Steps to Get Counseling at CCS1. Talk with your parents.2. Call the PCG office at 513-

759-97443. Visit their website: www.

thepcgroup.org4. Visit them on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/thep-cgroup

5. Follow Ann Marie on twitter: @askamaponte6. Information is also located

at the front desk.

February 13, 2015 Valentine’s Edition Volume 5, Issue 4

The Paw PrintMegan Knepp

The teenage years can be a very challenging and overwhelming period in life, so for the first time, CCS will be providing space for a Christian counseling service at school. CCS has had a guidance counselor, but not a mental health professional available. Jesse Keller, junior, brought the idea of counseling to the attention of the administration in one of Mrs. Porter’s research papers last year. A little later, Ann Marie Aponte, a CCS alumna and a counselor at The Professional Counseling Group, heard a calling from God and has come back to provide counseling services for students who are in need of it. Counseling services will give you an opportunity to explore what’s going on in your life in a confidential environ-

ment. Some issues that she can help you with in counseling are relation-ships, self-esteem, anger, grief, loss, and many more. (See their website for more issues and concerns, www.thepcgroup.org) There are two types of counseling that are available: In individual counseling, you will get the chance to share your story and talk about what’s happening in your life with the counselor. From there, the counselor can help you uncover what’s behind the things that are bothering you, so you can get the proper help. These sessions last 50 minutes. Cost for counseling is on a sliding scale based on family income. For students not comfortable with individual meetings, group counseling is available. This is a small, safe group of about six to eight people that work

through a curriculum. These sessions last between eight to 12 weeks and are cheaper than individual counseling. Ann Marie is excited to work with students and said that her overall goal of working with people through coun-seling is to be able to identify what’s

Josh White

Do you ever feel like you need an entire week of late start? During the week of March 16 to 20, all high school students not taking the Ohio Graduation Test will be on a delayed start schedule for the whole week. Upperclassmen who need to retake an OGT will report to their des-ignated testing location at 8 a.m. along with all the members of the sophomore class. For others who need to be here at 8 a.m., there will be a study hall. Mrs. Alexander said, “The week-long late arrival schedule allows test takers the opportunity to test in smaller groupings, with the added benefit of not missing classes, as all classes are delayed during that week.”

Continued on page 12

Late arrivals for a whole week?

Counseling opportunity available at CCS

Members of the cast of Peter Pan rehearse for next month’s show. Pictured left to right are: Holly Burket, Brooklyn Allison, Hannah Hockney, Ellen Thomas, Makenzie Thiess (Tiger Lily the Indian Princess), Olivia Nell, Madison Adams and Bailey Brinck. CCS students are attending the Friday matinee on March 6. (photo by Carissa Zaffiro)

Opinion/Editorial Valentine’s Day Page 2

Staff EditorialThe Paw PrintCincinnati Christian Schools

7474 Morris RoadFairfield, OH 45011

Editorial Policy The Paw Print is the student news-

paper of Cincinnati Christian Schools. The Paw Print is an open forum for

student expression which accepts letters to the editor. Letters to the editor may be edited for length and can be emailed to susan.zaffiro@cincinnatichristian.org.

StaffEditor in Chief - Carissa ZaffiroNews Editor - Keely BrownEntertainment Editor - Josh WhiteSports Editor - Chloe CochranReporters - Mallory Custer, Rylee Day, Allie Grooms, Emily Ingram, Megan Knepp, Abby Sohn, and Makenzie TheissAdviser - Mrs. Susan Zaffiro

Ann Marie Aponte, a CCS alumna, introduced herself in chapel last month as a counselor available for students here at CCS. She welcomes students of all sorts into her office, individually or in groups, so that they may vent or express their feelings in a safe environment. While we have had a guidance counselor at school for several years to guide us academically, we did not have someone to go to with specifically emotional issues. After graduating from Cedarville University and spending a year teaching overseas, Ann Marie felt a calling to move back to Ohio and pursue a career in counseling. With the support of her husband and the CCS community, she has set up a “branch office” of Professional Counseling Group at CCS that includes men-toring and offering Christian counseling. She strives to create a safe, welcoming environment that allows students to have an outlet for their thoughts, feelings, and/or hardships. Ann Marie, as well as the faculty and student body, are excited for the new and beneficial change to CCS. We encourage students to take advantage of this great opportunity.

