Monticello Review - TJ Student Newspaper - Issue 2 (3.27.26)

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 2026

VOL. 2

Monticello Review Welcome back from Spring Break, and congratulations on finishing quarter three! As we begin quarter four, I hope that our newly named paper, “Monticello Review”, will help to provide a much-needed break from the everyday stressors as the year comes to a close. This issue is all about our community and what makes ours such a special one. We take a look at the big buddy little buddy events, an interview with Mrs. Davidson, and Ciera’s perspective on switching to private from public school. We also recap the end of the basketball season for both boys and girls, a season that has always been near and dear to our hearts and the TJ community overall. Additionally, we take a look at global issues affecting our community, such as the war in Iran, and even more local events in the Joplin community featuring one of our own, Coach Eldridge. I hope that as you read the February-March edition, you are reminded of how connected we are, even in our small bubble here at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School.

-Emmie Sweeny, Editor in Chief

Give us your feedback!

Please fill out the information on our QR code.

Special Contributors Editor in Chief: Emmie Sweeny Content Editor: Autumn Schisler Formatting Editor: Esther Yang Archivist: Sophia Stinnett

Table of Contents 01

AT FIRST GLANCE Issue Overview —Letter from the Editor, by Emmie Sweeny

06 THE HEARTBEAT School Life

12 THE CREATIVE COLLECTIVE

—The Buddy System: A Tradition That Unites Us, by Jenna Joseph —World Culture Club, by Sarah Cole

Art & Creative Writing —Black History Month Feature: The Journey of Jerome Eldridge, by Jerome Eldridge —Tomorrow’s Headline, by Iley Dunlavy —Puppy Love, by Lively Stewart

02 PLANTING SEEDS College Spotlight.

—University of Missouri, by Jon Emery

08 IN GOOD COMPANY Interview —Growing a Community: A Conversation with Mrs. Terri Davidson, by Autumn Schisler

03 JUST AROUND THE CORNER Local Events —Hard to Love: Plans Underway for Data Center in Joplin, by Abigail Riley —Accomplishments, by Sophia Stinnett

04 LONG DISTANCE —Not Just Headlines: Why the Iran Conflict Matters, by Ava Farris

10

MAKING CONNECTIONS Perspectives —The Switch: Going From Public School to TJ, by Ciera Ancell —Open Mic: Choosing the Perfect Perfume, by Sol

14 FINAL BUZZER Sports —Content written and provided by Jack Twiss —Photos provided by Lincoln Green

16 GAME NIGHT Puzzles, games, and more!

—Content written and provided by Peter Draxler

2

VOL. 2

PAGE LEAD: JENNA JOSEPH EDITOR: MADELYN RO

College Spotlight By: Mr. Emery Shortly after this newspaper was created, I was asked to contribute a regular column highlighting a college or college access topic. The seniors can attest that I don’t play favorites with my alma mater, but under the circumstances, there’s no better way to kick off the college column than by highlighting Mizzou. After all, our state’s flagship university is where journalism and higher ed first overlapped.

The University of Missouri can claim several historic firsts. Founded in 1839, Mizzou was the first public institution west of the Mississippi River. It was the birthplace of the modern Homecoming in 1911. And just 3 years prior, in 1908, Mizzou founded the world’s first School of Journalism. They were the first to offer a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in journalism and are still regarded among the top J-schools in the world today. Every faculty member is a former or current journalist; several have won the Pulitzer Prize. Students experience the industry by working in any of six professional newsrooms and two advertising agencies.

Whether anchoring the news on an NBC affiliate station to half a million viewers, developing an ad campaign for a major corporate client, reporting from the Olympics where Mizzou athletes compete at the highest level, or anything in between, every Mizzou J-School graduate leaves with a full-fledged professional resume. MU JSchool students routinely win over 500 industry awards annually, not against other students from other colleges, but against professionals in the field. Many grads stick around for the accelerated master’s in journalism, while others head straight to new careers. And though pathways are diverse, graduates enjoy a 99% successful outcome rate.

And so, if you’re yearning for more after participating in this publication, consider the School of Journalism at Mizzou. Whether you find yourself writing for The Missourian for hundreds of thousands of subscribers, or in any other Mizzou newsroom, you’ll kickstart a successful career in journalism where it all began 118 years ago.

