February 2018

Red ‘n’ Green

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018

The

VOLUME 50, ISSUE 6 222 Memorial Drive Berlin, WI 54923

A BERLIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT OPEN FORUM SINCE 1924 Newsbriefs Bryn Hermanson Reporter

Juniors selected for Badgers Boys and Girls State

Appointed by the history department, juniors Calob Congdon and Timo Roberts will attend Badger Boys State at Ripon College from June 9 to 16.

Juniors Tess Mueller and Bryn Hermanson will attend Badger Girls State at UW-Oshkosh from June 17 to 22.

“The Legion started Badger Boys State first and their goal was to teach people more about Americanism, government and how it all works by actually participating in government. The Auxiliary then started Badger Girls State a few years later,” history teacher Jennifer Leahy said.

According to Leahy, this program is an opportunity for the students to practice leadership skills and public speaking skills.

“The requirements for the program differ throughout schools, but Berlin wants students who are interested in learning about government for a week because they get so much more out of the program if they are interested and willing to go,” Leahy said.

Seniors approved to decorate graduation caps

This year, seniors Emily Cottello and Caylie Krebs wanted to give the whole senior class the ability to showcase who they really are in the sea of red gowns at graduation.

“I think it gives graduation a sense of individuality. There are some kids who do not do well academically, but they really excelled in other activities, like they were the star of the football team or they were really good with art,” Cottello said.

Cottello set up a meeting with Superintendent Dr. Bob Eidahl about why the seniors should be able to do it and why it is important. She also wrote a request to the school board, but for them to consider it, Cottello and Krebs needed to devise rules and how they would prevent inappropriate actions.

After consideration, the board approved the idea. If caps are decorated inappropriately on graduation day, seniors will not be able to walk.

inThis

Issue

-Feature story on Jocelyn Smith pg. 3 -Rookie Writer pgs 9-12

Students troubleshoot, diagnose small engines through hands-on project

Alex McClelland

Reporter

Students from technology education teacher Paul O’Kon’s small engines class are currently diagnosing and troubleshooting small engines that students have brought in. They started this project on Jan. 23 and will continue to work on it for the remaining of the trimester.

“The purpose of this class is to teach the basic function of the small engines and how they work,” O’Kon said. “Once we disassemble an engine, measure it and put it back together, the students are able to bring in their own engine.”

O’Kon hopes to see this class more involved with the community in the future by allowing them to bring in their broken engines to the students.

“I am certified through Briggs and Stratton as a specialist, so I’m confident and comfortable that we could bring stuff in and try to fix it,” O’Kon said. “The nice part with that is when we order parts, we order locally, so we are putting money back into the community.”

To keep the shop organized and the students involved, O’Kon has a white board dedicated to the engines class in order to give them more of the responsibility.

“We have a work order board for the name of the person whose engine it is, when it came in, what the malfunctions are and

Junior Austin Schrei fixes the blades on a weed eater.

Seniors Carter Rohde and Andrew Fritz open the transmission on a Briggs & Stratton lawn mower to rebuild it in hopes to find why the transition will not move through all the gears. Fritz has worked on a four-wheeler engine, push mower, weed eater and riding lawn mower so far this year. “This class will help me with my college major (Agriculture Engineering) because it gives me the hands-on technical skills Photo: A. McClelland that you can’t learn from a book,” Fritz said. any remarks we have,” O’Kon said.

Student responsibility is important for the students to achieve learning the right lesson from this class.

“The purpose of them rebuildling engines is for them to take responsibility and ownership of what they’re doing and learn how to troubleshoot and diagnose,” O’Kon said. “They should understand if one thing doesn’t work, it can affect something else along the line. Everything works as a whole.”

When attempting to fix the engines, students start with the easiest parts and keep working

their way up.

“You might not fix it on the first try and then you need to troubleshoot it and use the knowledge we learned in the classroom to futher diagnose the problem,” senior Andrew Fritz said.

Before senior Carter Rohde began working on a lawn mower with Fritz, he struggled with an ice auger.

“They need to be finely tuned in order to make it run correctly, and they also all need different adjustment specifications and sometimes it’s hard to find those,” Rohde said.

Junior Nathan Maynard (above) checks the spark plug and junior Reece Murkley (below) changes the oil before troubleshooting the lawn mowers.

Photos: A. McClelland

School Grounds informs other schools about their success Caylie Krebs

Reporter

Owner of School Grounds Nicole LeDioyt and six students that work at the coffee shop, attended the Wisconsin Transition Conference on Feb. 5 and 6.

“The Wisconsin Transition Conference is for teachers and administration to learn about different strategies to prepare students for after high school,” LeDioyt said.

Usually, the conference consists of only teachers presenting, but LeDioyt wanted to let her students speak for themselves.

“I think that it was a good experience for the students,” LeDioyt said. “They had to speak in front of a bunch of people they didn’t know about how the coffee shop has helped them and continues to help them prepare for life after high school.”

One of the students that attended and spoke was senior Erica Naparala.

“Everyone had their own thing that they had to talk about,” Naparala said. “I had to talk about how we deliver to the middle school and elementary school.

I also talked about what I have learned and what I’ll take with me after high school.”

Both Naparala and senior Isabelle Heinz said they feel they are more confident after speaking in front of a crowd.

“I learned how to speak in front of a lot of people that I didn’t know,” Heinz said. “It was a little scary, but I feel proud that I did it.”

LeDioyt has been attending this conference since 2013 and decided that this year she was going to submit a proposal to present.

“I actually got the idea of starting the coffee shop from this conference,” LeDioyt said.

Nothing is changing for School Grounds, but LeDioyt has goals for both her students and the school.

“For the school, my goals are to be able to continue to give scholarships, to contribute to PBIS, show kindness and give back to the community and the school,” LeDioyt said. “For my students, I want them to feel confident in customer service, be comfortable with the cash reg-

Students that presented

Kayla Tokarski Erica Naparala Isabelle Heinz Tara Trotter Andrew Pribnow Andrew Jones

Schools coming to observe School Grounds Tokarski, Naparala and Pribnow present how the coffee shop has helped them.

Photo: N. LeDioyt ister and with recipes, generate ideas and understand marketing. I want them to be respectful and know the customer is always right no matter what.”

After the students and LeDioyt spoke to other schools teachers and administration, three schools decided that they want to come see what School Grounds has to offer.

Watertown Kaukauna Kimberly

Jones, Heinz and Trotter present what has helped them.

Photo: N. LeDioyt

2

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Letters to the Editor

Editorial

Graduation cap decorating big responsibility It is an achievment that several seniors came up with the idea of cap decorating for their graduation. They wanted something special this year and never understood why the prior graduates could not decorate. It took courage for these seniors to propose this idea. The idea had to be presented to the school board for review. The seniors patiently waited for the approval or disapproval.

