inside issue - birdville schools...the launch of the mars reconnaissance orbiter (mro). the...

817-547-8000Birdville High School

9100 Mid Cities Blvd.N. Richland Hills, TX 76180

Number OneVolume SevenSeptember, 2005www.birdville.k12.tx.us

Kylie MorrisonOpinions Editor

Lauren GoffNews Editor

Shane CrawfordStaff Writer

BISD donates $64K, Katrina Store opens for evacuees

Inside this

issue...

The Birdville Inde-pendent School District sponsored the Give ʻem Five campaign and raised over $64,000 in donations for the Red Cross.

In an effort to raise money for this campaign, students and teachers were asked to bring $5 each to help Katrina victims.

Other local organ-izations continued to offer help for storm evacuees who were relocated in the Northeast Tarrant County area.

The BISD PTA Clothes Connection supplied families with

Gasoline prices fluctuated throughout the country, as the ever-diminishing supply of oil became a demanded necessity. Supply-and-demand, the weaker U.S. dollar and speculation were all contributing factors to the gas crisis that swept Americaʼs pocketbook, as the summer ended.

Since gas hit its peak at anywhere from $2.64 to $3.10, the price has fluctuated, though it can be expected never to be under the two dollar mark again.

The price of gas kicked off the 2005 year at one dollar and seventy-eight cents, but since then, an increase on average of two and

a half cents has hit gas stations each week. This marked the highest price Texans have ever paid.

The days of under two dollar gas are over, according to most economists, because U.S. drivers are expected to pay prices that average above two dollars and ten cents on a monthly basis through 2006; while diesel fuel will on average cost over two dollars and twenty cents according to a statement given by the U.S. government.

Conserving gas can be a feat not only accomplished by not driving, but by following a few simple tips while on the road. Buying gas at the right time is essential to receiving cheaper prices at pump.

It is generally best

clothes and school supplies, while the area Salvation Army and other volunteers established a free store in the old Sam s̓ Club Warehouse building on Baker Boulevard in Richland Hills.

The Katrina Store, as it is called, offers families everything from clothes and food to household furniture and appliances. The store is stocked with donated items and managed completely by volunteers. They are currently still seeking donations of all types and volunteers to help man the store.

As those affected by the storm begin to put their lives back together, so it

is with the infrastructure of the cities and towns affected, as well.

New Orleans, along with the other damaged areas along the coast have begun the clean up. There are been more than 200,000 evacuees sent to 750 evacuation centers establish in 18 different states.

There were more than 1000 known deaths overall from hurricane Katrina. This huge 30-foot storm hit the gulf coast and wiped away 90% of the buildings along the coast of Biloxi and Gulfport in Mississippi.

“It was scary knowing my family got hit by this hurricane, now

our family has to start over building memories, and plans for what s̓ going to happen next, but it will get better,” Brooke Delmas (11) said.

The rescue crews have stopped searching for survivors. Hurricane Katrina was one of the most brutal storms to hit the United States in decades. It struck Louisiana with 140 mile per hour winds, continuing on to Mississippi and Alabama,

Levees along Lake Pontchartrain and the gulf coast were severely

damaged and before they could be repaired Hurricane Rita began the fl ooding process again.

Looting was one of the problems faced by police offi cers and National Guard Soldiers brought in to maintain social control.

Many people broke into stores to grab supplies, like food and water, but others took things like television sets, jewelry, computers and alcohol causing store owners ̓to keep watch over their property with guns in their

hands. There were signs

saying “you loot I shoot”. Hurricane Rita

added insult to injury as she blew into the Orange, Port Arthur, Beaumont area, leaving damage to homes, fl ooding, power outages and gasoline shortages.

Many students from both storms were relocated to BISD schools, as well as other schools around the metroplex. For some these have been temporary placements. Others have decided to stay.

August twelfth marked the launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The spacecraft launched at seven forty fi ve am, from Cape Canaveral, an Atlas III expandable booster.

The spacecraft is not scheduled to reach Mars until March 2006. When the craft reaches itʼs destination it will stay positioned for one Martian year, equivalent to two Earth years, where it will complete assorted experiments and observations. With a mass of 1,975 Kilograms MRO is planned to blaze a trail for future Mars missions.

NASA explores red planetMROʼs main objec-

tive is to explore for traces of past and present water and study weather and climate patterns. It will also investigate landing sites and obstacles, acting as a telecommunication, for future missions. Tracking of the orbiter will be used for research about the gravity fi eld.

MRO is equipped with a Stereo Imaging Camera to study surface composition. The camera is the most powerful to date for planetary exploration, able to make very clear Martian terrain. High-resolution measurements of things on the surface can be made with this camera, which in previous years was only able

to measure things equivalent to the size of a table.

Also on board the ship a gift from the Italian Space Agency, an infrared radiometer and an accelerometer, to search for water.

This mission is also the fi rst installment of a major Mars plan, to continue on through the decade. It will be the fi rst connection link in the Interplanetary Internet. This innovative Internet will allow for anyone to connect with probes and human space travelers, thus allowing more information to be sent back to Earth. MRO will begin this process that scientist, engineers, and programmers have been concocting for years.

to buy gas when the prices change before 10 a.m. Also, when on the highway, leave the air-conditioning on rather then rolling down the windows, because having the windows down causes drag and worse gas mileage.

At intersections where there are about three or four gas stations, make sure to check each stationʼs price in order to receive the best buy. Just because they are all relatively close to each other does not mean they all have the same prices, as some prices may vary by ten cents a gallon.

Other consider-ations are carpooling, public transportation, or even determining which stops need to be taken and which stops do not.

