Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Isaac Choi ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Connor Spellecy BUSINESS/DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER: Chase Hoskins SPORTS/LAYOUT EDITOR: Karter Goskie NEWS/POLITICS EDITOR: Peter Richardson STAFF ARTISTS: Tyler Kent Avery Hutchinson JUNIOR EDTIOR: Iris Wallace ADVISOR: Kurt Johnson
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Statesmen football ends 9-year-long losing streak in seasonopening games Softball coach leads Summer Workout Program for female
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athletes WG Cross Country wants to race “Our Way”
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Webster Groves School District proposes 65-cent tax levy
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Coach Facchin hopes seniors give boys soccer team the “ulti-
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mate advantage” Phoebe Bridgers releases first album in 6 years
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Theater Department starts year with “Ride the Cyclone”
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School introduces new tardy policy & Crossword
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Leanne Groves brings spirit to library
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ECHO Family Supporters Word search The ECHO Family helps make the ECHO possible. To become a member, please contact wgecho@wgmail.org. The Echo is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Ave., Webster Groves, MO. To contact staff members, call 314-963-6400 ex. 11157 or write to wgecho@wgmail.org. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of a majority of staff members; signed articles are the opinion of the writer. Letters to the editor of 300 words or less are welcome; submit letters by the 10th of the month to wgecho@wgmail.org, or room 204. All letters must be signed, although the name may be withheld from publication if requested. The Echo has the right to edit letters for publication as long as intent remains unchanged. The Echo is a member of JournalismSTL, Quill and Scroll, JEA, MIJA, NSPA and CSPA.
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Front Cover Art by Tyler Kent Back Cover Art by Avery Hutchinson
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Table of Contents | September 2026
Football ends week 1 losing streak Karter Goskie Sports/Layout Editor Following a 4-7 season last year, Webster Groves High School football opened the season against Francis Howell North with a 22-8 win, ending a losing streak for Week 1 games that stood since 2017. Last season, Webster Groves lost to Vianney at Moss Field in the season opener, 54-10. Webster’s roster that season included 29 seniors, including long snapper Malakai Webster Groves defensive end Charlie Osdieck blocks Francis Howell North tackle Harrison Barnum on Aug. 28 Lewis, who now at Moss Field.Webster won the game 22-8. plays Division I Photo by Karter Goskie football for Missouri State.This year, the Statesmen won against Francis Howell to begin the season. The win brings Francis Howell North’s losing streak to 25 games, which started in October 2023 when the team lost to Troy Buchanan. “What I’m hoping to gain this season with the team is trying to keep as many people healthy as possible, while having a winning record,” said junior linebacker Noah Banks. Webster Groves scored the game’s first points following junior running back King Mitchell’s touchdown off a 29-yard run in the first quarter. The junior contributed over half the team’s rushing yards, ending the night with 112, and even scored another touchdown off of an 18-yard run later into the third quarter. Mitchell was awarded player of the game. Webster’s offense totaled 219 rushing yards, with a focus on controlling the ground game. Junior quarterback Henry Rycenga threw for 94 passing yards, completing six of 11 passes. The team would combine for 313 yards in total, with 14 first downs and one turnover.Defensively, Webster totaled 22 tackles, with nine assisted, holding Francis Howell scoreless until the fourth quarter. “We’re definitely going to have our year this year. We got a huge confidence booster out of that win,” said sophomore Sophomore running back Cortez Sheppard rushes through the backup quarterback Bear Robinson. defensive line on Aug. 28. Webster won the game with a final score of 22-8. Photo by Karter Goskie
September 2026 | Sports
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Softball coach leads summer workout program for female athletes
Marcie Buescher pitches the ball to Lafayette on Sep. 9th. Webster lost the game 18-0.
Iris Wallace Junior Editor New Webster Groves JV softball coach Tracey Handal has turned heads with the girls sports programs this year. This is Handal’s first year coaching the softball team, but she is not new to the team or sport. Her daughter was starting pitcher Kat Clark who graduated last year. As a two-sport high school athlete and a college softball player at St. Louis University herself, Handal knows the game well. In a world that puts women’s sports in the backseat, Handal prioritizes it. In support of training women in sports, Handal ran a summer program for all female athletes this past year. The program was three days a week, and consisted of girls not only from softball, but also volleyball, track, soccer, basketball, and more. The program was made for injury-prevention and technical training in the gym, but overall it was made to build camaraderie and connections between the different female sports at the high school.
