THE
VISOR
Archbishop Hoban High School - Issue No. 8 - 16 April 2021
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editorial THE
VISOR
Archbishop Hoban High School Mailing Address: One Holy Cross Blvd. Akron, Ohio 44306 Website: hobanvisor.news
Over here in the Visor class we became bored with writing our own articles and quite frankly, you probably got bored of reading the same ten writers. So, like the creative students we are, we decided to just copy other peoples’ work. We went through the Visor archives and picked the best articles from our 30 year history! We hope you enjoy this “greatest hits” edition of Visor and don’t worry, Josh will be back soon.
-The Visor Staff
Email: visor@hoban.org Awards CSPA gold medalist NSPA first class ASPA first place Quill and Scroll Int’l first place OSMA first place Signed letters for publication are welcome. Our mailbox can be found in the main office. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus of the editorial board. Signed opinions represent the views of the writer only. Staff Editor-In-Chiefs Sara Cassady Alex Dillon Josh Fenn
opinion
High school relationships worth the risk of failure by Evan Luse, 2011
I once read that about three percent of high school relationships end in a successful marriage. That number is pretty staggering, but I bet the real percentage is even lower. When you read something like that, you begin to ask the question, “What is the point of even trying to start a relationship?” This is a tough one to answer, but I believe there is a point. During my time in the halls of Archbishop Hoban High School I have seen some pretty horrendous relationships, most of which have crashed and burned epically. However, I have also seen some relationships blossom to become very successful. Many factors can explain the success of the few relationships that have actually worked, but there are three that are key. First, the relationship must be based on friendship. I’ve seen so many people rush into a relationship because they thought the other person was “hot.” What a joke. While being an “attractive” person won’t hurt your chances in a relationship, it won’t help either. At the end of the day, if a person has a poor personality, you’re going to have serious trouble making it work. Not to
Cover page photo via Alex Dillon
mention, you will find yourself annoyed before the first couple of months have passed. When a relationship is based on friendship, everything else will fall into place. Before investing time and effort into a relationship, it’s a good idea to know that you actually like who the person is and not just what he or she looks like. Second, a couple must have respect for one another. When you respect the person you are in a relationship with, you think before you say or do something that could hurt them. Respect allows couples to have difficult conversations because they know that they owe it to one another to be honest and say how they really feel. Without respect, feelings and issues are left unsettled. These bottled emotions can eventually lead to flaring tempers and heartache. Third, and most importantly, both people must trust each other. It’s not hard to see that jealousy rules the high school world. It’s the source of hatred and confrontation for teenagers and is also the leading cause of death among high school relationships. To make a relationship work, you have to trust that your partner will be faithful no matter what. You have to trust that he or she will always be there for you
and always accept you for who you are. Let’s reflect back to the question I posed earlier, “what is the point of even trying to start a relationship?” Even if your relationship ends in failure, there are still valuable lessons to be learned. If even moderately successful, you learn what’s important for you in a relationship and you learn how to communicate how you are feeling. Even if everything is going well in a relationship, it can still be tough to keep it going smoothly with all the other pressures associated with being a teenager. For a lot of people, high school relationships simply aren’t worth it. Most likely, you’re not going to find your husband or wife in high school. There is nothing wrong with waiting until after high school to venture into the dating world. The odds are against you, but if you don’t try you might be missing out on that three percent chance that could change your life forever.
