Spriting loud and proud, Richard Burks yells for victory alongside the freshman class.
The cheerleaders and Mr. Parker led each grade level and the band in the V-I-C-T-O-R-Y chant reviving an old tradition. “We did the victory chant when I was high school,” Burks said.
“It feels like the spirit never left.”
another game. “Braydon wasn’t helping because of his shoes,” Heariet said. “Addison and I
In an effort to raise school spirit, student council has created spirit wars between each grade level. Grades receive points by winning dress-up days and class competitions at pep rallies. This competition was in place a few years ago, but came to a stop due to COVID-19. The grade with the most points by the end of football season will receive a prize for their dedication to school spirit.
“I hope bringing spirit wars back will make participation in school spirit grow each week and to have at least 80% of the student body participate,” student council sponsor Kim Taylor said. “I think school spirit brings us together to have a good time.”
Dress-up themes take place each Thursday. The best-dressed boy and girl are announced every Friday at the pep rally and receive a gift bag containing candy and a gift card.
“It was kind of a shock when I was
announced as last week’s winner,” junior Aubrey Saccoccio said. “I didn’t even know they were giving out awards, but regardless I will keep going all out all season. I intend to carry out my older sister’s legacy and if that means embarrassing myself then I’m fine with that. I hope that someday my younger sister Addison will continue this tradition so that the school knows we gave it our all.”
Many new and different dress-up themes were approved this year.
According to student council vice president, Danica Herrera, students are no longer bored by the same recurring themes and can have more fun than in previous years.
“I think that the more fun themes, such as ‘anything but a backpack,’ allows students to get outside of their comfort zone and participate,” Herrera said.
“Students also feel more comfortable
joining in on the themes when the whole school is doing it.”
Maroon Out takes place every Friday. Students are encouraged to wear spirit overalls and White Oak attire in support of the volleyball team, football team and band.
“I like to wear my spirit overalls because it is simply a cute way to show school spirit,” student council president Emily Aguilar said. “I believe wearing maroon on Fridays is important because it shows our support to any of our teams that may be playing that week.”
In addition to more spirit dress-up days, the student body was seated by classification during the first indoor pep rally. This allows for each grade to take part in the newly introduced victory chant.
“Although I would love to sit and chant with my grade for the win since I am a cheerleader this isn’t possible,” junior
Kynlee Bright said. “The good thing about this is that I experience the other side. I get to see students standing on their feet chanting at the top of their lungs because they want to win. It allows me to see the true spirit coming back into White Oak all the while getting to be one of the ones leading it.”
Student council games count toward spirit points also. The first game was Tugof-War, where students from each grade battled to win. A new game, provided by Student council, will take place during each pep rally.
“I think that the spirit wars greatly encourage school spirit and I think it will improve each week,” senior Emma Nix said, “I thought that tug-of-war was one of the better games that we’ve had because it involved more people than usual.”
Strolling the halls, he remembers his goals for this new chapter. With each visit into a UIL class, he is comforted by the inviting smiles and excited eyes looking back at him. Each student is a commitment and a person for him to mentor and help long after graduation has passed.
New high school principal, Jack Parker, works to lead the student body to success in UIL and in all their endeavors.
“White Oak is the best school in East Texas,” Parker said. “I’m really excited this change happened and I’m really excited to be here. I see a lot of success and long-lasting relationships with students and faculty in the future here.”
Parker came from a 14-year-long reign as the Elysian Fields High School principal, but he’s not looking back. He took this position with high hopes for the future of the school.
“I loved it at Elysian Fields and I would not have applied for any other principal job in East Texas, but then the White
Oak High School job became available,” Parker said. “I’m looking forward to making some lasting relationships with people, creating a climate and a culture, under my leadership as principal, that will be harmonious for the students and the staff and getting to know the senior class this year.”
Rather than leading from behind a desk, Parker plans to take initiative and create a happy environment. This means doing all he can to help his students be successful outside the classroom and pushing UIL academics.
“We’re here for the purpose to learn and continue our education forever,” Parker said. “UIL academics helps your ACT score, it helps with your prep for life after high school, whether that is college, whether that is tech school, whether that is going to work. It teaches a work ethic that is like no other when you really get into it and do those events really hard, whatever those events may be.”
In order to meet the goals Parker has
for competitions this year, he has to rely on his coaches to recruit the right students. He has plenty of plans in the works to get students involved.
“We’re going to have fun,” Parker said. “We’re going to eat. We’re going to have prizes for people who score the best or hit goals. I want the UIL teams to know that am behind them 100% and I will do anything I can to help them succeed.”
This initiative has excited coaches as well as students involved in UIL. With more emphasis put onto UIL, there are more students competing in events which lessens the stress for coaches.
“It is clear that Mr. Parker loves people,” English I teacher Gay Noble said. “He was always at every Elysian Fields UIL meet, talking to everyone and creating such a great environment. We have really missed that shepherding type of leadership of Dan Noll or Jack Hale. It’s such a blessing that Mr. Parker has that same heart for his students and teachers.”
During the search for a new principal, Parker was a stand out amongst the
other candidates because of how personable he was with faculty and students.
“He has a lot of good qualities all rolled into one,” superintendent Brian Gray said. “There are a lot of great folks out there that can do the curriculum stuff and the extracurricular stuff and build relationships with the kids and would fit with the staff. I think he just kind of checked all of those boxes. I think he’s going to be great for White Oak.”
Parker started creating goals as soon as he heard he was the newest principal and those goals stretch farther out than just this year.
“I see building relationships with kids and teachers that are going to be long lasting,” Parler said. “I want to win the Lone Star Cup, that’s a goal of mine. That Lone Star Cup is a well-rounded accomplishment and feel like we can do that in the next four or five years. I see a lot of success in the future of White Oak High School.”
While still adjusting to becoming the new principal, Mr. Parker works tirelessly to benefit the school by offering rewards to different groups. Parker’s focus is to bring home the Lone Star Cup again. “White Oak is a fantastic place,” Parker said. “The tradition and pride has always been here and I’m excited to be a part of it. I want to create an environment where everybody feels welcome and everybody can learn. I want to win the Lone Star cup again. It’s a compilation of band, athletics, academics and fine arts so everyone works together to achieve this goal.”
As a former coach, Mr. Skyler Stagner walks in for his first day of school as the new assistant principal. He tries to remain cool, calm and collected, but actually has millions of thoughts and emotions racing through his head. This transition comes with many opportunities, but will also force many changes.
Stagner, the previous football offensive coordinator, head baseball coach and high school chemistry teacher has taken the position of assistant principal. He left his old responsibilities behind and stepped into a new chapter.
“This switch came with difficulties like going from a subject that I’ve taught for 15 years to something that’s completely different and discovering there were a lot of things I thought I knew that
I actually didn’t,” Stagner said. “The easiest part was being able to stay at
Father/son duo coach Roughneck football Kynlee Bright Staff Writer
“The victories will be sweeter. The defeats will be sour. I don’t like to lose and I know that he doesn’t either,” words spoken by veteran coach and father.