VOL. 2

3

PAGE LEAD: AVA FARRIS EDITOR: NATHAN COLE

just around the corner Hard to Love: Plans Underway for Data Center in Joplin By: Abigail Riley An AI data center has been the focus of Joplin City Council meetings for weeks. At the start of the new year, a proposal was made to build the center after Jimmer Pinjiv, owner of Wildwood Ranch Estate in western Joplin, proposed annexing 540 acres of land for the project. Wildwood Ranch is located in west Joplin, and it is home to apartment complexes, neighborhoods, nursing homes, and rehabilitation facilities Sources: that would be affected by this establishment. The proposal has since been approved by the councilmen of Joplin, with a vote of 6-3. Citizens of Joplin have joined the Joplin Sustainable Technology Association in protesting the AI data center Missouri Coalition for the proposal, saying they have had little input in the decision. The group has also called Environment for a moratorium, a temporary halt to the project’s progress. Many people inside KZRG Radio these communities have expressed concern about the change, as data centers can KOAM News take 1–5 million gallons of water per day and consume annually enough energy to power 100,000 homes. Additionally, the construction of this center will destroy Columbia Riverkeeper habitats for animals living in the area and produce wastewater with chemicals and Environmental and Energy other pollutants. Citizens have voiced concerns for an increase in electricity and Study Institute water bills, but Pinjav has since said that Senate Bill no. 4 was put into law which would “protect the rate base from having any potential impact from this development.” However, the writing in this bill expresses that there will be no protection from an increase in energy bills and even allows energy companies to charge customers during construction, before they even produce any energy. The February 17th council meeting voted 7-2 to annex the land, and the Joplin Sustainable Technology Alliance have now begun collecting signatures to enact a moratorium.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Quiz bowl By: Sophia Stinnett

The team after winning TJ’s first conference title in six years

1st Place trophy from the Fairgrove Novice Tournament

Grayson Bruffet (left) and Nathan Cole (right) made the AllConference team

On February 25th, the Thomas Jefferson Quiz Bowl team took first place against New Heights in the Ozark Seven tournament, with a score of 500-290 in the final game of the tournament. That match was one of the fiercest matches the team has ever played.

In the second half, Thomas Jefferson scored 330 points to New Heights’s 70—pushing the team from losing to a win of over 200 points—with fourteen toss ups in a row. This marks the first time Thomas Jefferson has won Ozark Seven since 2020.

In other news, both Nathan Cole, the team captain, and Grayson Bruffet qualified for all conference.

The team continued their strong run by winning the Fairgrove Novice Tournament, and placing second at the Strafford Invitational Tournament.

4

VOL. 2

IIr Iran ra an n By: Ava Farris

T T

Updated 3/26/26

Not Just Headlines: Why the Iran Conflict Matters

PAGE LEAD: AVA FARRIS EDITOR: NATHAN COLE

This conflict isn’t just about faraway countries. It affects energy prices, international trade, and global security. The ongoing war between United States, Israel, and Iran has already involved missile strikes, drone attacks, and damage to key oil routes, pushing the region closer to a wider war.

Even within the U.S., lawmakers are debating how much power the president should have to conduct military actions abroad. Gulf nations are adjusting their security strategies, relying more on U.S. protection to stay safe as attacks on bases and energy infrastructure increase.

he United States and Iran As the conflict continues to escalate, have had a tense the death of Ali Khamenei has relationship for decades, but triggered a major shift in power in recent events have pushed Tehran. Although a successor has this rivalry into a dangerous now been formally named, new phase. What once uncertainty remains over how seemed like distant political authority will actually be exercised tension now has global and how Iran will respond both consequences that reach far internally and externally. President beyond the Middle East.

Donald Trump has made headlines For years, the U.S. and Iran by stating that the United States should be involved in shaping Iran’s have clashed over nuclear leadership, explicitly rejecting the programs, sanctions, and legitimacy of Mojtaba Khamenei Gulf nations like Saudi regional influence. Things taking control.

