DECEMBER 2020
Westminster Christian Academy
The History Of Santa Claus 1 Pg. 8
800 NEWS MANAGING EDITOR IN CHIEF MAGGIE LINDSTROM, JUNIOR
CONTENT EDITOR EMMA HARRIS, JUNIOR
CO-EDITOR OF 800SPORTING MARTYBRINER, SENIOR
CO-EDITOR OF 800SPORTING BROOKE HIGHMARK, JUNIOR
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
COLIN RING, SENIOR
EMMA SMITH, SENIOR
2 STAFF
NOLAN JONES, JUNIOR
CJ FRANCOIS, FRESHMAN
ST
STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS
TAFF
S G S
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
MOOREA ATKINS, SENIOR
KAITLYN BUTLER, JUNIOR
SAM VESTAL, JUNIOR
STAFF WRITER BEN KNISLEY , SOPHOMORE
HOPE LINAM, JUNIOR
ELLIE JOHNSON, JUNIOR
ANAGI PIERIS, SOPHOMORE
STAFF WRITER GUS DUDA, JUNIOR
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
EVAN KOHN, JUNIOR
ELLIE JONES, JUNIOR
STAFF WRITER
ANDREW CAHILL, FRESHMAN
STAFF WRITER LAUREN BORCHELT, JUNIOR
STAFF 3
CONTENTS
FEATURE
HOLIDAY DATE IDEAS PG. 6 TOP TEN HOMEMADE GIFTS PG. 7 THE HISTORY OF SANTA CLAUS PG. 8 2020’S MOST WANTED GIFTS PG. 11 COVID AROUND THE WORLD PG. 13
4 CONTENTS
OPINION
CHRISTMAS AND THE COURT PG. 9 RELIGION AND CHRISTMAS PG. 15
IN-DEPTH
EBOOKS VS. PAPERBACKS PG. 11
SPORTS
AARON COOK PG.16 WOMANS BASKETBALL VS ST, DOMINC PG.17 HOW DOES MASKS EFFECT SPORTS PG. 18 STUD ON AND OFF THE ICE PG. 19 MENS BASKETBALL VS. DOMINIC PG. 20 THE STARTING 6 OF MENS BASKETBALL PG. 21-22 COACH SNYDER PG. 23
CONTENTS
STAFF ED
STAFF ED
James 1:17— “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” As Christmas approaches, it’s possible you’re filled with cheer and excitement. Either way, no matter what you’re excited for most, we as Christians should be careful not to get swept up and away from the true reason and meaning of it. We can easily treat the crusifiction of Jesus as just an every year tradition, so we would like to quickly ask everyone to take a minute and really reflect on God’s sacrifice and love for use- we will try to do the same. That being said, we hope these articles in our Christmas addition help you out or teach you something new this year! Merry Christmas, Emma Harris and Maggie Lindstrom
STAFF EDITORIAL 5
6 FEATURES
TOP HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
EMMA SMITH Staff Writer
you’re done! A perfect ornament. If you want to be really fancy, you can take a clear glass ornament and fill it with It’s a common saying that everything’s better homemade. But jingle bells, a christmas tree branch, candy canes, fake snow, does that apply to christmas? Would you want a homemade or something else Christmas-y. The result is a pretty, fancy gift? ornament. Candles are also an easy Christmas themed gift. Grab a candle, stick it in a glass, and decorate the glass. You Nobody wants to put on a mask and try to shove through the can decorate by using ribbons, paint, stickers, and more. hundreds of other people trying to buy a gift; all, of course, while maintaining six feet of distance between you and them. And we could all use a special gift. Nothing expresses love like something made specially for you. Homemade gifts Homemade gifts are easy to make, and twice as effective as range from your basic christmas recipe in a jar to a costume any other gift. They will bring someone happiness, and you designed water bottle just for you. If there is any year for a will have fun making it! homemade gift it’s 2020. Homemade Gifts can be better than any gift bought at a store because they have thought put into them. It’s easy to just find something anybody would like at the store and buy it; but it’s not easy to make a gift. Homemade gifts are special and powerful, because they show love like no store bought one can. The feeling you get from opening an amazon box is nothing compared to the feeling when you receive a Homemade gift. When it’s homemade you know someone didn’t just scroll through, find the cheapest version of the things they wanted to buy and ship it. They thought about it and they put in the work to make it, no matter how simple it is. So what are some popular homemade gifts you can make for Christmas in 2020? Some of the most popular homemade gifts involve food. Pick a cute jar or water bottle and set to work filling it with their favorite sweets. Most importantly make it pretty. Pick several different kinds of candy that looks good together: Christmas colored wrappers or a combination of candy that will make your mouth water; and layer it inside your chosen jar. Candy canes in particular can be used to make all kinds of fun gifts. They can be the antlers of a reindeer, the cane for a marshmallow snowman, or the straw for a drink. If food is not your thing there are other options. Another great Illustrated by Emma Smith gift is something custom designed. You can custom design pretty much anything: a sticker, a phone case, a pair of shoes etc. whatever you think they would want the most to tailor it to their taste. You can decorate your chosen idm with something christmassy, something personal, or just something fun. If you want to stick more to the Christmas theme, make a snow globe. All you need is a jar or a christmas ornament and some fake snow. You can buy a simple ornament at the store and then paint it! You can also draw, paint, or print out a picture, get it laminated, punch a hole in it, place a hook and
OPINION 7
THE HISTORY OF SANTA EMMA HARRIS Content Editor
