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Leadership Team Peyton Miller Editor-in-Chief
Peyton Miller is a senior at Middle Creek and plays soccer for the school. She was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Outside of school, Peyton enjoys hanging out with her family and friends. After school, she plans on continuing her education at Syracuse University and hopes to study journalism.
Eve DaSilva Lead Designer
Eve DaSilva is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. She enjoys playing lacrosse and spending time with friends and family.
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Leadership Team Sophie Laine
Hadley Donnell
Sophie Laine is a 16-year-old junior at Middle Creek High School. She has two younger siblings and two cats. She enjoys hanging out with friends and working out and throws for the MCHS track team. After high school, she plans to attend college for Organizational Psychology and find a career in Human Resources.
Hadley Donnell is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hadley has one older brother. She enjoys playing tennis and she has been a member of the Middle Creek tennis team for two years. She also loves hanging out with her friends in her free time!
School News Editor
Paige Herschman
Sports Editor
Noah Banta
National & Global News Editor Paige Herschman is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She plays soccer, which helps her when she has to work in teams with her peers. Paige is interested in seeing what is happening around the world and what her classmates, teachers, and many other people are interested in.
Aiden Mobley
Music & Entertainment Editor
Opinion Editor
Noah Banta is a junior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Buffalo, New York but moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, when he was very young. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, listening to music, reading, and writing about himself in the third person for the school newspaper.
Aiden Mobley is a senior at Middle Creek. He was born and raised in North Carolina and enjoys playing and watching sports, reading, and writing. He will attend college for environmental science and communication.
Kiley Carr
Szaffi Hock De Leon
Kiley Carr is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and has two siblings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and dancing.
Szaffi Hock De Leon is currently a 17-year-old junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in North Carolina. She loves to snowboard, read, write, and sleep. She is currently a varsity swimmer and a lacrosse player at Middle Creek High School. After high school, she plans to attend college at NYU or NC State.
Spotlights Editor
Assistant Designer
THE HOOF PRINT
Staff Gabriel Auger Staff Writer
Dylan Axman Staff Writer
Sebastian Candioti Staff Writer
Sebastian Candioti is a junior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Ojai, California, in 2007, then in 2016 moved to North Carolina. He enjoys swimming and soccer, as well as playing the piano. In his free time, he loves to watch movies, play video games, read, and write. After graduation, he plans to attend film school and work in the movie industry.
Gabriel Auger is a senior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, and moved to North Carolina when he was 11. His favorite sports team is the Boston Bruins, and he likes snowboarding, which he started when he was five years old.
Dylan Axman is a senior at Middle Creek High School and has been part of the men’s varsity lacrosse team for the past four years. After high school Dylan is going to attend Queens University of Charlotte to play Division 1 lacrosse.
Liam Debrauwer
Fabian Garcia
Maddie Herndon
Liam Debrauwer is a 17-year-old junior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Cary, North Carolina. He loves to play hockey and video games and watch Carolina Hurricanes and Carolina Panthers games. After high school, he plans to attend a four-year university to pursue a medical career.
Fabian Garcia is 17 and a junior here at Middle Creek High School. He is a born and raised North Carolinian. He enjoys media-related things, whether it's music, movies, or video games in general.
Maddie Herndon is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She is on the cheerleading and softball teams. She loves hanging out with her family and friends and spending time at the lake and beach.
Jalexi Huckeba
Ashton Jackovich
Casey Jacob
Jalexi Huckeba is a junior here at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she currently resides. Jalexi’s family is part islander, the island being Guam, where her grandparents were born. She especially enjoys quality time with her family and friends. She is also very passionate about dance and plans on pursuing a career as a professional dancer and teacher.
Ashton Jackovich is a student at Middle Creek High School who is 18 years old. He has lived in Apex, North Carolina, his entire life. He enjoys watching the Denver Broncos and going to Carolina Hurricanes games.
Casey Jacob is a senior at Middle Creek High School. He was born and raised in North Carolina. He enjoys going to the beach, watching sports, and betting on 12-leg parlays that never hit. He will be attending college for psychology in hopes of becoming a therapist.
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
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Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Staff Jayce Konowitz
Maddie Lehmkuhl
Jacob Lewis
Jayce Konowitz is a junior at Middle Creek. He plays on the varsity lacrosse team and has been a part of the team for three years now. When he is not on the lacrosse field he likes to spend time with friends and family, as well as workout.
Maddie Lehmkuhl is a senior at Middle Creek High School. She loves to hang out with friends and family, work out, and go to the beach! She plans to attend East Carolina University and study exercise science and physiology.
Jacob Lewis is an 18-year-old student who attends Middle Creek High School. He was born and raised in Apex, North Carolina. He loves watching Ohio State football, Bengals football, and the Carolina Hurricanes. He also enjoys playing video games and hanging out with his friends. After high school, he plans to attend a four-year university as an undecided major.
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Mary Lohmeyer
Sam Moser
Zak Ossi
Finn Rissanen
Mary Lohmeyer is a junior at Middle Creek High School. As a player on the women's lacrosse team, she has a passion for sports along with hiking and reading. When she graduates, she wants to go to college to study wildlife management.
Samuel Moser is a 17-yearold writer who was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a junior and attends Middle Creek High School. He is a fan of the Ravens and the Hornets. In the upcoming future, he is planning on learning how to finance and invest his money.
Zak Ossi is a senior at Middle Creek High School who has played on the Middle Creek Men's Soccer team for four years. He plans on attending a four-year university and after college wants to pursue a career in business management.
Finn Rissanen is an 18-yearold senior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Cary, North Carolina, and has lived here his whole life. Finn has a passion for aviation, cars, and graphic design, and in his free time he textures 3D models for games as freelance work.
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Mayra Rossel
Carmen Shird
Sophia Sica
Mayra Rossel is a sophomore at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was a part of the school's soccer team her freshman year and in her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family.
Carmen Shird is a senior at Middle Creek High School. She was born and raised in North Carolina. She plays varsity basketball. She loves to spend time with her friends during her free time and loves to cook, watch movies, and listen to music.
Sophia Sica is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Long Island, New York, and moved to North Carolina at the age of three. She loves to spend time with family and friends, go to the gym, and pet sit. She is also involved in Middle Creek Key Club and SGA.
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
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Staff Writer
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editor's Note
01
Early Graduates Start a New Chapter
04
An Exciting New Event is Happening with NAS!
06
‘Once Upon a Mattress’ Promises Big Lauighs
07
Sour Stangs: Season 2, Episode 1
08
How to Be Your Best Self in Second Semester
09
Immigration Continues to Cause Stir at Border
12
Electric Vehicles Come to Freezing Halt
13
The American Education System is Superior
15
MCHS Students Make Their Super Bowl Picks
31
Lamar Jackson and The Ravens Come Up Short Again
32
The Philadelphia Eagles’ Season Comes to an Abrupt End
33
Broncos Continue to Struggle Years After Super Bowl 50
34
Mark Your Calendars for Women’s LAX Tryouts
35
Mustangs Lacrosse Works to be Back on Top
36
Hurricanes Approach Trade Deadline
37
A Great Week at The Creek: Photos
38 15
Student Spotlight: Dylan Davis
18
Staff Spotlight: Ms. Geatz
19
Club Spotlight: Reading Connections Club
20
Student Spotlight: Skyler Vining
21
Staff Spotlight: Mr. Thomas
22
Student Spotlight: Jacob Nunez
23
The Illusion of ‘Owning’ Digital Media
25
Exploring Evil: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
26
Oscar Nominations Continue to Cause Controversy
28
Can Music Really Influence Our Emotions and Academic Success in School?