Gas prices pinch pocketbook

OpinionsPage 2

FeaturesPage 3

HomecomingPages 4-5

SportsPages 6-7

EntertainmentPage 8

Opinions

2 THE HAWK THE HAWK 3 FEATURES

“I think it s̓ cool, with any tradi-tion it s̓ something that is passed down from generation, and that s̓

the neat thing about traditions even if they change.”

STAFF

The HAWK is published monthly, during the regu-lar school calender, by the Journalism Department of Birdville High School. Its purpose is to serve as an open forum for the students, faculty and staff of Birdville, and the surrounding communities of Richland Hills, Hurst, and Watauga.

The HAWK is a member of the Interscholastic Press Conference. Advertising Rates are $5.00 per column-inch. Current circulation is 1500. Papers are distributed free of charge. Editorials refl ect the views of the HAWK staff, signed columns refl ect the views of the writer and do not necessarily refl ect the views of the school faculty, staff, students, or administration.

Letters to the Editor are welcomed and must be typed, double-spaced, and limited to 200 words. Contact 817-547-8212 or www.birdville.k12.tx.us

Haylee WardEditor-In-Chief



Amber BellFeatures Editor

Christina DavidsonSpecial Interest Editor

Sara WoodSports Editor

Caleb WilsonEntertainment Editor

Terry GilbertAdvertising Editor

Danielle RamirezPhotography Editor

Staff WritersShane CrawfordJason Gamble

J.B. MartinPriscilla Totiyapungprasert

PhotographersCody GardnerKevin Gaver

Jannet HilesAdviser

Susan FisherPrincipal

OPINIONS

What is your opinion of Homecoming traditions?

“I think it s̓ cool. It makes it fun and special.”

“It s̓ okay, I guess, though it is kind of a distraction and mums are a distraction.”

“I think it s̓ cute that you can get mums and stuff.”

“I think some people go overboard, but on a whole

it s̓ a good tradition.”

Autumn MoodyFreshman

Peter DangSophomore

Mackenzie BaabJunior

Terri WilsonFaculty

Music television burst into the 1980ʼs pop culture scene as a force to be reckoned with just three letters: MTV. The network had it all—music videos, concert promotions, band commentaries, and disc jockeys.

But if one were to fl ip the channel to MTV today they would not see music television but reality television. Though stillwildly popular with the teenage crowd, MTV has ceased to be a television network mainly for bringing music to people.True, there were non-musical shows in the past (Daria, Undergrads), but the balance has defi nitely shifted. Once a network dominated by television

programs of various musical genres—metal, rap, and rock, has become a network run by celebrity sellouts. These reality shows posses no depth, with the only point being to argue over mundane things for the sake of “television controversy.” Shows such as Date My Mom, about pretentious teenage boys dating mothers, just add to the fi re. With MTV coming out with newer and completely original programming, one phrase comes to mind: wash, rinse, and repeat.

Coming up from behind, one television channel is bringing to the American public what MTV2 attempted to do. Fuse, formerly known as Much Music, stays true to their many MTV-poking slogans, one of them being Fuse—“More Music than the Leading Brand.”

Having trouble

digging out the TRL and Making the Video from under a pile of Pimp My Ride and Cribs? Then switching to Fuse where there are promotions for bands on the rise, full music videos, wild-yet-down-to-earth video jockeys, live performances, mainstream and less obscure programs dedicated to a variety of genres.

People will cling

PriscillaTotiyapungprasert

Staff Writer

to MTV for its rare gems. Fans of the music network may express their pride openly or keep it inside as a guilty pleasure. Whatever the case may be MTV is no longer Music Television. MTV is the channel for fans of either Simpson sister. MTV is the main grab for reality television. If anyone is looking for some actual music, change the channel to Fuse.

Danielle RamirezPhotography Editor


Fuse proves to be real music television

In-state tuition given to illegals

An increasing amount of youth are creating their own opinions about the outside world, based on things they see on television. It is no wonder then that television is becoming a resource of thought in our visual culture craze.

The visual effects of violence and sexual content in television programs is what mainly concerns the population. Some feel that shows like the Simpsonsand Family Guy, are ruining childrenʼs sense of right and wrong. Other shows such as Sesame Street and Barney affect children by diminishing their attention spans and may not be conveying factual

information.Most people are

infl uenced by the television shows they watch. People make choices for vacations, food and fashion based on information they gather from television, allowing the media control of their lives.

Shows such as Will and Grace, Desperate Housewives, and the up coming Commander in Chief, about the fi rst female president, infl uence non-traditional ways of thinkingabout societal issues.

Much of the way people receive information revolves around television versus real life experiences. Our opinions are becoming one in the same with those of the media. Television is making our society of thinkers now consumers.

Youth infl uenced by television shows

“I think some people go “I think it s̓ cool, with any tradi-

Robert AdamsSenior

FEATURES

Over the past four years, the Birdville High School Junior Reserve Offi cer Training Corps (JROTC) has grown into its role as both an alternative to P.E. and a strong organization providing unique information oriented to building citizenship and life skills.

When the program began in 2001, only 59 students were enrolled. The program has grown in size to over 180 cadets by the end of the fi rst six weeks. The organizationʼs growth can be attributed to its unique environment and curriculum.

“The program provides a way to put the student in confl ict-resolution situations. Weʼre not a recruiting program for the military, although we will help you if that is your goal. Our fi rst priority

is to help students graduate, then if itʼs in their plans, to help them attend and graduate college,” Sergeant First Class (Retired) Andres Vianes, one of the program instructors, said.

By 2003, the program had over 100 members and qualified for a second instructor. The district hired Captain (Retired) George Jons, who had been instructing college cadets previously. The program surpassed the 151+ member mark last year and, with the approval of both the Army and the school district, will soon be hiring a third instructor.

“The Army, for safety reasons, requires a third instructor, however, the school district has to authorize that, and find the money to hire a

third instructor. So itʼs a complicated process,” Captain Jons said.

