Eagle Eye

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YOLOProves to be a bad excuse for kids to do stupid things.ANNA THEIS Page 13

STATE CHAMPSBoys cross country wins Vista’s fi rst male state title. Page 4

Mountain Vista High School • 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 • November 2, 2012 • Vol. 12 Issue 1

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Thru May 2013

21The iPhone 5 sizes up

to the competition

( )NOVEMBER

2012

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theEAGLE

EYE

theTHEME

10Cross Country

EP!C photo26The

Critique

4The boys cross country team elaborates on winning the 5A State Championship title

Oct. 27

22Sisters from Virginia

support each other as they adjust to a new school and new state

24Football teamEP!C photo 28

“Football is a team thing, like family, so you gotta work hard

for your family.”JACOB WOLF

6Donnie

‘Decadon’ Miller

11Staff Editorial with

Joanie Lyons“Our efforts go

unnoticed”

5DU hosts the first 2012 presidential

debate

7Powderpuff

cheerleadersEP!C photo

23Jason Mraz and Christina Perri

concert

27An update

Colorado’s pro sports teams

30GoldenEagles

Volleyball domination

BEGIN

12

on theWEB

Scan the QR code with your smartphone for instant

access to VistaNow.org

9Stuff that ticks

me off with Tyler Kraft

Photo by Taylor Blatchford

Cover photo of Eric Steiner, 12,Noel Wagner, 12,Connor Weaver, 11, Stephen Geisler, 12, and Blake Graf, 11 and coach Jonathan Dalby by Taylor Blatchford

DRIVER EDUCATION

The Stairway to

“I want to make sure the whole team had made it to the finish and we were OK, then I finally realized I just finished my last high school meet and I started crying a little bit,” senior Eric Steiner said.

“I was really proud of the guys and the way they ran. They ran awesome and you knew they couldn’t run much better than that,” Coach Dalby said.

“When I realized the team had won, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it. All of our hard work had finally paid off,” junior Blake Graf said.

Vista Nation XC sets a legacy after winning the boys state meet in Colorado Springs

“I was grateful for all the support from all the parents, coaches and Vista Nation in general because when we won, everyone won with us that just how cross country does it,” senior Noel Wagner said.

Photos by Taylor Blatchford

Connor Weaver—17:06Eric Steiner—17:11Andrew Wal-ton—17:12

Blake Graf—17:24Noel Wagner—17:29

Stephen Geisler—17:31Gap Time (1-7): 0:25

FINAL TIMES

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DU hostsDebatefest

For one night, Colorado became the stage for one of the biggest showdowns this political season.

The first presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, held in University of Denver’s Magness Arena, marked a pivotal point in the race for the White House. The arrival of both candidates brought the energy and enthusiasm of the campaign trail to the DU campus where numerous students and activ-ists were inspired to join in the fray. Debatefest, held on the Daniel’s School of Business on the DU campus, hosted a variety of events for such ac-tivists to get involved and spread their message. A portion of the campus was sectioned off for the groups and or-ganizations to describe their position and woo others to their plight. This staging area was called “Issues

Alley” and it contained upwards of two-dozen booths each with its own unique perspective on the issues of the day. From abortion, to the environment, to even the corporatization of educa-tion in America, opinions were rich and plentiful, both of protesters and official Issues Alley participants. Local artists and food eateries brought refreshing doses of art and culture to the experience to serve the hundreds of DU students and other visitors of Debatefest.Also participating in Debatefest was lo cal Denver band, The Lumineers, who provided a soundtrack to pre-debate festivities. At the turn of 7 p.m., the grounds of the business college became quiet as the Presidential Debate began, less than one block away in the Magness Arena. Festivities and crowds dissipated quickly as only the dedicated remained outside, watching the debate live on the large screen on the grounds of the campus in plummeting temperatures.