Trump described Arabia, Bahrain, and escalated after the U.S. left Mojtaba as “unacceptable” in Oman are rapidly adjusting the 2015 nuclear deal in their security strategies as 2018. While recent attempts remarks to Axios and compared the the U.S.–Iran conflict at diplomacy offered hope, situation to past U.S. involvement in political transitions abroad. His intensifies. Many are disagreements over Iran’s increasing reliance on U.S. nuclear activities and U.S. comments reflect an unusually direct attempt to influence Iran’s internal military support while also demands prevented a real affairs, a move that critics argue strengthening local defenses breakthrough. raises serious ethical and strategic to counter growing threats.

In late February 2026, the concerns. While Mojtaba has been These shifts highlight how situation turned explosive. declared Supreme Leader, reports interconnected global The U.S. and Israel carried indicate that power remains divided security has become, as this out strikes on Iranian and unclear, with ongoing instability conflict is already military and nuclear sites, continuing to shape the situation. impacting the stability of reportedly killing Iran’s entire regions and the daily Supreme Leader. Iran lives of millions worldwide. retaliated with missile and drone attacks, targeting The Associated Press U.S. forces and allies in the Axios Reuters region. Shipping lanes like BBC The Economist the Strait of Hormuz were Al Monitor The Guardian disrupted, sending oil prices

Sources

higher worldwide.

VOL. 2

5

Joplin’s favorite photo booth experience.

Packages as low as $397!

6

VOL. 2

PAGE LEAD: JENNA JOSEPH EDITOR: MADELYN RO

The Buddy System: A Tradition That Unites Us By: Jenna Joseph Every year, TJ hosts an all-school picnic, an event that celebrates our entire school and focuses on strengthening bonds within our community. How exactly do they do this? By creating a big buddy little-buddy system, where grades 6-11 are big buddies and grades PK-5 are little buddies. Each class is paired up with another, and within those classes, older students and younger students are also paired up.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the little buddies to look up to the bigger buddies as role models.” says Michelle Razo, sophomore. Being a big buddy puts you in a role that encourages leadership and patience in ways that cannot be taught solely in a classroom.

To keep this tradition strong throughout the whole year, the upper school Student Council also hosts three buddy events: one before winter break, spring break, and at the end of the year. These are usually held during 8th hour and for 45 minutes little buddies get to connect with their big buddies, whether it’s through crafting or playing outside.

“It’s chaotic but really rewarding at the end of the day.” Say Esther Yang, junior and press secretary of the student council.

“Setting up and planning the experiences for the little buddies to have with the older kids is really fulfilling because the little buddies always look forward to the events and seeing their big buddies.”

“It’s a chance to bring us all together in a different environment.”

– Michelle Razo, Sophomore It’s unspoken, but generally for the all-school picnic, big buddies often bring treats or little stuffed animals for their little buddies. These gestures are small but never overlooked. “My buddy got me a barbie doll. I was really excited,” said Gina Badawi, a kindergartener. When asked to describe the allschool picnic with one word, she enthusiastically said, “Very happy.”

What starts as a responsibility turns into a genuine connection throughout the year as big and little buddies often see each other in the halls. Beyond the crafts, the buddy system reinforces a strong sense of community in a school divided by grade levels. It reminds us that TJ is a unified campus.

Year after year, the all-school picnic proves how strong the buddy system has remained after all this time through laughter, games, and true connections. As the year fizzles out, the buddy events remain something for big and little buddies to look forward to.

7

VOL. 2

PAGE LEAD: JENNA JOSEPH EDITOR: MADELYN RO

World Culture Club By: Sarah Cole Last year, a senior named Warda Morsey founded the World Culture Club. The club established itself quietly with meetings in the library during lunch on every other Thursday. From the start, Warda was passionate about the club and the mission behind it. Little by little, more people started coming to the meetings. Soon, the club was known throughout the school as students and teachers shared parts of their culture. Warda entrusted three upcoming seniors to become the new leaders—Jenna Joseph, Vini Villarinho, and Sarah Cole.

At every meeting, we have the chance to see what Warda’s mission is: enlightening and uniting others. This club lets students enjoy and learn about other cultures without needing to be in a language class. It pushes back against assumptions about other cultures, whether that is in class, at home, or in public. This helps students and teachers be more open to what makes each person unique by prompting them to share their experiences.