29
EDITOR’S NOTE Hi, Hoof Print readers! I am excited to announce that I am the new Editor-in-Chief of The Hoof Print this semester! I'm so excited to start this journey with everyone. Our staff has been working hard on this new issue. This next semester will be great, with all the fantastic talent we have on the staff. This semester's first issue will include School News, Sports, National and Global News, Music and Entertainment, an Opinion section, and a Spotlights section. Ensure you stay tuned in for our new articles published throughout the semester by the staff. We hope you enjoy reading our new issue with all these bright, unique ideas. Thank you for reading this week's issue!
Peyton Miller EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
THE HOOF PRINT | 1
SCHOOL NEWS
At the beginning of the second semester, there was an early graduation ceremony at the school. This is where students who have enough credits and would like to finish their senior year early can do so. This allows students to begin their careers earlier than they usually would or start to study more advanced subjects and classes before the rest of their classes. This year, 25 students at Middle Creek participated in the early graduation. The students all graduated for different reasons. One of the graduates was Erika Barcliff. She explained why she decided to take the opportunity to graduate early, saying, “I had all of my credits except for two by the end of my junior year. I didn’t want to stay and do a full year of electives that I didn’t need. I also plan on going to law school, so graduating early gave me a headstart on college so that I can get my degree faster.” Since Erika has already graduated and is out of high school, she can now begin to start her future academics and career. Ms. Megronigle, who helped lead the graduation ceremony, said that the early graduation is one of her favorite events throughout the school year. “It is very special and intimate because it is small. The mid-year graduation is unique because the kids get to thank their family, friends, and teachers, which is a special touch that they can’t do at the end of the year graduation.” As she explained, early graduation is much different from end-of-year graduation. The early graduation is much more personal because there are fewer students. It is more sentimental and is more about the students individually versus the whole graduating class. “It always kicks off the feeling that graduation is coming,” Ms. Megronigle said. Ms. Megronigle explained the benefits of graduating early and said, “I think it depends on the students. If the student has a specific reason to graduate early, that could be what works best for them and their situation, and they still experience some of their senior year.” Students who graduate early have the benefit of starting their future before they usually would, but they also get to experience some of their senior year. Congratulations to all of this year’s early graduates. We can’t wait to see all of the great things you accomplish!
THE HOOF PRINT | 5
AN EXCITING NEW EVENT IS HAPPENING WITH NAS! BY SOPHIE LAINE
National Achievers Society is an honor society for students of color focused on spreading cultural awareness and understanding. The club is led by President Alexa Burke, Vice President Christina Tran, Social Media Manager Anya Damiano, and Events Coordinator Raymond Xiao. They meet once a month on Thursdays in room 314, overseen by Mr. Mattocks. The NAS is going to be throwing a Black Box event at the school on February 22, 2024. According to Michael Mattocks, the club’s advisor, “The name comes from a Black Box Theater where the theater itself is a simple, small room with black walls. Its simplicity allows for flexibility and freedom of performance as well as an intimate space to receive the performances.” The event will be a showcase of performances (mostly written works), but the club is still in the process of finding people to perform. Some students from our school have already submitted some of their work! They will be collaborating with the Social Justice Club, Women’s Empowerment, and the MCHS Cinema Club! They are also looking to work with the Crochet Club and the Creative Writing program. Noah Banta, President of the Cinema Club, said, “Cinema Club is not only happy to be a part of Black Box but honored to help in any way possible.” For more information, you can go to the NAS Instagram page (@mchsnas) or talk to Mr. Mattocks or one of the club's leaders.
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‘ONCE UPON A MATTRESS’ PROMISES BIG LAUGHS BY: MAYRA ROSSEL
Everybody get ready for the 2024 spring musical! This year's musical is Once Upon a Mattress and will be performed on April 18th, 19th, and 20th in the school auditorium. The musical is a comedy based on a version of The Princess and the Pea. It is set in a fairy tale kingdom where a manipulative queen doesn't approve of any potential brides for her son, Prince Dauntless, by devising impossible tests for them to fail. One day, one of the knights, Sir Harry, returns with a shy swamp princess, Winifred the Woebegone, who is tested by the queen for her sensitivity, expecting her to fail as well. There was a workshop on January 9th for students to learn choreo and vocal noises; auditions were held on February 1st. Mrs. Garrett, the faculty director of the musical, is looking for students who can sing and dance and also be able to put on their best work. More than 30 students auditioned for the many different roles in the musical. The students started the auditions by gathering around in a circle to do vocal warm ups. The students sang certain songs from the musical, and some danced along. Mrs. Garrett said, ¨One of the hardest things for me will be choosing students for the different parts and seeing who fits in what part the best¨ Middle Creek High School is so excited to present this funnyyet-classic musical with outstanding choreography and music. Mrs. Garrett states, ¨The biggest takeaway from this show would have to be that it's a hilarious and sweet show that reminds people to accept who they are and others.¨ Make sure you mark your calendar for April 18th-April 20th. You don't want to miss this fun musical the students and faculty directors are creating!