WES EDWARDS

Eagle EyeNEWS 5

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Photos by Erin Kim

eats are bumping, lights are flashing and people are dancing in the club and senior Donnie Miller, performing, loves every second of it. “It’s an adrenaline rush when I’m playing my

music,” he said. “People are having a good time and it’s just the best feeling in the world.” During his sophomore year, Miller decided to quit the band he performed with for a year and a half and begin creating his own music. “I couldn’t stand it when I was the only one who put in the effort, so I decided to do some-thing where I could be successful on my own,” he said. Miller has been producing dubstep music for 10 months now and playing at shows and venues for five months. “My last show was at Cervantes. I did a quick opening set for a local DJ,” he said. “It was cool being able to play at Cervantes because there have been really awesome shows there.” Cervantes, a local Denver venue at 2637 Welton St., has been hosting upcoming artists for over 80 years. The new owners have recently renovated and remodeled the build-ing to suit dubstep and electronic DJs. Miller said the most challenging obstacle he has face throughout his music career is creating music people will like.

“When people think is takes no talent to produce music it really upsets me. It’s harder than learning an instrument,” he said. “What most people don’t know is that all of the sounds I use, I make on my own.” A lot of major things are happening for Miller in the next year. Currently, Miller is working with The Maniac Agenda on a new song, which, he said, will be “very huge!” Techibeats, one of the biggest and most respected on-line electronic dance music magazines in the U.S., recently signed Miller. He also became an official business partner and talent scout for Collective Records, another online label that promotes upcoming artists. Through Collective Records, Miller released “Gotta Be Kidding,” which topped the Worldwide Top 100 at number 68. He is still holding the top two spots for sales for all of Collective Record’s releases. His new EP will be released through Collective Records in the next couple months. For 2013, Miller is looking forward to touring his music. “This summer I will be doing a West Coast tour,” he said, “I’ve already gotten a couple shows that have been solidi-fied in the Santa Barbara area.” There was a moment in Miller’s career when he realized he wanted to produce music for the rest of his life. “Even if it’s not this, if the whole electronic scene dies out, which I don’t think it will, I would love to do this the rest of my life,”

To listen to some of Decadon’s music, visit

soundcloud.com.

SHANNON VAN DOK

Photos by Riley McCloskey

For more information on Decadon and his music, visit

facebook.com/decadon.

on theWEB

Senior Donnie

Miller pursues a music

productioncareer

B

Eagle Eye NEWS6

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DECA

DON Photo by Jessi Wood

Alex Mara, Nick Barry, and Dalton Lewis, juniors, perform their junior male cheerleader dance during the homecoming football game. “We didn’t really prepare that much beforehand actually, but we had a ton of fun dancing,” Mara said. They took a risk and changed their dance slightly when performing during the school assembly. “If Mrs. Hitchens will let us, we would love to perform again next year as seniors.”

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TICKS STUFF THAT

TYLER KRAFT At the beginning of the school year, were you told where you could and could not eat lunch? I was told, as a sophomore, that I was able to go off campus and eat in the school hallways if I was so inclined. Obviously, I was not told the truth. I have been kicked out of the hallways almost everyday that I have chosen to sit there. Not eat, just sit there. I do not disrupt classes. I just sit, talk with my friends and do my homework. I have fifth period off. Where am I supposed to go? The library is constantly packed. The commons is over-crowded and it is starting to cool off outside. Eventually we will all run out of places to eat and the commons will become an over-crowded pool of noise and mess. The new “policy” has not just affected me though. When you have your lunch, try to go see one of your teachers in either the 300s or 400s. You will be met with this response: “What do you need to do? Sorry, please get back to the com-mons or go outside.” What happens if you need to get to a locker and grab a book needed for homework? “Sorry, please go back to the commons or go out-side.” There are exceptions to the rule though. Members of the Technology Student Association go and eat their lunch in the tech lab are free to go in and out of the blockade set by

our security guards. What makes them any different than the rest of us? We do not disrupt classrooms and are kicked out of the hallways for it while they eat their lunches next to a three-dimensional printer and computers. The weather is also restricting our space to eat as the seasons turn from summer to autumn. What happens when there is three feet of snow on the ground or the tempera-ture is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit? They cannot say “Sorry, go back inside

that room with hundreds of other people try-

ing to make it as loud as humanly possible.” I don’t know about you, but that option does not exactly sound appealing to me. I can see where

the security guards and administration

are coming from: they do not want us to make a mess on the carpets with our food and they do not want us to disrupt classes in the pods. The upstairs main hallway never has any food left on it and there are no classrooms that are directly connected to it. Still students are kicked out for doing nothing. Lunch should be a time where students can relax and go wherever they want to. Students are allowed to go off campus to eat wherever they want to. At the same time students are not allowed to walk the hallways. I was told during my class meeting that for the first time in school history I would be able to eat in the halls during my

