New Chevron: Fourth Quarter

The New Chevron

Joyful Journey

Senior Cadets Journey Through Benedictine

By Myles Bridges ’23

Benedictine College Preparatory’s seniors have a big event ahead of them in June. These Cadets have gone through a long eventful journey, with orientation, COVID19, St. Gertrude moving into the school and more. These students still have long months to improve and prepare for college. “I believe I will be prepared for college,” said Freddy Gonzalez ‘23. “High school has been a crazy journey. But Benedictine has set me up for what I need to know for the future.”

The senior Cadets have had to endure four long years at BCP. Starting off with freshman year, many senior Cadets consider this “The last real Benedictine year,” due to no girls being inside the school and teachers being more lenient

about Cadets’ rowdiness.

Orientation for the seniors was rough. During that time, fresh-

Farewell Seniors

The Class of ‘23 is Heading Out

By Jacob Moore ’23

As the seniors say their final farewells to Benedictine, and as they branch off and dive headfirst into the real world, they leave with many memories. The senior class has been through it all: the ups and downs of Covid, the loss of teachers and the introduction of girls to the building. Benedictine’s main goal is to build men of conscience, discipline and achievement and, with the trials and tribulations the senior

Buddy Ball

Benedictine and Saint Christopher’s Join Forces for Good

class has endured, the group has made many great memories. David Ngendakuriyo ‘23 stated, “Winning the State championship will go down as being one of the best moments of my life.”

In 2019 the Benedictine football team won the state championship against St. Chris, 14-6. It was a wholesome moment for the Cadets, and it was well-celebrated. The Cadet corps rushed the field alongside fans and players and coaches in tears.

man Cadets, every Tuesday and Thursday, had to arrive at school earlier than sophomores and upperclass-

men and get orientated. It consisted of bear

See Page 5: Adíos Amigos

Not only was the moment wholesome, it will forever go down in Benedictine history. TJ Baldwin ‘23 stated, “My favorite memory is probably the vibes after the state championship game.”

There is talk that the class of ‘23 is the last true piece of Benedictine left. In 2019 there was a much

more lenient approach than there is now. Back then, the Cadets had Slam Halls, no girls, class squabbles and more. Whenever the Cadets had a little free time, it was fun for them to horseplay and wrestle. Baldwin also stated, “Sometimes,

See Page 4: Heading Out

and Ryan Sellers ’23 morning come back at night to watch the two high school teams compete. “I’m lucky to be in the situation I am in right now,” stated BCP’s Riley Roarty ‘24. “But it always feels good to help or volunteer in any way I can.”

By Terrence Rhodes ’23

There are rivalries such as the Red Sox vs. the Yankees, the Cubs vs. the Cardinals and the Dodgers vs. the Giants. But when it comes to the local sports scene, nothing tops Benedictine vs. St. Christopher’s.

Over the years, the two rivals have gone tooth-and-nail across the entire spectrum of sports. While the competition is especially fierce in baseball, the Cadets and the Saints of the sport are able to set aside any hard feelings to direct their energy toward a greater cause: Buddy Ball.

It is a day-long event where the two teams come together in the morning to volunteer with individuals from Jacob’s Chance to play wiffle ball. The two squads use this time to relax before the heated affair as well as to make new friends and interact with the people at Jacob’s Chance. Later the kids participating in the wiffle ball game in the

Jacob’s Chance is an organization with the mission of assisting people with developmental, intellectual or physical disabilities and helping promote lifetime relationships. According to the organization’s website, their values are inclusion, diversity, collaboration, adaptability, acceptance and healthy lifestyles.

All these values are put to show when the program’s members join forces in wiffle ball games for the books with the players in green and black as well as red and white. These people find copious amounts of fun when getting to enjoy this amazing sport.

Even though the two teams are com-

See Page 2: Whimsical Wifffle Ball

The Class of ‘23 leading the Corps of Cadets in chants at Homecoming.

The Stations of the Cross, one of the seniors’ final events as a class.

Benedictine’s Pierce Moten and Saint Christopher’s Carter Schmitt share pleasantries before the game.

ing together and putting their hard feelings for each other aside for a bigger cause, there is still a game to be played between two always star-studded squads.

Year after year, the Cadets and Saints are always two of the top teams in the state. If not both teams, at least one, battles at Shepherd Stadium for the state championship. The past three times the Cadets have won the state championship have been against the Saints at Shepherd Stadium: in

2017, 2019 and 2021. From 2019 to 2022, the Saints and Cadets have shared the VISAA Division 1 state championship, allowing no other team a shot at the gold. Cape Henry broke that streak last year. The last 10 encounters between the two squads currently have the Cadets up 6-4. This just shows that the two teams compete hard every year and is always a game to see. With both teams off to a strong start this year, there is a good chance that ei-

ther the Saints or the Cadets could reassert themselves as top dogs in the state. Still, despite the heated rivalry, Buddy Ball has the teams putting all hard feelings aside.

This event is guaranteed to be a success with Jacob’s Chance and the two Richmond private schools. Year after year, the two schools and locals around Richmond have raised enough to easily reach the goal that is set each year.

The two crews find significant enjoy-

Benedictine and St. Christopher’s players gather at home plate after another successful year of Buddy Ball. ment in this event. Not only is the main event at night, but everyone in attendance at the Buddy Ball game during the day packs the stands at RF&P Park to spectate Richmond’s favorite rivalry under the lights. Neither of the schools have lights

on their home fields, so playing under the lights improves the atmosphere compared to most games they play. “[It is a] lively experience with all the students from both schools [in] a packed crowd. It’s a fun experience,” stated Bene-

dictine’s Jagen Ratlief ‘23.

The 2023 Buddy Ball game took place on the morning of April 15, at RF&P Park, with the Cadets taking the win. But, when it comes to Buddy Ball, everyone involved is a winner.

We Miss You, Chef

Cadets Have Come to the Realization

that

Chef

By Josh Davis ‘23

Much Needed Change Juniors Officially Take Their Senior Positions to Run the Corps

By Micah Lindsay ‘23

On Thursday, May 18, Benedictine College Preparatory entrusted the corps with its junior leadership as senior officers gave their junior counterparts their rank and responsibilities.

This ceremony is a huge mark in Benedictine’s tradition and the military aspect of the school. It marks seven days until the seniors are done with school, and from this day on the class of 2024 will be leading the Benedictine Corps of Cadets until the next change of command ceremony. “It is just kind of crazy to think about,” said Hector Cibes ‘23. “To think

we are just so close and that the juniors are taking over our positions. It’s sad but also great at the same time. I’m happy to be moving on and leaving the corps in good hands, but I’m gonna miss all the guys from my class a lot.”

The distinguished leader of the corps will be the battalion commander, and his two right hand men will be the command sergeant major and the battalion executive officer. These young men have a lot of planning ahead of them for the changes needed to be made and the paths they must take in order to bring the Cadets to their full Glory. “I re-

member last year when all the guys and I were planning before the change of command even happened,” stated Battalion Commander Joseph Colizzi ‘23.

“Those were exciting times and I am hoping that the juniors are taking such steps to prepare their thoughts and minds for the responsibility they will be taking over.”