Why a woman could never be president of U.S. by Oriana Pietrangelo, 2002
Advisor T.K. Griffith Staff Reporters Dylan Feltovich Maia Ferry Mia Gallagher Victoria Jackson Luke Monteleone Gavin Morrison Alex Wong Grace Wyszynski
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After viewing President Bush’s State of the Union address, I clearly understand a woman isn’t capable of being president. I know this may sound a wee bit sexist, but really, women don’t have the same qualities as men. For example, in his speech Bush spoke of the “axis of evil” in regard to certain terrorist nations. If a woman had given that same speech, she probably would not have made the same generalization about a group of nations, pronouncing them all evil. Being nurturing, a female president would claim that the killing of human beings regardless of their nationality gender or race was wrong. Women
are so silly. Obviously our country wants to eliminate all hope of ever resolving our problems with the Middle East. Luckily for the U.S., our president slandered many alleged terrorist nations, so the possibility of resolving those problems is lost. The speech got me to think of other reasons why women should not be president. Bush was elected for good reasons. Not only was he running against Al Gore, but his father was president. There is only one way for a woman to become president: sleep her way to the top. Everyone knows women lack the intelligence, determination and all the other qualities necessary to be elected. These truisms lead feminazis (those awful people who believe in equal rights) to ask “Would you vote for a man even if he were less qualified than a woman?” A male member of my class could not have answered this question better: “That would never happen! A wom-
an could never be more qualified than a man!” Ah, the youth of our nation and their ideals; we’re really going places. Women were lucky they got the right to vote in the first place. After the 19th Amendment you would think women would be grateful that the men of our society gave them that freedom. Now women are becoming even more greedy. It’s a man’s world, and women should recognize their role and live with it I think a printed sign from the Internet can sum up the main reason a woman is not fit to be president. It had a picture of Uncle Sam saying, “We want YOU back in the kitchen.” Dear old Uncle Sam could not have said it more eloquently. Of course a woman’s role is at home cooking and cleaning for her husband. Generalizations are true; our nation constantly needs to remind itself of that. Preconceived notions about a group of people are always true. People are not individuals. We are all the same.
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Are there any senior privileges left? by Tiffany Lee, 1994
It has come to my attention that certain prerogatives traditionally reserved for seniors are being enjoyed by not just seniors - and some people in this school are upset about it. To many, these little privileges may seem just that - little. But to others they are one advantage to having served your time in high school. When I was a freshman, the members of the Class of ‘92 were seniors. To me, they seemed to have
a lot of advantages I did not. Make no mistake, it was not jealousy I felt; it was simply an appreciation of what being a senior entailed. Back then, seniors also got to leave school early if they had no class scheduled at the end of the day. Now, I think it is more of an issue that we do not have that advantage and we’re trying to hold onto the ones we still have. We had to wait our turn, and so should others. Would you expect a freshman or sophomore to be captain of a varsity sports team? Probably not. So why should it be different for anything else? Some examples include the library. When we seniors were freshmen, we were not allowed to
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go over to the reading area in the magazine section. At that time, the librarian gave a verbal reprimand if you did. Now everyone seems welcome to sit there. Another example is the underclassmen sitting in the front rows at football games in the main cheering section, something that was never done before. Don’t get me wrong; I am not another disgruntled senior, whining about all we don’t get to do. I am simply trying to make underclassmen aware of the feelings they are causing and trying to make our school a better place. (Smile.) This has been a public service announcement by yours truly.
After several years in limbo, chess club is starting up again by Kim Stefancik, 1995 Members of the chess club, 10 in all, meet after school to battle it out in a sociable game of chess. Some take it quite seriously; others are just interested in a friendly duel. Wednesday is the only day of mandatory practice and even nonmembers are encouraged to come and try it out. Because there was no faculty adviser, the chess club had been virtually nonexistent for the past two years, but Sue Wasco has agreed to take that position. She has scheduled six meets with area schools and members are also planning to enter tournaments on an individual basis. The team has joined the B Division of the Akron Chess League. “It is better to start low and move up,” Waco said. After about a year, she wants to move up to the A Division and compete against more experienced teams.
Senior Mike Waco is club president and has taken the responsibility of helping to organize the season. “I have played chess casually over the years, but I see joining the chess team as a way to do it more seriously,” Wasco said. Sophomore Roberts Samels is an eight-year chess player. “The team simply disintegrated in recent years,” he said, “but this year there seemed to be more interest.” Chess is a game where any age can start. Junior Laura DiNicola began less than a month ago and is enjoying it thus far. “I’m looking forward to actually winning a game,” she said, “considering I just started. My goal is to beat Robert!” In any case, the club is in need of used chess sets in good condition. “If anyone has a set lying around collecting dust, we would be
happy to have it,” Mike Wasco said. Right now, all they have are a couple old sets with plastic pieces. In one, they must improvise, because a piece has disappeared. Since the club is just starting up again, Wasco is not sure what to expect. “I want the team to beat Walsh!” They will be matching up with them in a home meet Jan. 23. The team lost a close meet 3-2 at Kenmore High School Dec. 5. Meanwhile, they continue to battle it out after school in Wasco’s room 302.
