October 2022 Gauger

Finishing off her routine in the splits, Hinch [11] preforms a feature twirler solo at the Pink Out pep rally to a medley of women empowerment songs. “I wanted this routine to be special and a dedication to all of the incredible women who have suffered from breast cancer. I had the best time coming up with the choreography and putting the music together, and I hope I entertained and touched the audience.” Hinch enjoys getting to preform for her school each week and is soaking up these last few preformances of the

Honoring breast cancer awareness month, cheerleaders show their spirit by using their pom poms to spell out the word “fight” and forming the cancer ribbon. “It took a lot of practice to create the letters and the symbol, but it was all wroth it because we knew it was for a good cause,” junior cheerleader Addison Clinkscales said. “I love how we were able to get the crwod to yell iwth us in order to support fellow classmates and teachers who have/are struggling with cancer.”

BElieve THEre is HOPE

Kynlee Bright Staff Writer

In recognition of cancer awareness month, schools throughout the country use the month of October to raise money by having their annual “Pink Out” dress up day and football game. Although often overlooked, cancer strongly impacts schools across the nation as over 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. Because of this, White Oak celebrates Pink Out on the first week of every October.

Each year, White Oak ISD

People across nation honor breast cancer warriors

chooses a recipient in need of financial support for expenses associated with their disease.

“Every year we use this time to raise money and awareness for a member of our community who is battling a form of cancer or another life threatening disease,” Student Council adviser Kim Taylor said. “We have a lot of breast cancer survivors and people in our town that are battling it currently so Pink Out gives us the opportunity to raise awareness and educate our community.”

The community continues to take

part in the national campaign to “kick cancer” as each year another Roughneck is in need of financial and emotional support. This year, money was raised from the annual sale of Pink Out shirts for seventh grader Presley Ferguson who is currently battling Promyelocytic Leukemia. She not only received $4,500 but also the support of the community as Roughneck Stadium was filled with pink on Friday, Oct. 7.

The continuous support that White Oak shows has helped numerous families in town and

TAKING CHARGE OF HEALTHY

Student coordinates health fair for high school campus

Addison Milligan Staff Writer

Working toward earning her Gold Award, senior Jordan Crum coordinated a health fair held October 13 in the high school gym to educate students on ways to improve their lives.

Crum coordinated the health fair to complete the requirements needed for her Gold Award project. The Gold Award includes 80 hours doing an individual project that is self-sustaining and impacts one’s community, and Crum chose to do a health fair. After the health fair, Crum has a little over 50 hours dedicated to this award.

“I chose to do this health fair for my high school because I know what my school needs since I am here every day. I do not necessarily know what my community needs

though,” Jordan said. “I made this proposal of a health fair to my Girl Scouts group and it was approved. I then started making millions of phone calls and emails to different organizations, which set what you saw at the health fair in motion.

I hope our students will gain the knowledge of how to be a little bit healthier. I can’t control their habits, but I at least hope they now know what exactly they are putting into their bodies.”

Dr. Michelle Crum, an assistant professor of community health with ETX Wellness, taught students about how to prevent spreading infections by touching things with their hands and how to properly wash their hands.

“I hope students remember how important hand-washing is and how easy it is to do to stay

shows the heart of our community as a whole.

“My family was blessed by the community and student council when my sister had cancer,” senior Trinity Noll said. “My family was blessed again when my grandfather, Dan Noll, was diagnosed with cancer. Although I was young, I was still mature enough to understand the impact it had on my family. My family and I will never forget what the community did for us, it was truly a gift from God.”

HABITS

healthier in this season where we see a lot of flu and colds,” Dr. Crum said. “I also hope they learn about different vaccines, where to get them, what they are for and where to get their questions answered about that. I think this should help them in the long-term to not only remember good and healthy habits but also remember that it is okay to ask questions about things they don’t know, especially if it relates to wellness and health.”

This health fair was extremely beneficial to the students who attended, according to junior Keller Lott. There was so much to learn and most of the attendees participated in this learning experience.

“I learned how to put together a healthy diet, why drugs are bad and how to get help if your home life isn’t good,” Lott said. “I can

apply this to my life by simply listening to them and being aware of what I put into my body. Not only was this beneficial to me, but I think it was beneficial to other students as well.”

Crum put on a successful health fair that she thinks everyone needed. Many highly educated people came to help teach our students and these students, in turn, learned a lot.

“It is important for students to be educated on things like this because we are in high school,” Jordan said. “This is one of the most stressful parts of our lives. We are preparing ourselves for living on our own. We will then be in charge of our habits. I just want people to create and learn about healthy habits now so that their life after high school will be healthy.”

Yelling with excitement, Kenzie Jester [12], Tristyn Cox [11] and Kalyn Hepler [10] cheer on the football team at the Pink Out game. The Mojoe section raised school spirit by dressing up in all pink to support cancer awareness and standing up for the entire event. “Being in the Mojoe section is so fun,” Hepler said. “It’s just nice supporting our hard working athletes together as a school. My favorite cheer we do is probably rollercoaster.”

photo by allie root

photo by allie root

If you would like to submit a letter to the editor or send us a guest article, e-mail the staff at: tnoll@wostudent.net or kdusek@wostudent.net

WHAT’S COOKIN’ in CULINARY? Students create monthly meal subscription

Kate Dusek Asst. Editor

The Culinary program has a full plate for the month of October. As they prepare to host the first week of culinary camp, begin a meal delivery service and build Halloween-themed gingerbread houses, head chef Leslie Rasco leads her culinary crew through this busy schedule.

The first week of Culinary camp will kick off Oct. 22. This is the third year Chef Rasco and her culinary club have hosted this event for 3rd-5th graders. The Culinary club organizes the menu. In October, the menu is brains, eyeballs and bones (spaghetti and meatballs) and potato candy the kids will be able to play with.

“It’s a great way to get younger kids involved and see what’s available at the high school,” Rasco said. “We host a camp in the spring and the fall. I like the fall one because it’s fun to meet all the new little kids; plus, I enjoy making the gingerbread houses in December.” For Skills USA, senior and member of the culinary club Caanan Beall brings an idea together, they came up with a monthly subscription for teachers to purchase a meal from around the world, designed and created by different students.

“It’s awesome,” Beall said. “I didn’t think it would turn into this big of a thing, but I’m happy. We’re all going to do a different month. I’m handling Mongolia, and another group is doing Jamaica. We’re gonna package up all the stuff. We will record videos and give out little instruction kits, and every single thing is going to be in the box, and all you have to do is watch the video or read the directions.”

As they plan different things and events for other people, students still find the time to do projects as well. Due to the limited time in December, Rasco assigns her students gingerbread house making, but with a spooky twist. Instead of the traditional time of year, the students make Halloweenthemed gingerbread houses. This year’s perfectly-timed theme for the houses is Hocus Pocus.

“I think it’s cool even though I haven’t watched Hocus Pocus in a long time,” senior and culinary club member Bailey Cooper said. “It’s a lot more fun than a Christmas theme. It’s one of my favorites. You make it all up yourself. You write out the dimensions, make the cookies, cut them into the dimensions and you put it all together. There’s a lot of creative freedom. You can literally do whatever from the movie. It’s just fun. I like the theme’s a little more narrowed down because I had no idea what to do last year.”

As this hard-working culinary crew host camps, provide meals for the staff, compete in competitions and work to complete various projects, they take the food world by storm. And along the way, Rasco gets the opportunity to share her true passion with many students who share the same cooking craze.

“I have the best job in the world, literally the best,” Rasco said. “I get to come to school everyday and play and teach students.. My favorite part is when a kid, who didn’t know what their passion was, comes in and figures out that this is their passion. I love to see them grow from freshman year through senior year and see how much knowledge they gain and confidence they get from doing culinary.”

