the warrior september 26, 2008
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The Valley Christian High School Warrior student newspaper.TRANSCRIPT
100 Skyway Drive, San Jose, CA 95111 Valley Christian High School www.valleychristian.net
September 26,2008
Vol. 26 No. 2
What Lies Within:
VCHS Communications
Departmenthttp://warrior.valleychristian.nethttp://kvch.valleychristian.nethttp://film.valleychristian.net
http://kvch-tv.valleychristian.nethttp://communications.valleychristian.net
Hope for the Nation
NEWS................1-4A&E..................5-6FEATURES.......7-10SPORTS........11-15
“BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT.” EPHESIANS 6:10
The Bard Speaks in AshlandOn Wednesday, September 17,
twenty Valley Christian students traveled to Ashland, Oregon to experience the excitement of the Shakespeare Festival. The group arrived in Ashland on Wednesday in the evening and prepared to attend their first theater performance of Our Town by Thornton Wilder. The performance took place in the Elizabethan Theatre which is an outside theater set up to resemble the theaters of Shakespeare’s time. The play was about a small town called Grover’s Corner in which the actors portray life, love and marriage, and lastly, death. The play was performed without any props so the audience had to use their imaginations. Senior Sarah Suwanda said, “I was so excited to go to the performance of Our Town. Not having any props was amazing because we had to imagine in our own way what everything would look like.”
The following day, the group woke up early in order to attend a backstage tour of the Elizabethan and the Angus Bowmer Theatre. On the tour, the students were able to learn what goes on behind the scenes of the plays including how set changes take place and costume changes and designs. Afterwards the students were able to take a tour of Ashland. Senior Emily VonRaesfeld said, “I loved visiting the town of Ashland. There were so many cute shops and different places to visit.”
By CJ WryeSports Editor
By Alyssa TomaselloFeatures Editor
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The students enjoy the atmosphere produced by the Elizabethan-inspired outdoor theater.
This way to the Shakespeare Festival! The VC students pause for a quick photo-op on their way to another exciting play.
On September 24, 2008, teachers, students and the Valley Christian community gathered at the flagpole for a time of prayer and worship. See You at the Pole is a nationwide event in which people around the country meet at the school’s flag pole to lift up the nation, its citizens, and its people in prayer. The early morning gathering, which began at 7:00am, was one of VCHS’ most successful. Students and teachers joined together to bring praise and glory to the Lord. Seeing people huddled around the flagpole, praying, as the sun was rising was a spectacular sight. It was symbolic of a new day in the nation.
See You at the Pole was coordinated by the beloved Bible teachers, Mrs. Cindy Nardi and Ms. Vivian Pipkin, as well as the Community Outreach class. For several weeks, the students have been preparing to create a setting of worship. Junior, Nicole Lord stated, “Getting this event organized was a little bit difficult but the result was incredible. It was amazing to see all those people there worshiping and glorifying the Lord. I am so lucky to have been apart of it.” The traditional spot at the flagpole symbolizes the direction of the students’ prayers. They prayed for the school, for their families, for the nation, the nation’s leaders and for the world as a whole. “It is so important for our school to unite behind our nation. Recently, people have been working to push out religion and prayer, but through this event, people all around the nation united together with
faith. It was amazing to realize that people still do believe and that prayer has the ability to make a difference,” said senior, Liz Fleming. Prayer is the most powerful thing in the entire world. God hears every prayer, no matter how big or how small. During this short time of prayer, requests were lifted up to the Lord, along with praising His most sovereign being. Hopefully, events such as this will occur more often resulting in a revival of the faith of the nation. Whenever God is at the forefront of priorities, success is imminent. VC students gather around the flagpole for early morning
prayer and worship.
The students were also able to taste the famous Lithia water of Ashland. This is water from fountains that is mixed with sulfur and lithium. In the evening the group attended The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler by Jeff Whitey in the Bowmer Theatre. “This was one of my favorite plays. All the actors were so talented and the play was absolutely
hysterical,” said senior Christiana Trieu.All the students woke up full of
excitement on Friday because they were set up to have an hour long meeting with Kimberly Scott, an actress from the plays they had seen. Scott’s story of how she came into the business was inspirational to many of the students. At the end of the interview tears flooded everyone’s eyes as
she talked about the honor and satisfaction she received from playing the roles of women who have changed the world. It was apparent how much senior Janelle Kester appreciated Scott and how thankful she was for the meeting. The group was signed up to attend two plays, one in the afternoon
See SHAKESPEARE page 2
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2 THE WARRIOR NEWSSeptember 26, 2008
News - VC Students Challenged During Spiritual Emphasis Week pg. 3 - Hurricane Ike Wreaks Havoc on the Gulf Coast pg. 4
A&E - Two Famous Broadway Shows Make Their Way to the Bay Area pg. 5 - Who are the Lions and Tygers?
pg. 5
Alyssa BerdingEditor-in-Chief
Jacob RuizAssistant News Editor
Priscilla ShenAssistant News Editor
Liz FlemingA&E Editor
Melody MakhfiJunior A&E EditorJohn-Luke KvapilJunior A&E Editor
Alyssa TomaselloFeatures Editor
Christine ByrneFeatures Editor Tarah Duarte
Junior Features Editor
CJ WryeSports EditorStephen Lam
Assistant Sports EditorRachael Shen
Assistant Sports EditorJon Lampkin
Junior Sports Editor
Erica ParkerPhoto EditorJoyce Chen Photo Editor
Staff Writers
Tyler VerreyClare Lee
Arazue Moghtaderi-ZadehDanny HittlerDarelle Jones
Dominic Taguinod Nathan Farrokhian
Ryan LoweSamantha Varada
Taylor FineMelissa LimKaleb Tuttle
Zayn KirkendollLeanna Borelli
Tom Zellner
2008-2009Warrior Staff
Want to advertise in The Warrior? Contact
Diann Fugate at [email protected]
for ad sizes and rates.
Note: The Warrior is a nonprofit publication which is published throughout the school year by the associated
student body of Valley Christian High School. Views expressed in The Warrior are those of the writers
and do not necessarily represent the views of the school, staff, or its students.
All type and layouts are created in The Warrior newsroom, room 215. The Warrior is printed at
Fricke-Parks Press, Union City, California.
The Inside Scoop:Features - How To: Prepare for Spirit Week pg. 8-9 - A Talented Junior High Staff Writer Reports on Breakaway pg. 10
Sports - Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About WCAL Football pg. 12-13 - Girls Volleyball Starts Season Strong pg. 11
Update: Presidential Elections
and one in the evening. First, they saw Wil-liam Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Nights Dream. The play was done with an 80s time period twist with colorful costumes and amazing set designs. The male fair-ies were by far the hit of the play as they danced around the stage in neon tutus. As the sun fell, the students made their way
Shakespeare Festival
Sometimes God leads people down roads of hardship that they would not necessarily choose to go down. However, God’s Will is not always the same as our own and He works through people in mysterious ways. On June 16, God led the Williamson family down a life changing path. Connor Williamson was attending Hume Lake Christian Camp with his church when he went down to the cove with his friends to swim. As he dove into the lake, the impact of Connor’s hands hitting the ground pinched the nerves in his neck and broke his back in two places. One of the veins leading up to Connor’s neck contained a serious clot, while the other was severely bent. At the cove that day, God provided safety for Connor; there just happened to be a registered nurse at the cove vacationing who knew exactly what to do to help Connor. Within fifteen minutes he was airlifted to the Fresno Trauma Center. Despite the pain and suffering the Williamsons have gone through, they have been able to shine God’s light to millions of people around the world. They created a blog that people have been able to check Connor’s status and see God’s work in their lives and those around them. Though the Williamsons were stationed in the Fresno Trauma Center, they were able to pray for families around them and show them the love of God. A number of families were saved by listening and watching to the Williamson’s testimony. Connor has had to battle though pneumonia, infections, pain and depression; but God has been there every second. God finally enabled Connor to be moved to South Valley Medical Center so he is closer to friends and family. Connor’s current condition indicates that he is paralyzed from the neck down, however he occasionally can feel pain or irritations which gives everyone hope that God is working another miracle in his life. Continue to pray for Connor and his family as they travel down the path God has set in front of them.
Praying for Another Miracle
Everyone has heard about the Presidential election between Barack Obama and John McCain; but does the average student really care about the result? Junior Jacob Burridge summed it up best when he said, “If you’re trying to fall asleep, don’t take sleeping pills, watch the election.” Unfortunately, Burridge reflects the sentiments of many of his peers. M o s t teenagers simply do not have the time or the patience to sit through s p e e c h e s that seem irrelevant, or listen to politicians d r o n e on about i s s u e s Students do not understand what is going on, and therefore do not care. With that being said, here is a simple breakdown of the upcoming, and all too relevant, election.
Senator John McCain is in a virtual deadlock with Barack Obama in the upcoming election, according to CNN. He has generally sided with President George Bush on the majority of issues, and refers to himself as an old man. Mc Cain is opposed to abortion, and wants to extend Bush’s tax cuts. He was a big supporter of using force in Iraq, and wanted to send in more troops. He is a member of the Episcopalian church, but supports legal benefits for homosexual partners.
McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He is known for having issues with anger, and making rash
decisions when angry. His choice for vice president, Sarah Palin, was initially viewed with criticism, but after her fiery speech at the Republican National Convention, most critics have backed off.
Senator Barack Obama is the opposite of John McCain in almost every way. At forty-seven years old he is McCain’s
junior by t w e n t y -five years. O b a m a refers to himself as a Christian, but rumors have arisen about his a l l e g e d M u s l i m faith. Obama has opposed m i l i t a r y force in Iraq since the beginning, and has c a l l e d
to remove the troops since early 2006. Obama supports abortion, citing the fact that women might seek unsafe methods of abortion. He is known somewhat as a celebrity politician, and is supported by actors such as Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, and Tom Hanks. The biggest complaint about Obama is his lack of experience, so his choice of the seasoned Joe Biden as his vice president was looked on with approval. He confesses to experimenting with drugs when he was younger, and still smokes tobacco. Controversy surrounded Obama when his former pastor, and the man who baptized his children, delivered racially offensive remarks during church services.
