The Hilltop Echo Chardon High School News

Issue 2, Volume LXXII October 22, 2010

In this issue:News

• ChardonNHSorganizesgoodsdriveforGeaugaCountyDogWarden

Editorial• Chardonschoolspiritahugebenefittoourteams

• ChardonLocalSchoolDistrict’snewlevy

Entertainment• Echowritersre-viewMyChemicalRomance,Emarosa,andLil’Wayne

• InterviewwithSarahWyattfromNewYorkCity

• What’snewwithfallTV?Seepage5tofindout!

Feature• ChardonHighSchoolelectstheirnewHomecomingKingandQueen

• ProgressiveFieldinClevelandturnsthefieldintoanewwin-terattraction

• Howoldistoooldtotrick-or-treat?MeganWhitneyfindsout.

Sports• ChardoncrosscountryteamsweepstheP.A.C.

• SarahMartin’srunthroughthetennispostseason

• EchowriterAdamBenjaminpreviewsthisyear’sNBAseason

Chardon golf takes sixth at districtshit accurate shots all the way from tee to green, and with hazards flanking nearly every fairway, a solid performance is needed if a victory is desired. As if the course wasn’t difficult enough, the weather posed a whole different threat

to the teams, as they set out to keep their seasons alive. With cold temperatures and a wet course, it didn’t seem as though bringing in a good score would be very easy. This assumption turned out to be true to some extent. On a day that the Hilltoppers have been looking forward to all season, some of the team members weren’t able to bring in the scores they might have wanted. Although not all the scores were at the level they are accustomed to being seen at, a few players did come through for their team. Shane Swick posted a low score of 75 and was named medalist of the entire Sectional tournament. This in addition to Holden Pahr’s 77 propelled the Toppers to their second straight Sectional tournament title and

guaranteed them a birth in the districts tournament on October 13, 2010.

Michael Maxwell was quoted as saying, “We feel good going into this tournament, the team made it there last year and we know what it’s going to take

to accomplish our goal and we are prepared for it.”

Last season this tournament was the final stop in the golf team’s run; however, they tried to take every precaution possible this year to ensure that didn’t happen again. That meant extra practices, regardless of rain or cold, playing on their own to get better, or even just team bonding, such as going to dinner with each other and spending time with one another. The players’ dream all year had been to reach the state finals held at The Ohio State University’s Scarlet course. So much so that the word “scarlet” had become sort of an inspirational phrase to the team. It was a reminder of all the hard work each and every player had put towards

reaching that long-sought-after prize of a birth in the state tournament.

As Districts at Pine Hills came to a close and every player had poured all they had into the tournament the outcome was not what the Toppers were looking for. In the end the Chardon golf team finished in sixth place with the top four teams qualifying for the state tournament, they missed the cut by a mere five strokes. Although their season ended earlier than they would have hoped, the team has no reason to hang their heads. Each and every one of them should be proud for all that they have done for the city of Chardon and their school. In two years the team dominated the regular season, won back to back sectional championships, and put Chardon golf on the map. It truly was a special team and definitely one of the best groups of friends, but just because their season is over it doesn’t mean they’ll stop playing together. As long as the weather is nice all of them will be back on the course playing together. Pahr will return next year, as a senior, looking for redemption but will have to do it with new teammates behind him. The other five senior players; Chad Sanders, Shane Swick, Louie Seiler, Mike Maxwell, and Eric Peace will pass on their playing spots to younger players but not without leaving some giant shoes to fill. Don’t view this season’s end at the District tournament as a failure, look at it as the culmination of one the best golf teams ever to play for Chardon High and celebrate it.

Varsitygolfteamlivesuptohypethroughthepostseason

Fall play: Maybe, Baby It’s YouBy Rachel Teuscher This year, Chardon High School’s drama club will be performing Maybe Baby, It’s You. Maybe Baby, It’s You is a comedy about looking for life’s most mysterious fixation—love. The production tells eleven stories of love, including everything from the very first kiss to the not-so-golden years of marriage. Mr. Streiff, choir teacher and director of Maybe Baby, It’s You, described the show by saying “it will undoubtedly provide the actors and audience with a comical yet deeper experience.” According to Mr. Streiff many students decided

to audition this year. “We had a great turn out both on and off stage,” he said. “We almost had twice as many [students] audition than there were spots to fill. I was very pleased with those who decided to audition.”One of the numerous students who auditioned was sophomore Emily Bender. Emily Bender is one of the 25 actors in the production and is eager to be in the play. “It’s very exciting and it’s a new opportunity. I’ve always liked theater and have been doing theater for quite awhile. And it’s nice not to be an extra,” says Emily.

See ‘Play’ page 4

By: Graham ZimmermannLast season the

Chardon Hilltoppers golf team surprised many people by not only taking the Premier Athletic Conference crown but also by finishing in first place at the sectional tournament. This outstanding play in last season’s tournaments propelled the Toppers into the District tournament which meant they were only one good finish away from a trip to the state tournament. The team unfortunately didn’t have its best showing and wasn’t able to qualify in a high enough position to make the cut. The brightside to the tournament was Chardon’s number one player, Holden Pahr, who made the state tournament with his outstanding performance.

This season all the expectations were back and after a dominating showing during the regular conference season, the Toppers only added fuel to the fire. With a regular season record of 11 and 1 and a Premier Athletic Conference tournament victory, another promising post season run seemed inevitable. After advancing through the P.A.C. tournament easily (the second place team finished 11 strokes back), all the focus was on playing well at the sectional tournament. Luckily for Chardon, Sectionals were held at the very same course at which their dominating conference tournament performance took place. Stonewater Golf Club located in Highland Heights, played host to these tournaments, and rightfully so. This course requires players to

Chardon’s switch to Sodexo ensures better foodBy Sarah Brown

In August, the Chardon Board of Education voted to begin using Sodexo Food Services. This year’s theme for the food program is “Food, Friends, and Fun!” Sodexo is a leading food provider in hospitals, schools, and colleges around the country. The motive for switching food providers at Chardon came from the financial need to become more budget friendly. Superintendent Bergant visited different schools in Ohio that had been using Sodexo, and was impressed by both the presentation and the better nutrition of the food. Each of three Chardon school

levels has uniquely designed meal plans. The elementary schools have a “Kid’s Way Café,” Chardon Middle School has the “Energy Download Zone,” and CHS has the “Cross Roads Café.” CHS also got another addition to the Cafeteria with a Deli section, where fresh sandwiches can be made-to-order “Subway” style. Pizza is served everyday along with freshly grilled sandwiches. There is also a new entrée everyday.

The food is definitely healthier this year. The pizzas are made with whole grain dough for the crust and low-fat cheeses.