WES EDWARDS Politics: one of the dirtiest words of this year. It’s the kind of topic you do not bring up in polite conversation unless you are looking for a fight, and be as-sured, you will find it. Unlike the smell of flowers and bud-ding grass or the sound of crunchy leaves falling off of trees in the wind, the campaign season is marked by the abrupt arrival of endless adver-tisements, banners, yard-signs and, of course, those preaching their candi-date’s gospel. You cannot avoid all of these signs of the political season, no matter how hard you try. Even those too young to vote are bombarded with opinions left and right telling them what to think, who to vote for, whom to hate and how terrible they are for feeling that way. It comes as no surprise then that everyone from blogosphere political junkies to the soccer mom at the end of the street are trying their hands at turning the living room into a CNN newsroom pundit debate, attack-ing opposing sides and clinging to any media related to the election as parasite would: fearful of death if they ever let go. Inevitably after all of this excite-ment and tension, there will come a point where a large portion of people will be fed up, tired of the baseless political ads, the endless mudslinging and, of course, the over-scrutinization of every single phrase or action. Or maybe it’s a simple as you just don’t care. Either way, trust me, there will be a time when you want to turn off your TV and hide under a rock to escape the racket. If you have not felt this already, just wait for the next gaff. As sick and disconcerting as this portion of the political landscape is, it is not a free pass to be aloof to the fu-ture of your country. That is the point of a democracy, right? To be able to change how your country is run and who leads it is the exact definition of a democracy. Ask the citizens of Syria what it would be like to have, mostly, free

and accurate elections. Then perhaps you would value the opportunity that is available to you, or will be in a few short years when you come of age. Having the ability, the right to vote and be involved in political discourse in this country should never be taken lightly. I don’t have to quote Uncle Ben, but you get the idea. Before we go any further, you are probably thinking, “One vote can’t make that big of a difference. It doesn’t really matter.” You would be correct. One vote among the millions that will be counted during this election will most likely not make a noticeable differ-ence unless certain, almost impos-sible conditions are met. But how many more people out there that are just like you? How many people feel like their voice does not matter? Sorry, you are not the unique and special butterfly you thought you were. According to the United States Elections Project, only 58.6 percent of those eligible to vote actually casted a ballot in the 2008 presidential elec-tion. That’s nearly 100 million people, more than one-third of the country’s total population, who were overcome by apathy and indifference. Those who don’t vote are abstain-ing from having power and a say in not just their country, but the world. And if you’re too young to vote, still pay attention to events happen-ing around you because the how this election is decided determines what mess you are trying to be cleaning up during the next election.

Eagle EyeCOMMENTARY 9

“Having free time on an off

period does not seem so

free.”

the Vote

Addison Ambrose

ee

ME OFF

Photo by Gabi Capocelli


TOP: Eric Steiner, senior, and Andrew Walton, junior, mentally prepare for a cross country race at the starting line. Each athlete has their own way of get-ting ready for a race. “There’s always a lot of adrenaline before the race mixed with nerves and anxiety,” Steiner said. “but once you’re on the line, it all goes away. People usually talk or listen to music to get rid of nerves.”

BOTTOM: Kirsten Dixon, senior, joins together for a group meeting before the first cross country meet at Arapa-hoe. “This meet is the first time we get to show how hard we’ve worked over the summer,” Dixon said. “It’s one of my favorites.”

The cross country team later went on to win first in state for boys and fourth in state for girls.“I was thinking how awesome it would be if we won, and how awesome that was, for being my last race,” senior Stephen Geisler said.

“The best moment was when we were on the podium with the trophy and we could see all of our family and friends going crazy in the stands,” junior Blake Graf said.