This November is sure to be filled with surprises as the candidates are still neck-in-neck with the election fast approaching.
By Kaleb TuttleStaff Writer
Continued from Page 1
By CJ WryeSports Editor
to the Elizabethan Theatre to see Shake-speare’s Othello. Students were on the edge of their seats as they watched Othello strangle his love, Desdemona. Senior Lina Palmer said, “Othello was amazing. The actors were so talented and I loved watching the plot unfold. Of course, my favorite character was the infamous Iago.”
On Saturday morning, the group held their last discussion time, then sadly departed the beautiful town of Ashland. It was another great trip and everyone was sad to be leaving, wish-ing they could attend next season, too.
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Wire
The Presidential Election is up for grabs, with only a few points seperating Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Barak Obama.
We Control Our Generation3THE WARRIORNEWS September 26, 2008
Valley Christian Webcasts Online
By Tarah DuarteJunior Features Editor
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
When K.P. Westmoreland walked into the middle of the gymnasium on Monday, September 8, everyone was unsure of what Spiritual Emphasis Week was to bring.
Westmoreland, the speaker for the week, is a living testimony of how God can change people. Westmoreland was raised in the church, but he said that he just “played the part” and felt empty. He searched for fulfillment in what the world had to offer, not what God had to offer. After many years of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as sexual immorality, it hit Westmoreland that he would never find fulfillment in the world. He then realized that the only thing that could save him and change him was a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It was then that Westmoreland made it his mission to impact the world.
On Monday, Westmoreland emphasized the fact that everything read in the Bible, happened. Noah’s flood, the splitting of the Red Sea, Jesus walking on the sea, Jesus rising from the dead; it ALL happened! Sophomore Joyce Chen said, “I
was unsure of what K.P. had planned for the week, but I could immediately tell he was a pretty chill guy.”
Westmoreland talked on Tuesday about what Jesus went through for one person. He used the story of the blind man found in Matthew 8 as an example of what Jesus went through for one person. To get to the man in the town, Jesus had to cross a stormy sea. The boat was tossed in the sea and the disciples thought they were about to die. When Jesus awoke, he spoke just a few words and the sea was calmed. Jesus did all this for that one man. This story was important to students because it reminded them that Jesus will do anything for them.
The well-known story of five loaves and two fish found in Matthew 14 was used on Wednesday to emphasis how Jesus uses each and every one of us. Westmoreland shared the story and pointed out that Jesus used a child’s lunch to feed the humungous crowd. Jesus could have fed the crowd anyway He wanted: food could have dropped from the sky, food could have just appeared or He could have done it the way he did. He used a small lunch, brought by a little boy, to feed a hungry crowd. Westmoreland shared this story to remind students that even though they might be in high school, they play an
important role in the body of Christ. Thursday was a favorite among
the student body. This was the day Westmoreland shared his testimony and students were given the opportunity to become a part of the body of Christ. Westmoreland told his story of obedience and how he saved a life by listening to God. Westmoreland wanted students to know the importance of listening to God. He shared that it might seem crazy at the time, but God knows what He is doing.
That same day, Westmoreland asked the students in the gymnasium if they wanted to dedicate their lives to Christ. Over 20 students came down to the gym floor to publicly announce their decisions. “I was so amazed on Thursday. K.P. did such a great job and I really loved it,” sophomore Taylor Hix stated.
The last day of the week, Friday, Westmoreland shared another life story. He shared that while sitting on a plane traveling to Texas, he heard God talking to him. God was telling K.P. that everywhere he goes, it’s Holy Ground. Therefore, go and tell people about God. Westmoreland shared that Christians are called to proclaim His name.
Westmoreland was very popular among the students and everyone loved
hearing what he had to say. He challenged each and every one to reexamine their lives and for all to live a life for God. He told students he truly believes they are the generation to change the world.
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By Melissa LimStaff Writer
K.P. Westmoreland
New contstruction underway at the stadium.
New Building at ValleyBy Nathan FarrokhianStaff Writer As Valley Christian grows every year, the need for room has become a huge issue. To meet this need, the school has begun construction on a new weight room and trainers’ office next to the football stadium.
Because of the many new students coming to Valley each year, new classrooms have become a necessity. The weight room and trainers’ office in the gym building were converted into classrooms to accommodate this growth. Consequently, replacement facilities are needed because now all the sports teams must share one weight room and the trainers no longer have an office. These replacements are going to be located over by the football stadium near the soccer field, at the site of the old janitorial storage area. Though the projected completion of the building is uncertain, once finished, it will become a great addition to Valley Christian School’s facilities.
Sophomore Jon Lampkin and VC graduate, Ryan Eshoff broadcast the first football webcast of the ‘08 season.
The Valley Christian TV/Video department has expanded and improved the online webcasting system this year. VCHS has been doing web casting for the last three years, but this is the first year it is using an online service called Ustream. Ustream is a program similar to Utube, but it is for live webcasting. VCHS started live webcasting for parents and others to be able to watch athletic and theater events while off campus. This year, chapels are also being webcast live for those off campus. Additionally, there are many international students whose parents cannot come and see what is going on at the school. Through this website, www.ustream.tv/channel/vchs-live, anyone who is interested can watch live shows. After the event broadcasts live, it is also stored on the site for viewing at any time. The Advanced TV & News class runs the webcasting, and students from the Radio class team up to do the announcing. The system uses computers, multiple cameras, a switching unit and announcers; yet broadcasts can also go online with just
a camera and a laptop. After that, Ustream does all the compressing and uploads the webcast to the same internet site. The Ustream site has made broadcasting and managing videos much easier. On the Valley page of the Ustream website there are clips of chapels and sports; the site will build as the year goes on to include theater perfomances, classes, and special events such as Homecoming. The website will stream videos live, and video clips will stay online so people can watch them anytime. (However, if you want to watch theater performances, you need to get online tickets.)
Visit the Ustream site at www.ustream.tv/channel/vchs-live, or go to Valley’s school website, www.valleychristian.net and click on the link to the webcasting site. Mr. Nate Marshall, Valley’s Film teacher, said, “We have more to learn about using the program, but the audio system is excellent.” Check out the website, and look forward to seeing more events as the year goes on. Also, a special thanks to all the Communications Department classes that are working hard to webcast events and maintain the website.
4 THE WARRIOR NEWSSeptember 26, 2008
Category 2 Hurricane Ike Hits TexasBy Stephen LamAssistant Sports Editor Homes destroyed, boats on streets, cars crumpled under trees and water flooding everything: Hurricane Ike destroyed everything in its path, hit-ting Texas’ Bolivar Peninsula and the west end of Galveston Island the hardest. Texas carried out the largest search-and-rescue mission in its history and pulled out some 2,000 people stranded by Hurricane Ike’s 500-mile-wide storm surge. The fourth-largest city in the nation, Houston was paralyzed due to the major flooding and destruction, which could eas-ily affect the already sensitive American economy. The death toll from Hurricane Ike rose to 34 in nine states as of Sep-tember 15, far fewer than the 1,600 killed when Katrina hit the Louisiana and Missis-sippi coasts in 2005. With many counties still without power, clean running water,
Internet, or cell phone ser-vice, many parts of Texas are trying to recover and get vital communication with the rest of the nation. Texas State Senator Tom-my Williams said, “The areas hit the hardest are the ones we’re not hear-ing from now because we have no communications.” With flooding in most of the Midwest, Hur-ricane Ike has left many homeless, hurt, and deso-late. Ike’s destruction is scattered across hundreds of miles in Texas and Louisiana; Houston Po-lice Chief Harold Hurtt
speculated that it will likely cost billions of dollars for recovery and rebuilding. It is unsure when the estimated 2 mil-lion people who fled the devastated area will be able to return. Although authori-ties had difficulty urging homeowners to pack up and leave before the storm, luckily most everyone was evacuated. President Bush and his advi-sors flew to Galveston, Texas on Sep-tember 16 to assess the damages done and what further steps need to be taken to help survivors. The demand for emer-
gency fresh water and fuel has been met; however, the 2 million people without electricity and the 30,000 people current-ly in shelters are now the main priorities for FEMA and the Bush Administration.
Swinging for Students A Day in the LifeBy Tommy ZellnerStaff Writer
By Arazue M. ZadehStaff Writer
Every year, the Valley Christian Golf Classic raises money for the school’s financial aid program. On Monday, Oc-tober 6, many teachers, administrators, students, and their families will all come together for a day on the golf green at the Silver Creek Country Club. The Parent Teacher Prayer Fellowship (PTPF) hopes to build on the great success of previous Valley Christian Golf Classics. Over re-cent years the golf classic has raised much-needed money for the emergency financial aid that helps support Valley Christian Schools families who are in financial trou-ble, receive a Christian education at Valley. The day begins at 8a.m. with a quick sign-in and a continental breakfast; then the driving range will be open for any-one who wants to take a few practice swings. At 10a.m. the tournament starts, and the golfers will tee off in a shotgun format. A hot lunch will be provided for all of the golfers. At 3p.m., the golfers will recon-vene for appetizers and the award ceremo-ny. There will be prizes awarded to golfers with the lowest score, the longest drive, and many others, including a new car for anyone who scores a hole-in-one. At 3:30p.m. the day ends, hopefully raising plenty of money for the Valley Christian financial aid funds.
Registration to play in the Golf Classic Tournament is available on the Val-ley Christian Golf Classic website, http://www.valleychrisitangolf.com. There is also registration for those who would like to have their company help sponsor this fund-raising event. People can help spon-sor the day in many ways; for example, one can sponsor a teacher to play. Dona-tions to the PTPF Student Financial Aid Fund of $25 or more will also be accepted. October 6 is expected to not only be a day of enjoyment for those who attend, but also a day when the PTPF can raise money to help enrich the lives of those in the community who would otherwise struggle to be here. One Valley Christian parent said her family greatly appreciates “All the support that has been provided for [their] three children at Valley Christian High School, so that they are able to have a godly foundation in their education. With-out the funds raised by this golf tourna-ment, this would not have been possible.” The Valley Christian Golf Clas-sic will continue to help expand the efforts of Valley Christian to ensure that a Chris-tian education is available to everyone.