After a seven year stint at Union Grove, father and son coaching duo Roger and Kyle Adams reunite to coach the Roughnecks for the 2022-23 season. With an Adams on each side of the ball, the two are using their differences to their advantage to coach what best suits them.
“I think we bring two different energies to the table,” Kyle said. “My dad is defensive minded, aggressive, loud and animated, but I tend to be more reserved or even-keel so we give off a little Yin and Yang energy.”
Although the duo has opposite strengths in coaching, their differences help to benefit the team for the best possible outcome. Roger has been coaching for over 35 years and is well known for his success on the field, whereas Kyle has been coaching for 13 years.
“There are definitely big shoes to fill,” Kyle said. “Last year I coached at Hallsville and he wasn’t on the sideline with me and that was different. It’s difficult because you always want to put the best product on the field and with your dad coaching alongside you, you want it to be even more special.”
His father’s reputation may precede him, but Kyle is certainly living up to the standard. Entering his first year coaching for the Roughnecks, he rewrote the playbook for the team’s offense.
“I have been able to pull many
experiences from a lot of different places,” Kyle said. “Sometimes when you’re not exposed to different things, you tend to just stay in one little lane, but since I’ve coached on multiple teams, I was able to pull all the different experiences and what we did offensively to help culminate into the playbook.”
Kyle has coached many teams allowing him to utilize his knowledge of offensive plays to benefit the Roughnecks this season. Not only has he learned from years of coaching experience, but also from his time spent on the field as a student with his dad coaching from the sideline.
“The main reason that I’m in White Oak is that my son and I have another opportunity to coach together,” Roger said. “I believe that he is a good coach, I just hope that everything I taught him in school carried over to his career.”
Kyle not only has parental approval for his accomplishments but now a fellow coach’s for his success on the field. Their father/son bond has grown throughout their years of coaching together, allowing the two to become each other’s biggest fans and supporters in both life and football.
“It’s one thing to see your parents as kids but as you get older and have kids of your own, that tends to stop happening as much, so I love the fact that we get to see each other everyday,” Kyle said. “Having my dad in the office has been an amazing experience and cannot wait for this season.”
White Oak and in the same building.”
Stagner considered applying for the assistant principal position hard and in depth before making the decision. He talked with his close friends, family members and colleagues before reaching a verdict.
“I already miss certain aspects of coaching since football season is here,” Stagner said. “I miss being around the boys, being at practices and being on the sidelines for games.”
When he first got the news, he was excited, but also a bit nervous. He knew from an outside perspective what he was getting into, but as he began actually taking on the job he realized there was much more than meets the eye.
“I just have to support the kids when I can and let them know I still care about them,” Stagner said. “I don’t want my past players and students to feel weird
around me in a different leadership role.”
Stagner seeing students in the halls now that he coached last year and years before, gives him mixed feelings. While he is satisfied with his new job, he still misses having that coach-player relationship with the boys.
“It’s a completely different set of challenges that you don’t experience as a teacher or coach,” Stagner said.
“Navigating through those challenges is what helps the school be successful.”
With any change comes new experiences and adaptations, like enforcing new rules and being more of a disciplinarian. Overcoming these challenges and changes is what will strengthen the school, the administration and student behavior.
“Mr. Parker and I went through the handbook for two weeks straight of
things that I felt have been issues here in the past couple years,” Stagner said. “No phones during the school day is to eliminate potential discipline issues like meeting up, but everything else is pretty much the same. I’m just enforcing them.”
Stagner’s goals for the years are solely to improve the students’ behaviors and that they will receive the punishment that they deserve. He thinks that with stricter authority and less distractions the students will perform better in class.
“My wishful goal is that everyone would follow the rules and stay out of trouble,” Stagner said. “A big part of it is the teachers and students knowing I will hold students accountable.”
Director takes over assistant position
The audience sits quietly in anticipation for the performance. As the new director steps on stage and up to the podium, he sees the students he has just begun teaching patiently waiting for his first command. He raises the baton up to count off the band. As the first note is played the audience shifts to the backs of their seats.
New chemistry teacher brings high standards Trinity Noll Editor-in-Chief
between math or music, and decided on music when my director lied to me and promised me that I would direct Longview High School’s band program.”
Loud footsteps echo through the halls as a stampede of angry students sprint after their giddy teacher. As the class races to the attendance office with mixed emotions from all, there’s one common factor filling their minds: textbooks are in.
Dickson said. “This subject is the killer for so many of the things you’ll want to do. So many students have a hard time understanding this subject. The state stuff is great, but having students prepared for what they want to do is actually the important part.”
Typing away at his desk, new assistant principal Mr. Stagner takes time to plan new ways to benefit the school. Stagner has used his newfound position to enforce stricter regulations to promote positive habits among students. “There are other challenges that didn’t know came with this job, but so far it’s been smooth,” Stagner said. “I hope to fully understand the expectations of administration, the ins and outs and learn how the school works from a different perspective by the end of the year.”
Since the leave of former head band director Jason Steele and promotion of Jacob Ramos to head band director, the position of assistant director remained open. At the beginning of this August, Gustavo Corrales assumed this position. “I had a lot of podium time in college with leadership positions,” Corrales said. “This kind of helped me find my craft and passion for teaching.”
During his time in high school, Corrales was able to develop a close relationship with his former band director. This influenced him to make the decision to pursue a career in music.
“I discovered I wanted to be a teacher when I was tutoring one of my classmates,” Corrales said. “I was
As a member of Longview High School Band and studying at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Corrales has experience with both military and corps style bands. Alongside this, he held a position as a long term substitute at Troup High School.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot,” Corrales said. “There’s been a lot of trial and error in my time around bands. I had to learn to adapt, reflect a lot and refine my craft.”
Corrales is now currently the newest and youngest member of the band staff. Because of this he has been put into a unique situation.
“Mr. Ramos has already taught me so much,” Coralles said. “I think the mentorship with Mr. Ramos and Mr. Whatley has kind of made me like a sponge. I’m just trying to absorb all the information I can to be the best can. I feel really lucky to be here.”
Participating in the warmup, new assistant band director Gustavo Corrales plays his baritone by the rest of the section. Mr. Corrales often joins the brass section at the begininng of class before the band heads outside. “There’s been a lot of trial and error in my time around bands. I had to learn to adapt, reflect a lot and refine my craft,” Coralles said.
After __ years at Elysian Fields, chemistry teacher Johnny Dickson transfers to the White Oak staff. Dickson not only teaches chemistry, but coached his last team to the state finals in Science UIL setting a high standard for his new team this coming season.
“Honestly, my goal for this year is to go to state to make the best chemistry students in the state of Texas,” Dickson said. “I also want to be accepted by this community.”
Dickson started out his journey to approval strongly by not only becoming the honors chemistry teacher, but also adding a never-seen AP Chemistry course to the school’s science department. He wishes to soon have his chemistry students take back-to-back courses to avoid the yearlong gap in their education. Not only does Dickson have high hopes for his chemistry courses, but he also hopes to lead the Science UIL teams to victory this season.
“A big difference between Elysian Fields and White Oak is that we had a 45 minute class period dedicated to UIL academics,” Dickson said. “UIL takes place during enrichment for White Oak. A class period without interruptions makes the kids learn at an exponential level.”
