Swimmers

Some may think it is stupid,

But there are few that ever feel the rush of water flowing over their body

The idea that you may never stop,

But the idea that you may never move.

It is so much work paid off

Countless hours towards everything

All related to one thing.

The will to win flows through our veins

We feel the water,

For we are its people

We speak with each other,

and have fun at every turn

But secretly, this we do not share,

We do work, and we do push ourselves

For we fight against something no other athletes do.

The water

We are not the ones to look down on, for if you do,

We shall pass you on the inside

We know who we are

We are swimmers

Chicago Bulls defeat streaking Heat

On Wednesday March 27th, 2012 at about 6:00 pm at the United Center in Chicago Illinois, the Miami Heat were ready to stroll in and get their 28th win in a row. They were trying to brake the 33 Game win streak from the 71-72 Los Angeles Lakers during the Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West era. The struggling Chicago Bulls had other plans. They were trying to end the mighty Heat streak by playing hard nosed 70s smash mouth basketball. And that they did, and Bulls Point guard Kirk Hinrich Slammed Lebron James to the ground when James was on a fast break. Lebron was furious with the refs and thought Hinrich should have been ejected but for the fans of Chicago they absolutely loved it. I also loved it. The Bulls play tough Basketball and would never let the Miami show boats do trick dunks against them. Many of the Heat players said that because of the awful fouls is the reason they lost, but that should be how all N.B.A teams play against them because they do not like to get fouled. All in all it was a great win for Chicago and I personally loved the game.

It Was A Nail Biter

I am pretty sure all my nails are gone, but all you are probably wondering is what happened? Let me say it was one of the strongest girls basketball high school games ever. Worcester Academy took on Milton Academy, who is also a strong team. They give the best support to each other, and I wish one day I will be on a team like that.

The girls had never played against Milton Academy, and they had no idea what to expect. All they knew was Milton was the fifth seed, and Worcester Academy was the third seed. Worcester Academy knew it was going to be a close game, and it sure was.

In the beginning of the first half, it seemed they were not playing their best. It seemed to me they were a little anxious. I would be to because it was a playoff game! The playoffs were one game elimination which means, you lose one game you are out. The strong Worcester Academy team was not playing to their best ability because they were making messy passes, throwing it out of bounds, and fouling a lot. I feel like they were not focused. Once it came close to the end of the first half they were getting back on their feet and making the score come back to normal again. They were trailing behind a lot before. As the buzzer buzzed for the end of the first half, I was hoping they were going to come out with a strong win. Sure was everyone else.

When they came out for the second half, they looked stronger and more pumped. They were ready to come out and sweep Milton. It was crazy, they lost it again but only by a few points. They finally caught back up to only a few points behind, and the clock was running and there were only three minutes left. We were behind 37-41. We needed to come back so badly. One of the girls Lexi on the team came in, and she turned the game around. She stole the ball and made them turn it over. The clock was counting down with thirty seconds to go, and they had tied it up. Then buzz, the time clock made the sound, and we had got ourselves into overtime.

Overtime was a thrill ride. In the first minute we got ahead with two points, and then they did too. It just kept going back and forth like ping-pong until, Lydia on the Worcester Academy team hit a three pointer! We had a lead and then, boom they scored a lead of only one point and there were only thirty seconds left. Everyone was standing a cringing wishing for a win. We lost the ball and one of the girls on the other team held the ball for the last five seconds and it was over. We lost. No it could not be,and no one could believe it. They had only lost by one point! I felt so bad for them because I know how it feels, and my game was not even a playoff game. All night, my sister and I could still not believe they had lost.

Hopefully, they think of how they had a great season and are great sports. I will love seeing the game against Milton next year.

