online, there is no guarantee that it is your size or to your liking.”
Senior Mae St. John believes that the best place to get resold items is “Plato’s Closet because they only sell name brand items that are in good condition.”
At the rate in which the process of reselling items is increasing, it could potentially become even more popular than it is to regularly shop at a store or online.
Hunting can actually be good and helpful to the enviornment and to ourselves.
Why do you kill those deer? Why do you spend so much time in the woods? Don’t you get bored in the woods?
These are all common questions in today’s society that all have merit. Hunting is a dying art that is not commonly practiced or talked about today. Listed below are three reasons for hunting that explain why hunting can be beneficial in many ways.
Hunting is a way to connect to nature and the world around you. If you never went hunting, you would never get to see the squirrels play in the woods, or see the leaves fall from the trees. The intimacy with the woods and nature can only be experienced while in a tree stand. Seeing the sunrise or sunset over a cornfield or through the fall leaves can be truly breathtaking and fulfilling. You are able to connect to God’s creation on a deeper level. Scientific studies have linked multiple aspects of hunting to being happier and more fulfilled. For one, Vitamin D is obtained through the sun which can be gotten while being in the woods. Also, there can be lots of exer-
A beautifil sunset overlooking a patch of timber Image by: Ahren Muehleisen
cise in hunting, which is also linked to being happier. Mark Kenyon from MeatEater, a hunting news source, wrote that “time in the outdoors is leading to chemical
changes in humans that reduces stress, increases focus and creativity, improves feelings of happiness, and promotes other positive health attributes”. It is proven that time in nature can alleviate stress and improve mood. Through all the time in nature, seeing a deer is a cherry on top. Being in nature releases chemical endorphins that allow people to experience a deeper level of tranquility and peace that can’t be attained elsewhere.
“Time in the outdoors is leading to chemical changes in humans that reduces stress, increases focus and creaticity, improves feelings of hapiness”
-Mark Kenyon, MeatEater
In the wild, animals face an extremely hard life. They are subjected to all the elements, the extreme cold, the extreme hot, rain, snow, everything. Most animals that die in the wild will either die to these elements by old age, die by a car, or get eaten by a predator. These are all extremely painful deaths that take time and aren’t pretty. A lot of times the meat also goes to waste in these situations. None of it is harvested and consumed. When hunting is done correctly, the animal expires in seconds and feels very little pain compared to dying from the cold. Hunters are also able to utilize all the meat to feed their families and friends. Hunting can provide a much quicker and ethical death than nature can provide, and it also provides an opportunity for the meat to be put to good use and not go to waste.
Hunting and harvesting your own food is a way to connect with your food on a deeper level. If one were to go to the grocery store, then they would pick up some meat off the shelf while not knowing where it came from. You would not know where the cow or chicken was raised, how it was harvested, or what it ate. But hunting allows you to have full transparency about where your food
comes from. If you process your own meat, you see exactly where that meat went from the ground to your plate. There is no room for question whether or not the animal was shot up full of growth hormones to make them artificially fattier and better-tasting. Wild game such as deer provides more protein than beef and only about 1/2 of the fat. Consuming some of the meat that you harvested yourself can be one of the most fulfilling and healthiest things you can do.
Hunting that is something that is not nearly as prevalent in our culture as it was when our parents were growing up. Many don’t even know about the benefits it providesfor the hunters, animals and community. While it’s not for everyone, think about how it can positively affect you and those around you.
“Hunting allows you to have full transparency about where your food comes from”A freshly seared venison steak alongside some morel mushrooms Image by: Ahren Muehleisen
School can be a grueling task–waking up at six or seven o’ clock in the morning to enter a place where tests and papers await a groggy and unprepared mind, and where the stresses of these looming deadlines and due dates only grow greater as finals creep closer, is not the best way to wake up.
However, students manage to find comfort away from all the crushing responsibility in the form of community.
“I look forward to having daily hangouts with friends before and after school,” said Salem Dawit, freshman.
This is not simply a distraction from work. This sense of friendship and bonding is truly deep. For instance, Salem had a comforting Friendsgiving with those she cares about, with pumpkin pie, brownies, and many other treats.
“My extended family doesn’t come into town for Thanksgiving, so it was nice to have something with friends,” said Dawit.
This is not just a warm feeling inside, though. It is a deep, human need being met.