After leading his team to become the state runner up in Science UIL last year, Dickson is on the hunt for dedicated and strong science students to join his UIL event. While the state tournament fills the back of his mind, Dickson ultimately hopes to use his position as a chance to prepare students for their future.
“Regardless of the amount of success, I hope to just have the kids prepared,”
Preparing students is Dickson’s ultimate goal, and everyone says practice makes perfect, well homework that is. A major portion of AP Chemistry’s curriculum comes from a textbook, and after a three week waiting period for both their online and physical version, the books finally arrived. “Now that have the textbooks, feel at home,” Dickson said. “They are so necessary for AP Chemistry, especially because the homework is in the online textbook.” Homework comes with the job, and to prepare his students for success, it is necessary, and with the textbooks now in their hands, Dickson is ready to jump into the curriculum. Being in the field that he is allows him to watch students grow from shy kids to the future engineers and doctors of our world.
“Ultimately, my favorite part of this job is the kids,” Dickson said. “It is cool to see how my kids turn out. have many students in college studying how to become both engineers and doctors, and it makes me proud to know that at some point in their education, my class may have made a lifelong impact on them.”
After 5 years of journalism, have officially learned that “high school” is two words and not one. I have recently discovered that love reading for fun (this does not apply to the books Mrs. Lattin assigns us). I am the definition of an old cat lady. Also, I am a type 8, which should encapsulate everything you need to know about me.
Kate Dusek
I’m Kate Dusek and the assistant editor of the gauger. I compete in headline writing and copy editing UIL, and I also compete in Vase.
I’m the libero of JV volleyball, and play basketball and tennis. If you read a story of mine in the gauger, and you like it, I wrote it, but if not, Grace Pratt wrote it.
Alli Sims
I’m obsessed with Taylor Swift and don’t understand the Harry Styles hype. Most people assume my favorite hobby is volleyball, but it’s actually laying in bed with my labradoodle and weighted blanket, eating Sour Patch Kids and watching Friends. Also, against my Longhornloving mom’s wishes, I want to go to college at Texas A&M University, go Aggies!
Lexi Palmer
Meet the staph Hi my name is Lexi and my antibiotic cleared it all up so I don’t know why they are still calling me staph. It all started with a spider bite. I was hoping it would give me superpowers like spiderman but all it got me was a nickname.
Anna Iske
Hi my name is Anna and I’m not even in a journalism class but I still have to write for the newspaper. am also the sports editor. I took one year of journalism and found out I couldn’t use the AP-style handbook on the quizzes after my first year so I dropped the class.
Kylie Wallace
Hey, I’m Kylie. I’m a senior, and I’m the resident astrologer of the journalism staff. occasionally write stories and edit pictures, but my true passion lies in dissecting everyone’s personalities based on pseudoscience.
Jenna Crum
Hi everyone, my name is Jenna Crum and went backpacking for 2 weeks and all I learned from it was how to solve a Rubix Cube. My favorite ice cream is Cherry Chocolate Chunk and if I could be any animal for a day it would be a chinchilla.
Chloe Bates
Hi, my name is Chloe and I have a procrastination problem. When I told my friends I didn’t start my major works data sheet for Mrs. Lattin’s class until the day of, they were way more worried than I was. It didn’t help that we had a full day of volleyball and wouldn’t get back to the hotel until at least ten in the evening. I turned it in at 11:58 p.m. and don’t see an issue with that, but Lexi was having a panic attack in my honor.
Jordan Crum
Hi, my name is Jordan, and my interests range from different categoriesStar Trek to reading to the number pi to playing the dinosaur game on my calculator. Actually, all those things fall in the nerd category. The things I wish could do are draw and do the splits, which are both much harder than they sound.
Karlyn Jones
Hi, my name is Karlyn Jones and my mother banned me from Nutella. It was getting to be quite the addiction, seeing as I ate it on literally everything. This summer me and my family went to Costa Rica and the guide on our crocodile tour warned us of the health risks of eating too much Nutella. It had something to do with a palm oil ingredient or something. When we returned to America, my mother stopped buying my weekly Nutella from Walmart, so now I’m having withdrawals. Please send money for nutella, I need my fix.
Kynlee Bright
Hi, my name is Kynlee Bright and I am this year’s yearbook editor. I’m so excited to use this position to get to know more about each student and faculty member and their unique stories that we are going to put into perspective this year. A little bit about myself is that I am not only involved in all things journalism, but I also serve as an officer for FFA, compete in debate and UIL, I am the president of the Class of 2024. know what you’re thinking, “Wow, she’s a nerd,” and you would be correct. hope that this year I will get the chance to reach the lives of many in our school district as well as tell their stories for all to see.
Addison ClinkscalesHi my name is Addison Clinkscales and I enjoy doing things like volleyball, cheer and track (yes, I like running, don’t judge). I am a brunette but often times get called blonde, still haven’t figured that out yet. And I have a three legged dog that I love.
Keller Lott
My name is Keller. This is due tomorrow, so I’m writing this on my birthday. I’m now seventeen years old, 5’6 on a good day and have Justin Timberlake concerts in my car. After two years of journalism, I still don’t know how to make a yearbook spread, but it’s okay because my role is writing news stories and knowing sports.
Jessica Lowery
If you are reading this, I am going to assume you are interested in the infamous Queen JLow (aka Jessica Lowery). However, I am a woman of many names, so I could respond to the following: Jessie, Jess or Gremlin (don’t ask). If I was quickly summed up, I would be described as a short, loud-speaking, curly-headed spontaneous dancer who has a tendency to bust out in song. These characteristics stem from my cheerleading spirit; needless to say, make sure to have stamina if you want to truly get to know me.
Addison Milligan
Hi, my name is Addison. I’m almost 16 and I still wear a kid’s size shoe. Also, half my camera roll is filled with dog pictures. I might have an obsession...
Aubrey Saccoccio
Hey its Aubrey. Im a sixteen year old Starbucks addict who has fun buying books which I’m convinced I will one day read. I sleep a lot and try extremely hard in school so I can hopefully attend Baylor University with one of my best friends. From there I will be pursing criminal justice and work my way to a criminal detective. If that does not work, I will study to become a vet. I want to travel to Italy and France when I retire and plan on living there.
Collin Wheat
My name is Collin, but actually I go by “the owner of this place.” If you have ever seen someone walking around like they own the place, it was probably me. If you ever want to see me, I’ll be #57 on a football field every Friday night.
Drake Kneifl
Hi my name is Drake. You probably never see me because I’m never at school. But, if you do see me I’m probably taking pictures of the guy who thinks he owns the place. Ps, I beat up Collin everyday.
Kylie Dugger
Hey y’all, I’m Kylie. One of my favorite hobbies is shooting skeet, but I’m also color blind, so don’t take me during sunset.
Ramzey Salter
Hi my names Ramzey Salter and yes I spent 45 minutes trying to decide what my sentences should be. My friends always say people always know where they stand with me because if my mouth doesn’t say it my face will. Yes I’m one of those people who are completely random nad can switch topics in the middle of a sentence. Speaking of which also happen to be obsessed with country music and not the pop country like the real Texas country. I also happen to have a procrastination problem which is why I’m fixing this the day it’s due.