A jolly, plump man who breaks into houses by use of their chimney, gets up one day a year to fly around the globe, visit every house in the entire world in span of mere hours, fill up giant socks with candy and toys, all of which supposedly fit into a sack, and consumes pounds upon pounds of cookies along the way: it’s a strange concept. So where did the story of Santa (or Saint Nicholas, or Saint Nick, or Kris Kringle, or Father Christmas) even begin? Surprisingly, the story of Santa began somewhere in the early third century. Even more shocking, according to the History Channel Santa was real. In fact, he was a monk from what is now a place known as Turkey. Saint Nicholas the monk was known for his outstanding kindness, especially towards children. He was also known for traveling around the countryside in order to help the sick and poor. Stories of Saint Nicholas’s kindness spread, and he began to become glorified in the average household, celebrated one day each year called the ‘Feast of Saint Nicholas,’ according to CoSanta throughout the ages. Illustrated by: Emma Harris ca-Cola (a company we will see come into play centuries upon centuries later). So how did we get from a monk traveling the elf” that could go down a chimney by simply nodding his countryside to an eternally old man flying around the world in head, who flew in sleigh led by flying reindeer to give children presents. Upon its release in 1822, this poem created the one night on a sleigh that flies? Santa we now know today, and it was so magical that Moore The legend and fame of Saint Nicholas slowly started to sepa- actually hesitated publishing it out of fear rate from the original source material as decades and countries took artistic liberty on his depiction. Though his story also started to gain traction in Austria, France, Belgium, Russia, and Germany, the Netherlands’ version of Santa is really the one that matters when compared to modern day Santa. The Dutch were responsible for the gift giving aspect of Mr. Claus. That, and showing him riding a Donkey while wearing a tall Bishop’s hat- a Bishop’s hat that the current Kris Kringle’s hat looks suspiciously similar to. Because Santa rode a Donkey in Dutch mythology, children would leave out hay instead of carrots, milk and cookies. This image is what would be carried over to America with the Dutch colony in New Amsterdam (New York was once New Amerstam- why they changed it, I can’t say), where the Santa we know was created and became the generally agreed upon version. But the Dutch’s version still doesn’t quite represent our Santa or quite have the magic to it.
In 1881, the story of Santa Claus continued to fold. Due to the cartoon of Thomas Nast, Santa lived in the North with his wife and toy-making elves and wore a bright red suit trimmed with snowy whiter fur. Contrary to popular belief, this is wear Santa’s classic color comes from, not Coca-Cola. These two depictions are responsible for the American version we see today, and the American Civil War, by combining him with the old, exuberant figure of Uncle Sam, polished him off. The reason this particular version, amongst the many created, stuck was partly because- cynics and grinches, gather round- of Holiday card companies and manufacturers, who found this version the most marketable. However, you also have Coca-Cola to thank for this, who also began to use him in advertisements.
It turns out that Santa has a far more interesting background As most magical things do, it all started with a single, famous than we probably thought he would- who knew that the magical old dude was actually real and a monk? I think it’s poem you all know: “Twas The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. Nick’s depiction in this poem was where safe to say, no matter how he started, Kris Kringle has made the character of Santa really began to develop and change him an impact on Christmas, giving it a wonderful magic to all to this magical figure. It popularized Santa as a “right jolly old children.
8 FEATURES
CHRISTMAS AND THE COURT MOOREA ATKINS Staff Writer
I recently went to go see Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park, a tradition for my family and I. With over 1.1 million lights, it’s a beautiful sight to see, with the Christmas lights seemingly everywhere. There’s lots of secular images of Santa, reindeer, pets, animals, ice skaters - but nowhere is there an image of Jesus, the reason why Christians celebrate Christmas. This got me thinking, why is that? After looking at my notes for my Government class, and a little bit of research, I’ve discovered why Jesus seems to be absent from Christmas nowadays. It’s all due to this little thing called the Supreme Court of the United States.
In terms of Christmas and public displays, the First Amendment can restrict the types of decorations and celebrations that are sponsored by the government. Only in public areas do you have the right to claim all of the rights listed in the Bill of Rights. For example, Winter Wonderland is sponsored by St. Louis County and presented in a park. The Bill of Rights applies since a form of government is intervening, donating money, and the event is in a public setting. In 1983, a case went to the Supreme Court about this topic. In Lynch v Donnelly, a town hall included a nativity, a christmas tree, and Santa Claus, as well as a banner that read ‘Seasons Greetings.’ Some residents took issue with the inclusion of the nativity, arguing that it violated the First Amendment as the government was endorsing a specific religion. When this case went all the way to SCOTUS, the judges were asked to define what the First Amendment meant in regards to these decorations. The court ruled that the display had ‘legitimate secular purposes’ since it included a tree, Santa, and a banner. If they had not included these secular decorations, the display would not have been permitted.