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Eagle Eye EPIC PHOTO10

VISTAj STAFFCo-Editors In Chief Bridget Cooper Joanie Lyons

Copy Editors Taylor Blatchford Gabi Capocelli

Photo Editors Bridget CooperJessi Wood

Content Editors Hannah AddisonWes Edwards

Social Media EditorRiley McCloskey

Design Editors Erin KimJoanie Lyons

Advertising ManagerShannon VanDok

Web Team Peter Cleverdon Eric RobinsonNicholas Lawrence Dylan Tran

Staff MembersAddison AmbroseTaylor Atlas Amani BrownMadeline Carlson Hannah Chatwin Caitlin CobbEmma Cooper Gretchen Cope Cameron CoxShelby CrumleyKenna Dougherty Amanda Ellingson Delaney Fitzsimmons Antonia Fornaro Dylan Freeman Libby Galligan Bailey Gambrell Scott Grimm Kenzie Haberkorn Alec Hewlett Dylan Ingram Jason Keller Tyler Kraft Taylor Krason Ana Krasuski Sammy Linares

Emilie Love Kelsey Luke Mark MaggsWhitney Merrill Devon Miner Roxy Montero-Atencio Rachel Nunnelee Claire Oliver David Orser Anna PippinAshten Ritchko Gabe Rodriguez Cheyenne Secor Katie Simon Emma Singh Tori Soper Kara Stockton AJ Stowell Erica Tagliarino Anna Theis Shannon VanDok Cesco Viola Kelsey Warden Kyle Waters Taylor Yaw Kaitlin Zenoni

Adviser Mark Newton, MJE

Policy

Letters to the EditorsEagle Eye welcomes and encourages letters to the editors. This is a chance to express your viewpoint on important issues. Letters should be limited to 250 words. Letters will be edited for splace and legal considerations, but not for inaccuracies, grammar or spelling. Letters must contain information pertinent to the students of MVHS. The staff retains the right to not publish any letter not meet-ing these requirements. Unsigned letters will not be published. Please submit typed letters in person to Room U328 or via mail or e-mail. Contact Eagle Eye, Mountain Vista High School, 10585 Mountain Vista Ridge, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126, Phone: 303-387-1500. Adviser email: [email protected]. Publication email: [email protected]

Single copies are free. Where available, additional copies of this paper are available for purchase for 50 cents each. Contact Eagle Eye for more information. Taking more than one copy of this paper is prohibited (C.R.S. 18-4-419). Violators, subject to prosecution and penalty under C.R.S. 13-21-123, will be prosecuted.

Cost

Open Forum ContentSome material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service and Creative Com-mons licensing. ©2012 Eagle Eye/Mountain Vista High School. All rights reserved.

Eagle Eye, a legally recognized public forum for student expres-sion, is published six to nine times a year by the Journalism class for students at Mountain Vista High School. Expression made by students in the exercise of freedom of speech or freedom of press is not an expression of Douglas County school board policy. The views expressed in Eagle Eye do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff, adviser, MVHS administration or the Douglas County School District administration. Board policy regarding stu-dent publications (JICEA and JI/JIA) are available in the journalism/publications room (U328) or in the principal’s office.

Eagle EyeOPINION 11

Unnoticed Efforts

Photo by Joanie Lyons

With 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter of the homecoming game, a 21-10 loss to Bear Creek High School, students made a mass exit from Shea Stadium. “This game is over, just look at the score.” Two weeks later at the Vista vs. Chap-arral game, few showed up because of the homecoming loss. “We were all disappointed in ourselves after losing our homecoming game and the Arapahoe game,” running back Tanner Smith said. People had a reason to not want to support us, but I’m happy we got our revenge on Chaparral.” Playing a significant role on the field, Smith, junior, rushes an average of 142.6 yards per game and scores about 11 points. “We probably spend about 20-plus hours a week doing different things,” Smith said. “It’s like a full-time job.” To spend such a substantial amount of time on something and to have people leave what could be considered the big-gest game of the year is upsetting. But this is just football. Imagine the amount of time people put into an art piece, other sports, a play, practicing for a DECA role play and how many people go unrecognized for these efforts. One prime example of this continually is the cross country team. From the ef-

forts of coach Jonathan Dalby, the team gets better consecutively every year. As 2011 5A State runner-up’s on the men’s side and third on the women’s, the run-ners work hard regardless of the season. Because of the efforts so far this season, the team did well in their 5A State meet. According to MileSplit.com, the boys varsity cross country team is projected to win the 5A State Championship title and they did just that-win. “I wish (more people) would come to more meets,” cross country runner Noel Wagner, senior, said. “I think I can understand why they don’t, but it’s a re-ally cool sport so they should truly come and watch it.” It’s a shame that people have to try so hard and people may never know about how well they did at that competition or how well they did on that test even though they put all their efforts to be where they are today.At times, life may get busy. But if you have any free time, go see the next school play. Go to the Continental League Cheer Competition Nov. 7 or the Continental League Poms Competition Nov. 8. Go to a sport that no one usually goes to just to show you care. Being there for others in itself can make all the difference. Support your fellow students — a little can mean a lot.