Band Marches On

Roughnecks receive straight ones

The Regiment of Roughnecks received a division one rating at the Region IV Marching Contest in Mount Pleasant last Tuesday.

“Knowing it was going to be my last contest, I was ready to play to the best of my abilities,” senior trombone player Raul Guillen said. “After we marched, I had a sense of relief and a little bit of sadness knowing that was my last one. I wish there was more, but I’m so proud to be in the Regiment of Roughnecks.”

After four years of band competitions Guilen was eager to continue playing. However, not every Regiment of Roughnecks member shared his experience.

“I was nervous because it was my first time marching in full uniform,” freshman Morgan Gee said. “I felt relieved that it was over, but was proud of myself for not making any mistakes

in front of so many people. I definitely didn’t expect that many people to be there watching.”

Despite her nerves, Gee followed, drum major, Chloe Bates’s order and did her part in the band’s division one performance.

“I went through all of my drills probably a million times which calmed my nerves only a little bit, but right before the contest, was very nervous,” senior drum major Chloe Bates said.

“As we marched onto the field, my nerves almost completely disappeared. The drill flew by as it always does, and, as we walked off, it really hit me that I will never compete in a marching competition again. I can’t imagine my high school experience without a band. The people in this program have molded me into the person I am today.

Being the drum major for two years has been a blessing that I would have never imagined for myself.”

Halting in the front row, senior Bayleigh Crumpton plays the outstrain of the first march of the show. “Being in the front row two years in a row made me realize just how hard I’ve worked for that spot,” Crumpton said. “Being the first row that the audience sees and having your sound being heard first means that you have to look sharp and play your music well.”

WEIGHTING

on Season Baseball team prepares early

Collin Wheat

At the start of this school year the baseball program created a new offseason that allows players who are not participating in current sports to attend workouts and games. This offseason program is led by coach Paul Bucher.

“We do a variety of things, but we mostly follow The Elite Baseball Offseason Strength and Conditioning Program designed by OneEighty Athletics,” Bucher said, “This program is baseball specific and is also what the Mississippi State Baseball Program uses for their baseball offseason.”

Getting their own period devoted strictly to preparing for baseball allows each athlete more time to build up the skills they need for the upcoming season.

“Getting to practice and play has got us back in the rhythm,” freshman Jordy Robertson said, “It’s hard to take a long break from a sport and come back ready so getting to do a little bit now will definitely pay off come the regular season.”

The student athletes are focused on building up muscles and endurance for

their specific position on the field.

“Baseball offseason has helped me work on my speed and skill to get my body and my hands through the ball so I can make more contact while I’m hitting,” sophomore Carson West said. “Having time to work on specific skills without feeling rushed has made me improve greatly.”

Everyday during the athletic period, the players either start with sprints for conditioning or weight room to build explosiveness.

”I enjoy running or doing sprints,” junior Caleb Maxted said, “Lifting is good and all, but I can do that on my own time and get the same benefit. I’d rather sprint against my teammates to get the work in and have a good competition.”

After last year’s fourth round playoff appearance, the players are hoping this extra period will help them make it all the way to the state tournament.

“Last year was definitely a good year for baseball,” senior Gavyn Jones said, ”But with all the things we are doing to build our team, think we can go farther this year and hopefully make a statement.”

FFA Breakdowm

Meredith Anderson Staff Writer Everything you need to know about LDE

For starters, FFA has two seasons. The fall season is LDE which stands for Leadership Development Event and the spring season is CDE which stands for Career Development Event. Another term that is used quite often is Greenhand. A Greenhand is a firstyear FFA member, who has their own specific division that they compete in. The first LDE meet will take place on Oct. 31. Below you will find a list of events with their descriptions.

Ag. Advocacy: This is an event where students make a scripture ahead of time and memorize it. Their scripture has to deal with something about agriculture that is informative. Members apart of the Ag. Advocacy team are: Austin William, Bayleigh Crumpton [12], Levi Wright [12] and Zoey Cabral [12].

Ag. Issues: This competition is again where students make a scripture ahead of time and memorize it, but this time they present pros and cons about the issue they are given. Members apart of this team are: Cutter Sipes [12], Kaytlyn Tucker [11], Brayden Kesler [12], Gavin Sipes [11] and Raul Guillen [12].

Radio: The Radio team mocks a true informative radio show. They are given a topic that they write about and then they read it off at the contest. Voice, pronunciation and delivery are all important aspects for the students to score well. Members apart of this team are: Grace Pratt [10], Layne Simpson [10], Kyndal Langley [ ] and Barrett Willams [11].

Creed: This event is where a student memorizes and says the FFA creed. After they say the creed they are followed up by a questionnaire. Something different about the questions is that the student knows the questions ahead of time and they know how they will answer.

Member of this team: Layne Simpson [10].

Spanish Creed: This is the same thing as the regular creed, except they have to say the creed in Spanish. The questions that they are asked are given and answered in Spanish. Member of this team: Raul Guillen [12].

Skills: This competition is where students are given a new topic each year and they have to give information on

that topic. While they are talking about that topic they also have to demonstrate what they are talking about and teach the judges what they have learned.

Members apart of this team are: Mackenzie Goode [12], Kaytlyn Tucker [11], Emily Tucker [10] and Brayden Kessler [12].

Job Interview: Students go into a room with three judges and they are interviewed. Before the competition the students have to make a cover letter and a resume for the job they are applying for. Members apart of this team are: Mackenzie Goode [12], Kynlee Bright [11], Meredith Anderson [10], Kallie Carmack [12], Kelsey Burch [11] and Layne Simpson [10].

Chapter Conducting: This event is just like a meeting. Students walk into a room and are given a sheet face down, they then have three minutes to look at the sheet, after the three minutes they have to conduct a meeting following what is on the sheet and then they are asked questions about the problem. Members apart of this team are: Meredith Anderson [10], Joshua Crum [12], Grace Pratt [10], Barrett Williams [11], Kynlee Bright [11], Jayce Parker [10], Brody Miller [9] and Bailey Watson [ 10].

Personal Relations: This competition is where students are given a new topic each year. The students have to memorize a scripture that is written to a specific group of people, these students have props and other items as well to help them talk about agriculture.

Members on this team are: Kylie Dugger [11], Hubaldo Garcia [12], Austin Watts [12] and Allicyn Good [10].

Quiz: This is an event where students are given pages of information about anything and everything agriculture. Students have to take in as much information as they can, because when competition comes they have to answer 100 questions about the information they were given. The students are given unlimited time to do so. Members on this team are: Brody Miller [9], Jayce Parker [ ], Mikaela Beamer [12], Jaidan Johnson [9] , Blaine Vaughn [11], Savanna Beason [12] and Brian Murphy [9].

ARE WE TOO OLD TO Trick-or-Treat?

Kate Dusek

Asst. Editor

As we grow older, we have to grow out of different things in life. We no longer play with toys, we venture outside of Disney Channel, Santa stops visiting and you have to become a step closer to being an adult. What part of that sounds fun? I get our interests change from when we were seven to now, but we shouldn’t let growing up mean we stop doing fun things because we’re too “cool.”

Don’t you want to take advantage of the fun things we aren’t “too old” for yet? I say if high schoolers want to trick-or-treat, nothing should stop them from celebrating a fun holiday. There are those who would

High schoolers should celebrate spooky-season

disagree, but they’re probably party poopers anyway. Now, I don’t believe teenagers should live their lives as if they were kids, but we shouldn’t be in such a hurry to grow up.

Trick-or-treating might look different now than from when you were a kid.

There are some similarities, like your costume might be a character from your favorite TV show, but instead of Sofia the First, you dress as someone from Stranger Things or whatever Netflix show is popular now. When you’re older your costume will probably rely more on pop-culture. You probably want to be more iconic or dress to where you look cute but not in a little kid way.