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The Pledge of Allegiance needed after prayer
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Staff Editorial, 2011 Fun facts that are neither fun nor factual, prayers and donors of the day are included in the daily grind of Hoban students. However, there is something missing from this routine: the Pledge of Allegiance. We are a private school and as such we do not have the religious limitations of public schools. Yet there are only two classes that continue the patriotic tradition by holding their hand over their heart and reciting the solemn promise. There is a solution— in the past the pledge has been said during second period after the prayer and there is no reason why that shouldn’t resume. For many years the importance and honor of personal responsibility has been stressed
through the emphasis that has been placed on the honor code. We are asked to sign our name and testify that we have been truthful in test taking both in word and action. In the same light, it only makes sense to rise, turn and hail the flag that stands for freedom and the heart of resilience that all Americans share. Few know that the Pledge of Allegiance began as a far more general pledge. In 1892 Francis Bellamy wrote “I pledge allegiance to the flag and to the republic of which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” From the time that pledge has changed dramatically. In 1923 the words, “The United States of America” were added. Before that the pledge was more general and was meant for any
country to use. In 1954 Congress added the words, “under God,” and with that the pledge was complete. The American flag is made up of so much more than just cloth; it’s made sacred by the blood sweat and toil, especially those in the military, that has been poured into preserving the safety and way of life for all Americans. Many don’t understand the significance of the American flag. However, there are limitations: a person can’t be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance. It is a personal choice and as such cannot be forced upon the masses. Nonetheless, our Pledge of Allegiance has significant importance and as such deserves to be celebrated by those who are willing.
Strong, brave and true by Leonard Nalencz, 1963 The following editorial by Leonard Nalencz ‘64 originally appeared in the Oct., 1963, issue of the Visor, the year Mum Day originated. In the American tradition, the high school football game is a time for students to forget their books and their classes and cheer their team on to victory. When you are with your friends, everything looks brighter. The cares of the weekend, the subjects you never seem to understand, the hours of homework are all pushed out of mind as you concentrate on doing your part to bring your team through. The chilly night air, the familiar faces crowding the bleachers and the sound of football make it easy for the most timid stu-
dents to display their school spirit. The school yells set the pace. The fight song and Alma Mater give you a sense of belonging and a sense of wanting to belong. You are no longer an individual. You look around and see others, each enjoying the game in his own way. Every face looks friendly. You wish you knew them much better than you do. You have a feeling, deeper and more profound than ever before—a brotherhood with each and every one of them. The band is lining up. The game is going on. Someone starts to cheer and the voices echo around you. Yes, you are a part of all this. You are a Hobanite and proud of it. The buildings, the faculty
and the classes are not Hoban. Neither are the dances or assemblies. Hoban is you and I. We are what people see and we cause them to think what they think. We have pride in our school, pride in its traditions, pride in the students and the spirit they have. It is at times like these, more than any others, that we must make a firm resolution to live up to our name—to be true Hobanites.