Few fans watch the Chaparral game on Saturday Oct. 6 because of previous losses and the cold.

With the ambitious community around Mountain Vista, many strive to new heights but their achievements go to the wayside.

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As the Eagle Eye staff sat down and brainstormed our coverage for this issue, we tried to think of a topic that we thought would cater to the interests of all the students of Mountain Vista. We decided on “50 Things We Could All Agree On” as students and members of the High-lands Ranch community and the state of Colorado. Yes, some will disagree, but regardless of who you are or what your background is, you should be able to find quite a few things in the following pages to agree. Whether it’s delicious, meaningful, exciting or funny, there’s something in this issue for

everyone.7

School spirit days and pep assemblies are a lot of fun!

Douglas County School District is broke as a joke, and we’re paying

Except for the no-hats rule, the dress code is not really enforced.

Mr. Weaver is the best thing to happen to MVHS.

Mountain Vista football is stillthe most fun team to support.

AP classes are a lot of work, and AP tests are terrify-

We supporting our Unified sports teams and players!

11

No.

14

The Washington Post describes it as “the newest acronym you’ll love to hate.” Nowadays, YOLO — You Only Live Once — is overused with negative connotations. The feelings for YOLO seem to be mutual with the teens at Mountain Vista High School. “It’s stupid and way worn-out,” sophomore, Britta Andress said. “People use it in annoying ways. They should use it as something good but instead choose to make it pointless. What is it about YOLO that has caught on in pop culture? Is it just a way to make it look like you’re having fun and living life to the “fullest”? Principal Michael Weaver seems to think so. He sees it used for things that are made to seem as a joke. “I don’t like when it’s used as a stupid excuse. I think that it’s a way to act crazy all the time and tag onto random stuff,” Weaver said. Weaver said in the past some kids used it as a general attitude. Now it means something different. “It makes you sound so unintelligent,” senior Koby Adams said. Drake’s song, “The Motto,” has helped YOLO gain popularity. The song, which came out in 2011, connected YOLO with partying, taking drugs and ommitting illegal activities. YOLO shouldn’t be linked to bad things but to positive things. “It can be used to show others here’s what I find enjoyable,” Weaver said. “YOLOing out of your comfort zone is unconstructive.” “YOLO should be used to express living in good ways, for example, getting a job,” junior Madeline Eccher said. The good news? Weaver doesn’t think that students at Vista have been taking it “to the extreme” and it’s not a prevalent problem. YOLO has a meaning that is different for everyone, and each person has to create their own YOLO to express themselves. For some it’s a motivator to live a full life in a positive way, as it is to Kyle Hahn, a member of Class of 2010. “It makes me do things that I would have hesitated to do but do it anyway,” Hahn said. Like all slang, YOLO will probably die out. We just have to let it run its course until it’s back to where it started, as Weaver said, with “the people who purely use it as a way of living.” When tweeting “YOLO” or hashtag it, people need to think about the point they want to make. When people write their thoughts on the Internet, the thoughts should have meaning and purpose. Teens need to remember the consequences of one YOLO moment and how it could mess up their lives up.

is an excuse for teenagers to do stupid things.

YOLO

98

We wouldn’t survive without Starbucks.

We love coming into ACCESS and seeing all thoseChick-fil-A cou-pons sitting on the table.

10This is High-lands Ranch. We don’t have gangs.

Cussing is trashy and makes you look unintelligent.

We love teacher in-service days.No school!

12

13

Daniels Park is like a secret getaway.

YOLO

1716 Don’t go

through the 300s if you can avoid it.

The cafeteria cookies are the best.

20

We spend too much time on homework.

We can’t wait for snow days.

CSAP, or TCAP, is a joke.

19

21

One Direction is for preteen girls.

No.