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SEASON 2 EPISODE 1
click here! 8 | THE HOOF PRINT
HOW TO BE YOUR BEST SELF IN SECOND SEMESTER BY: SOPHIA SICA
With the second semester in full swing, I decided to ask a few students and teachers what their thoughts were and for their advice on how to be a well-prepared student this spring. It is very important to have an open mindset going into the second half of the school year with new classes, teachers, and friends to meet. Taking this advice can make you a better student and help you have a great rest of the year. I interviewed one of our science teachers, Ms. Stangl, who has been teaching here at Middle Creek for five years. Her advice on this topic was to “eat breakfast, apply to college early, do your homework, bring your own snack, and be on time to class.” She also explained that showing up late to class is a bad habit, so coming on time and being ready to work is what truly matters. Reagan Bird, junior class student body club liaison, offered some great advice on how to succeed in the second semester. Reagan stated, “Don’t slack off; if you start strong and continue to work hard it will make you feel better when it’s summer. Complete your homework on time, ask questions, and most importantly, study!” While having a busy schedule with sports and AP classes can be overwhelming, if you stay on task and follow these tips you will be able to get good grades and persevere through it all. After taking the time to interview Reegan Carr, another junior here at Middle Creek, she had these helpful tips to offer: “Don’t stress, try to manage your time wisely, enjoy school while it lasts because I only have about a year and a half left of my high school experience.” She also mentioned studying on Quizlet gives you various learning tools that allow you to study and it is very beneficial. Some additional ways for students to ensure a productive and rewarding spring semester are to meet with their counselors for any needed guidance, reassess their extracurricular involvement to make sure they have time to balance their school work, and surround themselves with positive goal-oriented people. Overall, you can’t help but succeed in the second semester by following this useful advice. Good luck! THE HOOF PRINT | 13 THE HOOF PRINT | 9
NATIONAL & GLOBAL NEWS
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IMMIGRATION CONTINUES TO CAUSE STIR AT BORDER BY FABIAN GARCIA
Recently, the Texas government has been in conflict with the federal government about immigrants illegally entering the country, with some claiming they have done nothing about it. According to CNN, the latest dispute began about three weeks ago when Texas was fed up with all the immigrants entering the state, and Texas decided that instead of waiting for President Biden to make a move on the situation, they would instead bring matters into their own hands by sending Texan authorities and the Texas National Guard to block off the border by putting up razor wire, fencing, and gates to close off access to the border where immigrants are entering. This conflict has led to several deaths of immigrants who are trying their best to cross the border in areas like the Rio Grande, but in the end they are drowning because of the blockades along the river that the Texas National Guard and authorities have put in place. One of the victims of this tragedy was a mother and her two children, one child being 8 years old and the other 10 years old. This escalated the situation further when Border Patrol officials tried to go check out the situation only to be stopped by the Texas National Guard blocking off the entrance to the site of the death. Later, Border Patrol was given access to part of the Rio Grande the boat ramp with an exemption of some restrictions to be placed by the Texas National Guard. Almost a week later, the US Department of Homeland Security got involved, and set a deadline of January 26th for when Texas authorities must remove their blockades. The 28 places where they were put up, include Eagle Pass Golf Course, Rio Grande, and Shelby Park. If they fail to cooperate, they will be forced into legal action. However, as that statement was made, a letter was sent to the governor of Texas with the signatures of 26 attorney generals from multiple states supporting Texas's actions with the border. People are becoming skeptical of a possible civil war between Texas and the Biden Administration. Citizens are saying Texas should become its own country again and separate from the United States. I think we should settle this dispute as quickly as possible, allowing both sides to come to a conclusion and negotiate appropriate terms with each other. This would enable us to focus on more important things happening to us, like the Israel-Hamas War that is going on as we are still managing our dispute.
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ELECTRIC VEHICLES COME TO FREEZING HALT BY FINN RISSANEN
Throughout the nationwide cold weather this past week, a number of EVs have been succumbing to the frozen temperatures. Most notably, Teslas were particularly affected by the conditions, being unable to receive a charge or hold a charge, essentially turning them into shells seemingly overnight. According to CBS, a sizable amount of these failures happened in Chicago while the cold weather was passing through. The issue mainly happened due to how the cold weather affects battery life. Most charging stations were out of order, and chargers that could charge were only able to do so very slowly. Tesla has made a statement, saying that keeping the battery levels above 20% is important during adverse weather conditions, as it will hold its charge better. It was also deemed normal for the car’s battery usage to increase in cold weather, as they use more energy to heat both the battery and the inside of the car. Many Teslas have been reported being stranded for hours in the frigid cold, waiting for an operable charging station to get their Teslas back on the road. This issue isn’t exclusive to Teslas, as all EVs can suffer from this issue. As batteries lose efficiency in the cold, one cannot blame Tesla for this, even though it was mainly Teslas stranded. This may be due to the fact that Teslas are arguably the most popular electric car on the market, and for good reason: it is a worthy EV in the growing market. However, the question remains: can these reliability issues be solved in the near future? Since the EV market is somewhat new, there are bound to be some things that could be improved as time passes, but until then, our world will keep switching gears and filling up tanks. THE HOOF PRINT | 13
Every man should periodically be compelled to listen to opinions which are infuriating to him. To hear nothing but what is pleasing to one is to make a pillow of the mind. -St. John Ervine
THE AMERICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM IS SUPERIOR BY AIDEN MOBLEY
Let’s be clear, American schooling is probably not the best in the world. However, if you had to pick between attending an American school and randomly being assigned to another country, I’d strongly suggest you choose the American school. Now, I’m an American. One who’s never been to school anywhere else, so what on Earth do I know about schools in other countries? Well, not much. But rest assured, I know Helena Emanuel, Theo Tamenna, and Akimi Yakimura, the exchange students here at Middle Creek. I also know how to use Google. Obviously, more than enough to form an unbiased opinion. I spoke with Helena (Germany), Theo (Germany), and Akimi (Japan) to bolster my argument with firsthand accounts. I was surprised to hear a crystal-clear consensus among them: American school is better if you want to have fun, but if you prefer a rigid experience with an intense focus on learning, you’re better off elsewhere. To decide for myself the superior school system, I determined three categories that best represent success in developing and preparing its students: enriching experiences, diverse social opportunities, and, of course, academics. When it comes to valuable experiences and social life, American schools take the cake, and it’s not close. Outside of the United States, school sports, school clubs, and art programs like band, theater, and even newspapers such as this one are rare. Providing these through school offers American students cheaper and easier access to developmental opportunities to connect with peers, mentors, and activities that can change their lives. As I alluded to earlier, it became clear to me, with the help of Helena, Theo, and Akimi, that far more emphasis is placed on academic programs in other school systems than in the United States. It makes perfect sense to focus on learning in school, but does it correlate to higher graduation rates? It doesn’t seem so, at least when compared to the United States. According to The World Bank, the United States is seventh in the world, with 35% of people over 25 receiving at least a bachelor's degree, and sixth in the world, with 91.3% of people over 25 completing high school. The American school system has its flaws, and there are many, but compared to the rest of the world, I think we’ve got it pretty good. THE HOOF PRINT | 15
SPOTLIGHTS
SHINING A LIGHT ON THE BEST OF MIDDLE CREEK
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: DYLAN DAVIS BY ZAK OSSI A hungry lion hunting for its prey describes Dylan Davis the second that pigskin is snapped into play. Dylan Davis is a senior at Middle Creek High School and has been playing on the Middle Creek men’s football team for just two years. Dylan has been a part of the A honor roll each year since his freshman year. Not only does Dylan put in hard work in the classroom, but also every day at practice and especially under the Friday night lights. Dylan has verbally committed to play Division-III football at Berry College and plans to enroll there in the fall semester of 2024. Dylan intends to major in the pre-physical therapy programy. Dylan explained that he chose Berry College because “it’s a small liberal arts school and they have a decent football program and I wanted to go for football and they have a degree program for pre-physical therapy, which is what I want to study.” Dylan only began his football career in his junior year, so what made him want to play a sport that he just started for the next four years after high school? Dylan stated that Coach Willix and Coach Jacobs encouraged him and introduced him to the idea of playing in college and helped him find a route to college football. Coach Willix has been the Middle Creek Men's football assistant coach since the 2021-2022 season. Coach Willix explained that when he first met Dylan, he was running extremely fast and was exploiting raw talent while running track. “He's strong, built, and I was excited about his athletic capability and natural talent. I knew I needed that kid to try out for football.” The king of the jungle caught his prey, found his home, and settled down at Berry College. 18 | THE HOOF PRINT