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photo by Kiki Lueders
When asked about what she wants the girls to get out of the workouts, Handal didn’t hesitate. “I want them to be bigger, stronger, faster, and confident.” The program included running training, weight lifting, and agility practice to strengthen their skills. Handal has been doing programs like this at other schools for 15 years, and has even run her own business teaching agility training to younger girls. The goal for the program is to have the girls be able to walk into any gym and feel confident. The summer program not only built strength, but it built connections between girls. “It’s a sisterhood,” Handal said, “you’re sisters on and off the field.”
September 2026 | Sports
WG Cross Country wants to race “Our Way” Isaac Choi Editor-In Chief
The Webster Groves High School boys cross country team, coached by Jon Petter, will host its first home meet on Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. at Blackburn Park. “This year’s team is truly a team and has the love and work ethic to achieve great things,” Coach Petter said. Last year, Petter was named the Track and Field Coach of the Year, and he looks to continue that success by being “more mentally and physically prepared for the final races of the season.” Petter also said how vital building the team’s future is for him. “We have a strong group of freshmen who show immense promise. I want to make sure they develop mentally and physically in a safe and effective way and maximize potential,” Petter said. In past years, the boys team has been highly competitive in state finals, finishing third last year. Petter hopes to continue success far into the future by “carrying the torch” through his new group of freshmen. Pivotal to last year’s success were returning top runners such as Nate Webber(Sr.), Edward Norton(Sr.), Zephaniah Jarmon(Sr)., and brothers Brighton and Atticus Lack(Jrs.).
This season, Webber started off strong with a win at the Clayton Classic on Aug. 29. Following that, Webber set a school record in the 3-mile run with a time of 15:31. In order for returning runners to carry these performances into the postseason, Petter said, “We need to be bonded as a team, and not allow outside noise or pressure to change who we are. If we race our way, we are going to have a lot of success this season.”
Webster Groves cross country runners start race at Granite City on Sept. 5. Webster placed second with 56 points.
Photo by Ben Borders
September 2026 | Sports
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Webster Groves School Distr amid $5 m
Chase Hoskins Business Manager/ Digital Media Manager
The Webster Groves School District approved a 65-cent tax levy to appear on the November ballot to help combat an operating funding deficit. The Webster Groves School District faces a projected $5 million funding gap in 2026-2027, driven largely by “increased insurance costs, reductions in state funding, and the impact of the senior property tax freeze,” according to a newsletter from the Webster Groves School District sent via ParentSquare. The projected $1.7 million reduction in state funding stems from state budget shortfalls and Missouri state planners overestimating revenue from gaming and lottery. This created a $478.9 million education funding gap at the state level over two years, coincident with falling enrollment due to an aging Webster population and a falling birthrate. The $5 million budget gap also stems from a $1.4 million increase in health insurance premium costs and an estimated $500,000 in lost revenue due to the senior tax freeze. Proposition W would cost approximately $125 per 100,000 of appraised home value or 65 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. The proposed tax levy would still put Webster Groves School District in the bottom half of tax rates in St. Louis County.
Graph of Missouri residential tax rate history. Graphic from Webster Groves School District- Proposition W.
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Feature | September 2026
rict proposes 65-cent tax levy million operating deficit
Proposition W proposes a 65-cent tax levy increase to provide operating capital to “retain high-quality educators, protect academic courses and student programs, and protect extracurricular activities from future cuts,” according to a district newsletter. A spring 2026 survey, WGSD Finance and Community Feedback Report, of 1,700 residents found that nearly 70% of residents “strongly” or “somewhat” support a 65-cent tax increase. Over the past three years, the district has saved $2.5 million by cutting 30 staffing positions and reducing building and department budgets by 10%. An article on Proposition W by the Webster Groves School District states, “the district is at a point where gaps cannot be closed without making significant impacts to classrooms, staff and student programs.” A tax rate rollback triggered by the Missouri Hancock Amendment directly prevents local revenues from increasing at the same rate as assessed real estate values, making the district lower taxes when property assessments rise faster than inflation. The law ensures revenue neutrality and stops taxing authorities from receiving a large portion of money from homeowners. This law has caused Webster’s tax rate to fall from 5.755 to 3.9604 since 2011. School District budget deficits are not unique to Webster Groves. According to an article in the St.Louis Business Journal, the Special School District of St. Louis is currently facing a budget deficit of $75 million and $83 million. The St. Louis Public School District is also facing a budget deficit of $41 million. Missouri as a whole faces a $345 million shortfall in state funding.