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centerspread
by Mark the Shark Frego and Nick Pelini, 2011 High school students across the country take great pride in the hallowed traditions that make their schools unique. There is one custom, though, that all high school seniors annually experience: the senior slide. The senior slide, or senioritis, is a direct result of the stress and business that plagues the beginning of each senior’s year. Much of this worrying and commotion is caused by the prospect of deciding on a college to attend. It is when one finally makes this momentous decision that senioritis emerges and begins to make its rounds. Common symptoms include falling asleep in class, cutting class, disregarding all homework, and indifferently watching GPAs plummet. As one might expect, seniors welcome the slump with open arms and rarely offer any resistance. Most seniors don’t bat an eye when their grades take a sharp turn for the worst. “I’m just going to lay back and let the F’s pile up,” senior Josh Young said. Senior Nicholas Bertiolini agrees with Young. “Going down the senior slide is a fun, exhilarating experience,” Bertolini said. “It is the playground equipment teachers hate the most.” Most teachers, on the other, absolutely despise the seniors’ complete lack of effort towards the end of the year. “I absolutely forbid it,” legendary history teacher Rob Yanko said. “I don’t acknowledge it, I reject it, I spit on it, and I go absolutely Charlie Sheen on it.” History hysteric Ja-
son Anderson has an interesting take on the senior slide. “I think it’s an underground conspiracy plot from Washington, D.C.,” Anderson said. One English teacher and illustrious quarterbacks coach in particular became so choked up with anger when he heard mention of the senior slide that he declined to comment on the subject. Not all teachers share in this intense hatred, though. In fact, many accept the unfortunate reality of senioritis. “There are certainly different levels of the senior slide, but as a whole, I honestly don’t see a real problem with it,” math musician Paul Donatello said. “It’s fine if it is done in moderation.” Likewise, not all students willingly succumb to senioritis. Perhaps frightened by the fact that colleges see the second semester grades of their incoming freshman, some seniors are still pushing the pedal to the metal when it comes to grades. “There is no time for the senior slide,” star senior Jess Walpole said. “I still need to hear back from some colleges.” Student Council president Jenna Decker agrees with her trusty secretary. “Teachers have not eased up at all, so it has been impossible for me to slide,” Decker said. Schools across the country have devised different ways to combat the annual arrival of seniors. TIME magazine recently featured numerous high schools that use
innovating ways to keep students motivated. Some schools allow students to intern at local businesses that relate to their planned majors. Others permit dual enrollment at nearby colleges, allowing seniors to earn some early credit hours. Local high school Walsh Jesuit is well known for its “Senior Experience.” For three weeks of the fourth quarter, students shadow an expert in their fields of interest. This experience allows seniors to ascertain if they want to continue in their majors—an invaluable tool, especially considering the hassle of changing majors, taking summer classes, and losing credits during the shift. Because so much emphasis is placed on stopping the senior slide, people always overlook another slump that invades schools with the coming of spring: the teacher slide. Yes, the same adults who constantly shake their heads at their seniors’ lack of effort are frequently guilty of the exact same fault. “I love the senior slide because I am the teacher slider,” an anonymous teacher said. “Come three, four, maybe seven weeks before spring break, I shut it down for the year.” After some coaxing, other teachers admitted to falling prey to the temptation of slacking off towards the end of the school year. So, seniors, next time a teacher scolds you for displaying symptoms of senioritis, laugh at the irony of it all. He or she is suffering from the exact same thing.
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Hoban food service second to none 1987 One of the first things that impressed a newcomer to Hoban is the cafeteria food program. The manager of the cafeteria, Mrs. Kathy Backer, along with her six staff, works very hard to make the food program as good as it is. All seven ladies wake up early to open the kitchen by 7:00 a.m. They start cooking at 8:00 and serving at 11:00. There are around ten different hot meals offered by the cafeteria. Some of these include spaghetti, roast beef, pizza and hamburgers. Also, spe-
cial dinners are served at holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The cafeteria gives a great selection with the salad bar, cold sandwiches, and various snacks like cookies and slushes. Their best sellers are French fries and chocolate chip cookies. It is estimated that they sell up to 230 pounds of French fries each day. Mrs. Backer says that the most enjoyable part of her job is meeting all the students. She enjoys talking to all the different people she sees every day. She makes a special ef-
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fort to reach out to the new students at school who do not have very many people to talk to yet. She encourages growth in the food program. Therefore, she would be open to any suggestions concerning the cafeteria. Senior Shannon Riggins, who attended Firestone before coming to Hoban, said, “The food here at Hoban is much better than at Firestone. There also is a better selection to choose from and the people who work in the cafeteria seem to care a lot about the students.”
Social media overshadows advantages of the web by Allie Weiss, 2011 With over 500 million Facebook members and 200 million Twitter users, it is easy for high school students to slip into an addiction to social networking. Talk of new tweets, changed relationship statuses and picture uploads constantly fill busy hallways. The social networking phenomenon has drawn in many students and threatens to consume all of their time. “I have a Blackberry, iPod, iPad and computer. It’s my parents’ fault I’m on Facebook all the time,” sophomore Molly Leslein said. “They keep buying cool new technology.” The availability of social networking can be blamed as a reason for the addictions. Many teens find themselves sharing their passion of web friendships with Twitter “Twitter is the best form of social networking because you can not only follow your friends, but also follow your favorite celebrities to see what is going on in their lives,” senior Sam Srail said. “I tweet a lot more than most and just find it a fun thing to do.”