On September 9, as the halls filled with parents confusedly walk-ing up and down the stairs, in between buildings, and through the quad, par-ents finally got the VC student expe-rience during Back to School Night. After the jazz band and the wor-ship band performed in the main gym at 7:00 p.m., the hectic, crazy night began! Parents sped off to first period and began following the daily steps of their children. The purpose for this evening was for parents to learn the class policies and objectives of the courses their children are taking. In the same way, it was an opportu-nity for teachers to meet their students’ par-ents. Mrs. Jayme Cronquist, geometry, algebra II, and trigonometry teacher, said, “I enjoy connecting with the parents. They get to see me and hear how the class works. It is amazing how many kids do not com-municate much with their parents!” Mrs. Cronquist enjoyed meeting and speaking with parents, and she believes that it is very important to attend Back to School Night
because, “It is a very important opportu-nity [for teachers] to meet the parents!” In between periods, as parents were gasping for breath after going from the first floor to the fourth, cheerlead-ers and various students directed the lost and frustrated parents around the campus. Sophomores, Lauren Sutton and Caitlin Brenton, two of Valley Christian’s volley-ball players, became guides and showed the way for each and every puzzled parent. Sutton said, “It was interesting and amus-ing watching the parents walk around lost and confused!” Brenton agreed and added, “But it was kind of like us, on the first day of school. Especially the freshmen!” As the night came to a close, parents made their last steps up the exhausting flights of stairs and teachers said their good-byes. Back to School Night was a great chance for parents to undergo the school experience their children indulge in ev-eryday and an opportunity for teachers to meet and greet with their students’ parents!
Hurricane Ike evacuees in Dallas
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Satellite image of Ike
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President Bush, aboard Marine One, surveys the damage near Galveston.
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Flooding near Winnie, Texas
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5September 26, 2008A&E Arts andEntertainment
Cultural Experience at OrpheumBy Liz FlemingA&E Editor
The Two Shows You Don’t Want to Miss Are Back!
This fall, tickets will go on sale at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theater for two of Broadway’s most celebrated shows. The Phantom of the Opera opens on Novem-ber 26, and will have daily performances until January 4. Following Phantom, the cultural phenomenon, blockbuster hit, Wicked, will return to Orpheum for a 6 month run. You’ve heard all the hype, but why should you really consider splurging on tickets to one (or both) of these shows? The Phantom of the Opera is currently the longest running production ever in Broadway history. It has toured over 100 cities in 25 countries since opening on London’s West End in 1986. It has garnered numerous prestigious awards– including the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical– proving that the
elaborate production is something to be remembered. And it does not disappoint. One of the primary reasons that this show’s return to San Francisco is so big is that Phantom does not often go on tour in the U.S. due to its unbelievably ex-tensive set. It takes 27 full size trucks to carry the entirety of the production from one theater to another. If for no other reason, see a performance just for the dazzling array of costumes, candles, and scene changes. From the glittering mas-querade ball to the disfigured man behind the mask to the infamous chandelier crash at the end of Act I, Phantom never fails to captivate its audiences into the mystical events occurring in the Paris Opera House. When Wicked debuted in 2003, it immediately sparked a wave of interest.
Critics and audiences gave the show rave reviews, and it quickly became a hit, gar-nering a total of ten Tony Award nomina-tions. “It’s such an aesthetically pleasing show,” commented senior Amy Thomas, who has seen it twice. “If you want a show that’s fun, energetic, and fresh, then there’s nothing better on Broadway than Wicked.” It’s certainly true that the cos-tumes are spectacular for this show. Susan Hilferty’s designs were so exceptional that she received a Tony Award for the high-caliber outfits. This show lacks nothing in color and creativity that completely draws audiences into the fantasy world of Oz. For those who are unfamiliar with the plot, Wicked focuses on two of the witches of Oz, Glinda and Elphaba, who are more famously known as the Good
Witch of the North and Wicked Witch of the West. It builds on the relationship between these two before the arrival of Dorothy, and provides an explanation for all the events that occur in the 1939 film. “It’s really cool and absolutely brilliantly written. There’s so much energy in the show, and it’s something that everyone in the family can enjoy. There’s no other way to describe it– it’s a great musical!” ex-claimed sophomore Jon Lampkin. And my advice for those of you who can’t catch these two shows while they are in town; buy the soundtracks! They are inexpensive ways to experience the feeling of being in the audience, and are almost as good as actually being there– almost.
Artist FocusThe Warrior A&E’s:
The Valley Christian Art De-partment is buzzing this year with a number of talented and well-practiced artists of all grades. Sam Suksiri, a senior in Art 1 has taken Mrs. Isaacs’ “line” drawing assignment to a whole new level. “This assignment was about using different types of lines, rather than solids, to create an image. I was inspired by the movie Alien, and that’s what gives this picture a sci-fi feel.” This is Sam’s first year taking art classes at Val-ley Christian. However, he’s been ac-tive in the Theater Department and Film Department for several years. He hopes to major in film during college. “A big rea-
son I took art this year is because it will help me with film. What many people don’t
know is that a lot of movie conceptualizing begins on paper.”
By Samantha VaradaStaff Writer
Lions & Tygers Play Chapel, Oh My! They sat with a kind of calm am-bivalence. The kind of expressionless stare that comes over a face deep in thought of what is to come of the immediate future. Seated against the front wall with backs straight, and hands on their laps, the three members of Lions and Tygers were slowly eyed by the oncoming rush of students mak-ing way to their usual Wednesday chapel seats. Their appearance of confidence only betrayed by the occasional sideways glance or mumbled comment, with the exception of one who remained motionless with the sort of self-assurance that exuded age. I was scheduled to meet Eric at a local pizza place not far from Valley. It’s clear the man likes to keep busy, between two bands, four hours of school and eight hours of work almost every day his sched-ule isn’t the most forgiving. I had spo-ken to him several times briefly over the
phone, and expected essentially exactly what Eric is; a very mellow, down to earth, easy going kid. Approaching my table he carried himself with the sort of care-free, self-confident stride that an Indy-Rock lead singer should: Chin up, hands at ease, and the calm-half smile of some-one content with himself and his work. Formed just two months be-fore their Valley Christian performance, Lions and Tyger’s roots began in Ashes Ashes, another Christian band front man Eric Martin had previously been a part of. “We toured a couple of times with Ash-es Ashes. But you know, we formed it when we were young and as we got old-er our hearts just weren’t in it anymore. Our lead singer left for college and we all sort of went our separate ways. Li-ons and Tygers was originally going to be a sort of continuation of Ashes Ashes,
but I think we all wanted a fresh start.” “What got you in-terested in starting a band?” “When my Dad was young he did the whole band thing and I’ve al-ways wanted to do it too. You know… be a rockstar,” he said offering a small laugh at childhood memories. I returned the smile and asked him what it was like playing in a band with a sibling. “I like that I can play with Co-rey,” Eric said of his brother and bassist, “We get along really well. You know we grew up on the same sort of music… it’s so normal. We have a really cool relationship.” During our introductions I had asked him to speak into a tape record-er throughout the interview. He gave a look of mild discomfort but agreed any-way. As the conversation progressed he spoke more freely. His initial reluc-
tance ebbing as his excitement grew; it wasn’t long before he had began wav-ing the device around as he expressed himself, looking content to be speaking about something of genuine interest. This was a man happy to share his passions. “I started playing drums when I was about 10. I was the drummer in Ashes Ashes, but I decided to play guitar and do vocals in Lions and Tygers.” He looked torn when I questioned his preference between the two instruments, eventually deciding he enjoyed both equally despite his greater proficiency among the procussions. “Ryan does a good job on the drums… he’s really good,” Eric said, half yelling over the roar of a passing motorcycle. The noise seemed to catch him off guard, causing enough distraction to throw him out of his mantra. I picked up the conversa-tion and asked him if he felt limited, playing with a total of only 3 people. “I definitely feel like there’s some restriction with what we can do,” he gave a short pause to think and scratch his chin, “but I like the simplicity of it. It’s not so busy with all the noise like it was having 5 people playing at once. It puts more em-phasis on the vocals which I really like.” His eyes began to unfocus, staring at some distant nothing far behind me as if this is what he had been driving at all along. “My lyrics are all really personal. I sing about my life and my emotions through them. I can really let go, it’s the best way I can ex-press myself.” He stopped himself to wave at some passerby’s he knew, “She was in Ashes Ashes,” he mentioned before con-tinuing. “You know, I got in a lot of trouble as a kid at Valley. I was young doing dumb stuff; a lot of my lyrics talk about those times. My story. I want to help people with my music, really touch them and make a difference.” He gave a genuine smile, “It’s the best feeling to have someone come up to you after a show, and know that you made a difference in their lives. I know a lot of people who were getting in trouble and going down bad paths, a lot of my friends did you know? And I want them to know that you can make a difference. I did.”
By Jon-Luke KvapilJunior A&E Editor
See INTERVIEW page 6
6 THE WARRIOR A&ESeptember 26, 2008
The VCHS Band and Color Guard is off to a new beginning and is looking forward to another domi-nant year. Returning from a fantas-tic 2007- 2008 season, both teams are hoping to repeat their successes. Both teams practice through-out the week as well as on Saturdays, from 9am to 9 at night. The definition of ‘dedicated fully’ fits these students. The theme for this year is Ghost Train. While everyone on both teams has separate goals for this season, the team as a whole has one main goal: That is to not only have a successful season but to continue to give glory to God. Sophomore Taylor Hix, who is in her second season of do-ing color guard said, “The show last year was amazing; I’m hop-ing Ghost Train will be just as fun!” Hix’s brother, Brian Hix, also a sophomore, is in his second season of marching band and said, “I thor-oughly enjoy marching band. It’s a fun way to show my love for music.” Both siblings agreed that marching band is full of fun and dedi-cated students as well as hard working band directors. Brian Hix went on to say that the directors have only one wish, which is for their students to succeed.
CG Jumps On-Board Ghost TrainBy Zayn Kirkendoll
Staff Writer
With the release of the Nintendo Wii console, came the third generation of the Mario Kart racing series, Mario Kart Wii. This exciting cartoon racing game will keep all ages captivated in a world of racing excitement. With the new Wii remote steering wheel as a new feature, you can feel like you are really behind the wheel of the of your favorite character’s kart. Along with a whole new cast of characters to choose from, levels from the past games Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart Double Dash as well as new, and with the new feature of Wi-Fi, you can take your racing online and challenge friends everywhere. All together this game makes for a fun video game for everyone in the family.
