“I just kept telling them to take it one day at a time, one match at a time, and one stroke at a time,” said Steve Bradley, coach.

The adventure began when the team, along with their parents, showed up for the practice round on Sunday at Silo Ridge Golf Course, in Bolivar, Missouri. The girls were tired and worn out which led to an interesting round.

“Before the practice round we all ordered these disgusting burgers, then Coach Janssen was driving fast on all these tight roads and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty,” said Cusumano.

“It was dreadful,” said Wolf.  The uncharacteristic practice round did not stick with the girls, the team quickly erased that from their heads and played the game they knew how to play.

The alarm sounded at 6:20 A.M. the following day, and the girls dragged themselves out of bed and headed to breakfast.  The five tired girls consumed chocolate covered donuts, toasted bagels with cream cheese, blueberry muffins and orange juice.  Coach Bradley said a few words, prayed, and the team was off.

A couple drives, pitches, and putts later the team came back together with smiles on their faces. The girls were forty-one shots ahead of the next team and were in control.

“After the first day I felt like were going to pull it off without question,” said Mauze.

As the second day came around the girls rolled out of bed again and met in the breakfast lounge.  The girls were informed that this day was going to be different from the previous.  Mothers came downstairs with extra jackets and filled the girls pockets with hand warmers and gloves.  The second round was to be played on a wet course, in a biting air, and in 30-mile per hour wind.

“The air was heavy and colder making it difficult for those who had high ball flight, and the greens were a little more challenging because of the rain, but everyone out there had to deal with the same thing,” said Younger.

A crowd of about 150 cold and bundled moms, dads, siblings, friends and grandparents gathered around the 18^th green to watch the last groups finish their round.  Hearts were pounding, feet were pacing, and the dream of becoming the new District 1, Class 1, state champions was getting closer and closer.  The crowd applauded Cusumano and the girls in her group as they tapped in their final putts of the season.  The pin was placed in the cup and the tournament was completed.

“I was relieved and felt like I could finally breath again,” said Cusumano.

The Westminster team finished in first place with 91 strokes separating them from the second place team. Cusumano led the wildcats and placed first, with her teammates close behind her.  One by one the girls on the Westminster team were called up to receive their medals.  The girls hugged their parents, expressed gratitude towards fellow friends on opposing teams, packed their clubs up and drove home.

“Overall I am proud of the humility my team had when they could have let success make them arrogant.  I am thrilled that we accomplished what we know we could,” said Bradley.

Remember the good old days?  The days when you could eat somewhere in the school without fear of being reprimanded?  Good times, good times.  Now, food has been outlawed from everywhere in the new campus except the lunchroom.  Oops, of course I meant the café.

Food is the source of energy for every living person on earth.  We need food to be able to function well in society as well as school.  To make it illegal to eat in most places in the school is a problem.  It is ignoring the needs of the students that are here for a good learning environment.  Children only focused on lunch and what they are going to eat to get rid of that empty feeling in their stomach, rather than that algebra equation they should be focused on.

This problem affects athletes as well, perhaps even more than other students.  Athletes need to be eating throughout most of the day to build muscle and stay in tip-top shape.

Westminster has taken a new approach this year to health.  Being allowed to eat in classes would allow students and athletes to live a healthier life style and be better prepared for the various sports and activities they are involved with.

Dave Schall, strength and conditioning coach, recently sent out a note to parents on how their children can live a healthier life style.  The main point of his not was that students should try to eat five to six smaller meals a day to “keep a constant flow of calories, vitamins, and minerals the body needs to excel during the day”.  Eating more small meals a day instead of three larger ones also helps, according to Schall, burn more fat, prevent being “run down”, and sustaining muscle development.

This seems like a great plan.  If this would help athletes and students to be healthier and feel better throughout the day, then a lot of students should be doing it.  The only problem is, under the current rules of the school, this health plan is unachievable.

Obviously, the way the school wants you to do this health plan is by grabbing small amounts of food by your lockers and shoving them down before class.  But under the current rules, this is an unrealistic expectation of students.