Halloween gives you an excuse to

dress up as someone or something you’ve always wanted to be. Your costume won’t be the only thing that’s different; your Halloween night might look different too. As a kid, you act like trick-or-treating is some kind of race. You rush to every house to get a candy stash that’ll last you till February. If you still trick-or-treat, more than likely, you just casually roam the neighborhood streets with your friends, but you still get candy because you know, you’re not insane. Some people just won’t ever be into trick-or-treating, and that’s okay. Holidays just aren’t the same as when you’re a little kid, but that doesn’t mean you won’t still feel that child-like wonder and fun, free

Costume Complexity

Criteria for Halloween outfit

Pinching Your Pennies

Effective ways to improve your life, mental health with JLOW

Jessica Lowery Staff Writer

feeling if you try trick-or-treating. If you’re worried about not being cool, I bet you more people would get into it too, they’re probably just worried about the same stuff you are.

One day, we will all be too old to trick-or-treat, so seize this season. Gather a group of friends and enjoy the holiday. Trust me, you won’t all be embarrassed if you all go together. If you’re still not convinced, you must be the Scrooge of Halloween. Trick-or-treat or buy candy like an adult. The choice seems pretty obvious. Happy Halloween and hopefully, happy trick-or-treating.

Haunted in Your Hometown

Spooky homes in White Oak Lexi Palmer Entertainment Editor

It’s that time of year again. The weather’s cooling, spooky decorations are appearing and many students are perhaps risking their lives to willingly enter a haunted house. There are many in the area to choose from, but after a few years of going myself, I’ve realized they are all pretty much the same. They’re usually located in a trailer or an old abandoned house, and you’ll surely wait in long lines and pay too high of prices for 15 minutes of fright. You may get bumped by an axe murderer or ghost only to realize that it’s a classmate that you see for free every day.

This year, why not try something different? Why not check out some haunted places right in your hometown? I know for a fact that the halls of our high school have witnessed some haunted occurrences. Turn in your paper late and you might hear a demon-possessed voice from your teacher or see her head spin all the way around. Go to a track workout and you might see some projectile vomiting flying through the air. If you want to see blood red, turn in a calculus or anatomy paper and watch it get graded. (That’s one of the goriest things I’ve ever seen.) As for witches, I’m sure there are a few, and I know for a fact there’s been some ghosting going on.

But there are other places to investigate as well. We have several old houses that could be haunted. What makes a haunted house you may ask? It has to be dated and usually has a tragic history. We have several historical houses in our town. There’s the ancient Tuttle House on the corner

of White Oak Road and Tuttle, but it looks too cute to be haunted. There are several other homes on White Oak Road to be considered as well. One of the oldest homes, one that I’m very familiar with, is the two-story rock house with white pillars located on East Bingham Rd. My grandparents live there and that’s where my mother grew

footsteps creaking down the wood floors of the upstairs hall. Is it a ghost? No, my grandmother says it’s just a draft or the old house settling. Sometimes you can hear tapping on the upstairs window. Is it a witch? No, just their cat who climbed a tree and is wanting inside. And sometimes we hear rumblings in the attic. Could it be an evil spirit? No, just

Kate Dusek Asst. Editor

Every holiday has key components that can make or break your chances of having fun.

up. With its location near the cemetery, it has a very high possibility of being haunted. It’s almost a hundred years old and was built by the Orms family in 1938. After they sold it, it was used to house soldiers during the war. My grandparents bought it in 1970 and it was around then that the townspeople began whispering about seeing white figures drifting behind the windows. Were they ghosts? Nah, just very pale people. My relatives were Yankees who moved down from Michigan. If you know any Canadians you might understand what I’m talking about.

But I do know that sometimes doors slam on their own or we hear sounds of

MEET ME AT Midnight

All you need to know about Taylor Swift’s new album

Karlyn Jones

Staff Writer

It’s currently 11:05 and I just watched Taylor Swift’s TikTok announcing yet another song name for her new album, Midnights. If you haven’t got the memo, our girl Taylor is releasing her 10th studio album on October 21. That little mastermind has led us all to believe that she has been busy re-recording her previous albums during her hiatus, but instead she’s been crafting an entirely new track.

To all my Swifties out there, say goodbye to knowing every single lyric in Taylor’s discography word for word and being able to identify the Taylor Swift song within the first .2 seconds of it playing. As of October 21, we all

get introduced to brand-spankin’ new songs that we have never heard before and learn entirely unheard-of lyrics. For those of you that do NOT listen to Taylor (aka losers), songs that I recommend to jumpstart your spiral of becoming a full-fledged fan are August, Wildest Dreams, Cruel Summer or Getaway Car.

Anywho, if you want to track Taylor’s new album Midnights and you are interested in the release of the song names, check up on her TikTok every couple of days and watch the episodes titled “Midnights Mayhem”. They come out at midnight (obviously) central time each night, which is actually 11 p.m. for us.

So far, she has announced three of the song names from the new album. If you know Taylor, you know she’s got hidden

some raccoons. My grandfather actually trapped a few and dropped them off to haunt someone else’s house. Although my grandparents are convinced the house is perfectly normal, strange things are known to occur. My mom said when she was young her uncles came to visit and they slept in the big front upstairs bedroom. They went to sleep and everything was normal, but in the morning when my uncle woke up, every inch of the walls and ceiling were covered with bees. Somehow a swarm had got in during the night and decided to stay. Uncle Denny woke up from the buzzing noises and very carefully made his way out, leaving Uncle Richard to

sleep in peace. They all waited in the kitchen, laughing at the expression on his face when he finally woke up and came down. He definitely looked haunted.

Another time, my grandfather brought a missionary home to stay a few nights when my mom was young. His name was Nard Pugyau and as a child, he was taken out of the jungles of the Philippines by helicopter and adopted by a missionary. He brought an axe over that night to give to my grandfather. He explained to all the young kids that his own grandfather used to be a headhunter and they would hang their victim’s heads outside their huts as trophies. “Sweet Dreams,” he said, holding the axe and laughing as the kids went off to bed. Those next few nights my mom said she slept with her dresser drawers pulled out to block the door from being opened so she didn’t lose her head. My cousin actually took the axe to elementary school for Show and Tell before all the teachers quickly took it away.

One last pleasant fact is that the property also contains the remains of 50 years of pets buried on the hill. Not only theirs, but most of the extended families as well because everyone knew that the Carr’s would never move. With all of those deceased animals, they could definitely have their own haunted ‘Pet Cemetery.’

All this to say, if you want to try something different this Halloween, you don’t have to look too far. I’ll sell you a ticket for a tour for $20. And just know that those spooky figures rocking slowly back and forth in the rocking chairs aren’t zombies. They’re my grandparents. And they like chocolate.

If you want to have a fantastic Halloween, you’ve got to have a great costume. Whether you’re a trick-or-treater, Halloween partier or costume contest contestant, a high quality costume is important no matter what. Costume picking is a difficult process, and if you want to do it right, let me show you how to dress to impress this Halloween. There are certain dos and don’ts that should sway your costume decisions. This is a gender-neutral rule. Don’t wear an overly revealing costume. Plus, do you really want to wear an inappropriate costume around a bunch of children?

