MARCH 2019
THE 800
NEWS
Rewiring The Death of Free Is St. Louis Intelligence IT’S NOT WHAT Speech “Better Together” IT ONCE WAS Pg. 12-13 Pg. 14-15 Pg. 22-25
Westminster Christian Academy
PG. 13-14
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THE 800 STAFF
THE 8
EDITOR IN CHIEF ISABELLA FRANCOIS, JUNIOR
PRINT EDITOR NATALIE FORD, JUNIOR
SPORTING WCA EDITOR THOMAS SCHULTZ, SENIOR
MEDIA EDITOR BENNIE ANDERSON, JUNIOR
NEWS EDITOR GABE CARADONNA , SENIOR
FEATURES EDITOR AMANDA ESPY, SENIOR 2 STAFF
800 STAFF
STUDENTS SERVING STUDENTS
OPINION EDITOR ASHLEY MOLLENHOFF, SENIOR
QUICK READS CLAIRE SANDAN, SENIOR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ALLISON EICHENLAUB, SENIOR
IN DEPTH EDITOR AVA BIDNER, JUNIOR
SPORTING PRINT EDITOR TOMMY BRINER, JUNIOR
THE 800 STAFF PEARSON GEORGES • ZACH CANCILA • ALEX CHEN • LEA DESPOTIS • DYLAN ELIAS • LAUREN FLEMING • EMMA GORE • JOURNEE HENRY • COLE HINTZ • AVA HOLLMANN • JOEY KEANE • CAROLINE MEGOWN • SYDNEY MOORE • MAX NELSON • JIMMY OBERTOP • MEGAN ROCHE • KOBY SCHMER • NATHANIEL SEMS • REBEKAH SEMS • GRACE SKILJAN • GRIFFIN THOMAS
STAFF 3
CONTENTS
FEATURES
SPECIAL OLYMPICS PG. 7 HOMECOMING PG. 8 THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION PG. 9 ROBOTICS PG. 10 TEACHER SPEAK PG. 11
4 CONTENTS
ENTERTAINMENT A FEW OF MY LEAST FAVORITE THINHS PG. 12 CSI, DOCUMENATRIES, CRIMINAL MINDS PG. 17
OPINIONS
FEMINSIM PG. 13-15 EMOTIONAL INTELLEGENCE PG. 16 A CALL FOR CHARACTER PG. 18-19
SPORTS
LAX NEW UNIFORMS PG. 20 BOYS VOLLEYBALL PG. 22 BASEBALL TROY TOURNAMEMT PG. 23 GIRLS SOCCER PG. 24 GIRLS LACROSSE PG. 24 BOYS LACROSSE PG. 25 NICK MOTEN PG. 26 BACK PAGE PG. 27
CONTENTS
STAFF ED
STAFF ED
EQUALITY OR SUPREMACY?
How the definition of feminism has morphed into an increasingly complex issue that impacts both men and women 100 years ago when women were fighting for their rights to vote, to hold official positions in government, and to have their equal rights stamped into the Constitution, their passion for change and reform was entirely justified. After years of discrimination and diminution, women had every right to protest and fight for equality in every aspect of life, whether it be politically, economically, or socially. But this is not 1919. It’s 2019, and women have achieved those changes. The official Merriam-Webster definition of “feminism,” the 2017 word of the year, is “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” and “organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.” While true equality and a world free of persecution and discrimination is merely a hypothetical situation because of the sin that encroaches on every aspect of life, in the United States, women have achieved freedom and have secured the rights to vote, own property, have positions in government offices, receive equal education, serve in the military, and possess virtually every freedom that men in the U.S. have. In a time and place when women have been guaranteed rights under the highest form of authority, the Constitution, our society continues to fight for change and “organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.” While there is nothing wrong with advocating for equality when a people group feels underrepresented or has suffered unfair treatment or discrimination, women today have achieved the goals of their mothers and grandmothers from the generations before them. The 19th and 20th century definition of “feminism” has been accomplished; the movement and campaign for women today is an entirely different matter involving much more complex issues, including abortion and movements like #MeToo that support women and aim to eliminate sexual assault in the workplace.
of “the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” In addition, the debate begins to heat up as people argue over the position and role of men in relation to women. The goal of “feminism” was originally equality of the sexes, but today’s media seems to illustrate this quite differently. In an effort to portray women as strong, capable individuals, advertisements and commercials are displayed all over every media platform, broadcasting to the world that women can achieve not only successful careers and influence in the workplace but also can easily stand at the head of a household and take care of the endless calls of a needy husband and several children. While there may be nothing wrong with women acting as leaders in many areas of their lives, men simply should not have to be degraded in an attempt to make women appear more powerful and impressive. Sexist advertisements today frequently show determined women attacking both their home life and work life with ease and success while their lazy husbands stay at home and waste away, proving that men are just as much of a target as women in the media. Is this a picture of reality? Why must men appear less so that women can be more? In an article titled “What Is Feminism, And Why Do So Many Women And Men Hate It?” in Forbes, Kathy Caprino, career growth and personal success coach, writer, TEDx and keynote speaker, and leadership developer, elaborates on the idea that equality is not synonymous with sameness: “Feminism at its core is about equality of men and women, not ‘sameness.’ So many people offer up the argument that women are not the ‘same’ as men so there can’t be equality. In other words, because their bodies are different (many say ‘weaker’ and smaller), and because men and women have different physical capabilities, these physical differences mean equality is not possible. It’s critical to understand that ‘same’ does not mean ‘equal.’ The issue here is about equal rights and equal access to opportunities. Men and women don’t have to be the ‘same’ in physicality to have the right to equality.”
These are justified and righteous movements with the objective of gaining more respect for women and advocating for women’s roles in issues that directly impact their lives, but these growing campaigns address topics much broader than simply women’s rights and equality.