Carson West
Hi, my name is Carson, also known as (Baby Carson) and like spaghetti. I play baseball and golf, but I really like the gym. I’m really lazy and don’t like to wake up for school, and if you ever see me say spaghetti.
Meredith Anderson
Hi my name is Meredith and if you can’t find me I am in some AG teachers room. If you need any useless information about milk am your girl. Also looking for helpful tips on trying to convince my parents to let me go on a cruise.
For starters, you don’t have to apologize when you cuss around me. A lot of people assume things about my life, but a lot of people are also curious. I thought I’d help those people out by answering some questions right off the bat. No, I don’t live at the church, no, I don’t read my Bible for hours every day and no, don’t only listen to worship music. People just make their assumptions, but I’m here to tell the truth. One of the most common assumptions is that my family and I are oblivious to pop culture. We’ve all watched Stranger Things, we go see all the Marvel movies and I know who Taylor Swift is; she’s my number one artist on Spotify. We’re pretty experienced in Pop culture, and unlike Mrs. Booshay, from The Waterboy, we don’t think everything is the devil.
If people don’t think I’m perfect, they probably think I’m like the pastor’s daughter on Footloose. I’m not any of those things, I’m just a normal person in a regular family, and we don’t think dancing is sin. We just don’t dance because we’re not good at it. Over the years, I’ve realized that people watch what they do around me, talk about or they don’t share things with me because they are worried will judge them. Don’t worry, I’m not going to judge you, unless you act like a complete moron. If you don’t remember anything from this story, remember this advice, treat pastors’ kids like normal human beings. I hate it when people walk on eggshells around me. I’m not saying tell me all your darkest secrets, but don’t want you thinking I’m going to make you have a come to Jesus
meeting if you tell me something.
My identity is not a pastor’s kid. If you talk to me, you’ll find out I really am just a normal human being. There are plenty of people that you would never peg as pastor’s kids. I bet you didn’t know the Jonas Brothers are pastor’s kids, and I bet you didn’t know Katy Perry was one either. My point is as many stereotypes as there are, pastor’s kids aren’t what you think. I can’t speak for every p.k. out there, but for me, I can honestly say that my family and I are just like everyone else. We are no better or worse than any other family. We have our problems and things we have to work through, but I promise we really are normal. Just don’t ever witness us watching sports or you might change your mind.
A basic guide to surviving high school
Jordan Crum Staff Writer
1. Time management. Stay on top of your work or be left behind. This can not be stressed enough. You can usually get a lot done at school if you use those five extra minutes the teacher gives to do homework or have a free period because of flex or enrichment. Don’t procrastinate on your homework-doing it as soon as you can is not fun, but much better than cramming at 2 a.m. You may feel like you are more productive past midnight, but studies have shown that students score higher on their tests when they choose to sleep rather than to cram. Some people do have practices that start after school that go on until the evening, and the people that manage to correctly balance all of their commitments have the best time management.
2. Join something. School is about learning, but it’s boring if you just go to class. Find something that interests you and talk to someone who’s in it, or find the teacher running the organization and join. If you really love a certain class, or if you want to get better at something, like math or writing, join an academic UIL. If you want to get more involved in the school, join Student council or the mojoes. Find a group where you can do something that you like outside of class, and do it. This will make high school much more
Kynlee Bright Staff Writer Strobbing lights fill the room as sound of blaring music and feet stomping can be heard throughout the school. While dancing their heart out to Church Clap before each game, the girls prepare themselves for victory.
Before season began, the volleyball team took it upon themselves to decorate the locker room in hopes that it would pump them up before games. With efforts from both the Ladynecks and head coach Morgan High, streamers, encouraging bulletin boards and hanging lanterns fill the room that the girls consider home.
“The locker room is like my second home, and the girls my family,”
senior Mackenzie Rankin said. “We’re there early in the morning, late at night and many times in between. Decorating made the locker room something of our own to prepare us for our games.”
After a trip to Hobby Lobby, and two to Five and Below, the team was ready to add pazzaz to their home away from home. Adding the many decorations and trinkets to the locker room was just what they needed to give them the extra push of encouragement, but nothing compares to their favorite addition of all: the disco ball.
“The disco ball, which is really not a disco ball (it is an LED strobe light), travels with us to each and every game,” senior
Trinity Noll said. “We turn the lights off, plug in our disco ball and make every locker room transform into a party.”
The locker room is a safe space for the team to bond, party and dance to silly songs. It has its more serious purposes such as warming up, preparing and getting their minds straight for the games to come, but who said it couldn’t be exciting, too?
“We talk, we dance and listen to music that pumps us up,” Rankin said. “Doing the same thing can get repetitive, but decorating, having the lights and listening to music keeps us going and makes it more exciting to play our favorite game with the girls we love.”
Effective ways to improve your life and mental health with Jessica Lowery
Jessica Lowery Staff Writer
enjoyable.
3. Ask for help. If you are struggling on an assignment, ask for help. Go to your teachers, other people taking the class, or an upperclassman who has taken (and passed) the class before. Most teachers would rather help you before school, during enrichment, or at another time rather than put bad grades in a gradebook. Don’t come in for math the day before a test. By then it’s too late. Use your time management (see #1) and prepare days in advance for tests you know will be hard. Some teachers do offer extra credit throughout the year, so stay on top of it and take the extra points.
4. Learn to study. High school is a step up from middle school, and you may need to find new ways to study to make the grades you want. I had to learn the hard way, and every person has to find a unique way to study that works for them. If you need to try new study methods, try copying your notes again, reworking your math homework, taking notes as you read your assigned novel, or making flashcards for anything involving vocabulary. Quizlet is great for Spanish and memorizing definitions and terms, but it does not help you learn concepts.
5. Find a way to deal with stress. At one point in high school, you will have so much going on that you can’t keep your head
straight. Finding a way to deal with stress-whether it be by exercise, coloring, talking to someone, listening to music, etc.-is really important. Your mental health is more important than passing one test. The pressure to do well can be really high, and it’s easy to forget about taking care of yourself. Just hang in there and put your wellbeing first.
6. Park at your own risk in the middle of the blacktop. I don’t know who’s doing this, but it’s not the freshman. The blacktop is the big parking lot behind the middle school gym that is marked like a football field. You can park on the edges in the corner if there are no other parking spots open, but do not park in the middle of the blacktop. The band practices marching in the morning there, and if a baton or tuba happens to hit your car because you’re on the 50 yard line, it’s your own fault. At the end of the day, remember that high school is new if you’re a freshman, old if you’re a sophomore, exhausting if you’re a junior, and at once comforting (for its consistency) or antagonizing (for the same reason) if you’re a senior. Just take it one day at a time and remember that eventually you will leave high school, and one day you might even miss it a little.