It’s the job of the Supreme Court (or SCOTUS) to interpret the laws set forth in the Constitution. However, there are amendments This decision was reinforced in 1989 with to the Constitution, which adds the case County of Allegheny v. American laws and rights that all US citizens Civil Liberties Union. The court concluded have. The first ten amendments to that a nativity inside the courthouse was the Constitution are called the Bill a violation of the Establishment Clause of Rights. The first given right is due to its setting and inclusion of a banner about protecting people’s freedom, whether that be the press, petition- The Supreme Court interprets and defends proclaiming Christ’s birth, while the Jewish ing, speech, assembly - or religious the Constitution, but it’s defense of the First display outside was permitted due to its ‘particular physical setting.’ liberty. Amendment changes how public displays decorate for Christmas. Illustration by: Since the 80’s there have been no more Part of this clause about freedom Moorea Atkins SCOTUS cases involving decorating for of religion in the First Amendment Christmas. Because of the rulings that the court made howprevents the government from restricting or prohibiting free ever, most towns and cities nowadays do not include any exercise of religion, but it also inhibits the government to religious references in their displays. That’s why when you create, endorse, or benefit one religion over another. This is go to a public display sponsored by a county or local governoften referred to as the Establishment Clause. Often it’s at this ment you will not see any explicit reference to Jesus, a nativipart of a discussion about the Bill of Rights where the phrase ty, or any other religion. In an age of inclusivity, it is better to ‘separation of church and state’ comes up, yet nowhere in the play it safe than have an expensive law suit at your door. Constitution is this phrase actually mentioned. Many people believe that it is part of the First Amendment, but it is not. To clarify: an individual may have a belief or be a part of a specif- The world of court cases and SCOTUS is fascinating, and ic religion, but the government cannot establish a state religion the fact that a case about Christmas decorations went all the way to the Supreme Court is simply captivating. Though and force it upon others. An example of this is an individual has a right to donate to a church, but Congress cannot declare I personally may feel a tad disappointed about not seeing nativity scenes in public displays, the First Amendment does itself Catholic, donate all its money to the Catholic Church, and then make the rest of the country convert to Catholicism. guarantee me a right to put one up in my front yard for all the world to see. That’s a direct violation of the Bill of Rights, and what the Founders intended to prevent.
IN-DEPTH 9
"All I Want for Christmas"
2020
In a recent of poll 241 Westminster students, they were asked what their top 5 most wanted Christmas gifts were. Here are the Results for top 5.
Ellie Jones, Staff Writer
1 2 3 4 5 10 OPINION
Cash Lululemon
Reigning at #1, cash is always king. When you think about it, cash is the gift card to anywhere and everywhere, it can be spent wherever you choose. Another brand that both guys and girls could never have enough of. From leggings to pullovers, you can never go wrong with anything Lululemon.
Nike/Adidas Room Decor Airpods Pro
Right in the middle at #3, the Nike and Adidas stores are always a score. There are so many options, from shoes to any kind of athletic clothing you can think of, athletes always flock to Nike and Adidas. A room is everyone’s safe haven, and from pinterest to Pottery Barn always taking up our time, there is never enough room decor. Coming in at #5, the latest and greatest, noise-cancelling, immense clear sounding headphones that are compact and easy to grab-n-go.
THE GREAT DEBATE: EBOOKS VS. PAPERBACK KAITLYN BUTLER Staff Writer
The holiday season has finally arrived. As we live in a digital age, we may quickly fill up our Christmas wish lists with the newest phone, laptop, Xbox, etc. Perhaps, for book lovers, a Kindle may appear among these items. Are you ready to embrace a fully electronic bookshelf, or are you still attached to the sentimental experience of turning physical pages? The convenience, simplicity, and portability of a Kindle draws many readers to convert to an electronic experience. The idea of carrying your library in one hand is enticing and comes in handy. Access any of your books at the airport, in a cafe, in the car, or out of town. Dying to finish a series? Purchase the next book immediately! Yet at the same time, it’s difficult to let go of classic paperback copies. The story seems to come alive when in print, and there is a sense of sentimentality and nostalgia when it comes to stacking your favorite books upon a shelf. Moreover, recent research suggests that reading paperback books may improve comprehension and retention of material, enhancing the overall reading experience.
American. And consider the book itself—the eight corners, pages filled entirely with words, paragraph breaks, and varying thickness in each hand to indicate progress all function as trail markers or notable landmarks. You may remember that an event occurred toward the middle of the book, or that the definition of a certain word is located at the bottom left corner of your notes. Aside from the importance of mental topography in reading comprehension, though, it simply feels rewarding or special to own physical copies of your books. They’re a tangible record of someone’s thoughts, dreams, imagination, and stories that we happen to find meaningful and relatable. And to highlight, underline, and bookmark pages further personalizes the experience. Without a doubt, the convenience of ebooks is quite appealing. But so is the science of reading paperback books—perhaps enough to convince you to substitute the Kindle on your wishlist for a paper copy.
Researchers have conducted multiple studies comparing the absorption of material between electronic and paper text, including Norway’s Stavanger University. When participants were asked to read an “upsetting short story,” half on paper and half on an iPad, “paper readers did report higher on measures having to do with empathy and transportation and immersion, and narrative coherence” (Flood). A follow-up study found that Kindle readers particularly struggled with plot reconstruction. And Norwegian students who read digitally scored significantly lower on comprehension tests. The reason? Mental maps. “The haptic and tactile feedback of a Kindle does not provide the same support for mental reconstruction of a story as a print pocket book does,” says researcher Anne Mangen. In other words, the physical sensation of the pages between your fingers plays an important role in the cognitive processing of written material. Tufts University cognitive scientist Maryanne Wolf compares it to topography--that the human brain maps out the plot in a manner similar to how we mentally map out our surroundings. Part of the reason we navigate books in this way is explained by the fact that the brain “regards [printed] letters as physical objects,” according to an article published by Scientific
Illustrated by Kaitlyn Butler
NEWS 11
HOW HAVE PEOPLE EXPERIENCED COVID-19 AROUND THE WORLD?