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: MS. GEATZ BY PAIGE HERSCHMAN Ms. Geatz is a new teacher and coach here at Middle Creek. She has taught for three years, teaches all levels of Math 1, and previously taught at a middle school in Swansboro. Ms. Geatz felt motivated to become a teacher because, as a kid, she didn’t like school, and she wanted to make school more enjoyable for kids and give them someone to lean on. Going from teaching at a middle school to teaching at a high school, Ms. Geatz has enjoyed the change of pace and being able to see the growth of students. She has further enjoyed the school activities and how teachers can get involved. Ms. Geatz knows math can be a class students find challenging or particularly uninteresting, so in teaching math, she wants to make the content clear and amusing for students to enjoy. Ms. Geatz, who played soccer in college, is also the new head coach for Middle Creek women's soccer. When she first came to Middle Creek, she had no idea they were looking for a soccer coach. As Ms. Geatz thoroughly enjoys being involved in opportunities around school, she wasn’t going to pass up the chance to coach, especially because she felt like she didn’t know many kids at the school. For the Middle Creek team this year, Ms. Geatz is excited to build up the team and soccer program. Since there is a young group trying out this season, she sees a lot of skill coming in. Furthermore, she is excited to allow the students to grow and lead on the field while also seeing another side of the students outside of the classroom. Ms. Geatz started as a gymnast when she was a kid, and her mom wanted her to be a dancer, but Ms. Geatz quickly realized soccer was her true passion. She went to a competitive high school and got cut her junior year; during this time, she decided to focus on track, but her senior year, she tried out again and ended up being a starter that season. After focusing on track, she went to Bowling Green State University to run track. However, she still missed soccer, so she switched from track to the club soccer team at her university. Outside of school Ms. Geatz is part of a soccer league because soccer is her outlet. After running track at Bowling Green State University for two years, she also enjoys running and working out. Aside from athletics, Ms. Geatz also likes to spend time doing ceramics. We hope to see plenty of growth and victories from the lady Mustangs soccer team this season! THE HOOF PRINT | 19
MIDDLE CREEK EXPANDS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITH READING CONNECTIONS CLUB! Reading Connections is a club designed as an avenue for high school students to connect with younger students and inspire a love for reading and literacy throughout the younger generations in our community. When the president of this club, Brinn Flohr, was asked what prompted her to bring Reading Connections to Middle Creek, she responded, “I noticed that so many students at MCHS love reading and desire to work with younger kids in their careers in the future, and seeing how successful the Reader’s Outreach Club is at Holly Springs High School, I decided to take a chance and bring a club with a similar mission to Middle Creek!”
BY KILEY CARR
Brinn stated that some of her plans for Reading Connections this year include taking field trips to Middle Creek Elementary School during both lunch periods to read to first graders and participate in enrichment activities to enhance their literacy skills and get them interested in reading. When creating the club, Brinn stated, “It could not have been possible without the wonderful, cooperative, and extremely helpful advisor, Mrs. Dextre. She always has the most positive attitude and creative ideas and was so excited to work with me when I proposed this club.” Brinn also stated that she never would have gotten the idea without her mother, who was a librarian at Middle Creek with Mrs. Sumner ten years ago and is now the librarian at Holly Springs High School. She created the Reader’s Outreach program at Holly Springs four years ago, and it has grown in popularity since then. As president of Reading Connections, Brinn has a lot on her plate! Her position includes recruiting members, organizing field trips, communicating between Middle Creek Elementary School and MCHS, sorting out logistics on how to gather members, creating interest forms, leading club meetings, choosing officers, creating publicity for the club, and running the club’s social media. Mrs. Dextre is a librarian at Middle Creek and is the teacher advisor of the Reading Connections Club. When asked why she agreed to become the advisor, she stated, “Primarily, it was because Brinn Flohr suggested this opportunity. Also, establishing community partnerships is an important component of effective school libraries. Middle Creek Elementary has a new school librarian this year who is also looking to make connections with our students. We saw this as a positive engagement opportunity for both our MCHS and MCES students.” Mrs. Dextre has high hopes for this club and believes that bringing it to Middle Creek will benefit the school’s environment because she hopes that by mentoring our younger community of readers, our MCHS Reading Connections volunteers will rekindle their own positive experiences of reading for enjoyment. Mrs. Dextre said, “They will collectively celebrate their freedom to read by practicing free choice from a variety of topic interests, develop stronger foundations for lifelong reading, and connect with others in their community by discussing these reading interests.” When asked what she is most excited about that Reading Connections is planning for this year, Mrs. Dextre mentioned that although this is a foundational year and they will only have a few days to participate, their goal is to foster future interest in keeping the momentum going for the club next year. She hopes that if this club tradition continues, eventually the mentees will become the mentors when they reach MCHS. Mrs. Dextre expressed that she is very impressed with Brinn's persistence and focus on starting this club tradition and is proud of Brinn's vision and efforts to start our Reading Connections tradition at Middle Creek. If you’re interested in joining this club or have any questions, email bsflohr@students.wcpss.net! 20 | THE HOOF PRINT
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: SKYLER VINING BY HADLEY DONNELL
Skyler Vining is a sophomore here at Middle Creek High School. He is from Raleigh, North Carolina. He is involved in SGA, Stangs On Stage, and MCHS Sings. He brings a lot to the table for Middle Creek’s clubs. He is also vice president of the Geek Club and sophomore SGA class president. Skyler applies himself greatly here at school and shows leadership in all of these fantastic roles. He is also part of the Middle Creek cross country team, as well as the swim team. In his free time, Skyler likes to play video games. One of the video games he currently likes playing is Dungeon of Dragons. Skyler’s favorite subject is science. He says, “There's so much to explore about the world, and I want to learn more.'' After high school, Skyler is planning on attending college. He wants to go to UNCW and study biotech or marine biology. Ms. Stangl nominated Skyler for this student spotlight. She had many amazing things to say about Skyler as a student in her class. She mentions, “Skyler is the ‘ideal’ student. He is always on time and prepared for class, he is focused and selfsufficient, he asks for help and advocates for himself when needed, and always raises his hand.” She says that he is very studious and always gets his work done right away and is always kind to his classmates. She mentions that he is a very hardworking student, and he always offers help to his classmates if they want help. Another one of Skyler’s teachers this semester is Mrs. King. She also has many wonderful things to say about Skyler. She says, “Skyler is an active participant in the classroom! He is engaged and attentive to the lessons. He is a hard worker and is very helpful and kind to his peers.” She also mentions that he “completes all assignments with care.” Skyler is overall an amazing student and is a great addition to all of his classes, clubs, and sports here at Middle Creek! THE HOOF PRINT | 21
Mr. Thomas joined the Middle Creek community in May of 2022. Before joining Middle Creek staff as a vice principal, Mr. Thomas was a teacher who taught AP Psychology and American History. On top of teaching, Mr. Thomas was an adviser for SGA and coached the Step Team. “My principal at the time felt that I needed to exercise my leadership skills for a bigger role, so they thought I would be good at administration.” Mr. Thomas didn't feel like it was for him at first. “I wasn't really feeling it at first, but I was like, I'll apply to one school, and if I get in, then I guess it's meant to be.” After taking the job, Mr. Thomas followed up and did his internship at Leesville Elementary School. Following Leesville, he jumped to Wake Forest Middle for a few years, looking over sixth and seventh grade and then came to Middle Creek, where he has had a blast. Mr. Thomas attended North Carolina Central University and studied history and psychology as an undergrad. After that, he took some time to do some teaching and decided to go back to school. “I wanted to go back to school to broaden my understanding a little bit more of my students.” Mr. Thomas decided to join UCLA for a year to do a Degree Certification program. Shortly after, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to get his administration degree. Mr. Thomas usually spends his free time at Middle Creek. “When I'm not at Middle Creek, which is usually from five to eight o'clock at night, I am either spending time with friends, visiting my family every Sunday, usually doing work with my fraternity, or sometimes I just need to chill, and depending on what season we are in, I usually watch sports.” Looking into the future, Mr. Thomas looks forward to enjoying his job. “I don’t like the idea of coming to a job and not enjoying it. We are super happy to have Mr. Thomas on our staff and continue to admire the things he has done and plans to do to help our school.
