Coach Muller and Team Captains Mike Bivens and Jimmy Eline with District Game Ball
Colonials Crack through to Districts
by James Arrison
The Colonials started off the season with a three win streak, but that didn’t mean easy sailing for the Ox. A four game losing streak in their opening league games placed the team in a difficult position. But the determined Ox would not give up believing. Redeeming themselves with a two game winning streak, they solidified a spot in AAA Districts. On their last game of the regular season, they couldn’t find a way to knock off AAAA District powerhouse South Western. However, their AAA playoff hopes were still alive, having secured the 15th seed in districts.
The Colonials went up against Susquehanna Township in round one of the AAA District playoffs. Susquehanna Township's team is among the strongest in the districts and they came out with all guns blazing and prevailed by the score of 42 - 7. The Colonials fought hard all night, but were not able to come out with a win, thus ending their season.
Although the team did not advance, the qualification for districts is a major accomplishment and is a tribute to the team's hard work and dedication through long hours of weight training, pancake dinners and the Lineman's Challenge. The Silhouette wishes to congratulate the entire team for their efforts and especially acknowledge the coaches for the 2009 football team: Matt Muller, Joel Brosius, Jason Warner, John Slagle, Joe Eline, Gared Chrismer, Larry Baumgardner and Mike Detrick. We'd also like to acknowleldge the parents for their support all season.
Finally, a special thank you to the seniors of the squad for their dedication to the football program throughout their career and their leadership this year. Good luck to those seniors as they move out to experience unknown arenas, confident that they will be well-served by the lessons they have learned on the playing field.
14 = 1: Get Ready to Wrestle!
by Devan Poist
This year the wrestling team looks to go as far as they want to as they want to as we only lose one wrestler due to graduation. Last year was a tough year for the Colonials as they just missed out on a York County District III wrestling berth. When The Silhouette sat down with head coach Mr. Dave Conaway, here’s what he had to say.
Silhouette: What new effects do you plan to bring to New Oxford Wrestling this year?
Coach Conaway: I’m not really sure. You’re always constantly adjusting. Of course, we learn new moves and tactics from camps we travel to...but we always keep the same base and make small adjustments as we go.
Silhouette: Last year was a tough year, just missing out on districts. What can this squad do to prevent that sort of thing happening again?
Coach Conaway: I think we have 14 returning starters as well as 17 lettermen; we can be as good as we were in the mid 90’s. We just have to make the top 4 in York County.
Silhouette: In junior high this team was at one time ranked #1 in the state of Pennsylvania. What differences, if any, do you see between now and then?
Coach Conaway: Well. of course, competition has improved immensely. We're going to face tough and mature teams out there, and we have to just perform at our best.
Silhouette: This year’s wrestling team is expected to go even as far as States. Will this be an issue living up to the hype or will you try to ignore it and do the best that you can?
Coach Conaway: Well, certainly it's always been a goal, it's always hard from other schools' talent. We just have to focus on making the state dual meet team. To make it that far, we have to place in the top three in the district to qualify for the state tournament.
Silhouette: How far do you think this team can make it?
Coach Conaway: The team can make it as far as they want to, and I really mean that. This is the most talent we've had in five years. The 1996 team lost in the first round because of three missing kids. If we would have had those three kids, we would have gone a lot farther.
Silhouette: What will the team’s greatest strength this year?
Coach Conaway: Everyone: we are only as strong as our weakest link. And that shouldn’t be a problem-- we're loaded.
Silhouette: This team is capable of great things on the mat, but off of the mat how are the kids?
Coach Conaway: They're good kids; they work hard in school to get good grades. I haven’t had any complaints so far. They also have made good choices in friends.
Silhouette: Most all coaches agree that "chemistry" is crucial in a wrestling team. How is the chemistry on this team?
Coach Conaway: The kids get along well; they’ve been on the same dual meet team since fourth grade. They know to be helping other kids out with wrestling. They're real close.
Silhouette: Last question--to all of those kids out there that bash wrestling and say it's one of the weakest sports, what do you have to say to them?