ANAGI PIERIS
In the United States of America, many citizens are able to cope with the past shutdowns or current restrictions only because of granted resources like electricity, financial security, private transportation, and a host of infrastructures already in place. In particular, the issue of providing food for one’s family is increasingly foremost in people’s minds. Most citizens of developing countries were already living hand to mouth, but COVID-19 has further limited the options of readily available, healthy meals. For instance, the fishing sector has been greatly impacted by nationwide lockdowns in various coastal countries. As a result, not only have many livelihoods been put on hold, but seafood is now also noticeably absent in many open-air markets.
For those who know where to look, though, there are still some ways to obtain daily provisions, which is the situation most find themselves in. When public transportation is put at a standstill, citizens may still walk as far as their legs can carry them. Since the range of a person’s travels is severely limited without motorized vehicles, authorities permit the occasional pedestrian during lockdown orders. Then, if there is a small store nearby, the owners will open the back door to customers standing in the alley or out of the street view. Granted, the whole convoluted process is by no means an ideal situation, but perhaps if Missouri issues another stay-at-home order for St. Louis County, we can all look to model the same ingenuity and resourcefulness of our neighbors overseas.
One of my uncles, a Sri Lankan, experienced firsthand the unique challenges brought about by To make matters worse, many villagers in certain the pandemic beyond our borders. Once during a parts of the world lack the capacity in iceboxes or five-foot-fridges to store provisions for longer than virus-related lockdown in the area, he was notified by the local butcher of a recently slaughtered cow. a few days at a time. Even if their governments Since meat has been growing scarce of late and it impose a stay-at-home order to curb COVID-19 transmission, citizens are prevented from adequate- was offered at a reasonable price, my uncle took time out of his work schedule to walk the two ly stocking up on food in preparation for a counmiles to the shop. try-wide quarantine. Here in Missouri, St. Louis Country has only been put under stay-at-home order once before, in March. Residents were prohibited from frequenting movie theaters, music concerts, retail stores, restaurants, and other nonessential businesses. However, hospitals and grocery stores remained as a key link between consumers and [producers]. In certain governments though, draconian measures are regularly imposed and enforced as often as there are spikes in the infection, (which is not to say that they are altogether ineffective). Every business is halted, including drugstores and supermarkets.
12 800 SPORTING
After arriving, though, he realized it would only be feasible to buy around ten pounds. The issue was not over how much he could carry, nor did it have to do with whether he and his family preferred a certain cut of meat. Instead, Uncle Pieris’s hands were tied because of the amount of space allocated for meat at home. If not possible to freeze right away, cuts for meat always have to be seasoned, portioned, and cooked over the stove, all of which takes a great deal of time. While most jobs are suspended by concerns over the coronavirus, the cost of living has not changed. Even those who manage to retain their positions are sometimes forced to forfeit as transportation
to and fro workplaces has become even more diffi- Many of the issues facing people around the world cult. Of course, this is not a problem we usually are compounded by the coronavirus, leaving many encounter in our neighborhoods because most frustrated in their efforts to provide for a family. For instance, the scarcity of healthy food is exacerpeople at least own one car. bated by raised prices from far-away stores, which Yet, particularly for residents living within or on in turn only accept cash. the outskirts of large city, public transportation is the cheapest, most convenient way of getting In Western countries, most stores, however small, at least have a single credit card reader at checkfrom one place to another. Before the virus, it was not uncommon to see public buses crammed out counters; however, in less developed regions to the maximum capacity (or perhaps over and boutiques or corner stores lack the technology. Acabove) in such regions. Every time there would be at cordingly, patrons are obligated to pay for purchasleast some men who would cram onto the tailgate es in physical currency. However, without banks to cash checks during lockdowns, withdrawal of funds or jump in at the last second. is no longer so simple. Now, though, buses must only allow a certain Roughly two thirds of the world currently engages number of passengers. Occupants must wear masks and sit every few rows, with empty space in paper money, bills, and banknotes. The very real in between. Compared to the previous system in probability of COVID-19 transmission from handwhich every square inch of space was exploited to to-hand transactions is being addressed as best as the fullest, one can imagine the drop in revenue. it can: with designated times of isolation for the The new system cannot even begin to accommo- cash plus hand washing before and after. However, date everyone, leaving many who were previously situations can easily go awry, such as in the event dependent on the buses high and dry. And that is that water is scarce or income must be put to use immediately. only one aspect of transportation.
How has covid effected the rest of the world? Photo by: Anagi Pieris
800 SPORTING 13
RELIGION AND CHRISTMAS
LAUREN BORCHELT Staff Writer
Many non Christians have regard for others’ beliefs even though they don’t practice a specific religion themselves. Some atheists or non christians even practice some religious aspects to this celebration as a way of fully celebrating the holiday by even going to church with a friend to observe, being part of nativity things, and more even if they don’t fully practice a specific religious belief. This brings them a Christmas season to celebrate and practice certain traditions with others even if they don’t fully believe in a certain religion or practice religiously on a regular basis.