Overall, a mature and productive discussion of “feminism” requires first a basic understanding of the definition of such a controversial term, as well as knowledge about the history of the word and its meaning and connotations over time periods. A feminist 100 years ago simply was not fighting for or even supporting many of the movements and issues that fall under the category of “feminism” Approaching this issue with the understanding that the goals enand women’s rights today. Perhaps with a fuller understanding of compassing “feminism” today are entirely different than they were many diverse perspectives and with increased education on gender a century ago allows individuals to be better informed on such a hot roles and stereotypes in history and today, dialogue can become topic and to take a stance that is best representative of their personal more peaceful and effective, leading to stronger unity between the objectives regarding women’s rights and the question of equality and sexes and a feeling of more equality and respect. their acknowledgment that those goals may lie outside the confines
STAFF ED 5
QUICK READS
POETRY SLAM CLAIRE SANDEN QR EDITOR
Last week Westminster hosted their 12th annual Poetry Slam. The Poetry Slam has been a long standing tradition when it all started 11 years ago with Mrs. Birchenough. It started out as a club where students and teachers alike would come and read poetry and books together. Poetry and rap slams were very popular back then, so that is where the idea came from. Up until last year, it was just Mrs. Birchenough and some students leaders running it. But this year, since Mrs. Birchen ough moved, Ava Hollmann took over. “I love poetry and since I had helped organize it in the past, I knew the ropes of it so it was easy for me to run it. I probably would have done most of it myself, but since there has to be a teacher sponsor, Mrs. Arvesen and I split responsibilities.” The way the Poetry Slam works is there are three rounds: middle school, high school open, and high school closed. In the middle school round, there were initially 3 students who entered. However, two of them dropped out, leaving only one student left. They still read their poem and did a great job representing the middle school. In the high school open, students read one poem they wrote and there are first, second, and third place winners. Coming in first place was junior Matthew Culligan. In the high school closed, students read two poems they wrote. Out of all students who read two poems, only 3 people move on to the next round. In the next round, those three students read one more poem they wrote. This is the judging decision round in which they determine the first, second, and third place winners. The first place winner was Ava Hollmann.
Hannah Park and Amanda Berry reading at the Poetry Slam. Photo by: Aje Jones.
6 NEWS
MAKING FRIENDS AND LIFELONG MEMORIES WCA hosts Special Olympics
AMANDA ESPY
Feature Editor
the joy each of them got from playing and competing against their friends” said Luke Linam, senior. “My role was a ref, so I got to teach the kids skills while moving along the games. The kids were so cute and eager to learn; I also got to help out with my basketball teammates which made the experience even more fun” said Dani Mabry, senior.
Last year WCA held a day of games and fun for several different schools around the area such as Promise Academy, and this year they continued this unforgettable tradition with the sophomore class taking the lead along with several senior and junior students.
“My buddy and I hit it off from the moment we met. After spending the day helping I was so happy I had the experience and got to make a new friend while making more memories with people in my grade. I am sad that I won’t be here next year to help out again, but I definitely recommend other students to participate if they have the chance” said Molly Andersen, senior.
The day was set up as one big basketball tournament where the kids were divided into smaller groups and each paired with a WCA student as their buddy. At some stations the kids were taught skills and different basketball tricks while other groups were playing mini basketball games.
“I was a little nervous going into the day, but I was able to use something I love to help other kids which meant a lot to me. It was really cool to see how happy the kids were playing against each other, and I am thankful I got to be apart of the day” said Caleb Moellenhoff, sophomore.
“I had so much fun helping my buddy play basketball and
“I love kids, so this was the perfect day for me. I am so glad
Senior Molly Anderson and Luke Linam with thier buddy. Photo by: Molly Andersen teaching them skills. He had such a positive attitude and was that I got to help alongside my whole class, and I definitely so sweet to every person he encountered. Even though the day want to continue participating in this event in future years” was meant for the kids, I feel like it impacted me more seeing said Marty Briner, sophomore.
FEATURE 7
WILDCAT HOMECOMING
community together celebrating each other. The new STUCO, who will be voted on the week after spring break, will be in charge of planning a lot of homecoming next year. The dance that night will take place at the Frontenac Hilton.
Westminster will finally be having a Homecoming weekend starting next The Westminster community is excited to have a dance added to year. their high school years, and a more community inspired carnival
week. The addition of Friday night will give students the opportunity to spend time with their friends walking around riding rides and eating food, and then waking up the next morning goStaff Writer ing to cheer on the football game, while also looking forward to The Westminster administration announced during chapel that next year there will be a homecom- the dance that night. Although the seniors are sad they could not experience a Westminster homecoming they are proud to finally ing week. I talked to Mrs. Brown about how homecoming is going to look next year. She explained that since we have spirit say that they have a homecoming week. This is only the start week where the whole week is dedicated to crazy dress up days as well. Since this will be the first year doing a homecoming for competition, we will not be having dress up days the week weekend, they only want to build up from there. The students will have the opportunity to be heard by the adminastration prior. Instead, we will have one blue and white day on Friday, what they want to be included in the years to come to make their similar to the blue and white day during spirit week, where homecoming weekend the best weekend. you go a little more crazy than a Blue and White on a random Friday. I was also informed that there will not be a homecoming king or queen, but there will still be a dance that Saturday night.
Emma Gore
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I’m excited to see how the Westminster students will build onto our ideas of making a great homecoming for the Westminster community. -Mrs. Brown
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I asked some stuents about how they felt about having homecoming next year. I got all positive feedback, excited to have Emma Gore, Hannah Sturr and Amanda Enger at Lutheran the opportunity to experience a high school homecoming. As of right now there are no immediate expectations. Since this is our South Homecoming Photo by: Emma Gore first year having a homecoming, students are not quite sure what this will entail. Majority of students said they were happy they The variety show will kick off the weekend Thursday night. Friday will have the blue and white day, with booths and rides are able to say they went to high school homecoming, like what in the parking lot after school. Athletic games will be scheduled you see at other schools and in movies. They expressed how that Friday to bring the community together, to get some food, they were excited to see a change in carnival weekend, making it more fitting for everyone to get involved, ultimatley accomplay some games, and watch and support our Wildcats. They are adding booths and rides in hopes of bringing in more alumni plishing our schools goal of unity. and their kids. Saturday morning, the booths and rides will still be open, and then there will be the football game. The football Our Wildcat Homecoming will set us apart from other schools with our focus on bringing the community together. Since this is game next year will be against one of our biggest rivals, Lutheran South. The football game will start at 12 so there will be our first year we can work to increasingly make our homecomenough time for those who need to get ready for the dance that ing weekend even better and better over the years. night. Saturday night will contain a homecoming celebration followed by a dance. There is still uncertainty what the celebration will contain, but the overall idea is to bring the Westminster
8 FEATURE
have better reputations than others.
THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION The question most commonly used in St. Louis to judge someone quickly is: “Where did you go to high school?”