The simulator, Rock Band 2 simulates a real-life band, including more songs than ever: Songs from System Of A Down’s “Chop Suey!,” Disturbed’s “Down With The Sickness,” and Rage Against The Machine’s “Testify.” Eighty-four songs in all will be included in the new installment of the Rock Band series. Upgraded graphics will promote your customizable character in Tour Mode.
Tour mode allows the player to choose up to three different modes: “Battle of the Bands,” “Start Tour,” and “Tour Challenges.” Battle of the Bands allows the players to rock against others online. Start Tour takes you through the regular gigs as seen in the first Rock Band. Finally, Tour Challenges takes the player through special trials through the songs. For example, the screen may scroll two times faster or you may have to achieve 100% in a song.
Despite being released on March 9, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is still making its impact on the Wii system, ranking No. 1 on the Party Games list.
This new fighting game features characters from all over the Nintendo universe, ranging from Mario to Kirby and even third-party characters like, Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series. A new feature installed in the game is its Wi-Fi play. You can brawl people from all over the world in Basic or Team Brawl, though this feature would not be complete without being able to fight your friends as well. Up to 4 players are allowed to fight at one time.
A downside to the online play is the added lag. The more players you have in one match the heavier that lag becomes. Finally. The most anticipated item in Brawl is the Smash Ball. This item allows a character to unleash his or her Final Smash. Final Smashes vary from character to character ranging from instant kills to status effects.
Mario Kart RacingBy Darelle JonesStaff Writer
If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast to start your day, look no further than Bill’s Café, located at 1115 Willow Street, in the heart of downtown Willow Glen. Their extensive menu includes all the breakfast traditions you would expect, as well as a selection of creative specialties. Recently I visited Bill’s Café and ordered the “Poached y Papas,” a south of the border specialty. What I got was a de-licious platter of special seasoned potato skins, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits and chives, two poached eggs, covered in an incredible Hollandaise sauce. If getting up early for breakfast isn’t your thing, Bill’s also has a great selection of sandwiches, soups and other lunch specialties. The breakfast menu is also available all day long. The food comes big and hot, with quality prepara-tion, fresh ingredients, and the friendliest service around. There are also two loca-tions, one in downtown Willow Glen at 1115 Willow Street and the other at 302 North Bascom Avenue in the Rose Garden. Bill’s Café has been faithfully serving the community for over thirty years, so next time you’re looking to grab a bite to eat, check out Bill’s Café.
Bill’s Café: New Way to Start Your Day!
Rock Band 2Video Game Review
Super Smash Bros.Darelle JonesStaff Writer
By Tarah DuarteJunior Features Editor
By Jacob RuizAssistant News Editor
Interview with Lions and TygersContinued from page 5
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“Where did Lions and
Tygers come from?” I asked.
“There’s a poem by William Blake, and in it the Lions represent God, and the Tygers represent the Devil. So you know… ah,” he seemed to be looking for the right set of words, “it’s sort of natu-ral you know? Like they’re both here…” I gave a small nod, “The sort of duality of man?” I offered. “Yeah yeah.” I proceeded to informed him of VC’s goal to “Live out Loud” and asked for his opinion on the difficulty of such a task. “I mean it’s hard you know? It’s probably not something that I would bring up in ca-sual conversation. I mean if we weren’t do-ing an interview I probably wouldn’t have just sat down and told you I was Christian. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes or anything. But it’s much easier for me to do that through my music. I’m much more comfortable expressing myself that way.” “Have you always been Christian?” “Yeah, I’ve always been Christian. I knew there was a God and everything and I’d heard all the stories in chapel ev-ery Wednesday. I knew they were true and all that but I never paid much attention to them; until one day senior year I just…got it. I was in Mr. Hook’s class and he said something,” he gave the mic a small rest as an airplane flew overhead, “I don’t even remember what it was now, but he said something and it all made sense. Jesus died on the cross for My sins! He did all those
things for Me! All that stuff really hap-pened, and that’s when I started changing my life. I think people should make it a big-ger part of their lives… it’s sad most people don’t devote more time thinking about it. I really owe it all to Mr. Hook.” There was a short self-satisfied silence in his demeanor, he no longer seemed to care about the mis-cellaneous strangers walking about, either caught in self-thought, or judging the man spilling his life’s story to a tape-recorder. “Were you nervous coming back to Valley and performing?” “Oh yeah” he said, “I was try-ing to hide my shaking.” He let out a retrospective laugh. “I mean I’ve done shows before in front of 500-600 peo-ple, but there’s a lot of students at Val-ley. Like… I don’t know, how many?” I gave him my rough, rather ill-informed estimate. “Yeah, and I’m just supposed to go up there and sing about some of my most personal experiences? But once I got up there and started singing I noticed one of my teachers from freshman year. I hadn’t spoken to her since I was in her class five years ago, and I saw her standing there with the biggest smile.” He stared off probably recalling the look on her face “It made me feel so good… coming back and getting to show everyone who remembered me how much I’ve changed and grown.” Lions and Tygers offers a clean alternative-indie sound, encompassing a variety of mellow to upbeat songs fre-
quently incorporating a simplicity that appeals to many casual listeners. Often composed of simple building chord-pro-gressions, a steady bass-line and drum beat, the band’s focus is often set on the inspirational, Christian-based lyrics. The underlying calm nature of the instrumen-tal sound compliments the vocals to give rise to the emphasis of the emotionally charged vocals, with exception of the oc-casional exploding climaxes in which both instruments and vocals crescendo together juxtaposing an otherwise tranquil piece. If you’re interested in checking out the Lions and Tygers, you can get news updates on their myspace, http://www.myspace.com/lionsandtygers. And al-though Eric admits the band is still too new to tour, there is a CD in the works which will be available for purchase over iTunes.
7September 26, 2008FEATURESClass of ‘09 Bonds at Mt. Hermon On September 8, the Class of ’09 headed to Mt. Hermon Christian Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains for the much-anticipated Senior Retreat. With an emphasis on bonding as a class, the event provided an opportunity for this year’s seniors to get to know each other better and to meet new people. U p o n arrival, the seniors attended a chapel service, complete with worship led by members of Valley Christian’s premier vocal group Room 107 and a message by Mr. Ninos Malek. Malek challenged the seniors to step out and think about what they believe and why. He stressed how important it is for them to understand the proof behind their faith before they go to college and to not be afraid to share it with others. According to senior Alyssa Tomasello, “Mr. Malek is an incredible Christian example. He encourages us to stay true to our morals and values. He constantly reminds us to know what we believe and
to act on it. I look up to him so much.” After this chapel service, all the seniors were divided up into colored teams by the ASB to compete in a number of
different games, such as dodge ball, steal the bacon, and sand volleyball. Mr. Smith led an intense competition of “Smith says…,” which is a twist on the classic game, “Simon says….” Each team had to choreograph a dance to the song “Pop” by ‘N Sync to try to win points for their team. Senior Grace Anderson “really enjoyed the silly games because they got all the seniors laughing together” and open to forming new friendships. Hungry after competing in the games, the seniors enjoyed a lunch of salad, fruit, chicken and fries, followed by three hours of free time. Many students chose to go in the pool or attempt a trick off the high dive. Some courageous seniors even performed belly flops, although they came to regret it afterwards. A group of senior
By Alyssa BerdingEditor-in-Chief
If you are a senior, you have definitely had a number of these feelings the past three years; so here is a fun look back on our high school careers. If you are a freshman, don’t worry; you will become quite familiar with these feelings soon enough; so here is a fun look forward for you.
In no specific order:The Aw it was My Late Day
Today FeelingThe She Never Told Us to
do That FeelingThe Whoops it was My Early
Day Today FeelingThe Yay! Today’s a
Minimum Day FeelingThe Wait, What Period is it?
FeelingThe Oh Shoot! Today’s
Chapel Schedule (and it’s my Late Day) Feeling
The What Time does Lunch End? FeelingThe It Really Feels Like a Friday FeelingThe Uh-Oh! I Forgot to Staple Malek’s
Homework! FeelingThe Does Anyone Have an Othello Book?
Feeling
The Aw Man, We don’t Get Out Until 2:35 on Fridays Feeling
The What? We Have a Test Today!? Feeling
The Seriously, That was Due Today? Feeling
The It wasn’t on Grovesite FeelingThe What was That Song Mrs. Marc
Taught Us? FeelingThe Today’s Rally Schedule? Sweet!
FeelingThe Uh-Oh! Machado’s Going to Kill Me FeelingThe I Swear I did it, Why Can’t I Find it? Feeling
The Wait, What’s a PEP…and Who’s Lum? FeelingThe What does PERSIA
Stand For Again? FeelingThe I Wonder What Kind of Cereal Falkowski has
FeelingThe I Wonder What’s For Lunch Today
FeelingThe Why is Traffic Always So Bad?
FeelingThe What Happened to the Senior Lot
FeelingThe Man, I Have Never Seen Him/Her
Before FeelingThe We Have a Rugby Team? FeelingThe Ring, Bell, Ring! Ring!!! FeelingThe What was the Verse For Spanish?
FeelingThe No One Told Me it was
Spirit Week FeelingThe We Have a Rally
Today? FeelingThe I Wonder Who’s
Speaking in Chapel FeelingThe Wow! Cameron Marshall’s Amazing!
FeelingThe Is VanderVeen
Smiling or Smirking? FeelingThe PV Equals What? Feeling
The Why doesn’t He Just Tell Us the Answer? Feeling
The SOHCAH What FeelingThe It’s Not a Monarch Butterfly? FeelingThe How does the Ollie O Work Again?
FeelingThe I Hope Lodewyk doesn’t Catch Me
FeelingThe Yay! The Football Game is Tonight!
FeelingThe Was Our Bible Journal Due Today?