We got our number one don’t out of the way, now for the first do. Do wear a costume that’s modern. Let trendy, pop-culturebased ideas influence your costume. I bet you’ll see a bunch of guys in aviator glasses with a patch of thick peach fuzz on their lip. That brings me to my next do and don’t. If you look like Tom Cruise or Miles Teller, then do dress up as a Top Gun pilot, but if you can’t grow a mustache or pull off the

shades, just scratch the idea altogether. Halloween costumes are basically just a representation of the iconic, popular things of that year. For 2022, this year we’ll see a lot of Maxs and Eddies from Stranger Things; mean, if you were really cool, you would dress up as Steve because let’s face it, he carries almost every season. In honor of Hocus Pocus, many pairs of Sanderson sisters will be roaming the streets. Elvises, who don’t look nearly as attractive as Austin Butler, might be accompanied by some Priscillias, but ladies just remember, he cheated on her. Pop-culture will give you great ideas. All I can say is if you pick a TV or movie character, don’t pick the unpopular one. The older you are, the harder it is to find a costume. Little kids can wear pretty much anything and be cute. mean sure, they only wear princess, superhero or basic Halloween costumes, but they’ll be adorable no matter what. Sorry guys, I know Spider-man is popular and everything, and a kid can pull it off, but you can’t. When kids take off their masks, they have cute, little faces

underneath. When you take off your costume, you just disappoint the girls who hope you resemble Andrew Garfield or Tom Holland. If they are expecting you to look like Tobey Maguire, your attractive level could be very close to his. If you google search, what are the most worn Halloween costumes, the top three, in order, are a witch, rabbit and dinosaur. Halloween is the time to be original and express yourself, so if you were thinking of dressing up as one of those three, try to think outside the box. Use your brain and come up with a costume that you love and are so confident in, no one can ruin it for you. I can give you tips and pointers all day long; you can search the entire internet, but in the end, come up with a costume that makes you happy. If you aren’t excited to put on your costume, it’s not the one. Don’t let costume picking stress you out. Enjoy the process and the season, and remember, a happy costume equals a happy Halloween.

Point of View: You are up late at night and can’t fall asleep. You scroll away at your phone waiting for the moment your melatonin finally decides to kick in. Suddenly your sleep becomes stalled as you come across an enticing ad. The next thing you know, you’re on a website that inevitably takes your money. You’ve done it again. You’ve spent money on unnecessary items. You check your balance and begin to weep. You’re heartbroken that there will be no Chick-fil-A order tomorrow because you’ve just spent your last dime.

What. A. Shame.

Luckily, I am here to help my favorite little shopaholic. We can first start by freezing your bank account. Grab a cup of water, place your card inside and freeze it. Thank you, now you look silly and have officially made my day. Now that I have your attention (or maybe your attention belongs to the block of ice you have hilariously created), we will be going over some tips and tricks on saving that mula.

I know you use cash instead of your card in hopes of not feeling

buyers regret after each purchase, but your attempt in believing that cash isn’t real is failing horribly. Unfortunately, it is very real. The worst part about it all is you have a shopping issue and cannot seem to stop.

So, let’s put that spending addiction to rest. To begin, locate the piggy bank that you probably haven’t seen since you thought Barbie and monster trucks were the coolest thing since sliced bread, and set it aside (this will be useful for later). Deal out the money that you have as of right now (if that is any at all) and separate it out into three categories: emergency, spending and savings. Take half of what you have and place that into your bank (your piggy bank that is) as this will be your savings. The other half will be split (now creating two mini piles), and this will be your emergency and spending. Congrats, you have officially began your money-saving journey as this will be needed in day-to-day life. When you are old and raggedy, hopefully you remember this helpful tip and proceed in life richer than before.

Now, know having a card seems nice and all, but let’s be real, it is the

source of your shopping addiction. You can’t visibly see the money, so the numbers must not change after each purchase, right? Wrong. Let me guess, you online shop so much you most likely have your card number memorized over your social security number? Yeah, I thought so. Luckily, you can use the cash saving method with your card. Simply set aside money under the categories listed above and you will have a happy shopping experience in the future when you actually have the money. You can set a limit to how much you spend on wants versus how much you actually need to spend on necessities such as gas (we both know that price is high.)

Am I confused on why we just can’t make more money? Sure, but we have to work with what we got, meaning every penny must be saved. Your momma will soon be proud of her moneysaving baby, because we both know she was tired of hearing that doorbell ring all because you ordered something once again.

#UrWelcome

IS HALLOWEEN THE TIME FOR A GHOULFRIEND?

Kate Dusek Asst. Editor

High school guys, I hope that y’all put some thought into asking girls out. I don’t want my warning to get in the way of your deep, passionate high school love, but if you are planning to start a relationship around Halloween, I hope you know what you’re asking for.

What comes with having a girlfriend during the holiday

there’s more things that come along with Halloween than you think.

messages buried in each TikTok she is filming, so it would only make sense to analyze every minute detail in each video.

Senior Anna Iske, an avid Taylor Swift fan herself, has been doing just that with the new announcements. “I was just about to go to bed when I got a notification that Taylor Swift tweeted and my entire life changed when I clicked on it,” Iske said. “I had been preparing myself for either 1989 or Speak Now re-recording, so finding out that I’m getting 13 brand new Taylor Swift songs was a complete shock to me. I’m always overanalyzing every aspect of each post she makes, just in case there’s a hidden message. For example, Taylor held up an upside-down phone and I know for a fact this is hinting at something. I

personally think that this means she’s going to collab with Harry Styles since his most recent album cover is upside down.” Interesting take. There are numerous different theories of what each clue entails, but who knows what is going on inside the evil genius that is Taylor Swift? All know is I will be staying up until midnight (Taylor’s Version) every single night because I don’t know about y’all, but I’m not missing an announcement of another song name because I was sleeping. Sleep can wait until after October 21. For the time being, we can overthink and dissect whatever cryptic clues and easter eggs Miss Taylor has snuck into her Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok posts. Happy hunting!

I don’t want to scare you or change your mind; I just don’t want you saying, “how come no one told me this stuff.” It’s not like you have to get your girl a special gift like you would for Christmas or Valentine’s Day, but

First of all, It’s fall time. The leaves are a multitude of pretty colors, the pumpkin patches start to open, it becomes sweater weather and guess who’s going to get dragged to fall photoshoots for Instagram? The new boyfriend who doesn’t feel comfortable saying no yet. That’s just the start of it. Before you know it, you’ll be wearing matching flannels, and addicted to pumpkin spice lattes.

Next, you have your

couple’s pumpkin carving. Y’all will either carve a pumpkin together or go head to head in a competition. Spoiler alert: she’s going to win. If you carve a pumpkin together, you’ll either be expected to scoop out all the guts, or she’ll want to do the majority of the work, and you’ll be given the role of on-call carver. If y’all do a competition, y’all will talk some smack, but in the end, she’ll be the winner, or at least that’s what her post will say. Whatever happens just enjoy the fun time y’all will have and remember to help her clean up.

Now for the big one… couple’s costumes [dun dun dunnnn]. Now, I have been overly dramatic about some situations in this story. You may not be forced to do all that stuff, but one thing’s for sure, you won’t get to choose the costumes. You have your more basic costumes like superheroes, Barbie and Ken, Sandy and Danny from Grease and sorry dude, but if you’re shorter than your girlfriend, you’re definitely going as Squints and Wendy Peffercorn from the Sandlot. If your girlfriend is an 80s fan, get ready to watch a

Fall Ends, Autumn Begins

Jessica Lowery Staff Writer

The leaves have dropped, The heat has stopped. When fall is near, Children will soon scream in fear.

Fall is here, a poem

Costume stores are opening up, And haunted houses are surely set up. Trick-or-treat is written everywhere, And houses are

dressed in holiday flare. Spooky movies are playing again, Ones that put goosebumps all over your skin.

classic film, and then dress up as the couple from the movie. There’s a good chance it could be the couple from Dirty Dancing, and yes, on Halloween, you will have to say, “Nobody puts baby in a corner.” Whatever it is, you just go along with it to let her know you care.