15

Lindsey Jaffe, the varsity volleyball coach and Consumer Family Studies teacher is known for being loved by many students. Four volleyball players, junior Taylor Phillips, junior Amanda Waterman, sophomore Morgan McKean and freshman Morgan Knight, amplified how much Jaffe is loved amongst the students here. “She’s outgoing, pretty and a good listener. You can talk to her about anything. And she’s nice and caring,” sophomore Morgan McKean said. When talking about her volleyball players, Jaffe describes her relationship with the girls as mother-daughter like. “I think of them like my kids, and I want them to succeed,” Jaffe said. Junior Amanda Waterman describes how Jaffe acts during practice, and how grateful she is for a presence like Jaffe in her life. “I like how she always pushes us to be our best. It’s not just volleyball, it’s also making sure you turn out to be a good person,” Waterman said. Jaffe said the Golden Eagles volleyball team is very tight-knit. “We’re like a family. And we have so much fun together. We don’t just talk about volleyball, we talk about what’s going on in their lives,” she said, “Getting to know them on that level makes coach-ing easier because I know the things that are going on in our lives.” Junior Taylor Phillips has had Jaffe as a coach and a teacher. “You can have the coach aspect of it and then the personal, teacher aspect of it,” she said. “It was really nice to take that personal relationship into volleyball as well. On my off periods I’ll just go and hang out with her. She’s very personable so you can talk to her about whatever is going on, on the court or off the court.” “I like seeing the light bulb that says ‘I get this!’ I push them to be better than what they thought they could be,” Jaffe said about her students and players. Freshman Morgan Knight said, “She just gets really intense and shows her passion on the court.” Whether she’s in the classroom or on the court, Jaffe said she loves helping out, “I love watching them grow. I like watching someone start somewhere and how they grow in such a short amount of time. It’s kind of cool when you realize that you helped them discover that,” Jaffe said about all of her students and players. Jaffe wants her players to be the best they can be. “I’m always pushing them to be better than what they thought they could be,” she said. “I like having fun. We always have a good time.”

WE LOVEour teachers.

18

ANA KRASUSKI & LIBBY GALLIGANPhoto by Riley McCloskey

Photo by Libby Galligan

No.

83

Honey Boo Boo is the BOMBLets be honest...

24 There aren’t enough hours in the day.

25We just want to hang out with our friends all the time.

Facebook absorbs our lives.26

No.22 Movie Theaters

Are ScarySophomore Matt Kavorkian shares his views of “The Dark Knight Rises” and movie theaters

On July 16, the most anticipated movie of the summer, “The Dark Knight Rises,” turned into the primary reasons most people have not seen a movie in the movie theater since the movie’s release. During one of the midnight premieres for this movie at the Century Movie Theater in Aurora, a shooting occurred, ending with 12 dead and 59 injured mov-iegoers. Because of this shooting, many people still fear even entering a movie theater. Matt Kavorkian, a sophomore, has seen “The Dark Knight Rises” and was very aware of the shooting that occurred in a city close to home. “I was with my mother and father [when I watched the movie],” Kavorkian said. “My sister didn’t want to go see it. She was actually really paranoid for us.” Kavorkian’s sister wasn’t the only one worried about his safety. He was also worried, especially while in the movie. “I was really jittery the whole time,” Kavorkian said. “Whenever there were loud parts of the movie, I’d look at the exits, you know, to make sure there was no one shooting.” Although Kavorkian’s sister has not gone to a movie since the shooting, he has. However, he remains skeptical. “I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m scared, but I am more cautious,” Kavorkian said. “It’s not like I’m never going to go there again, but I’m more aware of my sur-roundings.” Kavorkian says that he will not overcome this fear that he has grown from the shooting for a couple years. “That was such a powerful thing that happened, and it won’t carry off for a long time, I think,” Kavorkian said. “It’s kind of like Columbine. In school, I’m not cautious or anything, but I still think, ‘What would I do?’”

Christian Bale is a true hero.

27Our parents just want us to stay home all the time.

Photo Illustration by Gabe Rodriguez

23Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

GABE RODRIGUEZ

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ACT/SAT is not as big a deal as everyone makes it.

31Hashtags aren’t for Facebook. Stop using them.

Stop littering! It makes our school look trashy.

