Arizona turns 100 years old

A month in history They’ll Call Him “Coach”

Ditch the Combs and Shave Your Domes!

Varsity Boys Basketball wins 15 more games than last season. Are the playoffs too far away? Page 6

Freshman phenom wrestler Ted Rico Places third in state

tournament. Page 7

Vol. 2/Edition 2Tuesday, February 14, 2012

On February 14th, 1912, President William H. Taft officially declared statehood in Arizona once and for all. Arizona has been enriched with his-tory and achievements that are being celebrated and remembered due to the fact that its 100th birthday has arrived. Over the past 100 years, Arizona has won the World Series in ‘01, bought London Bridge and had it placed in Lake Havasu, caught the famous John Dillinger in Tucson in ‘34, Pope John Paul II visited Phoenix in ’87, and many other mo-ments that went down in history.

Throughout the month of February, a variety of events will be taking place throughout the state to celebrate the centen-

nial. Washington Street in Phoenix will soon to become known as Centennial Way, and it will be receiving plaques and signage to designate the new name. There are also many signature projects that have been constructed over the past couple years such as; The Centennial Tree Project, The CENTtennial

Would you ever consider shaving off all of your hair to raise money for cancer research? Each year, 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. Cancer is the number one disease killer of children in the U.S. and Canada. Research saves lives. The St.Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer charity committed to funding research to find cures for childhood cancer. Thanks to CHS English Teacher

Microphones. Potato chips. Clocks. Radios. What do these things have in common?They are all things that show why everyone celebrates Black History Month. These have been invented or revolutionized by African-American inventors. This month of February is when we have the opportunity to celebrate Black History Month. Before one celebrates they need to know what this means to them and why they are celebrating. Everyone can benefit from acknowledging what has gone on around them and what they don’t realize affects their

everyday life. Take , for example, Barack Obama; he is our first African American president, where for such a long time it was unheard of to even consider electing an African American president.. There have been many extraordinary things done by African-Americans that have benefited us all. Very few inventors have been known for making something with a lasting impact on people. Otis Boykin had invented many electronics including, the radio, television sets, and

CHS Football players and supporters of the program will be pleased to hear that Marques Reischl, a former Western New Mexico University football coach, will be calling the shots under the “Friday Night Lights” this fall. Reischel was announced as head coach on Wednesday, February 7 during a school board meeting at Combs Middle School. Reischl was well aware the teams 0-10 finish last season, but welcomes the challenge to turn the program around.“Combs is a growing high school and has a lot of potential,” said Reischl when asked why he

came to Combs. Reischl plans to be on campus as soon as possible and as often as possible to work with the players and speak with the coaches. He plans to talk to the coaches about how they speak with parents, about what they do in the community, and what makes their program successful. Reischl believes his character set him apart from other candidates. Something he expects all the players to have, on and off the field, “Our players will act right and make good

Brian Banach, the St.Baldrick’s foundation has come to CHS. Now students at CHS have a chance to make an impact on childhood cancer. “It is something that [the students] can definitely say is worth it for a great cause and definitely something that people can be proud of doing and supporting,” said Banach. On Mar. 9, 2012, CHS is hosting a St.Baldrick’s pep assembly. “As of right now, we plan to have the volunteers who signed up to [be called] up one at a time to have their head shaved in the center.” The point of this pep rally is to

See CENTENNIAL, page 3

Dustin BojorquezCombs Courier (Reporter)

Ana GalindoCombs Courier (Reporter)

Micah RicksCombs Courier (Reporter)

See BALDRICKS, page 4

See HISTORY, page 3 See REISCHL, page 3

Keilani WashingtonCombs Courier (Reporter)

To honor the centennial, the state has created a commemorative plate that can be ordered online at www.servicearizona.com.

Thecosto

fthelicenseplateis

$25fortheinitialap

plicationfee,ofwhi

ch,$17willbenefit

theCentennial

Foundation and its planned events and projects, and $25 per annual renewal. The design was created

by PS Studios of Phoenix.

Austin, 5, (right) was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms tumor in July 2007. His father and brother shave in solidarity with him;AustinjoinedtheminMarch2011.AustinisoneoffiveSt.Baldrick’sFoundation2012AmbassadorKids.

HPY B-DAyOften overshadowed by Valentines Day,

the Canyon State deserves to be wished a happy birthday today.

March 9 charity event at Combs High School hoping to raise more than $5000 for the St.Baldrick’s Foundation andchildhood cancer research.

C MBSCourierThe source for Coyote news

The Equality Project: Ethnicity

2 C MBSCourier Tuesday, February 14, 2012

FOR THE RECORDIt is the policy of the Combs Courier to correct any inaccurate information printed in the publication as soon as the error is discovered. Any incorrect information printed on the front page will result in a correction printed on the front page. Any incorrect information printed on any other page will be corrected on page 2. Errors on the Opinion page will be corrected on that page. Corrections also will be noted on the online version of the Combs Courier. Please contact Adviser Brian Taylor at 480-882-3540 x 1770 or at combscourier@gmail.com with issues about this policy or to report any errors.