The decision is in, and the decorating of graduation caps has been approved. This is a dramatic change for the seniors not only because it was their idea but because they can finally have their own twist on graduation day.

This is a pro because, for seniors, it is more than just a picture or quote on their cap.

It tells their story and is something that they will remember as they are the first class of Berlin High School to start this tradition.

Out of 50 seniors that were surveyed, 92 percent voted

to have cap decorating. With this high percentage, an overwhelming majority of seniors are excited to get creative with their caps.

The decorating of caps has become very popular in other schools, and can express a look back at their past, a shout out to a loved one, a thank you, a favorite quote or a glimpse into their future.

These caps show creativity in our graduates. This creativity can be expressed in many ways.

As the graduating class of 2018 enters the BHS gymnasium for the graduation ceremony, all spectators, family and friends will understand a little bit more of each individual graduate by the cap that they are wearing.

However, this is a huge responsibility for the seniors. In order for this to follow through for years to come, the seniors need to embrace this idea in a positive and respectful way.

For all upcoming graduating classes to carry on this tradition, the class of 2018 has to lead the way by good example.

Opinion The Red ‘n’ Green Berlin High School 222 Memorial Drive Berlin, WI 54923 920.361.2000

Dear Editor, Favoritism seems to be a reccuring issue in every classroom, some based on hard work, last names and others.

-Gracie Brownlow Dear Editor, It really bothers me when teachers do not accept valid excuses when being late to class. Some valid excuses are working with other teachers or even being in the bathroom. We cannot be perfect all the time and will be late sometimes. If you want us to act like adults and tell the truth, then treat us with respect back.

-Clair Werch

Dear Editor, It is annoying when teachers do not explain things fully and not answer everyone’s questions. It also bothers me when teachers only answer certain people’s questions.

-Stephanie Herbst

Expr e your ss self Created by Caylie Krebs Kelsi Cravillion

Reporter

Whether an after school activity is labeled as a club or a sport, it is fair to say that practice and preparation time is necessary, especially in the gymnasium.

Use of the gym is a given privilege and without it, many activities would not be able to function properly.

Throughout the school year, the gymnasium holds numerous events from sporting events like basketball games and dance performances to pep-rallies and fundraisers. It is a place where students and locals can gather together and support the community.

Gym use is first come, first serve. Located on the Berlin High School’s website is a building usage form that must be filled out and returned to the school’s office before an activity is held. To prevent any conflicts and overlaps, a policy is in place that all high school activities and practices have priority over any out-

Senior Column: Assigning Gym Time

side activity.

Though the gymnasium many times holds its purpose, it is during club and sport practices where it falls short of equal privilege. Recently, gym use in the morning before school and again during lunch was cut due to lack of supervision and the damage being done by students. With no extra pay and having to give up a lunch period watching reckless teenagers, teachers had no desire to give up potentially their one and only break of the day. In reality, they had no reason to do such a thing, but many students looked forward to the open gym time and some clubs and sports need-

ed it for extra practice. Because the teachers had no desire to supervise, and students were doing too much damage, some students lost their physical activity for the day. Many students question the lack of compromise as no one ever asked how they felt about closing open gym and supervisors never came up with a solution to better the situation. Instead the gym was closed with no questions asked.

As a student who is involved in both school clubs and sports I view gym time as very important. No matter what, sports and clubs need gym time to make practice complete. However as I participate in a winter club, I

have noticed that clubs do not receive as much gym time as sports do. Though the school’s policy states that the sign up is first come first serve, every activity whether it be a club or a sport is part of BHS and supervisors should treat their practice times equally. A dance team and a cheer team needs a court to practice their positioning for their performances just as a basketball team needs the court and hoop to practice for their games. Though these activities have many differences, there are students and coaches who have a passion for what they participate in and should be allowed to use the gym equally.

A compromise to allow equal time would be to improve the sports and clubs practice schedule. One team cannot rule the schedule, instead teams must work together and allow each other time. It is important that all clubs and sports can practice to their fullest and are ready for all games and competitions.

The Red ‘n’ Green is printed monthly by Berlin High School and circulated free to students.

The purpose of the Red ‘n’ Green is to be an open public forum for our staff, students and readers. We want to create close ties between the administration, faculty, students and the Berlin community. We will give readers the opportunity to voice opinions. The Red ‘n’ Green will accept only signed letters to the editor, although names will be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to return letters for corrections before publishing. The staff will not print any material that is libelous, obscene or malicious.

Editorials are unsigned as they reflect the majority opinion of the staff. Editorial topics will be covered in a fair manner. However, controversial topics will be covered.

Subscriptions are available.

Please contact the business manager at the below email address or phone number.

Editor-in-Chief:

Caley Huggins caley.huggins@berlin. k12.wi.us

Social Media Manager Mercedes Zabel mercedes.zabel@berlin. k12.wi.us

Reporters:

Kelsi Cravillion Bryn Hermanson Paige Krause Caylie Krebs Harrison Kujawa Alex McClelland

Adviser:

Shannon Kuehmichel

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Feature

3 Krall, Beuthin chosen for A day in the life of John Gonzales

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Student of the Month

Caley Huggins Editor-In-Chief

Because of her drive and determination to succeed, Cassidy Krall was chosen as this month’s female student of the month.

Krall has been involved in cross country, track & field, Key Club, National Honor Society and gymnastics throughout high school.

“It has definitely been a challenge to balance everything: school activities, classes and gymnastics. My class schedule throughout my high school career hasn’t been easy,” Krall said.

Within her full schedule, she has found time management to be crucial for success.

“Her courses have gotten increasingly difficult and she’s had to use her time wisely. Even still, she’s responded by doing well with gymnastics and her science classes,” science teacher Dave Reich said.

A friend that has stood by her through it all is gymnastics teammate, Rachel Hencke.

“Cassidy and I met in 2009 through gymnastics. Our friendship is unique because of the parts we play in each other’s lives.

She takes on being so much more than a teammate, but morphed Because of his gratitude and wilingness to always put forth his best effort, Austin Beuthin was chosen as this month’s male student of the month. He has been involved in LINC crew, B-S.A.L.T, baseball and has taken many honors classes.

“An important thing that I have learned in high school is to not be afraid to participate and have fun,” Beuthin said.

From being throwing partners in baseball to lunch buddies, Owen Reich has been a close companion of Beuthin’s ever since freshman year.

“Overall, Austin is just a really good kid. He’s genuinely such a caring guy and it shows. He paid for my lunch every single day during sophomore year,” Reich said.

Austin plans to take his studies to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College for fire protection and plans to continue in that field.