Offer of counselor a great idea

Who’s your secret celebrity crush?Valentine’s Day Poll

Logan Katstetos, senior: “Taylor Swift by far. I’ve

always loved her.”

Grace Watson, freshman: “Taylor Lautner because he’s a

good actor and has nice muscles.”

Noah Turner, freshman: “Jen-nifer Lawrence because she’s a great actress and she’s pretty.”

Justin Lewis, junior: “Sadie Robertson because she’s beautiful.”

Moriah Arn, junior: “Andrew Gar-field because he was amazing in Spiderman and pretty cute, too.”

Joy Cox, sophomore: “Dylan O’Brien. He’s hot.”

Page 3 Features Valentine’s Day

Showing horses attracts CCS studentsAllie Grooms

Horse shows have been around for over a century, and most people know what they are, but do they really? Horse shows are judged presen-tations of horses or ponies. These presentations also have competitions for aspects such as skill, breed, and appearance of the horse or pony. Sophomore Dima Ray has been showing horses for four years now. He says that he loves to do it; even if that wasn’t the original reason he started. The Butler Country Fair is where he goes and shows his horses and he said there is a regular routine that the showers follow. “I get dressed in the proper clothes that are required and then I get in the arena and go around it and whatever we are told to do, I do it, and at the end we all line up in the middle and get our placing,” Dima said about the routine. Anna Holder, another sophomore, has been showing horses for about a year. She says that her 4-H leader (youth development mentor) got her into showing horses. “I don’t really know how I got into riding horses. No one in my family rides horses or anything. I guess I just liked it so I started doing it. As for showing, Mrs. Ray, my 4-H leader, got me into showing horses. She told me

about the fair and let me join her 4-H club,” Holder added. Anna also shows her horses at the Butler County Fair. According to Anna, “When you show horses you enter a ring with a group of riders that are in the same class. You go on the outer edge of the ring and basically do what the judge says. If the judge says to walk your horse, you walk your horse, etc. There are also pattern classes that you can show your horse in. In these classes there is a specific

pattern that you have to memorize. When you get into the ring you perform the pattern while the judge watches you. At the end of each class the judge announces the winners and then you leave the ring.” For horse shows in this area you can search Butler County Fairgrounds if you would like to sign up to show a horse of your own. It is recommended that you take rid-ing lessons and are comfortable with your horse before you enter.

Sophomore Dima Ray shows his horse at the Butler County Fair horse show (submitted photo).

Abby Sohn

Valentine’s Day is a day of love, so show the special people in your life some love, but show yourself some, too. This will be a guide on how to get the most relaxation out of your Valentine’s Day. Try some calming music. Look for a song with some piano or acoustic guitar. Many people find those instru-ments the most soothing. Just play some music that you really enjoy. Once you have your music going, sit

back and relax, close your eyes and just listen. A warm bath is perfect for washing away the day’s stresses. Fill up your tub with warm or hot water. Now a normal bath is nice and all, but you want to really relax! Have you tried Lush Cosmetics? Lush is a store similar to Bath and Body Works. Lush sells soaps and perfume but the best thing they sell are their bath bombs, a ball of soap that fizzes into scent and bubbles in the bath. There are many different

scents you can try. Another way to relax is slip on your favorite pajamas and put on your favorite movie. If you are not much of a movie person, grab your favorite book. While you’re watching or reading, try drinking some green tea! Green tea does not just taste great but it also is known for being a relaxant and it promotes sleep. So this Valentines Day treat your-self to some relaxation! Give yourself that much needed me time!

Tips for relaxation this Valentine’s Day

Features Page 4 Valentine’s Day

Shakespeare Winners Sophomore Bernadette Beacham won the CCS Shakespeare mono-logue competition qualifying her to compete at the regional semi-finals on Saturday, Feb. 21, at Playhouse in the Park. Finals are Februay 28 at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in downtown Cincinnati where students will compete for a $1000 scholarship and a chance to go to the national finals in New York City. Second and third place went to senior Hannah Smith, and junior Alex Dunman, respectively.