See ‘Sodexo’ page 6

NewsThe Hilltop Echo October 22, 2010

2NHS wants school community to lend a helping pawBy Laura Louden

Across the United States, thousands of dogs are lost or surrendered every year. In Geauga County, the dog warden is here to take in and care for dogs in this situation. To help offset the cost of such duties, National Honor Society is hosting the “Werewolves and Woofs” fundraiser until the end of October. Mrs. Weir, the head of NHS, explained, “There are two organizations in the area - Rescue Village and the dog warden. The dog warden doesn’t get funding like Rescue Village does, and they really do a good job with the dogs. We want the opportunity to give to the dog warden and help care for the animals.”

Dog warden duties began back in 1917, when the sheriff ’s deputy did the work. Now it is Ohio law for all eighty-eight counties to employ a dog warden to patrol the area for stray canines. For the past eight years, Mr. Matthew Granito has filled that position. Along with his staff, he runs the shelter and performs warden duties, which includes checking dog licenses and looking out for vicious

animals. If Mr. Granito finds a dog, it is kept at the shelter for three days; after that time, it is then put up for adoption if no one claims ownership.

So just how many dogs does Mr. Granito find? In 2009, a total number of 731 were found in one year alone, with 312 reclaimed by the owner, 394 adopted or sent to another rescue club, and 25 humanely euthanized because they were either too sick or aggressive to be adopted out. The dog warden is not

a kill shelter and only turns to euthanasia when there is no other option available in the case of suffering or extremely aggressive dogs. Ninety-seven percent of dogs at the warden have had their owners found for them or are

New technology comes to ChardonBy Brian Vadakin When new technology is created or improved everyday, older technology becomes obsolete and outdated. Many have bought a brand new iPod, cell phone, or camera, only to have the company release a new and improved version two months later. While this may be annoying to the average teenager, in the realm of education it is a much larger p r o b l e m . S c h o o l districts naturally want their students to have the best opportunities to learn, and so would like them to equip classrooms with the best technology. The problem that always seems to present itself is a lack of money. New technology, like SMART boards or LCD projectors, are by no means inexpensive. Administrators must decide if the merits of the new technology outweigh the cost of purchasing it, installing it, and training teachers in its use. Unfortunately, this is not the only step in obtaining new technology. Even if a desire for the technology exists, the money may not. This is often a problem and one of the main reasons that many of the teachers at Chardon High School lack the technology they need. Chardon Local School District recently purchased 10 SMART boards through a grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – more commonly known as the “stimulus package” passed in 2009. The interactive whiteboards will be installed at the high school, middle school, and elementary schools. Three boards will be utilized by the CHS Special Education program in rooms 2, 301, and 302. This program will hopefully be able to get some of the most productive use out of the new technology. As for other classrooms, the technology is coming, albeit slowly. Chardon High School administrators have learned that they cannot always count on the district budget for money to update our technology. Recently, money was budgeted for LCD projectors and SMART boards, but the district allocated the money somewhere else. Luckily, one of the many things

that Chardon administrators are good at is finding creative sources of money. By running the summer school program extremely prudently, about 10,000 dollars were generated to spend on new technology. One of Mr. May’s last projects before leaving to become the principal of Maple Elementary was to use this money to

p u r c h a s e c l a s s r o o m t e chno log y for the high school. This p u r c h a s e i n c l u d e d n u m e r o u s

Mimio devices, which are less expensive alternatives to SMART boards that still allow increased interactivity. These devices have been purchased, but have not yet been installed. Principal Fetchik hopes to not only continue the purchase of new technology, but also increase it. One of his goals is for every teacher to be equipped with the technology they need within the next five years. He understands that some other schools in the area have equipped many of their classrooms with new technology. “I want to provide our kids the same opportunities as other schools,” said Fetchik. “I want to ensure we’re giving our kids the same tools for success.” Although at times skeptical about the magnitude of the effect SMART boards and other technology have on instruction, Fetchik realizes that they do have the possibility to change the nature of the classroom. He hopes that some of this technology may allow students to explore the world from their classroom, because, as he put it matter-of-factly, “we can’t send students to France every year.” Mr. Fetchik also stressed the importance of teachers in the learning process over new technology. In Chardon, he says, there is a history of being “creative with limited resources.” Teachers at Chardon have always used what they have had to create lessons that are interesting and interactive. Although getting a SMART board in your classroom might be pretty cool, remember that they are not the most important tool of education. Tens of thousands of students before us have done just fine without them.

One of Mr. Fetchik’s goals is for every teacher to be equipped with the technology they need within the next five years.

adopted out to loving homes. Generating enough

funds is a huge concern for the shelter. With 14,000 dogs registered in Geauga County, their funds mainly come from the purchase of required dog licenses and the money coming in from impound fees, tickets for running at large, adoption fees, and donations. The majority of the donations are spent taking care of the injured and sick dogs; it costs about 400 to 500 dollars to treat each animal, which

inevitably adds up and takes away from funding. Money is also spent vaccinating and neutering each dog before adoption.

By holding a fundraiser, NHS will help provide essentials for the shelter. Donations of bleach, disinfectants, paper towels, money, nyla and rawhide bones, towels and heartworm and flea medication will be extremely helpful. Also, it is never too late to give some of

your time; dogs at the shelter need volunteers to help exercise them, clean pens, and be a playmate. Applications for volunteering at the warden can be found in guidance. Be sure to donate this October and help a dog in need.

Attention All Students and Teachers!

WHAT: 10th Annual Chili Cook Off!WHEN: Tonight at 4:00 PM

Tickets are $6 per person, and children 5 and under eat free! All proceeds benefit the Flight 93 memorial.

FeatureThe Hilltop Echo October 22, 2010

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New king and queen elected for CHSBy Kristen Morgan The 2010 Homecom-ing Court was a wonderful group of individuals. They are all outstanding students and are very active in school ac-tivities. While they all had their eyes on the king and queen crown, only two lucky ducks were able to obtain the title. The Homecoming football game against North was a very exciting game. Even with the float judging, the pa-rade, and the intense game, the most exciting moment for the court was the announc-ing of the queen. The five girls stood with their parents, all waiting patiently to see who would be crowned as the 2010 Homecoming Queen. The boys on the court had to wait it out until the dance before they could hear the results for Homecoming King. As the suspense thickened, the announcer fi-nally said, “And your 2010 Homecoming Queen is Caitlin Merz!” The crowd exploded with cheers as Emilie Fether-off, the previous Homecoming Queen, passed on the crown and sash to Caitlin Merz. Cait-lin was congratulated by the other court members and then bombarded with hugs

from her fellow cheerleaders. “I felt strange when my name was called. It was slightly over-whelming and I had no time to think. I was just smothered in hugs and love,” Caitlin ex-plained. With Caitlin’s bubbly and funny personality, it was no surprise that the Char-don High School students voted her for queen. “I did make posters and hand out candy in order to campaign, but I think my commercial was what helped the most. It turned out to be a hit!” Caitlin joked as she thought back to her Mean Girls inspired com-mercial. It consisted of quotes from the movie with a few twists so that it would apply to Caitlin Merz. Teachers, Mr. Shaffer and Senora Neumann, even helped her out by ap-pearing in the commercial. The following night at the dance, the king was an-nounced. As the court lined up on the stairs, the crowd of students all chanted “Slopez, Slopez!” Colin later explained that it was a nickname the trainer gave his older brother. Colin inherited the nickname once he got to high school. “They call me Slopez because I’m not very fast when I run,” Colin said with a smile. Af-

ter a moment of suspense, Allyson Craddock, Student Council President, announced Colin Lopez as the 2010 Homecoming King. Last year’s king, Tyler Ritt, had the honor of giving Colin his crown. “I was very shocked but it was really exciting.” Colin said as he described the moment he was crowned. “I didn’t really campaign much but I did make a big sign. My commercial was the most I did to campaign,” Colin explained. Colin’s buddy, Riley Hawkins, gave him the idea for his commercial. The commercial consisted of the football players telling kids to vote for Colin, or else! The commercial was very humor-ous and many CHS students seemed to enjoy watching it. With both of Caitlin and Colin’s fun-loving attitudes and hilarious personalities, it was no surprise that they were voted the 2010 CHS Homecoming King and Queen.