“Two goals that I have set for my future are to help coach baseball somewhere

Photo: Studio 708 into my motivator, my tutor, my confident, my travel buddy and just the person I know will always be there,” Hencke said.

Cassidy plans to go to college in the fall, and although undecided where, she wants to pursue a career in the medical field.

“I can definitely see Cassidy fitting into a medical profession.

I see her being successful and helping others,” Reich said.

Hencke can also see Krall leading a prosperous life.

“I know Cassidy will succeed at anything she sets her mind to.

She is incredibly determined and when she decides that she wants something, there is nothing that can stop her. You would be hard pressed to find someone who will work as hard as Cassidy does in everything,” Hencke said.

Harry Kujawa

Reporter

Junior John Gonzales works on his first black light painting in an independent painting class soley by himself.

“The idea came to me in a dream, and the first thing you’ll notice is the cacti on fire and it’s almost a dream like world,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales is very passionate about art, and uses it as a way to speak to people by sending a deeper message to those that will see his work.

“I wanted to highlight the depressed people in the world as you can see them in the painting, and realize that this isn’t just another issue. There’s many depressed people just in this school,” Gonzales said.

Art has become one of the most important things in Gonzales’s life, but it was not always that way.

“I didn’t really try in middle school art, but when I was a freshman I took Art 1 and it changed my entire view. It really enlightened me, which made me realize this is what I wanted to do. Ever since then, I’ve been taking as

Sitting in a dark room junior John Gonzales is fully focused on his first black light painting in an independant painting class. He uses various brush strokes to create his vision.

Photo: H. Kujawa many art classes as I can,” Gonzales said.

Even though art takes up a lot of Gonzales’s life, he does not limit himself to one area of study.

“I’m in a lot of clubs like Forensics, Kind Comittee, LINC Crew, and Student Council. After I eat lunch sometimes I have to go to Encore practice and miss the remainder of lunch,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales is also a member of one of the more exclusive singing

groups BHS has to offer.

“I’m also a member of a new popa cappella singing group. It’s a lot of singing and dancing,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales is also a member of the play “Our Town.”

“I love acting. The play practices do take up a lot of time outside of school, but I still try to attend as many basketball games or wrestling meets as possible after play practice,” Gonzales said.

In her own words:

featuring Jocelyn Smith As told to Reporter Paige Krause

Photo: Catrina’s Creations and to work my way up in the company that I have been working for. I plan to do these things by continuing to work hard,” Beuthin said.

Science teacher Paul Bell has had Austin enough in class to see how his positive traits have both helped him throughout high school and will continue to help him throughout the rest of his life.

“Austin has a very humble intelligence. I think with whatever he does, he will find his niché. He also takes every task head on and will not shy away from challenge,” Bell said.

By senior year, most people have their futures figured out, but for senior Jocelyn Smith, everything has changed. She has an unexpected adventure ahead of her.

“When I found out that I was pregnant, I was in shock because I never thought I would be pregnant as a senior in high school.But, I was also excited because I had to take in the fact that it happened,” Smith said.

Smith didn’t know how to feel when she found out about her pregnancy, and she explains the mixed feelings that she had.

“I wanted to be excited, but I was scared at the same time because I didn’t want people to judge me or think that I won’t

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become anything in life just because I’m pregnant,” Smith said.

The amount of support that Smiths family has towards her has helped her immensely.

“My whole family supports me, because I’m getting my diploma and I graduate before the baby comes. If I ever need help with anything, they’ll still be there for me and help me out,” Smith said.

Smith is also supported by longterm boyfriend and father of the child junior Alec Blake and his family.

“Alec’s whole family also supports me and that’s a really good feeling. I have everyone’s support and that helps a lot because then I know that I’m not just doing this by myself,” Smith said.

Smith explains how her future plans have been changed.

“The baby is due in July, so I

have to put everything on hold.

I was expecting to go to beauty school right away for a year and a half and get all of that done.

Now, I have to get my general degree first online, and then after a while go to a beauty school,” Smith said. “Once the baby grows up, I plan to be a Cosmetologist.

It’s just different because everything is just pushed back.”

Smith is doing all of the necessary tasks to get prepared for the baby.

“I am planning for the baby by making sure I am doing all of the things to stay healthy and going to doctor visits. I am making sure to have all of the essential things for when the baby comes home,” Smith said.

Smith is excited for the arrival of her baby.

“I am excited to know that I will be bringing a beautiful life into this world. I do not regret anything because it’s a blessing,” Smith said.

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4

In-Depth Series

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Generations from “My generation is the last generation to go through high school without computers. We had one computer in my whole school when I graduated. We are the last typewriter generation,” tech and engineering teacher Joel Johansen said.

The Silents 1927

“I lived through the second world war and that was a defining experience. I was just a little kid. There was the Cold War, the fear of nuclear war, the fear of a third world war,” history teacher Gary Knoke said.

Generation X 1964/1965

1945/1946

Baby Boomers

Millennial

VS.

1981- 2000

• They do not live to work because they prefer a more relaxed work environment with a lot of hand holding.

• Envision the world as a 24/7 place, want fast and immediate processing.

• With unlimited access to information, they tend to be assertive with strong views.

• Prefer digital literacy as they grew up in a digital environment. Millennials have never known a world without computers. They get all their information and most of their socialization from the Internet.

• Tech-Savvy - Both generations know everything there is to know about technology.

• Gripped by Gaming - Both generations are constantly connected to technology and the games that come with it.

• Motivated by Meaning - Both generations search for more • meaning in work.

source: marketingteacher.com, inc.com

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Generation Z Begins 2001

• They are savvy consumers. They know what they want and how to get it, and they are oversaturated with brands.

• Have Eco-fatigue: they are actually tired of hearing about the environment and the many ways we have to save it.

• With the arrival of computers and webbased learning, children leave behind toys at a younger and younger age.

• 61 percent of children between 8 and 17 have televisions in their rooms, 35 percent have video games, 14 percent have DVD players, four million will have their own cell phones.

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BEA Spaghetti Scholarship Supper Proceeds go toward Berlin graduates pursuing a career in education.

“We had the first internet, that’s probably a big defining experience. Also, the AIDS epidemic just because it made us very conscious that there are deadly diseases out there,” art teacher Lori Rademann said.

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In-Depth Series

W

ednesday, February

year to year

“I was a sophomore in high school when I got my first cell phone. Now I am fully integrated in technology and just like everybody else, it’s an attachment to my body, but I can still remember when that wasn’t a thing,” agriculture teacher Kim Dehn said.

Millennials

28, 2018

5

Generation Z “I would say we are outgoing, especially with social media. We like to show, ‘hey, we can do this’ or ‘hey, we do that’ and our accomplishments by posting all of that stuff, and it’s a good thing,” sophomore Garett Simon said.