As Christmas time rolls around and the beginning of the Christmas season comes about again, the traditions and celebrations of Christmas arise. This includes celebrating Jesus’ birth, advent church services, lighting advent candles, decorating, Christmas crafts and traditions, and more. Many people associate Christmas with these specific things or the specific traditions they practice and celebrate themselves, but there is much more to Christmas than the traditions and themes we associate it with. As many people have heard countless times- Christmas is about more than just the gifts and typical thoughts of So what does this mean? Christmas is obviously a Christmas. It is about Jesus’ birth, the birth of our Savior major holiday for Christians and it is centered around a and the son of God. specific religious event. Many people choose to spend this holiday with family and celebrating even if they The season of Christmas comes with much more than don’t fully believe in Christianity simply because they just gifts, games, and family time. There is a huge reli- want to celebrate a holiday and do fun holiday things gious component and that is the whole reason for the with family and friends. Just because not everyone holiday. Jesus’ birth is extremely important in the eyes celebrates Christmas for the religious aspect definiteof a Christian and should be celebrated as Jesus saved our sins by dying on the cross for us. His birth is import- ly does NOT mean it is not an important holiday for Christians. Christmas is certainly a very important ant and we should celebrate it as we do with extreme holiday for Christians because it is celebrating the birth importance. But the question arises- what about the of our Savior Jesus Christ. So in the end, Christmas is all people that aren’t Christians? about celebrating our Lord and Savior, but some people choose to celebrate differently or for other reasons. Many Non-Christians celebrate the Christmas Seasons and traditions as well but don’t view it as a religious holiday. Many non-christians that celebrate Christmas view it as more of a cultural holiday than a religious holiday. They celebrate by telling kids about Santa, putting up Christmas trees, making gingerbread cookies, etc… which are all non-religious aspects of this popular holiday. They also see this season as a time to get together with family and friends and as a time off work and school. So if these are all non religious ways to celebrate Christmas, how do Christians celebrate? When Christians celebrate Christmas, they put up a nativity set, read the bible, and more symbolic decorations. If Christians were to just celebrate for the religious aspects, they would only celebrate traditions that are strictly religious and nothing more. Most Christians celebrate with both aspects though, celebrating with a nativity, a Christmas tree, an advent calendar, Christmas cookies, etc… and combining the two together to celebrate.
14 FEATURES
Illustration by: Emma Harris
Westminster Christian Academy
FEATURES 15
WESTMINSTER ALUM TRANSFERS TO #1 TEAM IN AMERICA After an impressive season at SIU Carbondale, Aaron Cook has Transferred to Gonzaga for his final year of basketball.
BROOKE HIGHMARK Co-Editor of Sporting
Aaron Cook has put Westminster on the map. After a high school and collegiate career full of achievement and success, he has transferred and begun to play his final
However, he didn’t stop there. His junior season, he started every game, averaging ten points and four assists per game, the second most assists per game for SIU in the last ten years. For his final season, Cook was only able to play six games before breaking his hand and becoming a medical redshirt. In these few games, he averaged fifteen points, three assists, three steals, and three rebounds per game, shooting 55% from the field. He also became fourth in SIU history for number of steals in a game with seven. Not surprisingly, Cook was also an exceptional student, making the Missouri Valley Conference’s Scholar-Athlete second team during both his junior and sophomore seasons with a 3.1 GPA. Due to his injury, Cook became eligible for another season of basketball as a redshirt senior/graduate transfer. In a 2020 article by KREM, Cook explains his thought process behind choosing to transfer to Gonzaga.
Cook shuffle passes to a teammate in a game against John Burroughs. Photo by: Newspaper Archives season of basketball at Gonzaga University, the number one ranked division one team in the country. In his senior year at Westminster in 2016, Cook, a 6’2 point guard, was named Metro League Player of the Year, averaging 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals, and shooting 41% from the three point line. Although he suffered a major shoulder injury at the end of the season, Cook had already committed to SIU Carbondale in October of 2015. At the time, Cook fielded offers from Liberty, South Dakota State, Eastern Illinois, Central Michigan, SIU Carbondale, and Jacksonville state. At SIU, Cook went from averaging three points per game as the backup point guard during his freshman year to being named MVC Most Improved, starting 32 out of 33 games, averaging ten points per game, and leading the team in three point percentage with 38%.
16 OPINION
“I told [my coach] I just want to go somewhere where I have a significant role, be able to prove myself, be able to play a decent amount of minutes, and also win on a high level. I knew that Gonzaga was the top of the list when it came to all three of those categories,” said Cook. Being ranked as the number one team in preseason polls, Gonzaga is looking to have a very successful season, already having won three games against Kansas, Auburn, and West Virginia. Against Kansas, Cook played eleven minutes, scoring two points and dishing out three assists. Against Auburn, he played a total of eighteen minutes and scored five points with another three assists. In the seven minutes that he played against West Virginia, he secured one rebound and had two assists. Although Cook has to fight for every minute due to the team’s addition of Jalen Suggs, the highest rated recruit in Gonzaga history, he is making the best of his situation and continuing to get better every day. If all goes well, Cook could possibly be the first Westminster Christian Academy alum to be a part of a national championship team.