COMBSCourierThe source for Coyote news

The Combs Courier is published by the student newspaper staff at Combs High School. Opinions The Combs Courier staff,

the adviser, the faculty, or the administration of Combs High School. The Combs Courier has functioned as a public forum since its inception. Unless implied by the advertising party otherwise stated, advertis-ing in the Combs Courieradvertisements themselves and not by the school or administration. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Combs Courier allocates one issue to each student for free. Please e-mail all questions, comments, guest articles, or letters to the editor to combscourier@gmail.com. All submissions must be signed; however, requests for anonymity may be honored.Brian Tayloran

Editor-in-ChiefAdrienna Foster

Managing EditorGabby Wells

Layout & DesignGarrett DeBusschere

Copy EditorKat Johnson

Photo EditorMitch Werner

AdviserBrian Taylor

PrincipalBrenda Mayberry

Mayra Gutierrez

Staff ReportersDoug OsborneMicah Ricks

Cheyanne Lewis

Keilani WashingtonAna Galindo

Charisa BisbeeDustin Bojorquez

/

Kat JohnsonCombs Courier (Editor) Th ese long overdue statements about to be made will go down in San Tan Valley history as the greatest cry for peace and equality. Th ese statements are long overdue and bluntly explain the importance of Civil Rights and Black History Month. Seven some odd years ago, CHS was nothing but a small idea. A mere dream; Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream was equality for all races and for discrimination to end for America. “I have a dream…” that one day the students of CHS and high schoolers everywhere will judge one by their intelligence and personality rather than the color of their skin. From the howl of the coyote, to the snarl of the bulldog, even deep south where you can hear the “neigh!” of the broncos, lay ferocious, inhuman racism and hate. Humans who have different skin colors other than “white”, does not make them any less diverse or significant than other people. Judge one by the way they present themselves as humans, not for their natural born color. “I have a dream today!” Years later, on Monday, Jan. 16th, 2012, schools remained closed one extra day after the weekend to commemorate the hard work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and

his life quest for peace. It is people like Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks, that make America what it is today. “But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force…We cannot walk alone…We cannot turn back,” stated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28th, 1963 in his world famous “I Have a Dream” speech. “I have a dream today!” Th e fi erce racism that America is outputting is out of ignorance, fear, stereotypes, self ishness, environmental factors, and the mind-set that certain races are superior. According to the American Psychological Association, we are all members of the human race, and therefore in some way, we are all the same race. Moreover, we should not be attacking one another because of our skin color. Our diversity should

make us stronger as a race, not tear us apart. “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope…With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day,” stated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech, 1963.“I have a dream today!” Put yourself in the shoes of someone of an ethnicity diff erent than your own. Th ink of the historical signifi cance of that ethnicity. Imagine being a part of that race that was either killed or did the killing, all because you had a diff erent color skin then someone else. Billions of people have been killed throughout history due to that kind of attitude toward other races. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’”To comment or leave feedback on this article Kat Johnson can be contacted at kjohnson@combscourier.com

Letters to the Editor:

C MBSCourierThe source for Coyote news

As always, the Combs Courier student newspaper and its staff would like to thank those individuals that gave their tax-credit

donation to our publication. We know you have many different organizations to choose from

and we appreciate your support.

My husband and I were

recently in Mesa and Globe/

Miami. Somewhere we picked

up a Combs Courier and want

to compliment your school on a

very fi ne publication.

I read it completely from front

to back and found the articles to

be well written, very interesting,

and quite diversifi ed for a high

school news paper. Also the

layout was great.

KUDOS!

Madeline Johns

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Still Haven’t Purchased Your Prom Tickets Huh?

February 14 was your last day to purchase your discounted prom tickets BUT the Junior Class has decided to extend the price until February 29. In order to receive the discounted prom ticket prices you must bring THIS coupon to either the bookstore or ticket table during lunch on Fridays

What are you waiting for?

v

They’re bringing sexy back!3C MBSCourierTuesday, February 14, 2012

Penny Drive, the Arizona License Plate, and the Arizona Experience Museum. Th e centennial’s offi cial mascot is Th e Copper Chopper. Th is motor-cycle has been traveling throughout Ariz. since ‘10 and will continue touring until Feb. ’12. Th e Copper Chopper promotes Ariz. history, motorcycle safety, and 100 years of statehood. As an Arizona native, CHS His-tory teacher Tana Berrelleza said, “I’m proud of the how diverse the population is. It’s becoming the state to watch in terms of its politics and cultures. “ CHS Junior and Alabama native Kiara Garrett said, “I think it’s cool that its birthday is on Valentine’s Day.” Arizona’s birthday, and in this case, its centennial is shadowed by this holiday. Not many people know about the 100 year mark and yet it is a large part of history. CHS teacher Debbie Plimley says, “Arizona is very independent. We’re still considered very western which I fi nd very interesting because even in the new age of technology, we’re still looking at our western roots a lot.” Plimley taught her students a whole unit of Arizona history despite there not being any questions on the aims test about Ariz. Before it was the 48th contiguous state admitted to the union, there were battles during the Civil War that were fought in Ariz. territory. Berrelleza said an event she would’ve liked to been at was Th e Battle of Picacho Pass in Tucson, Ariz. “Not many people know that the most