Noodles and Company is

delicious...any time of

day.

Going out to lunch gets pricey.

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Gas is expensive.

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MARK MAGGS There are so many things that cause stress in student’s lives as they start preparing to leave high school, such as the fear of having good enough grades or the ability to have a decent job. But what is the number one thing that juniors and seniors can agree on being the most stress-ful? Applying for college. As the place that you will spend four more years of your life in education, college is obvi-ously important to students. Before you apply you must first pick the college you want to go to. You can narrow down your choices by colleges that have you majors, are in your price range of tuition and even if you like the feel of the campus. It’s those intangibles that make each campus unique and sets them apart from one another. Once you decide, the hard part beings, applying. What makes this so difficult? “There are so many deadlines, it’s a process,” senior Althea Weeks said. When applying for college there are so many possibilities and as soon as the right option is found then the application process is just that, a “process.” The majority of colleges require intense applications which include essays and letters of recommendation which can be a lot to keep track of. “Start early and talk to your counselor,” senior Heena Jain said. Applying for college starts with preparation. Counselors are here to help with relieving stress and the end result is amaz-ing. So, in the end most students can agree that applying for college is stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. The one piece of advice that will help in the journey is, start early and discover the many possibilities that are available in life.

Applying for college is

$

#

Photo by Riley McCloskey

stressful!

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36Powder puff is rigged: “Powder puff is definitely rigged, let’s be honest.”Nicole Bills, 11

Restaurants shouldn’t be closed on Sunday. We’re talking about you,

38I’m not paid enough at my job: “I only get paid minimum wage.”Sarah Marks, 11

Dances aren’t as fun as they used to be.

There’s always someone commenting on the post about the weather: “I have a window.” Christian Winfrey, 10

40There’s always someone posting about the weather: “If it’s the first snow of the year, I’d post that.”Megan Woog, 11

Peyton Manning: The best thing that ever happened to the Broncos since Tim Tebow. Many people think the Broncos scored big time this season when they gained Peyton Manning for the low price of $5 million from the Indianapolis Colts. “He’s an older and wiser quarterback and has more experience. He can run the offense well and he gives young players a chance to get better,” junior Cameron Davis said. Most fans will agree with the talk about how Manning puts the Broncos back into the running for the Super Bowl. “He brings the skill and expertise that is needed to bring the Broncos to the Super Bowl,” junior Logan Schmidt said. How could fans not agree? He has received four most valuable player awards, was the MVP of Super Bowl XLI and was named Most Valuable Player of the NFL for the fourth time in 2009. It’s nice to have a familiar face replace the former Denver quarterback, Tim Tebow, because fans don’t have to worry so much about Manning’s playing ability. Manning has scored 404 touchdowns and ac-complished 55,652 passing yards so far in his career. Even at the age of 36 many fans think Manning can still dominate; he knows how to play the game inside and out. The fact that Manning is the new quarterback brings hope and excitement to all his fans. Junior Austin Forge raves, “I’m pumped that he’s our quarterback, he actually gives us a chance to be a contender and win a lot more,” Overall, it’s apparent that people have high expectations for Manning and everyone is hoping that he can deliver a Super Bowl victory. “Manning is a good addition to the Broncos, because he is an experi-enced veteran in the game, and knows how to play the game well,” senior Gerry Lopez, said. People are also wondering if his previous injuries will pose as a serious problem. Manning had a seri-ous neck injury that caused nerves in his arm to become weak. However, it’s not necessarily his neck that doctors worry about him injuring again, it’s his arm. To relieve pressure on his pinched nerve doctors operated on it by, “removing the troublesome soft disk tissue between two vertebrae and fusing the bones together,” Doctor Robert Watkins explains, according to an Associated Press article published by NFL.com.

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Photo Jerilee Bennett/Colorado Springs Gazette/MCT

KELSEY WARDEN

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PDA is an EpidemicSome couples at Mountain Vista need

to gauge what kind of affectionsthey should keep at home.