By Seanna SicherEveryone has a

childhood dream. Some dream of being superheroes and others of being superstars. Sarah Wyatt dreamed of making it big, and what better place to chase those dreams than New York City. After participating in a showcase with top industry people, Sarah Wyatt received an offer from an agency for commercial and commercial model print work. The only catch was that she would have to move to New York. To her, passing up an opportunity like that was crazy, which is why she now finds herself living in a small New Jersey town, 20 minutes from Manhattan.

Seanna Sicher: How is life in New York different than life in Chardon? Do you enjoy it more?Sarah Wyatt: Life is super different. I am living in New Jersey, 20 minutes from Times Square. It is still busy, and has that go-go-go kind of feel in this little town, but it is still a good rest to come back after a hectic day through the city.

Sarah Wyatt: Living the DreamThere is no driving because everyone is crazy, all buses, subways, trains or walking. People can be really friendly and others not so much. You have to completely keep your

guard on all the time and it would be best to walk around dressed as a bag lady to avoid weirdos. Instead of being able to smile at people like you can in Chardon you don’t dare look at basically anyone. Although, the beauty is that you can walk down the street painted in rainbow colors and nobody thinks a thing about it: no judging, everyone is themselves and not intimidated by the next person. It is hard

to say if I like it better or not. It is so different, and growing up in Chardon I love the small town, although I love the city a lot. It has always been a dream to move here at the age of

16 and do what I am doing, and by golly I made it with 3 months to spare. I am so thankful and I definitely miss Chardon, because it truly is awesome. Now, instead of midnight Wal-Mart adventures and trips to Sheetz for gummy worms, this city never sleeps, so its not as pathetic, and there are many more options to do, even if I do miss that a ton.

Seanna Sicher: What is the best and worst part?Sarah Wyatt: The best part… that’s hard to choose. I tend to live life like a movie, and everything that happens is just another scene in the movie, so the whole idea of what I am doing makes it the best; to be able to do what I am doing at such a young age and meeting the people I am meeting is just absolutely incredible!

See ‘Wyatt’ page 6

‘Snow Days’ for kids of all ages at Progressive FieldBy Caitlin Merz Baseball: America’s beloved pastime. At any given baseball game at Cleveland’s Progressive Field one can expect to find over 20,000 people in attendance. Indians fans flock from all over Northeast Ohio to enjoy the popcorn, peanuts, and oh so entertaining mascot Slider; these things and more are what add to the thrill of the game. The baseball season, however, only lasts from April through September.

So what happens after September? Of course, the field must be cleaned up after the final game and there are a few end-of-season jobs to attend to; but, after that, the field usually sits empty and unused for four months. However, it won’t be empty at all this year. In hope of raising some much needed extra funds, the Indians are turning Progressive Field into a winter wonderland this year. They will be hosting “Snow Days” starting Friday, November 26 –the day after Thanksgiving. Their plan is to fill the field with an ice rink that loops around the warning track, a play area for kids, a fire pit on the home run porch, a walking trail with holiday lights, and a 60-foot inner tube hill that descends from the bleachers onto the field. “This

first of its kind event will give downtown Cleveland another marquee attraction this winter that will be sure to create memories for families, friends and co-workers,” said Vice President of Public Relations, Bob Dibiasio, in an interview with Ballpark Digest. Most students around CHS were not aware of this event, but seem to be very pleased with the new idea. “That sounds freakin’ awesome! I’m so excited that I could cry,” commented senior Melissa Morgan. Senior Aurora Owens said, “I am an avid tobogganer and winter activity lover so I would definitely consider visiting “Snow Days” this winter.” Likewise, senior Cole Eversole is “stoked” about the event. Senior Robbie Wright said that it sounds like a good idea, but would rather support a local business such as Alpine Valley. Everyday the field will be smothered with 150 tons of fresh snow: resulting in over 5,000 tons by the end of the “Snow Day” season. There will be a five dollar general entrance fee that will grant you access to the snow hill and trail but, tubing and skating will be extra. “Snopening Day” is November 26 when fireworks will add to the excitement and top off the night.

How old is too old to trick-or-treat?By Megan Whitney Is there an age limit for free candy? The members of Chardon High School have spoken. Crazy costumes, parties and free candy make Halloween one of kids’ favorite holidays, but is there an age where you become too old for trick-or-treating? After asking the opinions and reasoning of four people, including Mrs. Ann Grantham, Evan Morrissette, Emily Petkosek, and Brooke Bender, we have come to a conclusion.

Mrs. Grantham believes that you can never out grow trick-or-treating; in fact she doesn’t believe in growing up at all. “As long as you put work and effort into making a costume, you deserve candy,” said Mrs. Grantham. She thinks everyone should at least make an effort to try and dress up for Halloween and she will give candy to anyone who does. One Halloween, a trick-or-treater knocked on her door wearing their grandparent’s World War II uniform, which really impressed the Social

Studies/English teacher who then gave the kid a lot of candy. Better

costume equals more candy from Mrs. Grantham but Evan seems to think otherwise.

Evan Morrissette, a junior, believes there is a specific age in which you have out-grown trick-or-treating and that age is “about 16.” He believes that eventually it becomes weird and that “when you’re too big to fit in your costume,” you have should have outgrown trick-or-treating. Although Evan can provide a specific age where people should stop trick-or-treating, he has not done a lot a trick-or-treating himself. He lives in Munson, where the houses are so far apart that one can only get to about ten houses before the event becomes tiresome. Evan is not alone in his belief; others, like Emily, also think that there is a time where you need to be cut-off.

Freshman Emily Petkosek believes that trick-or-treating is not ageless.