Let us imagine a scenario.  Say I have Dr. Gibson’s class third hour, which is located all the way in the freshman hallway.  This is a bit of a predicament for me, as this is about three hours from when I ate my first small meal of the day.  The next class I have is Mr. Graham’s Worldviews class, which is located in the senior hallway.

I have to walk all the way to my locker to get the appropriate materials for my next class, then walk to Mr. Graham’s class.  No time to eat in the hall.  Only time to sit down in my seat and think about how hungry I am and how much of a headache I have because of my lack of nourishment.  I should be focusing on learning the difference between Nihilism and Existentialism, but instead I’m thinking about food.

Continuing with that same situation, what if I have a big Art History test seventh hour to study for and want to get more studying time in so I can do my best on the test?  I do what any student would do, go to the library.  But, of course, I can’t eat in there, and I can’t eat in my next two classes, so what am I supposed to do?  I haven’t eaten a single thing all day.

Don’t get me wrong.  That whole story was not to explain how Coach Schall’s health plan won’t work and how it shouldn’t be taken seriously.  I think Schall’s plan is perfect for promoting wellness among athletes as well as non-athletes.  More kids should eat like that.  The problem is, the administration is telling us we should do one thing to be healthy, but has rules restricting us from doing the very thing they are encouraging us to do.

The most exciting day of regular season baseball ever.  That is what a lot of people are calling September 28, 2011.  And not just Cardinal fans in St. Louis, as most of us know what happened on this day, but baseball fans across the nation.

We as sports fans witnessed something that had never happened before.  Two enormous collapses the likes no one has ever seen by the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox.  The Red Sox at one point had a nine game lead in the standings over the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Braves had an eight and a half game lead at the same time over our very own St. Louis Cardinals.  What transpired leading up to the 28^th was unforgettable, but the night itself was what set this season apart from any other that we’ve seen.

Let’s start with the Rays, who had to come back from a nine game deficit just to be in the position to make the postseason.  They went into Wednesday tied for the Wild Card lead with the Red Sox, but they had to play the first-place Yankees, while the Red Sox had the easier job of playing the lowly Baltimore Orioles.  The odds were greatly in Boston’s favor.

As both of the games started, the Rays seemed to be in an even tighter position.  New York jumped ahead 7-0 early on in the game, and seemed to never look back.  Meanwhile, the Red Sox were beating the Orioles 3-2 until a rain delay in the 7^th inning caused the game to be delayed.  The Rays were on their way to losing, and the Red Sox game could be stopped at any minute, which would give Boston the Wild Card.

But Tampa wasn’t out just yet.  In the bottom of the eighth, out of nowhere, the Rays bust loose for six runs.  It was miraculous, but it seemed to be too little, too late.  They were still down, and it seemed as though the Yankees had won.  But not so fast.  In the bottom of the ninth, down to their last strike, .119 hitter Dan Johnson smacks a pitch out to the right field bleachers, and the game is tied.

Just before, the Red Sox game had resumed and they had coughed up their lead to the last place Orioles and had lost the game.  Now, all that mattered was the Rays game.  They didn’t have to wait long, as four minutes later, their fate had been sealed.  In the bottom of the twelfth, star third baseman Evan Longoria hit a line drive out of the park to give the Rays the win and the Wild Card.

How could anything be possibly more exciting in baseball, you ask?  If the same thing happened again the same night, that would be pretty exciting.  Oh wait, it did.

The Cardinals had, just like the Rays, fought long and hard in September to overcome incredible odds.  They came back from an eight and a half game deficit to be at the position on Wednesday to win the National League Wild Card playoff position.  St. Louis got to play the dreadful Astros, while the Braves had to play the best team in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies.

St. Louis’s game was a blow-out, as the won 8-0 with a dominating performance by veteran pitcher Chris Carpenter.  Atlanta, however, was winning their game 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth.  Then, Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel lost the lead, and the game was tied.  The Braves eventually went on to complete their late season debacle in the twelfth inning when Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence hit a wimpy single just out of the reach of second baseman Dan Uggla to score the winning run.