Coach Conaway: Well, it builds strength, improves balance, it requires a lot of different skills, mental toughness. You learn to condition and train--it just makes you tough. It's one on one competition so the only person you have to blame a loss on is yourself. When you step inside that ten foot circle, it’s a big deal.
JV and Varsity Girls' Basketball
by Colby Scutta
Colonial basketball season is quickly arriving. The girls are said to have high expectations this season. We have a young team this year but have three returning varsity players.
Coach Horick stated that he expects the team to qualify for districts, and finish in top half of the division. He expects the team to achieve many goals and have fun while doing so.
The girls are practicing hard every night waiting for the tip off tourney to arrive. Coach Horick is very excited for the start of the season. By working hard on skills, strategies, and conditioning we will prepare for the tough season ahead.
"We are going to work hard on skills, strategies, and conditioning”, said Coach Horick. " We hope tocontinue the success that was started with last year's seniors. Tradition does not graduate.” Coach Horick stated.
Coach Horick also said that he sees "a lot of potential in our underclassmen."
Coach Hall, our JV coach, was also asked some questions. He stated, “I expect each girl to improve her game while enjoying the sport, to understand the team concepts and what is to be expected of them at the varsity level.” He expects the JV team to get better with every game and to be undefeated. “I would like to have a little more depth, but I will take quality over quantity.”
Coach Hall emphasizes building fundamentals so crucial to advancement to higher performance levels while simultaneously stressing the necessity for team play.
Great talent is coming up through the high school and Coach Hall says it is as good as he has seen since coaching. “I thoroughly enjoy the challenges of working with the JV squad, preparing them for the next level. I support and believe in what Coach Horick does 100%. He makes it worthwhile to sacrifice the time away to work with our girls - to prepare them for future greatness on and off the court.”
Please come to as many games as possible to help support our Lady Colonials! Here is the link to view the season schedule.
Editor's note: Please come support the team. In the not too distant past, our stands were packed with fans supporting our basketball teams, both boys' and girls'. We need to have that "extra man" that comes with a crowd of boisterous, supportive, and sportsmanlike fans. Come on, Red Swarm!
Roundball Preview: 9th Grade Basketball
by Austin Rife and Ryan Leib
The Ninth Grade Basketball team starts a new season on the 14th of December away at Red Lion. The Boys' Basketball team looks to build throughout the season with their new coach, Eric Warner. The team has a tough schedule ahead of them this year. With great teams like Dallastown, Red Lion, West York, Central York, and Delone Catholic along with an always competitive league schedule, it’s going to be a challenging year for the Colonials. They should do well, but will have to play very well to beat these good teams.
The freshmen Colonial team is led by some pretty good athletes. Some team leaders include Tyler Steckback, Ross Starner, Alec Larderello, and Nick Slusser. Last year, Alec Larderello moved up to the freshmen team so he has some experience . This team has some good players to back up the team leaders including Dan Ernst, Drew Atland, Matt Staub, Ron Wolford, Johnny Giannotto, and Dylan Morris. Overall, the Colonials have pretty good depth and with a pretty good talent pool as well.
This team has lost some key acquisitions from their team that could hinder their performance. Standouts Zack Wildisin and Brandon Trimmer, both freshmen, have moved up to Junior Varsity this year. This is not an easy task to do as a freshman. Very few of the best freshmen play on Junior Varsity during their first year, but these guys are ready for the challenge. This means that the 9th grade team will need to pick up their game..
Overall the freshmen basketball team has acquired some new players this year. Transferring from Delone Catholic to play for us this year are Nick Slusser and Dan Ernst. These players are good at the sport and will give the team a boost. Also, Drew Atland, Ron Wolford, and Dylan Morris have decided to play basketball this year. They have not played for the school before, but will definitely help the Colonials out this year.
All in all, this year’s team could have great success with all of these great talents on the team. Coach Warner will surely have the team ready for their first game against Red Lion. The team hopes to compete in the league and hop,efully, that means competing for first place. We all hope that the freshman Colonials’ basketball team has a successful year. Good luck to the whole basketball program this year.