September 2026 | Feature
Webster Groves School District Logo. Photo from Special School District of St. Louis County
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Sophomore Camden Letchworth launches header against Francis Howell Central on Aug. 27. Webster lost the game 2-1. Photo by Lucille Savala
Coach Facchin hopes seniors give boys soccer team the “ultimate advantage” Isaac Choi Editor-In Chief
Last year, the Webster Groves High School boys soccer team fell in the state tournament against Rockwood Summit, finishing with a 10-13 record. This year, though, assistant coach Jeffrey Facchin hopes the team will be “dangerously successful in the state tournament.” The main challenge the team faced last season was a harder schedule. This year is similar. “Each game ends up being the hardest on the schedule because it can be a challenge for teams to not look past their current opponents and think about their mistakes or success,” said Coach Facchin, who mentioned that, in his opinion,
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the hardest games this year are Summit, Ladue, SLUH, Chaminade and Vianney as he described them as more “intense games” on the schedule. For games like those, Facchin and the other coaches are still searching for advantages but have seen promise in the defense and goalkeeping. The pressure this year is put on the seniors to be “the ultimate advantage through their ability to step up as leaders in the program, as well as being the difference makers in our matches.” Facchin also mentioned the need to “push and pull the underclassmen when needed.”
As far as improvements go, there’s still work to be done. The boys team started the season with only one goal in two games, but the coaching staff is looking for improvement as the season progresses. “Naturally, we will be working to build creativity, building a more cohesive plan between our players and zones all over the field,” Facchin said.
Sports | September 2026
Phoebe Bridgers releases first album in 6 years Connor Spellecy Entertainment Editor
Singer Phoebe Bridgers released her third solo album, “Lost Weekend,” on Friday, Aug. 14. Bridgers continues to create her usual acoustic indie-pop, but steps into a new realm of experimentation while collaborating with a star-studded cast of indie rock artists. When Bridgers began an unanticipated, phone-free pop-up tour in May, anticipation for a new album from the singer was high. This anticipation only intensified when a U.S. and European tour was announced and a single, “Lost Boys,” was released. After all the hype, Bridgers does not disappoint. The last album from Bridgers, “Punisher,” was released in June of 2020 and was met with extremely positive reviews from critics, receiving an 8.7 from Pitchfork and four stars from Rolling Stone. It’s hard to imagine how Bridgers could make an album as good as, maybe even better, than that. However, Bridgers continues to allow her sound to grow and evolve. From the dark, autotune-drenched opening track, “The Outside,” to the ecstatic, energetic
“Bobby,” which turns out to be one of the most upbeat songs in her catalog. Another standout of this album s the features. “Bobby” features both singer-songwriter Alex G and American Football guitarist Mike Kinsella. “I Can’t Wait” not only features a duet between Bridgers and Geese frontman Cameron Winter, but it also features Bright Eyes vocalist and longtime Bridgers collaborator Conor Oberst on harmonica. Boygenius bandmates Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker also appear on the album. As is the case with any album, “Lost Weekend” is not without its faults. “Haunted” ventures too far into folk “stomp-clap” territory, and with 16 tracks and a runtime of 53 minutes, the album begins to drag on. Even with the lows of the album, Bridgers can keep listeners engaged with deeply personal lyrics about grief and codependency,
backed by some of the most complex instrumentals in Bridgers’ catalog. The album was met with very positive reactions from listeners, being named best new music by Pitchfork magazine. The album also received high praise from NPR and the New York Times.
“Lost Weekend” was released on Aug. 14.
Theater Department starts year with “Ride the Cyclone” Iris Wallace Junior Editor The first WG play of the year, “Ride the Cyclone” opened September 10 and ran for three nights. According to cast member and choreographer of the play, Martha Poppen, the show is about a choir group who dies on a rollercoaster after it crashes, and they have to decide who can come back to life. What sounds like a sad and emotional story is actually what Poppen said is very entertaining, and that “there’s no moment where you’re getting bored.” Poppen said the story is about cherishing your teen years and living life to the fullest.