2000/2001

Present

Created by Mercedes Zabel and Bryn Hermanson

Piechowski brothers reminisce on their relationship Kelsi Cravillion

Reporter

For some siblings age gaps define their relationship, but for the Piechowski brothers age has never been an issue. Steven 28, Paul 26, Ben 18, and Luke and Josh both 15, have always held a brotherly relationship growing up.

“Although we have a decent age gap between us, we have spent a lot of years under the same roof which has enabled us to a stronger brotherly connection,” Ben said.

As the brothers grew up, the eldest, Steven and Paul, have held a strong father figure role within the Piechowski household.

“The best way I can describe it is not only are they my brothers, but it almost feels like they are a little bit my children as well,” Paul said. “I was there by their side as much as I could, taking care of them when they needed me, helping raise them, but also,

Piechowski brothers (L to R): Ben, Josh, Paul, Steven, and Luke attend A Day To Remember concert in Clive, Iowa. Though there is big age difference, their favorite activity together is attending concerts. “Because of our similar taste in music, we enjoy going to concerts and music festivals,” Ben said.

Photo Submitted still being a brother and having fun.”

Though Paul and Steven many times did hold father like roles, the two were still great brothers to Ben, Luke and Josh.

“It was always fun to have older

siblings. They were always our go-to drivers, taking us to places our parents wouldn’t and signing permission slips for us,” Ben said. “It was and still is nice having someone who has an older perspective on things rather

than your parents, they kind of understand you a little better.”

Growing up with younger brothers gave Paul and Steven the ability to witness and interact in the change of technology and watch as the next generation formed.

“I have lived through a time, where VHS and cassette tapes were all the rage, typewriters and home phones were still around, and computers were in the process of trying to take off,” Paul said. “Kids these days, unfortunately, never quite had the same experience as Steven and I once had. However, when it comes to my younger brothers, they still love playing with the older video games Steven and I grew up with.”

Ben elaborated on Paul’s comment, stating that he prefered the old technology over the new.

“Growing up, I never played with new and improved video games. Instead, I prefered to

play older games versus the new ones as they had a more simple complexity to them,” Ben said.

As the years progressed, the brothers became closer and are now able to spend time together doing the things they love.

“As a family, we have gone on out-of-state vacations, and have spent the day at a theme park or a zoo,” Luke and Josh said. “But our favorite memories come from the concerts we go to with our older brothers as well as the endless rounds of video games played.”

The brothers continue to connect on levels only they will understand, as the love between them and the rest of their family continues to grow.

“I am very blessed to have such a wonderful caring family, and the old-school traditions that we always have one another’s backs and take care of one another, shine through with us,” Paul said.

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6

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Arts & Entertainment

.. . r e h t o It’s an

You said it, We write it

Teacher Bromance

In Shannon Kuehmichel’s third hour Written Communication class regarding changing hair color.

“I dye it too much,” senior Carley Merrick said.

Definition of bromance (noun): A bromance is a close, emotionally intense bond between two men.

“We share the same appreciation for the band Tool,” Band Director Ben Ruetten said.

Alex

Senior Craig Nyback commented back, “I’ve never been on a diet in my life.”

“We did have a work relationship anniversary, but all too often I forgot so we decided that our relationship is strong enough to not celebrate the day and stop giving each other gifts,” science teacher Paul Bell said.

During Jody Ziemann’s fourth hour Spanish 1 class, they were discussing the Puerto Rican tree frog, the coquí. They learned that its throat expands when it makes a noise.

A student asked, “What would happen if the frog’s throat popped?”

“Our relationship has grown to the point that we have, indeed, met each other’s parents,” Bell said. “Our actual wives are concerned that we are spouses.”

Ruetten and Bell re-created the cover photo of the album Tool. Ruetten, in the prison suit, is the lead singer.

Created by Alex McClelland

Photo: P. Krause

This month’s selections are... *drum roll*...

Ben Ruetten & PAUL BELL

Freshman Noah Winter responded, “It would croak!”

Created by Mercedes Zabel

BY THE NUMBERS 15,200

117.6 million

53%

60 billion

titles worldwide

“He and his wife and my wife and I were at Paul’s house having dinner the night they had their first child,” Ruetten said.

subscribers

of users come from outside of the United States Have been reached for Netflix to stream

Created by Red ‘n’ Green staff

70%

profit over the past three months alone

Of Netflix users binge watch their shows

in the

HALL

If you could have a celebrity as your teacher who would it be?

hours watched per week on average

3.286 billion

Company value

200 countries

1 billion

Voices

23%

“Lil Pump because wisdom flows from his mouth like a river,” freshman Ralph Roberts said.

“Justin Bieber because he’s hot and would be so fun to look at for 70 minutes,” sophomore Emily Klawitter said.

“Michael Jordan because he could teach me how to be the GOAT,” junior Mitchell Strebelinksi said.

“Snoop Dogg because he’s just a guy that’s always down to have fun and he’d make school enjoyable,” senior Matthew Filtz said.

Of U.S. adults stream Netflix daily

Sources: expandedramblings.com, visual.ly

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Sports

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

7

Winning season ends in third round of regionals

Alex McClelland

Reporter

After Ripon beat Winneconne on Feb. 21, girls basketball prepared to face Ripon in their first regional game at home on Feb 23.

The varsity team ended their season 15-7 in the top fourth seed after all coaches voted.

Teams in the top fourth seed get a first round bye and a second round home game.

After playing Ripon twice in the regular season, the second time just weeks before the regional game, the girls already had some insight on how to play the best game against Ripon.

“We knew what they were capable of and we what can happen when they make their shots,” Post Bailey Sternitske said. “We knew what we needed to do and what we were capable of doing.”

Post Maddy Naparalla said practice leading up to the re-

Point guard Mackenzie Kurczek attempts to drive to the hoop. Berlin beat Ripon in the second round of regionals, but lost to Laconina in the third round 55-37. “The team took this loss very hard,” post Maddy Naparalla said. “Fans were devastated as well, but couldn’t help but clap and cheer in support of how far we came.”

Photo: A. McClelland gional game was all about polishing what they’re already confident in.

“We mostly just polished up stuff on offense and defense, no major changes,” Naparalla said.

“We worked hard on shots and end game situations.”

Head Coach Joe Brandl was

reluctant to change the pace of practices too drastically before regional games.

“We try not to adjust it too much because I’m a firm believer of do what you do and do it well,” Brandl said. “To put in something new for practice because the play-offs goes back to ‘why didn’t we do that all year?’ “ After beating Ripon, the varsity team advanced to play what would be their last game against Laconia. Berlin fell 55-37.