OUT OF COUNTY GAME ALLOWS GIRLS BASKETBALL TO PLAY FAST
Westminster won their second game of the season against St. Dominic over Thanksgiving break.
“The first quarter was rough, but as the game went on we found our groove and were able to pull away and play our game,” said Reilly Brophy, junior. Brophy was one of the key contributors to the game last friday with thirteen points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Her consistent three point shooting helped catalyze the team’s big run in the second quarter.
SAM VESTAL Staff Writer
The Westminster girls basketball team opened their season at St. Dominic on Tuesday, November 24th. Initially, this game was supposed to be played at home, but with the new COVID-19 restrictions in the county, playing away allowed the athletes to play without masks. This change in location not only changed the atmosphere of the gym, but it also changed playing style. Being able to play without masks allowed the girls to play how they have in the past: fast. Leading up to the season, the girls worked on playing slower in order to prepare for wearing masks, but playing at St. Dominic allowed them to play to their strengths, running the floor in transition and pushing the tempo.
Aseanti Boone prepares to play defense as St. Dominic brings the ball down the floor.
While the first quarter was rather close, the girls went on a 26 to four run in the second quarter. As the game went on and the girls got more comfortable on the court, they were able to take control and play their own game.
Another key contributor in the game was Brooke Highmark. With 24 points and a 60% field goal percentage, Highmark was able to lead her team to success. In addition to this, she had three assists and four steals. Her ability to draw fouls and play off of Carlie Vick, fellow club teammate and center, largely contributed to shutting down St. Dominic.
Poto courtesy of Corey Snyder
The girls ended the game with a comfortable lead, winning their second game of the season 65-42. The girls are hopeful for the rest of the season and are looking forward to their next game against Lutheran North on Tuesday, December 8th. The win against St. Dominic will give the girls some much needed confidence as they move forward and begin to play some more difficult opponents. Brooke Highmark shoots over defenders in the first half. Poto courtesy of Corey Snyder
OPINION 17
PLAYING WITH MASKS
WITH THE NEW MASK MANDATE, WCA ATHLETES LEARN TO ADAPT
situation isn’t ideal, but as a team we’re grateful that we can play and have that opportunity because some people don’t. It’s an obstacle but we can’t use it as an excuse and we just gotta play through it and focus on playing well and winning games,” said Lawrence.
Likewise, Brooke Highmark, junior, who has also been a three year letter winner on the girls basketball team and is entertaining multiple division one offers, feels that In accordance with the recent COVID-19 guidelines, masks take away one of the girls’ best weapons: their student athletes in St. Louis county are required to wear ability to play at a fast tempo. masks while competing in most high-contact sports. I talked with Westminster’s top winter athletes to under- During a recent stand how they feel about the new mask requirement game, “rather than and how masks add to the difficulty of already taxing running in transition games and practices. and constantly push-
BY COLIN RING. STAFF WRITER
ing the ball, which The wrestling team has arguably been hit the hardest by is one of our strongCOVID-19 because it is arguably the most intense and suits, [our coach] high-contact sport in existence. This had led to cancella- told us to walk the tions of meets and great uncertainty on whether there ball up the floor, not St. John (left) spars with fellow senior, Kirk Briden. will even be competition outside of practice. On top of pressure on defense, Photo By: Nolan Jones that, the wrestlers now have to wear masks to wrestle and she planned to even in practice which makes it very difficult to breathe call several timeouts throughout the game to give us a during physically demanding matches. break,” said Highmark. Brett St. John, senior, who was a state qualifier on the wrestling team a year ago, is not happy with the St. Louis county mask requirement during sports.
Despite the difficulty of playing with a mask, Brooke echoes the same sentiment as Lawrence did and is thankful to be able to play at all.
“I find that the mask requirement is entirely impractical, “...if wearing masks in both practice and games is the especially in the case of wrestling. As it is already a full only way to continue having a season, I will take that contact sport, wearing a mask would make no difference risk [of possible health hazards] any day of the week,” in the spread of COVID if a wrestler were to have it. In said Highmark. implementing a mask requirement, a sport that already requires tremendous physical exertion has been made Unlike the other high-contact winter sports at Westminsignificantly more difficult...Overall,I believe a mask ster, the hockey players currently do not have to wear requirement is a greater risk to our health than COVID masks during competitions, although some teams and itself,” said St. John. players do anyway. Another winter sport that has been greatly affected by the mask mandate is basketball. Casen Lawrence, junior, who has starred for the boys basketball team since freshman year, is grateful to even be able to play at all. At some points during the year it seemed very unlikely there would even be a season, and the team is determined not to let masks get in the way of their goals.
Brandon Swenson, senior forward for the Westminster team feels extremely lucky for the comparatively relaxed mask-wearing rules for the hockey team. “As of right now masks are not required while on the ice. Most rinks ask that we wear them on the bench but it’s not mandatory. As of lately though they were made mandatory to wear in the locker rooms. I’m really glad that we do not have to wear them while playing because it would make it so hard to breath and play,” said
“Obviously playing in masks has been an adjustment for Swenson. all of us and it has taken a little bit to get used too. The
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A STUD ON AND OFF THE ICE A burst of energy fills the rink as soon as Harry Ottsen steps onto the ice.