The corps is ready to follow these new leaders and are looking forward to a new year with new officers, especially the sophomores, as they are getting ready to be juniors and will need

See Page 4: Change of Command

Alan was Underappreciated

A common opinion among the Cadets is the return of Chef back to the kitchen. Chef provided hot lunches that he prepared ahead of time, with a variety of side options to choose from to complete the Cadet’s meal. His lunch system was delicious and highly effective. Even though many Cadets took him for granted, his food was truly loved and missed.“The food isn’t the same,”

said Trystan Bryan ‘24. “Chef would put his heart and soul into the food. Chef would always make my day. I’ve noticed, there has been a decline in people buying school lunch. The new lunch system is expensive, the fries are cold and the food is never hot.” For five years Chef Alan served the Benedictine community and fed the mouths of hungry Cadets. Chef prepared breakfast in the morning, made lunch in the afternoon

and catered school events. Chef would come in to the dining hall with a positive attitude to tackle the new day. He would often refer to the dining hall as his classroom, where respect was initiated and distributed with the help of his parter in crime, Mrs. Johnson. The new lunch system has a wide variety of different opinions. Some Cadets like it, some dislike it and

Colonel Walker handing the Benedictine flag to the new battalion commander, Clint Ellison ‘24.

Chef Alan seeming to enjoy his new cushy job at Chick-fil-A after leaving Benedictine College Preparatory.

See Page 6: Bring Back Taco Lasagna

End of the Road

Cadets Prep for AP and Final Exams

By Micah Lindsay ‘23

It comes down to this every year. This is what Cadets and teachers prepare for all year long. Cadets taking AP courses are looking for college credits, and other Cadets are trying to pass the class for the year. Benedictine’s students are finally hitting exam time and the anxiety is starting to become manifest.

Seniors aren’t as anxious, as they are just longing for it all to be over. It seems as if they only care about any AP exams they may be taking, any other exam is of little to no importance as long as they pass. As far as the seniors know, they have been accepted and are enrolled with a deposit into their colleges of choice.

Every senior is having a strong and fatal case of “senioritis” as their final quarter of their final semester of their final year comes to an end. “I’m done with school,” said Ryan Allen ‘23. “I have already been accepted and am passing all my classes, it’s just time to move to the next challenge.”

Allen continued, “I only have one AP exam and, once that is over, my year is over. My teachers have prepared me for college over these four years, and I’m ready, and I know my fellow brothers are ready to get to college.”

Juniors have a huge responsibility with these exams, whether they are AP or

not. Juniors are about to start their college application processes, and they need to show up and show out for these exams so that they may impress colleges and prove their work ethic. This is showtime for juniors, and they need to take this seriously even though it may be the end of the year. “Final exams are the hardest,” said Antonio Schoenborn ‘24. “It is the end of the year, all of us are ready to get out of here, yet there are detrimental exams that we must all take and they are very important, especially this year.”

Schoenborn continued, “The thing is, I don’t want to do them, but I know I need to and we all need to, so we just need to buckle down for a little longer and just get them done to the best of our abilities, because these help set our future.”

Even though these may be final exams and it is the end of the year, the sophomore and freshman class need to put max effort into them as well. For freshmen, it is their first final exam ever and it culminates their first year, and finishes out their tie at the bottom of the totem pole.

For sophomores, even though it may be the end of the year, it is the beginning of their most important academic year. Some may have AP exams, however, the majority will not; but the finals are just as important

either way. These exams show the effort that they will exert in the coming year, and as a class they must perform.

Advanced Placement Exams were scheduled for the start to be May 1, and the last, May 10. The first AP exam is Government and the middle consists of English Literature, Macroeconomics, Statistics, US History, Art and Design, Calculus AB/BC, Computer Science, English Language and the final two on May 10, Spanish and Biology.

After the AP exams, most classes will take the rest of the year off, some, however, will be diligent to the end and even force final exams. All of which are at the discretion of the teachers.

Senior exams take place a week and a half before the underclassmen on May 23, and will conclude May 25. Most seniors are looking to exemptions to save them as they face those dreadful three days. Underclassmen exams start the following day on May 26, and the school year will finally come to an end on May 31.

June 1, the glorious day that all seniors have been looking forward to, will complete the four year journey through Benedictine as the class of 2023 officially smacks the B and throws their hats and end their high school career with one last fight song.

Copy and Paste: Benedictine Part 2

A Large Number of ‘23 Move on With Each Other to VMI and VT

By Micah Lindsay ‘23

Some things must come to an end, and people just have to move on. The case is the same with Benedictine Cadets, however, this year the brotherhood was just too strong: 22 cadets are “moving on” to the same places. Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and Virginia Tech (VT) are going to receive some of the best students in Virginia this fall as 16 Cadets will be joining the rat-line at VMI and

six Benedictine boys will be attending VT.

Those attending VMI are: Henry Berling, Gardener Campbell, Joseph Davidson, John Garbett, Nathan Howerton, Nic Land, This reporter, Ben Madel, Austin Merritt, Jack Miller, Reed Miller, Alexander Moore, Jacob Moore, Jagen Ratlief, Jack Reid and Christos Rubis. There are two who have ROTC scholarships, Nathan Howerton has a Navy ROTC scholar-

ship, and this reporter has an Army ROTC scholarship. There are three Cadets who will be majoring in an engineering field, this reporter is majoring in mechanical engineering, Howerton is majoring in civil engineering and Jack Miller will be majoring in civil engineering, as well. There are several Cadets going on to study business and economics including:

Seven members of the Class of ‘23 who are headed to VMI next year.

See Page 6: Right Back to Square One

A group of Cadets avidly studying for their final exams before it is too late.

Congratulations, New BC

C/LTC Ellison

From Page 2: Change of Command

to prove themselves. “This is the time to shine,” declared Xavi Lugo ‘25. “We sophomores really need to step up. This is the year we truly showcase our leadership potential if we haven’t started already. I’m hoping to get a good leadership position to finish the year and to start the next school year. I think my class has a lot of great leaders within, and I cannot wait to see it start to project.”

The cadre feels very confident in the next class and believes that the new sponsoring officers will grow in leadership skills and be able to carry the torch to greatness among the military aspect of the school. The commandant is especially excited, and ready to help these officers fulfill

their duties and teach them what it means to be a leader rather than a boss. “This year is even more competitive than last year,” stated Commandant of Cadets Col. Walker. “It is highly competitive, there have been a lot of applicants, and there aren’t many spots, so it will be hard to decide.

“The seniors had a chance to put in their recommendations, juniors were able to rank each other, and teachers have a lot of influence with knowing students behavior and work ethic, but ultimately, the cadre, specifically the commandant and the head of school, will decide the final names.

“This year’s officers did a great job, it seemed like we were always moving in the

right direction,” added Walker. “They made some good changes, but there is always room for improvement, so I am excited to see what changes happen with this next officer corps.”

Although saying goodbye to their school is in the very near future, the sponsoring officers are ready to pass on their rank and feel comfortable with the prospect of new corps leadership.

“It has been great,” said Honor Platoon Commander Jacob Rose ‘23. “But I think that all of us are just ready to pass on the torch and get to graduation. I am excited to see what the next officers do and who takes my spot as Honor Platoon commander.”