“I was very sad the season was over, but also proud of how far we’ve come,” Naparalla said. “We didn’t give up even when we were down, and we battled very well on defense.”

With Laconia ending their regular season 24-1 in the Flyaway Conference, Laconia posed a threat to Berlin.

“They had very good ball pressure and side defense, which made our easy buckets hard,” Naparalla said. “Our promoter shooters kept us in the game.”

Seniors perform last dance

Caley Huggins

Editor-In-Chief

With confidence, intensity and a few tears, the senior dance girls took their last steps of a high school routine on Feb. 13. They ended their season with a hip-hop routine choreographed by the six seniors.

“We all got together at (senior dancer) Kelsi’s house on a Sunday afternoon,” senior Rebecca Mularski said. “It was only supposed to be for a couple of hours, but we ended up spending the entire day at her house working on the dance.”

The seniors were pleased overall with how the performance turned out.

“We didn’t have much practice on the choreography, but it all came together. I thought the last dance went well,” senior Jacklyn Joregensen said.

Although high school dance is over, the memories will carry on for a lifetime.

“I will always remember the practices because I always looked forward to them after school,” senior Kelsi Cravillion said. “It was never a hassle, like sometimes athletes dread going to their sports practice, but dance wasn’t like that.

I looked forward to expressing myself at the end of the day and basically turning into a whole different person while dancing.”

The road will not end for some of the seniors though, considering they are hoping to take their dance skills into college and possibly beyond.

“I’m planning to try out for dance in college at UW-Oshkosh,” Mularski said. “I’ve been dancing since I was two, so I wouldn’t even know what life is like without dance.”

Cravillion plans to take her dancing skills to UW-Stout. She will carry some of the lessons she has learned in high school dance to the next level.

The six senior dancers lead their last routine on Feb. 13. The hip-hop routine was a Purge remix choreographed by the seniors. “Everyone was together and had a lot of energy. It was fun to do,” senior Rebecca Mularski said.

Photo: C. Huggins “High school dance has prepared me because it has taught me how to handle my time wisely with school, especially on the late nights like performance nights,” Cravillion said.

For some of the seniors though, their dance career ends here.

“It is sad because I’m going to

miss the friendships that were formed,” Joregensen said. “But, there are things I will take away from it. I know now it’s important to try things that you don’t think you can do because most of the time, you really can do them.”

For Mularski, there are many things she will smile back on, but

one thing sticks out more than the rest.

“I will always remember the moment right when we end a performance. Everyone starts clapping and all that you can think is, ‘I want to do it all over again’. There is no feeling quite like it,” Mularski said.

Proudly Supports Berlin Athletics & Academics www.sondallemotors.com 920-361-2151

Upcoming Menu: Mar. 1- Tacos, Mar. 8- Pasta with spaghetti sauce, Mar. 15- Pancakes, Mar. 22- Baked Potatoes

8

Sports

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Cheer & Stunt faces changes at State Championship Series Mercedes Zabel Social Media Manager The varsity Cheer & Stunt team will take the mat this Friday and Saturday at the State Championship Series in an entirely new way.

“This year the State Championship Series is only one weekend.

In the past, it was a two-weekend event: regionals one weekend and state the next weekend,” Head Coach Rachel Merrick said.

“Friday night will be the preliminary round for some divisions, Saturday morning will be prelims for the rest of the divisions, and Saturday afternoon will be finals for all divisions.”

Categorizing how each team advances to finals is also different than in previous seasons.

“In the past, the top 50 percent from each region would advance to state. This year, the top 50 percent in each division will advance to finals. This means that all of the teams in the finals could be from one region,” Merrick said.

An additional change to the state competition is a switch of venues from the Alliant Energy Center in Madison to the La Crosse Center in La Crosse. In preparation to perform, the team

has been running full-outs at every practice and critiquing each aspect of the routine until it is consistent.

“I am looking forward to being on a different stage and having the nervous adrenaline rush of performing,” sophomore Amber Chiafos said. “I want to show the judges and the other teams what the Berlin cheer team can do.”

As a former cheerleader and first-year head coach, Merrick has shifted from being on the mat during high school and college to guiding her team as they perform.

“Going into state as a coach is so much more stressful than as an athlete. When I was on the mat, I had control over what I did.

Being a coach I have to sit in front of the mat and trust that the girls will perform like I know they can,” Merrick said. “Cheerleading is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical. I know all of my girls can hit their skills. In our division, we have one of the top jump and tumbling scores. The girls have been working very hard all year to gain new tumbling skills and clean the ones they’ve had.”

Even though the cheerleaders are presented with unfamiliar

Life as a Referee With Al Wenig

The Cheer and Stunt team performs their competition rountine at the boys basketball game on Feb. 22. They will be competing at the State Championship Series this weekend, March 2 and 3. Throughout the season, the team has gained various new skills in order to enhance their routine. “Our team has prepared for state by going to four competitions and getting feedback from those judges to improve our routine to score more points. This year, Rachel has really worked hard to figure out the easiest ways for us to score a lot of points,” junior Bryn Hermanson said.

Photo: M. Zabel challenges as they head into the state competition, their confidence in their ability to perform has not faded.

Anatomy of a Three Pointer with senior Ryan Krebs

Q: What is the hardest part of being a ref?

“The hardest part is dealing with the sportsmanship of everybody involved. It’s important for everyone to keep their cool.”

Q: When did you start reffing?

“I started reffing back in 1987, and I will do it for probably three more years.”

Q: What made you want to become a referee?

“I played basketball in high school, and it gives me a chance to stay connected with the game.”

Q: How do you deal with unruly student behavior?

“I try to start with calmly enforcing the rules.

If that doesn’t work, we have to take control.

There are three of us out there, so if we have to, we use each other.”

Text and photos by Caley Huggins

“I anticipate doing well because even though it may be difficult for us to potentially perform our routine two times a day, I know if we

“Having a bent elbow allows for better aim and control on the ball.”

“I always make sure my feet are set at all times so I am ready to shoot when I have space.”

put our minds to it we will be able to put everything into our performances,” junior Bryn Hermanson said.

“When I catch the ball, my hands are immediately where they should be, allowing me to shoot and follow through.”

“In a game there is not much time to think so you have to work with every opportunity.”

“Before taking a shot, you have to feel out the area around you and make sure you have space.”

“Engaging leg muscles allows there to be more power behind the shot.”

Photo: EDGE Photography

Created by Kelsi Cravillion

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

9

Rookie Writer WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018

Students form unofficial cosplay club John Vang

Reporter

Forming new clubs is nothing new at Berlin High School.

Still, certain requirements must be met to make a club official.