“Strong social connection… leads to a 50% increased chance of longevity, strengthens your immune system, helps you recover from disease faster, and may even lengthen your life,” according to Dr. Emma Seppala, science director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.
“People who feel more connected to others have lower levels of anxiety and depression. Moreover, studies show they also have higher self-esteem, greater empathy for others, are more trusting and cooperative,” said Dawit.
Of course this is a two sided coin. Not having community is not the neutral state, it affects an individual just as much.
“People low in social connection are more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, antisocial behavior, and even suicidal behaviors,” said Dr. Seppala.
It seems that the most common places where this sense of community and companionship are built are school and work, two places meant for a different core purpose, and both places have very specific cliques or hierarchies that form that can inhibit connection. However, there are other, more easily accessible spaces where communities can be built.
Communities form around common interests. Anywhere from
a church to a skatepark to a Muay Thai martial arts school can be a place to foster community. If there is an interest, there is a group of people who gather together to celebrate that interest.
Many who go to Westminster are churchgoers, or participate in extracurricular activities such as sports, theater, or clubs. School is a massive conduit for connection.
“I love art club because it is an easy way to make friends,” said Florence Sarra, junior and art club member.
Eventually, everyone will graduate and move on with their lives. But this does not mean that the community built around whatever club or church must dissipate or weaken.
In the modern era, communities have migrated from the physical world to the digital one, with more online gathering spaces than one could imagine. Spaces to celebrate billionaire movie stars and pop singers, spaces to revel in obscure experiences or gimmicks, and spaces to keep in contact with anyone you meet in real life as well. You can communicate with your fellow church attendees, or robotics club members, or skate park friends, as easily as pressing a button.
It is important, though, to have internet areas be an extension of communities, not a replacement. Though DMs and comment threads can provide fun little jokes or truly deep insights, looking at another human in real time and sharing some sort of interest simply cannot be replaced.
“Real communities are better than virtual communities in communicating affect, identifying participants and holding them accountable, and in providing group feedback,” said Amitai and Oren Etzioni for Science, a peer-reviewed journal from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Community is an important part of human life and fostering it in public spaces is important.
Wearing jewelry is something that the majority of athletes do. For some it is a simple wristband or sleeve on their arm or leg, for others it’s a chain worn around their neck. These chains and wristbands usually mean something to the player. It could have come from a passed parent or family member, or something memorable that has affected them personally. Every athlete has something that they look for in a game to keep them motivated. These simple little things are meaningful to a person on and off the field.
Most athletes wear their “drip” for confidence. Showing up to the game with something they attach meaning to provides an athlete with confidence. With the mental strain all sports have on a person, a little bit of comfort or confidence means the world. Playing any sport without confidence is a recipe for disaster. A writer for the Maru newsletter wrote “Self-confidence is undoubtedly the mark of a champion.” Without confidence, there is no point in showing up to play, nothing that you want to be accomplished will be done. Many sports now are almost entirely mentality-based rather than skills-based, and while skill does still play a huge factor, believing in oneself is how success happens.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) previously banned athletes from wearing any type of jewelry.
“Previously, only medical and religious medals were permitted by rule,” (NFHS). This rule was in place for all high school sports throughout the United States, and it was put in place to protect athletes during the game. The rule makes sense for most “contact” sports. But, in a non-contact sport like baseball it just doesn’t really apply as much.
On July 11, 2022, the NFHS came out with a change in the rules. They stated, “While most jewelry will be permitted, the Baseball Rules Committee noted that the current rules still state that “any jewelry worn that poses harm or injury to a player or opponent should be removed.”
This was huge news for all high school baseball players the day it came out. One thing players like to do is express themselves through what they wear. The saying, “look good, play good” really does apply to baseball players. The only rule change has been for baseball. For sports like football, basketball and soccer, the previous rule still stands.
The rule that is in place saying that athletes can not wear
Vasity Basketball player, Colby Alpert. Photo by: Audrey Rohlfing
jewelry will most likely not change. This is just due to safety reasons. For most “contact sports” having a piece of jewelry can be dangerous and cause serious injury, and that’s why the rule is in place
This year introduces the first ever girls wrestling team at Westminster. Girls have been given the opportunity to wrestle for a while, but this was the first time enough girls were interested in taking up the offer.
Many schools across the country have had girls wrestling teams for years. So many teams, in fact, that there is a girls State wrestling competition as well.