Due to his club team’s massive schedule of games and showcases, Harry misses a lot of school. On top of this, he has three to four club practices and two high school practices a week. For most students this would be a struggle, but Harry makes it seem fairly easy. He maintains a high GPA while taking two AP classes and two honors classes.
GUS DUDA Staff Writer
“It often comes with a lot of late nights and early mornings just trying to keep up with school,” said Ottsen.
Harry Ottsen, junior, has played an important role on the team since freshman year, averaging about one point per game in his career. He is relentless on the ice, as he is always moving his feet and looking to benefit his team.
Ottsen also plays baseball in the spring season as a second sport. He feels that it is a good change of pace for him to not get burnt out of hockey. However, it does not do the best job of keeping him in shape for the hockey season; he often has to workout three times a week in the baseball season to stay conditioned.
“He never lets up on the ice and we can always count on him to play strong through the entirety of the game,” He enjoys the sport, but hockey is his true passion. He said Zack Kilgore, junior captain. has big plans of hopefully playing the sport at the next level. In addition to high school hockey, Ottsen plays for the U16 Carshield hockey team. They play in the NAPHL, an “I hope to play juniors following my senior year, take a elite AAA hockey division. The team has faced some ad- gap year between college, and then play college hockey versity this year, as they have already been quarantined at a small D1 school. It may not be easy, but I am willing twice due to covid protocols. to put in the work it takes to get there and achieve my goals,” said Ottsen. “Quarantine has been a blessing and a curse for our team, because a break from continuous games and prac- Ottsen’s passion and drive is a leading force on the tices is always nice, but we also need to stay in shape Westminster hockey team and will pave the way to which is hard to do with the lack of play,” said Ottsen. achieving his dreams.
Harry Ottsen, junior, has been on Westminster’s hockey team since freshman year. Photo by: Gus Duda
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“WE LIKE TO THINK WE HAVE SIX STARTERS”
The varsity boys basketball team has depth.
HOPE LINAM Staff Writer
Casen Lawrence, junior, has been on varsity since freshman year, and this is his second year as the starting point guard. Casen’s stats speak for themselves, as last season he was 40% from the 3, challenging most any defender he faced with his quick shot and deep range. He also averaged 11 points and 2 assists per game. In the first game of the season against St. Dominic, Casen scored an outstanding 16 pts, including going 100% from the line. Casen’s final two free throws put the boys up 56-53 to secure a lead, and finish the game. This year Casen is a captain and “Casen is a servant leader. He has the ability to lead with his actions as well as his voice. He is like having a coach on the floor. He is a player who puts in a lot of time to be a good basketball player as he shows up early, stays late, and is always asking for extra time in the gym,” Casen Lawrence Photo by: Hope Linam said Coach Ribble. And due to his strong basketball IQ, he sees the floor well making strong passes and knowing when to shoot the ball. Caleb Thompson, junior, has also been on varsity since freshman year, and saw many minutes on the court last year averaging 7 points and 5 rebounds per game. Overall he had a staggering field goal percentage of 57%, which was one of the highest on the team. Caleb is a great asset to the team because of his speed and ability to be a strong finisher at the rim. He always demonstrates his hustle in every play by never giving up. In the St. Dominic game Caleb had 2 blocks and started the season off strong. Caleb’s height and vertical gives him an advantage against most players, and this combined with his speed makes him a threat to most teams. “Caleb is a gifted athlete. He has great potential as a basketball player. Caleb Thompson Photo by: Hope Linam He inspires others with his faith walk,” said Coach Ribble. Sam Vestal, junior, standing at 6’6 is one of the team’s strong forces in the paint. This is his third year on varsity, but is looking forward to obtaining more minutes this season. Last season, Sam had a field goal percentage of 50% and averaged 2 rebounds and 2 points a game. He has a smooth shot that sometimes extends to the 3 point line in addition to his presence in the paint. Noticed by many of his teammates is Sam’s hard work ethic, always giving his all in practice and during games, which is admired by the coaches and the players. Sam started the season off strong with 5 rebounds against St. Dominic. “Sam is someone you can count on and trust to pursue excellence. He does his best at everything he chooses to do,” said Coach Ribble. Sam Vestal Photo by: Hope Linam
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Austin Vick, junior, towering over most of his opponents at 6’7, is another strong force in the paint for the team. Identical to Sam, Austin had a field goal percentage of 50%, and he averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds per game. Austin is known to block shots and he showed this to be true with 2 blocks against St. Dominic. Austin has been improving his skill since last season, “Austin is an eager student of the game. He cares about improvement and he continues to get better every day,” said Coach Ribble. He likes to take 3’s, 2’s, and take his defenders to the hole making him a versatile player. Both Austin and Sam’s height are a huge asset to the team, to hopefully be utilized this season. EJ Williams, junior, has also been on varsity since his freshman year, and along with Casen, is the other team captain this season. EJ is known to be a big asset on the boards, both offensively and defensively which is one of his many talents. Last season, EJ averaged 3 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game and he never takes his foot off the gas when he’s inside the lines of the court. He gives 110% from start to finish, “EJ provides energy and always does what is asked of him. He plays with great effort and that effort is contagious to the team,” said Coach Ribble. EJ can also handle the ball and is a great finisher at the rim, coming in handy when the team is having a rough shooting game. EJ is an all around athletic player and athlete, making him adaptable in almost any situation handed to him which is highly noticeable.