See ‘Age’ page 6

EntertainmentThe Hilltop Echo October 22, 2010

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‘Play’ continued from page 1This is not Emily’s first time in a Chardon High School production. She was in One Acts last year and has been involved with theater at the Geauga Lyric Theater Guild for the majority of her life. When asked about her scene she described it as “a mar-ried couple going through relationship problems due to lack of passion.” Emily, who plays the wife, is trying to add more excitement to her mar-riage with her husband, who is played by senior Cody Griffis. Another actor in the show, sophomore Cole Kor-nell, will be in the show as well. This is Cole’s second play at Chardon High School, but he’s been acting since the fourth grade. Last year he played Barry in Boys Next Door, a character with schizophrenia and a bad relationship with his father. In this production, he plays an “awkward” guy who’s on a blind date with a crazy Greek woman named Medea, who is played by ju-

nior Sam Kuzmic. Cole says he is “pumped for the show because it is good to keep in practice with [his] acting.” When asked about how he knows who is right for each role, Mr. Strieff said, “Characters have to have good chemistry together. Some people are easily adaptable and others have more specific roles that they might be best at playing…There can be qual-ity auditions that aren’t always met with a spot in the show, depending what roles are avail-able. I try to incorporate as many students into each pro-duction as I can, while keeping the integrity of its purpose.” Mr. Streiff hopes that with the help from 75 students and “everyone contributing their piece of the puzzle,” this production will be a hit. Maybe Baby, It’s You will be performed on November 11, 12, and 13 at 7 P.M. at the Park Elementary Auditorium. Tickets are $5.00 for students and staff and $8.00 for general admission.

Echo writers review the latest new musicNew My Chemical Romance SingleBy Brooke Bender On Tuesday Septem-ber 28, the rock band My Chemical Romance released “Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na),” the first single on their album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys that is due to come out in stores on No-

vember 22nd. It will be their first album since The Black Parade was released back in 2006. The album was originally due to be released earlier this year, but when the band lost their drummer and real-ized they weren’t happy with the music they’d made, they scrapped most of the origi-nal songs and began to work on a whole new album with a different producer. They went with Rob Cavallo, who they worked with for The Black Parade and is best known for

producing music by Green Day, Paramore, and Jewel. After “Na Na Na” was available on iTunes for a day, it jumped to the nineteenth spot in the top 100 of all genres and to the very top of iTunes’ alternative chart. This data proves that many fans have stayed loyal even though the new song has a different, more upbeat sound than songs from previous albums. Natalie Ro-

mano, a sophomore at CHS, said, “After The Black Parade and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge it was a very differ-ent sound, but in a good way.” She also said that “if you like new age punk music and you hear this song, you’d like it.” The new sound may even at-tract new ears, which could boost sales even more. When asked what she expected from the upcoming album, Natalie readily replied, “I ex-pect greatness… This is going

to be as big as – if not big-ger than – The Black Parade.” After their gruel-ing world tour that ended in October of 2007, My Chemi-cal Romance decided to take a break from music and work on their personal lives. Dur-ing this time Gerard Way got married, wrote a comic book series, and had a daughter. Frank Iero found a wife, had twin daughters, and worked on a music side project by becoming the front man of a group called Leathermouth. Ray Toro also got married.

Jonny Monroe brings new sound to the hardcore genreBy Chris Skiba Jonathon “Jonny” Monroe Craig is a rock/soul singer for bands Dance Gavin Dance and Emarosa. He has brought originality and a fresh sound to a music scene filled with screams, moshing, and a bad reputation, which he has replaced with hard hitting vocals and power-ful lyrics. His voice is some-thing special and is some-thing he has had all his life. Jonny Craig was born on March 26, 1986 in Abbots-ford, British Columbia. His inspiration for music came from his mother, who enjoyed gospel and soul music. At a young age he developed his own sound and singing voice. As a kid, Jonny was a poor stu-dent who didn’t enjoy school and dropped out at age 15 to chase his dream of music. He left home in 2000 and moved to Washington, where he started a garage band called westerHALTS. In 2001 they released their first song enti-tled “Change, Leisure, and Re-tirement.” After a short time with westerHALTS he joined another Washington band in 2002 which he called “Ghost Runner on Third.” On January 4, 2005, they released their de-but EP entitled Dreams. The EP received positive reviews and many people were impressed by Craig’s vocals. Early on in his career with Ghost Run-ner, he left the band due to an overwhelming drug problem. Soon though, he found new hope with the psychadelic/hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance. DGD offers a sound never heard before. They com-bine happy upbeat guitars with trashy screams and vocals that send a different kind of mes-sage, unlike a typical screamo band. Jonny Craig’s singing in Dance Gavin Dance’s full length album Downtown

Battle Mountain, also received positive reviews. Allmusic web-site compared Jonny’s voice to Michael Jackson in some parts of his songs. Due to unknown issues, Jonny left DGD as well. After only two weeks of leaving DGD, Jonny joined post-hardcore band Emarosa. They formed in Lexington, Kentucky in 2006. The band released their EP in 2007 en-titled This Is Your Way Out. After lineup changes, Emarosa picked up Jonny and released their first album called Rela-tivity. It is an amazing album that received amazing reviews. As you listen to Emarosa you can tell that Jonny’s voice fits with them much more than any other project he has done. Screams and the typi-cal breakdowns are replaced with amazing vocals, hard hit-ting guitar riffs, and beauti-ful choruses. Emarosa offers something that most bands in the underground scene do not have, and that is the drive to be different and take people by surprise. Emarosa recently released their sec-ond album self entitled Ema-rosa and played it at the 2010 Vans Warped Tour. They show no signs of slowing down and continue to be the clean up hitter for a lineup of hardcore bands in a scene full of variety.

Lil’ Wayne releases great new albumBy Nate Kooy On Monday October 4th, the rapper known as Lil’ Wayne released a new album which was on his 28th birthday. I Am Not A Human Being is the biggest album downloaded on iTunes, the ten track album is the eighth album he has re-leased. Lil’ Wayne is currently in prison at Rikers Island for one year for a weapon’s charge. The lead song, which is the most popular in the new release, is “Right Above It” featuring Drake and has sold more than half a million digi-tal downloads. The CD copy of the new release will not be out until Octo-ber 12th. While behind bars, Lil’ Wayne still stays in touch of his fans through web-sites and talks about how is he doing in prison, and how he hopes to be out on November 4th. “Making the album was a lot of fun, because

I love recording. That’s what I love to do, next to breathing,” says Lil’ Wayne. Birdman, Lil’ Wayne’s father, talks about his son’s album, “When Wayne do what he do, he takes seri-ous pride in his work. I think it’s a great album. To me, he’s switching back and he is just rapping about how he’s feel-ing. He’s a genius, so the mu-sic is always going to be great. He wanted to put I Am Not a Human Being out to show people he’s always in the building.” Birdman also says “That’s my son, I love him, and you always miss a loved one.” This album is very hot. I don’t even like Lil’ Wayne and I had to check this out! “I’m Single” [ft. Drake], “Popu-lar” [ft. Lil Twist], and “That Ain’t Me” [ft. Jay Sean], are three out of the ten tracks on the album. The lyrics and beat went together the best for me. After hearing those songs, I listened to them again and again. Those three songs were perfect and are the only Lil’ Wayne songs I listen to. I’m not really sur-prised Wayne’s in jail. What rapper hasn’t been in the slammer, for having weapons, drug, and stupid acts that got them there? Lil’ Wayne before he was arrested was smoking marijuana by his tour bus after he finished performing at the Beacon Theatre. Police also found that he not only was smoking an illegal drug, but he was carrying a .40 caliber pistol. “When I read those let-ters, that fan mail, and see what they say about what my music does for them,” Lil’ Wayne says, “and how it helped them through situations….to read that, make me take my words and my whole outlook on what I’m doing a lot more se-riously,” Wayne says. So when he gets out he’ll have a bet-ter life with the success he’s having and actually be able to enjoy it with friends and fam-ily if he stays true to his word.