Bubble, Bubble, Twitter Trouble
by Derek Snyder
Today in sports, players are using Twitter and Facebook to post personal takes on their game, performance, opposing teams and even their own coaches. This is becoming a big deal on Twitter and Facebook because players are now using social networks to trash talk other teams (and even in some cases their own coaches as occured most recently with Larry Johnson). Because of this, coaches are banning their players from using Twitter, Facebook and MySpace during sports events. Players are getting fined for what they are saying and even showing. Even owners of teams are getting in trouble for it.
For all the good Twitter has brought, it's also tripped up several sports figures. Here's a look at some who have let their "tweets" go a little too far. Chad Ochocinco for the Cincinnati Bengals had tweeted “I got a nice present for the Steelers - sending them some mustard since they’ll never ketchup when we play them Sunday.” Ochocinco didn’t get in trouble or anything, but this is only one of the minor cases.
Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks owner, was fined 25,000 dollars by the NBA for complaining about the refs. His tweet was “How do they not call a tech on JR Smith for coming off the bench to taunt our player on the ground?”
Park McLachlin was the first golfer to tweet during a PGA event, which broke league rules. He didn’t get a fine, but he did get a phone call from a very disappointed Tour Executive VP Rick George. His tweet was “Just made birdie on 4.Waiting on 5th tee. First tweet during a tourney round. Don’t wanna get too used to this!”
The next tweet is from Lane Kiffin, the Tennessee Volunteers football coach. He claims an assistant had posted it on his account, but the Vols were forced to report themselves to the NCAA for mentioning an unsigned recruit by name. His tweet, “It's a beautiful day in Knoxville, Tennessee today. I was so ecxited to hear that J.C. Copeland committed to play for the Vols today!”
Soccer players have even gotten into the act. Brian Ching, of the Houston Dynamo, tweeted, “Ref in Seattle just cheated the Dynamo. What a joke! Not even close. Ref is a cheat.” He later got a $500 from the MLS while he was across the country resting up for a World Cup Game.
When his coach was late for a team meeting, Texas Tech linebacker Marlon Williams asked Twitternation why he had showed up at all. “Wondering why I’m still in this meeting room when the head coach can’t even be on time to his meeting”. Coach Mike Leach suspended Williams for the comment and banned his students from using Facebook, Twitter and MySpace during sporting events.
Charlie Villanueva, of the Milwaukee Bucks, tweeted during halftime of a Bucks-Celtics game that he needed to step up in order for his team to win. He tweeted, “In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. We're playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up.” Although Villanueva did turn the game around, scoring a team-high 19 points, coach Scott Skiles banned Bucks players from tweeting during games.
Another NBA incident was with Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves. His tweet was about his coach getting fired, something that nobody but the team knew. His tweet was, “Today is a sad day ... Kevin McHale will NOT be back as head coach this season. He responded to this tweet after being told that he just released inside information. His response was, “P.S. I am not a breaking news guy... I had no idea no one knew. I'll tell them I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Always works....”
These are just some of the tweets that are made in sports. So now I am going to ask you, what do you think should happen to sports players when they make inappropriate tweets?
Soccer's Rough Stuff
by Allie Mack
At the Mountain West Conference semifinal, Elizabeth Lambert played extremely rough, earning herself a yellow card and her own suspension.
Video clips of Lambert’s rough play were shown worldwide. In them, she is throwing elbows and plowing down other players on the field. The worst of her actions is when she yanks Kassidy Shumway, a player on the opposing team, to the ground by her ponytail.
Soccer is a rough sport, but there is no reason for Lambert to pull a girl to the ground by her hair. She clearly let anger control her play when she must know how to control those emotions to help her college soccer team win. Later she admitted, “I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation.”
Lambert was not the only one playing physical. In the video, it is visible that a girl is giving Lambert an elbow to the ribs while another is tugging on her shorts. Lambert has become known around the world because many have watched the video of her rough play.
Although Lambert actions were wrong, there is no reason for the intense backlash she is receiving from around the world. One blog posted her parents’ phone number, and said “she should be taken to state prison, raped, and left in a ditch to die.” Lambert acted in the heat of the moment, not even thinking--kind of like the strange posters who hide behind the anonymity of the Internet.