After all these warnings and heads up, I hope I haven’t freaked you out or ruined your plans. You might be forced to do some of this stuff, but you’ll love it. If she does this stuff, it means she likes you and wants to make you a part of the fun Halloween activities.

Enjoy some pumpkinspiced drink with lots of caffeine, You’re going to need it, it’s almost Halloween.

Now I’ve told you all the things girls will make you do, but not about the stuff you can make them do. Take them to a haunted house, so they’ll be scared and make you protect them, or watch a scary movie, so they’ll snuggle up next to you. I’ve created a guide to help warn you about girlfriends, but I didn’t make a guide for the girls to warn them about you, so take advantage of it. If you love them, you will scare them. Trust me and happy Halloween.

Tutoring

to Thriving How to score higher on the ACT/SAT

Jessica Lowery

Staff Writer

In 2017, a study was conducted on a group of students in order to determine if SAT and ACT tutoring was genuinely helpful to the entirety of the tests.

The students spent 12-16 hours being prepped for both tests, and in the end, the study was proven accurate as these students watched their scores increase greatly.

The prep for both the SAT and ACT tests is most certainly beneficial to any student as the extra guidance will not only build confidence coming from a reliable source but will also create a strategy that is needed for any test taker.

The feeling of anxiousness revolves around any person going into a test due to the factor of wanting to do well. Not to mention the stress and anxiety that stems from tests that determine admissions into colleges. The advantage of a tutor ensures that the individual is grasping the knowledge efficiently as well as error-free; thus permitting a more confident test taker

COMBO TO COMFORT

Trinity Noll Editor-in-Chief

later. Any successful mission needs a plan, so why wouldn’t an examinee create a plan of their own in order to be victorious? Another benefit of being prepped for the SAT and ACT is that the strategy will specifically accommodate the student’s needs. It is no secret that we each learn and grasp knowledge differently, so the upper hand of learning with a tutor means that a personal tactic would be created and specialized for that individual.

The ultimate goal of any test taker is to do well so that the assistance of an educational instructor or tutor would be valuable. The suggestion of tutoring or pre-testing should be pursued by any

Increase in locker usage

Stepping to the beat of clicks and rattling doors, students observe the mass groups that are beginning to utilize their lockers. Upon the return from COVID-19, lockers proved to be a blast from the past, otherwise known as germy and unnecessary. But, at the start of this school year, lockers were assigned to students, and soon the question arose, will they actually be used?

After years of backaches and inconvenience, lockers pose as an extremely useful asset to students.

Backpacks… the best scam in the world (at least in a school context). Let’s be honest, school backpacks weigh upwards of 15 pounds and have done nothing but create lower back pain in students’ youthful and lively bodies. If there was one takeaway from ‘Anything but a Backpack Day’ it was that a rolling cart was a much more practical option. But, students cannot roll around

Right Around the Corner

Seniors begin preparation for college

Karlyn Jones

Staff Writer

Everyone always warns us about how fast high school goes by, but I always blew it off as a bunch of old people trying to scare us. Now that I’m only about eight months short of graduating, I realize that maybe if I had listened to my elders, I wouldn’t be so stressed out about frantically applying to every college can think of. If you’re a senior and you’re like me, you probably have no idea what you want to do with your life. Just me? Oh, okay. Maybe some of you overachievers have your life planned out for after high school. However, even if you don’t know exactly what you want to be, maybe you still have an idea of what colleges you want to apply to. Here’s a compiled list of all of the college-related tasks that are recommended for seniors to complete this semester.

1. Research and create a list of colleges that you’re interested in.

2. Visit college campuses that pique your interest.

3. Narrow down your list of colleges you’re considering to about three or four because each application costs money to submit.

4. Begin the application process if you have not already done so(early applications are due November 1).

ADVERSITY, CHALLENGES, Athletes suffer season-ending injuries

Trinity Noll Editor-in-Chief

lightweight three-tier carts, so lockers present themselves as the perfect compromise, for both students’ back pain and sanity.

In addition to weightless hallway strolls, lockers are also very convenient. Students are challenged with shoving four binders, three folders, six notebooks, pencils, two copies of 1984 and an outdated calculus textbook into a small backpack (totally not me). Lockers are organized, so that calculus textbook has a better place to be stored rather than under the bed or in the trunk of a car. Plus, lockers are free, aside from the pink carpet and chandelier. A large and expensive backpack can be traded for a small tote bag and a locker. This way, students are carrying the lightest amount of supplies needed because they stopped by their locker before class.

Now that lockers have become an option again, students should take advantage of this opportunity and put them into use.

HALLOWEEN IS

Why October is overrated

Kynlee Bright Staff Writer

5. Yes, this means starting the required college essays, too. Request transcripts from Mrs. Barrett to send to the colleges you apply to.

6. Take the SAT, Subject Test, and/ or ACT. Send all scores to colleges you applied to.

7. Ask teachers for letters of recommendation(present a list of awards, honors, and extracurriculars to teachers).

8. Begin Free Application for Student Aid(FASFA). Submission for FASFA opens on October 1, due June 30.

9. Begin financial aid/scholarship applications.

10. Check your email regularly for information from colleges and universities.

11. Apply to backup colleges (colleges you know you can get into).

Although this list might look like a lot to do, if you take the process step by step, you will be done before you know it. If you need any help or have any questions about the forms to fill out, ask Mrs. Deck or Mrs. Wright for guidance. And hey, don’t stress too much about the whole college thing anyways, because at the end of the day, Jesus still loves you.

“Bat”ty

Since the 1930s children and families around the world have spent October 31st walking around the streets in severely uncomfortable costumes to collect candy that was most likely bought at the very last minute from your local corner store. Although this is entertaining for a while, most Halloween nights end in tummy aches and an unreasonable amount of lost money.

Halloween may have been fun during our elementary years, but for some reason after that it all seemed to go down hill. I firmly believe that after the age of ten, Halloween becomes severely overrated.

Now hear me out, I love a good Laffy Taffy and Crunch bar, but after about seven of each, my stomach does this weird thing and it makes noises, which don’t think is supposed to happen. When we were little, it was like heaven coming home and sorting out all of your candy and deciding which one you would eat first. But very soon after, you’ve had a little too much, and end the night with an agonizing stomach ache and somehow “misplace” the rest of your candy (I later found out that

REASONS FOR Rivalry

White Oak’s real school rival

Alli Sims

Staff Writer

For years when people at White Oak heard rivalry they immediately thought Spring Hill, but recently a new district has become the biggest enemy in all aspects. Known to be the biggest competitor in UIL, and the team that is loathed in sports, Sabine is now the most-hated school at White Oak.

Sabine is our real rival.

From an academic standpoint, Sabine has become White Oak’s arch nemesis, and the two schools are always comparing themselves to each other, competing against each other and trying to destroy

“Hale

Yes” TO TRADITION

Brown continues long standing NECKS

Chloe Bates Staff Writer

Standing behind a thin white line with his arms uncomfortably pressed against his crutches, he watches as the quarterback throws the game-winning pass.

Sitting on the bench with her leg extended out in front of her, she watches as her teammate puts down the game-winning kill. While in different settings, the same thoughts are running through their minds. “How can I get out there again?”

In late August during the first game of the season, senior Dalton Morgan tore his ACL. Joining him in this injury is sophomore Kate Dusek, who tore her ACL in September during the Pine Tree tournament. The two athletes are working toward recovery, but their injuries have put them out of sports for the rest of the year.

“My drive to prove people wrong really pushes me,” Morgan said. “I want to recover faster than expected and come back stronger and faster. I want people to be amazed.” Both Morgan and Dusek have completed surgery and are starting physical therapy. The pain level varied for both of them. The worst part, according to both of them, is the mental side of things.

Morgan tore his ACL in the football game against Troup. While running the ball in hopes of a touchdown, his ankle was held down by an opponent.