Through the constant updates on friends’ lives may be interesting, the internet offers much more than social updates. A popular alternative is StumbleUpon. com. Slumbers are directed to websites that cater to their personal interests. Websites vary from serious topics, such as self-improvement tips or news articles, to humorous commodities like a panda dancing to “Teach Me How to Dougie” or advice on how to irritate people. For more laughs, internet users can turn to Grouchyrabbit.com. This page contains comical phrases about realization, definitions and more. A definition presented on the site is, “Teacher (noun) - A person who helps you solve problems you’d never have without them.” Along with the amusing content of this web page, other jocular sites include DearBlankPleaseBlank.com, the TheOnion.com, and failblog.org Staying away from the humor of these sites is Stracks.com. Ranging from 70’s mix tapes to current music on the radio, this site is
solely dedicated to the grandeur of music. As a free site, anyone can enjoy a beautifully compiled playlist of at least eight tracks. Playlists are designed so that listeners can enjoy music dedicated to their state of being such as relaxed, in love, stressed, focused and others. Listeners can also search by artist and even create their own playlist for others to enjoy. An up-and-coming website is Shelfari.com. Dedicated to readers, this site is a bookworm’s dream. Bibliophiles unite at this web page to create a reading profile. Based on the books that they enjoy, new books are recommended to them. Also, readers can add book reviews and comments for their peers to see. They can connect with readers worldwide as they share in the love of literature. Stepping back from social networking, high school students can take advantage of the true purpose of the world wide web, which is to amass human knowledge and culture into one great pool.
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Final phase of Hoban 2000 construction takes shape by Mike Dunn, 1998 Yet another year starts with the pounding of hammers and buzzing of saws, which will fade in the early weeks of school. As students may have noticed, the final phase of the Hoban 2000 capital campaign is well underway and taking shape quickly. “Hopefully, the domed entrance will be completed sometime in October,” alumni director Jeff Stetz said. The completion of Hoban 2000 also includes the re-bricking of the Michael Faraday entrance and the entrance near the chapel. Also well underway is a new guidance and counseling center. The center will be on the ground level of the science wing, adjacent to the cafeteria, and will be more convenient for students seeking counseling or tutoring. Listen up, all you athletes
and sports fans. Dowed Field may receive a face-lift as well. A six-lane, all-weather track is under construction. When asked for an approximate completion date, Brother Peter Graham, development director said, “before the snow flies.” Many other minor changes are in the works. All three stairwells were painted by employees of Terry Young, father of junior Sara and freshman Jessica. Rusting exterior window panels were replaced by Cletus Longstreth, father of Alicia, a 1998 graduate, and junior Chad. The floors in both gyms were refinished. Some might wonder about parking with all the construction. However, Mike Considine, director of building and grounds, feels it won’t be a problem. “Fewer students drive in the fall, so the parking that we have available will be enough
for now,” Considine said. “The parking situation is a growing problem. Which will be easier to solve once all the changes are made.” The plans are not yet final, but eventually the auxiliary services vans will be moved and nearby houses will be demolished to provide additional parking. “The best way to address this situation is by allowing yourself a few extra minutes to ger to school,” Considine said.