The program has nearly doubled in size over the past two years. Although the final number of students cannot be known until the second semester, i t is safe to assume that i t will approach 200, over ten percent of Birdvilleʼs student population. There is usually an increase in enrollment, something the instructors state is completely understandable.

“I think i tʼs due to the classes students take. And I think word gets out about the class and how much fun we have in here,” Captain Jons said.

If the current rate of growth continues, there will be a projected 215 cadets enrolled by 2007.

JROTC membership growsTerry Gilbert

Advertising Editor Amber BellFeatures Editor

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This year, many new faces arrived at Birdville High School, but not all of them were students. Viktoria

Chaffin is among the newest faculty members at the school and is excited to be teaching the Family

Consumer Science class. Chaffin grew up in

the country in Haslet, Texas. She attended Haslet Elementary School and Northwest Middle School before going to Northwest High School. At Abilene Christian University, Chaffin majored in Family Consumer Science and graduated in May 2005.

Chaffin enjoys teaching and said that her class teaches valuable life skills to teenage students.

“I like kids and I feel that my subject that I teach is really important,” Chaffin said.

The class focuses on the fundamentals of home making

Chaffi n joins faculty

For those who have not noticed, fencing is not our nationʼs national pastime. In fact, fencing is something most people have never witnessed, much less played.

Brent Mayorga, a sophomore at Birdville High School, is an exception. A few years ago, Mayorga began his fencing career at the North Richland Hills Recreation Center. He only stayed

J.B. MartinStaff Writer

Mayorga fences for fun, to winthere for a few weeks before he was invited to the La Touche Fencing Club in Southlake, Texas. There he joined about 20 other competitive fencers, and in 2001 he became a competitive fencer, competing in both local and national tournaments with his club.

“It took about a year for me to get into it, where I was good at it”, Mayorga said.

Apparently being just “good” was not enough for Mayorga. This past year in Sacramento, he qualifi ed, along with about 250 other fencers, for nationals. The tournament is single elimination, and Mayorga did not come to lose in the fi rst round. He advanced, over a period of seven days, to the top 16 fencers in the nation in his age group. He ended up 13th.

The object of fencing

is to touch the opponent with the tip of an electronic sword without being touched in return. Matches go to 15 points, each touch worth a point. Although fencers wear special Kevlar armor, the same material used in bulletproof vests, it does not prevent accidents.

“Even with the Kevlar jacket and pants you can still feel the pain, and accidents do happen” Mayorga said. He witnessed one such accident when a fencer got hit in the mask with the handle of a sword, smashing it in and knocking out two of the fencerʼs teeth.

Mayorga fences three days a week, along with basketball and cycling, in preparation for next yearʼs nationals. He also prepares for what he considers the most fun aspect of fencing: winning.

and applying that knowledge later in life in order to enjoy a functional family life. Chaffin anticipates all six of her classes to gain knowledge of the skills she demonstrates.

“I hope theyʼll develop some life skills on how to make good decisions and provide for themselves and families,” Chaffin said.

In her spare time, Chaffin likes to play volleyball and spend time with family and friends.

She also loves to travel and has spent time in Hawaii, Spain, Central America and has traveled all over the United States.

Todayʼs technology moves fast. So fast, it can sometimes be hard to keep up with. It is all too common that Murphy gets involved in the purchase of consumer electronics in todayʼs market. A supposedly state-of-the-art piece of equipment tends to become obsolete absurdly sooner and sooner. Such is the situation with modern recordable media.

The previous method of recording video was with a cumbersome camcorder and various arrays of confusing adapters and cables. The solution came about in the mid-90s when the Digital Video (versatile) Disc started to come into

the mainstream. Not until the turn of the millennium did the consumer start to realize that video tapes were becoming extinct, and they rushed to compensate for their ignorance by investing in pricey DVD players. These new players sold for as much as $1000 in 1997. These players presented amazing video and sound quality in comparison to

their VHS counterparts. Soon consumers

began to play more than just movies on their DVDs. As DVD-ROM drives have become almost a necessity to modern computers, DVDʼs have become the preferred media for video

storage and viewing. Unfortunately the

transition of the two of video devices is upon today s̓ consumer. The

dilemma is that the VHS generation has recorded their lives on video tapes, and VCRs are simply becoming ancient artifacts of the past.

Somehow these priceless memories need to be transferred from the dusty tapes in the closet to that new pack of DVDs. This is possible with the assistance of a computer with suffi cient equipment and software. A VCR or camcorder is required for a video source. Basically the video source is connected to the computer, uploaded to a DVD program, converted, and then ready to be burned to a DVD.

It is a somewhat simple process that can be used to save those precious memories from that era of the black plastic case.

Consumers prefer DVDJ.B. MartinStaff Writer

Christina DavidsonSpecial Interest

Students experience changeGermany and the United States. According to her church and elderly people are more serious in Germany. Teenagers in Germany have different fashion trends; such

as the glittery accents that girls wear here are not as popular. In Germany, the legal age to drink alcohol is 16.

“That does not mean Germans are drunk all the time, but obviously your behavior is different when you drink a lot,” Hahn said.

In Germany, in-

dividuals receive their driver s̓ license at age 18, but there is more public transportation available in Germany. Germany and the United States, she concludes, do have similarities. Fast food is particularly popular, but more so in the United States. Also, a lot of the pop culture is similar, including music, television shows and fashion.

She enjoys going to the movies, hanging out with friends, shopping, reading, going downtown, and having parties. On the weekends, Hahn enjoys going to a “disco” or a club. Her hobbies include playing the piano, drawing, and painting. Her favorite subjects are math, theatre, and English.

Hahn looks forward to her experiences this year She plans to attend school activities and make new friends.