Mount Snow Review

Photo Credit: Justin Keppler

Mount Snow can be found in West Dover, Vermont, and is a mountain with a lot of great trails and very nice people.  It takes about 2 and a half hours from Central Mass and it was great day trip destination for skiing.  When I went to Mount Snow over the weekend with my middle school, I hadn’t skied in years, so I was going to take a lesson.  I was expecting to just get the lesson over with and then do some fun skiing, but the instructor was very nice and we got to do some full trails in the morning.  We got along great and her son and I shared the same name, age, and height!  After my lesson,  I went to the Sundance Base Lodge for lunch.  That was very well organized and it was quick and easy to get my meal.  In a lot of places, that isn’t the case because I eat gluten free and that can take longer or confuse the servers.  When I finished my lunch, I was very excited to get out on the lift and really ski for the first time in years.  The trails were very well groomed and the park, Carinthia, was exhilarating.  The park trails ranged from first time skier to Nitro, which has been home to the X-Games!  Other factors like safety were very well taken care of at Mount Snow.  The ski patrol wore bright red jackets and could be found all over the mountain.  They were always at the ready to help anybody who got injured.  Overall, I really liked Mount Snow and can’t wait to go again.  

Avalanche Warnings.

Dear skiers,

Many of you are taking a trip into the backcountry. Skiing is very fun and most people do it on there free time. However, there are many dangers in this activity. If you decide to go there are many signs that you can tell if there is an avalanche and ways to help you get out if you unfortunately experience one.

If you are on a slope and you are getting ready to ski there are some signs that an avalanche is likely. Watch to see if there is too much space between snow particles and sudden changes in the weather. Also if there are high slopes and bits of fresh snow I suggest not skiing down them unless you want to die. If you unfortunately experience one there are some ways to stay safe from avalanches. Bring a shovel for digging just in case someone gets trapped under the snow and make sure everyone in your group has one so they can all help. Also bring a beacon for locating a person under the snow. And lastly, consider purchasing a body float made by North Face that helps keep you on top of the snow. I know it is very expensive but would you rather pay $1,179 dollars for a safety jacket or would you rather be dead? This is why you should be very careful if you decide to do this extreme skiing.

This is a very dangerous activity and know that people enjoy it but please be extremely careful. Please go out and buy all the things in this essay because it can happen to anyone and you don’t want it to be you. You don’t want this skiing trip to be your last. Please listen to my advice and be very careful if you decide to go.

Love, Mariano

Winterless

As fall ends we start to get ready for winter. Most people are starting to dread the cold and snow. Some are blowing snow off their driveways so they can play basketball. Then there are the very few that are praying for it. Only to find almost 1 foot of seasonal snowfall and about 2 snow days. With the temps getting warmer and warmer each year, and the loss of large snowfall, there is no telling what might happen to skiing.

As we pray for just one powder day here in the east, the skiers out west are getting their fair share of snow. Snowbird mountain resort, located in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, so far this year, has an annual 19 feet of natural snowfall. Wachusett Mountain, located in Princeton, Massachusetts, has a grand total of 1 and half feet of natural snow this year. The past couple of ski seasons here in the east have been horrendous. Mountains this year generally didn’t open until November 25th. Mountains out west opened in early October and generally end in early June. When we do get snow here in the east, it is usually wet and there is not a lot of it. In fact, even some mountains are struggling financially. Sales are going down and prices are going up. If you notice the woods on an average mountain here in the east. The woods are not covered with snow at all. That means the trails are covered with all man made snow. Therefore, mountains are having to use more and more energy to blow snow and more and more money to pay for it. Sure, we will always get one big powder day every year, but it is definitely not Utah. It seems like the east used to get loads and loads of snow. But where did the snow go? People have there opinions about why these past couple ski seasons have been so bad and why the mountains are suffering too. Some people say that it is global warming and some people say we are just getting unlucky. But one thing’s for sure, if this keeps up, it won’t be long before mountains open in late January.

Some people believe that if this bad streak keeps up, in a few years we will no longer have skiing. But I think we should really focus on the now and enjoy what we’ve got. In a year or two, who knows, we may finally get a winter worth shredding.