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT: MR. THOMAS BY DYLAN AXMAN
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: JACOB NUNEZ BY MADDIE LEHMKUHL Jacob Nunez is a junior at Middle Creek High School enrolled in Advanced Placement Computer Science. He grew up in The Bronx and moved here during freshman year of high school. Growing up, Jacob has been creative and always has had the idea of expressing himself. In his free time, he likes to box, listen to music, and play flag football. Computer Science has allowed Jacob to pursue a field that he is interested in while giving him a challenge. Jacob explained, “I am very glad I got involved in computer science, as it allows me to open up a new pathway for any career I desire.” In the upcoming years, Jacob hopes to attend a university and pursue a career in cybersecurity. In computer science, you are able to express your own ideas while having structure along with them. Jacob enjoys this class because he likes to venture out and figure out coding on his own. He would like to give a special thanks to Mr. Warren for always believing in him and knowing what is best for him. Jacob recommends this class to anyone interested in technology because “it is an easy AP and it is very self-taught along with Mr. Warren’s help if needed, as well as allowing you to express yourself in many fun, different ways.”
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MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT This world is but a canvas to our imagination. -Henry David Thoreau
THE ILLUSION OF ‘OWNING’ DIGITAL MEDIA BY GABRIEL AUGER
In the past decade, with the rise of digital products like movies, music, and video games, many have now started buying these things digitally or using digital services such as Netflix, Digital stores like the Xbox Store, Steam, Hulu, Disney+, Google Play, Apple's App Store, and more. Many find it much more convenient, as you don't have to find space to store things such as discs and worry about them being damaged. You also have the benefit of accessing your purchase almost instantly and don't have to wait in line at stores for weeks for it to be available. However, a major issue with digital purchases is that you do not actually own the game or movie that you bought off these services; rather, it's just a license to use them. This means that any purchase you make digitally can be taken away at any time for any reason. This happened with Google Stadia, a gaming service that flopped and was shut down. As a result, nobody could access any purchases they made. Google would ultimately refund users, but there was nothing stopping them from not issuing refunds. This isn't just limited to services like Stadia, Game Pass, or Netflix; companies such as Microsoft, Apple, and Valve also use this illusion of ownership. Valve is the owner of Steam, the biggest PC digital game market in the world, and if it were to shut down, millions of users would lose access to their games purchased on it. Although it's unlikely that something like this would happen right now, we have seen massive companies that were on top of the world at one point fall off. This can be a problem since there has been arguably a decline in the quality of media like movies and games. For example, many games made by Triple A Studios nowadays ship with many gamebreaking bugs, simply do not work, or struggle with player retention. Some examples include Cyberpunk 2077, recent Battlefield games, Halo Infinite, Starfield, Call of Duty, and Diablo 4. Another problem with purchasing media digitally is that it is usually more expensive than a physical copy of it. Take FC 2024, where a digital copy costs $70, while a physical copy costs usually $38-$60 and often goes on sale in physical stores. Physical copies of media allow for more markets since they can be sold and traded at any time as compared to digital media, which might allow for refunds depending on the service, and the ones that do have refunds tend to be extremely strict. With the death of physical media, there are no other ways to obtain media, and everyone defaults to the digital store. This is especially problematic with consoles because the only stores they can access are the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, or Nintendo Eshop, creating a monopoly over the distribution of games on their platform. They also can set the prices for the games as high as they want and often do so. Recently Microsoft made the decision to get rid of their physical store game sections in Walmart, Target, and many other stores to further push people to their digital stores. Now, the only way to buy Physical media for Xbox is through Amazon and Gamestop, and it's not likely Gamestop will be around much longer, and Amazon won't be selling them for long. With all the issues with digital media licensing, there are no workarounds. With how anti-consumer the practice of licensing digital media to people is, you'd expect more people to be up in arms about it, but the reality is most people don't care. It’s simply more convenient to buy stuff digitally and most probably wouldn't notice if someone took away whatever movie, song, or game that they paid for. As long as there are no laws that end up preventing this practice and giving ownership to consumers, there’s going to be no way of truly owning a digital product. THE HOOF PRINT | 25
EXPLORING EVIL: ‘KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON’ BY SEBASTIAN CANDIOTI One of the most debated and talked about concepts in our history is the psychology of evil. What makes a person truly evil? Is evil determined by one’s actions? One’s ideas? Can an evil person ever truly redeem themselves? These are the questions so often explored throughout the vast filmography of legendary director Martin Scorsese. From Taxi Driver to Goodfellas, and The Departed to The Wolf of Wall Street, Scorsese lifts the dark curtain surrounding the criminal underbellies of our society, exposing the nefarious things that occur just under the surface. But among his body of work, no film of his has explored these questions as deeply - and disturbingly - as his 2023 drama Killers of the Flower Moon. Killers of the Flower Moon, based on David Gran’s book of the same name, presents the true story of a series of murders committed towards the Osage Native American People. Driven from their ancestral homeland along the Osage River, almost all of the Osage were sent to live on a desolate reservation in central Oklahoma. However, upon the discovery of oil reserves beneath the land, the Osage began to attain massive amounts of wealth. By the 1920s, the Osage community had grown to become the richest group of people per capita in the world. But as has been proven again and again throughout history, this sudden acquisition of wealth attracted greed, greed which, coupled with racial prejudice, would precipitate some of the most heinous acts committed in American history. One of the most interesting choices that Killers of the Flower Moon makes is that it primarily takes place from the perspective of the perpetrators of the Osage murders. The film follows Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), a World War I veteran and nephew of William King Hale (Robert DeNiro), and Ernest’s wife, Molly Kyle (Lily Gladstone), an Osage woman. The story’s conflict revolves around a system of headrights within the Osage community, in which money and oil rights are passed down when a family member passes away, and it is this system that William King Hale and his ring of accomplices 26 | THE HOOF PRINT