From Page 1: Heading Out

we were outnumbered, but it was always fun relying on your brothers.”

Building a brotherhood for the seniors was the most important thing during their freshman year. They had to build bonds with each other in order to survive the four years ahead of them. The seniors from the class of ‘20 were hard on them, so it was important to have brothers to depend on. John Garbett ‘23 exclaimed, “Most of my favorite memories was creating the strong bond between my brothers that year.”

Sports are a fairly big deal at Benedictine: football, basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling and more. No matter the sport, they come out to support each other. The Student Section brings life to the games and it leaks off into the players, as you can tell throughout the game.

Ben Madel ‘23 stated, “When the Student Section is full and everybody is cheering, no school can compete.”

Ranks of Yesteryear

There Have Been Many Changes to the Ranks at Benedictine Over the Years

By Orlando Orellana-Duran ‘24

With all the great memories the Cadets have made come with some dark days.

Benedictine is a military, well-disciplined school with a strong curriculum, so nothing comes easy. While at Benedictine, Cadets are guaranteed to have hardships. “My worst memory was orientation camp,” Jagen Ratlief ‘23 expressed.

“It was freezing cold, and we were outside pushing, running, yell-

ing and doing a lot of things I didn’t want to do at all.”

Coming into Benedictine there is a series of hazing, and to end it Cadets have to go to Camp T. Brady Saunders for three days. It’s surely a mentally tough camp to get through, but in the end it is worth it. Every Cadet has a different experience.

Finally, the Cadets will always cherish these memories on the way out the door.

Throughout its over 100-year history, Benedictine has had a multitude of positions for its Cadets to earn. With such a long history, new ranks have been introduced and discarded over the years due to new developments at the school.

“Some ranks, like athletics officers, weren’t that old,” stated Colonel Walker. “And their jobs could easily be incorporated into other positions.”

Currently, 16 officers compose Staff: 12 sponsoring officers, and 4 regular officers: battalion commander, battalion executive officer, command sergeant major, inspector general, S-1 adjutant, S-2 security officer, S-3 operations officer, S-4 supply officer, S-5 public affairs officer, battalion chaplain, judge advocate general, provost commander, security assistant, operations assistant, supply assistant and provost assistant. But, there used to be many more: S-5 personnel officer, fiscal officer, ordnance officer, cadet management officer, band major, colors officer, athletics officer, S-6 communications officer, NHS officer,

chaplain assistant, athletics assistant, NHS assistant judge advocate general assistant and cadet management assistant. There are quite a few differences between these ranks. For example, all senior assistants today are regular officers, being first lieutenants, but back then, the assistants were sponsoring officers, being captains.

While for some ranks, it is hard to pinpoint what they did for others, it is easy to figure out their purposes. The colors captain, for example, simply had to organize color guard events, much like its current counterpart the colors NCO.

For other positions, however, it can be a bit confusing as to what they did. But thanks to academies in JROTC or ROTC programs, their purposes can be identified. For example, the Cadet management officer and its assistant are similar to VMI’s S-7 Cadet life officer, which oversees the well-being and morale of the Corps. Other forgotten ranks include the fiscal and ordnance officers. The fiscal officer most likely acted as a treasurer for the school, while the ordnance officer would,

most likely, make sure all equipment was working as it should. The athletics officer had quite a simple job, as all he had to do was make sure the Cadets cleaned up their bleachers after games. Another group of officers Benedictine saw fit to get rid of are the company officers for Delta Company, Echo Company and Foxtrot Company. These three companies were a relic of a time when the Corps was much larger. Like the surviving phonetically-named companies, these had a company commander, an executive officer and platoon leaders.

While many positions have come and gone, some current ranks have had many overhauls. While to the current Corps, the battalion commander has always been a lieutenant colonel and the battalion executive officer a major, back in the old days, it was not so, as the BC had the rank of colonel and the XO was a lieutenant colonel. “I disagree with it [the change from colonel to lieutenant colonel for battalion commander], but I understand why

See Page 5: Changes in Ranks

The sponsoring officers enjoying their time at Sponsors Ball.

Previous JAG assistant of the Class of ‘86, Cadet Captain Wayne Lantz.

From Page 1: Adíos Amigos

crawling, Army crawling, running bleachers and more hazing. Sometimes they would have fun: for example, kickball, soccer, capture the guidon and sharks and minnows.

The cadre consisted of former commandant Captain Long, Sergeant Major Stockhausen and Master Chief Tobias. During their freshman year, COVID-19 had a worldwide outbreak, which shutdown schools mid-March and led students to do distance learning. “I had the most fun my freshman year,” said Marshall Williams ‘23. “A lot of things we did were looked at as letting the boys be boys, but now everything seems more strict.”

During the current seniors’ sophomore year, St. Gertrude moved into the school, in-school or virtual learning was an option and masks were mandatory. Benedictine was one of the only schools in Virginia that remained open to start the year. Covid19 played a big part in what Cadets could do. There could no longer be any more rowdiness, slam halls or

From Page 4: Changes in Ranks

it happened,” stated Joseph Colizzi ‘23. “I just think that the highest ranking Cadet should have the highest rank.”

class brawls, because an outbreak inside the school could happen anytime. This reporter, Jacob Moore, Owen Fox and other classmates experienced what it was like being virtual for the majority of the school year.

“It felt weird being online,” said Moore ‘23. “It feels like I lost a year of school because it was hard to focus on a screen all day without being distracted.”

“Sophomore year, for me, was interesting,” said Kendall Tiller ‘23. “Some days I was in-person, while others I was online. We still had fun despite the restrictions, but Covid definitely changed a lot, especially the current junior class not going to Camp T. Brady Saunders for orientation finale.”

For junior year, the Cadets were now considered upperclassmen and were earning key leadership roles. The cadre consisted of Colonel Walker, Major Ramos, Staff Sergeant Greene, Petty Officer Belviso and Gunnery Sergeant Finley. This year, the new governor, Glenn Youngkin, lifted mask restrictions, which meant

Cadets were no longer required to wear them. Class brawls and slam halls were starting to make an appearance back in the halls. While they were juniors, they planned on trying to revive the ol’ BC since, at the time, the girls school was planned to be opened. In leadership, they were preparing to get their non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank to prepare for their senior rank next year. “BCP was feeling like BCP again,” said Jagen Ratlief ‘23. “It felt amazing to have slam halls and class brawls to start back up again.”

Senior year went by fast for these Cadets. They went through every event together with brotherhood and love for each other. They orientated, completed Figure, exams, Sponsors Ball and other events that were planned for seniors. Ping pong and pool were at top competition this year in the lounge and, hopefully, it will get passed onto next year. “Senior year has been fun,” said Chris Velazquez ‘23. “But I cannot wait to continue my next chapter in college.”

Other positions that had notable changes include the command sergeant major which changed from a junior NCO rank to a sponsoring officer rank. The position of JAG also went through a rank change as it was initially the rank of major. Over the years, there have also been some minor

changes to positions, such as names, like the security assistant which was originally titled the intelligence assistant, which in turn, means the security officer was initially called the intelligence officer. Other ranks that went through a name change were the provost commander and the public affairs officer, formerly called the provisional commander and the public information officer.