The club has changed its meeting place from the library to the language lab, but it still meets during lunch biweekly and has the same goal. Students can open up about their heritage through various discussion topics that are introduced at the start of the session. Past topics have included New Year traditions across various cultures, birthday celebrations, and traditional clothing. Along with sharing facts and stories, we enjoy food. Students can snack on homemade chocolate cake, Korean snacks, and Dubai chocolate. At the end of each semester, we all come together and have a potluck: a celebration where each student brings a dish from their culture.

8

VOL. 2

PAGE LEAD: EMMIE SWEENY EDITOR: AUTUMN SCHISLER

Growing a Community A Conversation with Mrs. Terri Davidson By: Autumn Schisler The question of who would be the subject of this month’s interview was in the air for a long time, but, finally, we decided the perfect person was someone right under our noses, someone who embodied the community at TJ while we all walk by and wave while other things occupy our busy minds. Mrs. Terri Davidson has worked in the school we call home for 27 years—for most of its thirtythree year existence, and longer than any student currently here has been alive.

Every day when students and parents walk in the front door, she watches through the office and greets each one with a smile; every time you sign out, every time you’re late, she maintains a stable and cheerful presence while keeping tabs on everything that’s going on.

Mrs. Davidson describes her job at TJ as “many things, but the main thing is communicating in many different scenarios—to students, parents, teachers, administrators, etc.” That constant flow of communication, however, doesn’t just stay at the desk when we all go home. She recalls that back when her family still used a landline at home, she reached a point where she simply refused to answer it in the evenings.

After eight hours of being the school’s main communicator, she was, quite literally, “talked out”.

Mrs. Davidson has seen the school building double in size, its students nearly double in number, and each one has experienced TJ’s “top-notch education” as it “shapes student minds every day”. Among these students was once her own daughter, Summer, (class of ’08), who attended the school for 12 years.

Mr. & Mrs. Davidson with Summer as she is sworn in as an attorney in Jefferson City

Not only is Mrs. Davidson central to the inner workings of the school, the school has long been central to her own life and her family. This dual perspective—both an employee and a TJ parent— gives her a unique lens on the community, measuring the years not in quarters or semesters, but in generations of students who become part of TJ’s legacy, one after another.

The things that stood out as most special to her, she noted, was “being around the students and interacting with them—watching them grow throughout the years and become young adults”.

Additionally, just like how TJ students build relationships lasting beyond high school and college, her workplace has “so many great coworkers who have become good friends…just the overall care that we have for each other.” She emphasized that the faculty all have a common goal: helping the students achieve their fullest potential and succeed in life.

“Among all of us, the parents, teachers, and staff, the top priority is always the students. We are all working together for the same purpose.”

VOL. 2

9

PAGE LEAD: EMMIE SWEENY EDITOR: AUTUMN SCHISLER

When Mrs. Davidson was asked for an interview, she didn’t lead with her own achievements or experiences. Instead, she handed me a folder with three “little reminders” typed out for TJ students after her 27 years here: “Treat your fellow students with kindness. You never know what they might be going through; Appreciate your parents. You are at TJ because they want what’s best for you; and finally, ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ will take you further in life than you can imagine.”

This collection of advice is perhaps the most revealing part of Mrs. Davidson’s story. In a time where an interview is often seen as a platform for self-promotion, she chose to use her moment in the spotlight to look outward. Her decision to hand over a folder of reminders rather than a list of personal accolades speaks to the very caring community she cited as her favorite part of TJ. These three pillars—kindness, appreciation, and basic manners— epitomize the evolution of children into the young adults they become, and the ways teachers see us grow and become the best version of ourselves outside TJ’s walls.

Mrs. Davidson has been at school’s front doors long enough to see how the academic world has become over time the family we have made at this school. Her advice wasn’t academic advice; it was a reminder that the most important thing is to be a kind person and do good, even after our time here. It shows that no matter how far we get, we, as rising citizens of the world should never forget how to make a positive impact on the world immediately around us.

“Friendships that are created at TJ last a lifetime.”

We’re always rushing toward the next big thing, getting lost in the noise and stress of it all, as our teachers, administrators, and staff remain the steady heartbeat of the building. With that, I would like to express my gratitude to all of those people, including Mrs. Davidson for this interview, for making life at TJ possible, and recognizing that a “top-notch education” is more than acceptance to a great college, more than a 5 on an AP exam, it is a way of treating one another —a skill we can all afford to spend a little more time on, because there are few things more important than the people around us.