ten opinion Choir rehearses Christmas program months in advance
sports eleven Receiving gifts Lebron James ineligible to play in OHSSAA
by Laura Harrison, 1990 The Christmas season brings a busy schedule for the choir and director Elender Meinecke. “This part of the year is a special time for us,” said senior Jodi Fichtner. “We practice for many weeks, and finally performing is the big payoff for us.” The choir began its series of the holiday concerts on Saturday, Nov. 27, at the Holiday Tree Festival. That event, held at the John S. Knight Center, benefits Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron. They followed up with concerts at St. Barnabas Dec. 5, Cuyahoga Falls Hospital Dec. 13 and their grand finale, which is on Dec. 17 at Christ Methodist Church. “Though we’re short on tenors,” said senior Tara Gallo, “Mrs. Meinecke has done her best to make us sound like a choir again.” The choir’s holiday set includes the song “Choral Fantasy,” “Born in a Manger,” Every Valley” and “Song of Mary,” among others, along with a selection
By Ean Johnson, 2003
from composer Antonio Vivaldi. The final performance at Christ Methodist Church will be the main concert, beginning at 4 P.M. and running roughly an hour and 15 minutes. “The main body of our work is Vivaldi’s Gloria,” said Meinecke, “so it is obviously a major undertaking for us.” Gloria is about 25 minutes long. The choir, which meets in room 114 during mods 7-8, has been busy preparing for the concerts since August. Band Concert to feature seasonal sing-along by Shannon Sexton. Christmas would not be Christmas without the traditional music of the season. To supply this need, the concert band has been rehearsing for its annual Christmas concert, “The concert is free, and everyone’s invited,” said senior Russ Fausnight, band vice president. “And,” he adds, “we’ve prepared
a special surprise for our guests.” The annual Christmas concert will be in Barry Gymnasium Dec. 17 at 1 P.M. Senior Jessica Guzi, band president, said “we’ve put a lot of effort and time into making our Christmas program sound good. We hope to have a big audience to share our music with,” The band’s diverse musical selections range from traditional carols like “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and “Adeste Fideles” to more classical pieces like “Themes from the Nutcracker Suite.” Ending with a medley of familiar Christmas songs, the band invites the audience to participate in a sing-along. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Joy to the World” are among the familiar selections. After their performance, according to director Karen Fraunfelter, the band members will host a punch-and-cookie reception for their guests.
What name will they give to our generation? by Britt Davis, 1990 What will our generation be called? No one has invented a name for us quite yet. We missed being baby boomers; we never saw the flower children of the ‘60s; and most of us can barely remember the ‘70s (not that anyone in one’s right mind would waste time reminiscing over that depressing disco-bunny decade anyway). So just who are we? How will they remember the ‘80s and ‘90s? Teens in the ‘80s appear to have been in the “Gimme Generation.” According to some, we have lost all respect for elders and their authority. We care about nothing
but our own material needs. We have strange haircuts and speak an odd dialect. We spent that decade doing drugs, getting pregnant, being illiterate, and acting rebellious. At least that’s the way some chose to view us. The reason it might be so hard for this generation to earn its title is that no one truly can figure it out. Despite the problems portrayed in the media, the number of young people doing volunteer work and being responsible borders on amazing. They spend their time working with handicapped kids, candy striping at hospitals, holding fundrais-
ers, working hunger centers, doing volunteer work on hotlines, helping at churches and getting educated. Most of us are not the sociopathic little demons we are sometimes called. The majority do not enjoy “wilding” in Central Park. Most of us don’t run in gangs, and few tend to spend our time stealing and being worthless to society. The actions and beliefs of today’s youth can reaffirm one’s faith in humanity. Maybe in the future, we will be remembered as the generation that tried to make a difference. Most of today’s youth have.