With the dismissal of all these

ranks over the years, the fight for sponsoring officer positions has become intense as junior Cadets fight for the position they want. Major Ramos and Colonel Walker have both been heard saying that picking senior ranks for the 2023-2024 school year has been extremely hard for the cadre as this year’s juniors are exceedingly competitive. The limited rank selection has made it even harder to choose senior officers for next year.

Flawless Figure

On May 12 Benedictine Held its Annual Figure Event

By Christos Rubis

‘23

Figure is a yearly program the seniors of the year put on. In preparation for Figure, Benedictine seniors practiced during their advisory periods and leadership classes. While the Figure looks like a difficult maze of movements from the spectators’ eyes, Cadets said it isn’t as hard as it looks, due to meticulously placed pieces of tape creating a grid for the Cadets to base their positions.

Cadets brought dates from schools ranging from Freemen, Collegiate, Saint Gertrude and other local schools. The dates were faced with a difficult task of finding a dress that coincided with the strict dress code of a stark white floor length dress with minimal pattern. Surprisingly, the dress wasn’t the most difficult part of the date's attire, rather the shoes were. The guidelines for the shoes were to be white flats with a closed toe. These shoes proved nearly impossible to find and were sold out across Richmond. Because of this, many dates had to settle for open-toe high-heel shoes and struggled through the intense walking.

Overall, because of the intense practice done by the Cadets, this year's Figure was a great success with minimal mistakes and an overall tight look.

The senior class trip, a terrifying trip over the rapids of Richmond.

Previous ordnance officer of the Class of ‘86, Cadet Major Jon Sexton.

The seniors preparing for the Senior Scare, ready to go and terrorize the underclassmen in the morning.

The senior Cadets performing Figure, one of their last event as brothers at Benedictine.

From Page 2: Bring Back Taco Lasagna

some think it’s somewhere in the middle of those two. One of the major differences between the two lunch systems is how the lunch was sold. The lunch system we use now requires preordering in advance.

Instead of preordering, Chef Alan would take payments on a computer register once the Cadet was ready to checkout his

meal. This particular system is missed by Cadets, because if a Cadet forgot to bring lunch or wanted extra to eat, the Cadet could easily walk through the line, grab something to eat and checkout their meal.

Another difference between the two systems is how the food is served. Chef Alan would prepare the food each morning

and have the lunches hot and ready, there was never a complaint with food being cold. Since the new lunch is catered in plastic containers, many Cadets have complained about the food being cold or soggy. “The food does not stay under heat, so the quality of the food is not the same,” said Jackson Mann ‘23. “Chef would make sure our lunches were

From Page 3: Right Back to Square One

Berling, Jacob Moore, Reid, Garbett, Madel, Campbell, Land and Merritt. VMI will be adding two more International studies students with Reed Miller and Davidson. There is some interest in the sciences from Jagen Ratlief, studying chemistry, and Christos Rubis, studying biology. There are many Cadets who are going into business or engineering, but there is

one who is undecided, Alexander Moore.The Cadets who are going to Virginia Tech are Joseph Colizzi, Ryan Allen, Jacob Rose, Nick Howe, Colin Pinotti, Luke Franko and David Ngendakuriyo. Only two will be participating in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets: Collizi and Howe. Colizzi will be studying business and economics, and Howe will be studying politi-

cal science and economies with minors in Spanish and Russian. Benedictine is sending only one engineering student to Tech, Ryan Allen, who will be studying aerospace engineering.

Benedictine has an aspiring doctor in Jacob Rose, who will be studying biology in hopes of a medical career. There are two more business and economics majors

Juniors’ Drill

Platoon Drill was a Smashing Success

By Micah Lindsay ‘23

hot, especially the fries. I loved knowing that when I took a bite out of Chef’s food, that I was going to get the best quality food that he could produce.”

Even through the side comments and boycotts over his lunch, Chef prevailed through the smart remarks and delivered quality food to the Benedictine community. “The new lunch is not bad but it could be better,” said Pierce Moten ‘24. “At the end of the day the best feeling in the world is go-

from Benedictine: Colin Pinotti and Luke Franko.

Virginia Tech and the Virginia Military Institute both have amazing Benedictine men coming their way who are looking to do a change in the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the school as young godly men. Benedictine has done its part in forming men of conscience, discipline and achievement. Now it’s time for these men in green

to put it into action. What is special about this bunch is that all 22

of them are going to be living within 35 minutes of each other.

Nationally Honored Cadets

Benedictine’s Chapter of NHS Welcomed 21 New Members

By Myles Bridges ‘23

On April 27, 2023, BCP introduced new junior members to the NHS (National Honors Society). To get into NHS Cadets have to maintain 3.5 GPA throughout high school, write an essay and do a resume on their achievements in the community. Congratulations to the newest members Jack Bevan, Trystan Bryan, Bryce Bryant, Walker Campbell, Colin Dart, Henry Demyanovich, Luke Drew, Clint Ellison, Addison Gosline, Campe Griles, Will Holland, Jake Janus, JP Janus, Cristian Lugo, Justin Morris, Pierce Moten, Orlando Orellana-Duran, Cristian Ramos, James Russo, Tim Semisch and John Talton.

On April 5, 2023, five juniors and one sophomore vied in an annual competition known as Platoon Drill Competition. Every year, juniors lead a platoon, one from every company, in drill and ceremony for a large and important competition that truly shows leadership skills and military poise. The juniors are given a few weeks to build a platoon in the necessary skills to compete well sometimes, however, it does not go as planned. One from this year that not only went well, but was well-led was Bravo Company’s platoon. Colin Dart ‘24 took up the daunting task and was able to compile the most disciplined and poised platoon in the corps. Congratulations, Colin Dart, on a successful drill competition. The graduating seniors wish you the best in your leadership position within the corps (battalion executive officer).

Cristian Lugo ‘24 sadly looking at his lunch dreaming about Chef’s food.

The Cadets going to Virginia Tech happily standing side by side.

Colin Dart ‘24 leading Charlie Company’s platoon to victory during Platoon Drill.

The new junior NHS members, happy to be a part of one of the best groups in the school.

ing to the dining hall and ordering burgers and fries from Chef. Chef, we miss you.”

Photos from Photojournalism

Clint Ellison ‘24 salutes Battalion Commander Joseph Colizzi ‘23 at the Platoon Drill competition.

Riley Roarty ‘24 stares down the batter as he prepares for his next pitch.

Father John Mary Lugemwa shares his wisdom through his homily during the BSOR joint Mass.

Ethan Loucks ‘23 watches as the ball sails into the sky.

Nathan Howerton ‘23 attempts a field goal from a difficult angle for the rugby team in the state semi-final.

Ben Marks ‘23 hauls the cross across the stage during the Stations of the Cross.

Mr. Doran shouts in agony after cold slime is poured on his head during the Day of Giving.

Most likely to make millions.

- Josh Davis

Senior Superlatives

Most likely to have nothing change.

- Graham Martin

Thinks he’s got game.

- Joel Starlings

Most likely to marry a Saint Gertrude girl.

- Kendall Tiller

Most likely to teach at Benedictine.

- Chase Bruce

Got game.

- Quenton Toulson

Class clown.

- Ben Madel

Worst driver.