A lot of people may look at this day and say, “So what?  It’s just a day of baseball.  Why should I care?”

You might not care about the actual games, but there are lessons to be learned in watching these games, just as there are lessons to be learned in sports all the time.  The Rays and the Cardinals never gave up during the long season, even when most of the country had pretty much proclaimed the Red Sox and Braves winners.

Resiliency is an important characteristic that everyone should try to develop.  No matter how much you think you’re down, you’re never out.

Last week many Westminster students were able to cheer on the Cardinals in their fight to earn a trip to the World Series.  The cardinals were playing the Brewers in a seven game series, which ended last Sunday with the Cardinal’s on top.  Games three, four, and five were played last Wednesday through Friday in St. Louis. The Cardinals took games one and three.  These students that attended these games were fortunate enough to walk away with a great, new experience.

Dreams were made true as Westminster students enjoyed these exhilarating games with tons of memorable moments.

“I think the most memorable moment in game five was when Mark Rzepczynski came out from the bull pen to pitch to Prince Fielder, and he struck him out in a very critical point in the game,” said Andrew Montgomery, eighth grader.

There were many other memorable moments that these students will remember for a long time.

“In game four it was cool to see the crowd back up their team, even when the Cardinals were losing throughout most of the game,” said Jack Linton, eighth grader.

In game three, exciting moments filled the game, but no moment could match the excitement of the last out that gave the Cardinals the win.

“I thought the most memorable part of game three was when Jason Motte struck out their player for the win.  I will never forget how loud the stadium erupted after that last out,” said Andrew Cannon, sophomore.

Students who attended these games were amazed by the electric atmosphere created by the Cardinal fans.

“The atmosphere was amazing.  Unlike regular season games, every time the pitcher threw a strike the crowd erupted,” said Cannon

Rally towels were given to all the Cardinal fans in order to make the stadium seem more alive.

“The rally towels made the atmosphere seem even more hectic.  It was awesome to look out into a stadium full of people waving white towels,” said Linton

The Westminster students that attended the game were very excited to see some of the best players in baseball.

“It was awesome to see Albert Pujols play.  He is such a good offensive and defensive player, who gives all his honor to God,” said Montgomery

David Freese played high-school baseball at Lafayette, and he was the most valuable player throughout the series.

David Freese was the most exciting player to see for me.  He has lead the Cardinals through the postseason and I really enjoyed watching him play,” said Cannon

All the Westminster students that attended these games walked away with many stories and memories.  These students hope to attend more baseball games and can’t wait for the Cardinal’s to face the Texas Rangers in the fight for the World Series Championship.

by Summer Smith – News/Feature Editor

With the friendly junior and senior rivalry heating up, powderpuff adds fuel to the competitive fire each year. This year powderpuff had the closest outcomes in Westminster history. The girls excited the crowd, going back and forth scoring touchdown after touchdown with the final score ending at 42 to 42.

”I think the teams were pretty well matched and the score could have gone either way in the end. Courtney Powell was basically unstoppable, but we were able to make good runs and catches with everyone contributing to match all their points. We had great coaching as well. Mark McFarland, one of the coaches, said at the end of the game that he would make sure not to play a fall sport next year so he can coach again because he had such a great time. It was nice just throwing a random group of girls together and all getting to know each other and syncing so we could hopefully beat the seniors. Win, lose, or tie, I know the juniors had a blast throughout the whole process,” said Shelby Kehr, junior.

The juniors started out down, but made their comeback and kept the game close. Katie Matheny, Jabri Boyd, Olivia Willis, and Shelby Kehr were key players that kept the juniors in the game.

“I was apart of powderpuff to be silly and have a good time. I thought the outcome of the game was really fitting because the teams were pretty equal. The key players for the seniors were Courtney Powell, Alexis Grasse, Rachel Gantner, and Chloe Carnahan. The best part of powderpuff is just spending time with your class, screaming, and being loud and crazy,” said Madeleine Smith, senior.