Grace Skiljan Staff Writer
When meeting new people in St. Louis, the first question always asked is “Where did you go to high school?” What seems like a harmless inquiry is actually a way for native St. Louisans to gage social status, religion, and even character. Every school, private or public, has a reputation in St. Louis, and every person who attends that school is subjected to that reputation. Private school kids are stuck-up, over privileged, and judge public-schoolers for not having the same social standing, while public-school kids judge private-schoolers for using “Daddy’s Money” and thinking they are better than everyone else. If you go to an all boys school you better be athletic or you won’t be staying long, unless you go to SLUH in which case if you aren’t smarter than 95% of the world then you might as well stop wasting your money and be home-schooled. These are just a couple of the false stereotypes that come with the names of St. Louis high schools. Though many schools have unwanted baggage that goes along with their title, some
For example: John Burroughs echos with straight As and perfect ACT scores, while Vianney has athleticism coming out of its ears. No matter what stereotype comes with your high school name, the result will always be the same, assumptions and judgement on who you are and where you came from. It easy to associate certain schools with more money than others. Especially the nicer private schools that are known for their higher standards and better reputation. People automatically assume that the more wealthy families will send their kids to the most expensive schools. About 16.7% of St. Louis’ population attends private school, while around 20% of the population have close to 100k income. Although the numbers are close this still proves that not all wealthy families choose to send their kids to private school and that not everyone can be judged based on their schooling. Even though we like to think we are special, this question isn’t just a St. Louis trend, it happens everywhere, and so does the reaction. No matter what city or what school, the assuming nature of people does not change. Although it is somewhat comical to see charts and graphs of high school stereotypes, it is also sad to see how easy it is to categorize others based on something as trivial as high school. So while we will always carry a little high school spirit with us, it should not be a defining factor, and no matter what school someone went to, what they do in the now is what defines them.
“I was meeting up with some old friends from elementary school to recon-
nect and catch up with each other, when we started talking about our highschools. All of them ended up at different public schools that were all around St. Louis. When I began talking about Westminster they all looked at me really weird. The rest of the lunch was just them making private school jokes and ended with them asking me to pay because I “obviously have the money” They definitely judged me really quickly for going to a private school, and made big assumtions about me and my family which was pretty hurtful.” -Lauryn Rhodes, Junior FEATURE 9
CYBORG CATS COME UP SHORT Westminster Robotics team fails to take first at St. Louis Regionals
ZACH CANCILA STAFF WRITER
Last week, the robotics team Competed in the St. Louis Regionals at Chafeitz Arena. The team was extatic to see how their robot stood up against the others. The Cyborg Cats got off to a good start by winning their first three matches. The Cyborg Cats ended up dropping the next match, but there was a good game. Overall, the St. Louis Regional results were not what we hoped for, however it provided much hope for the future of the program. We are very thankful for all of our mentors who helped us during our matches. Also, a big thank you goes out to our scouting crew who helped us scout other teams.
Senior Grant Osmon connects a wire to the hard drive of the robot.
10 FEATURE
Photo by: Austin Steele
TEACHER SPEAK ALLISON EICHENLAUB ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
TEACHER MADDIE PRENTIS US HISTORY TEACHER
MADDIE PRENTIS IS THE SOPHOMORE US HISTORY TEACHER AND HAS BEEN TEACHING AT WESTMINSTER FOR 3 YEARS.
Q: DID YOU PLAN TO BE A TEACHER WHEN YOU WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL?
Maddie in 4th grade at Westside Christian Academy. Photo by: Maddie
A: I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO DO WHEN I LEFT HIGH SCHOOL, SO IT WASN’T UNTIL COLLEGE THAT ONE OF MY PROFESSORS SUGGESTED I MIGHT LIKE TEACHING, AND HE WAS RIGHT.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT TEACHING?
A: MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT TEACHING IS GETTING TO KNOW THE STUDENTS. I LOVE HEARING ABOUT THEIR LIVES, AND RELATING THE TOPICS OF CLASS TO THEM. HISTORY TEACHES US ABOUT THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, AND AS WHITNEY SINGS, CHILDREN (TEENAGERS) ARE THE FUTURE. IT IS MY DISTINCT JOY AND PLEASURE TO WORK WITH MY KIDDOS AND HOPEFULLY TO BE PART OF SHAPING THEIR PATTERNS FOR LIFE.
Q: WHAT IS THE BEST PRESENT YOU HAVE EVER GOTTEN?
A: FOR MY BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR I GOT A KITTEN, WHICH HAS ALREADY BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY INTO MY LIFE.
Q: IF YOU WERE AN ANIMAL, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BE AND WHY? A: AN OTTER, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT BUZZFEED TOLD ME MY SPIRIT ANIMAL IS.
Q: WHAT IS THE BEST PURCHASE YOU’VE EVER MADE?
A: THE BEST PURCHASE I EVER MADE WAS DEFINITELY A PLANE TICKET. I LOVE TO TRAVEL AND I’VE BEEN ABLE TO SPEND TIME IN SOME AWESOME PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Q: IF YOU HAD TO CHANGE YOUR NAME, WHAT WOULD YOUR NEW NAME BE AND WHY? A: MRS. MADELINE EFRON. I LIKE TO SAY WE FELL IN LOVE.
Q: WHAT IS ONE OF THE DUMBEST WAY YOU HAVE BEEN INJURED? A: I GAVE MYSELF A BLACK EYE WHILE WATER SKIING.
Q: WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? A: TO STOP TRYING TO PET CHIPMUNKS.
FEATURE 11
THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FEW *LEAST* FAVORITE THINGS... 5 things I don’t like about St. Louis, Missouri
Ava Hollmann Staff Writer
actual order, it’s satisfying to have the worker present the concrete upside down. Yay for thick cold cream that defies the laws of gravity! It never gets old. After receiving the ice cream, it’s refreshing to cram into someone’s car to eat it because the three benches outside the storefront have been taken, and also to entertain yourself by staring out the windows at the sketchy characters that roam the streets over there. Keep those doors locked!
Missouri oh how I love thee, let me count the ways. I’m just a West County girl, living in a Midwestern world. Take me home, highway 141, to the place, I belong, Ballwin, Chesterfield, take me home, 141. Should I keep going? Probably not. Any more celebratory songs about STL and I would giddily fill up the whole page! Instead, let me give you something even better: five things about St. Louis that make it not that great. Did that take a sharp turn? Yes. Buckle up, buttercup. 1. Weather Living in Missouri is truly a climatic treat. It’s quite pleasant to have a blindingly hot Summer and a bitterly cold Winter, and of course, my two favorite seasons, a couple days of Spring and Fall. I love thinking that I can wear shorts outside then end up being too cold, or wearing leggings and being too hot. At least we can always use the weather as a substantial small talk topic. Hooray for five less seconds of awkward silence! 2. Landscape Besides the weather, the landscape of Missouri is beautiful and easy to navigate. The hills and woods make for narrow and hazardous backroads, as well as random parks and trails perfect for basic VSCO feeds. It’s also cool that being smack dab in the middle of the country doesn’t completely isolate us from water recreation- we have beachless lakes. And watch out for that E. coli in there! In the heart of summer, it’s fun to take a weekend trip to a friend’s lake house in the Ozarks to tube on a questioningly small flotation device and observe the murky scene, which is peppered with Ladue-owned yachts and small dinghies alike. 3. Ted Drewes No matter what the weather, St. Louisans go bananas for their creamy staple of Ted Drewes. In fact, we even sell it at our old, dumpy airport in vending machines, which is a totally normal thing for an airport to sell. Because who wouldn’t want some frozen custard while sitting in a cold terminal before a flight that will serve delicious complimentary pretzels? In its main location on Chippewa, crowds are constantly swarming the concrete building for a solid concoction. After waiting in line for twenty minutes, then another ten for the
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The weather, terrain, ice cream, pizza, and museum of St. Louis, Missouri. 4. IMOS Pizza If you’re in the mood for a 12 inch pan of an oversized cracker slathered with ketchup and incredibly processed white provel cheese, with a side of our Americanized Italian cuisine of ravioli, IMOS is the place to go. Or, should I say, order from, because who really wants to eat in those dirt-tiled closets of restaurants? Once at home eating their lame excuse of pizza, it’s entertaining to watch that one SLU basketball player, or an old David Freese re-run, on an IMOS commercial. 5. The City Museum Oh the museum, what a wonky place. But we love it’s craziness, don’t we? We use it as an excuse for the stench of years of accumulated sweat, germs, and maybe other things that coat the surface and air of the entire building. Whether in the mood to climb into an old airplane through a safety hazard of a tunnel, or a school bus on top of a roof, the Museum caters to all seeking thrilling, death-defying adventure. If the open sky isn’t one’s thing, the underground catacombs are also an option. Whoever thought it was a good idea to build limestone deposits and allow children ad childish adults to worm their way through there deserves an award, because both of those demographics are completely subjugated to getting lost or stuck at some point.