- Zion Hunter

Most likely to become the best father.

- Terrence Rhodes

Most Sketch.

- Joe Davidson

Best Nickname.

- Austen “Shiesty” Stevens

Life of the Party.

- John Garbett

Most likely to become the commandant.

- Micah Lindsay

Most gullible.

- Cayden Smith

Goodbye BCP

We will see you in future Seniors love you all

Come to the Figure

Making lots of initials It doesn’t figure

This year senior skit Insulting everybody

You’re no Mrs. Grapes

Ramos and Gunny One marine and one army

They’re the odd couple

We have a Coach Yost He teaches theology and how to grapple

Puzzlers

What is the only alliterativly named team to win a Super Bowl?

Fill

the

What were the last three states admitted into the union?

What word beginning with the letter “P” can be capitalized and its pronunciation changes?

What state has produced the most presidents?

The letters of what number between 1-50, are in alphabetical order?

How much tea is in the average tea kettle?

What gets wetter as it dries?

Ed had five apples and ate all but three, how many did he have left?

If you add the letter “Y” to the front of a four-letter word, it becomes its opposite:

Random trivia:

What is the most common presidential first name?

What is the scientific name for a wolf?

How many moons does Neptune have?

How many bones are there in a human body?

Who wrote the star-spangled banner?

Man on the Street

What’re you looking forward to the most this summer?

Erik Logsdon ‘23: “Getting a job and making a lot of money.”

Who says ‘em?

“ Hey, come try my scents.”

Which American President appears on the two-dollar bill?

Which three states share a border with California?

How many games would be played in a 128-game NCAA basketball tournament?

Who had the shortest term as the United States vice president?

Separated at Birth:

Pierce

“Going to visit my friend in Texas.”

“Please pardon this interruption.”

“What book you looking for?”

“This is not a hobo jungle.”

“Hey Jabroni.”

“Gunny, I want to fight you.”

Sports LegendsGuess who’s nickname belongs to who:

Moten ‘24:

Ryan Kennedy ‘25: “Going to the Bahamas with my fellow Boy Scouts.”

Richie Schrier ‘26: “Going to the pool with my friends.”

“The Great One” “Primetime” “Broadway Joe” “Sultan of Swat” “The Answer” “The Admiral”

Kai Perry

Charles Buchanan

Robbie Cleveland Mr. Clean Mr. Smith

Parker Brown

T.J Baldwin

John Legend Jordan Callahan Megamind Colonel Walker

Ben Madel

Marching into College

Benedictine Cadet Earns Full-Tuition ROTC Scholarship

By Reed Miller ‘23

Each year more than five thousand high school seniors apply for the Marine ROTC scholarship. It is only granted to select individuals who put the time and work in.

Senior Nick Howe was recently informed by Captain Sigmon, the coordinator for NROTC on the East Coast, that he had earned a full Marine ROTC scholarship to the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. The scholarship is based on 40 percent character, which is determined in two interviews that take place in the application process; 30 percent academics, with a required SAT score of at least 1000. Lastly, 30 percent physical which is based on the applicants one-mile time, push-ups, pullups and sit-ups. This scholarship includes full tuition as well as room and board at Virginia Tech. Howe will also receive a monthly stipend of $250 that

The New Chevron

Publication of Benedictine College Preparatory, Est. 1911.

Editor-in-Chief: Orlando Orellana-Duran ‘24

increases to $450 by the end of his four years. In addition to the monthly stipend, $750 is granted to Howe every year he is at school. The scholarship guarantees recipients a job in the Marines for at least 8 years once they graduate.

This scholarship includes many tasks Howe is required to complete. This summer he will travel to Great Lakes, Illinois, where he will participate in an 18 day hellweek-esque boot camp, which teaches basic military training and branch based training which Howe plans to use to have a job in aviation. He also has to maintain a certain GPA and perform well in school. During his time at Virginia Tech, Howe will also participate in Officer Candidate School (OCS) which he has to complete to commision, he will have the opportunity while in college to serve as an intern during the summer to learn more about the position in which he hopes to commission.

Graduation from college, however, is just the beginning, Howe will then report to Stafford, Virginia, where he will attend The Basic School, (TBS) which is where all newly commissioned and appointed (for warrant officers) United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an “Officer of Marines.” This school lasts around 6 months.

After completing TBS Howe will go to infantry officer training, a boot camp where he is taught the basics of being a Marine. Howe will then go to a job based school where he is taught how to perform the specific duties of his job. “Nick will be an outstanding Marine because he is unselfish and always thinks of the teams needs first.” said Coach Lilly, “He is also a hard worker and enjoys challenge, so he will thrive.”

Reporters: Myles Bridges ‘23, Josh Davis ‘23, Nick Hanley ‘23, Micah Lindsay ‘23, Reed Miller ‘23, Jacob Moore ‘23, David Ngendakuriyo ‘23, Terrence Rhodes ‘23, Christos Rubis ‘23, Ryan Sellers ‘23, Jude Drew ‘24, Joseph Colizzi’23 and Jacob Tres’24

Composition Artists: Joseph Colizzi

‘23, Jude Drew ‘24 and Jacob Tres’24

Photographers: Christos Rubis ‘23, Colin Dart’24, Terrence Rhodes and Ryder Buchbinder ‘24

Both Sides of the Scale

Comparing and Contrasting Seniors with and without Rank

By Reed Miller ‘23

Almost every Cadet at Benedictine strives to earn rank during his senior year. Achieving rank is a great way to prove one’s leadership and how hard a Cadet has

worked over the past three years. But is it really worth it?

Becoming a senior officer entitles a Cadet to certain duties they must perform. Before one accepts a position however, senior officers are required to

sign a paper agreeing that, if an officer were to receive 10 demerits in any quarter, the officer will be removed from his position or

See Page 13: Both Sides of the Scale

Nick Howe ‘23 stands with his parents and Captain Sigmon after receiving his scholarship.

A model senior sponsoring officer. A model senior private.

Acclaimed Alumni

Notable Alumni in sports from Benedictine

By Jacob Tres ‘24

Throughout Benedictine’s illustrious 113 years of forming Cadets as Christian men of conscience, discipline and achievement there have been a number of notable athletes to come out of Ol’ BC.

Former Major League Baseball (MLB) hurler Bob Chakales graduated from Benedictine in 1945. During his time at BHS, Chakales was named all-state in baseball and basketball, and was also the quarterback of the football team. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Chakales struck out 99 batters in 69 innings in 1944 for Benedictine.

Chakales played seven seasons in MLB for the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins (formerly the Washington Senators during the time Chakales played with the club) and the Boston Red Sox.

Perhaps one of the greatest athletes to graduate from Ol’ BC is Granny Hamner. During his time at

BHS, Hamner played on the baseball, basketball and football teams.

According to the Society of American Baseball Research Hamner

“made all-state as a football player and one year was elected captain of the baseball, basketball and football teams.” During one of his seasons at BHS, Hamner hit .600 and led the state in doubles as a switch-hitting infielder. Hamner played parts of 17 seasons in MLB and was selected to the All-Star team in 1952, 1953 and 1954. Hamner was also a part of the Phillies “Whiz Kids.”