Wrestling: A Tough Sport

In sixth grade, when I was prompted to choose a team for winter sports, I decided that since middle school is a time of trying new things, I should try out wrestling. A number of people at my school thought …

What Makes a Good Baseball Team

Photo Credit: LandRover164

Every year baseball fans wonder what team will win it all. This year it was the San Francisco Giants, a team that was not even considered to make it to the World Series. Even if the team did not win it all, they still would have been the best team in the MLB. Although the Giants’ team isn’t the strongest or the fastest, they have something special that allows them to win.

This “something special” is being clutch. Look at their postseason run. They were down 2-0 in their first series against the Reds, looking elimination square in the eye, and they managed to win their next three games to move on. After that, they were down 3-1 in the series against the Cardinals. Almost everyone had them counted out, but their amazing resistance to defeat lead them to their second World Series in three years. There is no other team that has the ability to do this besides them. 

WA Softball 2012: Best Team Ever.

Worcester Academy’s softball team for the 2012 spring season is bound to be the best ever. Every single member of the team has something amazing to offer and show off during games and practices. So far, the team has shown excellence when it comes to offense, defense, and enthusiasm.

The offense of the team is outstanding. At our last game against Rectory, we won 12-2. Every player worked together on the diamond to make this possible. Within five of the seven innings, there were already three home runs (inside the park.) During practice, it is evident that each person knows how to hit the ball. Whether it be soft toss or live batting, we are always able to disturb the lacrosse practices somehow while we hit. Defense is just as amazing. Saved by our gloves, we are all easily capable of fielding, catching, and throwing. It is amazing to watch the ball, thrown all the way from third base, easily make its way into the first baseman’s glove without any extra efforts. Our third basemen and shortstops are all experienced players with great throwing abilities. Most importantly, the team’s enthusiasm is what brings everyone so close together. We have a team song/ cheer, we sing during warm-ups, and we all have a passion to play. We are able to pump each other up before games and cheer one another on during play. Not one person on the team complains about how much they hate the sport, or how not excited they are to play. Everyone loves softball.

According to parents and other onlookers, it has been said that our softball team is extremely entertaining to watch. Our great defense, amazing offense, and love of the game are shown as we play.

Undefeated Lacrosse Season?

Lacrosse net
credit to Eric Jonathan Martin

This season, the WA boys middle school lacrosse team has been looking like we can take on any team on our schedule. Strong coaching, explosive offense, and lock down defense has been a recipe for success so far. After winning the first two games, an undefeated season is not looking out of reach.

Eighth grade captain Ben D leads a high energy attack. Offense has looked very good early on, scoring easily and frequently. Trevor P has been valuable at attack, breaking down zone defenses with his exceptional outside shooting. Sixth grader Jared D has a knack for finishing, positioning himself to score goals. Ben D, feeding from behind the net, has been the backbone of the offense. Our opponents have yet to find a solution to keep this team’s offense under wraps.  Winning games has been easy so far thanks to this high powered offense. At defense, a dynamic duo of Keith R and Keith C have been leading the charge. These two have played lockdown defense in the first two games, and have caused numerous turnovers. Playing midfield too, Keith C has proven himself to be a dual threat against any team. It is only goalie Peter D P’s first year playing lacrosse, but he really enjoys it and he is getting better every day. The center of the defense is Matt D. Matt D has been playing crease defense, controlling the hybrid man-zone defense that we like to play. This lockdown defense likely won’t meet an offense that it isn’t capable of stopping. The midfield is led by the other two captains, Owen M and Will J. These two have lost one faceoff in the first two games. Also both have shown an above average ability to pass and score.  Even newcomers to the team have been contributing frequently on the midfield. Matt Q has been able to scoop ground balls and contribute on defense. Also, J.R. S had his name in the scoring column for his first time ever against Applewild. Passing accurately has been troublesome for some midfielders, but this will change with time, and once it does, we will become even harder to defend against. The midfielders have molded very well with the attackmen and defensemen, creating a chemistry that shows on both ends of the field.

Scoring goals is easy for this team, and tight defense has become an expectation of everyone. So far, we haven’t played against a team that can match up with us on offense or defense, and that is likely to continue. If we continue playing in a way that we are capable, we can challenge any team on our schedule this year.