IT’S NOT WHAT IT ONCE WAS
Why I, as a Christian, do not define myself as a feminist by today’s standards ISABELLA FRANCOIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
To say that the word “feminism” is a controversial word, in 21st century America, would be an understatement. In fact, the debate over what feminism is or is not has become a topic of debate among people of all ages, especially within high school students. Students often take a stand for one side or the other simply because of what their friends think, or something they saw on social media and so it is incredibly important to first understand what feminism is. First, let us refer back to Biblical times, where in Genesis 5:3 God, referring to Adam and Eve, says that He created them “Male and female [...], and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.” Then, in Galatians 3:28, Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no
male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” If this is what feminism was today, then I would most definitely describe myself as a feminist. I believe that God created men and women equally and it is because of the sin in the world that women were historically mistreated. But, many people who call themselves feminists twist the words of the Bible and make it to seem like the Bible declares that women should be less than men.
for duplicitous, malleable, irresponsible Woman. In Genesis, chapter 3, Eve is beguiled by the serpent into taking fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Many have said that Eve’s real sin was to be curious. Curious to know things she shouldn’t.” This is a misconception that many people have: that because Eve sinned, the Bible is declaring that women are worse sinners than men. However, this is simply not true as both were equally punished by God for their sin. Understanding sin is an important aspect of understanding how Christians should view feminism because if people who call themselves feminists believe that men and women should be equal then they should be viewed equally as sinners.
For example, in an article entitled “The Bible teaches our children to hate women before they can think” feminist and founder of Misogyny Book club Jo Fidgen explains that, “We started with the Bible, and the figure of Eve. Whether or not you believe she was the first Today, social media and ad campaigns woman, there’s no getting away from often focus on blaming men as a whole her. Her name has become shorthand for the mistreatment of women, and act
IN-DEPTH 13
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” -Galations 3:28 as if men are completely to blame for all “has made the preservation of legal the issues today. abortion its number one priority. Its literature repeatedly states that access to abortion is ‘the most fundamental A recent Gillette razor commercial (as quoted in The New York Times) asks “Is right of women, without which all other rights are meaningless’” (according this the best a man can get?” challenging viewers to confront issues like toxic to a 1999 article originally printed in masculinity and #MeToo and to abandon The Commonwealth written by Serrin M. Foster, current president of Fem“the same old excuses.” inists for Life). However, according ≠≠his ad is an example of how men are to the same article, “The now revered often blamed in the media, but it also can feminists of the 19th century were also be used as an example of how feminism strongly opposed to abortion because today is used simply to create controver- of their belief in the worth of all husy rather than real change. By mention- mans. . . The early American feminists ing phrases such as “toxic masculinity” condemned abortion in the strongest possible terms. In Susan B. Anthony’s and the #MeToo movement, Gillette knew that they were going to create con- newsletter, The Revolution, abortion troversy which is a great marketing tac- was described as ‘child murder,’ ‘infantic. However, I do not want to associate ticide’ and ‘foeticide.’ Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who in 1848 organized the first myself with a movement that is simply women’s rights convention in Seneca used to get clicks on a Youtube video. Falls, New York, classified abortion as Before the 19th amendment was passed, a form of infanticide and said, ‘When you consider that women have been giving women the right to vote in the United States, women had real issues to treated as property, it is degrading to fight for. They were not allowed to have women that we should treat our chila say in the government and had virtual- dren as property to be disposed of as we see fit.’” ly no place in the workforce. However, today feminism has become less about fighting for women’s rights and more about controversy and clicks in our digital age because there is not much else to fight for. Now issues such as abortion that were not an issue in the past, have become “women’s issues” instead of just moral issues. The National Organization for Women
14 IN-DEPTH
Not only has feminism been used to promote abortion, but it also has been used to promote political agendas of individuals who are again using the controversy surrounding it for their own personal gain.
to accuse and attack politicians in the opposite party. This is not what the movement was intended to be about and if feminism is now about using real issues to leverage political situations, then I do not subscribe. The so-called feminists of the 19th and 20th centuries would not fit in with the feminists of today as our sisters in the past were able to reconcile their faith with their more progressive ideas. “Antoinette Brown (d. 1921), for instance, was the first woman to be ordained a minister by a recognized congregation in the United States. Brown was an avid believer in God and in the Scriptures and fought for women’s equality, abolition, and temperance. Sarah Grimke (d. 1873) was a Quaker and woman’s rights advocate whose understanding of Scripture set the stage for the abolition of slavery in the United States and brought attention to the idea of women’s equality with men,” explains Diana Newman, graduate of the Southern Evangelical Seminary and presenter at National Conference on Christian Apologetics on “Feminist Criticism of the Bible and What We Need to Know.”
As a Christian, I believe that men and women were created equal by God, and so if I lived during a time when women were fighting for basic rights such as the right to vote I would be a feminist. If the argument was simply that men and women are equal then I would be a feminist. But today, the With regard to the #MeToo movement, question is not whether men and women politicians have used something that are equal, but instead how feminism can was originally created to expose abuse, be twisted to fit one’s own agenda. If this is how feminism is defined, then I am not a feminist.
IN-DEPTH
15
WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN HAVING A HIGH IQ?
Having a high EQ turns out to be just or even more crucial than having a high IQ.