The senior class’s offense was almost unstoppable and a big threat to the juniors. Courtney Powell, senior, would run the ball breaking through the junior defense without much effort. Chloe Carnahan, senior, also made important catches contributing to a great game.

“I loved powderpuff this year! The coaches worked so hard and did a great job. I was disappointed in it ending in a tie, but tie or no tie we all were competitive and still had fun with each other. There weren’t as many girls playing this year and different coaches so it was good to get to play more and try out different positions,” said Chloe Carnahan, junior.

Though many of the junior and senior athletes were not able to play because of other sport’s commitments, the players involved fought to represent their class the best that they could

“I was really bummed that my friends and I could not play in powderpuff because of fall sports because it is such a great high school tradition. I thought the teams were somewhat evenly matched, but since the people in fall sports could not participate I felt like it took a lot of athletic people out of the game. Even though I wish I could have played, it was still a lot of fun to watch,” said Jessica Johnson, junior.

Many of the athletes who could not play still showed up to support their class and watch the game.

“If there was one class in all of Westminster that I would not mind tying against it would be this year’s senior class. I don’t think any of them or any of us really just hate each other. It made it so much fun and a great game,” said Kehr.

Photo by: Tom Mitchell

The fall season kicks off with major success under the direction of the new Athletic Director, Todd Zell.

Before coming to Westminster, Zell was the Athletic Director at Rockwood Summit for four years where he was previously the Head Coach for varsity boys’ Basketball, JV boys’ Basketball coach, Assistant Coach of varsity softball and the JV baseball coach.

Although he comes from a public school he is ready to take the challenge at Westminster.

“My athletic experience combined with my Christian beliefs allows me to run the Athletic Department efficiently. There is a bit of a learning curve with learning the new rules, and there is also the advantage coming from a public school, but it also brings a little higher standard,” said Zell.

Although Rockwood Summit and Westminster are two very different schools in many ways, Zell has adjusted well and has not made too many changes regarding athletics. There have been small adjustments, however, that will help to improve the Athletic Department, the teams, and the school overall.

“Small changes can be made, it will take a lot of tweaking and constant improvement, but nothing major,” said Zell.

Zell has been fulfilling his duties as Athletic Director since the beginning of the summer, working hard to ensure the year gets off to a good start, and every season following is just as good, if not better than the one before.

One new idea Zell has brought to Westminster is the formation of a Captains Council. This is a frequent meeting for all of the student captains of sports teams to attend to cover topics of leadership in order to help them become better leaders.

“One thing I miss about teaching and coaching is hanging out with students. Captains Council allows me to do that, along with being in the know of what is going on around school amongst the students,” said Zell.

Zell also hopes  having a Captains’ Council will help to maintain clear communication amongst all athletic teams and will keep them in the know of what is going on behind the scenes.

A few students, along with a couple staff members, had the chance to experience a meeting like Captains Council with captains from other schools. It was a MSHAA Sportsmanship Seminar where they had speakers and the students were able to meet other captains and coaches.

“It was a good reinforcement of being a sacrificial leader and setting a good example and making the most out of the gifts you have,” said Erin Bognar, junior.

One of the most difficult aspects of Zell’s job is that he has to make final decisions that deal with a variety of topics but ultimately are difficult for everyone involved.

“It’s not always about winning it’s about making the best decision for the team,” said Zell.

In coming to Westminster, Zell brings his experience and mottos with him.  One motto he has that applies directly to athletics is “Each day you’re either getting better, getting worse or staying the same. I hope we’re getting better,” said Zell.

With constant work and determination we will be able to improve each day as a school, as teams, and as individuals of Christian athletes in all seasons.

Photo by: Sadie Stipanovich

by: Stephen Davis – Staff Writer

WCA’s varsity football team kicked off a new era in style on Friday August 26th with a rousing 27-14 victory over the Wheaton Christian Academy Warriors from Chicago. The game marked the beginning of the regime of Cory Snyder, head coach, over the Wildcat football program.