western Civil War battle (Picacho pass) was in Arizona. ”It was fought between the Union Cavalry that came from California and Confeder-ate Pickets who were from Tucson.” One of Berrelleza’s inspirations is Sandra Day O’Connor. She was the fi rst women to sit on the supreme court of the United States. O’Connor grew up in Ariz. and became the fi rst women to be to become a Supreme Court justice. Berrelleza said, “I’m proud of how diverse the population is in this state. It’s becoming the state to watch in terms of its politics and cultures.” Th e Grand Canyon state has been through a lot over the past 100 years and this day remembers the legacy Arizona has made for itself and only creates a hopeful future in the next 100 years to come.

To comment or leave feedback on this article Ana Galindo can be contacted at agalindo@combscourier.com

computers; which have been able to revolutionize technology. Th ese things are parts of an average person’s everyday life. James Edward West has also created the technology that 90% of microphones use today. If one has talked on the phone before they were taking an advantage of his technology. Th is year we have the chance to celebrate and respect what African-Americans have done for everyone and after, we will have to wait for next February. A l t h ou g h on e may be able to celebrate anytime during the year, when we show that we care for others will realize it and it can just c re ate a go o d atmosphere for everyone to be in, al l because of Black History Month. For those who have been are touched by music, there are many African-American marvels including Stevie Wonder, Josephine Baker, and Bob Marley. Everyone can realize that they have been using things all the time that have been made by African-Americans. If someone enjoys snacks a lot and they especially like potato chips, which are one of the world’s most famous snacks, they can know that they were invented by George Crum.

People use clocks all the time to fi nd what time it is, to know how much time they have, and to know when they have to be somewhere. Because of this everyone uses a clock as a source of knowledge. But clocks did not just appear on a wall, they were made and designed after the first clock maker in America; an African-American named Benjamin Banneker. Black History Month is really all about having a chance to realize that no

matter who you are, the history t h at A f r i c a n -Americans have g i v e n u s w a s f or e v e r y on e . The reason we are who we are now is because o f e v e r y o n e in this country a n d A f r i c a n -Americans have been a big part of our country. What people do for this

country is special and everyone deserves recognition for the great things they do. Th is month is the time for African-Americans to receive their fair recognition. African Americans have done amazing things for the country and they deserve our gratitude.To comment or leave feedback on this article Micah Ricks can be contacted at mricks@combscourier.com

decisions, on and off the fi eld, and in life. Especially on campus and in the classroom, If players can’t commit themselves to program then they shouldn’t be in it.” Reischel believes in teaching life lessons through football. “You have to pick yourself up when you get knocked down, and that’s what life is” Reischl is currently a science teacher and most recently worked as an assistant coach at Basha high. He helped greatly improve the schools off ensive scheme. Th e Bears averaged 254 yds/g passing,186 yds/g rushing, and 45.2 points per game. Prior to coaching at Basha, he also coached at his Alma Mater Western New Mexico University for six years. While there he coached Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Rod Windsor. While attending WNMU he also played on their basketball and tennis teams.

He also played in the Indoor Football League with the San Angelo Stampede in 2006. Th e Tombstone native, played multiple sports in high school, was off ered a head coaching position at La Jolla High School, but declined because Combs was the best choice for his family. He expects his players to put forth the same level of commitment to the program as he will.“Our goals for every game are to play hard, and that’s it. Just go out and play as hard as we can. Th at’s the only thing we’re concerned about. We’re concerned about doing things right, we’re concerned about acting right, and when it’s 7 o’clock Friday night we’re concerned about playing hard and doing our job. That’s it. We’re not worried about the scoreboard, just playing hard and doing our jobs” said Reischl.

Beauty pageants are all about glitz, glamour and having the right “stuff ”. In order to win it all, you have to look cute in your dress, have a talent that will blow everyone’s mind and you have got to catch people’s attention in all the right ways. Th ose will be the goals for the contestants of the 2012 Mr. CHS pageant. Feb. 24, 2012 will mark the 3rd annual, student government hosted, Mr. CHS. Th is year’s winner will have to be able to meet or exceed the elegance of the last two Mr. CHS winners; CHS senior, Zach Lamphier (2010 winner) and, CHS junior, Sebastian Chavira (2011 winner). Each had unique talents that people talked about for months aft er. But it was not all about the glamour that made those two decide to compete in Mr. CHS. For Lamphier it was all about competing “for a good cause, and to beat Desmond [Powell].” As for Chavira, he simply stated, “I fi gured, I have the hair of a girl, so why not?” And all the money collected from this year’s pageant will be going towards this year’s prom. But despite having diff erent reasons for joining, they agreed that being exceptionally creative with your talent and wardrobe will be great in upping your chances of winning. “Be creative with your talent. Be really creative with what you’re wearing too, like watermelons in where a certain area should be in your dress, go out and buy the longest wig you can, and if you can, get your girlfriend to buy you some make-up,” said Chavira excitedly. However, if you want to be more like the fi rst winner of Mr. CHS, then you have to do what Lamphier suggests, which is, “grow a beard, be as muscular as I am, and as sexy as I am.” Whoever you choose to be inspired by for the 2012 Mr. CHS, the most important thing is to be completely true to yourself, be fantastically creative and be willing to participate for a good cause.