exploited. By the time the film takes place, Hale had acquired significant influence in Osage County, holding the position of reserve deputy sheriff and referring to himself as “King” of the Osage. At the start of the film, Ernest takes a job as a chauffeur driver for a wealthy Osage woman named Molly Kyle, and the two quickly grow close and form an intimate relationship. At first, things seem to be going well for Ernest and Molly, and their relationship continues to grow. But the conversations between Hale and Ernest begin to suggest the evil that is brewing underneath, as Hale explains the benefit they would receive by marrying into the Osage families. This encouragement leads Ernest to marry Molly, integrating him into the Kyle estate. It is after Ernest and Molly’s marriage, however, that the evil which has been slowly building up begins to fully reveal itself. Throughout the early to middle section of the film, a disturbing juxtaposition is often shown in Ernest and Molly’s relationship. For much of the story, it seems perfectly clear that Ernest truly does love Molly, as the two continue to share heartfelt moments, and Ernest expresses his love for her to others. But Ernest’s actions when Molly isn’t around starkly challenge this. In one scene, Molly and Ernest share a tender moment of affection, as their connection grows deeper. And then, like a slap in the face, the film cuts to Ernest hiring someone to murder her sister. This juxtaposition, shown throughout the film, presents a deeply troubling question: Can a person truly love someone while at the same time knowingly causing them immense harm? As the film progresses, Hale continues to use Ernest and others to orchestrate the strategic murder of the Kyle family in order to gain control of their headrights. Ultimately, after her remaining sisters and former husband are murdered at the hands of Hale’s accomplices, Molly is left as the last surviving member of her family. Because of Hale’s political influence in Osage County, no investigations are
made into the deaths. After Molly, who is diabetic, travels to Washington to petition President Calvin Cooldge to help, Hale tells Ernest to poison Molly’s insulin medication to “slow her down.” This section of the story further explores the question posed before, as Ernest clearly begins to exhibit guilt regarding his actions, even ingesting the poison himself at one point. However, after the FBI investigates the murders and finds Ernest and Hale guilty, Molly meets with Ernest one final time and asks him what was in her medicine. She looks into his eyes, searching for an ounce of humanity left, and he replies: “Insulin.” She leaves. This moment finally reveals the true extent of Ernest’s evil, as after everything Molly has gone through and after everything Ernest has finally admitted to have done, he still chooses to lie. The evil displayed in Killers of the Flower Moon is of a different kind than typically portrayed in Scorsese’s other films. It is not an evil marked by rage or insanity, or an extravagant display of cruel violence. Instead, it is an evil that arrives with a smile, a welcoming embrace, and a knife in its other hand. The cruel machinations of William King Hale are only a part of the extent of the Osage murders, and the estimated death toll ranges in the hundreds. The film shows how the murder of Osage men and women becomes almost commonplace in the community, as deaths mount up left and right. Cruelty and murder become ubiquitous, mundane aspects of life. In one scene, a white man whose Osage wife recently passed away casually asks his lawyer if he would receive headrights by murdering his children. But the blatant cruelty shown in Killers of the Flower Moon is not the most terrifying thing about it; it is the inaction of everyone who witnesses it. Everyone in positions of power, doctors, priests, police, lawyers, and politicians, sat idly as the killings unfolded. Among these people, of the murders of the Osage of Oklahoma, all were complicit. It is for this reason that stories such as these must continue to be told and remembered, so that events like these never occur again. THE HOOF PRINT | 27
OSCAR NOMINATIONS CONTINUE TO CAUSE CONTROVERSY BY NOAH BANTA
In the constantly contentious weeks leading to the annual Oscars ceremony, the nominations have yet again been rife with the bold letter controversy that populates the news headlines and front pages of drama magazines. Leading the charge was the snubbing of Warner Brothers smash hit film Barbie, which, in its extensive advertisement and award campaign, managed to rack up nine Golden Globe nominations (winning two) and gross $1,450,000,000 internationally at the box office. Yet, the film has failed to accomplish a dominating grasp on Oscar nominations, with the film placing fourth overall in nominations behind Oppenheimer (13), Poor Things (11), and Killers Of The Flower Moon (10). At the same time, Barbie still holds an impressive eight nominations, but fans of the film have been up in arms about the Academy Members failing to nominate Greta Gerwig for her role as director of the film and failing to nominate Margot Robbie for her jaw-dropping performance as the iconic doll, which, in many regards, has brought the brand’s recognition to new heights. On the other side of the spectrum, we have seen an increasing number of nominations for foreign films ever since the world-stopping four wins for Parasite at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020. This year, the Foreign Film nominations have been split between the French production Anatomy Of A Fall and the joint production between the UK and Poland entitled The Zone Of Interest. Anatomy Of A Fall is a courtroom drama surrounding a woman accused of murdering her husband, with their blind son serving as the sole witness to the crime. The film has been an enormous critical success with the film winning the highly coveted and respected Palme D'or handed out annually at the Cannes Film Festival. The Zone Of Interest has been successful in its own right, with the film marking the return of indie darling director Johnathan Glazer after a 10-year hiatus. The film is based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Martin Amis. The film follows prominent Nazi Party commander Rudolf Höss, who plans to build a house and garden straight from his dream life right next to the concentration camp that he rules with an iron fist. This year’s Oscars will start controversy no matter the results and continue the long-running tradition of angering a movie-loving public. 28 | THE HOOF PRINT
CAN MUSIC REALLY INFLUENCE OUR EMOTIONS AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN SCHOOL? BY JALEXI HUCKEBA
The answer is yes! Unsurprisingly, music plays a huge role in our everyday lives. Most students tend to listen to music with their earbuds in class, walking in the halls, or at any time of the day. So, out of curiosity, I asked a few fellow Mustangs from our school, Middle Creek High School, for their thoughts on how music has an impact on their school lives. Caroll Johnson, one of our adored English teachers, has worked at MCHS for about 10 years. She enjoys music and says music is important to her. She said, “I grew up singing at church and school.” Mrs. Johnson believes music is unique to each person. For example, she states, “Music that calms me down is going to be completely different from what calms you down.” Additionally, Mrs. Johnson loves to play music in class but doesn’t create the setlists she plays. Instead, she has students suggest songs on a Google Form; then, she makes a YouTube playlist. “One extra bonus about doing this is that students have actually requested artists that I end up loving.” On the other hand, Mrs. Johnson doesn’t believe that when students have headphones of any sort, they do well in class, especially during instructional time. Another point she makes is that she doesn’t mind students listening to music or using their phones during independent work, but she finds it frustrating when they ask what we’re doing 15 minutes after something is assigned because they were listening to music. One comment she made that really stuck with me was how this is a universal issue, not just for teenagers. Society will say that teenagers are addicted to their phones, but I bet any person could be accused of the same behavior as well. Student-athletes Yasir Hall and Camden Morris gave similar answers to the question of whether music affects your emotions and grades. They both agreed that different music genres can make you feel depressed, provoked, or cheerful. Yasir believes that though listening to music in class can both distract you or benefit you, it really just depends on how you use it. Yasir likes to listen to artists like Yeat to get him ready for a basketball or football game. Camden likes to use music to hype herself up before going to cheer for a game to put her in an exciting mood. She also includes that there is a difference between the teacher playing music for the class and people personally playing music in their headphones. This topic has brought a lot of questions as to whether we should be able to use our phones to listen to music in school and if it is beneficial or if students would take advantage of it. Having music connected to our emotions is a pretty cool thing about humans that most people take for granted. Music can definitely be used to our advantage in study spaces, work, or anywhere in your life. So, to answer the question, “Can music really influence our emotions and academic success in school?” My answer would be that your grades are affected by how much you pay attention in class rather than music, specifically correlating with academic success. THE HOOF PRINT | 29