New varsity quarterback Jacob Hicks, junior, was instrumental in allowing Snyder’s first game as head coach to be a success. With less than five minutes left to go in the first half and the Wildcats down 14-7, Hicks coolly directed an eighty yard drive which culminated in a touchdown pass to Chris Cacciarelli with one second left in the half. Cacciarelli’s score knotted up the game at 14 points apiece.

In the third quarter, Keith Degler, senior, tackled Wheaton’s punter inside his own one-yard line after a high snap flew over his head. Hicks scored on a quarterback sneak one play later as the Wildcats took a 21-14 lead.

Defensive end Jeremy Hall, senior, recovered a fumble at Wheaton’s 10 yard line later in the third quarter. Two plays later, fullback Forrest Obenhaus, senior, rumbled into the end zone from four yards out, extending the lead to 27-14 after a fumbled hold on the extra point. It was Obenhaus’s second touchdown of the night. Obenhaus finished the game with an impressive 119 yards rushing on 23 carries.

The Wheaton game was Hicks’s first as starting varsity quarterback. The former JV wingback only attempted twelve passes, but completed six of them for 64 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also rushed 6 times for 27 yards and 1 touchdown.

“It’s good being the starting varsity quarterback. Obviously there are lots of expectations and everyone wants to do well in the new offense, but overall it’s been a good experience,” said Hicks.

The Wheaton game was also the first in which the Wildcats ran the Wing-T offense, which features a disciplined and physical power running game with fewer passes.

It became apparent that the Wildcats had embraced the new offense early in the first quarter when Obenhaus ran in his first touchdown, a 10-yard run. During the play, Obenhaus broke two tackles and was sprung through the hole in the Warriors’ defense by physical, hard-nosed blocking, a sight rarely seen in the spread offense the Wildcats had previously run.

Chris Pederson is the team’s new offensive coordinator.

“The transition to the Wing-T offense has gone smoothly in that we have a good plan as an offense week in and week out and even day in and day out. The team has really raised their level and, of course, that’s going to help when it comes to learning this new offense,” said Pederson.

The Wheaton game also marked the first time that the Wildcats played in their new stadium. The football team now enjoys playing on an artificial turf field in a brand-new 2,000 seat stadium with state-of-the-art facilities and a press box. The stadium is widely considered a huge upgrade over the old field by fans and players alike.

“There is an almost incomparable difference between the old stadium and the new stadium. The fan experience at the new stadium is incredible. At times on Friday the atmosphere was almost like that of a college game,” said Mindy Davis, football mom.

While the victory over Wheaton showed that the Wildcats are doing well under the transition they are going through, they know that they have just begun. The team faces more difficult opponents down the road, such as Borgia, Clayton, and Jennings, and must keep improving if they are to be successful in their new beginning.

“We have made good progress so far this year but we still have lots to learn,” said team captain Landon Burke, senior.

Photo by: Kelli Larson

by: Landon Burke – Staff Writer

Tate Matheny, senior and member of the WCA varsity baseball team, has announced his intentions to play baseball for Missouri State University for the 2012-2013 school year. Matheny has been in athletic scouts’ spotlight for several months now, and his selection process is finally complete. Where a potential collegiate athlete chooses to enroll is a big decision. Matheny, however, was very confident in his choice of Missouri State University. “I became interested in MSU when I visited the first time this summer. I got to know the coach and what a good guy he was, and I fell in love with all of it. It’s not too far from home, but I’m not in the backyard either. I just knew it was the right choice,” said Matheny. Although the world of college athletics will bring a whole new level of competition for Matheny, he showed confidence and enthusiasm towards the new opportunity ahead. “I’m looking forward to the competition and I hope to be able to help my team. The challange will be winning a starting spot my freshman year, but if I work hard, I think I can do it,” said Matheny. This past baseball season has been a historically successful one for the WCA baseball team, encompassing the first ever state title. However, Matheny’s baseball career seems to be far from over. “I hope to someday get drafted, and maybe even play in the bigs,” said Matheny. As the 2011-2012 sports seasons are completed, more and more senior athletes will be announcing their intent regarding college athletics. With Matheny being the first senior to lay down a commitment, only time will tell what WCA has to offer the world of collegiate sports.