Gabby WellsCombs Courier (Editor)

Zach Lamphier (2010 Winner)

Sebastian Chavira (2011 Winner)

?????????? (2012 Winner)

CENTENNIAL Continued from Page 1

HISTORY Continued from Page 1 REISCHL Continued from Page 1

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Photo credit: Combs CourierMarques Reischl leaves Basha High School to become the new Varsity Football Coach at Combs High School. He and the Coyote football team will get to work ASAP as they look to rebound from an 0-10 season.

The Silent Killer Baldricks Continued from Page 1

4 C MBSCourier Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Bloodshed…Annihilation…Dominion…Obliteration. It sneaks up on you, as quiet as newborn baby’s breaths. It hungers for one opportunity, one open door, to run in and satisfy its craving. You are not safe, and you cannot hide from it. It makes life a horror film, but in this film, the killer does not jump out from behind and slaughter you; it slowly tortures you by eating your fl esh until it fi nally has subdued its hunger, until it wants more. This is a type of Staph infection otherwise known as MRSA. Fift y CHS students were asked if they knew what MRSA or Staph infection was; 21 of 50 students knew what MRSA was. 29 students did not. Staph infections are caused by a type of bacterium called Staphylococcusaureus. The bacterium invades your bloodstream, lungs, joints, eyes, urinary tract, and/or even your heart, but commonly lives in the nose, and usually doesn’t cause any harm. MRSA/Staph infections look like something harmless at fi rst. It could look like large, red, painful bumps under the skin, a swollen cut or blister, hot, and fi lled with pus, and/or sores that look and feel like

spider bites. An anonymous CHS student with MRSA explained that the signs they had pre diagnosis were irritation, scratching and Later on, a lump that

was very painful. Th e infection spreads from that spot and gets worse every second because it is literally eating your fl esh. Th ere is no cure for MRSA, but there is treatment. It can only make it temporarily disappear from the outside of your body, but it will always be inside of you, preparing for its next feast. A doctor might give antibiotics, drain the infection, or reduce the amount of Staph

bacterium on your skin and in your nose. Anonymous CHS student told how they treated their MRSA by taking medication and keeping the

aff ected area clean. Although a cure has not been found to kill MRSA inside the body, a cure has been created and proven to kill MRSA on any surface in less than two hours. Th is product is called Polyurea, but not just any kind of Polyurea. It is eco-friendly or GREEN; meaning it does not have any volatile or dangerous organic compounds in it. Th e best part is it dries in 3-5 seconds. Th is product has the power to eliminate this killer quickly, safely, and surely. Th is product is by Universal Global Coatings. And Universal Global Coatings can be the diff erence. MRSA or Staph infection is everywhere. It is the stalker

you cannot run or hide from. It is the shadow that never leaves your side no matter how dark it is. It is a parasite that if it does attack you, it will never leave your system. It is deadly, and it is common. Universal Global Coatings can kill it, before you get it. MRSA is a silent killer and it is craving your fl esh. It will seek, it will fi nd, it will attack, and it will be satisfi ed. Do not ignore it, conquer it.

Charisa BisbeeCombs Courier (Reporter)

raise money for the foundation and to raise awareness for childhood cancer. His main goals are to have 100 volunteers and to make $5,000 from donations and profi t. “I think right now we have about $500,” said Banach. His group is also selling T-shirts and bracelets to generate awareness of the event as well as raise money for the organization. With many t e a c h e r s e n c o u r a g i n g s t u d e n t s t o donate, some are even saying they will shave t h e i r h a i r at the assembly if their class raises $600. Th e S t . B a l d r i c k ’s organization is nothing new to Banach, at the school he used to teach at in Illinois, they had St.Baldrick’s pep assemblies. “A colleague of mine had introduced it; I saw the school rally around it, and it was a great cause,” said Banach, “Lots of kids took it and a lot of teachers helped out with it as well.” He thought it would be a good idea to bring this idea to CHS because it was something that, being a new school, could really take advantage of and help promote not only ourselves within the community but

help us come together as a school.” Th e St. Baldrick’s Foundation began back in 2000, and is the brainchild of reinsurance executives John Bender, Tim Kenny and Enda McDonnell who turned their industry’s St. Patrick’s Day party into a head-shaving event to benefi t kids with cancer. Th eir 20 “shavee” recruits planned to raise $17,000. Instead, they rose over $104,000. Th e movement quickly grew into one of the world’s largest volunteer-driven fund-raising programs

for childhood cancer research. Th e St.Baldrick’s F o u n d a t i o n c o n t r i b u t e s m o r e m o n e y t o w a r d c h i l d h o o d cancer research grants than any organizat ion, except the U.S. government. In 2011 alone they raised over $ 2 8 m i l l i o n . T h e r e w e r e

45,325 volunteers in 2011 and from 2005 to 2012 they have gotten a total of 78,804,186 US grants. Th e opportunity to donate and/or volunteer is not just open to students and faculty at CHS. It is also open to anyone in the community that wants to. If you would like to volunteer or have any questions, you can contact Brian Banach at 480-882-3540 x. 1804. or Coach Mike Vezzosi at x. 3549.