Austin Vick Photo by: Hope Linam
EJ Williams Photo by: Hope Linam
Kobi Williams, sophomore, has followed the trend of the other five guys and has also been on varsity since freshman year. This is his second year as a starter and has just hit the tip of the iceberg for his potential. Kobi is one of the most versatile players on the team, “Kobi has all of the tools to be a great basketball player - He is a 3 way scorer - he can score at the basket, midrange, and he can shoot the 3,” said Coach Ribble. On multiple occasions last year, Kobi went 100% from the line. And last season, he went 33% from the behind the arc, averaged 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. One thing that sticks out about Kobi is his aggressiveness and drive on the court. An advantage Kobi has is the chemistry he has with the other players on the team, especially when he plays alongside his brother EJ. Kobi Williams Photo by: Hope Linam
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MEN’S BASKETBALL AT ST. DOMINIC’S
EVAN KOHN Staff Writer
The Wildcats traveled to St. Dominic High School for their first game of the season. It was a highly anticipated game, as Gateway Sports Venue was there to record the game. The Wildcats started off quickly taking a fourteen to six lead with a couple big threes from Casen Lawrence. Solid defense held the crusaders to six points in the first quarter. At half Westminster was up 33-21. The Crusaders began battling back in the second half chipping away. They out-scored Westminster 23-11 in the third quarter alone. Ryan Schwendeman was St. Dominic’s leading scorer with 19 points. He was a menace in the paint, he made quick work of some of the Wildcats post players. The beginning of the fourth quarter came around and it was all tied up 44 to 44. The Wildcats defended began to show up even more in the fourth getting a few key steals. They ended with eight steals as a team. At the end of the game, Lawrence hit two key free throws, allowing the team to take the lead by three points. The Crusaders went down with six seconds and chucked up a contested three. Austin Vick came down with the rebound to seal the game for the Cats. Lawrence led the scoring brigade with sixteen points. Kobi showed off his immense skill set with fourteen points, five rebounds, and five assists. Kobi’s ability to spread the floor is one of the best in the St. Louis area.
The Wildcats will take on University City on Thursday at 7:30pm at Westminster.
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Kobi Williams shoots a game deciding free throw. Photo by: Margaret Briner
LIFE IN THE ATHLETIC OFFICE Get to know Wca’s Athletic Director, Cory snyder
When asked what he would say if he could tell WCA student athletes one thing that he is trying to do as an athletic director, Snyder answered,
“It’s going to sound cliche, but it’s the ten pillars, especially the first three, I love the first three . We want our athletic programs to honor Jesus Christ in all things, we want to Coach Snyder is now taking on his third year as Westminster encourage our student athletes to model christian character athletic director, and while sometimes the hours are long, he that defines who we are, and we want you guys to be good has loved his time spent as the leader of Westminster’s athlet- students, in conduct - not just getting good grades, but also your classroom behaviour, if your an asset or liability to your ic programs. teacher...we want to make sure we provide a great experience When asked what some of his favorite parts of being an ath- in the here and now...but we are balancing that with the understanding that there is a bigger picture,” said Snyder. letic director were, Snyder responded,
COLIN RING Staff Writer
“I was here for fifteen years and coached a lot of kids. Watch- Coach Snyder’s goals for Westminster’s athletic programs and ing those kids come back as adults who have jobs and are par-desire to see long term growth in WCA’s athletes stems from ents and just seeing where God has taken them [is one of the his own first hand experience of the positive impact sports can have on a young life. things I love most about being a part of the athletic department]. That’s the long term. There is a short term experience of athletics which is about the fun and intensity of games and “I like to use my story. I actually after my freshman year of winning, but there is also the long term that we are shooting football [at WashU] I was going to quit. I was miserable. got beat up by seniors everyday at practice...it was hard. When I for: we want you to be men of God and women of faith. look back now I realize...football was the one hard thing in my Although the athletic director job has never been a walk in the life and I wanted to quit... God used football to teach me grit, resiliency, how to handle disappointment and failure, how to park, the Coronavirus pandemic this year has thrown even more of a wrench into the job description. Instead of treating handle success - it taught me leadership skills...things that I new responsibilities like a chore, though, Coach Snyder sees use everyday in my life now.” this year in a different light. “2020 has been hard, COVID has been hard. But a lot of times the hard things produce growth. We’ve [the athletic department] done things this year that we never would have done if COVID hadn’t forced us to do, and they are really good things. For example...we broadcast football games and soccer games and had announcers, and we are putting together a student based broadcast team for winter sports. [Without COVID] we never would have done that...that’s really cool,” said Snyder. COVID has also changed the time requirements for the athletic department. “With COVID we have to have an administrator at every event because we have to do check ins everywhere and monitor compliance with mask-wearing and social distancing. We have to have someone [at each event]...we’ve all been working five nights a week when we can usually split up the work. If I had to sum it up, I would say it’s like crisis management...with all these new processes and protocols and screening athletes everyday; that takes an enormous amount of time. And that’s time we can’t be in the office...with games having to be rescheduled, and teams not participating...and constant changes [it just takes a lot more time] ”
Coach Snyder played four years of football at Washington University in St. Louis. Courtesy of: Cory Snyder
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