EntertainmentThe Hilltop Echo October 22, 2010 5

New honest levyBy Evan Morrissette There’s a genuine rea-son for this levy. Or there may not be. It’s hard to tell, con-sidering the Chardon Local School District website men-tions no specifics as to where the money will be spent be-yond “preserving the services and programs provided to our students”. An outlook on this issue is rather blurred due to the lack of info provided. If the levy is meant to support elective classes to be taken in school or other learning out-lets that let individuals try new experiences, great. The com-munity should be all for that. If it’s about something along the lines of “redecorate the caf-eteria to have a more positive vibe”, that is a very different story. There are other issues on the ballot, that, while per-haps less important than the levy is to the school and stu-dents, may still be far more im-portant to others living in the area. If people have grandpar-ents, they may be more inter-ested in the proposed hous-ing units for elderly people. The levy was first mentioned on June 24th, dur-ing a special board meeting. Since then, the school board has decided on a millage of 4.29, which will raise 2.85 mil-lion dollars per year for the duration of five years. This will cost the average taxpayer about eleven dollars a month. As mentioned, the exact de-tails of what this levy money will be spent on is unclear. There was concern during the June meeting that the state might interfere to make the school meet its budget, and this levy is a good chance to help the school meet its bud-get. People should try to support this levy, since in all likelihood the money will be put towards maintaining the school’s after school activi-ties, such as Interact club and the sports teams. Our school has an excellent repertoire of extracurricular activities (al-though we still need to add fencing to the list). Citizens should also support this levy

Fall TV shows for every tastefor upholding elective classes; I take a few myself (Writing for Publications II, first and fore-most). While there shouldn’t be doubt that some of the school programs could use some trimming of their bud-gets, I believe that the mon-ey saved by such thriftiness would likely not be enough to keep all our electives and services afloat. Considering that the number of academic and extracurricular options here at Chardon High School is one of the reasons we are one of the finest schools in Ohio (Greatschools.org gave CHS a nine out of ten and the average parent rating for CHS was four out of five stars), parents should be willing to invest eleven dollars a month to keep us up and running. Mr. Fetchik, the school principal, remarked “85% of the school budget goes towards staff pay-ment, and that failure of the levy will likely lead to staff cut-ting”. This stresses the impor-tance of the levy as a means of keeping our teachers (and their classes) in the school. I wish the school district would reveal a bit more about what they’re spending the money on, though. The peo-ple paying the money should have the right to know what it’s being spent on. This rea-son for the unclear situation is mainly due to the reason that the school directors have not begun to fully plan what they will do with the levy money until they know the levy will be passed. The school (partic-ularly the treasurer) is trying to address this issue, but the given reports were confus-ing for the most part (I liked how the document link “Five Year Forecast with 4.29 Levy” is followed by “How to Read a Five Year Forecast”). Due to lack of information on all the issues, particularly non-school ones, other projects such as the housing for the elderly, last mentioned during the June meeting and not dis-cussed since, are even more unclear on their present state.

By Gabby Hollowell Work needs to be as fun as Michael Scott makes it. There needs to be someone to crack those “That’s what she said” jokes whenever it’s made possible, and stop everyone from working to do something fun, but unproductive. Unfor-tunately, Steve Carell’s last season on The Office is this one (season eight). As of now, no one really knows what to expect for next season. And now for the big question: who will be taking his place? This past summer, Steve Carell announced that he won’t be renewing his contract to con-tinue his role as Michael Scott on the hit show The Office.

Yes, probably some of the worst TV news out there. As of now, there are other actors in mind for Carell’s replace-ment. There is a slight chance it may be someone who is on the show already, but it will most likely be someone from outside. Many actors have been considered to take the one-of-a-kind role of Michael Scott. Even Ricky Gervais, who played the character David Brent, the British equivalent to Michael Scott on England’s version of The Office, has been taken into consideration. Marisa Sensibello is a 10th grader at CHS whose favor-ite show is The Office. When asked if any character cur-

rently on the show could take Carell’s place, who should it be? “Dwight (Schrute) or Jim (Halpert),” she says. “Jim was co-in charge before, but Dwight is just a nutcase and Jim would mess with him, making the show funny.” When asked who from outside the show should take Steve’s place, Marisa said, “Someone who is really funny, like Robin Williams or Ben Stiller.” According to NBC news, The Office is the most successful comedy on NBC since Friends. It is a popular show among Chardon High’s student body. Fans of the show will be sad to see Steve Carell depart. After he leaves,

it will be up to the writers to keep the show as funny as it is. Carell told news report-ers that it was time for him to leave so that he can spend more time with his family. He thinks The Office can succeed without him, and sees it as a good change to the show. Marisa said if Steve Carell leaves, the most she’ll miss about his character is his stupidity, the “that’s what she said” jokes, and how he reacts to each situation. “I don’t want Steve Carell to leave. He’s re-ally funny and brings a lot of life to The Office and I think it will be really dull when he leaves.” When asked if she

thought the show should go on with Steve leaving and if she would still watch it, she said, “I think it should end, but I don’t want it to because it’s really funny. If Steve Carell leaves, I would watch the first episode of the season he’s not on and see if I like it.” Lexi Barlow, also a sophomore, thinks the show will be boring and life-less. “I’ll miss his reactions to little details and his random metaphors to little things that are going on,” Lexi says. Whoever aces the role of Michael Scott will get a nice win. The question is will everyone love him?