“It is something that [the students] can

defi nitely say is worth it for a great cause and defi nitely something

that people can be proud of doing and

supporting,”-Brian Banach

PECOS CAMPUS | Pecos Road & Gilbert Road | 480.732.7000 WILLIAMS CAMPUS | Southeast of Power Rd. & Loop 202 | 480.988.8000 SUN LAKES CENTER | Alma School Road & Riggs Road | 480.857.5500

An EEO/AA institution.

The college of you.

WWW.CGC.EDU

“My goal is to help students succeed and go on to do bigger and better things at the four year universities and in the workforce.”

PUSHPA RAMAKRISHNABiology Faculty

SCAN ME

Use a QR code reader appon your smart phone

From common bacterium to ‘superbug’

How bacteria can become antibiotic-resistant

Sits harmless on skin Enters, infects body

A drug-resistant form of the common “Staph” bacteria, usually spread through hospitals and nursing homes, was found in a U.S. study to have killed more people in 2005 than the AIDS virus.

Graphic: Cindy Jones-Hulfachor,

Sun Sentinel

Source: Journal of the American

Medical Association, Australian Broadcast

Corporation, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

© 2007 MCT

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Science Matters

1

Invades organs3

2

The overuse of antibiotics sets the stage; process can then follow three paths:

Some bacteria naturally evade antibiotics; resistant bacteria multiply

Bacteria change (mutate) and can block or break down drug

MRSA live on skin or in nose of almost 30 percent of people

Passes through skin scrape or cut; becomes painful, slow-healing red boil or pimpleTransmitted by skin-to-skin

contact or contaminated object

Hand washing, cleaning surfaces prevent spread

Infection can worsen quickly into:

Virus carries resistance gene between bacterial cells

Resistant

Enters bloodstream

Organs a�ected

VirusBacterium MRSA

Drug

Hair follicle

Artery

Skin injury

• Septic shock• Heart, kidney failure• Bone infection• Endocarditis• Bacteremia (blood poisoning)

Golden Oldies

The Brune-Dog5C MBSCourierTuesday, February 14, 2012

On Jan. 25, 2012 at CHS, the Student Government hosted a Senior Citizen Social, an event made for the purpose to give back to the community.“It’s just something that could help the community, and shows that students care about not only the community, but about the seniors in it as well, ” Tatiana Bryant, the Junior Class President of Student Government said. The Senior Citizen Social was hosted last year as well, and this year showed an increase in turnout. “I would say maybe a few more than last year, so that is an improvement,” Student Government Advisor Tana Berrelleza said, “The hard thing is just getting it out to the com-munity. We dropped off flyers at all of the senior centers around, so I guess we are just going to try to get them into more and more newspapers.” The word was a l s o s p r e a d throughout local Senior centers and bingo halls, but, “I would like to see more of course,” says Berrelleza. T h e night was filled with music pro-vided by CHS senior Anthony Ramirez, and dance as the CHS Drama group, Rush Dance Compa-ny, and CHS senior Tiana Ricciardi performed for the pleasure of the audience. The Drama group took the stage first with an excellent panto-mime, performed by the CHS Junior Ashlee Caldwell, which was met with much applause and laughter as she played the role of a poor girl whose homework was eaten by her dog. CHS freshman Robert Jones sang a rousing monologue, which brought thoughts of hopes and dreams into the minds of all. Rush Dance Company per-formed next, with much confidence, and was followed by Ricciardi, per-

forming songs reminiscent of the era the seniors grew up in. “I enjoy the music!,” said Phyllis. As the music f l i t ted throughout the room, Student Gov-ernment kept themselves busy all through the night, serving the people’s needs. “The students are very active, waiting on us, you couldn’t as for better service,” complimented Phyllis. Delicious spaghetti, salad, and garlic sticks were served to the seniors, and as the event drew on, cake was given out to the enjoyment of many. When asked more about the event, Berrelleza said, “Well, at the high school I went to, Mountain Point, we had this event when I was on the council, and it does sound like a different, weird thing to do, but it

was really fun to connect with the community, and I think it gives the community a very good im-age of what high schoolers are, and how good high schoolers can be.” O ver-al l , the event was seen as a resounding suc-cess by both the Student Gov-ernment and the attendees. The

night, filled with glorious music, wonderful performances by Combs High, and the amicable service of the students, was a great time for the citizens of San Tan Valley. “Two people have been in charge of it, Maya and Tatiana, and they did a wonderful job. “It gets stressful but we had a fun time, so it was completely worth it,” commented Berrelleza. It was a wonderful experience for everyone, all had a great time, and CHS was able to show how much it cared for the community. “ “It was a lot better than last year, and all we can hope for is that there are more and more each year. Hopefully, next year it will be bigger!,” said Bryant.