Feeling
The Is There Any Extra Credit? FeelingThe Thank Goodness He/She Curved That
Test FeelingThe I Have a 79.5%/89.5%, Why Can’t
She Just Round it Up? FeelingThe What Kind of Mascot is a Bell
FeelingThe Life is Too Short…Feeling
The Quick! I Need a Picture For Photo
FeelingThe Where in the
World is Room 216 Feeling
The Yes! Three-Day Weekend!! FeelingThe Come On, Call it Both Ways! Feeling
The When is Grey’s Coming Back? Feeling
The No, Monarch IS a Butterfly FeelingThe Aw Man, I Forgot My ID Card…
Hopefully They’ll Recognize Me FeelingThe Shoot! I Forgot to Bring a Sweatshirt
to the Football Game FeelingThe Does Anyone Have a Calculator?
FeelingThe Why are the Freshmen So Short??
Feeling
By Priscilla ShenAssistantNewsEditor
This year, Valley Christian High School has the honor of having thirty- two students from around the world enrolled in classes. Each student was “adopted” by a family whose child already goes to Valley. On Monday, September 23, all of the families met with their International Student for a multi-cultural night of food and entertainment. The entire small gym was filled with laugh-ing, singing, playing, and eating. In the fresh-men class, there are Melissa Lim, Clare Lee, Mark Cha, Adora Choi, Eric Gil, Daniel Lee, Jes-sica Nam, Peter Park, Tae Park, and Sonya Shin. They are all from South Korea. Also there are sophomores, who are Andy Ahn, Jane Han, Simon Lee, Sam Lee, Michelle Lee, Ki Oh, Aaron Song, Kristy Yoon, are also all from South Korea. For juniors, there are a lot of multi-cultural students; Edison Bui from Vietnam, Kevin Chen from Taiwan, Sven Knoetschke from Germany, Katrina Li from China. Chan Choi, Jeho Hong, Young mi Jeon, Donna Kang, Danny Kim, Mingeun Koh, David Lee, Ji Park are also from Korea. Lastly, there are only three International Students who are se-niors, with all different nationalities; Tony Chen from Taiwan, Tin Do from Vietnam, and Sydney Kim from Korea. This year will be a wonderful experience for all of the International Students to live and study in America, but it will also be a great chance for students who already attend Valley Christian to see the different cultures and customs from around the world.
Famous Feelings for Students at Valley
guys started a water basketball game lasting the duration of free time, while others chose to swim or throw a water football. Many seniors started basketball, soccer, and sand volleyball games, as well as played billiards or air hockey in the game room. Overall, it really was a chance for the seniors to relax and get to know each other a little bit better. When free time ended, the girls and the guys were split up for the afternoon chapel time, with Mrs. Wilson speaking to the girls and Malek speaking to the guys. The groups were brought back together for a time of worship and sharing. The seniors were encouraged to challenge their peers or share their heart through a time of open-mic. During this time, many seniors stepped up to the front and challenged their class to set an example for the underclassmen through their actions.
Even three weeks after the retreat, ASB senior secretary Ashley Mauro is still seeing the results. “I am so impressed
with our class and their openness to bond with each other during retreat. I feel like the seniors are really starting to step out of their clichés here at school and make an effort to get to know the rest of their class. It’s so exciting to see that the bonds our class made during retreat are still growing strong.”
International Students Bond
By Clare LeeStaff Writer
Sydney Kim brings Sunshine to Valley
Senior Boys Staying Fly!
There were games galore at the Senior Retreat.
King McCormic takes the Throne during the dance.
THE WARRIOR FEATURES
How To: Prepare for
SPIRIT WEEK Tuesday WednesdayMonday
PADRESVS.
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008 JV: 4:00 Varsity: 7:00
Neon Class Shirt Day Beauty & the Geek Pajama Day
Wear: Bright Neon ColorsOr Class Shirt
Wear: Geeky or Beauty Queen AttireOr Class Shirt
Wear: Sweats, Jammies, Slippers, BlanketsOr Class Shirt
8
Phil LenihanThe Old Dude On Blades
Level 2, USA Certified Skating Instruc-tor
21841 Almaden Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014
Freshmen:NatalieTomaselloSeanDavis MadisonCardoza BryanHu AlexVenegas ByronMarshall
Sophomore:AndreaStickelBrandonHeckeJuneYooGrantDouglassLaurenTrevinoJonnyParkerJunior::JuliaHittlerKyleTravisKacieCapmbellIanStephensonVictoriaSmithDannyHittler
&TheNomineesAre...
September 26, 2008
9THE WARRIORFEATURES September 26, 2008
SPIRIT WEEK
FridayThursday Saturday
Seniors:
Spir it Week at a Glance
Theme Day Game Day Valley Pride Day
Seniors SophomoresJuniors Freshmen
&TheNomineesAre...
Wear: Anything that matches your Class ThemeOr Class Shirt
Monday: Whipped Cream & Bubble Gum Contest @ LunchTuesday: Powder Puff RallyWednesday: Cereal Eating Contest @ Luunch Night Rally Thursday: Homecoming Court Chapel Friday: Dance Off @ LunchSaturday: GAME DAY vs. Serra High School Homecoming Parade: sta rts between the JV & Varsity Games
JanayLampkinBrianRealamonteAnnaKayRichardsJerylConcepcionKatrinaSmithTimHarrisMaryTorodeRickyLongAdrainRappaziniDanielHuffmanKayleighOcampoJakeJoseph
10 THE WARRIOR FEATURESSeptember 26, 2008
Square Dance ‘08By Melody MakhfiJunior A&E Editor Lookingforwardtoanightfullofcostumesandactivities?OnNovember1,theSquareDanceistheplacetobeandtogatheraroundwithyourfellowclassmatesforafun-filled night. This year’s theme is, “Wanted,” a western inspired theme. Forthepastyears,ValleyChristianhasheldtheirsquaredancesinthequadarea,decorated by the ASB. This year the dance will be held in the gym, because of the winter weather. Students and faculty enjoy music and snacks while dancing the night away. AtValley,itistraditionforthegirlstoasktheguysinextravagantways,suchasdecorating cars or lockers, and many other creative ways. Last year, signs were posted up along the hill, so cars driving up could see who was being asked to this exciting dance. Along with the girls asking the guys, it’s tradition for the duos to dress up with a theme, such as Disney couples, Super Heroes, or “Wanted” cowboys. If you are planning to attend with a group of friends, ideas include dressing up alike, or combining themes. Whether with a date or with a group of friends, the Square Dance promises to be a fantas-tic night. Studentsofeachclassarelookingforwardtothisdanceandgirlsespeciallycan-not wait to have the opportunity to be creative in asking the guys. Don’t forget the date, November 1!
ByValentiaShen&OliviaChuiVCJHS Eighth Graders
LET’S BREAKAWAY TOGETHER
The eigth grade boys form a pyrmid.
Submitted by Valley Christian Junior High Eigth Grade Students
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September 18 witnessed the raresightofhighschoolstudentsminglingwithjunior high students. The day started with a caravan of five mustard-yellow buses whiskingaway200eighthgraders,severaljunior high teachers, and a number of high school counselors to a fun-filled, two-day retreat at Mt. Hermon for Breakaway. Ev-eryonewasdeckedfromheadtotoeinas-sortmentsofblacks,greens,redsandbluesandeverysinglepersonwhodismountedabushadonewordintheirminds-Break-away. The purpose of the retreat was for theentireeighthgradeclasstoparticipateincertainactivitiesthatwouldbringthemcloser tonotonly eachother, butGodaswell. These two days helped the eighth graderstobondandconnectwithonean-other; as a class the eighth graders “broke away” from school, the world, and objects that distract them from God. Upon arrival, the eighth gradersweredividedamongst theirvariouscoun-selors and were released to explore theirroomsbeforeworshipinthebeautifulcha-pel. Valley Christian Schools graduates Robby and Matt played the guitar andpianoduring theworshipbefore themes-sage. Former eighth grade Bible teacher, Mr. Kirk Booth,deliveredanencouragingmessage that appealed to all thedifferentgroups in the audience. He gave a visual exampleof howvalues affect beliefs andbeliefs, in turn, affect actions. Mr. Booth alsogaveanexampleoftheratiobetweenChristians and non-Christians: The sheep represented Christians and goats repre-sented non-Christians. He asked the first three rows of students in the middle sec-tion to stand. Mr. Booth said, “The ones standing symbolize sheep and the rest ofyou are goats. These are how many sheep
thereareintheworldcomparedtoallthegoats.” Also in that message, Mr. Booth talked about Heaven and Hell. Is Hell real? Does it exist? He closed with tell-ing students that if theybelieve thatHelldoesexist, then theyshould telleveryoneabout Christ. Students were encouraged by Mr. Booth to make choices based on God’s instructions,astheirchoicesultimatelyaf-
fect their lives. After an uplifting message fromMr. Booth, students enjoyed an appetizing lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers in thecafeteria. Then they were given a chance to bondwitheachotherforfourhoursoffreetime. During free time, students were able tobondwithnotonlyothereighthgradersbut also the counselors. The Breakaway counselorswereVCHSLeadershipseniorswho chose to sacrifice two days of school to come to Mt. Hermon. For example, a groupofeighthgradegirlsplayedagameof basketball with seniors Kelsey Byrd, Aimee Bishop, and Nathalie Cheadle. They also played camper versus counselor games, such as dodge ball and football.