By Andrew Blackley These days TV has a show for every taste, from reality shows, to cop dramas, to sitcoms, to animated adult comedies, TV can’t go wrong. With the internet replacing television, can TV pull itself up by its boot straps? The new fall schedule is packed with new shows, and of course all new episodes of pre existing shows. With classic TV dra-mas like 24, LOST, and Law & Order now at an end, what brand new show will drama fans watch? Lost fans may take a liking to CBS’s Hawaii Five-0, with familiar face Dan-iel Dae Kim. Hawaii Five-0 is the second attempt to re-make the 1968 TV show by the same name. For a darker

drama, there is a return of Showtime’s Dexter. Now in its fifth season, Dexter (Michael C. Hall) faces new challenges as a police officer. This is no ordinary police drama though, in his secret life Dexter is a psychopathic serial killer who only kills people who “deserve it”. AMC has brought some of TV’s greatest dramas to date. The award-winning Mad Men returned for its fourth season and Breaking Bad for its fourth as well. The two shows may

share a common network, and number of seasons, but have little in common. Mad Men fol-lows the suave, smooth talk-ing, womanizing Don Draper, who works for an advertising company on Madison Avenue in the 1960s. Breaking Bad on the other hand takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and follows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with lung cancer. To insure his families financial future he starts pro-ducing and selling the drug methamphetamine with his former student Jesse Pinkman. With hardly anything in com-mon, these shows have one giant similarity, they are both worth checking out this fall. Although TV has lost many

of its greatest dramas, there are still many to choose from. If Drama is not a prime choice, comedy may be anoth-er option. ABC’s Emmy award-winning comedy Modern Fam-ily returned for its second season. The “mockumentary” follows the crazy lives of three Pritchett families, from going to Hawaii, to kidney stones, to an earthquake, hilarious insan-ity ensues. NBC and CBS also have many great comedies to choose from, NBC has greats

like The Office, Saturday Night Live and Parks & Recreations and the award-winning 30 Rock. 30 Rock takes place at the famous 30 Rockefeller Pla-za, and is based on the show’s star Tina Fey and her experi-ences as the head writer for Saturday Night Live. With its amazingly funny guest stars, its witty dialogue, and great plots, 30 Rock deserves every Emmy it has won. CBS, on the other hand has sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half men, and The Big Bang Theory. CBS has a new sitcom this fall called Mike & Molly, a show which follows the lives of an overweight couple in Chicago. If animated comedies are a favorite, Fox’s Family Guy returned for its ninth season

and The Simpsons for its 22nd. With so many great com-edies to choose from, there can never be a dull moment. For any and every taste, TV has something. With so many shows from drama, to comedy, to reality, and every-thing in between, it makes for an easy choice. With increasing competition against the inter-net, TV really needs the best shows possible. This fall, we will see if TV can really stand up.

Steve Carell leaves fans of The Office wondering

JumpThe Hilltop Echo October 22, 2010

6‘Sodexo’ continued from page 1Sides include carrot sticks, apple sauce, pretzels, apples, a small side salad, cherry to-matoes, trail mix, mini rice crispy treats, and other health-ier options. You can build a sub or sandwich with wheat

bread and a variety of veg-etables and fresh lunch meats. The meals this year are also more creative than previ-ous year’s options: paninis, new pizza combinations such as buffalo chicken pizza and veggie pizza, wraps, and sal-ads such as popcorn chicken salads, buffalo chicken salads, and chicken caesar salads. Students and teach-ers alike are starting to take notice of this new change.

Señora Neumann, who used to pack everyday, now finds herself buying her lunches from the school. And freshman Alex Karr says that the school lunches “are better tasting and more unique.” “I really en-

joy going to lunch and eating the school food,” says junior Reid Morrison, who also en-joys the switch to Sodexo. “It’s really good food for once.” All in all, the switch to Sodexo as the food provider for Chardon School district has made lunches healthier and more enjoyable for Char-don students. The healthier food is just another good reason to come to school.

“I really enjoy going to lunch and eating the

school food,” says junior reid morrison. “it’s really

good food for once.”

‘Wyatt’ continued from page 3And… I’m in charge of what I eat!! Most people think that this is all glam and wonderful. Although it has its incredible awesomeness to be thankful for, it’s much harder than you think. To sum it up, I moved with a 23 year old close family friend who is also signed with the agency. It’s not realistic for my parents to move, so that brings a ton of responsibilities. I have to buy all my food and really maintain how I eat, keep a good sleep sched-ule and not overdo stuff, find a side job, practice, market myself, go on castings, fin-ish school, take classes, deal with the fact that everyone thinks I’m 20 and never be around people my age, talk to professionals, get around the city alone, learn the busi-ness, AND manage the nitty gritty stuff as an actor/singer/dancer/model/voiceover etc. Basically, I have to live an adult life with a teenage life on top. I can’t complain but it can be rough stuff, and a big risk to take. It takes a lot of trust and strength and the need for sup-port, but I wholeheartedly love it and am more than blessed.Seanna Sicher: What do you miss the most about Chardon?Sarah Wyatt: I mostly miss all of my friends, because I am not in a school setting and I’m never around people my age. They all think I’m 20. The friends I have made are all those adult professionals

that you are terrified to talk to because of who they are, but that’s who I see or talk to the most. I also miss the quiet, nothingness to do, adventures to Sheetz and Wal-Mart, I mean come on people that’s good stuff. And the stars, if you like the stars you’ll appreciate this, and if you don’t notice

them, look at them sometime for me, the lights are too bright here. OH! And the noises, it is very noisy with the train sta-tion right by us; it goes by and sounds like we are on it. And the airport, I swear it sounds like planes might hit the house. And the drummer next door. Loud. Hambden was much quieter. But you get used to it and it now doesn’t faze me. Seanna Sicher: What are you planning for the future?Sarah Wyatt: Plans for the future… the future is so un-known it’s unbelievable, one

day at an intensive acting class, 10 minute rush to a model fitting, and then rush to a voiceover event. Which to many people, that’s all in the industry, but those three things in themselves are huge subsets with more subsets within them and the list goes on. My current stature is with the commercial and commer-cial model print, with fashion modeling thrown in there too, and I am doing voiceover training with Joan Baker. The ultimate goal is Broadway and more and more passions are evolving out of what gets thrown at me. So now, I will take what I can get, improve my skills, get my name out there, connect with people, get noticed and just let things ride, for all I know I could be back in Chardon at the end of the year. Except in all real-ity, with all that has been put into this and the track that I am on, I am determined and I will get there. Even though there will be a lot of struggles, I will accomplish what I know I want to do. It’ll just take time.Seanna Sicher: What is your advice to everyone back home?Sarah Wyatt: ADVICE! Now, people this is legit stuff here, you all have been given gifts, use them, don’t abuse them, and do what you love. Count your blessings once in a while. Defend people in-stead of bringing people down all the time. Everyone has a reason for the things they do.You better be thankful for what you have and don’t take a thing for granted!

“Even though there will be a lot of struggles, I will accom-plish what I know I want to do. It’ll just take time.” – Sarah wyatt

‘Age’ continued from page 3“There is a certain point where you should stop trick-or-treat-ing, and that point is when it becomes creepy,” stated Emily. She too enjoys the Halloween task of trick-or-treating but firmly believes that even-tually it becomes weird and you have to grow up. Although, sometimes Halloween can be too mature. Emily Petkosek knew a boy who went into the Scarehouse in Painesville when he was eight. After going though the multiple horrors of the house, he came out with a wet spot on his pants. Apparently he wet himself because he was so scared, showing that there may also be an age at which one is too young to experience the frights of Halloween. “You should be allowed to trick-or-treat as long as you want,” says sophomore, Brooke

Bender, “but there is a point where people are less willing to give you candy.” Brooke believes that everyone should enjoy trick-or-treating for as long as they want but there

comes a time where you should stop and leave some candy for future generations. She agrees that trick-or-treat-ing has a limit but that limit does not look to be in the

near future for Brooke Bender as you can find her this Halloween dressed as a butterfly. In the end, it seems that by consent there is a time when you no longer should go from house to house and threaten “candy or else.” Also, the age at which teenagers should no longer trick-or-treat is determined by the individual’s view. Still, for most of you Chardonites, there is not an end to your fun in the near future. You are welcome to dress up in what ever crazy cool costume you wish and take candy from strang-ers and Mrs. Grantham.