Rebekah Sems Staff Writer
My younger brother, Josiah, knows how to talk, and he does it all the time. Most of the time I can handle it, but after hearing his fiftieth question in the last two minutes at dinner, my parents and I were losing it. So, in order to save the sanctity of everyone else at the table, I pulled out a table discussion questions game that we keep handy for nights like this. Picking out the first card, I read it aloud, “Which is more important in life: Having a high EQ or a high IQ?”
All of these components are key aspects that work well in schools and in careers. Often though, people debate over which (IQ or EQ) is more important in life. Intelligence quotient is a number that represents how smart or intelligent a person is. IQ tests how they compare to other people on a spectrum. Having a high IQ in school is important for getting high grades, or getting into colleges or universities that are of high quality. Westminster has a variety of high-achieving students with IQ numbers above average. In the workplace a high IQ helps workers get their jobs done well and in time, as well as adding lots of helpful and needed information to the company. Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein both had IQs of 160 which is an extremely high IQ, and they accomplished amazing feats. However, while IQs are very helpful in the different challenges that come with life, EQs also have a way of dealing with overcoming challenges. Emotional intelligence is “being aware that emotions can drive our behavior and impact people (positively or negatively) and learning how to manage those emotions” (The Institute for Health and Human Potential). For example, emotional intelligence helps to motivate others and understand what they are feeling. Even with someone who has a really high IQ, as a leader they can still be in ineffective because they have no idea how to relate to their workers or motivate them.
The debate between the importance of EQ and IQ. Photo by: Rebekah Sems Intrigued by the question I thought about it while Josiah asked my parents five more questions on what EQ was. It’s true that most people have heard of their IQ, or intelligence quotient, but not many take their EQ (emotional quotient) into account. While intelligence quotient assess and determines your span of human intelligence, emotional intelligence explains your capacity to read situations and adjust to the feelings, emotions, or needs of others. When it comes to the workplace and in school, your IQ is of immense importance but not many understand that your EQ can be just or even more effective. The Institute for Health and Human Potential says that emotional intelligence helps students and/or employees with “giving and receiving, meeting tight deadlines, dealing with change, and dealing with setbacks and failures.”
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People with high EQs are self-aware as well as socially aware. They can adjust how they react based off of how the people around them are feeling. In a school setting, people with high EQs are able to lead group projects well by distributing work evenly to every individual and are equally doing their best in each class. While they may not be the most intelligent, those with high EQs are able to know their limits and take practical steps to accomplish their goals. Another interesting point is that while IQs are very difficult to change or improve, EQs can continue to be improved and expanded. Ways to grow into having a higher EQ would include being open to sitting and observing emotions of yourself and others. Also, asking others for their perspective on a situation or issue and staying patient are all practical steps in increasing the emotional quotient you may have. Furthermore, your EQ will aid you in all areas of your life and not just work or school. Your intelligence quotient can as well, but not to the same degree. Having a high EQ helps with parenting, being a responsible friend, and even dealing with difficult challenges and changes that will undoubtedly come in your lifetime. So as the rest of my family answers the question and turn toward me I say, “A high EQ.”
CSI, DOCUMENTARIES, CRIMINAL MINDS
These shows easily entice all of us into always wanting to hear the gruesome details.
ASHLEY MOELLENHOFF STAFF WRITER
Ever since the beginning of time, humans have always been fascinated with evil. Anyone driving by flashing red and blue cop lights and smashed cars on the side of a highway cannot help but stare. Everyone wants to know the story of what happened. We always want the full story. Crime shows and gruesome stories of mass murder or death have always been a true fascination of all human beings.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer from the Netflix series, “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.” Photo by: Google. Shows such as criminal minds, CSI, and documentaries or movies based on true stories. These shows love to give us the full story of every single detail we want to know, so we are completely engaged. Recently the “Ted Bundy Tapes” have come out on Netflix. There are four episodes in a documentary format telling the story of Bundy’s murder spree. The tapes are recordings
of Bundy talking about what happened. The reason Ted Bundy was such a shock was because of his demeanor and the way he carried himself. Bundy never looked like a killer and that’s how his story hooks the audience. All evidence led up to Bundy, but his smile, and words did not align with what he was accused of. His own mother did not want to believe the accusations as well as people that stood behind him in support. This is what draws people in, but his violent actions are what hooks people. Scott Bonn from New York Times explains, “The public is drawn to true crime because it triggers the most basic and powerful emotion in all of us—fear.” Shows with a gruesome plot line have become normal. We all want to trigger that fear in ourselves in a way. No matter how disgusting and sick the show or movie gets, we struggle to look away. Bonn notes the reason for the desire for wanting to watch is, “People also receive a jolt of adrenaline as a reward for witnessing terrible deeds. Adrenaline is a hormone that produces a powerful, stimulating and even addictive effect on the human brain.” Most of us claim the psychology is what draws us in. Criminal Minds, for example, is almost an excuse to say we just want to understand why someone acts how they do. In reality, we want to see what this person does and to what new extremes can we shock ourselves.
“The public is drawn to true crime because it triggers the most basic and powerful emotion in all of us— fear.” - Scott Bonn ENTERTIANMENT 17
RECLAIMING CHARACTER Recent college admissions scandals highlight the need for change and a realignment of values. LEA DESPOTIS STAFF WRITER
million to portray their ordinary kids as high school superstars, worthy of receiving the coveted admission slots. Sadly, authenticity and merit did not enter the equation in the minds of the wealthy participants, who gladly wielded their privilege. These shocking illegal tactics are not without precedent in the current college-admission craze. Only five months prior to the Varsity-Blues Scandal, a New York Times exposé implicated T.M. Landry College Preparatory School in Louisiana for perpetrating a well-organized scam of doctoring transcripts and inventing compelling student stories designed to appeal to elite admissions officers. In return, the school proudly boasted their acceptance of low-income students into the hallowed halls of Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, Brown, and Stanford. These blatant crimes are just the tip of the iceberg for a prolonged investigation, likely to expose others gaming the system. It has become all-too-common for participants to bend the boundaries of acceptable decorum, with some submitting inauthentic college essays or securing diagnoses of exaggerated or non-existent disabilities to gain extra time on the ACT/SAT.
Yale University campus, one of the universities invovled in the Varsity-Blues scandal. Photo By: Lea Despotis.
What a sad moment our society has witnessed when corruption, deceit, and fraud surge through the distinguished campuses of America, forcing people to ask the troubling question: who got in where—and how? Last week, a nation-wide college-admissions scandal dominated news headlines, ensnaring CEOs, athletic coaches, celebrities, and other wealthy
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families in an illicit scheme to gain admission to selective universities. The disturbing allegations have exposed fraud by bribing coaches, falsifying applications, and submitting fraudulent ACT/SAT scores.
