Men’s basketball loses in Regional
March 12, 2008
By: Jon Haslam <jhaslam@hilite.org>
The men’s varsity basketball team has reached the end of its road. The Hounds finished with an overall successful season with a record of 22-3, with a tournament run ending in the Regional final against Brownsburg. The team went undefeated in Sectional. It opened Regional with a win over Franklin Central, but lost in the Regional final 63-59 to Brownsburg at Southport.
The Hounds earned a as the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) championship and had an undefeated record at home this season.
Along with winning the MIC championship, individuals on the team such as Daniel Moore, point guard and senior, also earned individual achievements. Moore set a new record for most assists in a game against Pike, with 15.
Next year the Hounds will return seven players from this years’ varsity roster, including junior Morgan Newton. “The younger guys on the team will do a good a job taking over,” Moore said. “This season they brought a lot of energy of the bench, which was good.”
“This season has been really fun, and as a senior it makes it overall, a little more personal,” Moore said.
While Moore said he would have liked to see a State championship win, he is still proud of his senior season. Moore said he looks to continue basketball throughout college but isn’t quite sure where as of yet.
“I thought we had a very good season,” Head Coach Mark Galloway said. “We accomplished many things including getting through Sectional and getting to Regional.”
Galloway said what set this team was set apart from previous ones he has coached was the cohesiveness and preparation that ultimately carried over into the games.
“What the team did best this season is probably playing with the passion that it did,” Galloway said. “They played hard and played as a team.” He said he has no regrets from this season.
The team will lose five key players in seniors Moore, Stuart Douglass, Jordan Brewer, Charlie Hansen, and Adam Rapp. Nevertheless, Galloway said he is still definitely looking forward to coaching next year’s team.
“We owe a lot of thanks to the student body for their continued support throughout the season,” Galloway said. “It made it a fun year for the team.”
Gymnastics season over, Brickley retires
March 12, 2008
By: Lily Zhao <lzhao@hilite.org>
Walking into Warren Central High School with her hopes high and teammates ready, Kirsten Yamasaki, gymnastic co-captains and sophomore, as the team has done in years past, said she wished for the best as the gymnastics team competed at another Sectional meet. But, this year, the meet was extra special. Although the women did not make it out of the Sectional meet, they performed their best because it was the last time with Head Coach Jerry Brickley at the helm.
“I feel that we did our absolute best and threw (every new trick in our routines as best as) we could and ended the season on a high note with our highest score of the season,” Yamasaki said. “We really pulled through for Jerry for his last meet.”
The gymnastics team competed on March 1 for its Sectional meet and finished seventh out of 13 schools, with a season-high score of 95.875. The three top finishers—Lawrence Central (105.375), Noblesville (101.225) and Franklin Central (101.150)—all moved on to the Regional meet.
At the Sectional meet, Brickley said that the girls threw in some new tricks in their routines, which helped greatly. He said that the atmosphere at Warren Central was nerve-wracking, but again, he said that all he wanted was for the team to perform at its best, which it did. Because the team did not qualify for the Regional meet, its season is officially over, thus ending Brickley’s coaching career as well. He said that he would still take his team to see the Regional meet because it can be a great learning experience for them, and at the same time, the team can cheer on their fellow gymnasts.
“Well, you always hope to move on, but we knew the odds were long and since the girls turned in such a great performance, I can’t really say that I’m disappointed (that we did not make it out of the meet),” Brickley said.
Having coached here for 18 years, Brickley said that having the Sectional meet as his very last and the fact that he is now officially retiring from coaching has not really hit him yet. However, he said, the hardest part for him will probably be at the team’s awards night, where he will be saying goodbye to the girls.
“I’m incredibly proud of what these girls have accomplished,” Brickley said. “(I’m also) a bit relieved and yet a little sad (that the season is now over).”
Now that the season is over, Yamasaki said that she is looking toward the off-season to heal and start preparing some new skills for next season. The biggest question entering next season surrounds the replacement of Brickley. Because of the fluctuations of the number of gymnasts, along with the departure of Brickley and his assistant coach, Michelle Hewitt, he said that he is not sure if the team will even be around next season. If the team does stay, Brickley said that he will then collaborate with Athletics Director Jim Inskeep and Assistant Athletics Director Bruce Wolf in hiring a new coach.
“(Although he is leaving) Jerry means so much to me as a coach and a person. I have learned so much from him…he is just the best person who has such good intentions,” Yamasaki said. “He is an excellent coach and I will miss him greatly next year.”
Milestone Makers
March 12, 2008
By: Stephanie Walstrom <swalstrom@hilite.org>
It was a night that set four IHSAA records and defied all game predictions. But according to Danielle Havel, varsity basketball player and senior, Carmel’s 84-72 win over South Bend Washington on March 1 meant far more than that.
“We were predicted to lose by 22,” Havel, who put up 16 points in the game, said. “We were playing with nothing to lose, and that fueled us to an incredible win.”
The Hounds finished the season with a 25-2 record and won many tournament games convincingly, beating Columbus East in Semistate by 22 points. The State championship marked the 100th for Carmel and the first ever for Carmel women’s basketball. “It’s a trademark victory not only for Carmel, but for girl’s basketball. It shows girl’s basketball does belong,” Havel said.