Elaine Taylor (former TJ registrar), Terri Davidson, and Debie Donica in 2005

VOL. 2

10

PAGE LEAD: AUTUMN SCHISLER EDITOR: NATHAN COLE

“The Making Connections Switch” B

GOING FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL TO TJ

BY CIERA ANCELL

eing in different school environments has shown me how much school culture shapes the way students learn. While all schools teach content, not all schools teach in ways that feel meaningful or prepare students to grow. From my perspective, that difference has become clear at Thomas Jefferson.

At my previous school, we did learn material, but much of it didn’t feel important or connected to real growth. The focus often felt more like completing assignments than understanding why the learning mattered. Because of that, many students weren’t very motivated. When lessons don’t feel useful, it’s easy for students to stop caring about the effort they put in.

TJ feels different to me because learning seems to have a purpose here. Teachers expect students to engage, think, and take responsibility for their work.

That expectation changes the atmosphere. When effort is expected and learning feels meaningful, students tend to take themselves and their education more seriously.

Another factor can be found at the school itself, school pride. At TJ, it appears that the students feel honored to be representatives of their school in academic, athletic, or extracurricular practices. This sense of pride leads to accountability on the part of the students to be present with purpose.

One could say that the level of pressure at TJ is too high and that students actually perform better in an atmosphere that is not as stressful. This is a fair point; stress is an element that exists in all aspects of life, and not all students respond well to that stressful environment. I think that the difference here is that there is a difference between being challenged without support and being challenged with purpose at TJ. No school is ever perfect, and TJ could improve as well. However, in my view, schools that emphasize valuable learning and require students to put in effort can help students live up to those requirements. It is what distinguishes Thomas Jefferson from my view.

VOL. 2

11

PAGE LEAD: AUTUMN SCHISLER

open mic

EDITOR: ESTHER YANG

Advice in response to anonymous student issues Q: New year new me, right? I want to get into self love some more, and saw somebody talking about how perfumes made them more confident. How do you pick out a perfume?

-Aroma Amateur A: Good for you on your new years resolution—and better yet that you managed to catch the eye of one of our columnists who knows a lot (probably too much) about perfume. It’s not very complicated and not complicated at all, which sounds oxymoric, and is. Smells change per person, and certain profiles will mix or conflict with a person— whether through their personality or through their chemistry.

Even so, there’s some basics that everybody can know about. Perfumes, Colognes, Eau de Toilettes, all of them function on a ratio of one smell to another—which are called scent notes.

The top note is the one that stands out the most. Maybe it's the strong floral scent of your friend’s favorite that you only smell when you see them put it on. They don’t last very long, but they tend to define the smell.

Next, are the middle notes. There are the parts of the smell that most people remember liking after wearing—or noticing that they hate hours after applying.

Then finally, below that, is the base note.

The sandalwood that ties it all together, or the musk (yes, an actual smell—and it doesn’t smell bad,) that makes sure it’s not all superficial smelling.

These notes can be sorted into families of smells, too.

Woody smells are, well, woody. Florals are floral—though not usually like your grandmother’s perfume.

Fresh notes are more like the herbal smelling shampoo or something more natural. Finally, the amber family smells smoky, richer, complex—personally, my favorite—with smells like vanilla or leather pulling more of a sophisticated style.

Now then—you know the notes, you know the families, but how the heck do you find out how to pick one? Well— you guess.

QUESTION QUESTION SUBMISSION SUBMISSION BOX BOX IN IN US US LIBRARY! LIBRARY! Helpful, I know. But figure out what smells you like, or want to smell like.

Maybe you want to feel academic—in which case I’d recommend something woodier, with maybe some sophisticated magnolia and amber. Or maybe you want to come off as fun loving—in which case fresh scents like pineapple and other citruses as a top note should be your focus.

Personally, I cannot stand most floral smells, so I tend towards unisex scent colognes or perfumes (which, fun fact, is a term meaning the concentration of the smell, not the gender of its wearer.)

My skin also tends to turn many spells spicier and deeper than others, so many floral scents just don’t turn out right— but I know a lot of people who smell great with florals and would probably hate my favorite smell of leather and blood oranges.