As the college admissions process has lost credibility at the hands of bad behavior, there are no winners. With universities reputations tarnished and degrees and acceptance letters under scrutiny, we are left with skepticism of the bastions of higher education. The impression of instability places us on shaky ground for the future of college admissions.
But there’s a much heavier toll to this college mania— and today’s youth are the collateral damage. As questionable behavior skyrockets -- with the embellishment of accomplishments in order to appeal to the arbitrary demands of an admission officer -- the essential values In what the Justice Department calls the of integrity, character, and ethics are “largest college admission prosecution compromised for a shallow price. in U.S. history,” parents discreetly paid anywhere from $200,000 to up to $6.5
Recent professional reports indicate a As we cross beyond the threshold of cultural shift in students’ inclination tolerance, there’s an urgent necessity to towards dishonest means to accomplish turn the conversation towards guiding goals. According to the 2012 Josephthe minds of today’s youth. And this son Report on the Ethics of American is exactly what some reformers in the Youth, 57% of teens surveyed agree that field have already set out to accomsuccessful people “do what they have plish. to do” to get ahead, even if such actions include cheating. Equally unsettling are Initiated in 2013, the Harvard Graduthe results of “The Children We Mean To ate School of Education launched the Raise” report analyzing where students Making Care Common project calling align their values. When asked what families, educators, and communities mattered most between the categories of to elevate core ethical capacities in high school achievement, happiness, or modern-day culture. With a vision for a caring for others, only 22% of students brighter future, the initiative promotes surveyed ranked “caring” as their top an educational system that encourages priority. children to “care about others and the These instances represent a glaring example of the moral decay befitting of our times -- a manifestation of the consequences of attributing success with achievement, valuing outcomes over means, and pursuing self-serving interest over concern for others. It leaves us questioning: Where do we go from here?
alter the values in college admissions. Endorsed by over 50 college deans, the report provides a set of recommendations to influence character building and integrity development. In a time when we strive to break barriers, seek inclusion, and ensure equity to all people, character and ethics stand at the heart of inspiring positive change and solving social, economic, and political tensions. Cultivating a sense of responsibility to the community and instilling empathetic, caring, and just-minded ideals are invaluable qualities that facilitate interconnectedness and enhance the ability to engage in the world.
common good, treat people well day to day, come to understand and seek fair- As society shapes the next generation, what ness and justice, and do what is right ultimately counts is strength and quality of even at times at a cost to themselves.” character. Like the illustrious philosopher Aristotle acknowledged, “Educating the mind In a mission to transform the college without educating the heart is no education at admissions process, this month Making all.” And this is the timeless truth that we must Care Common released the second of embrace to build a better tomorrow. four reports titled “Turning the Tide” offering concrete steps to drastically
Yale University campus. Photo By: Lea Despotis.
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LACROSSE RECIEVES BRAND NEW BOYS VARSITY LACROSSE FIRST UNIFORMS GAME RESULTS
The boys lacrosse coaches have made strides to secure The boys started off their season with a win against Parkway South new uniforms for the boys
GRIFFIN THOMAS STAFF WRITER
The good news keep coming in for the boys lacrosse team at WCA. Things are going great so far, and with the new season just on the horizon, the boys are more excited than ever. Their first game is on Friday, and there had been questions about the jersey situation up until Coach Brown and Pettis dropped some big news in the team GroupMe. They had made no mention to the topic of new jerseys and had just said that they would be using the jerseys from last year, which was no surprise. We didn’t expect WCA to let us get new jerseys, so we were fine with whatever, we just wanted to win. But then, Coach dropped in pictures modeling our new jerseys, and the jerseys were no disappointment.
GABE CARADONNA NEWS EDITOR
On Friday, the boys varsity lacrosse team faced off against the Parkway South Patriots in a 9-1 victory at Westminster for their first game. The seniors showed up in a big with Keenan Miller scoring three goals, senior Spencer graham and sophomore Noah Coomes had two goals a piece. The offense wasn’t the only major factor to the strong win. “We play played strong defense all the way around” said senior defenseman Sam Haupfear. The defense allowed a whopping 6 total shots on goal. They had allowed 11 goals to Parkway South when they were eliminated from the playoffs last year. Another key factor to the win was face offs and turn overs. The Wildcats won 12 out of 14 faceoffs, lead by senior Alex Chen. The boys also pressured the Patriots by forcing 35 turnovers.
Senior Alex Chen running with the ball. Photo by: Westmisnter Sports
The Wildcats had 22 turnovers of their own, but limited the damage. “We definitely had some bad shots, a lot of bad The jerseys are brand new Under Armour jerseys, and takes, but it was our first game and we’ve still got a lot of everything about them is impressive. With the grey outwork to do.” said head coach, John Pettis, when talking about lines on the numbers and text, to the subtle stripes on the the offense. Westminster starts off season (1-0) while bringsides, there are no complaints with this recent change in the ing Parkway South to (0-2) to start the season. The Wildcats lacrosse wear. The image of the lacrosse team is something look to get a few more wins at home against St. Mary’s that Pettis values and with the addition of these new jerseys, on Wednesday at 5:00 pm and 5:00 pm Thursday at home the team will be looking better then ever. against Fort Zumwalt. The lacrosse team’s new jersey. Photo by Nick Lee
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Girls Soccer Finishes 2nd
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Baseball Drops 2nd Straight P. 24
Mens LAX off To Hot Start
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Moten Looks to Make Impact P. 26
“It’s A Mentality”
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WCA VOLLEYBALL READY TO OVERCOME A GENERAL LACK OF EXPIRENCE WITH RAW ATHLETISISM, ENERGY, AND FOCUS OPINION 21
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BOYS VOLLEYBALL LACKS EXPERIENCE, BUT WILL MAKE UP FOR IT WITH ATHLETICISM AND ATTITUDE With only five players who have more than one year of experience, Boys Volleyball can still have a strong season.
TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER
Boys Volleyball has started their season team game where one person cannot with a 2-1 record that includes a loss to do everything. Pattonville and wins against Ritenour and O’Fallon Christian. “Because I came from playing basketball I have learned that in volleyball After losing in two games to Pattonville you have to rely on your teammates a on Friday, the Wildcats came back on lot, one person cannot do everything. Tuesday and swept Ritenour in two This helps bring the team together,” games. Then, on Wednesday the Wild- he said. cats blew out O’Fallon Christian in 25-13 games. This is as good of a start Two other players that are important as the team could hope for as they head to the team are the Davitt brothers. into Spring Break. Aiden, Junior, and Colin, a Senior Captain, are both strong volleyball players, and while they are both multisport athletes, they each bring an unparalleled attitude to all sports they play. Aiden recognizes the difference between volleyball and the other sports he plays.