School is in, and homework is due. “Turn it in,” they say. You look at the person seated next to you and say, “Yeah… I’m going to need to copy your homework. I forgot to do it.” You feel anxious and begin to scramble, writing illegible words in hopes to finish it before your teacher snags it. You fail… and it’s a zero. You only have yourself to blame as your hypnotizing TikTok feed kept you up all night. The only thing you usually remember to do is your timed BeReal, and sometimes you’re even late to that. Okay, so your timing is wack? Let’s fix it. What I have gathered so far is that you and your cellular device
Football in the eyes of a cheerleader
Cheerleader: (n) a member of a team that performs organized cheering, chanting and dancing in support of a team. Funny how nowhere in the formal definition of a cheerleader does it say “understand the game and fundamentals of the sport in which you are cheering for”.
I mention this because out of the 16 girls on the varsity cheer team, I could almost ensure that more than half of us do not understand how football works. We stand on the sideline watching for a boy in maroon to run down the field and into the endzone, that much we know. But ask us what a pick six, offsides, or who our cornerback is and we will blankly stare at you until we pull out our phones to look up what in the world you are talking about. If you need to know anything about football or why a flag was just thrown, please
are madly in love and attached at the hip (#WeLoveCommitment), so let’s put your destructive habit to use. I, personally, keep up with my tasks and assignments digitally through the “Stickies” feature on my computer. However, if you would like a different method, the app store offers many planners that could be equally effective. If you don’t like the first app you download, keep scrolling (I have a feeling you will be good at that). Say the digital planner doesn’t work for you; what’s next? That’s simple. You ask your granny to show you an ancient paper planner, and you walk away quickly before she goes on that rant of, “You know back in my day we didn’t have
while we worry about the assignment we have to turn in by 12 p.m. that night? In all honesty we spend most of our time yelling at crowds that stare at us blankly rather than yelling along after we frantically ask the football players on the sideline if we are on offense or defense. In the end, does it really matter that cheerleaders don’t understand football? No. Our job is to get the crowd involved, dance with the band and look pretty, not understand why the boys just backed up 15 yards. Whether we understand what’s happening or not, at the end of the night we know that throwing our bodies around and screaming at the top of our lungs with dark maroon lipstick on was worth it for the boy’s success, and hopefully one of them will text us on the ride home explaining to us what happened on that field.
that technology that you kids use.” I know it comes as a shock that paper still exists, but there is still an option to design and draw your very own calendar. Target, the loveliest of places, carries cutesy planners that could benefit you greatly. Afterwards, you could reward yourself with a shopping spree due to your best efforts of improvement (definitely not because you are impulsively buying unnecessary items). Imagine a world where you receive an obligation and you jot it down immediately to later complete. Sounds better than a failing grade and a lecture from your parents, am I right? refrain from asking the girls with a high bow and mini skirt. Unless that flag was accidentally launched in the air, we’re absolutely clueless. Let’s be honest, do cheerleaders really know the difference between a right tackle and a safety? Probably not. But here’s what we do know: Landyn throws, Noah runs and Luke and Holden tag team a tackle on one very unlucky recipient. We also know that there’s more coaches on the field than players… still waiting for someone to explain this one. But, we just recently came to the realization that those yellow things thrown in the air aren’t always good news, and that our boys trash talk the other team more than Chris Rock trash talked Will Smith’s wife at the Oscars. How is one supposed to acquire information on football when no one explains it, and half of our time is spent tirelessly throwing people into the air
Since its founding in 1910, UIL Debate has helped students develop skills from speaking to learning how to research, but the biggest challenge of all lies in these four words: no internet in rounds. For the past 112 years, students have been required to conduct all research before walking into a round, but on June 14, UIL announced that competitors will be allowed to access the internet while actively debating an opponent, changing the perspective of debate’s foundation.
Allowing the use of the internet in debate destroys prepared student’s advantage.
Debate was formed for the purpose of allowing students to analyze issues, think critically, deliver a compelling argument as well as be prepared for any and all situations, but with the swift click of the button at their fingertips, students no longer have to prepare for competitions as the generations before them did. The access of the internet threatens to tear down even some of the most outrageous and sophisticated cases on the market, meaning that a state qualifying team may be overcome by a team of novices simply because they “looked it up.” In the past, competitors walked into a round with information from three common debate sites: Open Evidence, Baylor Briefs and the National Debate Handbook, but with the internet only a tab away, these three sites easily transformed into well over one billion.
Aside from causally changing the foundation of the organization that created UIL, another pressing issue is the unreliable friend we call internet
access. Debaters travel to many schools and cities across their state to prepare for the district competition, but what happens when free internet isn’t offered, the power goes out or a school refuses to give anyone but their students the password to their internet?
Well if you didn’t come with anything prepared, good luck. This unreliable method of debating will cause issues amongst the state through unfair advantages among contestants or even teams being forced to forfeit the round because they don’t have the internet to provide information or credible sources.
Others may argue that as our world advances technologically, so should debate, but there are some things that should just stay old school. Without the internet, students are forced to think on their feet, react quickly and prepare themselves for all situations, but the internet provides a crutch for unprepared teams to lean on as other passionate debaters pour their souls into their before-hand research. What sounds like such a simple change has fundamentally altered the competitive nature of UIL debate for the 2022-23 season.
The accessibility of the internet in debate is not something that should be taken lightly and all competitors need to consider what really matters in the endwinning one round or learning life long lessons and skills that can be utilized for your benefit. What’s done is done, but the UIL Legislative Council should strongly consider the effects that the internet will have on the development of debate skills in competitors and reconsider the motion of accessible internet for the 2023-24 season.
Reasons why you should visit your school library
Jordan Crum Staff Writer
You know those books that make you want to scratch your eyes out, cry or even worse, do your math homework instead?
Yeah, I think we’ve all been there, but I’m here to tell you that although books are pretty awesome, there’s one thing even better: the library. Why sit in your room alone reading a horrible story when you could sit in the midst of hundreds of books and make your librarian read along with you to soften the blow of the never ending tale of Devil in the White City?
Greek Mythology may have made me shed a tear or two, but the library has offered many more adventures and smiles for me than the terrible tale of an old man who raises a baby he found on the street (yes, I’m talking about Silas Marner).
When took a quick survey of my journalism class, I found that only one person had been to the library, and that was only because she had nowhere to go for flex and not because she wanted a book. While the library obviously has great books, it offers much more than just a good read. There is at least one puzzle in progress at any given moment and a whole shelf of games to check out or to play. It contains some of the coziest furniture around and is a quiet place to just chill or do homework. Programs such as summer reading and the Therapy Dogs of Gregg County have also come to the library, and a new program starting on Tuesdays called Crafts and Crimes lets people come, do crafts, and listen to crime podcasts. The library has also been updated
Trinity Noll Editor-in-ChiefThe first semester is finally over and you wait not so patiently for Mrs. Barrett to release your transcript. You anxiously open Skyward. 3…2…1…
Disappointment floods your mind and your slight smile has now faded into a frown. Your GPA dropped and so did your class rank. But what if I told you that it didn’t really matter that much?
(That is until you apply to college, but that is a story for another time).
I’m going to say this in the most simple way possible, your GPA does not define your intelligence.