This year, the WCA wrestling team introduces Spanish teacher Renee Dunn on the coaching staff. With a background in many combat sports, she will bring a new perspective to the team.
Dunn has been interested in coaching a girls wrestling team since 2021 when she had a conversation about it with former boys wrestling coach Tim Muehleisen.
“A few female students who were interested in wrestling learned about this and approached me about starting a girls wrestling team. I was eager to help but, unfortunately, we couldn’t generate enough interest to start a team. […] This year, those same girls approached me again. We had conversations with the Athletics Department, the girls generated a buzz, and a team was formed,” said Dunn.
Kate Van Zee, junior, has been interested in the team for a while. She was one of the students who approached Dunn on forming a team, and she helped make it happen.
“I first became interested in wrestling in middle school, because my brother was in it. He often put me in headlocks that I had difficulty escaping. I wanted to learn wrestling so that it would slightly even the odds. Katherine Shaw and I worked last year on the possibility of a girls wrestling team, and due to the support we received from others, we decided to make it a reality,” said Van Zee.
Both those on the team and coaches alike agree that wrestling is a different type of sport than anything else. It requires the same amount of effort and athleticism, but the camaraderie is completely different in a physical combat sport.
“Hand to hand combat sports are personal in a way that cannot be compared to other sports. For anyone (with the attitude of
an athlete, not of a combatant) to enter a circle or ring, to me, requires not only grit but a certain level of trust and respect that isn’t necessarily expected in other forms of competition […] it is also an invitation to another to push me, bodily and mentally, to an extreme. It’s an opportunity for me to do the same for them,” said Dunn.
Many of these girls, like Van Zee with her brother, have a family history with the sport. Denny Muehleisen is no different. Hearing the name “Muehleisen” when talking about wrestling is like mentioning jelly when talking about peanut butter: they just go together. The Muehleisen family has a rich history with wrestling. Both Denny’s dad and grandpa wrestled, not to mention they coached the WCA varsity team for 20 years together.
“I came out for wrestling mostly because I just really like being a part of a team, but I was also interested in the sport and wanted to give it a shot. It is important to me because I really enjoy being on a team and my dad and grandpa both wrestled so it is fun to keep the tradition going.” Denny Muehleisen, freshman.
Tuesday, November 29, was the first time WCA girls wrestled in a meet. All of the girls wrestled their hearts out, with many having their first wins. The team and fans are looking forward to many future matches, and everyone is on the edge of their seats for the future of WCA girls wrestling.
I want to continue to be a part of everything – I want to encourage, support, and learn with these girls as they pave the way for our school to represent girls in wrestling,” said Dunn.
After they just wrestled in their first match ever in this 2022-23 season, these girls are ready to be part of a new tradition.The girls wrestling team: (L-R) Kate Van Zee, Katherine Shaw, Denny Muehleisen, Kyndal Brown. Photo by: Maddox Rosenberg
40% of the Westminster hockey team does not go to school at Westminster. There were not enough players at Westminster to have a hockey team this season. Midstates, the organization that oversees Missouri high school hockey, allows kids from schools that do not have hockey teams or schools that have too many players for their team to join a pool. School’s with teams that need more players can pick people out of the pool so that they can have a large enough team.
Seth is a Freshman forward that goes to Lutheran High School. He is a hardworking player that is always playing his heart out. Seth scored his first varsity goal in the teams only win against Ladue earlier this season.
London is a sophomore forward that goes to Total Package Hockey which is a hybrid school. He also plays hockey for the St. Louis Sting. London is a big contributor and leads the team in goals and points. He is a treat all over the ice with great hands and hockey IQ.
“I love playing high school hockey for Westminster for many reasons. Everyone involved with the program from coaches to all of the players are amazing. One of my favorite things about high school hockey is the environment, and it’s amazing with this team. The students in the student section are always incredible and it makes for a great experience,” said Jett.
Braden is a sophomore defenseman from Troy High School. He is a solid defenseman that does not back down from anyone. Braden is not a very big player but he plays like one. He is always willing to hit people, even the biggest guy on the ice.
Ben is a sophomore defenseman that goes to Metro. Ben is a speedy addition to the Wildcat defense. Additionally, Ben plays club hockey for the Webster Rockets. He is another smaller defenseman that is fearless. Ben is willing to carry the puck through the middle of the ice to get into the offensive zone even if it means taking some big hits.