Again St. Vincent-St. Mary basketball star LeBron James is the all-youcan-eat buffet for a media feast. James had violated the Ohio High School Athletic Association regulations by accepting two vintage throwback jerseys in January from a Cleveland store. The bylaw, 4-10-1 (c), states that an amateur loses his or her amateur status by capitalizing on athletic fame by receiving money or gifts of monetary value. James squired a 1965 Gale Sayers (Chicago Bears) jersey valued at $350 and a Wes Unseld (Bullets) jersey retailing at $495. Jason Bergin, an employee at Mitchell and Ness, the nation’s leading producer of throwback jerseys, thinks people are willing to do a lot to get throwbacks. “Throwbacks are in high demand,” Bergin said. “People are willing to pay up to $600 for some jerseys.” OHSAA commissioner Clair Muscaro declared James ineligible to play last Friday. St. V-M was also forced to forfeit its 82-71 win over Akron Buchtel, because Muscaro stated that James
had lost his eligibility before the game. Mike Murphy, a 2002 S. V-M graduate, thinks James should still be able to play. “If he gives back the jerseys, then he should be able to play,” Murphy said. According to news reports, a mob of angry Irish fans stood outside the school after the news was relaxed Friday afternoon, screaming chants such as “Free LeBron.” One unidentified man in a trench coat wore a box on his head and held a sign reading “OHSAA SUCKS.” He told the Beacon Journal the reasons for his actions. “I’m not a fan,” the man said. “I am just out here having fun making fun of you guys (the media).” Lee Plakas, an attorney known for the OHSAA’s 1999 Massillon-Perry school transfer case, thinks Hames’ case can be overturned. PLakas thinks either James or St. V-M will seek a temporary restraining order allowing James to play. “That bylaw was never intended to be applied to a situation like this,” Plakas told the Beacon Journal. “The person who
should be investigated is anyone in Ohio who spent $450 for a vintage Wes Unseld jersey.” Bergin thinks the scarcity of the Unseld Jersey may be one of the reasons James chose that particular one. “Our more expensive jerseys are usually the ones with players who are not as known,” Bergin said. “Not too many people even know who Wes (Unseld) is, let alone own his jersey.” If the ruling is not overturned James will be forced to sit out for the remainder of the season.
Girls out-sized, not out-hustled, at state semifinal
by Mike Griffin, 1996
Their dream season ended one day short of ultimate triumph, but the Knights have no reason to hang their heads. The road to Columbus was an uphill climb from start to finish and the fact that they got there at all is an amazing accomplishment. After winning the district championship in Smithville March 2, Hoban traveled to Mount Union College in Alliance for the regional tournament. The Knights had already beaten powerhouses St. Vincent-St. Mary and Loudonville, but few thought these “upstarts” could continue their run through the state tournament. Game 1 pitted Hoban against Youngstown Mooney in the regional semifinal March 6. The Knights forged a 25-21 halftime lead, powered by 20 points between senior forward Melissa Martis and junior guard Jacki Windon. They pushed the advantage to 7 at the end of the third period and buried Mooney in the fourth, winning 56-44. This astonishingly easy victory left Hoban just one win away from a trip to Columbus. Brookfield stood in the way and the two teams squared off in the regional final March 9. As in the Mooney game, the Knights took a 4-point lead into the locker room at halftime, but Brookfield didn’t lie down
and die. The Warriors stormed back and outscored Hoban 13-4 in the third quarter, which ended with Brookfield leading 30-25. The lead shrank point by point, until Windon put Hoban ahead 35-34 with 1:04 left to play. A defensive struggle ensued for the next 51 seconds, including a thunderous blocked shot by Martis. With 0:13 remaining on the clock, Brookfield tied the score on a free throw, leaving the Knights with one chance to avoid overtime. After a timeout, Windon brought the ball ahead. She spun into the lane and fired an off-balanced shot with two second remaining. The ball came off the rim to the right and fell straight to senior center Angie Lockhart. She popped it up and in as the buzzer sounded. After a split second of hesitation, the referee ruled that the shot counted and the Hoban fans went wild. It was no coincidence that Lockhart was the one who grabbed the offensive rebound and scored the winning basket. The five-foot-11 center has never gotten much attention for her rebounding and defense, but she always seems to be in the right place at the right time. “Angie is a great defensive player and she has always been happy to do
the dirty work,” said Coach Loralee Daily. The dramatic win over Brookfield earned the Knights a berth in the State Final Four. They met Cincinnati Wyoming on Friday and the Cowboys didn’t need long to show the crowd at St. John Arena how they had amassed a record of 23-2. Wyoming’s enormous front line abused the smaller Hoban players, taking an 18-4 advantage after one period of play. The tenacious Knights didn’t give up and managed to outscore the Cowboys 27-23 during the second and third quarters. Wyoming wouldn’t relinquish the lead, though, and they hung on to win 55-47. Although the players didn’t fulfill their ultimate goal of winning the championship, they are satisfied to have made it to the Final Four. “It was a great experience just to get there,” said junior guard Gina Seminaroti, “because nobody expected us to make it that far.” With junior guards Jessica Anders, Seminaroti and Windon returning next year, along with promising sophomore forwards Catherine Considine and Alicia Longstreth, the future of the team looks bright.