Behind the scenes of every kid in the top 10% lies secret tips and tricks on how to boost your GPA. If you’re me, you take dual credit speech and economics over the summer and sacrifice a tan for a .01 climb in numbers (Yes, I do regret not getting the tan). You also take four AP classes for the 15-point weight as a senior rather than taking blow-off classes for an enjoyable year. All this to say, the hard work and sacrifices (especially the tan) do not necessarily correspond to a person’s intelligence level. If you know how to play the weight game, you can successfully achieve the 4.0 and the top 10 rankings. But you can also leave out the learning part.
If you’ve ever had Mrs. Lattin as a
teacher, you know that she has many unconventional rules, but the most important one is that GPAs do NOT exist. Some might say that GPA helps determine what your ACT test result will be as well as make college applications quite a bit easier and in that aspect, they aren’t wrong. But in Lattinland, it’s a known fact that most kids do not retain information, and can’t pull knowledge from history classes and apply it to the time period of a book (probably because they took every history class online to make room for weighted classes, couldn’t be me). But let’s think about it, is playing the weight game more important than not only enjoying your high school years but actually retaining useful information? I guess that’s up to you to decide.
In my opinion, your GPA reflects how hard you are willing to work and study. Turning in assignments on time and studying the extra hours will get you a long way in terms of GPA. A student ranked in the 50s could have the highest IQ of all their class, but if they don’t play the weight game, they may never see that 3.8 turn into a 4.0. I encourage everyone to work hard and have a good GPA so that college applications are easy, but always remember that your intelligence does not lie between the 4.0 scale.
Leadership makes minor modifications to rulebook
Chloe Bates Staff Writer
Under the leadership of principal Jack Parker and assistant principal Skylar Stagner, new guidelines have been implemented. These rules include a modification to the time students are allowed to be on their phones and what seems to be a stricter dress code.
Despite changes to administration in the high school, the rules students abide by have not changed drastically.
Kynlee Bright Staff WriterSlowly cruising through the double doors with a nervous sweat threatening to roll down her forehead, freshman Olivia Deslatte feels the eyes of a hundred students staring as she steers her scooter down the hallway with a furry critter happily sitting in her lap. After being diagnosed with NonHodgkins Lymphoma in 2020, Olivia was unfortunately removed from school to undergo chemotherapy. She was announced to be cancer free in June, but the chemo left her with debilitating injuries requiring the use of a scooter or crutches for all transportation and an emotional support dog, Milo, in case complications were to arise. Olivia returned for her first day of school since her diagnoses on Aug. 11 to start her freshman year.
“This year will be my first full year back,” Olivia said. “I was nervous but also really excited to come to school. With my current condition I was nervous that not only would have trouble adjusting to school, but that people would judge me, but I’ve learned that there are more nice people in our school than mean so that hasn’t really been an issue.”
The two stayed true to their commitment to stay friends even throughout a year of no physical visitation while Olivia was undergoing treatment, but her friends’ text messages kept her spirits up even in a dark time. But, friends and family aren’t the only encouragement Olivia has. Milo, who makes a daily appearance at school, helps to lift her mood in times of need.
“Whenever I am having a bad day, just call Milo over and he helps cheer me up,” Olivia said. “My favorite thing about him is that he’s very silly, and a dog that can make you laugh is the best. He also helps to draw attention away from my scooter. When people see me now, normally the first thing they say is, ‘your dog is so cute,’ or, ‘can I pet him?’ taking their thoughts off of my scooter, which I appreciate.”
While furry pets help to cheer most teens up, Milo holds a special place in the heart of Olivia for helping her through the hardest fight of her life. Overcoming cancer was the first battle but coming back to school is the second.
As she enters the front doors of Sacramento State University, senior Emma Nix looks around at her competition and thinks of all the dedication and years of experience they have over her. She heads to the check-in table and leaves her family and coaches. She is completely alone in a distant state and about to face the most exciting opportunity of her life.
After participating in the state track meet for discus where she placed 9th in the state, Nix joined a throwing club called The Throwing Factory. She participated in the Junior Olympics at Sacramento State University on July 31. Nix will compete at multiple indoor meets throughout this school year.
“When arrived at the school, I had to go and check-in,” Nix said. “Once you checked in, you could not talk to your parents or coaches until after you started throwing. It was just a super long waiting period and the more time I spent waiting the more anxious I got, everything was very new to me.”
to her, she knew that it could benefit her future, especially with the sport not being mainstream and common.
“Going to the Junior Olympics was a really big goal for me just because I am a senior and would never qualify for it again because of my age,” Nix said.
“I also knew there would be a ton of college coaches watching.”
The decision to go to Sacramento was last minute for Nix and brought up a few sacrifices along the way. She had to miss a day of two-a-days and a planned vacation with friends to compete.
“It was all really fast,” Nix said. “My family was sceptical at first just because it would be a lot of money to go and compete.”
to reflect current times. A large section of the reference section, which no one has looked at since the internet was invented, has been removed, and the fiction section was split into adult and young adult sections, which means that books that appeal to teens are easier to find. The young adult fiction was split up by genre, ensuring that you won’t get a sports novel when you’re looking for a romance novel. These changes make the library more user friendly and inviting. Some people say that they don’t like reading or that reading is boring. If you think reading is boring, you need to read something that interests you, typically a book that is not assigned by a teacher. The teachers mean well, but some books (like Silas Marner) are very hard to get through. If you struggle to read novels because they’re so long, try short stories (they tend to skip the fluff and go straight to the point because they’re so short), check out the manga or graphic novels section, or ask Ms. Davis about Libby, an app that has ebooks and audio books for free once you enter the information on your library card. (And you do have a library card.) If you want some ideas on what to read based on what you like, ask your librarian or find me somewhere.
The library is not used by students as much as it should be, but that may change soon. If you have a flex but don’t want to leave the building, or want a quiet or less crowded place to be in the mornings before school, the library is open to students. Visit your library. It might even make you smarter.
The largest change is students not being able to be on their phones in the hallway at any time. When students first heard about this new rule most were outraged and upset about the further restriction during the school day, yet most students don’t realize that this rule has been put into play with safety concerns. Despite what student’s originally thought, this rule has barely changed the school day for most. There are five minutes between each bell which is seemingly insignificant in the
sense of a full day. This means this rule changes less than 45 minutes of the average day. Plus, most students interact with each other during those walks, so they wouldn’t be on their phones with or without this rule.
With Stagner taking control of the dress code, it was easy to assume that there might be much stricter rules because of how vocal he was about those things prior to his promotion. However, the rules are nearly identical to how they have been enforced for years.
While students were initially intimidated by the seemingly strict rules, it turns out there was nothing to freak out about and everyone (including myself) was stressed out for literally no reason.
Because there are such minor changes, there is no reason for a revolution over something as miniscule as 45 minutes a day.
!Coming into high school is intimidating for most students, and although difficult, Olivia has managed to persevere through the stares and occasional questioning looks. With the encouragement of friends and family she has been able to keep a positive mindset not only throughout her backto-school battle, but her fight against cancer.
“When we were in 6th grade, Olivia’s mom told us that at our age, her and her best friend stopped hanging out, but right then Olivia and said that we would be friends all throughout life and I meant it,” classmate and best friend Samantha Crum said. “I was very upset when found out she had cancer but I knew she would get better. She always has such a positive attitude, even in her pictures from the hospital she always had a big smile on her face.”