The Zaffiro family went on a Caribbean cruise a few years ago and discovered Warm Chocolate Melting Cake, which is also known in some recipes as Lava Cake. Luckily, we were able to get the recipe from the cruise line and often make it for special events. Valentine’s Day would be a great day to make this delicious dessert either for or with a special someone. This recipe is for two individual-sized cakes.

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake for Two

3 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate¾ stick of butter (6 Tbsp)2 eggs3/8 cup sugar1/8 cup flour

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a saucepan.In a small bowl, mix the eggs and sugar and whisk for a few minutes.Add the flour to the egg mixture and stir.Add the egg mixture to the melted chocolate and mix.Pour into greased ramekins.Put ramekins directly in the oven (not on a baking sheet) and bake at 390 for 14 minutes.

Note: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature and the chocolate is warm enough when adding to the mixture.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or fruit garnish.

Cooking with Carissa and Josh

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with this chocolate-y goodness

phot

o (c

ake)

by

Car

issa

Zaf

firo

Page 5 Features Valentine’s Day

Abby Sohn

It’s a new year here at CCS. 2014 has paid its dues and has said goodbye, while 2015 is just stepping up to the plate. However, the year 2015 is not new to the famous movie Back to the Future II. Back to the Future is an action-packed movie that fol-lows around two leading characters Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, and a mad scientist Emmett Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd. The first movie is a story about their first journey back into time while the second one follows their journey into the year of 2015! In the movie the year of 2015 has some very interesting inventions. Some of the movies predictions on inventions were correct while others? Not so much. Wearables In the movie some of the cast wear technology on/as clothing. With Apple’s Apple Watch and Google’s Google Glass the movie hit it right on the nail.

Video Calling With apps like Facetime and Skype video calling is

made easy. With a quick download of one of these apps you can connect to friends and family all around the world with the simple touch of a button.

Drones Drones are small flying electronics with cameras at-tached to them. We have yet to have drones as reporters but the US military runs small-unmanned drones on missions Commercial drones are available now to the public as well.

Tablets That’s right Back to The Future II predicted the famous Apple iPad. Well, not specifically the iPad, but the movie does show that handheld tablets are quite popular as paying for something as simply as a taxi is done so on a tablet. The movie did indeed predict many inventions we use to-day, but it also got some wrong. In the movie it shows time travel, flying cars and hover boards. Sadly, we do not have any thing like time travel, flying cars and, most sadly, hover boards today. Yet 2015 shows its promise in new technol-ogy so let’s not lose hope just yet. Who knows? Maybe by the end of this year we might see hover boards zooming around.

80s movie ‘Back to the Future 2’ got some things right

Artists win gold, silver keys at Art Show Senior Becky Laughlin won both a gold and silver key and two other students brought home silver as well at the Scholastic Art Show last month. Becky’s nature photo “Lichen It” won gold and “Ser Fruitful,” a photo of berries won a silver key. Senior Dylan Graves was awarded a silver key in Digital Arts with a piece called “The Knockout” and freshman Bryan Snyder’s photograph “Splish, Splosh” also won silver. Gold key winners are automatically entered in the national competition in New York City. Mrs. Ashford said that thousands of students submit artwork in the competi-tion and less than five percent are awarded gold. Honorable Mention awards went to Isa-bella Collins, Zach Parker, Alexiss Cooper, Sarah Bennett, Libby King, Payton Keiner, Olivia Holder, and Alyssa Washington. Both Dylan and Bryan had Honorable Mention artwork as well as silver key winners.

Freshman Bryan Snyder received a silver key award for this photograph of water splashing around in a glass. Several other CCS students won either gold or silver keys or honorable mention as well.

Special Features Page 6 Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day dates all the way back to the fifth century in Rome. Because Roman soldiers were held to such a high standard, Emporer Claudius II decided to outlaw marriage, seeing that young men who were single made more willing soldiers. Saint Valentine, however, saw the injus-tice of this decree and married young lovers in secret. When Claudius discovered this, he ordered Valentine’s execution. It is said that while in prison, Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter, who visited him during his confiement. He signed a letter to her, “From Your Valetnine,” an expression that is obviously still in use today. It is also said that St. Valentine helped Christians escape from Roman prisons. Although the exact history of St. Valen-tine is unclear, we know that he was a man who believed in love, truth, and justice, despite present laws and government officials.