Kevin Bruney was born with the ability to brighten minds. Bruney, head of the math department states, “I like it when people are successful and so if I can help someone to get there to experience that, “ Ah-Ha” moment of being able to get it, understand it, and then being able to perform that thing. Well that’s what drives me. “ Bruney received his Bachelor’s degree in Management and Organization Development from Fresno Pacific University. He is currently working on his Administrators, Certificate from Northern Arizona University. Before he got into education, his past work experiences were mostly in the field of Engineering and Manufacturing which he did for about 10 years or so before completing all his teaching certificates and began teaching. Bruney’s typical work day starts by waking up 5:30 a.m. and running through a series of stretches and exciserces due to his back and leg problems. Although Mr. Bruney may have this issue, he still manages to obtain the will to come into the classroom, coffee in hand, with the intent to motivate others. He b e g i ns h i s school day at 6:30 a.m. to organize. He has classes all day, and typically after that there is one or more students looking for him for help after school. As a result, he leaves around 4:00 p.m., spends his time with family when home. His kids are in soccer and karate usually three times a week so he is often off somewhere supporting them. Life is hard when you train about hundred teenage students to work out mentally, while at the same time raising two adolescent ninjas. The most interesting part of his day though is when he and his class can be working on something and then a student will ask a question beyond what is in the text, and beyond what they are doing in that class, or it leads into the next topic they are going into, or his students would ask a question that relates to a special case that seems not to work with what is being taught. So then they are able to go into certain aspects of the matter and really look at what’s happening in under given circumstances. These situations refer to the early stages of that “Ah-Ha” moment that Bruney strivess for, when students begin to open their minds and really tries to explore the topic by putting it into other circumstances. According to Bruney, qualifications to becoming a good teacher are “You got to know your

subject manner, have to be very patient can’t be easily flustered, because typically students are going to be students and tried to fluster you just for fun. While a lot of the time people just don’t understand. So, one of the things that is hard, is if you understand something and someone else is genially struggling with that thing, just try to put yourself in their place, you can’t just say WHY DON’T YOU GET IT?! This because you’re the expert so of course you get it, but what about them.” When asked what led him to become a teacher he replied, “When I was originally in school as an engineer I was working for and Engineering company and I thought that’s what I wanted to do then I realizes,

Naaa, I don’t really want to do this so at that time I had thought, I wanted to get into education. I have had opportunities before to work with students though my church teaching, I enjoyed that, and the kids really to like how I explained things. So I decided that’s what Iam going to do, yes I am going to do this. ” This decision, along with the obstacles of going back to school, working full time and raising a family, led Mr. Bruney into the classroom, and head of the CHS Mathematics Department. Bruney’s students are grateful for his sacrifices and his overall presence in their educational lives since he has formed his classroom into a safe environment where students are able to expand their knowledge.

In fact one of his Calculus students, Nathan Diaz, CHS senior, stated “Bruney provides a fun, entertaining environment with his sense of humor and stories, while still managing to teach math- and very well.” You will not find one student on this campus that has nothing but nice things to say about Bruney. Bruney demonstrates that compassion for his students when he recognized the greatest accomplishment in his educational career to be the graduation of the class of 2012; he stated, “We have gotten to the point where we are going to graduate a class of seniors. You know when I first came to this district there wasn’t even a high school now we are going to put some of these kids out and say YOU have graduated high school. This has been a long process, some of these students I have seen now for six years so getting them from being 7th graders to getting across a stage and handling them a diploma, would have to be the greatest accomplishment in my educational career.”

Garrett DeBusschereCombs Courier (Editor)

Mayra GutierrezCombs Courier (Reporter)

“If I can help someone to get there, to

experiaence that ‘Ah-Ha’ moment of being able to

get it...Well that’s what drives me. “ - Kevin Bruney

Photo Credit: Gabby Wells

Fransisco Balistreri serving senior citizens.

Photo Credit: Kris WoodKevin Bruney (right) teaching Pre-Calculus to seniors Dakota Osmer (left) and Rachael Renzaglia (Middle)

Photo credit: Gabby Wells Tana Berrelleza talks to some of the guests at the 2012 Senior Citizen Social.

Boys basketball rebounds for wins

LET’S GO COY-OTES! GO! FIGHT! WIN!

6 C MBSCourier Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Sports are very important when it comes to high school. Sports like football and basketball are influential in building or tearing down school spirit. A large majority of the students at CHS believe that the athletic programs, according to CHS senior Joseph Titus, are “shameful”.” Last year they went 1-23, but are doing everything they can to help turn that attitude around. Posting the first winning record (16-14) by a basketball team in the school ‘s brief history should help curb that problem. “ L a s t s e a s o n w a s v e r y

disappointing,” said Varsity head coach Kirk Fauske. “We didn’t know how to win games. We play with more confidence now.” Fauske credits some of this

seasons success to their hard work in the offseason lifting weights and working on their conditioning. They had time to work together and not be pressured as much as they usually are during game time. Each player is a little bit older, a little more experienced and a little bit wiser when it comes to playing the game. “This year we are winning a lot more games because we have a lot more chemistry and we don’t fight as much. We are working together and playing well,” said senior guard Zach Angelo. Most of these seniors have been

playing basketball since elementary school. “I love [basketball]. When I was little I would shoot hoops outside in my yard. I developed a shot, and decided to try it out,” explained CHS senior shooting guard Cody Gifford, “I’ve been hooked ever since.” The Coyotes were overmatched in previous seasons competing against larger schools in Division II. After a realignment by the Arizona Interscholastic Association at the end of the 2010-2011 school year, the Coyotes found themselves in a division with schools that are of similar enrollment.