“I was nervous but so far the worst part is the homework,” Olivia said. “I had to make a schedule to follow so that I wouldn’t get overwhelmed when doing my homework so that was a challenge. I also have to get myself and Milo ready in the mornings so that is a little tough, but now that I have a routine I feel more secure and like I will be able to get stuff done.”
Finally being able to find her groove and routine after a year and a half of hospitalization and doctors visits has helped to settle Olivia’s nerves of a possible relapse. Cancer may have altered her life, but she will not let it define her future.
“No one ever thinks that it is going to be them,” Olivia said. “A couple months before my diagnosis I saw something about cancer and thought “there’s no way, that’ll never be me” but it was. It can happen to anybody and it’ll be hard but it’s life, and you just have to push through.”
The Throwing Factory is located in Dallas, Nix would sometimes travel to their location for practices. If she could not make it to Dallas, she would practice at the high school with a current thrower from SFA.
“The club made me realize that javelin would be the main event that would get me scholarship money,” Nix said. “There are not many people that throw the javelin in Texas so it is a big advantage.”
A driving factor in attending and competing at the Junior Olympics for Nix was the opportunity of getting publicity and recognition from college coaches. Although the sport was new
Nix placed 16th overall and threw 98 feet. With her success at the meet, she decided to continue with The Throwing Factory, which means she will have multiple meets throughout the school year. “I felt really good going into the competition having only prepared for one month before,” Nix said. “It was rewarding to place so well after giving up so much to compete.”
According to Nix, becoming an olympian at a young age for something with only a month’s worth of experience is surreal. It also has given her a good idea of what her future could hold in terms of college.
“It is so funny because my friends at school joke about me being an olympian at school and I don’t really think twice about it,” Nix said. “But in reality, it is all just super crazy that I am literally ranked 16th out of the whole United States.”
Smiling before heading into her competition, senior Emma Nix waits nervously for her turn. Nix placed 16th overall in her first event. “I felt really good going into the competition having only prepared for one month before,” Nix said. “It was rewarding to place so well after giving up so much to compete.”
courtesy photo
Sweat dripping down her face and legs aching with each continuing step, senior Jenna Crum extends her arm, with phone in hand, searching for any sign of cellular service. As she looked up to her phone, Crum saw and felt a terrifying sight: hail hurling at her while she was 12,441 feet above sea level.
This summer, the Crum triplets, Jenna, Jordan and Josh, traveled to Cimarron, New Mexico to backpack up Baldy Mountain. Not only did they face challenging hikes, but they slept in cots, woke up at 4 a.m. morning after morning, experienced life much different from the modern world for two weeks and encountered a raging hailstorm.
“We were getting pelted with hail, and our rain jackets were doing nothing,” Jenna said. “There are hardly any trees on Baldy, so when we started to see lightning, we had to get off the mountain. We could feel the static electricity, like when you rub a balloon on your head.”
Jenna traveled with Venture, a coed scouts group her dad helped create. The Crums and their youth led group grew closer as they spent every waking hour together for two weeks. While Jenna enjoyed the social time and the overall experience, Josh and Jordan endured the trip, and didn’t quite share the same experience.
“I think because I’m more extroverted, I was fine hanging out with the other kids in our group,” Jenna said. “After the day was done, I wanted to go play cards or do something with my group, but Josh and Jordan are more introverted and didn’t feel the same way about the trip as I did.”
While most kids couldn’t imagine a day without technology and the comforts of the modern world, Jenna pushed through difficult, uncomfortable situations for 14 days. Jenna not only survived without the common wants of the average teen, but she embraced nature and used it as an escape from reality.
“When you’re stressed and people say, ‘go out into nature, it will help you,’ it actually did help me,” Jenna said.
“Especially when we got back, I hadn’t realized how much of an influence the trip had on relieving stress and clearing my mind.”
As she anticipated she would enjoy time off the grid, Jenna was surprised by the personal connections and bonds that formed over the two week period. Even though she had already made close friends over the years with the people in her group, she was still surprised by how much more she learned about each person after the trip was over.
“It wasn’t like I interacted with them in a different setting; I mostly see them in an outdoor environment because that’s what we do most of the time in Venturing,” Jenna said. “I saw them in a different light because I was spending so much time with them for two weeks. I learned new things about them, and we definitely have a more personal connection with all of them.”
Not only was she looking forward to the break and time away from technology, but she also went into the trip with a strong mindset and personal goals. Even during the trip, through all
the adversity she faced, Jenna treasured her time in New Mexico and kept an optimistic attitude.
“Going into the trip, we knew the main reason we were going was to climb Baldy,” Jenna said. “My main purpose was to prove to myself that could climb something like that, and having a strong mindset influenced my perspective on the trip. A lot of times throughout the trip, even during the life-threatening storm, I just couldn’t help but be grateful for getting to experience the trip.”
In spite of making many, lifelong memories, Jenna knew it was time to come home. Even after being grateful to be back from the outside world, Jenna will not soon forget this experience.
“I wouldn’t want to go back because it was really more of a one time experience, but I’m really happy I went,” Jenna said “Even though it’s over, this trip is a major part of who I am. I can relate almost everything back to this trip and the skills it’s taught me, and if anything’s rough, I know I can handle a little rain.”
After a 38-3 2021 season and an abrupt end in the regional semifinals, the Ladyneck volleyball team is back and ready to chase the same goal as the previous year. After three tournaments and numerous amount of preseason games, the Ladynecks are getting closer and closer to district play.
Through three tough tournaments, the Ladynecks managed to make the gold bracket each time despite facing talented opponents. The team finished 8-1 and second place in the Central Heights tournament, 7-2 and won consolation of the gold bracket at Lufkin, and finally finished 5-1 and placed third at the Shirley Atkins tournament.
“I think that our tournaments went really well,” Emma Hill [12] said. “The Shirley Atkins tournament benefitted us the most because we played solid teams while still playing confident. The games we played in tournaments will help us later on when we play through long and difficult games.”
The Ladynecks ended the past week with a 3-0 sweep against the Tatum Lady Eagles. The Ladynecks faced the Eagles during playoffs and are likely to face them again this year in the first round,
Varsity receives first win of season against Harmony Keller Lott Staff Writer
After starting the season 0-1, the Roughnecks played their second game of the season against the Harmony Eagles Friday, September 2, and won 39-32.
Roughneck seniors, Landyn Grant and Noah Carter, connected for two receiving touchdowns. Senior Azriel Sosa scored a rushing touchdown, and junior De Williams, the team’s leading rusher after a two-week absence, scored both a rushing and receiving touchdown.
“It felt good coming back after missing two weeks,” Williams said. “I just put a lot of faith in my teammates to help them get rushing yards. Looking forward, I feel like we will improve every week and get better as a team.”
Williams broke the tie with his second touchdown, but to get the ball, it took senior Jesse Pratt coming down the field to make a play.
“When I forced the fumble, I was just thinking it was a good hit, then I saw Holden on the ball, and I went crazy,” Pratt said. “Coach Cook and I almost tackled each other in the air. All the players and coaches were hyped. It made me feel awesome.”