During his time at Benedictine, Celin Ferrell ‘15 was a defensive lineman on BCP’s 2015 state championship squad.

Ferrell played college football at Clemson, where he won a National Championship in 2016 and 2018 under Dabo Swinney and was a two-time all-American in 2017 and 2018.

Ferrell was selected by the Oakland (Now Las Vegas) Raiders in the 2019 National Football League (NFL) draft with the fourth overall pick. Ferrell would play with the Raiders

from 2019 through the 2022 season. On March 16, 2023, Ferrell was signed by the San Francisco 49ers.

A 1955 graduate of Benedictine, Bobby Ross quarterbacked the football team at VMI from 1956 to 1958. Ross coached college football at various Division I schools for 20 years, where he won a national championship in 1990 with Georgia Tech. Ross also was a head coach in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions. He won the 1994 American Football Conference (AFC) championship with the Chargers and coached in Super Bowl XXIX that same year.

Frank Carpin, father of John Carpin and grandfather of Jack and Hank Carpin,

played in MLB in 1965 and 1966 appearing in 49 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros as a relief pitcher. During the 1965 season with the Pirates, Carpin had a 3 win and 1 lost record and a 3.18 earned run average in 39 and two thirds of an inning.

Ed Davis played in two seasons for the Cadets basketball team, and during those two years he led Big Green to two VISAA state championships and was a McDonald’s All American selection during his senior season. Davis was a five-star recruit out of Benedictine and played in college at the University of North Carolina averaging 8.2 point per game and winning an NCAA basketball championship in 2009. Davis was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 13th overall pick in the 2010 National Basketball Association draft. Since then, Davis has played on seven different teams across the NBA and is currently with the Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior.

Benedictine’s only graduate to win a gold medal in the Olympics, Townley Haas is currently the only professional swimmer to come out of BCP. Haas won gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay with Conor Dwyer, Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Haas permanently retired from competitive swimming in February 2022.

Rugged Rugby

The Benedictine rugby team is having its most successful season in program history. With a record of 4 wins and 1 loss, the team made it to the state championship for the first time in its history.

The Cadets started off the season strong with three wins in three matches. Coming against Summit Academy, Winchester, and most notably, a 99-0 win against Chelsea. The team is led by top scorers Nathan Howerton ‘23 and Keegan McCallum ‘24, the team is relatively young, 11 of the 23 players are underclassmen, and only five are seniors. On May 13, the Cadets defeated Holy Family 15 to 12 to win the Division II Virginia State Championship “This team has accomplished a lot.” said Howerton, “We have come so far as a team and a program in just a few years.”

The Rugby Program at Benedictine began in the 2015-2016 school year. Until this season the team has never recorded a winning record and in recent years has barely been able to field a team.

Silver Season

After losing three of its first four games, the Benedictine baseball team won 15 of its next 17 games including Trinity Episocal School and the Miller School of Albemarle.

Sophomore Jake Wise led the way in accumulating a 9-1 record including winning the Buddy Ball game against St. Christopher’s. Senior Terrence Rhodes sparked the offense with the most hits on the squad. Junior Elijah Coston turned center-field into a no-fly zone on defense including a game-saving catch and doubling off the runner on second.

The Cadet offense instilled fear into the opposing pitchers’ souls with 22 long balls. For the first time since 2019, Cadets have tallied 20 wins and have done so in eight seasons since 2010. The Cadets will lose six seniors, five of whom are committed to play baseball at the NCAA level.

Clelin Ferrell ‘15 stands between Mr. Doran ‘92 and Coach Lilly. Ferrell played at BCP from 2011 to 2014.

Granny Hamner (Far Left) recieves tips from Father Dan.

The Benedictine rugby team poses for a photo after winning the Virginia state championship over Holy Family.

Jake Wise ‘25 ready to record another strikeout.

old. The Knights based at Benedictine are always looking to help pave the road for any Cadets who are interested in joining. “We would love to welcome any 18-year-old students, along with their fathers, to join,” said Knights of Columbus treasurer Dennis Fink. “We would also be happy to have plenty of Gertrude fathers. We currently have 36 active members located on the BSOR campus. We would like to double that number and accomplish more than we have in previous years.”

Cadets who join the Knights automatically receive one

thousand dollars, which goes toward college tuition payments. On top of that, the group generously offers close to one million dollars each year in the form of a variety of different scholarships. “I am a recipient currently on a Knights of Columbus scholarship,” said junior Luke Drew. “When I entered Benedictine from Saint Bridget Middle School, along with my two brothers, we all earned the scholarship. It helps pay for the yearly tuition, and we have to maintain at least Caverage grades.”

There have been many famous current and

Starling’s Story

Joel Starlings Recaps One of His Favorite Moments

By Nick Hanley ‘23

The class of 2023’s time at Benedictine is coming to a close. They have made many lifelong friends and learned much, but most importantly they have made many memories that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Joel Starlings, who played football all four years, recapped one of his favorite moments under Big Green’s roof. Joel’s best moment at Benedictine dates all the way back to the fall of his freshman year. This moment is the winning of the state championship in 2019 over St. Chris, with a final score of 14-6. “Man, the atmosphere was just electric,” said Starlings. “When the game clock hit zero and the student section stormed the field while singing the fight song, it brought tears of joy to my eyes, because my brothers

and I really had just won the state championship together.

Coach Fogarty’s pregame speech had us all hyped up for the game and made us believe that we truly deserved to be there to compete and earn that win.”

The Cadets came ready to play, as they quickly gained the upper hand with an early lead. At halftime, the Cadets stepped out of the locker room back onto the field of a tied game. As soon as play resumed, the Cadets scored a touchdown in their first possession in the third quarter, pushing the score to 14-6. A rock-solid effort from the Cadets’ defense forced a shutout on the Saints in the second half. “When Jay (Woolfolk) scored that touchdown, I just knew that all of our momentum would carry and there was no way in the world that we could possibly lose that game.

Coach Fogarty’s postgame speech is what really makes this memory golden, as he highlighted all of the reasons that we were in the place that we were in and why we deserved all that we had earned that season. It was a perfect ending to our season and that is a memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

former members in the fraternity. Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, baseball slugger Babe Ruth, legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi and President John F. Kennedy are a few of many prominent figures who were part of the group. Major Ramos, one of Benedictine’s Bioethics and Leadership teachers, is a hard- working member as well.

The group is involved with a handful of community programs focused on helping others. The Helping Hands program provides aid to those who are less fortunate and need

assistance with tasks. The Coats for Kids event is when the councils across the nation provides new winter coats to children. The Global Wheelchair Mission is focused on donating wheelchairs to those with disabilities, giving them the gift of mobility. The Habitat for Humanity project oversees homes being built for families in need.

The Columbus members can always be

found executing productive tasks within the church. The group works very closely with the monks, administration and the school. “We care a lot about vocations,” said Fink. “We help sponsor many young seminarians. We are currently sponsoring the young man everyone knows as Brother Ambrose. He helped by teaching as a substitute before heading off to the seminary.”