MCHS STUDENTS MAKE THEIR SUPER BOWL PICKS BY JACOB LEWIS
As the NFL season comes to an end, we get one last game: the Super Bowl. Two teams left, and only one will walk away with the Vince Lombardi trophy. The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs are the two teams left. In today's article, we asked people who their pick is for the Super Bowl and what they think the final score will be. In an interview with Chaz Hunt, we asked him who he thought would win, and he believes that the Chiefs will easily beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Chaz had this to say about the Chiefs: “I believe that the Chiefs have had an up and down season, but they always show up come playoff time.” We also asked Chaz who the key player was going to be for each team, and he said that Travis Kelce would be the one that would stand out the most because of the support he would get from not only the Chief fans but also the fans of Taylor Swift. He also said that for the 49ers, if Brock Purdy does not start hot, the 49ers will fall behind and potentially be out of the game. Finally, Chaz believes the final score will be 24-10, Chiefs. In another interview, we asked Brayden Logelin who he thought would win the Super Bowl; he believes that the 49ers will win. When asked who he thought would be the key player for both sides, he said that Christian McCaffrey would be the critical player because “he has been the best running back in the league and the most dynamic player when he is on the field.” He also said Patrick Mahomes will be the key player for the Chiefs because he always finds a way to win in the playoffs. Finally, Brayden believes that the final score will be 24-21, 49ers. In conclusion, people seem to be split because of how good each team is. Each team has outstanding players that will make it harder for you to stop one team from scoring. Both teams also have excellent offensive power to score touchdowns. Overall, it seems that people believe this game will be very competitive and very close. It may come down to a game-winning field goal for one side. One thing is sure: one team will be walking away with the Vince Lombardi trophy. THE HOOF PRINT | 31
LAMAR JACKSON AND THE RAVENS COME UP SHORT AGAIN BY SAM MOSER
On January 28th, 2024, the Baltimore Ravens played the Kansas City Chiefs at their home stadium for the AFC championship game and lost 17-10. The Ravens were being called the team of destiny this year with the league MVP Lamar Jackson. As well as that, many of the Chiefs players were injured and the Ravens had all of their guys coming into this game. The Ravens had no excuse to lose this game at all. The Baltimore Ravens showed a lack of discipline and effort in this game. This was the perfect opportunity for the Ravens to win another Super Bowl, but they lost to the more experienced Chiefs. This next season, the Ravens need to discipline themselves, and Lamar Jackson needs to step up when it matters the most because this team is constantly falling apart in the playoffs. During this game versus the Chiefs, Jackson constantly tried to make a throw he couldn't make instead of running like he usually does. Jackson should have done that instead of trying to prove his critics wrong, saying he can not pass from the pocket. Jackson was playing without confidence and not up to his standards in the AFC championship game. Lamar Jackson is not the only player to blame for their failure, as many players on the Ravens showed a huge lack of discipline. For example, Zay Flowers nearly caught a touchdown but fumbled before he made it into the end zone. To make this worse, Zay Flowers got a flag for taunting. When you play the Chiefs, you can not let your emotions get to you. The Chiefs will get biased calls from the refs, but that doesn't mean you should start complaining. You see Travis Kelce taunting you, and you know if you touch him, you're going to get a flag on your team, but when you still start fighting with him, that shows a lack of discipline, that's getting emotional. Baltimore has a well-built team, and now some more experience in the playoffs. The Ravens can now learn from this experience in the next playoffs. The Ravens need to get these issues resolved before their time frame for a Super Bowl runs out.
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THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES’ SEASON COMES TO AN ABRUPT END BY CASEY JACOB
The Philadelphia Eagles started the season with a 10-1 record. As the defending NFC Champions headed into what looked like their second Super Bowl appearance in a row, things took a turn for the worse—losing five of the last six games, most notably to the 3-12 Cardinals and 5-11 Giants, making the same mistakes every game with missed tackles and terrible offensive coordination. After every game, Jalen Hurts would say, "We have to learn from our mistakes,” but they never did. This caused the team to lose motivation and spiral just in time for the playoffs! This is how they lost to the most mediocre team in the playoffs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with a 9-8 record. The Eagles have experienced their share of home-stretch faceplants in a nine-decade history filled with far more heartbreak than glory – 2014 under Chip Kelly, 1994 under Rich Kotite, 1981 under Dick Vermeil and 1961 under Nick Skorich. Unfortunately, none of these were as bad as this year's collapse. So how did this happen? Starting with the 2022-2023 season ending with a Super Bowl loss, what happened after might have been worse than the loss. The offensive (Shane Steichen) and defensive (Jonathan Gannon) coordinators got picked up by the Colts and the Cardinals for their noticeable skill. Their replacements were Brian Johnson and Sean Desai. We are already off to a risky start, with 20232024 being Johnson's first year as a coordinator. After replacing the coordinators, two key defensive players became free agents after the 2022-2023 season, CJ Gardner-Johnson and Javon Hargrave. There was a significant loss in the defense, with no other pieces to fit the puzzle in those positions, sspecially in the last 7 games of the Eagles’ 2023-2024 season. Even with arguably the best offense in the league carrying over to the 2023-2024 season with no proper coordinator to hone in their massive potential and no defense to cover a scoring battle each week, the season ended abruptly for the Birds. Will they make the necessary changes next season to become Super Bowl competitors? Time will tell!
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BRONCOS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE base, which is called Broncos Country, has been waiting for a playoff season. The team has failed every YEARS AFTER SUPER BOWL 50 season, with the best chance coming in 2023-24 after
For the past couple of years, the Denver Broncos fan
BY ASHTON JACKOVICH
going 8-9. The team still had a good season despite not making the playoffs. They went on a five-game win streak, and in that win streak they beat 4 playoff teams, including the Chiefs, who they haven’t beaten since week 2 of the 2015 season.