“Last year we were playing teams that have over 2,000; 18,000; 19,000; and 32,000 kids in their school,” said Fauske. “We were getting destroyed because we are a small school.” The hoop squad got their first taste of success back in December finishing runner-up in the Globe tournament and bringing home the first piece of hardware for the athletic trophy cases. “The lower-classmen, they look up to us. They always ask us when our games are and what time they are,” Gifford explained, “they like watching us play. It makes us feel good, like people actually care.”

To some people, cheerleading is not a sport. To those people commonly known as “jocks”, a “sport” requires some sort of a bat, a ball, and sweaty boys running around on a field. Cheerleaders, with their bouncy ponytails, flouncy skirts, and rhythmic dances usually do not come to mind. H o w e v e r , f o r t h e cheerleaders themselves, cheer is not only a worthy sport, but a way of life. “It actually really i r r i t a t e s m e ,” s a i d C H S sophomore, T a y l e r

Mckay, w h e n asked how she felt when people told her that cheer is not a real sport. “I understand that s t anding out t here and cheering for basketball isn’t a sport, but going and competing like we do is. We work really hard to get better, and when [people] say it isn’t a sport, I hate it.” On Jan. 28, the CHS cheerleaders competed in a cheer competition hosted by AZ All Stars at Mountain Pointe High School. The competition featured cheer teams of various sizes from around the state, all showing off their school chants and a series of choreographed floor routines and

dances involving complicated stunts and amazing acrobatic feats. Everything was professional and organized, with not even a sparkle out of place. From the school spirited hair bows down to the identical cheer sneakers, the girls looked polished and poised as they stepped out onto the mat. The CHS cheerleaders participated in the small varsity

division, along with four other teams from around the

valley. When the awards c e r e m o n y c a m e

around, Combs finished with

a sparkling s e c o n d

place

trophy. “ W e

d i d p r e t t y good,” said CHS

j u n i o r Mo n i q u e Morales, a flyer on the

CHS cheer team. When asked about being a

flyer, Morales said, “Sometimes it’s hard. Some of the times you have to be really stiff, and make sure you’re on top of things.” During their routine, the cheerleaders performed well, with only minor mishaps during the stunt sequences. Their floor routine went off without a hitch, with all of the girls in-sync and energetic. “We’ve been practicing since June, we learned our routine in September but we’ve been practicing since June.

The routine that we just performed took us about two weeks,” said CHS Junior, Marly Johnson. The routine was done to an upbeat mix of popular pop songs, with a little bit of coyote flair thrown in. The second part of the awards ceremony was the presentation of the Sportsmanship Award, where an award was presented to the team who demonstrated the most sportsmanlike behavior. Though Combs didn’t take home the award, the CHS cheerleaders are happy with their little group of athletes of all ages. Mckay, one of the youngest

Cheyanne LewisCombs Courier (Reporter)

Adriénna FosterCombs Courier (Editor)

on the team, said, “It feels really cool knowing I’m one of the two sophomores who tried out for cheer and made it onto varsity.” She also said that she feels accepted by the other cheerleaders despite her age. Whatever the common view of cheer is, one thing is for sure: the CHS cheerleaders have what it takes to quickly rise to the top of the “sports” list.To comment or leave feedback on this article Adrienna Foster can be contacted at afoster@combscourier.com

Photo Credit: Combs Courier Zach Angelo showing off his mad hops during his pregame.

Photo Credit: Combs CourierLeroy Valentine shows how well he can box out Gilbert Christian High School.

Photo Credit : Charisa Bisbee Captain Marly Johnson and the CHS varsity cheer squad pose with their second place trophy at the AZ All Stars Competition at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix.

Ted Rico es suave!