From Page 11: Both Sides of the Scale

have his rank suspended until further notice.In addition, an officer cannot accrue more than three detentions, or opt out of Benedictine senior officer camp, which occurs before school starts in early August. Once he has completed those tasks, the life of a senior officer begins. Every officer has a specific position that is assigned to him in the Corps. This position could be as a company commander, executive officer (XO), platoon leader, a member of staff or a staff assistant. These Cadets are able to command lower-ranking Cadets and perform positionbased tasks at formation. “

I have enjoyed being an officer,” said platoon leader Gardener Campbell, “The privileges that come with it like the senior lounge and the special events makes being an officer a great experience.”

Events such as Sponsors Day Review, Commissioning, and Change of Command are all events

that celebrate the senior officers. Sponsors Day review involves sponsoring officers introducing the Saint Gertrude sponsors to the Corps for the first time. It is a timeless tradition that is cherished at Benedictine. Commissioning is when officers are officially introduced to the Corps of Cadets, and officers receive their swords to sheath them for the first time. At the end of every Benedictine school year, Change of Command takes place: an event that celebrates the service of the current senior officers and announces the new senior officers for the next school year. All these commemorate the hardwork and dedication that the senior officers have put it throughout their career at Benedictine.

On the other hand

are senior privates: the life of a senior private is uninterrupted compared to the life of an officer. The only tasks privates have are to attend formation and to wear the correct uniform. The majority of these senior Cadets are placed together in Headquarters Company, which causes chaos at times. There is no real downside to being a senior private: as long as one follows the rules and does what he is supposed to do, life will be simple. Some senior privates are a part of the National Honor Society and have the opportunity to earn the rank of master sergeant if they behave well throughout the year. These Cadets have the ability to achieve officer rank (assuming they remain in good standing) if a current officer is removed or turns in his rank.

Joel Starlings ‘23 on the sideline.

Members of the staff stand at parade rest.

The official Knights of Columbus logo.

of players ready to go if their starters got tired. We had no one to take our place if we felt fatigued. Only an injury to the head would prevent you from jogging back onto the field. This year we have a handful of Cadets who came out which helped us greatly. Our team had a few seniors that are going to be hard to replace. I know we have team members like Kegan McCallum, the Janus brothers, Cristian Ramos and Christian Ferrell ready to step up to the challenge.”

Baseball has also had a strong start. The team has been stacked with senior players such as Daniel Lingle, Terrence Rhodes, Jagen Ratlief, Luke Franko, Nick Howe, Ethan Loucks and Ryan Sellers. Unlike rugby, they have a handful of juniors and sophomores fighting for a spot to represent the school at varsity level in the diamond. The field has plenty of talent in every position for every grade level.

“I think we are losing a couple of really good key players,” said Christos Rubis. “However, we still will have a very strong team with lots of potential and the possibility of

being title contenders for next season.”

The Benedictine football team has had seniors playing the main roles in the offensive and defensive lines for the last couple of years, leading them to the championship games in 2021 and 2022. Top players like Joel Starlings, Jacob Moore, Myles Bridges, David Ngendakuriyo and Terae Baldwin leave the team with some massive shoes to fill. Luckily the team has junior, sophomore and even a couple freshmen stars ready to rumble.

The BCP Basketball team’s search for a new coach has concluded. Bill Dooley has been selected as the varsity coach. He brings over 30 years of coaching experience from the International Irish men’s basketball team, University of Richmond, Virginia Tech, Hartford, LaSalle, George Mason and Delaware Valley. With Quentin Toulson, Omar Johnson and Marshall Williams stepping off the court, Benedictine still has a cabinet full of weapons for Coach Dooley to unleash next winter.

Curious Cadets

What next year looks like for Cadets

By Myles Bridges ‘23

Benedictine Cadets will have a change in scenery, since St. Gertrude will be moving out, which will allow Cadets to experience what BCP was before. The last time BCP had only boys inside the school was the 2019-20 school year, before it was shut down due to Covid19. “I am intrigued to see what happens next year,” said Pierce Moten ‘24. “I never experienced what an allboys school looks nor feels like, so it should be interesting.”

Next year, there should be more space with more open classrooms, on the second and third floor, which will lead to the expansion of classes to take. These new classes are: AP Comparative Government and Politics, AP Art History, AP Physics, Global Military History I and II/ Honors, Forensic Sci-

ence and Astronomy. This opens Cadets to expand their interest, to a career they might want to pursue in the future.

Benedictine can expect a rise in upcoming Cadets. The ability of having more space eliminates having to crowd classrooms with more than 20 students, and fill up the classrooms of the new classes. With more locker space for Cadets, can possibly go back to hallway classes, for example, the ‘23 class their freshmen year had a freshman, sophomore, junior hallways and then the seniors lounge. “I would love to welcome new students,” said Christian Ferrell ‘24. “It is rumored that we received the most applications in the past 10 years.”

Benedictine’s current senior class is the last class to experience all-boys inside the school. Many of

them mentioned that “This is the last real BCP class.” Traditions that BCP would do when it was all-boys are on the urge of falling off, for example, slam halls have slowed down each year with less than five this year. BCP going back to having slam halls and more, could help the Cadets experience what the alumni experienced. It can generate the spirit in Cadets to have fun and build a brotherhood bond, while also being able to have a great education. “I wish I could

experience what an all-boys school feels like again,” said Freddy Gonzalez ‘23. “If I come back to visit next year, I would definitely love to see how everyone acts.”

The last time Benedictine was allboys was the 2019-20 school year. Since then, a lot of changes happened, including St. Gertrude moving in and now moving out to their new school. It will be an experience to watch how the Cadets next year will react, with this new change to ol’ BC.

From Page 15: Back Again

19-and 20-year-olds are running around and tackling 14-17 year olds, which is not only unfair, but also unsafe. Safety is not the only issue, as reclassing can ruin an underclassmen’s shot at playing time. If a starter reclasses and is

allowed another year, it can force players that could possibly fight for a spot to be at a disadvantage. It can also be hurtful from an academic standpoint, as those who reclass will end up behind, as they can only take core classes one time

and will end up with a schedule full of unchallenging electives. These two methods have a high reward but also have an equally high risk. There are more cases in which reclassing or jurisdictional jumping does not work out as ex-

pected. Jurisdictional jumping needs to be more tightly monitored and the reclassifying process should receive a much deeper evaluation. The latter should not be solely based upon sports, as it can hurt players and the sport.

The third floor of the building.

Bryce Adams ‘24 at bat during a game against Cape Henry Collegiate.

Omar Johnson ‘23 drives for the paint.

Colin Clarkson ‘24, who reclassed from Patrick Henry, takes a lead off second.

Opinion: Back Again

Reclassification and Cross-Jurisdictional Enrollment are Affecting High School Sports

By Nick Hanley

High school sports have seen more freakish athletes and super-teams than ever before. This is proven annually in the NFL Combine, where times drop and numbers seem to get faster year by year.

To make it to the Combine, however, these players must earn a scholarship or walk on to play college sports and then get invited to the draft. These Combine grades are not significantly rising due to a fruitful draft class, but due to these athletes’ raw abilities, on top of their college training. This fact is important to reclassifying (reclassing) and cross-jurisdictional enrollment (CJE) as it gives them

portunity,” said Cibes. “When I received my LOA for Army, I was lost for words. I never thought I would even be considered for such an honor.”