September 2026 | Entertainment
One thing that stands out about this play is that it was a fully student led production, and there were only seven castmates. Martha and her castmates started rehearsing for the play four months prior in June so that they were prepared to showcase it by the time school started. They practiced in each other’s houses over the summer, and by the time school started they were designing sets and working on technical details. Other than just being a castmate and choreographer, Martha is a theater enthusiast. She has done theater her whole life, and saw this show as a creative opportunity because it was student led. Because “Ride The Cyclone” is such a
roller coaster of emotions, it leaves a big impact on the audience. Martha said that she hoped people would make the most of life after seeing the show, and not be afraid to take a risk doing something you want to experience. The student body has had a great reaction to the play and many are raving about it. One student, junior Ruby Reeves, called the play “phenomenal and hilarious.” She talked about the professionalism of the acting and the clear quality that was put in with not only the cast, but also the set production. Another student, sophomore Finley Carfield, said “Ride The Cyclone” was “by far the best school show I’ve seen from Webster.”
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School introduces new tardy policy Peter Richardson News & Politics Editor When students returned to school this year, they were introduced to a new tardy policy. As stated in the 2026-2027 Webster Groves High School Student Handbook, once a student obtains five tardies for all of their classes combined, their unit office will contact home and assign board approved consequences.. This differs from the tardy policy for the 2025-2026 school year which measured tardies on a per 6-week basis, instead of on a semester-long basis like the system in place this year. In addition to this change, this year’s tardy policy officially includes language stating that any student that receives 10+ overall tardies may be prevented from attending school sanctioned events and extracurricular activities. Assistant Principal Madeline Craig doesn’t believe this change will affect most students. “Looking at our data from last year, I don’t think it’s going to impact the majority of the students because the majority of our students don’t get enough tardies in a semester that the shift from a progress report to a semester will have any impact,” Craig said. “There’s a small group of students, I say small, but about 15% of our students who have a lot more tardies than the rest of our student body.”
Graphic made in Canva
Assistant Principal Craig said that she encourages any student that is worried about their attendance to meet with their assistant principal or counselor.
Crossword
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Feature | September 2026
Leanne Groves brings spirit to library Evelyn Lozano Contributing Writer Leanne Groves, our high school’s new librarian, transferred from Nipher Middle School in Kirkwood to Webster and plans to expand our library for the better. Ms. Groves has enjoyed her experience here at Webster so far. “I’ve loved it; it’s been really positive. It’s been a really great few weeks,” Groves said. After an opening at Webster became available, the friends of Ms. Groves believed she would be perfect for the job, and she applied immediately. After working for the Missouri School for the Blind over the summer, which is a smaller group, she missed the interaction with students. Originally starting as a social studies teacher, Ms. Groves felt that being a librarian would be better for her. “I really missed books and talking to students about books just because I grew up in libraries,” Groves said. She then went on to Webster University to get her undergraduate and her master’s degree to be a librarian. She hopes to expand our library by ordering more books in hopes that more students will enjoy the library. She also plans to make the library more diverse and give students books they actually want to read. “ I would like the library to be more welcoming and a place where people feel comfortable,” Ms. Groves said. She said she doesn’t like the librarian stereotype and wants the library to be a place where students can have fun, not just check out a book and study. She loves when students come into the library as a class, or just alone for a project, and she loves being able to help with it. She also hopes to get our library on social media sometime this school year. Aside from her job, Ms. Groves also enjoys crafts and even brought her own cricket from home in hopes of doing crafts with students in her free time. She is also talking with a student about creating a book club at the school. Ms. Groves said she thinks she is a unique librarian because she has ‘nerdy’ interests, such as video games. She also described herself as a person who embraces other genres such as fantasy and manga. Although it might be surprising, Ms. Groves didn’t originally like to read as a child. She grew up in a home that fostered a love for reading and didn’t enjoy reading until fourth grade, when her teacher read the first Harry Potter book to her class. By middle school, her reading level had increased dramatically, and she began to read “The Lord of the Rings” and Jane Austen novels.
Apart from her life at school, Ms. Groves has two children. Her younger child shares her love for reading and is the one Ms. Groves loves to share her favorite books with. Her oldest, whose name is inspired by the Greek god Hermes and Hermione Granger from the series Harry Potter, doesn’t feel the same and even wrote a paper in fifth grade about how her pet peeve is when people ask her if she enjoys Harry Potter. Ms. Groves describes them as a ‘tight-knit trio,’ and they love to spend time together by going to concerts or musicals.
Librarian Leanne Groves gives a lesson to students about the library.
Photo by Karter Goskie
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| September 2026