So, Anonymous, your final answer is this: find what smells you like, test some of your friends/parents/store perfume to see if it interacts well, and pay attention to the specific ingredients they name.

Good luck!

--Sol

VOL. 2

12

PAGE LEAD: AUDREY BOWLES EDITOR: ESTHER YANG

The Journey The Journey of of Jerome Jerome Eldridge Eldridge “When I was a kid, I just started drawing. Nothing really inspired it that I know of. One day I picked up a pencil and started drawing birds and landscapes. In high school I won some awards for my art, but never first place. I had the opportunity to go to college on an art scholarship, but I turned it down for a football scholarship which brought me from Texas to Missouri. I guess Bob Ross inspired my interest in landscapes, even though that work is not shown in this exhibit.

As an adult, I started drawing and painting again in my spare time. It became a hobby—something to ease my mind and give me peace. I didn’t do it for years, until this year when I painted my first grandson.

My work is about people and stories that are often forgotten.

The Forgotten Miner represents Black miners whose contributions helped shape America and our local area, but whose names were often left out of history. Sports is another subject in my work. Michael Jordan was my favorite basketball player, and the Bulls were my favorite championship team. The basketball theme also represents Joplin’s multi-year state championship team.

Artist is one title amongst many, but one that I hold dear.”

-Jerome Eldridge

February is recognized as Black History Month, a time to honor the accomplishments, sacrifices, and lasting impact of African Americans in U.S. history. The Joplin Public Library celebrated the month with an annual art exhibit, featuring art by Jerome Eldridge.

13

VOL. 2

T he C

PAGE LEAD: AUDREY BOWLES

e v i r e a tiv e C o llect

EDITOR: ESTHER YANG

Short Story: Tomorrow’s Headline” By: Iley Dunlavy Iley is a sophomore who enjoys dancing and writing.

Her short story “Tomorrow’s Headline” will be published in an upcoming edition of “Young Writer’s Anthology: Stranger Sagas.”

Art:

I trudged through the rain to my mailbox, hoping for something – anything- exciting. Nothing is ever exciting in this town. My days are blurred; cubical walls and screen glow is all my life consists of. But maybe today will be different. I pull a rain-soaked paper from the mailbox. The Headline catches my attention, and my chest tightens as I read: Maria Carrow found dead. That’s my name, my picture. Me on the floor blood pooled around my head. I frantically flipped the pages to find the paper’s date, my heart stops when I see it. November 7. Tomorrow.

Puppy Love

by Lively Stewart Lively is a sophomore and this is her second year at TJ. She enjoys a variety of arts including crafting, sculpting, and painting

14

VOL. 2

PAGE LEAD: JACK TWISS

Final Buzzer

EDITOR: MCHELLE RAZO

The End to an Unforgettable Season Team Stats Leaders Points per Game: Will Twiss 16.0 Rebounds per Game: Kohl Thurman 7.4 Assists per Game: Jack Twiss 4.8 Steals per Game: Will Twiss 3.6 Blocks per Game: Kohl Thurman 2.0

Since the men’s Cavaliers 7–3 start to the season, they have not disappointed, improving their record to 15–6 and winning nine of their last ten games. This strong run did not come without adversity, as they suffered back-to-back losses against Wheaton and Pierce City. Although tough, those losses helped the men’s Cavaliers refocus and get back on track. When asked what changed for the team, sophomore point guard Will Twiss said, “After the Wheaton game we developed this new motto of a zero-zero mindset, where we always have to play like the score is 0-0. This sounds simple and easy, but in the Wheaton game we took that team for granted, which is something we can never do again.”

GO CAVS! That turnaround was evident in the Liberal Tournament, where the men’s Cavaliers were out for blood against the number one seeded Pierce City. Their opening game was a rematch of homecoming night versus Sheldon, and the Cavaliers had no trouble advancing, winning 66–29. In the second round, they faced Northeast Arma, a more formidable opponent, but still not enough to seriously challenge the Cavaliers, who won 57–33. Thomas Jefferson advanced to the championship game against Pierce City, earning the rematch they hoped for as underdogs. From tipoff, the Cavaliers were locked in, bringing the energy and tenacity they lacked in the first meeting. A couple of dish-offs to the basket and a three from Will Twiss put the Cavaliers up 9–8 early, and they led 18–12 at halftime. After the break, the Cavaliers played with confidence and composure, and a corner three from junior Jack Twiss put them up 32–16. They took care of business in the fourth, winning 46–23 and claiming their first tournament title in 15 years