Viola Hahn

Viktoria Chaffin

Several foreign exchange students have arrived on campus, one of which, is Viola Hahn (11) who is from Marburg, Germany. Marburg is about one hour from Frankfurt. Hahn anticipates staying in Texas for a year.

Hahn visited the United States two years ago for the fi rst time. She stayed in San Francisco, California.

“It is not how I thought it would be. I thought there would be more differences between Germany and America,” Hahn said.

Hahn hopes to visit the United States again; she has New York in mind for next year.

Hahn noted the differences between

College acceptance can be a frustrating and scary experience. The competition to get into universities is high, and the struggle for admission is even greater now thatillegal immigrants are in the mix.

In 2001 the Texas legislature passed House Bill 1403 declaring illegal aliens, those who have lived in the United States at least three years, void from having to pay out of state tuition.

The result of this law is illegal immigrants having to pay signifi cantly less than American Citizens.

The numbers support this phenomenon; in the fall of 2001 only 64 illegal immigrants were attending universities and as of fall 2004 that number had jumped to 659.

Altogether the number of illegal immigrants receiving a higher education, including technical schools, increased from 393 to 3,704.

When numbers inc-rease to that degree so quickly one has to think this might soon become a full blown issue.

Is it fair that students from Louisiana and

Oklahoma have to pay more for an education in Texas than illegal immigrants? Taxpaying Americans, from out of state, should receive a discount more so than illegal immigrants.

Texas is one of nine states now following this trend of allowing payment of in-state tuition.

These people should not be denied a higher education, but to be able to come to another country and receive preferential treatment is unfair.

It is as if the government is enticing people to try and make it to America, when already one point fi ve million illegal immigrants enter this country every year.

These students are also eligible for student aid. To become approved for fi nancial assistance students are to sign a document stating they will apply for permanent residency.

So now the taxpayers, who already shell out $30 billion dollars a year already, will have to pay for these illegals to go to college for almost free.

Middle-class Amer-icans are having to scrape up money enough as it is to send their children to college, so why are these people allowed to come over the border and receive a discount?

Brent Mayorga

4 THE HAWK THE HAWK 5 SPECIAL INTEREST

Homecoming 2005SPECIAL INTEREST

That special time of year when the flowers are taking bloom and burrowing their roots deeper into the rich, earthy leather of high school students ̓ wallets has arrived once again in a flurry of green and gold!

Yes, it is homecoming season, the time of year when high school students are no longer composed of carbon and oxygen but of copper bells, green-and-gold ribbons, little teddy bears and flowers large enough to take the grand prize at the Texas State Fair.

Martha Stewart, self-proclaimed goddess of the centerpiece and

Mums take bloom, invade high school homecomings

matching dining set, would weep at some of the gaudy creations Texas produces.

Mums can range in price from $10 to over $150 and vary from a simple flower elegantly coupled with a colorful ribbon to an invasion of teddy bears,

megaphones, braids, bells, ribbons, streamers, leopards, Declarations of Independence, aging rock stars, poor Elvis impersonators and members of British Parliament.

This bizarre ritual of transforming a loved one into a personal crafts store is one more event that the Lone Star State can adorn its popular

Jason GambleStaff Writer

The jingling of 674 cowbells down the hallway, the sound of boys griping about giving up an arm for a day...homecoming! Homecoming may be a big deal here in Texas, but the traditions and levels of extravagance vary across the nation.

At Birdville High School, the traditions are for the most part standard like other high schools in the state: a homecoming court, the crowning during half-time, spirit week, and good luck cheers for the football team.

At Clear Lake High School in Houston, they have a bonfire, a formal dance, and frequent tailgate parties.

When it comes to mums, Texas shows all the other states why everything is bigger in Texas. Real flowers and small ribbons are forsaken because in Texas tradition it is all about the blinking lights, ribbons as long as the girl, teddy bears, huge fake flowers, clanking bells, and shoulder straps. Texas screams of “Bigger is better!”

Other states have similar traditions.

“We decorate the halls according to certain categories given to each grade. 12th grade always gets the best. And we dress up and stuff that week,” Shell Garcia of Memphis, Tennessee said. Sound familiar?

At a high school in Peoria, Illinois they have themed dances and the cheerleaders decorate the houses of all the football players. The male football players in a Minnesota high school dress up like girls during homecoming

week to support the female football players.

Many high schools, like Oxnard High in California, have an over-the-top parade with the marching band and the homecoming court on floats or fancy convertibles.

Other high schools have lunchtime contests, like for pie eating and hula-hooping. One Virginia high school ditches the dance idea and just has parties all week long.

While homecoming is an immensely celebrated tradition in Texas and the American Midwest, mention the word ʻhomecoming ̓ in

some regions of the country and you might get blank stares.

In the New England area, many high schools do not celebrate homecoming.

Schools all over the world have their own way of welcoming a new year, though it is not called homecoming. In an English Grammar school, a contest (such as photography) sets the tone for the rest of the school year. There are also singing contests.

“House Choir-Captains pick two songs, you practice, then sing them on the stage in front of everyone who isnʼt doing House Choir. Then you get judged by teachers. Choral Speaking-Captains pick two poems. Then the same applies. Both actions are voluntary, but the House Captains try and guilt-trip you into stuff,” Emma Pearson of Nottingham, England said.

In the United States, homecoming has been a way to promote school spirit, especially in southern high schools.

Though the continuation of the concept has been debated, Birdville keeps up with traditions.

Homecoming traditions vary throughout country


Staff WriterDuring half time of

the Varsity homecoming football game on September ninth, Justin Marcus was crowned King 05ʼ. Justin was escorted down the carpet by his aunt Chalonda and mother Cassandra.