The only thing that has stayed good has been the defense, which shows in them having the most takeaways in the 2023-24 season with 22. They also had 15 takeaways in a four-game stretch, which is the most since 1989. The Broncos defense has always been the strong suit of the team. For example, when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50, the defense, which was called the ‘’No Fly Zone,” carried the Broncos in the game against the Panthers. With the defense causing four turnovers in that game, one of the fumbles fell into the endzone which led to a Broncos touchdown. During the 2022 season, Broncos safety Justin Simmons tied for first in the league for interceptions with 6 in a season, even though he missed some games due to injury. After Peyton Manning retired, the offense fell off badly, leading to 13 QB changes. Russell Wilson, who is the most recent QB, didn’t do horrible last year, but he has a Broncos record of 11-19, which isn’t good. The team has also had three head coaches since Super Bowl 50. Current head coach Sean Payton is showing he hopefully has a promising future for the team. The Broncos are missing a super elite route runner at the wide receiver position. Courtland Sutton stepped up from his previous season, catching 10 touchdowns, which was tied for fourth in the league. However, he only had 772 yards, which was 44th in the league. This is not good for a number-one wide receiver. For the 2024 draft, Broncos Country is hoping to get a good QB and more linemen to help Garett Bolles as well as stop people from getting to the backfield. It would also be nice for a good wide receiver to come in, as well as more good defensive players that could play on the defensive line. Some QB’s in the draft that would be beneficial to have are Caleb Willams, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and Jayden Daniels. The Broncos have the 12th pick in the draft, so they might not be able to get the best QB, but they definitely should be able to get someone who will be good in the NFL.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR WOMEN’S LAX TRYOUTS BY MARY LOHMEYER
February 14th is a day that many people have highlighted on their calendars as Valentine's Day. For the Middle Creek High School’s women’s lacrosse team, however, the day marks the first day of tryouts and the start of the lacrosse season. On the 14th and 15th of February, on the field across from the community center, the MCHS women’s lacrosse team is holding tryouts for the spring season. Regardless of skill or experience in the sport, any under- or upperclassmen girls are eligible to try out. Most of the players at the school begin their first year on the team without any experience. Allyson Schreibeck, an MCHS sophomore, tried out without any prior experience. She states, “I showed up to one of the preseason workouts. Everyone was welcoming, and from there, the lacrosse team was just something I really wanted to be a part of.” After making the team, Allyson played attack and had a blast. By the end of the season, she considered her fellow players “more of a family than a team.” She plans to play again this year. Players practice hard, learn new skills, compete against other high schools, and enjoy spending time together both on and off the field. Not only is the MCHS women’s lacrosse team a great community, but the team managed to make the playoffs last year. The team’s successful performance showcases its potential, especially as the new season starts. Come join the team and help us reach new heights this season! To participate in tryouts, you need to bring a girl’s lacrosse stick, goggles, cleats, and a mouthguard. Along with this, your Dragonfly needs to be cleared with an up-to-date physical. More information regarding tryouts can be found on the team’s Instagram page @mchsglax. Hope to see you there! THE HOOF PRINT | 35
MUSTANGS LACROSSE WORKS TO BE BACK ON TOP BY JAYCE KONOWITZ
The Middle Creek men's lacrosse team: a team that has accumulated 122 wins and only 9 losses since the program's first state championship in 2017. They’ve won 6 conference championships and 2 state championships, the most recent coming in 2022. Every year, it just seems like the team can rebuild with new players, led by veterans. The 2023 team came just short of making their second consecutive state championship appearance after a loss to Cardinal Gibbons, a frequent playoff opponent. When speaking to the program's head coach, Nick Holota, about what continues to make the program so strong, he stated, “We have over 20 alumni currently on college lacrosse rosters, and that means each year we are replacing key players and multi-year contributors. But what I've learned is that there is an excitement for new players to find their role and voice within the program.” He added, “I enjoy watching players see an opening, no matter how big or small that it is, and work to fill it. I truly believe that everyone in our program is bringing value each time they take the field, even though sometimes they don't even recognize at the moment what that value is.” As the team's schedule is released, they have one of the most challenging schedules in the state. The team plays in the SWAC, South Wake Athletic Conference, which last year had five of its eight teams make the playoffs. The captains for this year's squad are midfielder Landon Greenberg, faceoff specialist Carter Kryszak, goalie Dylan Axman, and defenseman Jadon McKenzie. When speaking to Carter Kryszak about what the vision is for 2024, he said, “I feel like a lot of the players have a chip on their shoulder. I feel as if a lot of the people who weren’t seniors accredited themselves for the loss, myself included. Everyone is just here to work as hard as they can to try and get back to the state championship.” With these captains winning a state championship in their sophomore seasons, I was wondering what it would mean to win one in their senior year. Jadon Mckenzie expressed his thoughts by saying, “It would be my second, but being in a leadership position rather than a kind of role player would mean a great deal to me. Being able to go out with a bang and laying a pathway down for those following behind me would mean so much.” When I asked Landon Greenberg about leaders, such as himself, about stepping up, he had this to say: “Every year we lose players and leaders. This year it happens to be my year to have to be one of those leaders and step up, so I’m going to try my best to continue the great leadership we’ve had each year.” With new leaders, the Mustangs seek greatness to try and put their name back on the throne. That journey begins against Willow Springs on February 28th.
36 | THE HOOF PRINT
WHOM SHOULD THE CAROLINA HURRICANES TARGET TO MAKE THEMSELVES A TRUE CONTENDER? BY LIAM DEBRAUWER
The Carolina Hurricanes remain one of the most dominant teams in the NHL, with a record of 28-15-5 and sit in 2nd place in the Metropolitan Division as of January 30, 2024. Despite the good start the Canes have had, they still have many very important pieces missing that will be needed to go on a long playoff run. The Hurricanes’ biggest hole in their lineup is in goal. Both of the Canes goalies have had injuries. Initially, the starter, Frederik Andersen, was out indefinitely with a blood clotting issue. His backup, Antti Raanta, struggles to perform at the NHL level while dealing with consistent injuries. This leaves second-year goalie Pyotr Kochetkov as the starter, with minor league veteran Spencer Martin backing him up. Both of these goalies are capable of performing at the NHL level, but I think the playoffs will be difficult for them. Some potential options the Canes have would be Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames, Petr Mrazek of the Chicago Blackhawks, and John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks. The best, and most likely, is Jacob Markstrom, who plays for the Calgary Flames. The Flames are 2222-5 and stand at sixth in the Pacific division and are well out of a playoff spot. The Flames have no need to have an all-star goalie on their team if they are not going to the playoffs. If the Hurricanes are going to make a move to acquire him, I think they should trade this year's first-round draft pick and prospect Ryan Suzuki. Suzuki, a former first round draft pick, has dealt with injury issues over his young career and is currently playing in the AHL. A change of scenery would be beneficial for Suzuki, and he would have a better chance of making the Flames’ starting lineup. The second issue the Canes face is the lack of a true goal scorer. While players like Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Teuvo Teravenein are all very good players, they are not true scorers and have more of a playmaker and two-way game. Some players who have been rumored to be available are Frank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks, Vladimir Taresenko of the Ottawa Senators, and Patrick Kane of the Detroit Red Wings. The most affordable option would be Frank Vatrano, who would fit perfectly with the Canes shoot first system. He would also be relatively cheap since Anaheim is not a good team and would be interested in moving a breakout player for future assets. I think Canes forward Jack Drury and a third round pick will be enough to get Vatrano to Raleigh. The Hurricanes are a very good team and have a very deep team. They are only a few small moves away from being the best team in the NHL and dominating teams in the postseason and beyond.
THE HOOF PRINT | 37