Keely BrownPaw Print Columnist

All right, guys, Valentine’s Day is coming up, and you can either love or hate the holiday. For those of you in a relationship, it can be really fun, and for all you singles, don’t worry! I’ll tell you ways that you can have fun, too! If you’re in a relationship with someone, there are so many activities that you can do. If you decide to be simplistic this Valentine’s Day, you can just stay in a watch some movies and get some takeout from a restaurant. Or you can challenge yourself and cook a meal together (it’s more challenging than it sounds.) And gentlemen, don’t be afraid to watch a chick flick or two with your woman. Just sit there with your eyes open and nod your head whenever she asks you a question and I promise you, you’ll survive. If you want to be simple, yet romantic, repeat the first date that you took together. It’ll take you back to the awkward first couple of weeks in your relationship and you can look back and see how far you’ve come.

Page 7 Special Features Valentine’s Day

Mallory Custer

What is your definition of love? And how does your definition effect how you see Valen-tine’s Day? Do you think the way people see Valentine’s Day effects how they feel about it? Not many people actually know the story of Valentine’s Day. “Growing up we learned the history of Christmas and Thanksgiving, but all we did for Valentine’s Day was hand out candy to our classmates,” said Abigail Ploetz, a sophomore. Freshman Maya Jenkins remembers that “growing up we did many things to celebrate Valentine’s Day like little kids always say that their parent or sibling is their valentine.”

What happened? Now people think of romantic relationships first thing when they think of Valentine’s Day. “I think people should spend Valentine’s Day with the ones they love. Whether that is a significant other, some friends, or their mom! While we should express our love to others everyday, February 14 is our opportunity to show it in a big way,” said Abigail. Why can’t people seem to think about Valentine’s Day like that? When you ask someone their definition of love then ask about Valentine’s Day what they have to say doesn’t always match up. Alexis Cooper, 12th grade, said “Love, to me, is caring about someone enough to put their needs before yours in any situation.” If Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about love, and love is more than just romantic relationships, shouldn’t we be able to spend the day with the ones we love even if it is not a romantic relationship. Maya said one way you could spend Valentine’s Day is with your closest friends. Why not try spending time with friends or family this year if you’re single instead of being alone on the day of love. Senior Holly Burket said people should spend their Valentine’s Day however they like to. So if your Valentine’s Day involves being alone and you like that, go for it! Try to remember that no matter what you do this Valentine’s Day, it is a day about love, and love is a

Now for all you single ladies and gents, no need to fear, there are still fun things for you to do! Get all your lady friends (or your bros if you’re a guy) and go to the mall. Shopping can take the edge off the lonely holiday (for a while at least), and you’ll be able to catch up and laugh with your friends. Or you can go to the movies together and see a new film that’s out. As much as it seems like it, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about buying flowers and choco-late for your significant other; it’s about showing love to people you appreciate. Take time to tell the people closest to you how much they mean to you. If all else fails, send yourself flowers, buy yourself a teddy bear, pop in a movie and enjoy the day relaxing by yourself.

Valentine’s Day: How it has changed through the years

Entertainment Page 8 Valentine’s Day

Carissa Zaffiro Paw Print Columnist

This Valentine’s Day weekend, love is in the air. It’s amazing and magical for those in relationships, but for us single girls, you may need some reality suppression. Romantic movies are great and everything, but that only gets you through two hours of the day. The beauty of cuddling up with a good book is that you basically get to choose a love story to be involved in and a man to fall in love with. From a handful of senior girls and some female teach-ers, here is a great list of romantic novels for those of us who need a fictional boyfriend this February:

Matched by Allie Condie – about a society in which writing and reading outside the selected works is illegal. This book is the first of three and features characters that you want to walk off the page so you can date them in real life.

The Selection by Kiera Cass – warn-ing: this book is pure fluff. You don’t have to do any higher thinking, but you sincerely won’t be able to put the book down until you finish the third one. The novel has some solid plot twists, and the love triangle is perfection, with a classically charming while also intriguing prince, and a darker, mysterious castle guard.