Shooting Stats Field Goal Percentage: Jackson Radius 56% Free Throw Percentage: Kohl Thurman 75% 3 Point Field Goal Percentage: Simon Studer 40% The Cavaliers’ momentum continued with a conference win over Golden City. Seeded third in the McAuley Tournament, they defeated Sarcoxie in the first round, completing a 15-point comeback to win 52–47. After falling to secondseeded New Heights, the Cavaliers bounced back to win the third-place game against Golden City, 72–68.

Recent Tournament Honors Liberal Tournament: All Tournament: Jack Twiss MVP: Will Twiss McAuley Tournament: All Tournament: Will Twiss All Tournament: Kohl Thurman

VOL. 2

15

PAGE LEAD: JACK TWISS

Final Buzzer

EDITOR: MICHELLE RAZO

The End to an Unforgettable Season Since their 2–6 start, the Lady Cavaliers have seen major improvements as the season has progressed, and are 5–6 since then, and this turnaround was evident on homecoming night versus Sheldon. Going into this game, Sheldon was a good team, around a .500 team, but more than a beatable opponent for the Lady Cavaliers. This game was close throughout, but in the fourth the Lady Cavaliers put them away, winning 47–37 in a quality win. Carrying this momentum into the Liberal Tournament, they first faced off against one of the top seeded teams, the Liberal Bulldogs and the Lady Cavs put up a good fight, still falling short 10 points. From this point, they played Northeast Vernon County, winning another good game 48–43, which brought them to the Consolation game in a rematch versus Seldon. This game was purely defensive in the first half, with the Lady Cavaliers up by 3 going into the break, containing Sheldon to 3 points. Coming out though, their shots started falling, and they slowly started extending the lead on Sheldon, coming out victorious in a 28–16 win to get 5th in the tournament.

STATS AND STANDOUTS Anna Hiebert: 16.1 points per game 10.2 rebounds per game Standout Games: @ Exeter: 20 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assist, 8 steals | | McAuley Warrior Classic vs. Lighthouse Christian: | | 26 points, 19 rebounds | Cae Wood: 11.5 points per game 10.2 rebounds per game Standout Games: | @ Exeter: 18 pts, 7 reb, 1 blk | vs. Purdy: Career High 23 pts (5 made 3's)

Aubrey Freeborg: 5.5 points per game 3.1 rebounds per game Standout Games: | @ Exeter: Career High 19 points (5 made 3's), 3 rebounds, 2 steals | | Scored in double digits 3 of last 5 games |

GO LADY CAVS!

The next moment in their season that really captured their improvement was their first-round game in the McAuley tournament. They were the 6th seed playing the 3rd seed lighthouse chargers. This game was a thriller, going back and forth all game, ultimately taking the game beyond regulation into overtime. With the game tied 50–50, Freshman guard Aubrey Freeborg hit a clutch free throw to put them up by 1 and ultimately win the game. This upset win was a huge confidence boost for the Lady Cavs, as they played their next two tournament games, including the 3rd place game against McAuley Catholic in a three-possession game, ultimately losing but placing fourth. The Lady Cavaliers have become a much-improved basketball team.

16

VOL. 2

PAGE LEAD: PETER DRAXLER EDITOR: AUTUMN SCHISLER

Game

NONOGRAM

NIGHT JOKES

& Riddles

1. What is the best outfit for February second? A tutu.

2. What do you call an amphibian born on February 29th? A leap frog.

3. Can February March? No, but April May. 4. Have you ever heard of “quiet tennis?”

It's the same as regular tennis but without the racket.

5. What do French hedgehogs see on Groundhog Day? Their chateau.

7. Why are most people tired on April 1?

They've just finished a 31-day March.

SKYSCRAPERS Each row and column must contain numbers 1-4 with no duplicates, like sudoku. Each number corresponds to a different height, and the numbers along the sides show how many skyscrapers you should be able to see if you were standing there, e.g., 1 would be out of view with a 2 3 or 4 in front of it.