“I have felt every type of emotion. I’ve been jealous when watching our team score because I wish had that chance,”

Morgan said. “I’ve been frustrated that my team needs me and can’t help them on the field. But I’ve been mostly happy with the support they give me even while I’m watching, and the support I can give them from the sidelines.”

Things were a little different for Dusek as her injury happened while jumping up from the bench and celebrating the game point against Tatum.

“I was stunned,” Dusek said. “I started crying because I just couldn’t wrap my head around not being able to play sports. One of my favorite things was just taken away from me, and I just felt a wave of misery come over me. Yes, I have more years left, but things are still going to be different when I go back. I’ll have to get back in shape and sharpen my skills.”

Although they both suffer from the same injury, Morgan has lost his senior year. The full recovery time for Morgan is 6-9 months, depending on how fast his knee can heal.

“misplaced” meant my mother was taking it to work to give out to patients).

So at the end of the day, the miles of walking around dark neighborhoods and being too shy to say “trick or treat” all the while contracting blisters on your feet are not worth the inevitable stomach pain and discomfort you will feel within the next couple of hours.

In addition to ending your night in major discomfort, many parents spend an unreasonable amount of money on costumes for their children that are not only uncomfortable but that they are likely to never even use again. This is a very unnecessary expense that leaves many parents severely regretting their decision to have children. While making their kids happy is generally the reason behind getting them the “perfect” costume, this still appears to me as a very worthless and avoidable expense for parents.

Although Halloween gives children a reason to stay up past their bedtimes and gorge on candy late at night, the repercussions of lost money and a stomach ache simply isn’t worth the limited time of enjoyment. After the age of ten, Halloween becomes just another day in the life of a stressed out student.

“It’s hurt me mentally at times because I like to be tough and independent,” Dusek said. “I’ve had to be so reliant on people and limited, but it’s also helped me mentally because I’ve realized that so many people care for me and are willing to help me when I let them. “

“I am trying to recover fast but I’m still making sure I recover good and healthy,” Morgan said. “This has been hard, especially being my senior season. I’ve trained and prepared so hard just for this and now I’ve lost it all because of an injury. All I want is to play with them and now I have to watch.”

Girl Meets America

Forgein exchange student is welcomed to town

Kynlee Bright Staff Writer

While sitting in the airport of an unfamiliar country, footsteps scurry around the girl as she patiently awaits her flight that will take her to her new reality. Following a long 24 hour trip across the world, junior Chloe Malicieux finds comfort as she finally walks into the warmth and coziness of what is now her home away from home.

After leaving France to become an exchange student in the USA, Chloe entered into a small town life in search of new opportunities and experiences.

“I want to become bilingual and this was the best way to achieve it,” Chloe said. “I also wanted to do a few new things in my life and detach myself from the French school system, and that was pretty hard.”

The Tarkington’s are Chloe’s host family for this school year who also have two children named Alejandro and Mia Perez.

“My host family is great with me and we do stuff together all the time,” Chloe said. “Everything is going very well. I was a little scared at first but now it’s like I’m a member of their family.”

Although nerves filled Chloe’s mind when first coming to America, her host family has been of great comfort and help to her during the adjustment. Specifically, fifth grader and host sister Mia Perez and Chloe have grown fond and close to each other since her arrival.

With his voice echoing through the gym, he remembers the tradition he is continuing. All eyes on him, he encourages the football team with each word. He starts the chant that echoes from the gym, seeps into the hallways and into the hearts of those listening.

Algebra teacher, Jason Brown, leads the Hale No yell during each Friday peprally after Jack Hale’s passing.

“Students have been doing the chant for years and years,” administrative assistant and assistant cheer coach Dana Mizell said. “The kids always thought it was a sneaky way to say a bad word in school. remember it being done at every pep rally during the 70’s and it was cheerleader led.”

The first pep rally of the year ended without Hale’s iconic chant. Stacy Hall and Mizell noticed the end of the pep rally didn’t feel like a true end without the Hale No yell, so they went on the hunt for the right person to take Hale’s place and their first instinct was Brown.

“Stacy Hall gave me a call one afternoon about leading the yell,” Brown said. “Of course, said yes. You don’t have to be a 13 year Roughneck to know how important Jack Hale was to WOHS

chant

and the entire White Oak community. The man really cared about the students of White Oak.” Brown added his own flare to this long standing tradition by throwing in a joke right before each yell he starts. This preparation starts at the beginning of the week and doesn’t end until he gets the microphone in his hand and starts winging it. “I kinda modeled it after a Texas A&M yell practice,” Brown said. “If anything, it gives the students something to laugh at and talk about later. Some students may not like my jokes, but they’ll remember them. I do discuss what I’m planning with my wife to make sure I’m not too mean or cheesy.”

This transition is the extension of Hale’s legacy and a tribute to how he impacted students.

“Mr. Hale’s legacy is in the lives of the students, teachers, and community he impacted during his many years here,” Brown said. “Eventually, as the natural order of things are, the yell will be replaced by something more contemporary, but Mr. Hale’s impact and legacy will continue here.”

Starting the "Hale No" chant, algebra teacher Jason Brown gets the crowd on their feet before continuing Jack Hale's traditional chant. Brown was asked to take over Hale's yell after the first few pep rallies were left without it. "We had a couple of pep rallies earlier, but Stacy Hall said something was missing since Jack Hale had passed and wanted to know if I'd be willing to lead," Brown said. "I'm glad I have the opportunity to continue such a fun tradition. Every school needs the support of men and women who are models of humility and character, and that's what I saw in Mr. Hale."

photo by lucas frazier

each other. In UIL Academics, these two schools go to war. The battle of the brains has grown more and more intense every year. In every UIL subject, Sabine is the team to beat. Also, in band Sabine and White Oak are always found talking trash and wanting to beat out the other school. Over the years the White Oak band has developed quite a plethora of nicknames for Sabine, mor specifically, Sabine’s band. In sports, Sabine vs. White Oak is always going to be a good game, because both teams want to win so bad. Everytime White Oak plays Sabine, in any sport, they go out there ready to play with everything

in them. In football, the Roughnecks will fight their guts out on the field for a Cardinal game, and it’s usually one of their best-played games of the season. In volleyball, the Ladynecks get on the court with a killer mindset, ready to take down Sabine. In basketball, both boys and girls prepare mentally and physically for their games against Sabine, and they leave everything on the court that night.

One of the biggest reasons that Sabine has become White Oak’s biggest rival is UIL is because Sabine has a class dedicated to UIL while White Oak only has an enrichment period. Eliminating this advantage

would level out the playing field and increase White Oak’s success in UIL. As for the sports rivalry, that will always remain, but that’s what makes sports interesting, everyone needs some healthy competition.

Sabine is White Oak’s rival in UIL, band and sports. White Oak should get a UIL class to provide more opportunities and fair competition, and in sports Sabine and White Oak games will always be well-fought.

Although getting to live out her dream of coming to the United States, she has faced some challenges along the way. Chloe has said that leaving her country, friends and family for a whole year is complicated but what is even harder is being alone on the other side of the world and having to manage it by yourself.

“The hardest thing here is to fit in,” Chloe said. “People’s lives don’t stop because I’m here so it’s up to me to make an effort to fit in. It’s not always easy, but it comes with time.”

Not only is Chloe facing the obstacle of making friends in an unfamiliar country, but adjusting to a new family, home life and culture.

“I like living with Chloe because she is fun to hangout with and we like to go shopping,” Mia said. “She was a little hard to talk to at first because we didn’t know what she was trying to say, but I think I have helped her with her English because when my mom doesn’t understand, I can help her think of the word she is trying to say.”