From finding an adviser, to having ideas of who’ll be involved, deciding when the club will meet or what the purpose of the club will be are requirements that students must keep in mind if they want to make a club official.

The Cosplay Club is doing just that and is open to all students.

Like any other club, they meet on a specific day, they have an adviser and know where they’ll meet.

Cosplaying is where people make or buy their own costumes. These costumes are based off of fictional characters, ranging from cartoons to movies. People have even cosplayed as characters from old folktale stories.

Freshman Andrew Crosson, one of the founders of the club, has some hope for the Cosplay Club.

“People dress up as traditional characters and roleplay as them,” Crosson said.

As of now, Crosson says that it is a small club, and that numbers are low right now because many people don’t know about it.

“I hope that (in the future) there’s tons of members, and that we can go to conventions.

Hopefully, we can team up with other clubs, like the Manga Club for example because I want people to learn about something new,” Crosson said.

Junior Katie Rozmarynoski hopes the Cosplay Club will turn into something more.

“It (Cosplay Club) seems alright. I’m in barely any clubs, as it is and it’s something that students can get involved in.

The club is still developing. It’s literally in its first trimester.

Hopefully later on it’ll be set in stone. It’s like a deer learning how to run,” Rozmarynoski said.

Show Choir rehearses for upcoming performance Kalynn Wilson

Reporter

Show Choir is a group that performs, sings and dances on stage all with smiles on their faces.

Show Choir consists of any students in regular choir that perform separately on stage.

“We work towards Solo Ensemble and a showcase at the end of the year,” Choir Director Lisa Utecht said.

Utecht also explains how the group decides on musical numbers.

“We talk about a theme, then I come up with the group members, but the students get to pick the solos they want,” Utecht said.

The students in show choir have deep love for it, which keeps it running every year.

“Everyone is really passionate about show choir,” senior Alyse Bartol said.

Performers say the time put into the practices is the utmost important part.

“When we practice, it really

Show Choir members practice the Charleston. The practice was held in preparation for Solo Ensemble. “I love how close everyone is. It’s like another family,” senior Rebecca Mularski said.

Photo: L. Utecht varies depending on how well we are doing. Usually before performing we move practices to at least twice a week,” senior Rebecca Mularski said.

When it comes time to perform, members have a couple options to choose from.

“The majority of the show is the group performing. We can

sign up to do individual, duet or small group performances as well,” Mularski said.

Enjoying Show Choir is something the whole group shares, but each individual has a specific reason for joining it.

“I really love singing and dancing, which is what it is. I

love the people in it. I feel like like I’m on ‘Glee’,” Bartol said.

Show Choir members also travel to state for Solo Ensemble.

“We go to Oshkosh for state if we make it,” Bartol said.

The next performance the choir has is on March 10, for Solo Ensemble.

Art students reach new heights in competitions Megan Marks

Reporter

Art teacher Lori Rademann gave her art students the opportunity to compete at national levels with their artwork. Many of them succeeded and have qualified in different competitions.

“This is my second time I’ve qualified,” junior Erika Mullen said.

Rademann had four students qualify in her Illustration and Design class this trimester: Erika Mullen, Abbey Freimark, Parker Brasch, Amelia Roost.

“They just pick one winner and 10 honorable mentions. All of the entries were really good,” Rademann said.

Art students who qualify definitely have their fair share of emotions and thoughts when they find out how they did. The first place prize for the The Selection Fashion Design Contest. was a set of “The Selection” book series signed by the author.

“I was happy and surprised. I knew thing they helped students accom- ity before taking this class, but that it was for the whole country, so I was plish. is not all true. surprised that I was in the top. I just “Every time we win an award I’m “I wish they would just take it. You like the style of Indian dresses so I super proud. It boosts ego to win,” don’t need to have talent, just be a used it as inspiration,” Mullen said.

Rademann said. good student. Taking many honors However, every student has a difThe process of creating a piece of courses makes you miss out on art ferent piece of inspiration they used art is very time consuming. and I think it’s sad,” Rademann said. to make their final piece.

“I drew it on regular printer paMany students also might be un“I thought about what I would per, then lightly on the paper. I then sure or doubt if they can win or not. want my prom dress to look like so painted what I felt comfortable do“Just find something you like in I incorporated that with other book ing and worked on the spots I was the realm of contest theme because styles,” Freimark said. unsure about,” Mullen said. if you don’t like it you won’t try your There are also certain moments Many students assume they need hardest. You just need to find what when teachers feel proud of every- talent or to already have artistic abil- works for you,“ Mullen said.

Below Left: Junior Erika Mullen displays her set of book that she won in The Selection Fashion Design Contest.

Below Right: Junior Erika Mullen’s design placed first at the national level in The Selection Fashion Design Contest.

Photos: L. Rademann

10

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Students go to Soul Food to enjoy food, company Jonathan Cervantes Reporter Soul Food is a weekly event where people can meet other people, enjoy good food and have a good time with friends.

Some students go because they have gone since freshman year and for for those seniors graduating, this will be their last year to enjoy the food and the company.

Freshmen have only gone to Soul Food for a couple of months. Many say they enjoy the food like the rest of the students that go. Most freshmen go there because they don’t have a ride to go to any other place like Mcdonald’s or Subway.

“I started going to Soul Food at the beginning of the school year. It is really nice going somewhere besides school, and all of my friends go there. The food is better than the school’s lunch, and its cheap, too,” freshman Jennifer Schroeder said.

Students enjoy a lunch of hot dogs with pastries for dessert at Soul Food served by the All Saints Parish Church.

Photo: J.Cervantes Soul Food is not only about food. Many churches from the community join and serve food to the students that go to Soul food, from Catholic to Lutheran churches. Many of them serve

food and talk about God. “We all speak to the youth about Jesus, and it’s nice having the different churches reach the youth during their time of break. That’s why we do what

we do here at Soul Food,” Elaine Leigh, youth and family service education coordinator, said.

Some students do go there to hear about God and like it.

“I have been coming to Soul

Food since my freshman year, so about a year and a few months.

I go to Soul Food because the food is really good and cheap and I get to hear about God. It’s cool I can do that during school,” sophomore Mya Chier said.

Then we have the upperclassmen that have been going there for the past three years.

They have enjoyed the good food and the friends they made during the past years going to Soul Food. ”I have been going to Soul Food for a long time now, since freshman year. What I like about Soul Food is that I get to talk to a lot of good people and enjoy eating with them. I started going because it had better food than the school lunch. Once I graduate, I am going to miss the good, cheap food and the people,” senior Thomas Sahotsky said.

Soul Food serves about 70-80 people every Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church.

Student traffic affects fast food restaurants Isabelle Willett

Reporter

Students rush to be the first one in the local fast food lines every day as soon as the third hour bell rings. Students enjoy the freedom, but the businesses are also affected by the the lunch traffic BHS brings.