Rush of Wings by Kristen Heitzmann – tells the amaz-ing story of how love can triumph over any situation or traumatic event, and brings to life the whole irresistibly-sweet-and-patient-cowboy-Christian type that could be anyone’s perfect sweetheart.

Uglies by Scott Westerfield – these books are excellently written and intriguing through the entire series of three. There are two, wonderful male characters that are full of raw adven-ture and love, one having grown up ina campground and the other liter-ally a physical model of perfection and beauty.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - always a classic, Mr. Darcy is a character that is a realistic man, with faults and failures, but unbelievably endearing in the

end. If you do not like the strong, silent type, the love story between Jane and Mr. Bingley is equally charming and interesting.

The Host by Stephanie Meyers – one of my personal favorites, this novel is about an alien race that intervened on Earth be-cause humans were destroying everything. When a host alien comes into a human’s body whose consciousness fights back, you can see where love, desire, and moral obligation gets muddled. The novel is really about the meaning of true love, and all your opinions about Twilight aside, Stephanie Meyers knows how to entertain an audience. The men in this story are

beautiful, patient, caring, protective, and you’ll most likely be smiling your face off through a few of the chapters. A Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter - If you’re look-ing for a sappy romance novel, this definitely doesn’t start

out as one! The story begins with the protagonist, a celebrity marriage counselor, being left at the altar, and an acquaintance of hers, Lucas Wright, acting as her groom to save her from being embarrassed by the media. This obviously adds to an intriguing plot with spunk and sass! This one is on my personal list of books to read!

The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson – If you love Disney princess-es, then Melanie Dickerson is the way to

go! She takes the classic fairytale stories and throws in a Christian aspect. This novel is a spin off of Beauty and the Beast, where a girl named Annabel becomes trapped in an indebted servitude to a man named Lord Ranulf. It is such a compelling story about acceptance, faith, and unconditional love. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers – everyone girl will agree this is one of the best love stories ever written. Who wouldn’t swoon over the perfec-tion that is Michael Hosea? If you haven’t read it – go now! I hope this list was helpful and you were able to find a handsome, apocry-phal boyfriend for the weekend! Happy reading!

Find your literary crush here

Page 9 Entertainment Valentine’s Day

Chloe Cochran

It’s that time of year again: awards season. Although there have been several this year already, February will mark the end of the season with two of the most prestigious awards shows, the Grammys and the Academy Awards. The Grammys took place on Sunday, Feb. 8, and recognized the biggest names in music. Some of the nominees included Ariana Grande, who was nominated for best pop vocal album, and the band Paramore, which was nominated for best rock song. Chris-tian rapper Lecrae was also included in the Best Rap Performance category.

Album of the Year nominees includ-ed Beyoncé, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams and Beck. Performers for the show this year in-clude Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, Eric Church, John Legend, and Miranda Lambert. Sam Smith won big with “Stay With Me” bringing in Record of the Year and Song of the Year. He also won the award for Best New Artist. Other winners include Eminem for Best Rap Album with The Marshall Mathers LP 2 and Pharrell Williams won Best Pop Vocal Album for Happy (Live). Later on this month, on February 22, the 87th Academy Awards will take

place in Hollywood. This year’s nomi-nees include The Imitation Game, star-ring Benedict Cumberbatch, for best picture, as well as Boyhood, Selma, The Theory of Everything, and Ameri-can Sniper, starring Bradley Cooper. Big Hero 6 and How to Train Your Dragon were both nominated for Animated Feature Film. X-Men: Days of Future Past, Interstellar, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Guardians of the Galaxy were nominated for Best Visual Effects. Neil Patrick Harris will be hosting the show, which will air at 7 p.m. on ABC.