He is actively involved in Fishheads, FCCLA, Culinary Arts, Rawkin ̓ Hawks (captain), church youth group, and

Homecoming King, Queen crowned during half time

Ah, mum season. Once again, that bizarre time of year has arrived in which teenage boys and girls scramble all over town searching for special trinkets and ornaments to enhance the Homecoming experience.

Once a traditional and small single flower, the mum has exploded into a titanic item of décor, adorning girls grades nine through twelve with a ridiculous amount of weight. Will it take broken spines and strained necks to realize that mums have mutated into a heinous act of debauchery? You will know for sure that your mum is too big when...

• It comes with its own health insurance.

• It has its own zip code.

• Hobby Lobby calls and wants its September shipment back.

• You need three tickets to get into the football game.

• Oprah calls you for an interview.

• It arrives at school in a U-Haul.

Mums the

wordAmber Bell

Features Editor

“Bigger is

better!”

“Everything is bigger in Texas” slogan upon as Texas high school students take the call of the mum far and beyond any other states.

Nowadays, the size of the mum is only limited by the size of the person wearing it, and even then a trailer hitch can always be added. Acting as a fashion statement, a status symbol, and a chiropractorʼs delight rolled up into a jarring explosion to the senses, mums will probably always be popular during Homecoming season.

But if there happens to be a special girl that needs to be impressed, save her an aching back and go with something more practical this year. She will probably enjoy a brand-new Mustang GT, a fancy dinner, and a movie more than a mum, and think of all the money to be saved!

Executive President of student council.

“When I heard my name called all I could

think was God is great,” Marcus said.

Emily Welborn was crowned Queen 05ʼ. Her father Sam Welborn escorted Emily down the carpet.

She is involved in Fishheads, Varsity basketball and volleyball, Senior Planning Board, church, and was nominated Top Ten Texas Christian Athletes of the Year.

“Winning Home-coming Queen will be something I will never forget, it was a great way to start my senior year,” Welborn said.

Justin and Emily were crowned by the previous years King and Queen, Benzi George and Kristin Weed.

Jessica RigsbyGuest Writer

Austin Stevens

Cassandra Panek

Andrew Burger

Alyssa Jennings

Chelsey Lamar

Jordan Bailey

Jordan Howeth

Justin White

Megan Wyshywaniuk

Samuel Carter

Scott Heaton

Taylor Ennis

Queen Emily Welborn King Justin Marcus

“God is

great!”

Mums can range in price

from $10 to over $150

Buy your Yearbook now!Make checks to BHS Yearbook for $70-Room A400The Price goes up December 17th!!! Don’t Wait!!

Commentary by...

6 THE HAWK THE HAWK 7 SPORTS SPORTSSPORTS SPORTS

Varsity football season kicks off with hopes of playoffsShane Crawford

Staff Writer

After the loss last year to Sherman High School in the District 4-A Division I regional semi-fi nals, Birdville High Schoolʼs Varsity football team is back as of August 8th for another run in the playoffs with a slightly new cast of players.

The Varsity team has taken into account its previous 9-3 season with a shared District 7-4A title, and hopes to build on it by improving in the many fundamentals of the game.

The Varsity will be missing a few essential players this year due to graduation, but a large group of top district performers will be returning from the previous year.

The offensive side of the ball is sure to be worth the price of admission this season. The expectation standard is set high as sophomore Tommy Dorman takes over as quarterback.

Even while being new to the starting role,

Dorman has obtained valuable experience due to last seasonʼs role as starting JV quarterback and then onto the back-up position under graduate Andy Braly (Air Force).

The receiving core will return this season, but without key player Devin Kelly. However, two other top prospects Jason Martinson and Chase Hayes are returning after combining for more than 1,000 receiving yards this last season.

“Even though weʼre lacking some of last yearʼs all district players, I feel our team has regrouped and focused on a drive toward a district title,” Martinson said.

The offensive line is expected to return strong as well, if they can fi nd a way to successfully replace a pair of all-district players gone due to graduation. Such a feat seems very possible as the Hawk talent pool is very deep.

The Varsity defense looks to be the cause for many opponent fourth and tens this season. Such a

task is mainly due in part to a solid defensive line and a remarkable secondary.

Key player defensive end, Andrew Burger was injured in the fi rst play of the Arlington Seguin game, which will cause the team to have to regroup.

The majority of the secondary graduated this last school year, but a new line of talent has quickly taken their place in hope of reeking havoc upon the opposing teams ̓ passing game.

The Varsityʼs fi rst game was August 26th at Alvarado High School with a Birdville win of 49-13 and the fi rst home game was September 9th at the FAAC (Fine-Arts Athletic Complex) with another win

of 47-28 against Graham. The Varsity became

4-0 for the fi rst time in Birdville history with a win against Eastern Hills 28-14.

In week 5, the Varsity came up short with a loss to Arlington Seguin, 35-28 changing the Varsityʼs record to 4-1.

Making the playoffs is very probable if the team can fi nd a way to make the chemistry work, as well as overcome the graduation defi cit, the loss of Andrew Burger, and also if they keep playing the way they have been playing.

The schedule consists of the same teams as in the previous season, so the varsity still have many obstacles before them.

The swim team is garnering new attention and respect. They are hoping to raise the bar and provide a new level of competition and entertainment for students to watch and support their fellow hawks.

“Weʼre hoping to go to state this year,” junior Jennifer Read said. “We keep making it to Regionals, but weʼre going to state.”

The Swim Team trains every morning at the Grapevine-Colleyville Swim Center.

“This year, we are going to add strength training to our routine,” Coach Melissa Rose said. “Everyday we are in the water from 5:45 to 7:15 and then we do different strength activities, whether it is in the weight room, track, or different cardio exercises.”

There are 27 students on the team. The two captains are junior Mary Catherine Bach and sophomore Stephen Hoerig.