“It’s very neat to finally take our name off the list of teams that haven’t won a State title,” Assistant Coach Joe Stuelpe said.
Going into the game, Havel said the team knew that they would have to play “team ball” to defeat the defending State champions. “We had a great team effort; there were three underclassmen with double digit points,” she said.
“From one end of the bench to the other, all the girls were cheering for the girls on the floor,” Stuelpe said. “They played as a team, and if they hadn’t done that, I don’t think they would have won.”
Five players contributed to Carmel’s point total. Chrissy Steffen, varsity basketball player and junior, led the game with a career-high 31 points to tie the IHSAA record for individual points in a State game. Lauren McRoberts, varsity basketball player and junior, and Ashlee Spearman, varsity basketball player and senior, each chipped in 14 points. Torrie Thornton, varsity basketball player and freshman, had nine.
Other records from the night were most combined points, most combined field goals made, most combined 3-point field goals attempted and most combined assists. Additionally, Carmel tied the record for most points scored by a team. Notably, Carmel closed the game with 77 percent free throw accuracy.
Following the game, the Conseco crowd of 11,030 watched as Havel received the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award. Every year, the two final teams nominate one player, and the recipient of the award, which endows the winning player’s school with $1,000, is announced after the closing buzzer. Havel became the first women’s basketball player ever to win the award for Carmel. “Winning that award was great, but honestly winning State would have been enough for me. Winning state was more than enough,” Havel said. She plans to attend and play basketball for DePaul University next fall on a full ride scholarship.
“These moments are precious because there’s no garuntee you’ll be able to do it agian,” Stuelpe said about the victory. “Each season is a different journey, and I look forward to building next year’s group into a team that can compete like this team did.” The team will graduate six seniors this spring.
“I’m taking so much away from the season. I love my seniors, and I wish the best to the underclassmen,” Havel said. “This win was so important not only to the school, but for each of us personally. It gives women’s basketball a spot in Carmel’s history.”
Men’s lacrosse team looks to open season on high note
March 12, 2008
By: Andrew Browning <abrowning@hilite.org>
Sunday the men’s lacrosse team takes on Ravenwood (TN) High School at home at noon in its second game of the season. Chad Russell, long-stick middie and senior, said it is imperative that the team starts the season with success. The Hounds’ opening home games on Saturday against Lakota West (OH) High School and Lakota East (OH) High School were cancelled due to snow, so the Hounds’ game at home against Bishop Chatard on Tuesday was the team’s first action this season.
“It’s very important (to start the season well) because in the past we’ve always played really good teams that have put us down in a slump,” Russell said. “So this season we’re really trying to get in shape so we can come out with wins.”
“It’s always important to start off on a high note because you want to build from last year and continue to improve,” Assistant Coach David Schwartz said.
Russell and Schwartz said that the team’s ultimate goal this season is a State championship, but they both said that the team must first learn to play together as a cohesive unit.
“Our overall goal is to win State, but what we really need to do is come together as a team,” Russell said. “In the past we’ve had really good players but haven’t played as a team.”
“We talk a lot about how our team is made up of a bunch of players and each player makes the others better,” Schwartz said. “The key is for each player to elevate the play of his teammates.”
Russell said that senior leadership is essential to achieving that team unity. He also said that individuals should not worry about how long they play, but instead focus on how hard they can play.
“Our senior leaders will have to step up and bring us together,” Russell said. “You shouldn’t care about what line you’re on, but you should care about what you can contribute to the team.”
Schwartz said his main concern this season is that the team may show some rust in its first few games due to a limited amount of practice time because of the lingering winter weather.
“We’ve had a lot of cold weather and a lot of snow so we haven’t really had a chance to get outside a lot and practice…. So right now our biggest concern is the amount of practice time,” Schwartz said.
Russell said one factor that will help improve the Hounds’ chances for success this year is the strong team chemistry.
“(I’d describe us) pretty much as a group of friends. We get along really well, which is really good during the season for team unity,” Russell said. “Not one of us dislikes another.”
Schwartz said that he has known for years that the Hounds are a special group.
“It’s really a great bunch kids. I used to coach the middle school team and I had the Junior Class and Senior Class as middle school players,” Schwartz said. “It’s amazing to see how mature they act and how well they get along, and also to see how they continue to grow as players.”
Students prepare for Thespian Conference, meet with other drama students from Indy
March 12, 2008
By: Maria Lamagna <mlamagna@hilite.org>
After wrapping up their production of “The Secret Garden” this winter and competing in their regional competition Jan. 19, the drama department continues to be busy.
Students who are involved in various aspects of this school’s drama productions will attend their annual state Thespian Conference this weekend at the University of Indianapolis.
According to drama teacher Jim Peterson, participation in the conference is not mandatory. In order to participate, students must first become members of this school’s thespian troupe. This means they must have worked either on stage or behind the scenes of a drama production.
They earn a certain number of points based on their participation; when they earn the 10 points necessary, they may become a member of the thespian troupe.