Some other activities that eighth graderswere involved inwerevolleyball,a ropescourse, and a rock wall. After the long bondingperiod,theyhadatimetopartici-pate in team games. The eighth graders andhighschoolcounselorswerebrokenupinto four teams; blue, black, red, and green. Duringtheaction-packedteamgames,thejunior high teachers watched the eighth
graders run around with boxes over theirheads in a relay race. Why? They still can’t figure that out! Through this fun ac-tivity, the eighth graders connected evenmore. After a crazy session of games, the four teams were sent to enjoy another tasty meal, but this time it was spaghetti. Next, students were told to gobacktotheirroomsandhavedevotiontimewith their high school counselors. Mr. Boothwrotethedevotionanditreviewedhisentiremessagethathespokeearlierthatday. The time in the rooms was a really goodopportunitytogettoknowthecoun-selors. Students discussed and talked about the devotional, school, and friends. Then, as a whole class, they walked up to the fire
pit for a time of worship and a sermon. The messagewasonceagainverymeaningfulto all. The high school counselors were a big part of the experience at Break-away. They made the whole retreat a lot more fun and more impacting. Two of the counselors were Kayleigh Ocampo and Janay Lampkin. Ocampo and Lampkin were awesome counselors because theywere definitely some of the most spirited counselors. They would always be decked out in their team’s color and always cheer-ing the eighth graders on. What did they like most about Breakaway? Competingagainst the “super-competitive” Bishop on the black team, of course! With their joy-ful personalities and happy spirits, theydefinitely made the experience more fun. OnedevotionalgroupaskedOcampoandLampkin the reason why they decided tocounselforBreakaway,andtheysaidthattheyhadnevermetanyoftheeighthgrad-ers and that it would be fun. As a result of helping with Breakaway, they had a tonof fun and loved the junior high students. Together, Ocampo and Lampkin made a great spirited team. They definitely made theBreakawayexperiencea lotmore funthanitwouldhavebeenwithout them,asalltheotherhighschoolcounselorsdidforthe rest of the eighth grade class. Beyond thehighschoolcounsel-ors’ unquenchable and undeniable spirit, students also enjoyed growing closer to one another through the free time, teamgames, chapels, meal times, and the busrides that took them to and away from Mt. Hermon. All in all, Breakaway of 2008 was a memorable one-and-a-half days inwhich everyone achieved their ultimategoal: to grow closer to each other and God.
11September 26, 2008SPORTS Varsity Girls Volleyball Ranked HighBy Liz FlemingA&E Editor Warriors’ varsity volleyball proves to be a dominating presence among high school teams this year. They continue to be ranked in the Top 15 by the San Jose Mercu-ry News, and demonstrate their capability to play at the highest level of high school ball. The team faced their first serious competition at the Milpitas Spikefest 1 on a blisteringly hot Saturday on September 6. The girls started the morning off strongly by sweeping Santa Catalina and San Beni-to, guaranteeing them at least a top 8 finish overall. They faced off against powerhouse Archbishop Mitty in their third match of the day, in what proved to be a tough and
exciting game. The Lady Warriors came out tough and played well but dropped their first match of the season to the Monarchs in two games. Next, they played Sacred Heart Cathedral in another intense match. The girls started slow in the first game, but came from behind to win 25-23. Sacred Heart fought back to seize the second game 26-24. Forcing a third, tie-braking game, Cathedral and Valley battled it out, with Ca-thedral barely scraping the win 15-12. Ex-hausted and drained, the girls had no time to recover before preparing to play Presen-
Waterpolo To Compete In Live Oak TournamentBy Rachael ShenAssistant Sports Editor
The girls junior varsity and var-sity water polo teams have now entered into their second month of the fall polo
season with two-hour after school prac-tices and one-and-a-half hour practices in the morning. This year marks a rebuild-ing year for the girls water polo pro-gram with the departure of head coach Laura Benton and the arrival of coaches Kelly Walitsch and Jordan Jensen.The varsity squad returns two seniors, Grace Anderson and Lisa McKinney, who will be stepping up as captains for their final high school polo season. They will be joined by seniors Lanise Singh, Alex Benanti, Cayla Clapham, and Ra-chel Esperanza, who are all returning for their second or third seasons as part of Valley’s water polo program. The future Lisa McKinney goes up strong against her defender.
Lisa McKinney goes for a goal at hole set.
In the previous season, varsityCross Country came close to winningCCS,only losingbyonepoint. This is agreatmotivationfortheteamastheytrainevery day, running numerous amountsof miles in neighborhoods and on manydifferentschooltracks.Ian Karlsson,thestar runner of thevarsity team said, “TheVC cross country team is very dynamic,eventheboysJVteamhasahardworking,talentedgroupofboyswhoarelookingtomake varsity.” Other great runners thatmake up the boys varsity team are juniorand sophomore Ford Merrick and Evan Kennedy, and senior Jordan Osuna. Thevarsitygirls teamlooksverypromisingthisseason.Atthepreviousmeet,they did exceptionally well. DefendingCCSrunner,Jen Bergman, placed first in theseniordivision,runninginthesamemeetwashersisterAmy Bergmanwhoplacedtenth overall in the freshman division, inher very first high school meet. Another noticeable runner was Emily Blaha, whoplacedseventhinthesophomorecategory.Jen Bergman humbly stated, “I definitely wanttowinStateandCCS,andIwanttowinCCSasateam;thathasbeenmygoalin all of high school, to win as a team.” They all eagerly look forward toNovember15,thedayofCCS,inwhichalltheirhardworkpaysoff.Withonly8meetsleft in the season theCrossCountry teamcontinues to train every day and preparefot their upcoming meets in the season.
tation in their final game of the tournament. Their effort and heart was not enough to pull out a final victory, as they succumbed to the Panthers in two close games.
Varsity volleyball players rally after a point.
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of this program looks bright with the ar-rival of a number of underclassmen on the JV team. This will contribute greatly to
the depth of the girls water polo team, which has eagerly recruited new blood to compete against powerhouses Sacred Heart Prep and Mitty.This season will fea-ture the girls com-
peting in a number of weekend tournaments, in addition to their heavy league schedule. The Live Oak Tournament this weekend, September 26-27, will be the varsity team’s second tourna-ment of the season and will be sure to highlight huge performances by the speedy and strong Anderson as two-meter defense and the talented and play-making McK-inney as hole set, both of
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Bergman Leads Cross Country Team to VictoryByDominicTaguinodStaff Writer
whom are very dependable in the clutch. The team is working hard to dominate in their upcoming tourrnament. The JV and varsity girls will be opening their league season against St. Francis on October 1 at home, 3:30 PM for varsity and 4:30 PM for JV. The team is very excited about there up-coming season. They are prepared to tack-le any hardship that blocks there path from a CCS ring. Don’t forget to support your Lady Warriors in this fast-paced contact sport that could rival football and hockey!
Berding serves the ball to her opponent.
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“We have a lot of heart and skill on this team and I know we’re going to do well.”
Despite a dif-ficult afternoon of play, the Warriors still had a very strong showing at Spikefest,
and got a good preview of what to expect in their upcoming WCAL matches. “I’m excited for league this year. We have a lot of heart and skill on this team, and I know we’re going to do well. Even though we lost to Cathedral and Pres, I think the scores showed that it was really anyone’s game, and next time will be a little different,” said senior Kaylan Whitaker. The following week, the team traveled to Mt. Pleasant and Santa Teresa on September 9 and 10. On both occasions, they came out fired up, sweep-ing the matches easily in three games thanks to solid passing in the back row and a strong middle attack from seniors Whitaker and Alyssa Berding. The girls continued their winning streak on September 16, in their most exciting and memorable victory of the sea-son so far with a five game win over the Harker School. Harker jumped out early in the match, winning game one narrowly 25-22. The Warriors responded by decisively claiming game two
25-20. Harker once again refused to back down, as their strong outside hitter and passers helped them take the third game.
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Marshall Law12 THE WARRIOR SPORTSSeptember 26, 2008
Defensive Notebook:Marshall, Fiscalini Lead Pre-Season Lockdown
It has been said that football is a reflection of life. You work hard, practice, achieve your goals, all the while, continu-ing to improve. Along that road you earn victories and also learn how hard it is to suf-fer defeats. In both football and life you win some and you lose some, and you are able to grow from both. The JV Warriors football team is about winning, learning and showing other teams through actions that VC football is centered around Christ. A majority of the teams’ players were freshmen last season and they were able to secure a record that had a total of 6 wins and 3 tough losses. That’s a great record for most teams, but Valley Christian is a team of Warriors who except nothing less than excellence. The JV team is off to an excellent start, beating quality teams like Novato (29-6), San Lorenzo (35-12) and Menlo Ather-ton (31-0). This great start is building the confidence this team needs to continue a
successful season. Coach Donny Fugate believes even stronger competition lies ahead. Both St. Francis and St. Ignatius will be chal-lenging match ups that could end up being league spoilers. Serra will also be a fierce competitor, as well as Bellarmine. But the JV Warriors focus on victory, game by game. Coach Fugate also looks at the big-ger picture, preparing junior varsity players to be varsity players and varsity players to become better, earning victories in the game of life. The JV team has been preparing thoroughly for the league season and faces off with one of the best JV teams to start out the WCAL. New student to Valley, sophomore Darelle Jones leads the team with touch-downs at the moment and has had multiple 100 yd plus rushing games so far this sea-son.
JV Football Team Starts StrongBy Ryan LoweStaff Writer
Schedule Sat 10/4 Serra at VC 7:00
Fri 10/10 Mitty at Foothill College 7:00Fri 10/17 Bellarmine at VC 7:30
Thurs 10/23 St. Francis at St. Francis 7:30Fri 10/31 Sacred Heart Cathedral at VC 7:30
Fri 11/7 St. Ignatius at VC 7:30Sat 11/5 Archbishop Riordan at Riordan 1:00
By John LampkinJunior Sports Editor
The signature Valley Christiandefense is back on the field with a ven-geance. Theprogram’semphasisisbasedona singlequote, “Offensewinsgames,defense wins championships.”This year,VCdefensereturnsmultipleskilledstart-ersandalsohasafewjuniorssprinkledinincludingtheinjured Luke Moreno. Valley is led by 5’11” 185 lbs.Robert Fiscalini. Robert played a verylarge roll in the defense last year, rack-ing up the tackles. Fiscalini has alreadyachievedmultiplegamesinwhichhehashad 8+ tackles.As of late, Fiscalini hasdominated thedefensive sideofball andhasevenhadafewcarriesonoffense.Fiscaliniisontherecruitingradarandalso runsa4.5 sec.40yarddash.Asamiddlelinebacker,Fiscalinibecomesthenaturalleaderoftheteam. Cameron Marshallhasalsobeengettingadequatetimeonthede-fensive sideof theball.Marshall hasalreadyscoredone touchdownon thedefensive side of the ball by pickingoff a precisely thrown pass and run-ning it all the way back for a touch-down. Marshall, in the past has beenplayingatthelinebackerposition,butrecentlyhehasbeencoveringthekeymanoutwideforopposingteams. Phil Thrappas looks toalsoplay another crucial role this season,participating in offense, defense andspecial teams. Thrappas plays safetyonthedefensivesideoftheball. Already, Thrappas has mademany crucial plays causing teams to
punt. 5’10” senior Lorenzo Jaso hassteppedup to theplate thisyearandhasplayedaverylargeroleindefense. Ryan Jones has also played acrucialroleinpassingdownsduringthesefirstfewgames.IntheWCALitiscriticaltohaveanexcellentpassdefense. VC defense will look towardshutting down the high-powered Bellar-mine College Prep. and Junipero Serra’sbackfields. Valley Christian will appearagainst Junipero Serra at the Homecom-inggamenextSaturday,October4.