Carissa Zaffiro Paw Print Columnist

You want to watch Die Hard, but she wants to watch The Notebook. She wants you to be happy, but also doesn’t want to fall asleep or leave your house wanting to shoot herself in the face. You don’t want to watch some sappy, meaningless romance, but she says car chases and shoot-outs are boring. This is a typical struggle every time boys and girls try to watch movies together, but it is especially important when you’re trying to make your significant other happy on Valen-tine’s Weekend. So how do we compromise? Believe it or not, there are some great mov-ies that both girls and boys seem to enjoy. This Means War is an action-packed film with several shoot-outs, car chases, and ludicrously funny FBI investigations. However, the main plot is about two spies – Tom Hardy and Chris Pine – trying to win the love of the same girl. The subplot

of the movie is about a vengeful killer trying to track down our two heroes. Most girls would watch it for the male leads alone, but the film is witty and upbeat with a great deal of suspense that caters to both males and females. Another light-hearted movie with strong leads is Hitch with Will Smith. The plot of a dating service can’t not appeal to women, and the humor in the

film paired with the fact that the main characters are boys – Kevin James being one of them – helps the guys get through it. Plus, they can pick up some great dating tips. Another idea is to watch a classic! The Princess Bride is a classic story

that includes fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, miracles, and true love. Who wouldn’t enjoy it? Timeless actors such as Billy Crystal make hilarious appearances and Cary Elwes play-ing the male lead is as suave as ever. The movie has quotable lines and the whole film is set with an air of comedy, allowing bad special effects

such as Rodents of Un-usual Size – or otherwise known as ROUSs – to add to the general humor and love of the film. If that doesn’t appeal to you, try looking for something more modern. Pitch Perfect is a fun movie with jokes boys and girls can both appre-ciate. And let’s be real, even if you hate every-thing that has to do with vocal performance, you

can’t deny a great a capella group. You might also try Forrest Gump, Say Anything, or any of the X-Men this weekend, but whatever you choose, remember that compromise is key and love covers a multitude of sins. Enjoy!

Movies to make both of you happy

Television: It’s award show season

Sports Page 10 Valentine’s Day

Chloe Cochran

The CCS girls bowling team has had a remarkable season so far. In their third year as a program, the team is unde-feated in the conference, having a 15-0 record at press time. The girls have proven themselves worthy opponents against larger schools, like Mount Healthy and Hamilton. At press time, the girls’ team was also ranked second in the Division 2 Coaches’ Poll behind only Roger Bacon. Junior Madison Brockman was ranked 43 in the city in a list that includes Division 1 teams as well. Madison, one of the team’s top bowlers, said the team is successful due to their hard work, regardless of skill level. “We have a great group of people bowling this year. Some have little experience, but they try their absolute hardest and it shows.” Madison recently made school history by being the first girl to bowl a 400 series.

The team consists of mainly underclassmen, and one se-nior girl, Carissa Zaffiro. The girls have enjoyed improving as bowlers and getting to know each other. Junior Bethany Baker said, “As we go undefeated, I realized we are not just a team but a family, and that’s what makes us strong.” The girls would encourage underclassmen to get involved with bowling. Madison said, “Bowling is a fun, but chal-lenging sport. You have to maintain a consistency that is surprisingly hard. If you aren’t the kind of person who likes to run, this is definitely for you! It’s a quick sport to catch on to.” Bethany added, “I would encourage everyone to try bowl-ing! It might seem nerdy or lame...but it›s really fun and we get pizza a lot- so it›s worth it.” Members of the varsity team are Carissa, the only senior, juniors Madison, Bethany, Abby Stone, and sophomores Kayley Harris, Aleia Hauer, and Leigh Cartier.

Girls bowling having undefeated season

Seniors on this year’s bowling team include the first CCS four-year bowler Josh Carney, fourth from left. Pictured are Andrew Lanier, Spencer Fox, Carissa Zaf-firo, Josh, Sam Diefenbacher and Logan Katsetos. (photo courtesy of Mrs. Katsetos)

Boys bowling team rolls on to new levelsChloe Cochran

The boys bowling team had a chal-lenging season, with a 7-10 record at press time. The team took on difficult opponents such as MVC champions Seven Hills, and Division 1 schools like Hamilton High School. Senior Josh Carney had a successful year, earning MVC first team. This is his second year on the MVC team and

he has bowled multiple 400 matches this season. The boys’ team has grown closer this season and Josh says it’s fun to bowl when everyone on the team are friends. They “enjoy being a team and winning as a team.” Josh suggests that students get their friends together and try bowling for themselves. He said that you don’t have to be good, just willing to put in hard work.