With an American family to support her, and her family back home to encourage her, Chloe has been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the world at such a young age. Even in the difficult times, she continues to look at the bigger picture of her experience.

“The best part about being here is getting to discover a new country,” Chloe said. “I learn and see new things everyday. Life is so different here, but I love it.”

Taking a bite, foreign exchange student Chloe Malicieux [11] tries a cheese stick for the very first time. Chloe recently moved to the U.S. and has taken interest in trying new things, including food. “The food is really different here, it’s more fast and easy,” Chloe said. “It was my first time trying Sonic but I it was really good!” photo by jenna crum

Eluding Jefferson defenders, De Williams [11] breaks away for a Roughneck first down. Williams gained 210 total yards in the 42-7 loss. “My teammates and coaches always encourage me and tell me I’m playing well, but I give most of the credit to my offensive line for making holes,” Williams said. “I think we try to play as individuals at points, but we are all a part of the same team.”

THE Last DANCE

Ladynecks win district championship and look to playoffs

Anna Iske Sports Editor

Senior cheerleader Makenzie Rankin and freshman cheerleader Andee Bridges cheer on the Roughnecks versus the Atlanta Rabbits. Finishing with a score of 32-15. White Oak hopes to redeemthemselves against our rivals Sabine on Friday, October 29. “That game was probably the most fun we’ve [cheerleaders] had,” Bridges said. “Even though we lost, we had a great time. Makenzie is like my big sister and am gonna miss her so much when she graduates.”

RABBITS RAVAGE

Keller Lott Staff Writer

White Oak falls to a 3-5 overall record

The Roughnecks played their third district game against the Atlanta Rabbits at home this past Friday, but unfortunately failed to defend the derrick failing to an 0-3 district record in the 31-15 loss.

Despite allowing five touchdowns, White Oak gained only 15 fewer offensive yards, 291, than the Rabbits who barely broke 300. Seniors Landyn Grant and Noah Carter both ran into the endzone and connected three times for 117 yards.

“Practicing deep balls a little more this week along with our mid-game

Roughnecks

adjustments based on Atlanta’s coverage definitely helped Landyn’s and my connection,” Carter said.

“When I got the opportunity to play running back, my line did all the work, and I just followed where I was supposed to go.”

Carter’s impact didn’t stop on the offensive side of the ball as he recovered an onside kick.

“I usually never play kickoff, but they put me out there to get the onside,” Carter said. “I think it definitely could’ve been a turning point in the game because we all

Pass, Set, Dominate

JV Ladynecks finish season with perfect district record

Anna Iske

Sports Editor

As the junior varsity Ladynecks wrap up their successful season, they closed out with a final district sweep against the Daingerfield Lady Tigers. With a perfect, undefeated district record, the JV Ladynecks ended another successful season and look to continue to improve in their play next year

By working together as a team, the Ladynecks were able to secure their district championship. Working together instead of trying to play as separate players was something that they worked on improving throughout the entire season.

“I think we finished district with a perfect record because of the way we worked together,” Londyn Bodovsky [10] said. “We really improved on our teamwork overall and had a very different mindset from the beginning of the season.”

Through torn ACLs, concussions and other injuries, the Ladynecks had to focus on their own gameplay and find ways to work through these adversities. The team continuously supported one another, whether on or off the court.

Keller Lott

Staff Writer

had much more energy and a lot of positivity after. I knew the team needed the recovery because we had zero points on the board before that, so I feel like it helped.”

While Carter was making plays on offense, senior Haiden Cooper stepped up in senior Hubaldo Garcia’s absence due to injury, posting six tackles and one sack, on defense.

“I think I’ve improved significantly since the beginning of the season,” Cooper said. “I saw more tackles this week because I stuck to the schemes

Coach Adams has taught me. If we want to win the next two games, we need to continue working hard in practice, so we can execute our strategy on game day.”

The Roughnecks hope to redeem themselves and stay alive in the playoff hunt against the Sabine Cardinals this Friday night in Sabine. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Ladynecks clinched the district championship with a perfect 10-0 record and no sets lost throughout district, making them back-to-back district champions. As the volleyball team inches closer and closer to playoffs, they are looking to perfect each aspect of their play and performance.

The team looked to fix little things throughout the district and see which parts of their play they needed to improve on. The Ladynecks took care of business and were able to stay focused in order to win the district title.

“District went really well, seeing as our team did what we needed to do throughout each game,” Karlyn Jones [12] said. “I think we did a great job of keeping up our energy even though we were playing teams that didn’t provide the most exciting games. We were very consistent in our play and energy which resulted in our ten wins.”

With little competition in the

district, each game had to be played with a focused mindset in order to accurately prepare for playoffs. With an end to their season in the fourth round last year, the Ladynecks are looking to make it past the regional tournament this year.

“I think we are going to go as far as we did last year in playoffs, if not farther,” Addison McClanahan [10] said. “We are really close as a team this year and stronger than we were last year.”

With nine seniors on the team, the playoffs are many of the Ladynecks’ final chances to make it to the state tournament. Since each practice and game could be their last, the seniors take every step to lead their team to a successful run.

“With such a senior-heavy team we’re more focused than ever for playoffs,” Trinity Noll [12] said. “We’ve been preparing for the tough competition we’re going to face and are ready more than ever for our last run together.”

Celebrating their teammate, Ladynecks Anna Iske [12], Addison McClanahan [10] and Calee Carter [11] cheer after Addison Clinkscales [11] slams a ball against Hughes Springs. The Ladynecks beat the Lady Mustangs 25-13, 25-21 and 25-11, advancing

Reppin’ with Robertson Student leads Mojoes

Trinity Noll Editor-in-Chief

Standing on the track, he looks up into the stands, yelling into his megaphone to get the attention of the Mojoes.

Y-E-L-L is soon to be heard echoing throughout the stadium as the football team looks to score a touchdown.

“I hate to be on the sidelines, but I still want the team to have my encouragement,” Kate Dusek [10] said. “I love to cheer for them, I mean, obviously because that’s how I tore my ACL, but I want them to know whether I’m playing with them or not, I’ll always be rooting for them. It’s hard to watch the game when you can’t play and contribute, but I know they want me out there as much as I want to be, so supporting them from the sidelines is what I’ll do until I can play again.”

The Ladynecks were able to improve throughout each game, making one of their last games their most successful. Despite playing the next-best team in the district, the Ladynecks played their own game and came away with a win.

“Our best game this season was against Hughes Springs despite the adversities we faced,” Danica Herrera [10] said. “Even though we had many injuries and players being out, we still played our best and came away with a big win.”

ROUGHNECKS RECAP

JV teams roll through district play

As the football season meets its halfway point, both the JV Maroon and JV White teams are met with triumph and defeat. “Our season hasn’t gone the best so far, but we’ve still fought hard,”

sophomore JV Maroon quarterback Dillon Sanchez said. “I’ve really improved reading the field. I think we’ve all been coachable and

learned a lot this year, but we can definitely focus more and follow the upperclassmen.”

The JV Maroon team has started their season 1-7, but has lost a handful of those by one possession.

“Since we’ve gone into every week believing we can win, I think we have been playing great as a team,” sophomore JV Maroon lineman

Contributing to the teams success, Alli Sims [10] sets the ball to her middle hitter resulting in Aley Dixon [10] getting a kill for her team. Dixon spiked the ball and immediately after celebrated with her team. “My favorite thing about volleyball is the competition because I like to win and compete,” Sims said. “The most important thing during the game is hustling for every ball and getting your feet under it, even when hitting.”

photo by kinnadie rayson

Lucas Frazier said. “Our toughness has been our strongest quality thus far considering we play with fewer than five people on the sideline. This season has taught me that effort is a big part of being an athlete in everything you do, warm ups, weight room and being a leader.”