“I was notified a week in advance to complete my application before the LOA deadline for consideration, which was around late August. I rushed to acquire the rest of my recommendations and finish my personal statements. I was proud of my accomplishments, but I knew I could not have done this without God’s assistance, and my parents and classmates pushing me every day to strive for the best.”

Cadet Buchanan is, at the time of writing, serving as Judge Advocate General of the class of ‘23 and the team captain for the track team, and he still has his mind open to what he wants

an unfair advantage of excess exposure and recognition. Reclassing is when a student repeats a school year.

It is a method for athletes who may not have received as much playing time to play an extra year and essentially have make-up time for recruitment.

CJE is when a student who lives in another county or city uses the address of someone who lives in the school zone. This is a method used by athletes to play on a better team, one for which they lack the residency requirement. These two methods are detrimental to the game and the true way it is supposed to be played.

A common trend of all recent VHSL state champions is that their star players

are zoned for a different school. I think this trend ruins the nature of high school sports by changing it from one where the school with the best athletes in its zone wins to one where the school with the most illegally enrolled athletes will. We should all take issue with this practice because it is unfair to schools without the name cred, similar to college football. For example, Alabama will always have an advantage when it comes to athletes wanting to come play for the Crimson Tide, due to its impeccable athletic history. Schools such as Kent State, on the other hand, will never be true D1 playoff contenders due to its lacking such a strong reputation. A local example

is Highland Springs, which also has an astounding reputation and draws athletes from all over the state to its doors. While I am not accusing the Springers of participating in any illegal activities, they certainly do have an advantage that takes away the whole point of high school sports: to see what districts and counties have the best teams or athletes. Another problem that is twisting high school sports is reclassifying. Reclassing is bad for the sport as it gives players another year of eligibility, resulting in five (and sometimes six) years of high school sports. That means that

See Page 14: Back Again

From Page 16: Cadets at West Point

to major. Buchanan has always wanted to serve in the United States armed forces and, similar to his plans for his major, he has kept his paths open; he applied to the United States Naval, Army and Coast Guard Academies. Although he has put in a lot of work himself, Buchanan gives a lot of credit to the school and those around him. “I definitely need to give credit to my friends and the school’s staff,” said Buchanan. “They all have prepared me and supported me throughout the application process, and I can’t thank them enough.

BCP has teachers that not only prepare students for college in the classroom but all throughout the school environment. Administration has also done an amazing job in helping the teachers so they are able to prepare Cadets for college. If there is a Cadet

who wants to apply to a service academy next year, they should get in contact with counselors and their teachers as soon as possible.”

The process for applying to a service academy is a lengthy one, to say the least.

First, there are four requirements to begin the application process according to The White House website: the student must be an American citizen, of good moral character, unmarried with no dependents and at least 17, but no more than 23 years of age by 1 July of the year they enter an academy. “This added even more pressure to the process,” said Cibes.

“I had to start the official paperwork at the South Korean consulate in Washington DC and follow up in February. Then, I had to sign an affidavit stating that I pledged my loyalty to the United States alone, severing

my loyalties to Korea. Due to my dual citizenship status, I have had to jump through more hoops than most candidates, and I’ve had to answer more questions, talk with more people and fill out more paperwork than most. Ultimately, the process was worth it to pursue this path in my life.” Possibly themost stressful part of the application process is obtaining a nomination. Candidates must earn a nomination from a senator or member of congress before they can be put up for consideration. This requires filling in an application for each nomination source and, depending on the sponsor, a meeting with that representative’s team for an interview. “Other than dealing with DoDMERB, getting a nomination was the most strenuous part of applying to the acade-

mies,” said Buchanan. The process of applying and getting appointed to a service academy is lengthy, but it does not go without some benefits. Even though there is required military service, it is four years of paid education. The academies provide numerous strong, STEMrelated programs to prepare students for military service and

civilian careers afterward. Other benefits are further coverage for college for the individual and children, health care, life insurance, additional postservice pay and more. It is recommended to search for any additional details regarding military benefits if one is debating whether to serve in the military or stay in the civilian life.

Hector Cibes-Lee ‘23 poses for a picture.

Elijah Coston ‘24 sends a fastball back up the middle.

The New Chevron Senior Sport Spots

How BCP Sports Teams Will Cope Without the Seniors

By Jude Drew ‘24

As the Benedictine seniors’ final year comes to a close, there is a big question that involves all BCP

athletics. Many of the sports teams had heavily relied on many of the upperclassmen as leaders and starters to represent the school. Now it is up to the rest

of the Cadets to step up and carry the torch.

Benedictine soccer has demolished the competition over the last couple of years. Seniors Jack Miller, Ben Marks, Reed Miller, Nathan Howerton, Colin Pinotti and Gardener Campbell were all crucial players in the red-hot streak of success. They left their mark on the younger members of the team, forming a solid foundation for upcoming seasons. The senior squad, along with this reporter, Luke Drew, Chris Whitney and Mick Drew, won the annual Collegiate Valentine’s Day Classic Tournament. The tournament was relentless, and had the players endure up to three games

Cadets to…Cadets?

Benedictine is Sending Two Cadets to West Point

By Joseph Colizzi ‘23

The United States has five different service academies across the country. They consist of the United States Military (Army), Naval, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Academies. With over 42,000 applicants every year, only about

1,000 get an appointment at each school.

Two of these successful applicants were Cadets Hector Cibes-Lee ‘23 and Charles Buchanan ‘23.

Cadet Cibes is, at the time of writing, serving as the Inspector General of the class of ‘23 and plans on majoring in nuclear engineering or computer

science. He has been working toward attending a service academy since he was a child. Initially, he planned on attending the United States Naval Academy in Maryland until he got an LOA from the United States Military Academy. An LOA (Letter of Assurance) is a document that informs an applicant that, as long as they get everything for their application checked off, there is a nearly 100 percent chance that the individual will be accepted. “West Point was one of my other options because my family had told me it was another great op-

Wes Buleza ‘23 gets ready to throw a pass.

on the same day. Rugby has had a season to remember. The group [has started off unbeaten with a 3-0 record.] In the 2022 season, they struggled

to beat any other teams in their division. There were only enough players to form a starting lineup on the field with no subs available. “If we got hurt we had to

play through it,” said Luke Drew. “Other teams had an entire set

See Page 14: Senior Spots

Conscientious Columbus Crew Knights of Columbus Provides Bigger Opportunities

By Jude Drew ‘24

The Knights of Columbus play an important role in the community at Benedictine.

The global Catholic organization founded by Father Michael J. McGivney is dedicated to serving the community. The group was formed 140 years ago on March 18, 1882 in New Haven, Connecticut.

From working concession stands at football and basketball games to helping young men grow deeper in faith, the group is always heavily involved.

The Knights live by the Latin motto “vivat Jesus,” which translates to “Jesus lives.” There

are close to two million members worldwide, making it the largest Catholic fraternal organization in the world.

New members can be as young as 18 years

See Page 13: Columbus Crew

Ethan Loucks ‘23 after an at bat.

See Page 15: Cadets at West Point Charles Buchanan ‘23, heading to West Point.

Major Ramos presents Chase Bruce ‘23 the Knight of Columbus Young Man of the Year award for 2022-23.