“I think we all want to go to state,” Bach said. “[Or] get someone to state

Swim team dives into new season


and do well at district.” There are many

different types of strokes that swimmers can use at competition.

The strokes the swimmers compete in are butterfl y, front/back/breast stroke, and the individual medley (where the swimmers chose what to compete in.)

“I really want us [the team] to bond more closely together,” junior Lauren Lee said. “And I want us to go farther than Regionals Finals, because weʼve been working hard to deserve it.”

The crowds at a swim meet are not as full as those of the football games. Swim team would like to see more fans in the stands to support their team and individual efforts in representing the Hawks.

With state compe-tition in the swimmers ̓future plans they want to build a following from district, through regionals and all the way to state.

The team s̓ fi rst meet was on September 24th, in McKinney. The next meet is scheduled for October 15th.

The team is looking forward to a promising and successful season with a strong fan base to carry them through.

New ping-pong club gains interest, raises funds for tables, equipment

The beginning of the school year introduced the fi rst ever ping-pong club at Birdville High School.

It started as a humorous joke by Seniors Tim Bielik with companion Terry Gilbert, but as the weeks progressed, they realized the club could soon be a serious organization.

“Ping-pong is the only sport students can join where the only attribute that matters is hand-eye

coordination. Itʼs all ping-pong focuses on,” senior Tim Bielik said.

Tim Bielik is the club president, and Senior Terry Gilbert is the vice president.

Meetings are held every Tuesday afternoon in teacher, Kathy Tutakʼs room Due to lack of funding, the ping-pong club is currently playing on the science lab tables, but not for long.

At the moment, the club is low on supplies, but they are planing on raising funds for tables. The ping-pong club also hopes to create club t-shirts.

Twenty students showed up for the fi rst meeting, more than what was expected. The number is estimated to rise with the gaining interest in the Ping-Pong Club.

English teacher and newcomer to Birdville, John Freeman supports them fully.

“Mr. Freeman is our sponsor. Heʼs the only one crazy enough to believe in us,” Gilbert said.

In the beginning, the club was a “just-for-fun” concept, but Bielik and Gilbert want to bring it to new heights and

they have high ambitions for success, starting out with tournaments within the school and then on to making a district and regional UIL.

In order to be fair for the athletes who cannot make the after-school meetings, Bielik plans to have morning meetings too.

The hype around the newly started Ping-Pong Club continues to buzz throughout the school. The idea could possibly even reach other schools in the area. Inter-school competitions are much hoped for.


Staff Writer

Tennis serves up plans for winning year

With the U.S. Open ended, the fall season of Tennis has only begun to hit its peak.

The tennis teams, both boys and girls, are proving they have what it takes to achieve yet another district 7-4A team tennis championship.

The team has a tough schedule ahead of them as they have met up with a few non-district power-houses including 5A teams like Boswell, Weatherford, and Keller, as well as the ever hard competing 4A McKinney North.

The team has already proved successful in their fi rst twelve games with a winning record of 8-4 with a 5-0 district record.

Last years Varsity team had a winning

Shane CrawfordStaff Writer

season. They sent seven players to the regional playoffs in San Angelo.

Tennis lost a valueable player this year. Former player, junior Hillary Jennings placed third overall at regionals, missing state by one position.

The team brings back a number of returning Varsity players from the previous year.

Such athletes include juniors Tia Carlson, Collin Copple, Brittanee ̓George, Chloe Heerwagon, Mallory Smith, and Austin Stovall along with sophomores Brian OʼMara, Ryan Zenor, and Andrew Baren.

In addition to these returnees who brought the district championship home last year are fi rst year Varsity players, juniors David Osborne and Meagan Flippo; sophomores Christine

Nguyen and Scott Cummins; and freshmen Margo Branach, Kayla Freeman and Robert Bean.

Although the team has no seniors, they offer an array of talent and experience that should compensate for age.

“With our very experienced Varsity group, we have become close as a team throughout our challenges,” junior Britanee ̓George said.

The Birdville Tennis team also received a new coach after the retirement of Rick Heaton in May.

Celina Burris has taken over the team and offers a deep background of both coaching and playing tennis.

Burris achieved a 1993 National Junior College Singles Championship at Navarro College, and has taken three teams to 3A State

Doubles Championships at the junior and senior high levels.

While this is her fi rst year coaching at Birdville High School, Burris has already impacted a number of players.

“Coach Burris ̓previous knowledge and skills have helped the team to excel this season,” junior Mallory Smith said.

The team ended their district matches on October 4th against Springtown.

The Varsity team won the majority of their matches against Arlington Sequin on September 20.

The District tourna-ment is set for the middle of October with the location to be announced on a later date.

The top two district teams will then advance to the regional tournament with a chance at state.

LegacyChurch of ChristYouth Supports

The HawksCome Visit Us!!!

Sunday 9:40 class, 10:30 Worship & Wednesday at 7pm join us for “Coke and Chat II”

Located just across the street from Birdville High SchoolContact Jason Brown, Youth Minister, (817) 485-6749

Beneath the Bleachers

NCAA Confl ict

Sara WoodSports Editor

The NCAA has recently decided to ban championships on college campuses that have Native American mascots, fi nding them hostile and stereotypical.

Each college or university with a Native American mascot has to go under review by a board of committees and if proven unacceptable and offensive they have to change their mascots by February 1st.

So far at least 18 schools have been involved in the

During Homecoming game, Center Ian Jester (12) gets ready to snap the ball.

investigation including the Florida State Seminoles, but no changes have been made to division 1 mascots yet. Florida State has treathened to take legal action.

Why is the NCAA only picking Native American mascots?

Schools that have warrior-like mascots or other ethnic mascots are not affected by the new NCAA rule changing.

The University of Notre Dameʼs mascot is the Fighting Irish and LA Lafayetteʼs mascot is the Rajun Cajun.