EditorialThe Chardon CraziesBy Kelly Bergenstein When the Chardon Hilltoppers are mentioned, one of the first thing to come to mind is the famous student section, the Chardon Cra-zies. Since its formation by Scott Taylor, who graduated this past June, Chardon High School has seen an instanta-neous rise in school spirit and overall participation during Friday night football games.We owe a great deal of thanks to senior Chad Sanders, the fearless leader of the Char-don Crazies, for taking the time to bring us together as one well-oiled spirit machine. With his organization of weekly themes (White Outs, Red Outs, Hick Outs, and Black Outs) not only can rival schools hear our school spirit, they can see it by our corre-sponding appearances. Our very visible respect for our football team has served as a reminder to our opponents that no matter how many points we may score, the Toppers will never truly lose. Senior football player, Nate Kooy believes that look-ing up to the stands through-out the game helps him keep his energy up, and his head in the game. “It’s nice to see ev-

eryone getting involved,” he says. Many athletes can agree that witnessing the amount of faith their fan base has in them always helps to prepare them for the task at hand. To see the number of people showing up to tailgate before football games is re-ally rather inspiring, even to the people who aren’t a part of any of Chardon’s athletics. The confidence this energetic group of students portrays is enough to make any per-son feel like dropping their insecurities, and diving head-first into fandom. Dressing up like a Hilltopper— leder-hosen and all, however, isn’t a requirement. Spirit wear, ranging from hats, to sweat pants, to temporary tattoos are sold throughout all four quarters of the game. The costs are manageable, and the cause is definitely worthwhile. Chardon students have always been, and will continue to be some of the liveliest fans around. To keep this legacy alive, we must re-member that in helping our team to victory with cheers and support, we also help our-selves in learning to come to-gether over a common belief.

SportsThe Hilltop Echo October 22, 2010

7Senior Sarah Martin: a rare talent

By Holden Pahr At Chardon High School we have a rare talent on the tennis court. Senior Sarah Martin is Chardon’s number one tennis player and

a leader on the team. She has been on the varsity team since her freshmen year. The Lady Toppers have had a solid year. Sarah agreed that the team has done well this year.

The team is in the middle of the P.A.C. this year, a very difficult con ference . Part of the reason for the team’s success is Sarah. She is the captain of the team and lives up to the title. The varsity coach for the ten-nis team, Col-leen Whitten, talked about Sarah’s leader-ship, “She acts as a mentor to the less expe-

rienced players, helping them work on shots, strategy, and movement… she helps with drills and never complains about conditioning.” These

are all characteristics of a great captain and team leader. Team-mate Audrey Martillotta said this about the senior, “She is definitely our leader. She helps us all with many things during practice. She is really nice and modest about everything as well.” Being a leader calls for one to be smart and helpful, but also modest about her/her abilities. Sarah has certainly demonstrated these traits. Not only has the team had a good year, but Sarah has also excelled. She has led the team this year at the num-ber one singles spot for the third year in a row. She had a 15-3 record so far this year which is a very impressive re-cord for the high school star. “I have struggled a little this year at a few times, but I am happy with the way it has gone.” Sarah explained about the year. Even with her successes she still wants to

get better and stays modest about her ability. She is always working hard during the sum-mer and during practice to be-come the best possible player she can be. Success for elite athletes does not come dur-ing the regular season though. For the best it comes down to the postseason tournament. Last year she made the district tournament. This year she wanted to make it to states, but she was unsuccessful. “This is her strongest year. She is a seeded player going into sectionals, “said Sarah Martin’s coach. “I fully expect her to qualify for dis-tricts at the one or two seed spot. Then it’s on to States and Sarah has control of that. But I would say it is definitely within her ability to make it to states this year.” The girl’s sectional was October 7th. This was where the road to states began for Sarah Martin.

We’re ready for youBy Andrew Rebera Slam dunks, intense games, a proud and loud stu-dent section, and dedicated players will all be a part of the Chardon varsity basket-ball team this year. The player’s excitement has risen greatly. With a new coach that the players are fond of, they are starting to attend open gyms, and are becoming more ex-cited for the upcoming season. The players are finally becom-ing an actual team. They can now learn to know each other and gain the respect that will be needed during the actual season. When asked if the varsity team will be ready for the challenging season ahead, Senior Jake Hol-linger replied, “Definitely. We are conditioning hard right now and our coach has the right at-titude.” This statement is a huge weight of the fans’ shoul-ders. Hearing and seeing about how hard the players are trying to become ready to take on the sea-son’s hardships really makes fans believe in the team. After the new varsity head coach, Nick Gustin, was announced, open gyms have become much more important. Gustin said he’s acting like he has no prior knowledge of the players, showing that he has a clean slate for all of them. This gives players a chance to prove themselves if they have not previously. The “clean slate”

approach also allows young, new players to step forward and prove themselves for their future in Chardon basketball.There seems to be only a few setbacks for the team this year. Since it took some time to find a good coach, or even a coach at all, there is a pos-sibility that there is a lack of conditioning done with the players. This can prove deadly to any team’s record, as the best conditioned players win the most games. The previ-ous statement might not be completely true, though. As the new head coach steps into place, he already has had the team making up for lost time

as he conditions them to their limits. When asked if the team will be ready in terms in con-ditioning and plays to stand up to the other teams this year, Senior Dean Peska replied, “Conditioning is going to be very stressed this year with our team. If we want to com-pete well in the games, we are going to have to limit mistakes and out-hustle and out-smart the other teams. We are go-ing to be more of a running

team because of our small team size in terms of height.” As stated in a previous arti-cle, Nick Gustin has taken the role on the new varsity head coach. According to some of the players, Gustin is the right choice as a coach because he has what it takes to win and knows how to push the team to its limits. On the contrary, other teammates aren’t nearly as thrilled about having a new coach this year. Junior Nick Ruckel was asked how he felt about having a new coach. “I miss Moran. Basically, I was more familiar with Moran. He coached me for my whole high school basketball career.

I was expecting for him to come back so we could grow this year.”Even though there are two different sides to the coaching sto-ry, the outlook on the new Head Coach Gustin seems very fruit-ful for the future. With his pas-sion for leader-

ship and his fondness of hard conditioning, Gustin seems to be able to prove himself wor-thy for this upcoming season of varsity basketball. With a hardworking coach and team, followed by a large, passion-ate student section to cheer the team on, the Chardon varsity basketball team will undoubtedly take on the sea-son with all its strength, with nothing but a successful run in the end. We’re ready for you.