Soccer makes goals for CHS7C MBSCourierTuesday, February 14, 2012

Domination. A dictionary defines it as the exertion of mastery, control or preeminence. The same can be said about CHS freshman wrestler, Ted Rico. He finished the season 49-3 and placed third at the division III state tournament this past weekend in Prescott Valley. The 113-pound sensation has set the bar high for himself in the future. In his first season, he set the school record for single season wins, 49, won the division III section II title and claimed the best finish at the state tournament in school history. Senior heavyweight Sean Little also placed third at this years state tournament. “My ultimate goal is to be an Olympic champion and an NCAA champion,” said Rico. “Along the way I hope to be a four-time high school state champion and win multiple national championships.” Walking the halls in between classes Rico blends in easily with his freshman classmates. But his short stature is not one to be taken lightly. “Ted works harder than most wrestlers in the room,” said CHS Varsity Wrestling Coach Travis Miller. Watching Rico at practice is exhausting. He never stops working, not even to get water. His work ethic has become contagious on the mat during practice. “Ted is a great wrestler and has a lot of skill I’ve learned a lot about hard work by wrestling Ted every day. He pushes me by

going 110% every time we wrestle,” said Bounlangsy. Being the son of a four-time state wrestling champion, Rico is always working to increase his wrestling I.Q.. “I was born a wrestler,” commented Rico. “At about 5-years-old my dad started training and working me until I had nothing left in me.” Rico has always worked to succeed in wrestling no matter how tired or overwhelmed he becomes, he is always pushing to be better. His strong work ethic carries over into the class room as well. Rico is in Honors Algebra, Honors English, Honors Biology, and AP World History. Even with all the time he spends away from the classroom traveling to meets, the young wrestler managed to carry a 3.8 GPA during his first high school semester. The sectional and state tournaments have caused Rico to miss several day early in the second semester, yet his ability to excel on the mat and in the classroom has not wavered. At the time of publication Rico held a perfect 4.0 GPA. People wonder how he does it with all the hours spent with wrestling practice and hours of traveling to tournaments. “I struggle a bit to keep my grades up, but on Sundays I dedicate my entire day to homework which allows me to stay on track,” said Rico. Even though he is only in high school he still looks towards the future in his life time goals. “One day I hope to have a family of my own, be able to support them, and raise my boys to be phenomenal wrestlers,” said Rico.

Doug OsborneCombs Courier (Reporter)

Mayra GutierrezCombs Courier (Reporter)

The soccer program flourished this past winter season; its improvements bring in a blooming sense of prosperity for next year. “We have made a great improvement,” said team captain Ian Adams. Just like any program, in the beginning progress seems slow, however, once the players warm up to the each other there is great advancement. Girls Head Coach, Chris Azanger states “As a coach this has been my best and most enjoyable season yet. The group I had this year was outstanding, not only on the field, but off it as well. They are a tremendous group of good kids and I had so much fun coaching them this year. They really became like a big family and looked out for one another.” Not looking for a miracle, the soccer programs goal this year was to just improve upon last year’s performance. “That goal was [accomplished] after just five games. So we had to find a new goal,” said varsity boys coach David Weidner. “My new goal was to go for that winning season. The players themselves had a goal to become the first Combs soccer team to go to State. They came incredibly close finishing the year three spots shy of a playoff birth. On the other hand, the boys team did have a big win this season against bitter rival Poston Butte.

“We have played them four times since the beginning of the boy’s soccer and we have beaten them all four times so we leave this season 4-0 against the rival school,” said Adams. The girls team also demonstrated their great improvement this season especially the week of January 9th when they had three games, two of which were against Division II schools. They played Poston on Monday, then Maricopa on Thursday, and Tempe on Friday. Monday they were up on Poston Butte 2-1

with about 15 minutes left in the game. All the momentum was going their way until captain Alexa Burns, went down with a bad knee injury and things turned for the worse. The game ended up with the score 3-2 Broncos. Thursday’s game was against Maricopa, another Division II school. The girls fought hard through 80 minutes of regulation time, then an additional 20 minutes in overtime and came up just short in a shoot out. The very next night they played on very exhausted legs against Tempe and ended up going into overtime once again.

Unfortunately the girls just could not keep up in the end and lost 1-2 in double overtime. There were many challenges that had to be overcome this season both for the coaches and their players. Azanger, revealed that along with catering to each player’s needs another challenge was to keep the girls motivated and excited to play when they were not winning games. He handled this by “making the game about having fun and improving on the smaller things, and not putting the emphasis completely on winning. As our program continues to grow and we have a better understanding of the game, then we can worry about winning.” While many players like CHS sophomore, Cristian Shapard, and CHS senior, Nathan Diaz, faced a different type of challenge. “My biggest challenge this season was playing through pain,” said Diaz. He overcame this by being focused on the game other than his physical health. Shapard, too, faced this issue; however, his challenge was to properly care for his injuries and to allow himself time to heal before continuing to condition. “This is a very physical game but that’s how you win, right? I gave everything I had; blood and sweat, and even some tears; we had a good ride; it was worth it,” said Diaz.To comment or leave feedback on this article Marya Gutierrez can be contacted at mgutierrez@combscourier.com

Photo Credit: Combs Courier Freshman Ted Rico leaves little doubt that by the time he graduates from CHS he will have rewritten the Combs wrestling record book.

Photo Credit : Mitch Werner Ian Adams takes control of the ball in a game against Williams Field High School.

Freshman wrestling standout Ted Rico wins Division III Section II title, places third at state tournament and still manages to maintain a 4.0 grade point average.

Lookingtocontinuebuildingasuccessful program, both boys and girls Soccer teams meet season long goalsearlyintheseason.Boysfinishonly three power points shy of teams firstplayoffbirth.

8 C MBSCourier Tuesday, February 14, 2012