Mason Andrasko, junior, prepares to deliver a spike. Photo Credit: Thomas Shultz
The team’s two most important players are their clubs players: Junior Mason Andrasko and Sophomore Evan Harris. Both play on year-round teams and are very competitive. Andrasko is an outside hitter, meaning that he is responsible for hitting and spiking. Harris is a libero, so he plays in the back and focuses on passing and digging. They’ve been keys to the team so far and in years past, and if the team is going to have a strong season, they’ll have to be at the top of their game. However, Andrasko realizes that volleyball is a
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“I play football and volleyball, and while football is more of a physical sport, volleyball requires technique and finesse, which makes it tough in a different way,” he said. Blake Jewell is the only other player on the team that has played since he was a Freshman. This year, as a Senior, he will be a starter. The Volleyball team features more football players than just Aiden, though. Jerram Adams, Maxwell Burns, and Kyle Dolan each joined the team last year as Juniors. Although they didn’t originally take volleyball as seriously as they do football or basketball, they’ve each
become effective on the court. Their natural athleticism and coordination has allowed them to catch on to the sport quickly. “The new players offer a lot of height to the team. This will help with blocking and playing a dominant role as middle blockers,” said Andrasko. Isaac Johnston and John Fregene are two more players who only joined the team this year. Although they haven’t been majorly involved in the first few games, they are bringing energy that provides a boost for the team and allows them to still contribute even when they aren’t on the court. “New players can offer new skills and encouragement and I think Isaac and John do a great job of that,” said Aiden Davitt. Boys Volleyball is coached by Bryndn Crutcher. He is also the Head Coach for Girls Volleyball, but he knows that coaching the Boys is a lot different than the Girls. “I enjoy the challenge of coaching boys volleyball. We do not have a feeder program here at Westminster, so most of our athletes come with very little volleyball experience. I really enjoy teaching the game of volleyball and watching our athletes improve in their physical skills and their self-confidence,” he said.
He’s confident in his players even though they have limited experience, and he thinks they can go far this season. “From the rise in physical play along with the much improved self-confidence, I would hesitate to put any limits on the Boys Volleyball Team. We are off to a good start with a 2-1 record moving into Spring Break. I fully expect to compete for a District Title.”
“The biggest difference between basketball and volleyball is the mental game. When we have a huge crowd of classmates and fans that come to support us it helps us a lot. Playing with energy and having mental toughness is a huge thing in volleyball,” said Andrasko.
However, Coach Crutcher is most proud of his team in a different way than just on the court. “The area in which this team has been most special is in their boldness to extend an opportunity to pray with their opponents after every match. Whether the players recognize it or not, they are offering an opportunity most public school teams do not get to have with their teammates, and they are showing that regardless of the outcome of the competition. God will be honored and glorified!” he said. When they come back from Spring Break, Boys Volleyball will get right into their regular season schedule with games against Webster Groves, Parkway North, and Fort Zumwalt East all in their first week back. Boys Volleyball has the potential to win a lot of games this season, but it all begins mentally.
Colin Davitt, senior captain, serves the ball to start a rally Photo Credit: Thomas Shultz
GIRLS SOCCERS TAKES SECOND IN ZUMWALT TOURNIMENT Westminster opens the year with a strong tournament performance, taking second place after a thrilling Championship Game
JOEY KEANE STAFF WRITER
The Wildcats lost to Class 3 champion Summit in sectionals last year, ending their successful 15-win season. With a lot of question marks going into this season, Girls Soccer came out flying to start their season and are off on the right foot. On Monday the 18th against Fort Zumwalt West for the season opener, the Wildcats won 2-1 with goals coming from Annessa Shively on a cross from Hannah Otsen, and a goal from Molly Anderson on a cross from Emily Bratch. “We worked hard, and gave 110% for that win. We played together and put the stuff we worked on in practice leading up to the game to work,” said Senior Captain Molly Anderson. Coming off of this win the girls played against St. Charles West the next night and again played a strong game. With a goal from Sophia Sacco in OT to take the 1-0 win, the girls improve their record to 2-0. With goals and assists coming from 6 different girls in the first two games the girls looked to continue this success on Thursday the 21st against Francis Howell Central in the Zumwalt tournament Championship Game. In the Championship, Annessa Shively scored her second goal of the season, and the Cats only goal on the night. The teams ended regulation knotted up at one, and after a scoreless OT went to PKs, where the Wildcats fell, taking second place in the tournament.
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BASEBALL RECAP - TROY TOURNAMENT TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER
For the first time in Westminster baseball history, the Wildcats opened their season playing in the Troy tournament. On Friday, Westminster faced off against Wright City and jumped out to a quick 3 run lead in the bottom of the first thanks to an opposite field two-run blast by catcher Jimmy Obertop. Aided by eleven walks handed out by the Wright City pitching staff, the Wildcats continued to extend their lead scoring a run in the second, three runs in the third, and eight more in the fourth en route to a 15-0 short game win. Junior pitcher Brayden Haug threw three and a third innings striking out eight and giving up no hits before handing the ball over to Keaton Griewe to shut the door. The offense was led by Obertop, who went 3-3, along with Jack Smith and Zach Brasier who each collected two hits.
Brayden Haug delivers a pitch against CBC in the Troy tournament. Photo by: Tommy Briner
On Saturday, the Wildcats played Battle in the first game of a doubleheader and the offense exploded for 18 runs in just three innings. Junior Brennan Orf started the scoring with a two-run home run to right field and a RBI base hit by Blaise Matheny pushed the lead to three after one inning. In the second, Westminster tacked on five more runs thanks to a 2 RBI double by Luke Linam and in the third, the Wildcats put Battle away scoring 10 runs to extend the lead to 18. Sophomore Nick Moten won his first career varsity game pitching three strong innings, allowing no hits and striking out five batters.
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In the second game on Saturday, Westminster faced Francis Howell looking to go 3-0 and earn a spot in the tournament semifinal game. Howell jumped out to a 3-0 in the top of the first after several fielding miscues by Westminster and three walks but the Wildcats responded for a pair of runs in their half of the inning on back-to-back RBI doubles by Jimmy Obertop and Blaise Matheny. The score stayed deadlocked at 3-2 until the bottom of the fifth when Kazuki Kanda lined a base hit into right field with one out. After a groundout that advanced Kanda to second, both Jimmy Obertop and Blaise Matheny were intentionally walked, bringing DH Zach Braiser to the plate. Brasier was hit by the first pitch he saw tying the score at 3 until Luke Linam doubled into the left center gap giving Westminster a 5-3 lead. Brennan Orf came in to pitch and shut down Howell in the last two innings preserving the win and giving Westminster a 3-0 start to its season.