2016 Roughneck all-state safety and new addition to this year’s coaching staff, Brandon Cook, has been working with the outside linebackers on their skills, attitude and effort.
“To say coming back is a blessing is an understatement,” Cook said. “Part of the reason I wanted to coach at White Oak is that we have that ‘We Believe’ attitude, and even though we never had the best athletes, we always knew that we could get it done. I think we’ve got guys that have bought into the program. was fired up for the team because they’ve worked so hard. For them to come back and win like that meant the world to me, and I know it meant the world to them.”
meaning that this game entailed how the Ladyneck’s playoff run might go.
“I think it says a lot that we did not play our best game and still won in three sets,” Trinity Noll [12] said. “The first set was rough, but we played better as the game went on. We have a hard couple of games left to play before we get into district, so we have to take advantage of a team like Tatum and get better.”
As the team nears district, they are finishing up preseason by playing many talented teams. Compared to years past, the Ladynecks are facing more challenging teams in order to increase their likelihood of success in the playoffs.
“Our preseason has been very difficult with many highly competitive games which have pushed us more than we have been pushed in a long time,” Chloe Bates [12] said. “I think this past month we’ve been able to see our potential and the work that will be necessary to get there. We’ve been playing at such a high level for so long that our team is definitely ready for any game moving forward. ”
The Ladynecks will take on Beckville on their home court Friday, September 9th at 4:30 pm.
White Oak Hosts 2nd Annual Competition
On Sept. 2, the Roughneck and Ladyneck Cross Country teams competed at the 2nd annual White Oak Meet. Despite the muddy terrain and hilly course, the runners had a successful meet.
The Varsity Girls race had a total of 115 runners compete. Sophomore Lizzy Still finished in 6th place with a time of 12:58. Sophomore Abby Lobue finished in 62nd place with a time of 16:08.
“I strive for top five at every meet, so how I plan to improve is to stretch and take a little bit of a break to give my legs some time to heal, ‘’ Still said. ”I plan to push myself, even when want to walk and use my teammates to help pace me.”
The varsity bwoys had a total of 132 runners compete. Senior Logan Dugger finished in 55th place with a time of 19:02. Freshmen Logan Langewisch and
Nathan Watson competed in their 2nd Varsity meet. Langewisch finished in 89th place with a time of 20:57. Watson finished in 105th place with a time of 21:44.
“I feel good about this year, but again, I’m nervous about the upcoming races and seeing my three-mile times at those,” Watson said. “The way that I plan on improving this year is just doing what my coach tells me and staying fit throughout the season.”
This year, Coach Desiree HutchinsBoyett has a slightly different training plan due to there being more first and second year runners. She plans to get enough training for the younger runners legs and lungs without overdoing it.
“This year’s group has a lot of potential for growth as runners,” Hutchins-Boyett said. “We are fairly young, but the talent is there.”
Celebrating with her team, junior Addison Clinkscales is relieved when her teammate kills the ball and the Ladynecks get the point. “It can be very exhausting when playing in long rallies,” Clinkscales said. “Especially when you are in your 3rd or 4th set in a game, you really have to work hard because every point matters.”
Slamming the ball down against her opponent, junior Calee Carter scores from the right side. The Ladynecks kept their heads up playing against the defending 2A state champion Beckville Lady Bearcats in the Shirley Atkins tournament. “I stayed determined play after play,” Carter said. “Luckily, my determination put us back on top in the second set.”
JV volleyball works toward district games
Kate Dusek
Asst. Editor
As they prepare for district this season, the JV volleyball team pushes past injuries, illness and adversity to add more victories to their 3-3 record.
The JV, composed mainly of sophomores, each work to carry out their roles on the team, and strive to improve with each game they play.
“My biggest takeaway from the season has been how much of a difference it makes when you actually work as a team and not just as an individual,” middle blocker Londyn Bodovsky said. “It improves the way you play and the way you enjoy the sport overall. We work to improve with each game by focusing mostly on what we struggled at the game before and focusing on improving that skill the practice after a game.”
While they are constantly reminded “you play how you practice,” the Ladynecks use every minute of their practice time to their advantage to improve their focus, effort and skills.
“I think in some ways you practice how you play, but a game situation is a whole lot different than practicing, so in a way, playing affects how you practice too,” defensive specialist Makenna Barnett said. “My mindset going into every practice is to try my hardest to keep a good attitude with myself and others.”
Even though the players are always working to develop skills and connections on the court, they also create bonds off the court as well.
“We’ve all been playing together for years, and we have much more chemistry since we’ve all grown up together,” setter Alli Sims said. “We
hype ourselves up and bond with music, fun games, learning chants and group chats. As setter, I feel I have to have the most connections on the team because I’m sandwiched between how passers play and how hitters play, and if any of us mess up the whole play could go wrong.”
By being the only freshman amongst a team of sophomores, outside hitter Andee Bridges is given many opportunities to learn from the older players and their experiences.
“I feel like learn from the older girls all the time,” Bridges said. “They always give good advice, are encouraging, and lift me up. I feel like in the beginning of the season, I was intimidated, but the more I practice and play with the girls, the more comfortable become. At first I felt a lot of pressure, but they’ve made me feel super welcome. like the intensity and how everyone stays positive.”
With this being her first year coaching JV, former head coach of the freshmen team Brittany Edney experiences another year with the returning sophomores she coached last year.
“I was very excited to coach the same team and see how they would grow as players throughout the year,” Edney said. “I am most proud of the girls’ attitudes and determination to get better. Our goal is to be district champs like last year, and I feel like if they continue to grow as athletes and push themselves to get better, there is no reason we can’t reach our goal. I love these girls and being a part of this program, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.”
Wrestling away from his Troup defender, senior Noah Carter fights for extra yardage. Despite his best efforts, the Roughnecks ultimately fell to the Tigers, 49-14. “I try to do the best I can, not only for myself, but for my team,” Carter said.
“I have to know the sitatuion and know the other team’s weaknesses and attack those weaknesses. A lot of other younger players look up to me. I never talk down to them or my teammates and make sure I’m doing the right things at all times. After the Harmony game, we all came together. We want to win more than other teams. During practice we go much harder than we used to. We watch a lot of film and have a lot of energy. We have to be focused and ready.” photo by kate dusek
“We are still not in the routine of Friday night football, but we will get
“Over the years, me and Alli Sims have worked hard to build our hitter, setter connection, and it’s grown stronger, so now timing comes naturally.”
Dillon Sanchez, Lucas Frazier, Reyson Gajewsky
Front Row: Preston Williams, Ty Kunkel, Elliot Lattin, Will Thomas, Braddock Richardson, Tyson Mckinney, Gauge Bobo
Middle Row: Logan Ladwig, Caden Durham, Cason Venable, Jose Garcia, Kenny Poul, Dylan Anderson, Clayton Maddox, Cameron Venable
Back Row: Bryce New, Lukas Toles, Levi Sipes, Bryce Morgan, Austin Herman, Austin Goodman, Dakota Greene
Front Row: Jessica Lowery, Morgan Gee, Laney Webb, Sophie Carter, Taylor Dark,