Players to Watch#10 Phil Thrappas SafetySenior DB looks to contribute on all sides of the ball.Jack of All Trades!
#24 Robert Fiscalini LBExperienced Senior hopes to pile up the tackles this year. Nose for the Ball!
#28 Cameron Marshall AthPut him out on the field, and he will get it done. Half Man, Half Amazing!
#33 Matt Nilmeyer DEFootball savvy Senior looks to punish opponents. Lowers the Boom
Photo by Tyler Flippo
Marshall Number 3 Enters Spotlight
The freshmen Warriors opened their season Saturday, September 13 at Valley Christian High School with a 43-0 win over the San Leandro Pirates. Sport-ing a superior offense and defense, the Warriors quickly took control of the game. The freshmen leading scorers Byron Mar-shall, and Jarrod Lawson were relentless, as the pitiful Pirate defense could not keep the Warriors from moving the football. Plagued by a lack of discipline, and numer-ous turnovers, the Pirates brought a sloppy brand of football to the Skyway campus. Capitalizing off of botched snaps, fumbles, and interceptions, the Warriors ended the first half of the game leading 36-0. The Warriors defense played just as well as their high-powered offense, shut-ting down San Leandro on every posses-sion. After the game, freshman defensive tackle Chris Graham said the Warriors’ defense played “top notch.” Although the Warriors showcased a strong performance, Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ullom stressed the need for the team to continue to play to-
gether despite their differences. That is ex-actly what the Warriors must do especially in the consistently tough WCAL. The freshmen will face their first league chal-lenge in Junipero Serra Friday, October 3 in what will be one of the most anticipated freshmen games of the year. Marshall was brought up to the varsity football team as of Tuesday, to practice with them for a few sessions. Mar-shall brings a mass of talent and amazing speed to the table. The experienced fresh-man plans to make a big difference this year, scoring many touchdowns. Marshall, at the moment is fol-lowing in the footsteps of his older brother and sister. Many have very high expecta-tions for the third Marshall to attend VC and expect him to gain multiple scholar-ship offers in the next few years. The freshmen will face off against Serra, Saturday the 4. Junipero Serra is known for usually fielding a very good freshmen team.
By Tyler VerreyStaff Writer
Instituted13THE WARRIORSPORTS September 26, 2008
A Battle Ground for the Worthy
Offensive Notebook:Off to the Races, But Not Without A HitchBy John LampkinJunior Sports Editor
Players to Watch#28 Cameron Marshall RBSenior RB will be the man to key on this year . Just Try Stopping Him!#8 Michael Karabatsos RBJunior Back brings speed and enthusiasm to table. 2008 Sleeper Pick!#74 Chris Tozer OT Senior returns with force; experi-ence. Part One of Twin Towers!#7 Cory Gambello QBSkilled QB returns looking for the long ball. Breakout Year Ahead!#6 Anthony Oliveras FBSenior FB looks to bring power to table. No Arm Tackles Allowed!#79 Austin Lowe OTDedicated blocker brings mass and speed. Part Two of Twin Towers!
Valley Christian football is up and running again, with their fast-est man, Cameron Marshall at the helm. The stands were cleaned, the lights were prepped and ready to go, the famous Cafe Valley tri-tip sand-wiches were being prepared and even the artificial field was thoroughly vac-uumed. The Warriors are off to a 3-0 start and look to face one of their tougher WCAL competitions this up-coming Friday. The Junipero Serra Padres will venture down to San Jose and up the hill to meet the likes of Cameron Marshall, Anthony Oli-veras, Michael Karabatsos, Daniel Johnson and the rest of the profound-ly deep Warriors backfield. Marshall has absolutely terrorized the opponents in the pre-season, resulting in 12.77 yards per carry average and 8 TDs. The high-ly recruited, all-purpose player has taken the WCAL ground game and turned necks, breaking a few here and there, eventually making it a one man show! Marshall is backed up by speedster Karabatsos, a junior look-ing to make an impact during league, and fellow senior FB Oliveras. When this stacked backfield becomes fully healthy with the return of Oliveras, also known as “A.O.” after missing the blowout versus Menlo Atherton, and Johnson, who has yet to play a down this pre-season, analysts claim that this backfield might be only lim-ited by the digits on the scoreboard.
QB Corey Gambello has had a hot start so far completing 14/21 passes on the season. VC may not feel the need to throw much this year but when the need arises, Gambello will be present to make big plays. The offense is now off to a good start, but this did not occur flaw-lessly. The Warriors were troubled by 5 fumbles against NCS power-house, the Novato Hornets, which many claim, could have turned the game into a blowout.
Each and every year, the best of the best duke it out in the Central Coast Sec-tion’s Premier League, the West Catholic Athletic League. Only the most elite may enter with the latest addition being Valley Christian. No other league in the region quite measures up top to bottom when it comes to any sport, but most importantly football. This year Bellarmine leads the pack, VC being in a close second. The bottom of the pack may be in a confus-ing jumble at the moment but within the next 2-3 weeks it will be easily sorted out. Serra recently dropped out of the top 3, after losing to both McQueen and De La Salle.
By John LampkinJunior Sports Editor
1. BellarmineA strong returning backfield and a senior QB lead many to believe the Bells may run the table this year. Staying healthy with multiple two-way starters is key. (2-0) Next: At Piedmont Hills
2. Valley ChristianAnother team with a strong returning backfield. Led by an experienced QB, both offense and defense is sprinkled with talented juniors. Look to see Bellarmine and CCS power houses given a dose of smash-mouth football (3-0) Next: Vs. Serra
3. St. FrancisAfter pulling off a convincing win over Los Gatos (20-7) last week, the Lancers jump to the #3 spot. Do the Bells have reason to be “Scurred” as former St. Fran-cis alumni Benny-B and Steve Flo once stated? Just don’t mention Oak Grove.(2-1) Next: At SHC
4. SerraDuring the pre-season predictions, many ranked Serra at the #3 spot; but after losses to powerhouses De La Salle and McQueen, many wonder if they will be able to hang with VC and Bell.(1-2) Next: At VC
5. Sacred Heart CathedralSHC rounds out the top 5 with talented RB Lonbaye Yarnway. The Irish may struggle on defense this year.(1-2) Next: Vs. St. Francis
The rest of the pack is rounded out by struggling Riordan, the “We’re not sure what defense is!” Monarchs and the recently blown out by Novato, Saint Igna-tius Wildcats. Don’t look for these 3 teams to make a huge difference this year. But never forget, anything is possible in this competitive league we call the WCAL!
Photo by Mrs. Cindy Torode
Marshall Law Stats9 Touchdowns
562 Yds. Rushing12.77 Yds. Per Carry Average
14 THE WARRIOR SPORTSSeptember 26, 2008
The Return of Lance ArmstrongBy Danny HittlerStaff Writer
Varsity Girls Volleyball
Tennis Holds Court
JV Girls Tennis
After battling and defeating cancer in 1996, Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France a world record set-ting seven times. He retired from com-petition in 2005, but has announced that he is going to return to racing in hopes of winning the Tour de France in 2009. Armstrong is attempting to add on to an already impressive career. He was the Associated Press Sportsman of the Year from 2002 to 2005, he was named the Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illus-trated in 2002, and he won ESPN’s Espy Award for best male athlete in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2006. He is best remembered for defeating cancer and going on to win the Tour de France seven times in a row. His domination during that time received attention and allegations of using perfor-mance-enhancing drugs. In October 2005, a Dutch lawyer was in control of an inves-tigation looking for traces of doping in pre-vious urine tests. They could not conclude that Armstrong had indeed been doping. Since retiring, Armstrong has focused on his organization, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which provides support for people who have been af-fected by cancer. He raised $600,000 for
his organization when he ran in the New York City Marathon. He set a goal to finish under three hours and succeeded when he finished in 2:59:33. After the race he said, “For the level of condition that I have now, that was without a doubt the hardest physi-cal thing I have ever done.” He and a few other athletes have started an organization called Athletes for Hope, which helps pro-fessional athletes get involved in the com-munity and inspires many non-athletes to get involved and work in the community. Motivation for Armstrong’s re-turn to racing was to develop people’s awareness for the global cancer burden. According to Armstrong, 8,000,000 people will die this year worldwide from cancer, and he feels that people do not realize the impact it makes on everyone’s lives. Arm-strong plans on releasing an international cancer strategy in late September 2008. When Armstrong returns in 2009, will he be able to return to the dominance that people became so accustomed to see-ing. Junior Arman Zadeh said, “ Lance is a great athlete and I think that he will have no problem winning the Tour de France when he comes back. The man won the thing seven times in a row, I think he can do
it.” On the other hand, junior Nick George stated, “ I do not think he will be able to win because his main concern is not to win the Tour de France but to raise aware-ness for cancer, so I question his focus and determination.” No matter what the out-come is, Armstrong’s comeback will surely be something you will not want to miss.
Lance Armstrong wins seventh Tour de France.
Ally Russo and Alyssa Berding put up a deadly block at the net.
Even though the WCAL league is tough, the varsity girls ten-nis team is excited and has high hopes for this year’s 2008-2009 season.The girls are working hard with their coach, Brooke Hoekstra, and their team captains, CJ Wrye and Leslie Nguyen, leading them. Coach Brooke has raised the intensity in their practices and training to prepare them for the season. She is hop-ing for the girls to succeed throughout the year and during the WCAL tournament. Knowing that their league is tough, the girls are trying to learn from their wins and losses. Even though they lost their first league match against Sacred Heart Prep, they are still going to fight for their chance in WCAL. Valley Chris-tian pulled out two wins against Sacred Heart Prep who were seeded number two last year. Senior Christina Trieu played number three singles and sophomore Ber-nadette Fahmy played number 4 singles to both take the win against Sacred Heart Prep. Juniors Leslie Nguyen and Kath-erine Sanine played doubles one and they also won. The outcome of the match against Valley Christian and Sacred Heart Prep was 4-3. Even though Valley Chris-tian lost, the girls played well against the number two seed of the WCAL league. Now the girls are focusing on improving their game by learning from their mistakes against Sacred Heart. Even though they took a loss, they are working hard to prepare for their next matches. Do not miss this chance to sup-port your Lady Warriors on the court!