Along with Josh making first team, junior Justin Lewis made second team MVC. The boys’ team will go into tournaments the week of February 17. Members of the varsity boys team are seniors Josh, Spencer Fox, Logan Katsetos, and Sam Diefenbacher, ju-niors Justin, sophomores Nolan Crow, Jacob Rothert, Konner Logan, and Michael Yost, and freshman Hayden Steele.

Page 11 Sports Valentine’s Day

A new coach and “losing Morgan (Keiner)” are the biggest changes in the swimming team this year, accord-ing to junior Laura Kindell. Jen Keiner replaced long-time coach Tassos Madonis who moved to Ken-tucky earlier this year and state-quali-fier Morgan Keiner graduated last year and now swims at the college level for Xavier University. Laura said this particularly impacts the relay teams. Payton Keiner, a sophomore, is a standout this year placing in both her events in the Southwestern Ohio Clas-sic, the largest high school swim meet in the U.S. Laura said the team is looking for-ward to Districts on February 20 and hopes to have at least one swimmer qualify for state. Luke and Gabe Ferguson, both freshmen, are the only guys on the team, which limits them to individual events.

Swim team faces new challenges

Sophomore Payton Keiner swims the breast stroke at a recent meet. (photo cour-tesy of Mrs. Kindell)

Logan Katsetos and his parents Chris and Glenda sign a letter of intent to play football for Olivet Nazarene University as football coach Mr. Fulcher looks on. ONU is near Chicago. (photo by Brian Hill)

Soccer goal keeper Keely Brown signs a letter of intent to play for Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina next year. With Keely are her parents and coach Shawn Pence (photo by Carissa Zaffiro).

Sports Page 12 Valentine’s Day

Keely Brown

With the boys’ basketball season coming to an end soon, they’ve a had long yet impressive season, despite a few of the injuries on the team. The team has faced some tough opponents, but the boys persevered through the difficulties and came out strong. Just like the girls’ team, the boys only have two seniors, which means they’ve stepped up their leadership skills for the underclassmen. Senior Christian Rieman said that he tries to impact the lead by “leading vo-cally.” Terrence Hubbard, also a senior, explained that, “Everybody has stepped up, done their job, and played very well to help the team succeed.” Of course, it’s no secret that Sam McLaughlin suffered a traumatic head injury that caused memory loss. With Sam a basketball player, you would imagine that it affected the team. “It made us realize that any game can be your last. We play for each other and when somebody goes down, we have to help that person out and continue to fight for them,” said Christian. The team’s last regular season game is on February 21, and then they start tournaments. They ask for student support as they’re finishing out their last few games. Terrence said, “I’m really going to miss playing with these guys. I really created a bond with them, but I’m also ready to see what else God has in store for me in the future.”

Senior co-captains Christian Rieman and Terrence Hubbard jump for layups. (Photos courtesy of Kim Hesselgesser)

Boys b-ball team pushes through

Keely Brown

Despite losing several star seniors last year, the girls basketball team is doing very well this season. Senior Shauna Mckain out with an ankle injury and “it’s really affected the team,” said junior Emily Reutener. The coaches agree that Shauna is a key player. Senior Hannah Edwards explained how “everyone has stepped up to help do their part on the team.” Along with every team sport, they have their strengths and weaknesses. Hannah said that their weakness is “being a young team and not always being able to execute,” whereas Shauna said that the team is weaker on the defensive end of the court. However, “we overcome our weak-nesses by playing hard and always encouraging each other on and off the court,” said Shauna. Although young, “the team is a very talented group of girls” and “extreme-ly capable of playing well,” according to Hannah. Emily thinks that their hardest op-ponent is themselves. “We either think too much or we aren’t focused.” Once they overcome that, the team will be a slam-dunk!

Girls team takes on new trials

Counselor (continued from pg. 1)causing pain in their lives, and being able to work through it to under-stand what’s going on. She wants students to find heal-ing and restoration in order to live a productive life, and to fully connect with God and others in the way that they were designed to. Mrs. Enos said, “I hope those who need counseling will get the op-portunity to go.”