So why not be fair to all cultures and ethnic groups and make all college mascots go under review for hostility and stereotyping cultures.

If they are going to make colleges change their mascots for being stereotypical towards the Native American ethnicity they need to do it for all ethnic groups.

Photo by Danielle Ram

irez

College football features early upsets

As summer changes to fall, the aroma of football starts to drift enticingly through America. Football fans begin to ready their foam fi ngers and face paint in support of their teams, and no fans are more diligent than college football fans.

This yearʼs college football season started off on a very competitive note. As is expected in college sports there were some upsets, some more surprising than others, and there were some nail biters.

Many top-ranked schools could not live up to their predicted success.

The Ohio State versus Texas matchup generated an enormous turnout: over 105,000 fans gathered at Columbus, Ohio to witness a 25-22 battle.

The game proved to be all that its 5 month hype made it out to be, and the fans of both teams witnessed

their teams fi ght to the end. This loss means trouble for Ohio Stateʼs national title hopes as they fall to sixth on the rankings.

As for Texas, only one obstacle stands between them and the number one spot: Matt Leinart and his number one ranked USC Trojans.

LSU also managed to pull through against Arizona State, but they have dropped in the rankings from number fi ve

to number eleven.LSU quarterback

JaMarcus Russel ended the game dramatically with a 39 yard pass with 1:13 to go in the fourth quarter.

What goes around comes around for teams that upset the University of Oklahoma, apparently.

TCU, who upset OU in a season opener at the Soonerʼs home fi eld, was in turn upset by their area rival SMU 21-10.

After riding off of

a huge win in Oklahoma, TCU has already recovered from the SMU loss with wins against Utah, BYU and New Mexico.

So far, this season is looking to be a promising one. As Texas and USC grasp the top two spots, many more teams are capable of snatching them away as they fi ght amongst themselves for superiority including the number three ranked team, Virginia Tech.

J.B. MartinStaff Writer

Freshman volleyball builds strength

Freshman A and B volleyball teams have transitioned well to high school, with newer and harder practices.

“The coaches are stricter now and we work twice as hard,” freshman Briana Trevino (9) said.

These girls work very hard practicing fi rst period of everyday and after school from 3:30 – 6:00.

There are two games a week held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The A team has done very well winning a majority of there games.

“I am proud of both A and B teams, but want to continually work on improving our record of


wins verses losses,” Coach Rebecca Campbell said.

Even though B team has not won many games they have improved dramatically, and are expected to improve even more, although the girlʼs competition has become more diffi cult.

“Tomi Trigg (9) has improved a lot on her hitting, sets and passes,” Trevino said.

These freshmen have been working on their goal to be undefeated, continuing to work as hard as they can, and are not giving up anytime soon.

Many girls plan to take the dedication and teamwork they have been learning from freshmen volleyball into their future seasons of sports.

Golf expects strong showing

Under the guidance of coach Ian Floyd, the golf team is currently preparing for another fantastic season of putting, swinging, chipping and pitching.

Floyd expects both Varsity teams to easily reach district competition this year.

With at least eight of his girls consistently

shooting under 100 strokes per game, Floyd hopes to take his Varsity girl team all the way to State competition.

Sophomore Josh Crawley, currently ranked #1 on the golf team, has high hopes for the team and expects them to perform well during the upcoming season.

“The team is guaranteed to win district,” boyʼs Varsity captain, senior Dylan White said.

This is Whiteʼs fourth year on the team, and he has thought about golf as a future career.

The Birdville team consistently placed in the top 10 teams last year.

Floyd hopes to move further up in the ranks this year by helping each of his players to improve their games by at least fi ve strokes.

“They have an excitement and desire to play,” Floyd said.

Jason GambleStaff Writer

Practicing before a game, Kendal Ford (9) hits the ball to a teammate.

Photo by Danielle Ram

irez

Look What’s Coming!!

BHS GYM-OCT19th-5 to 7 p.m.$5 Advance-$6 Gate-Benefi ts Prom ‘06

Look What’s Coming!!DONKEY

BASKETBALL

8 THE HAWK ENTERTAINMENTENTERTAINMENT

This fall, many new and anticipated fi lms are making their way to the theaters.

Two for the Money, released in theaters on October 7th, stars Matthew McConaughey as a former college athlete with an uncanny ability to predict the outcome of major athletic games.

He is recruited by Walter Abraham (Al Pacino), the head of the biggest sports consulting operations in the country. McConaughey enjoys Pacinoʼs high rolling lifestyle but soon fi nds himself in a deadly game of con versus con after his golden touch beings to waver.

The new Tony Scott fi lm, Domino is also due out this fall. It features Pirates of the Caribbeanʼs, Keira Knightley as Domino Harvey, a bounty hunter in pursuit of societyʼs nastiest criminals, after rejecting her privileged Beverly Hills lifestyle. Based on a real story, Domino is sure to make it big in the theaters this fall.

Also in theaters this fall is Elizabethtown, staring Orlando Bloom as a recently fi red, recently dumped man looking for a purpose, when oddly

enough, he has to return to his familyʼs small home town, Elizabethtown, to make sure his dead fatherʼs dying wishes are fulfi lled.

Also helping Bloom gets his life on the right track is a fl ight attendant played by Kirsten Dunst.

T h u m b s u c k e r , directed by Mike Mills, is a coming-of-age story about a young man, Justin Cobb, (played by Lou Taylor Pucci), who is trying to break free of his childish thumb-sucking.

Pucciʼs attempts to do so throws everyone around him into chaos. This movie also stars Keanu Reeve as a New Age orthodontist.

Thumbsucker makes its way to the big screen this fall after a great turnout at Sundance Film Festival.