Competing together every day leading up to game day, the JV White team has learned similar lessons in their first eight games, going 4-4.

“I think the season has gone really well so far, but I think the team can

improve more by playing more as a team, working together and coming into a game with the right attitude,” freshman JV White receiver Tyson Mckinney said. “Our defense has become stronger throughout the year, especially making tackles because it showed us everyday is a battle and a grind every rep needs to be our best. So far this season has most definitely made me want to play next year and increased my love for the game.”

Voices loud, school spirit everywhere, Blake Robertson [12] leads the student section during the pink-out football game. Every Friday night he is down on the track pumping up the crowd and cheering on the boys. “It’s a bit intimidating sometimes but is also a lot of fun,” Robertson said. “My favorite thing about Fridays is cheering on our players as they walk out of the locker room, and one of the most important things is being loud and clear so people are able to understand what I’m saying at all times.”

Racing to Regionals

The cross country regional qualifiers ran at the Region II Regional Championships on Tuesday at Lynn Creek Park. For the varsity girls, sophomores Abby Lobue and Lizzy Still competed as well as freshman Logan Langewisch for the varsity boys.

On Oct. 12, the runners competed at the 15-3A District Meet held at Northeast Texas Community College.

Still was the District champ in the Varsity Girls Division with a time of 13:17. Lobue barely slid into 10th with a time of 15:01.

“I wasn’t completely sure I was going to get district hamp, but after I finished, I was excited,” Still said. “I was hoping to get district champ because I’ve gotten it since 7th grade and I wanted to continue the streak.”

For the varsity boys division at

In previous years, there has been an absence of school spirit led by the student body, but following last year’s homecoming game, an increase in school spirit is more than evident. This year on the front lines is senior Blake Roberston.

“I feel like I’ve made it into a proper organization now,” Robertson said. “I think I’ve gotten more people involved in supporting our school. I also feel like students are finally coming to the games with the intent of supporting our team rather than to put down the opponent and their student section.”

The Mojoes attend the majority of the football and volleyball with the intent of pumping up the players and the crowd.

“I am a varsity volleyball player so I don’t get to cheer at the volleyball

Runners advance to next level

the District 15-3A Meet, Langewisch placed 10th with a time of 21:17. He was followed by senior Logan Dugger, who finished 16th place with a time of 22:16, capping off his running career.

Freshman Nathan Watson finished in 21st place with a time of 24:03.

“Logan Langewisch was somewhat of a surprise, and I knew based on his times he would have a good shot at qualifying for regionals,” HutchinsBoyett said. “He ran smart at district and put himself in a good position to advance.”

Coach Hutchins-Boyett gives the runners plenty of rest time before races, and specifically trains them for the hilly courses early in the season. Once the runners got closer to district and regionals, they began to taper off.

“This year’s group of runners were very young compared to last year’s group that was very senior-laden,”

Hutchins-Boyett said. “This group had a good season, and know the junior high

games but I absolutely love them while play,” senior Emma Hill said. “For football games, I love being a part of the Mojoes. I especially like it when the band plays right beside us and we all chant and dance. I used to not like going to football games but this year I have completely changed my mind because of the mojoe section.”

For Robertson, the job entails a little more than just cheering in the bleachers. He is responsible for themes, organizing meetings, and setting up meeting times for painting before games.

“At first people didn’t know who would be the next leader, but my name was thrown around a bit,” Robertson said. “So, I decided to step up and take the responsibility. There’s a lot more to it than at face value, but I enjoy it.”

Taking on the responsibility of leading the MoJoes first presented itself as an interesting role for game days, but Blake soon found his passion through his love of leading school spirit.

“I’m an advocate for always being yourself,” Robertson said. “You can ask anyone in the school why they thought I would be good at this and it’s because I am totally myself.”

runners are looking forward to running with them next season.”

Heading to the finish line, Logan Langewisch, finishes his race strong. Langewisch qualifies for the regional meet his first year of high school cross country. “To prepare for district I came to practice in the morning and afternoon two times a week to run,” Langewisch said. “We did speed workouts and long runs depending on what day of the week it was, and long runs on the weekends.”

photo by kylie dugger

Abby Lobue Staff Writer

them to 6-0 in district. “Hughes Springs is the next best team in our district so we had to start really strong against them,” Carter said. “Our team loves to celebrate big after huge points and keep a positive attitude no matter what the score is.”

photo by danica herrera

photo by trinity noll

Whatcha’ Know Bout’...

Trinity Noll Editor-in-Chief

Do you prefer being at school during the spring or fall?

“The fall is definitely better than the spring because the spring is too close to summer and it’s hard to focus when summer is almost here,” Eilliott Lattin [9] said. “It’s also not as hot during the fall and I get to play football.”

What is the best Halloween costume?

“The Grim Reaper is the best Halloween costume because nobody can tell who you are so you can scare little kids and not get in trouble,” Levi Sipes [9] said.

Students respond to randomized questions

What’s the best piece of advice you have received?

“The best piece of advice I’ve received from anybody was to focus on bettering myself instead of being better than other people,” Grace Pratt [10] said. “I’m super competitive so it helps me not get frustrated when people are doing better than me.”

What would you do if you had a free day

“I would just sit at my house if I had a free day during the week,” Trevor Sizemore [10] said. “I like being lazy so I would just watch football and eat snacks.”

If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live and why?

“I would live in Corpus Christi, Tx, because that’s where I went on summer vacation growing up,” Davis Toliver [11] said.

What’s one of your comfort foods and why?

Casa Ole (Don Bonitos) because it’s the best Mexican restaurant in Longview and I go every week with Calee,” Kayleigh Woodard [11] said. ”The environment of the restaurant is comforting and it’s just really good.”

Would you rather be stuck on a broken ski lift or a broken “ I would rather be stuck on a ski lift because I feel like I would be able to get down,” Corbyn Fryant [12] said. “And I just hate elevators because they’re sketchy.”

What’s your worst habit?

“My worst habit would have to be procrastinating on a lot of work,” Savanna Ferry [12] said. “My way to fix it would be to do my work the day I get it so I don’t forget about it. You don’t turn it in on time and get the good grade you could’ve got if you turned it in on the due date.”

Is fall overrated?

“Fall is not overrated,” Sophie Carter [9] said. “I think all of the things we do like watching movies or decorating is perfectly fine. Some people go a little crazy at that, but I think it’s overall nice.”

What is your favorite Halloween movie?

2 because it’s pretty cool,”

Addie Fritsche [9] said. “It also came out 29 years after the first one, so that was overdue, but the message behind it is sweet.”

If you could live in any TV show, what would it be?

“If I could live in a TV show, I would live in Stranger Things because it’s in the 80s and I think I’d fit in during that time,” Layne Simpson [10] said. “I also would get super powers and get to fight bad guys, so that’s a win for me.”

What’s one place you’ve traveled to that you never want to go back to?

“I would definitely not go back to Mexico,” Jacob Sorgee [10] said. “Well, I’ve actually never been, but I feel like if I did go, I wouldn’t wanna go back.”

What was the last book you read on?

Jackson was the last book I read and gave up Gavin Sipes [11] said. “It was just boring facts I already knew about the man.”

What dumb accomplishment are you super proud of and why?

“I’m proud about working at Brookshires because I don’t really like it there,” Rilee Bowden [11] said. “But it’s a job and I make money.”

What is an unpopular opinion you have?

“Pineapple should definitley go on pizza,” Canaan Beall [12] said. “Because it adds sweetness to it and mixed with the Canadian bacon it’s great.”

What are the top five Halloween candies?

“1. KitKats

2. Jolly Ranchers

3. Sour Patch Kids

4. Tootsie Rolls

5. Twizzlers,” Caroline Sandlin [12] said. “The top three are great, the bottom two taste like rubber.”