Subway and McDonald’s are the two main fast food options in Berlin. These restaurants try to provide quick and friendly service in order to send the students back to school on time.

The Subway employees say they are thrilled that the high school students come during the lunch hour. They know the shop is small and students are in a rush.

Subway premakes their bread in the morning and again in the afternoon in hopes to make it less of a cluster. They also try to have all the sandwich toppings stocked before the lunch rush.

“They (students) are so talkative with us and each other, they make for some good laughs,” Subway manager Pauline Martoglio said.

The staff at McDonald’s also say they appreciate the students and

the business they bring.

The students bring such a steady traffic flow, Mcdonald’s tries to up their staff numbers during the lunch hour. During the summer they also have more employees, because they have students working.

“I feel bad when we are short staffed because this is the place to go for students and we want to get them in and out quickly,” McDonald’s manager Nick Schwark said.

The students also say they appreciate the fast service and the employees of both franchises.

“We go there a lot (Subway and McDonald’s), especially after sporting events. It’s our only option,” sophomore Emily Sonnentage said.

Both businesses rave about how the BHS students conduct themselves. They have not experienced any issues so far with student behavior, but they also understand kids will be kids.

“We appreciate the students.

When school is out for a day we can definitely feel their absence. The students help guarantee nice, consistent business,” Schwark said.

Above: One of the only fast food options is the McDonald’s on Broadway. Students rush in hoping to get their food quickly and go back to school. “The students are in a rush and we try our best to accommodate,” McDonald’s manager Nick Schwark said.

Below: Subway is almost always busy during the school’s lunch hour. Subway manager Pauline Martoglio (below) gets ready for the rush. “We premake our bread in the morning to get students their food quicker,” Martoglio said.

Photos: I. Willett

BHS Songwriting Contest

sponsored by the Wordsmiths of Berlin and the BHS music department Students submit an original song of their own creation, either individually or with a partner.

Submition includes: 1. Song lyrics 2. Recoding of the song 3. Songwriting process essay

Berlin Track and Field

See the poster outside of Mr. Reise’s room for guidelines.

Get involved and be part of a team this spring!

Entries must be submitted to Mr. Reise

by April 6

First Practice March 5 -Photo EDGE photography

- For any questions ask Mr. Willett or Mr. Stellmacher

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Gas Station Lunch:

Food

Which gas station serves students best?

List

What foods do you want to try before you die?

“Edible cookie dough,” junior Andrea Stemler said.

“Raclettle, which is a potato dish with melted swiss cheese,” junior Abby Kolpin and sophomore Faith Featherston said.

“Tater tot casserole,” sophomore James Olson said.

“Alligator the animal,” junior Andrew Jones said.

Created by Leah Vang

Natalie Ceman

Reporter

Living in a small town, the lunch options are limited, and for most students, gas stations are the quickest and easiest choice.

In society, hot food from gas stations has never had the best reputation. With only having 40 minutes for lunch, anything but fast food is not an option, and we all know having McDonalds everyday can get very old after a while.

This leads to the question: what gas station in Berlin serves the best warm food for lunch: Kwik Trip or Shell?

In addition to hot food, overall accessibility and convenience for students was also taken into account.

First up is Kwik Trip. With a wide

VS The selection at Kwik Trip ranges from soups to pizzas.

Photo: N. Ceman

Shell offers warm sides along with entrees themselves.

Photo: N. Ceman

variety of hot foods along with a variety of cold options as well, Kwik Trip’s selection did not disappoint.

Kwik Trip offers a variety of pizzas, burgers and soups. The prices were also very budget friendly, ranging from $1-$4. As for taste, the Cheese Spuds, (cheese-filled tater tots) tasted very fresh, although they weren’t as warm as they could have been.

The checkout line was long and the parking lot was more like an obstacle course, but despite that, the warm food overall was superior.

Shell was the second stop. The selection of hot foods at Shell was definitely slimmer; however, the cheese curds and chicken strips I chose were the perfect temperature.

Taste-wise, the chicken strips

Which sit-down restaurant serves students best?

Reporter

Berlin is a small town, not known for its sit-down restaurants. Lunch is one of the only times students are allowed out of the school. I went to two restaurants to see if students have time to order and eat a full meal.

When I entered Las Brasas I got a sense of what the restaurant was about. The restaurant had Mexican decor and had an atmosphere that made me feel a bit at home.

Las Brasas has a good variety of Mexican food. Everything on the menu is labeled and describes what the customer will get. The beef quesadilla was quite large, and well worth the $6.

Depending on what the order is, the amount of time it’ll take for food to come out will vary. Still, Las Brasas did a good job at getting the food out fast.

There are a few problems that

VS Caption Photo: J. Vang Las Brasas is a Mexican styled restaurant located on Ripon Road.

Caption Photo: J. Vang Bellissimo’s is an Italian styled restaurant located on Huron Street.

I can see students facing, if they decide to eat at Las Brasas. We were the only students eating at Las Brasas. If there were more students, or even more people, I probably wouldn’t have made it back to school on time. Another thing I noticed was, one beef quesadilla is about $6. I could buy about five McChickens with that.

Switching from Mexican food to Italian, I headed to Bellisimo’s.

When entering Bellisimo’s the

first thing I saw was alcohol. I did get the sense that the restaurant was going for a more serious tone.

Bellisimo’s has a good variety of food on the menu, but very little information about the food was given.

At Bellisimo’s I ordered a mushroom and cream based ravioli.

This dish cost $12, and it wasn’t worth it. The ravioli tasted like it was frozen, and the sauce over-

whelmed the dish.

As with Las Brasas, depending on the order, the amount of time it takes for food to come out will vary. By the time my food came out, there were only about 10 minutes left to eat. By the time I was in the school, the bell rang.

For the amount of money, the portions are great. Still, students can roughly buy nine McChickens with $12.

If students want to leave school and still eat, then sit down restaurants are great. If students don’t want to worry about making it to class on time, then sit down restaurants are not ideal.

I would recommend these restaurants if students want to treat themselves to an actual meal.

Sure McDonalds is cheap, but there are certain qualities that fast food restaurants lack.

Out of the two, Las Brasas wins

Berlin Community Scholarship Corporation

Seniors who work hard and study should earn scholorship money

ATTENTION RECENT AND 2018 GRADUATES:

Applications available now!

1,252 scholarships awarded to local students Scholarships awarded now total $1,187,310

weren’t the greatest, but the cheese curds were crisped to perfection and overall pretty impressive. Pizza, burgers and other warm sides were available for reasonable prices, although overall, this was the more expensive option.

Local cheeses and sausages were also available along with a wide variety of coffee and drinks.