The much anticipated Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is also coming this November. The return of Harry Potter to Hogwarts is marked by the Tri-Wizard Tournament, a series of increasingly challenging contests preformed by student representatives from three different wizard schools. As an under aged competitor, Harry fi nds himself under pressure of schoolwork and Voldemortʼs Death Eaters.

With all these titles and more, there is no wonder people are rushing to reserve their seats.

Fall movie lineup features H. Potter Danielle RamirezPhotography Editor


Staff Writer

A junior, Scott Worley, is a talented musician and music fanatic. His band, in which he plays solo, is called The Fidelity Theory.

His sound and genre is a mix of, folk rock, country, and some experimental, with one CD under his belt.

Worley plans for a new demo CD in late September with the same songs, but with more orchestration than the fi rst.

Worley has played the guitar for three years. His other talents include the fi ddle, harmonica and programs electronics.

Fidelity Theory was born December 2004, and has been fl ourishing since.

“[My infl uences]

Worley performs in Fidelity Theory Christina Davidson

Special Interest Editor

vary, everything kind of infl uences me. Musically, I like Americana. Lyrically, I go for country folk fusion,” Worley said.

The Fidelity Theory played recently August 25 at Club Clearview, and at the Door October 1st, where he played a sucessful show along with Addison Nova,

The fi rst impression of Japanese Grill is quaintly mellow.

With the cool blue walls and small, low-hanging lights, the restaurant gives off a calm and suave atmosphere, especially with the trendy-looking, chic sushi bar in the back.

A single hostess seemed to be the only one present, politely greeting the trickle of incoming diners.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, after being seated to a table, she disappeared for quite some time before coming back to take orders.

For appetizers, the edamame soy beans ($3.00) were well salted and the soft shell crab ($6.95) was satisfyingly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with ponzu sauce.

They were both moderately priced in comparison to quantity.

The main entrees, however, were overpriced.

The chicken teriyaki and tempura shrimp combo ($15.95) was tasty; the teriyaki had good fl avor and if the shrimp needed fl avor, tempura sauce was provided in an extra dish.

The Chirashi sushi combo ($15.95) was fresh to the taste and included Japanese egg, a yellow and spongy delectable with a bit of sweetness.

Both of the main courses came with salad and miso soup.

Though the salad was enjoyable with its distinctly tangy sauce, the miso soup had barely any contents in it.

The best part of the meal was the Japanese ice cream ($2.95), one scoop of green tea and another scoop of red bean.

The red bean had real little beans and the green tea had a strong, heavenly fl avor.

Overall, the food was gratifying, albeit the price for the main course combos should have been a few dollars less. All of the entrees were arranged in a visually appealing manner.

For a family of four, the total bill was $44.80, not including tax.

Everything was moderately priced to slightly overpriced, the service was mild-mannered, and the environment had a calming effect.

Japanese Grill is a restaurant one should check out if in the mood for satisfying Japanese food.

Japanese Grill is located on Grapevine Highway (State Highway 26) at Harwood Drive.

Fall movie lineup

Fall is steadily approaching and so are the not-so-distant sounds of upcoming concerts.

On October 23rd, the Nintendo Fusion Tour is scheduled at EdgeFest in Dallas at the Smirnoff Music Center. A variety of bands are scheduled to perform, including Fall Out Boy, The Starting Line, Avenged Sevenfold, Motion City Soundtrack, Boys Night Out, PANIC! At The Disco, Audioslave, and Kasabian. The price tag is hefty though; prices start at $29.00 for lawn seats and $61.50 for the best seats in the pit.

Nine Inch Nails is scheduled to come to the Dallas area on Monday to perform in Reunion Arena.

Gwen Stefaniʼs concert will probably

attract many on November 11th at the Reunion Arena; however, for those who want to go with a more old-school vibe, Paul McCartney tickets are still available for his November 20th concert at the American Airlines Center. At the same place, but on the 29th, The Rolling Stones will try to prove they still have it in them.

Later in November, Death Cab for Cutie performs at the Ridglea Theater in Dallas. Advance tickets are going for $18.00.

For the people who are already looking ahead for close-to-winter concerts, a tour consisting of Saves the Day, Senses Fail, The Early November and Say Anything stops in Dallas ̓Granada Theatre.

Some concerts are already sold out, like U2.

Remember to snag tickets to these opportunities before itʼs too late!

Upcoming concerts promise excitement


Staff Writer

The 57th Annual Emmy awards took place on Sunday, September 18th, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

Although there were many excellent television


Audacity, and Sonny and the Saltshakers.

“It was the most amazing show ever, the crowd was so supportive,” Worley said.

The Fidelity Theory anticipates playing October 26th at Artistic Blends, where an open audition is held to play future headline shows.

“[I want to] change people. I want to make it into the underground scene, and get my exposure up,” Worley

said. Worley is interested in

a music club being started at school. He would appreciate any teacher interested in sponsoring the club contacting him and other students wanting to join.

For more information about The Fidelity Theory, visit their website at www.myspace.com/fi delitytheory

The band s̓ merchandise is available at www.cafepress.com/fi delitytheory.

actors and actresses that worked hard for nominations, only a select few were chosen as the best.

Some notable winners include Felicity Huffman, Lead Actress/Comedy Series for Desperate Housewives, Tony Shalhoub, Lead Actor/Comedy Series for

Monk, Patricia Arquette, Lead Actress/ Drama Series for Medium, and James Spader, Lead Actor/ Drama Series.

Networks also took away top honors for shows like: ABCʼs Lost, which won the award for top Drama Series, CBSʼs Everybody Loves Raymondtaking home the award for

57th Primetime Emmys distributedbest Comedy Series, and ABCʼs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition snatching the award for best reality program.

The Emmy Awards show is always the biggest night for television.

Many great television programs competed for these awards, but only the very best were chosen.

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