By Bryan TrieuStaff Writer
By CJ WryeSports Editor
Sophomore Joyce Chen goes up for a serve.
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But Valley Christian ultimately proved to be the dominating force in the match. The Warriors came out huge in the fourth game, crushing Harker 25-14 to force a final fifth game. Thanks to some huge serves by se-nior Ally Russo and solid play all the way around, the girls had a ten-point streak to win the game and the match 15-6. The team yet again dominated with another win against Branham High School on Septem-ber 18, with a score of 25-6, 25-16, 25-17. Next up for the varsity Warriors was the Westmont Invitational Tournament on Saturday, September 20. The team began the morning strong with big wins in pool play. The varsity girls beat Santa Clara in two games, 25-11 and 25-18 and then defeated San Lorenzo Valley easily 25-18, 25-16. Relying on a quick offense
and a huge middle attack from Whitaker and Berding, the girls defeated Willow Glen High School in their cross-over match to place them in the top six of the gold divi-sion. The team routed Saratoga high school in the semifinals with an exciting victory. The girls came out huge in the first game, winning 25-19. In the second game, Sara-toga came out equally strong and secured the lead early in the game, but a strong right side attack from the Saratoga offense was not enough to overcome the Warrior defense. With the game tied at 23-23, right sides junior Rachel Alvey and senior Liz Fleming posted two strong blocks back-to-back to give the game and the match to Val-ley. The Lady Warriors geared up to face the Mercy Burlingame in the finals. They came out dominating from the very start to
smash Mercy easily in two games, 25-12 and 25-18. With this final victory of the day, the girls took home a first place tro-phy and left with an impressive five wins in a row, and a perfect 10-0 game record. Two days later, on Monday, September 22, the varsity team trav-eled to San Mateo for a rematch against Mercy Burlingame. The girls im-proved to a 14-3 overall record with a three game sweep of the Crusaders. The team’s winning streak has led the Warriors to an 11th place rank-ing, as of September 24, by the Mercury News. Look for the team to continue their rise in the rankings as they begin league play against Notre Dame Bel-mont on October 1 at Valley Christian.
Rachel Alvey and Alyssa Berding shut down the opponent’s offense.
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Continued from page 11
Alyssa Berding goes up for apowerful jump serve.
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This year the JV girls tennis team had many new players come out for the team. For a lot of the girls it was there first year playing, but they have proven themselves significant on the court. Coach Britt has the girls drilling hard everyday to get them ready for the West Catholic League. Coach Britt said, “We are having a blast out on the courts. Everyone is work-ing so hard and I can already see improve-ment.” It is clear how well the team is com-ing together. The girls have already formed close friendships with each team mate. On Tuesday, September 16 the team had their first league home game against Presentation High School. The girls played hard, but unfortunately came up short, losing 7-0. Sophomore June Yoo played a hard match going into three sets. However, in the third and final set she was unable to overcome her opponent. Next the girls competed against Saint Francis on Thursday, Septem-ber 18. The girls showed improve-ment, but were unable to get a game against the powerful Lancers.
JV Volleyball Dominates in Non-League Schedule
15THE WARRIORSPORTS September 26, 2008
them and they suffered a very disappoint-ing loss, 25-11. Following this game, the Warriors had to play against Sacred Heart Cathedral. The girls could not recover from the previous hard fought game and were unable to pull out a victory. They lost to the Irish in two games. However, the Warriors still have much to be proud of this tournament as they finished in fourth place out of thirty-two total teams. They also proved to themselves that they have what it takes to compete in the WCAL. Accord-ing to Coach Cabrera, “this was a great first tournament because we were challenged by other tough teams and yet we stood the test.” In their rival match against Harker on September 16, the Warriors came out with lots of energy and were ready to play. Sophomore Mackenzie McMillian and freshman Gabby Flores jumpstarted the Warriors’ offense in the middle and opened up attack opportunities for their teammates on the outside or right-side. The team re-lied on these smart middle hitters to put the ball down in the deep corners and keep their opponents guessing on defense. The Warriors played a very consistent game and came out on top in the end with anoth-er exciting victory to add to their winning
By Alyssa BerdingEditor-in-Chief
Equipped with two new coaches, Kristy Cabrera and AJ Reid, the junior varsity girls volleyball team has started its season and the future looks bright for this talented group of underclassmen. In their non-league opener against Gilroy High School on September 4, the Warriors exceeded expectations and se-cured an easy first victory. Led by sopho-more libero Lindsay Calabrese, strong defense allowed the team to settle all of its first-match jitters and become confident on the court early on. Once all the initial nerves had passed, the Warriors were able to establish momentum and surge ahead of their opponents, securing a decisive win over the Mustangs. On September 9, the girls took on Mount Pleasant High School in another non-league match. Sophomore Nicci Rey-naud was a key attacker for the Warriors throughout this match, with strong kills from the right side and a dominating pres-ence on the net. However, it is also im-portant to mention that the Warriors’ pass-ers definitely stepped up in this game and allowed freshman setter, Kristin Sato, to initiate a successful offense. The girls cap-tured a win in two games. Traveling to Santa Teresa High School on September 10, the Warriors came out looking for their third consecutive win.
Although they did suffer more unforced errors than usual in this match, the girls were able to maintain their composure and slowly push ahead of their opponents. The Warriors finally began to pick up the mo-mentum during the second game and they went on to carry their lead to another Val-ley Christina victory. In their first tournament of the season, the Milpitas Spikefest, on Septem-ber 13, the girls got a taste of how league play will be when it starts in October. The team excelled in the morning, winning its
pool and advancing to the gold bracket, along with three other WCAL teams- Pre-sentation High School, Saint Francis High School, and Sacred Heart Cathedral. In their first gold bracket match, the War-riors faced Saint Francis. The girls came out swinging in the first game, surprising the Lancers with their scrappy defense and strong attacks. The game was neck and neck up until the end, when the Lancers barely surged ahead and stole a nail-biting 26-24 win. In the second game, the War-riors just did not have any more fire left in
Boys Water Polo Brings Speed to Pool
The varsity boys water polo team graduated a talented group of seniors last spring, but that hasn’t stopped this sea-son’s team from starting out strong. They have already competed in two scrimmages against Live Oak and Soquel, as well as in the prominent John Schmitt Tournament on September 12-13, under the leadership of experienced head coach, Caleb Carlson and assistant varsity coach, Kyle Kikuta. This year’s varsity team returns sophomore Casey Fleming and seniors Josh Kapp, Andrew Allen, Alex Hig-ginbotham, Nikolas Kikuta, and goalie Devin Valdez. Even without the Olympic-status speed of Shane Fleming, the guys still feature an extremely quick roster that combines speed, talent, and experience into an impressive arsenal. Higginbotham and Casey Fleming bring remarkable speed that is valuable on both sides of the pool. Left-handed Kikuta is a key scoring ele-ment for the varsity team. Kapp and Allen provide play-making steals and field blocks on the defensive end. This weekend, Sep-tember 26-27, the varsity team competes in
a tournament at Coronado High School in San Diego. This year’s squad is ready to make their presence known in the always-competitive West Catholic Athletic League when they start league play on October 1 against St. Francis. The 2008 boys frosh/soph polo team features a large roster of up-and-coming talent directed by the skillful Kyle Kikuta. With fifteen freshmen joining the program, the future looks bright for VC water polo. The frosh/soph squad com-
By Priscilla ShenAssistant News Editor
Hopes are High for Freshmen Volleyball
This year’s freshmen volleyball team is going to be great; new players, new practices and new games give these girls every chance to succeed. It’s obvious this team is serious about winning, you can tell by just watch-ing one of their practices. The girls practice Monday through Friday unless it’s a game day. The last two games that the team has played were difficult and they lost both de-spite best efforts. The first was against Notre Dame High School and they lost 2-0. The second was against Gilroy High School, with the same score of 2-0. It wasn’t a wasted ex-perience though. Taylor Reyes managed to put a very positive spin on the losses. “Winning or losing doesn’t matter as long as we work together as a team; an Ohana, which means family.” Reyes continued to talk about how much fun the team is hav-ing and how much she will continue to en-joy this sport.
By Leanna BorelliStaff Writer
peted in the Homestead Tournament at the end of August and already got two wins under its belt, featuring impressive perfor-mances by sophomores Bill Hix and An-drei Savastru. It will be exciting to watch these young players as they develop their talent and continue the legacy of a compet-itive boys water polo program with a lot of depth. Come out and support your VC water polo Warriors as they battle in the pool.
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Andrei Savastru, frosh/soph goalie, warms up his arm in preparation for a fierce competition.
The Lady Warriors celebrate after another non-league victory.
KINDNESS WEEK
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14 15 16HS Fall Drama PerformanceEnd of 1st QuarterVC vs. Bell
HS Picture Make- upsFootball Game vs. Mit-ty
HomecomingVC vs. Juni-pero SerraJV: 4:00Varsity: 7:00
HOMECOMING WEEK
Football Game vs. St. Francis
HS Minimum Day- PSAT Testing
No School:Staff In-sevice
30 31 1 2
Dear God We Pray...Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. Psalm 54: 2
OctoberHomecoming Night Rally 7 pm
HS Conser-vatory Col-lege Fair in SF
HS Golf Classic
HS Fall Drama Performance
HS Fall Drama HS Marching Band @ Santa Cruz Band Review
Football Game vs. SHC
HS Fall Drama Performance
HS Fall Drama Performance
HS Fall Drama Performance
No School:ACSI
No School:ACSI
HS Jazz Band Fund-raiser @ Chevy’s
For our CityFor our Country
For our School
HS Square Dance