On Tuesday, the Wildcats took the field against the CBC Cadets in the semifinal of the tournament; a clash of two top ten teams playing for a spot in the championship. The visiting Wildcats got off to a slow start as they went down in order in the top of the first. The Cadets, one of the top class 5 teams in the state, did not disappoint scoring 2 runs in the first, 4 more in the second, and 2 in the third before the Wildcats got their bats going. Catcher Jimmy Obertop led off the fourth inning with a double starting the Wildcats offense. A walk to Blaise Matheny and a double by Senior Luke Linam gave the Wildcats their first 2 runs of the game. The next inning with runners on second and third, Obertop hit a ball to center field with the runner from third tagging up to cut the lead to 8-3. The Cadets thwarted any comeback attempt on a two run home run in the bottom of the fifth on their way to winning 10-3.
In the third place game the Wildcats faced Seckman and came out flat struggling to string any hits together. Senior Zach Brasier pitched a gem throwing 6 strong innings, allowing two unearned runs and striking out four. In the bottom the of sixth Landon Johnson finally got the Cats going with an opposite field RBI double and Ben Hicks knocked him in with a single up the middle. However, in the top of the seventh the Jaguars managed to push four runs across and held Westminster scoreless in the bottom half of the inning, winning the game 6-2. After finishing fourth in the tournamanet, the Wildcats hope to rebound over spring break heading south for the annual Florida trip.
BOYS LACROSSE EARLY SEASON RECAP
Boys Lacrosse started off their season with three consecutive wins.
TOMMY BRINER STAFF WRITER
Boys Lacrosse got off to a strong start in their season opener last Friday with a 9-1 win against Parkway South. The win was their first under their new coaches, and it was a rewarding way to start the season for this year’s Seniors, who have built the program from the ground up. “For the seniors, some of us have been playing for WCA since 7th grade and have been through a lot of downs in the program,” said Griffin Thomas.
“I was just happy to finally get on the field and get a win with the boys,” said Miller, “they just kept getting me open looks and feeding me the rock. Obviously I had a good individual game, but the rest of the year depends on how we work together as a team.” The Wildcats also forced an impressive 35 turnovers on Friday and allowed just one goal on six Parkway South shots. The game was a full blown domination, but the Wildcats are not satisfied. “Although the score seemed lopsided, we should have had at least five more goals. We need to work on our shot selection on offense and keep looking for easy passes on the crease. Another thing we need to work on is our clear. Although we created 36 turnovers, we had 21 turnovers of our own. This will not fly for better teams, and there is still much work to do,” said Thomas. On Wednesday, the Wildcats took on St. Mary’s, one of the worst teams in the area. The Wildcats dismantled them, winning by a score of 20-1. It was a combined effort throughout the game, but Mark Brugner scored two goals while Jack Straub, Keenan Miller, William Holt, Jackson Selk, and Ben Straub were among the other goal scorers. “We’re taking the season one game at a time. We’re not under or overestimating anyone,” said Straub. Thursday’s game against the Fort Zumwalt District yielded a similar result. [something here.]
Griffin Thomas and Austin Disper, seniors, celebrate after a WCA goal Photo Credit: Griffin Thomas
This team has seen brutal seasons, including two years ago when the team won only three games. This year will prove to be different.
Coming up, the Wildcats will travel to Kansas for two games over Spring Break, then return home and quickly begin their regular season schedule with games at Vianney and Francis Howell. They have a main goal in mind: “this year we hope to win a Class 2 state championship since this will be our last opportunity to do so as Seniors,” said Thomas. “We are practically unstoppable when we are firing on all cylinders,” said Miller.
“We need to keep playing with high intensity and make sure we don’t get complacent. Our defense played great on Friday, and we controlled the pace of the game,” said Alex Chen. On Friday, Senior Keenan Miller led the team with a hat trick. Senior Spencer Graham and Sophomore Noah Coomes also each added two of their own.
The team huddles around coach before taking the field. Photo Credit Austin Disper
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MOTEN TIME
As the Wildcat baseball team starts off the season, everyone is excited to see what Sophomore pitcher Nick Moten can bring to the table.
KOBY SCHMER STAFF WRITER
There is no doubt that Baseball is a top sport at Westminster, and it even is considered as one of the most elite baseball programs in the state. Each year, the team loses a handful of talented Senior veterans that helped lead the team, but they also pick up new young talent for years to come. This season, Nick Moten is in the spotlight.
Edit by: Pearson Georges
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Nicholas Moten is a Sophomore pitcher and infielder who everyone is excited to see on the field this season. Last year, Moten was a part of the Wildcat JV team where he was lights out on the mound every game he pitched. Ben Hicks, Junior outfielder and a teammate of Moten,
“I think we are going to be great if we all play our roles, cheer one another on, and all play to the best of our abilities. I think we will go deep into the playoffs, and hopefully have a shot for another state title.” -Nick Moten
commented on Moten’s ability to pitch in his Freshman season.
“Moten was the guy you wanted on the mound when your team was in a tough situation,” said Hicks, “everyone had confidence in him to get us out of a jam, and he would always come through in the end. Moten was the starting pitcher in seven of the games last season, and came into relief four times. He had a 5-1 record and a .903 earned run average. Moten was certainly a strikeout pitcher, striking out a whopping 63 batters in the 2018 season. Moten also made his way in the lineup at shortstop and second base, hitting .388 on the season, while also leading the team in triples. Moten has been constantly preparing for the upcoming Varsity season ahead of him, especially by increasing his velocity as a pitcher. In the winter, Moten unloaded on a pull down and threw 98 miles per hour, which is almost unheard of for a Sophomore pitcher. When asking Moten what keeps him motivated, he comments that the competition, as well as failure, is what gets him going each year. “The competition keeps me motivated because I love the fact that I have to fight to get outs and
have to fight for every pitch to win the at-bat,” said Moten. “Failure seems crazy, but it makes me work harder to prevent those failures from happening over and over again.” On February 23 of this year, Moten pitched at the St. Louis Perfect Game Indoor Showcase, where he topped out at 88 miles per hour off the mound. Young Moten also grabbed an 89 mile per hour exit velocity off the bat and ran a 7.15 60 yard dash. On the Varsity team thus far, Moten has made one start, pitching a three inning no hitter in the 18-0 mercy rule game against Battle High School. Moten struck out five batters in the affair while only letting one man on base. As the season continues, Moten will continue to be a top pitcher in the rotation for the team. “I think we are going to be great if we all play our roles, cheer one another on, and all play to the best of our abilities,” said Moten. “I think we will go deep into the playoffs, and hopefully have a shot for another state title.” It is tough to tell this early in the season, but the Wildcat Baseball team is setting up to have another season for the books. The next home game for Moten and the Wildcats is April 3rd against John Burroughs, and then the next day, they take on Liberty High School once again at home.
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t a e r g a e v a H k a e r B g n Spri
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