Aiden is a freshman goalie that goes to Troy High School. He is a solid goalie that also plays for the Chesterfield Falcon. Aiden
Ben Keoshkerian scans the ice for the puck. Photo by:
Joey Fentressplayed in the teams only win of the season so far and where he stopped 25 of the 28 shots on goal.
Gavin is a sophomore forward that goes to Melville. Gavin is a strong forward with a hard shot. He has two goals on the season so far. Gavin is also a threat in the defensive zone where he is a heavy hitter.
Matthew is a freshman forward that goes to Parkway Central. He is a speedy defenseman with a hard shot which is surprising for someone of his size. Matthew might not be a typical big defenseman, but he is an asset to the team all over the ice.
Jack is a sophomore utility player who goes to Parkway Central. Jack is able to play all over the ice and fill whatever spot the team needs. Last season, Jack primarily played defense, but this season the team needed him to step up and play offense.
“These players contribute a lot to our team and do what we need them to do; without them, there would be no team.” said Logan Swenson, junior at WCA on hockey team.
The pool players make up a major part of the team, and without them, there wouldn’t even be a team. These eight players are also all underclassmen and due to the rules about pool players they will continue to play for Westminster for the rest of their high school careers. For the next two of three seasons these players will be the core of the team as they gain experience and knowledge of the game.
Who are the eight players on the Westminster hockey team that do not attend WCA?
Winter sports season has brought back Westminsters boy basketball team for another go.
Emma Fairchild Staff Writere beloved winter sport season is back, meaning Wildcat boys basketball has begun to play full force. Last year the boys team was favored to make it to state a er beating powerhouses like CBC and Chaminade, but they sadly fell to Cardinal Ritter in the District Championship.
With the loss of 9 players, all who made a huge impact on both the culture and the game, the team feels they have to start new.
“We aren’t nervous for the season but we are excited; lots of people have low expectations for us this year but I believe we will prove people wrong,” said Colby Alpert, junior, who also played on varsity last year.
In the past, the cats proved themselves with a winning culture. e troubles and losses they faced caused learning. is past dynamic team has created certain expectations for the new Wildcat team to live up to.
“ e crowd will be shocked to see all of the good players we have this year that no one has talked about,” said Kobi Williams (12) who has dominated the basketball scene his high school career.
Two new key players for the team are JD Robertson and Evan Montandon. e two swung varsity for the cats last year, but their roles have been bumped up with high expectations to perform well. A er losing the team's height to graduation, JD and Evan both level out the team being some of the new “bigs.”
Kobi Williams, senior and Truman State basketball commit, said that “one thing [the team does] have that some teams don't is scrappy players that just want to win.”
Clearly shooting is key to success for every basketball team and the Cats have that. Kobi Williams consistently scores 20-30 points a game, and with help from Colby Alpert, JD Robertson, and Evan Montandon, the Cats should see success in their upcoming season.
Following their rst tournament at MICDS, although not returning home with a 1st place nish, the Cats played better than expected. ey beat both Miller Career Academy and Whit eld before they were defeated by rival MICDS. Even though not being crowned winners, this tournament has created condence for the Cats to keep working hard.
Both teams compete at home for the first game of the season
Sydney Bradley Sporting EditorIt was a slow start for both teams Tuesday at the home opener. Both teams matched up against the Lutheran St.Charles Cougars. e girls could pull out the win, but their perseverance showed through. Having almost a brand new team, the girls ability to nd their new play style is important for their season. Coming back from a 19 point gap in the last 4 minutes was impressive. roughout the game, leading scorer Addie Kane put up 17 as a sophomore.
e boys game was very similar: a slow start, low scoring game, but the boys were able to take the lead against the Cougars. Senior Kobi Willams scored 23 of the Cats’ 37 points. e boys team picked some young talent this year. 6’2 2025 guard JD Roberston has shown his potential in the early season. Another 6’0 guard in the same class, Evan Montandon hit a game winning pullup jumper to bring the Cats up by 1 in the nal seconds of the game.
It’s looking up for the Cats for both teams. e past and present underclassmen have stepped up in the postseason, and they continue to leave everything out on the oor for their teammates.
“I think we did well coming together as a team and never giving up when things got tough. I think this team is a lot better at that this year”, said Addie Kane Junior.
ings are looking better than most expected this year. Both teams continue to adjust to the change well, and are updating their playstyle.