Peterson said that the conference is both a performance and a competition. Cast members from “The Secret Garden” will perform a selection from the production. Individual performers in the troupe will also compete in 18 different categories for distinctions like awards and scholarships.
Peterson said that to prepare, his students “have been rehearsing the cutting from ‘The Secret Garden.’ The students in the individual categories have been preparing pretty much on their own.” He also said that before they perform, drama teachers will help those students polish their pieces.
Senior Ella Raymont will participate in the state Thespian Conference for her first time ever. She has been part of the thespian troupe since she was a freshman. She said that this weekend is especially important for her because she will compete in the “solo musical” category for a scholarship from the Thespian Society.
As far as preparation, Raymont said that her experience participating in choir and school productions will definitely help. According to her, she gets practice during those classes.
Also, she said it has been most important to “practice a lot and pick material (to perform) within your range.”
Junior Rohan Dharan will compete this weekend as well. This is his first year in the thespian troupe. He said that to prepare, he has practiced scenes with a partner in addition to attending after-school rehearsals with his fellow thespians.
Dharan has never participated in the state competition before now. However, based on his participation and experience in the regional competition in January, Dharan said that he expects the troupe to perform well this weekend.
“We just had a regional competition, and I think we will definitely do better (than we did then),” he said. “By the time (the state competition) comes, we will be ready. It’s hard for me to say how we will do compared to other years because this is my first year, but I definitely think when the time (to perform in the contest) comes we’ll be prepared.”
Traditionally, the drama students and Thespian troupe from this school have been extremely successful at the conference. Peterson said that his students seem just as ready to attend the Conference this year.
“I think we’ll do pretty well,” he said. “We are very strong on the individual events and the scholarship (categories) as well. We expect some success.”
Middle class students granted substantial financial aid
March 12, 2008
By: Min Qiao <mqiao@hilite.org>
At a time when colleges and universities face congressional pressure to spend more of their endowments to help students, a growing list of institutions has moved to make financial aid more widely available.
According to a recent article published in the February issue of The Wall Street Journal, Stanford University will no longer require parents earning less than $100,000 to pay tuition, and families earning below $60,000 do not have to contribute at all to the cost of their child’s education, including expenses for room and board.
Tanna Hanger, a counselor at the College and Career Resource Center here, said that college tuition has always been on the rise, and she would love to see this trend of increased financial aid continue.
“What happened is that if one school does it, the rest of the schools have to follow suit,” Hanger said. “I think it started with Harvard or Yale and has sort of trickled down since then.”
According to same article in the February issue of The Wall Street Journal, more than 40 schools have moved in recent years to eliminate or cap the amount of need-based loans in their financial aid packages and replaced them with grants.
According to Hanger, Carmel has a relatively small percentage of students who apply to elite colleges.
“It will be interesting to see if that percentage increases with these changes,” Hanger said. “At this point, there is no way to know (how the changes will affect the percentage of students that apply).”
The article in The Wall Street Journal also states that some observers fear the availability of additional financial aid for higher-income students could fuel the already fierce competition for admissions to elite schools.
Junior Nick Cooper, who said he plans to apply to elite schools, said the affluent stereotype link to Carmel students has led some students to think that they are not qualified to benefit from financial aid.
“(From the people that I have talked to), most feel that they are less likely to get financial aid,” Cooper said. “Because of that connotation, it deters them from applying for aid.”
Hanger agrees that there is always a wealthy connotation linked to Carmel students and adds that students still need to be vigilant and meticulous when looking into financial aid, even if they don’t think they qualify.
Senior Catherine Chung, who applied to some of the more expensive schools, said that she expects some financial aid, but only for her minority status.
“Coming from a middle-class family, I’d like to say (that colleges should provide more financial aid to middle-class families),” Chung said. “But knowing that there are a lot of families that need the money more than mine, then no, (colleges shouldn’t give more financial aid to middle-class families). A school only has so much money they can give to families.”
At the same time, Chung also said that she feels that the lack of financial aid for middle-class families can place quite a strain on parents, especially if the family has several children going to college at the same time. She said that the debt from student loans can be quite a burden on the student’s future.
Similarly, Cooper said that while lower classes might have a lower income and need the financial aid, colleges will usually look at the family situation as well.
He also said that lack of financial aid could be a great obstacle in students’ paths to elite schools. He said that he knows quite a few students who would qualify for elite schools, but do not apply because of financial problems and debt. In fact, Cooper said that for most students, the financial aspect is the most important factor in a student’s decision for deciding on a college.
“Personally, I expect to receive a lot of financial aid,” Cooper said. “I think that colleges should give more aid to middle class because their family might need it just as much.”
“For me, I am definitely going to apply first and worry about the financial aspect later,” Cooper said. “You can’t put a price on education, and I am not going to let money deter me from getting a good (one).”
Hanger said that perserverance is most necessary when looking at colleges and universities.
“Parents and students need to be vigilant in looking at tuition opportunities in seeing whether they will qualify or not,” Hanger said. “Every senior needs to fill out the FAFSA form to see if they can benefit from federal aid. Every parent and student needs to be vigilant on every school they apply to to see if there are programs available (that provide financial aid). It’s just about being vigilant and on top of things.”
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