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On again: rivalry resumes
sports
by Kevin Arway, 1995 It has been nearly two decades since Hoban played St. Vincent-St. Mary in football. On Sept. 13 of next year the Knights will play the Irish for the first time in 19 years. According to principal Mary Anne Beiting, she and school president Brother Paul Kelley had been involved in ongoing talks with Margaret Lynch, principal at St. V-M, and Marion Ruebel, the president there. Last spring they came to a mutual agreement to resume playing. The schools signed a two-year contract. The 1996 game will be a home game for St. V-M; the second, on Sept. 12, 1997, is Hoban’s home game. Both games will be at the Rubber Bowl, using the same officiating staff. “It seemed like all the coaches and players wanted to play,” said Beiting, “and we agreed that now was the time to restart the games. I hope it will be a positive experience for the two schools.” The last time these two teams met was Nov. 11, 1977, when the Irish beat Hoban 21-7 to win for the fourth year in a row. This crosstown rivalry began back in 1959, when Hoban beat (then) St. Vincent High 16-14 to start the series. Ralph Paonessa, now athletic director and wrestling coach, played for Hoban in the first game ever between the two schools at half-back and defensive back. “The pressure was unbelievable,” he said. “We were the upstart, the underdog. We were a new team with no respect. St. Vincent was a well-established team and had a strong winning tradition. Also, their team had a physical advantage; they must have outweighed us 20 to 25 pounds per man on the offensive and defensive
lines. But it was the first game of the season, we had worked hard–pointing to it all summer–and we made that day an unlucky day for the Irish. They lost 16-14.” Then two years later, in 1961, the Hibernian Club developed the Shillelagh Trophy. A shillelagh is a symbol of Irish heritage. This trophy, known to Hoban students as “the stick,” was awarded to the winner each year. After one team had won three consecutive games, they would get permanent ownership of the trophy. After going back and forth for about 15 years, in 1976 the Irish won for the third time in a row (15-0), thus retiring the trophy. After the 1977 season, and the fourth straight victory for the Irish, Hoban and St. V-M stopped playing over conflicts that have yet to be completely unraveled. Since then both sides have developed their own versions as to what actually happened way back then. Last year in the Beacon Journal of Oct. 12, St. V-M coach John Cistone declined to say the specific event that ended the series, but said, “We stopped the series. It was a personality thing, something they had done that I didn’t think was kosher.” He also said that was the past and forgotten; he would like to see Hoban and St. V-M play again. Cistone has been head coach since 1965. Before that he was an assistant football coach and athletic director at Hoban. Don Schubert, who was athletic director at the time Hoban and St. V-M stopped playing, had been A.D. since 1969 and was an assistant coach at Hoban from 1959 to 1969. According to him, they stopped playing after a scheduling conflict, but the overriding reason was more com-
plex. He said one of the biggest reasons was that St. V-M was concerned about their chances of making the new state playoffs. The playoffs were based on a computer poll that allocated points based on the record of your opponent. Hoban had fallen into a slump with the decreasing enrollment and change to a coed school. They had won only two games in three years. Other unconfirmed stories have made the rounds. There was a difference of opinion over the repair cost after St. V-M had used Dowed Field for a football game with Warren Western Reserve. Another was a controversy involving the eligibility of a freshman at St. V-M that Hoban moved to have disqualified. Also, Hoban had publicly announced that the school would close. These three factors may or may not have had an effect on the decision. In any event, what followed was the cancellation of an interscholastic competition between the two schools for several years. Then, as quickly as the two schools stopped, they started back to playing each other in all sports except football. In the meantime, both schools began rivalries with Walsh Jesuit in football. Everyone seems optimistic about the game. Junior Curtis Witherspoon, who will play in next year’s game, was elated. “I’m real excited about them bringing back the rivalry. I personally think they should have never taken it away.” Coach Ralph Orsini is also pleased. “I think it will be a great game for both schools,” he said. “It’s a natural rivalry. It’s intense and it will pump everyone up. This will be a great motivating factor for the juniors and sophomores for next year.”