NBA season looks to be a slam dunkBy Adam Benjamin The up-coming NBA season promises to be an in-teresting one filled with big off-season deals and a new struggle for the title of NBA champion. The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to three-peat as champions, but there are many teams hungry to unseat them. The Miami Heat is a new favorite to challenge the Lakers, thanks to the ac-quisitions of LeBenedict James and Chris Bosh as well as vet-erans like Zydrunas Illgauskas and Mike Miller. As evidenced by his performance in the FIBA World Championships, Kevin Durant is emerging as a true star and MVP candi-date. Predictions for the NBA season include the following:NBA Champion: Lakers over Heat Although the Heat is the new popular pick to win the finals, their chemistry won’t come soon, although it will in the years to come. The Lakers are the reigning champs and nothing has hap-pened to change their overall roster strength. Kobe Bryant is also almost fully recovered from a broken finger he played with all of last season. The Lak-ers also match up very well with the Heat; Ron Artest can stop LeBron James from taking over a game, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol can contain Chris Bosh, and Kobe Bryant is one of the best defenders when he concentrates on it and can shut down Dwayne Wade. The Lakers are more determined than ever to win another championship this year. Junior Brandon LeScoezec agrees that the Lakers are champi-

onship favorites, while others believe the Heat and Orlando Magic also have the ability to capture the championship.MVP: Kevin Durant Kevin Durant, star for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is poised to win his first MVP award. Just last year, he led the NBA in scoring 30.1 points per game and also averaged 7.6 rebounds per game. Nor-mally, the MVP award goes to a player on a championship contender and the Thunder is looking to contend for the playoffs this year. Last year’s winner, LeBron James, is go-ing to a team with much more star power so his stats will not be as high as last season. Kobe Bryant will also be a contend-er, but he has given up some of the scoring responsibility in the past few years in order to build a stronger team. Look for Kevin Durant to be one of the most talked about stars this year. Alex Muir, as well as Brandon LeScoezec, be-lieves that it is Durant’s MVP to lose. Other picks included Dwayne Wade and John Wall. The Cleveland Cava-liers, our home team, suffered many off-season blows, losing LeBron James may be a good thing. It will allow other play-ers like Mo Williams and JJ Hickson to blossom into stars. Look for the Cavs to make it to the playoffs and begin to rebuild around a young team looking to the future. Overall, the 2010-2011 season is shaping up to be an action packed one with great teams and players bat-tling for prestigious awards . and the coveted championship.

SportsThe Hilltop Echo October 22, 2010

8Running is a mental sport and they’re all insaneBy Melissa Trykowski With the District meet approaching in less than 24 hours, the CHS Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams will continue their strong sea-sons tomorrow, hopefully with several runners continuing on to Regionals. “It’s going to take hurricanes and submachine guns to stop us [from making it to Regionals]”, says senior Boys Cross Country Captain Robbie Wright. “The course last year for Districts was kind of difficult to run because it

was so muddy,” says sopho-more varsity girls runner Allie Diehl. “But this year I think we will race much better and we have a good chance of win-ning it.” Junior Amanda Gar-lak also has confidence in the girl’s team that they will “place within the top six teams of the meet and advance to Regionals the following weekend.” Al-though junior Ty Kawalec says that “the course is pretty tough because you get separated from the crowds”, he says that the team is a great group of guys so they will do “just fine”. Both teams have had very impressive seasons thus

far. The top seven girls run-ners this year currently in-clude sophomore Corinne Kule, junior Amanda Garlak, sophomore Allie Diehl, junior Sam Grippe, senior Georgia Fuerst, sophomore Megan Fuerst, and senior Bryn Allen. The girls took the P.A.C. title at the meet last Friday, and also placed second at Berk-shire, Madison, and Wooster. However, many of the girls thought their most impressive meet was at Stow, where they placed third out of 19 teams.

Mr. Combs, the coach for the girls team, said they gave a good team effort and ran strong, beating Mayfield by 33 points. “We do everything as a team,” says Corinne, who has also been the girl’s consistent num-ber one runner. Mr. Combs’ favorite part about coaching the girls is watching them get better. “It’s a process,” he ex-plains. His goal for the team is just to keep improving. With a team full of many underclass-men, the team has some more experience that will help in the next couple of seasons. Se-nior Bryn Allen claims, “If our underclassmen train like they

have been training, then the team will be great.” Mr. Combs has high hopes for the team. The boys top seven has been inconsistent, but present-ly includes junior Ty Kawalec, freshman Nick Elswick, soph-omore Aubrey Jordan junior Nathan Krebs, senior Rob-bie Wright, sophomore Ste-ven Shaker, and sophomore Ben Furlich, sophomore Alec Bost, and junior Zach Baierl. The boys placed in the P.A.C. meet and also placed first at University, second at Perry,

Wooster, and Wadsworth , third at Stow, and fifth at Center v i l le . A l t h o u g h twelfth place at Boardman may not seem as stellar com-pared to the rest of the performances of boys team, this was an-other accom-p l i s h m e n t

since there were many com-petitive teams at this meet. Both Robbie and Ty agreed, however, that Wadsworth was their most remarkable regular season meet. “We ran great as a team because we ran together as a pack,” says Ty. For next season, Robbie says the team has state potential. “If we can finish in the top ten [at Districts], that would be a great finish for us,” says Coach Shafer. Congratulate the Boys and Girls Cross Coun-try teams for their so-far suc-cessful seasons and wish them luck at Districts tomorrow!

By Roger Davis The varsity soccer team here at CHS is bursting at the seams with young talent waiting to mature into great players. The roster is obvi-ously very young, with nine junior or sophomore start-ers, a freshman, and only one senior. This young team has led to a somewhat frustrating season so far for the players. Mason Bender is a talented sophomore and cen-ter defender. He has already racked up 16 steals this sea-son. When asked what the toughest thing about being on such a young team was, he said, “It is hard being one of only three returning lettermen be-cause the new players are not used to playing at this level and a lot of time we have to tell them where to go or what to do.” However, Mason is still very positive adding, “They will catch on eventually though, and then we will be better.” Grant Johnston is an athletic young forward, as a sopho-more he has already earned a whopping 13 goals this sea-

son. He shared this thought. “The games get frustrating when the other teams just

play keep away and we can’t stop them and we end up run-ning in circles for 20 minutes.” While the team is very young this year, they will certainly grow up in the next few years and mature into an older team with many ex-perienced upper classmen. Expect great improvements in the team in the next few years. “We will be better next year; maybe our goal should be a winning record. And by senior year we will be re-ally good,” Grant said on the topic of the teams age. When asked why he loved soccer so much Grant said, “I love scor-ing goals in close games and hanging out with my friends.” Mason replied, “It has always been one of my favorite sports and it helps me get in shape.” Both Sophomores Grant and Mason are returning lettermen from last year who love the game of soccer. They are excited for the upcoming seasons and have many goals for their young but talented team. They are key players to watch for as they make their

way through their high school years on the soccer team.

Boys soccer looking toward the future

“We will be better next year; maybe our goal

should be a winning re-cord. And by senior year we will be really good.”

-Grant Johnston