The atmosphere was much less crowded and rushed although the drive across town was lengthy.

The conclusion is gas station food in Berlin is not bad at all. It’s also very affordable for a student on a budget.

inner w e h t d n A

is...

Kwik Trip

Odd Food Habits

Restaurants in Review:

John Vang

11

Sophomore Emily Klawitter eats grilled cheese with ketchup.

Junior Jack Mcallister eats mac & cheese with hot sauce.

Junior Stephanie Herbst eats spaghetti noodles with ketchup.

Sophomore Brady Kolpin pours all of his water out of Ramen Noodles.

Text and photos by Mari Beltran

B C S B Applications for high school seniors due March 23. Use BHS Local Scholarship application, available on school website.

For high school graduates due April 1. Go to www.berlinscholarships.org

Parents and Community Members: Become a donor! Go to www.berlinscholarships.org and explore the many ways you can invest in our community’s youth.

12

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Sports Briefs Mari Beltran

Reporter

Ryf makes podium at state swim Junior Sam Ryf makes going to state three years in a row look easy.

“I don’t pay attention to other people. I just worry about what I do,” Ryf said.

Over the weekend Ryf finished third in the 100 fly, and fourth in the 200.

“I’m not really happy with how I performed in Madison. I would’ve liked my times to be faster in both my events, but I’m still happy I medaled,” Ryf said.

For most kids who go to state they have their coach go with them, but due to an injury of his coach Bill Clewien, Ryf had some last minute changes to who his coaches were.

“I was excited, Willet and Stellmacher are fun guys and knowing that they were coming was relaxing because I could have fun with them and have a good time,” Ryf said.

Photo submitted Junior Sam Ryf takes one more picture at the state swim meet with Matthew Willett (left) and Joe Stellmacher (right) on Friday before he had to warm up for his events.

Boys prepare for playoffs Coming off a tough loss against the best team in the conference, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, the boys basketball team is focused on what comes next.

“We know it’s crucial to win, survive and advance,” junior Joey Rhein said.

Although they could not match Kettle Moraine, they say it helped put their minds on playoffs.

“The game against KML reminded us of what it’s going to take to compete well in playoffs,” junior Dirk Lueck said.

Pole vault nearing return to track team Ryan Breeden

Reporter

Pole vault is an event that has been absent from Berlin’s track and field team for over 20 years.

But, thanks to coaches Bob Prellwitz and Matt Willett, pole vault will be making a long awaited return.

“Back in the 80’s there was a growing concern for the safety of pole vaulters, and our equipment started to get old. So they decided to just let it fade out and never ended up bringing it back,” coach Bob Prellwitz said.

Just over a year ago, the track coaches decided they wanted to bring it back for multiple reasons.

“We don’t have a pole vaulter to compete at any meets, so we immediately fall behind,” Prellwitz said.

Another reason had to do with possible regional or sectional hosting opportunities.

“Not having a pole vault facility is a definite deterrent when it comes to hosting a big meet like sectionals,” coach Matt Willett said.

So when the coaches came up with a proposal, they went to the Building and Grounds Committee and ultimately the school board, where it was approved and the fundraising began.

“We want to be at around $19,000, and we have fundraised a little over $12,000 at this point,” Willett said.

As for the location of the facility, having it near all the other facili-

Track coach Bob Prellwitz is presented with a check from Powerade to go toward the pole vault facility. They have been fundraising for the facility for nearly a year. “I’m excited for something new to reenergize us,” Prellwitz said.

Photo: M. Beltran ties would be ideal. “The location at this point would be behind the north endzone on the football field,” Prellwitz said.

The actual setup of the facility could be done as early as April or May depending on the weather, but it will all be a slow process when it comes to choosing athletes who could be the first to try the event.

“We will eventually select a few people that we feel could be good fits for the event, and then we just go from there,” Prellwitz said.

Another thing they will have to be careful about is the poles themselves, which are very expensive.

“The poles are almost $1,000 each so we will need to be careful with making sure that we don’t break one because we will only be able to buy maybe two the first year,” Willett said.

There are some intriguing storylines with the comeback of the event as well.

“We have a school record for guys, but there is no girl’s school record. So the first girl to clear

the bar will have a school record,” Prellwitz said.

Prellwitz will be the pole vault coach and there has been a lot of preparation for him to be ready for that.

“He has been going to lots of camps and other things to learn what he needs to do,” Willett said.

While there is still uncertainty surrounding the whole process, both coaches are eager to see where it goes.

“I’m excited for something new to reenergize us,” Prellwitz said.

Wrestlers end season at sectionals Leah Vang

Qualifiers' Records

Reporter

Though the season has ended, the wrestling team has seen improvements from last season to this season with the number of wrestlers qualifying for sectionals on February 17.

Junior Bryce Congdon, junior Scott McGibbon, sophomore C.J. Kurczek, sophomore Garrett Derleth, sophomore Preston Morgan and sophomore Brady Wagner all qualifed for sectionals.

“I was really proud of how the guys improved this year. Last year we had two guys with 20 or more wins. This year we have eight guys with more than 20 wins and three with 30 or more wins,” Head Coach Scott Wagner said.

Not only did the wrestling team improve with the number of them qualifying for sectionals, but they also say the maturity level improved as well.

“We have a lot of young talent.

The difference between this year and last year is that the kids are sophomores and juniors and not freshman and sophomores. The year of maturity is important,”

30-10 Junior Bryce Congdon

12-16 Junior Scott McGibbon

33-7 Sophomore Preston Morgan taking down his opponent. Morgan used the Iowa technique.“My thoughts were that I just wanted to make it farther than I did last year," Morgan said.

Photo: EDGE Photography The wrestlers are tough on the Wagner said.

The wrestlers have been train- mat, and are just as tough on ing and looking forward to mak- themselves off the mat.

“I felt better when I found out ing it futher in their wrestling I made it through. I was upset I careers.

“I’ve been preparing since No- didn’t win, but I was okay,” junior vember. Going through confer- Bryce Congdon said.

Teammates that did not qualify ence, and the conference meet helped me get ready for region- still had a huge impact for their als,” sophomore C.J. Kurczek said. teammates.

“Adam Sobieski helped a ton Since last year, the wrestlers have been looking forward to although it’s his first year. He was this season and have set individ- heavier and is stronger with his upper body. This helped me get ual goals for themselves.

“Since last year I made it to sec- stronger. The coaches coached tionals, this year I want to make me, and my teammates inspired me,” Kurczek said. it to state,” Kurczek said.

Sophomore C.J. Kurczek

14-16 Sophomore Garrett Derleth

32-7 Sophomore Preston Morgan

24-16 Sophomore Brady Wagner