One of the major problems for athletes today is playing with composure. Many athletes have gone into a game thinking that they are the best player out there and that they are invincible. The problem occurs when they run into an athlete with more talent than they have. In order to win, some arrogant athletes resort to playing dirty, a "win-at-all-costs" attitude, not caring who they bring down. Other times, it is an evenly matched game, and the athletes are playing hard, trying to stay composed, but one elbow could send them over the edge. All sports are ninety percent mental, trying to stay on top of your game, and avoiding the tendency to retailiate when someone falls in with pushing and pulling.
Lambert's example illustrates what not to do, even if you're getting bumped and pushed. In soccer, she should focus her attacks on the ball, and use her anger to fuel her speed and stamina.
When Competitors Become Brothers
by Shaiann Daniels
It was a moment that silenced the stands... the moment that rookie quarterback Pat White of the Miami Dolphins took a devastating blow, falling limp to the ground instantly.
In the first half of the game between the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Quarterback Chad Henne had suffered an eye injury. He then had to watch from the sidelines, forcing his team to convert to the second string Quarterback Pat White. What everyone didn’t know is that this wouldn’t be the last quarterback to enter the game.
A scramble in the late third quarter led to White’s injury. Cornerback Ike Taylor took a frightening helmet hit with Pat White causing him to fall lifelessly. Thankfully Taylor wasn’t hurt. As both teams called for medical help, they could see that Pat was not moving.
The Steelers took to one knee in prayer as the cart was traveling to White. After nearly 10 minutes, he was finally strapped to the medical cart. It was clear that Taylor felt horrible as he was the last one to talk to White as he was carted off to the locker room. “Man, I hope you get better.” Then White replied with a simple “Thanks”. He had enough wind left in him to give his teammates a short pep talk, “Boys, keep ballin'. I’ll be fine. You go out there and keep fighting.”
With an injury like that one, the color of your jersey doesn’t matter anymore. Both teams, no matter which two they may be, become one.
Finishing Hard: Cross Country Retrospective
by Allison Mack
Cross country comes to end, and the boys and girls teams gear up for districts.
After an exciting season of eleven wins and eight losses, the girls’ cross country team made it to districts. Although the boys’ team did not finish as well, a few of the members made it to districts because of their times under nineteen minutes. "I am extremely proud of their accomplishments and they completely deserve it for all the hard work they put in this season,” Frantz says about his runners going to districts.
Kaylee Kubisiak finished 4th place at county competition, and continued on to win 76th out of 300 at state competitions. Kaylee Kubisiak finished 19th at districts, ran on the Hershey cross country course. When asked about the course, many of the runners said it was in poor condition, extremely muddy and slippery, and it was nearly impossible to run on. Top Runner, Kaylee Kubisiak says that she was very nervous at States. “I was happy that I made it to States, but nervous that I had to run against a lot of people.”
In the end, Frantz says, “The season turned out great! The girls made it to districts and Kaylee might get to states yet! The boys had a rough season; however, they showed a lot of improvement, and they have put themselves in a position to be at the top of the pile next year.”
When asked about his opinion of the team next year, Frantz says, “I think that both the boys and girls will be in the running for the York County Division I Championship.”
Not surprisingly, Coach Frantz's word of advice for next season's athletes?
“Run Fast!”
Kaylee Chillin'
Here are a Few of Kaylee's Favorite Things:
Her Favorite…
Pre-meet Snack...“Sports beans”
After-meet Snack...“Whatever Momma Thompson (Mrs. Thompson) brought.”
Drink...“Water.”
Running shoes...“Asics.”
Pre-wrap Color...“Allie’s lime green!”
Favorite Practice...“Ultimate Frisbee!”
Meet Superstitions...“We would crumple the runner’s numbers up if we got them, and the girls’ team would pray and do a cheer.”
After New Oxford’s disappointing season last year, the Ox turned to an all new Navy-inspired offense: the action-packed triple-option. With a former receiver, Mike Bivens, under center leading the pack, and a stacked back field with Jimmy Eline, Nick Rebert and Zack Groft, the Colonials felt confident about this season. According to Coach Muller, “Having the weapons we do, with our speed in the skill positions and quickness up front, we try to create match-up problems for the defense. Each opponent we face has to put in a lot of special preparation to face us.”