We’ve all seen it before- public displays of affection. Couples line the halls of Mountain Vista in their own little worlds, unaware of awkward onlookers who might be getting an unwanted peepshow. What these couples don’t realize while in their little affectionate worlds is that there is a line between being cute and be-ing overexposed. It might a natural instinct when you’re in love — couples might just want to share their happiness and awesome relationships with the world, but it can make a normal walk to English class an experience that can scar someone for life. “Some people cross the line and it’s gross. Sometimes it’s cute,” Chloe Brown, sophomore said. While not all forms of PDA are inappropriate or disruptive in any way, couples should be aware that there are certain things that should be left at home. “Person-ally, everytime I walk down the hall and I see someone kissing or making out, it’s like, ‘Go do it on your own time, I don’t wanna see that,’” junior Ryann Layhe said. The reactions often range from jealousy to discomfort from observing some-thing that probably is best left private. “PDA depresses me. It reminds me that I’m single,” junior Marissa Orser said. The bottom line is that there aren’t all that many positive reactions to be elicited by onlookers of PDA. Keep it at home, kids.

No.

43Thirstbusters are the best 89 centsyou’ll ever spend.

Teenagers still need snack breaks and naptime.

46 If you don’t have an iPhone, who even are you?

44Twitter is the new Facebook.(It’s OK to a hashtag with Twitter!)

Pinterest is a time suck.

1. Holding Hands

2. Hugging

3. Quick Pecks

Acceptable Forms of PDA:

21The weather is bipolar,

one day it’s snowing and the next day it’s sunny and warm.

THEMOUNTAINS!

3 We have thebest sunsets.

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Colorado is a state of many things. We have almost 300 days of sunshine and diverse scenery. “It has something for everyone, if you want to ski you can ski, if you want to hike you can hike, if you want to shop you can shop,” Ali Sutphin, junior, said. “The only thing Colorado is missing is a beach.” Denver is one of the most advanced cities in the country when it comes to the arts. There are so many different artists who have come from the Denver area and there are a plethora of schools around the state dedicated specifically to the arts. Not just the arts that involve a canvas, but the culinary and literary arts as well. Many of the head chefs of Denver’s restaurants are from Colorado and completed their education here. But music also makes Colorado great. Many of today’s top artists have come from Colorado, like The Fray, 3OH!3, One Republic and Pretty Lights. Colorado also has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. We are the only state in the country to have a completely natural amphitheater that not only provides excellent sound but also acts as a major tourist attraction. “Colorado is the best because it is so beautiful and the scenery can look different everyday,” Kelsey Chrissinger, junior, said. We also are one of the few states to have both plains and mountains. Our Rocky Mountains provide us with some of the most incred-ible hiking trails in the summer and transform in the winter to bring people from all over the world to enjoy our top-notch ski resorts. “Colorado is the best state due to the fact that it has great skiing close to home,” Brayden Babbitt, sophomore, said. But above all Colorado is most famous for its el-evation. “We are also one of the only one’s who can say we’re a mile high,” Julie Dyrud, junior, said.

is the best stateColorado

4 ReasonsWhy Coloradois the BEST state.

4SHELBY CRUMLEY

We have lots of out-door activities like hiking, biking and snowboarding.

Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa, Co.

Colorado native Pretty Lights plays the First Bank Center on New Year’s Eve last year.

Lake Isabelle near Nederland, Co.

For 48 and 49, please visit VistaNow.org.


@MVHSLeadership

Back to School tomorrow & back to our Mystery Restaurant Challenge. New Rules though PLEASE Direct Message us your answers! #GoodLuck

Student Leadership @MVHSLeader-ship

Student Leadership @MVHSLeadershipToday is #Nationalcheeseburgerday so if you are still deciding where to go 4 lunch this narrows it down! #Bringusbacksomething

Photo Contest 3 Under the “C”: Take a picture un-der the letter C #Becreative #showuswhatyougot

Student Leadership @MVHSLeadership

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&

EvolutionoftheiPhone

AnatomyoftheiPhoneThe FaceTime

camera on the front of the iPhone now takes higher resolution photos

(1.2MP) and has HD video recording

capability (720p).

HD

Face Camera

To keep up with the massive

screens of phones like the Samsung Galaxy S III,

Apple increased the size of the screen by half an inch,

allowing for another row of apps.

La

rger Display

Eagle EyeFEATURES 21

ee

CompareContrast

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

June 29The first iPhone is released. Lines go around the block at Apple stores

everywhere.

July 11The iPhone 3G is released. Apple

reaches their sales goal and sells 13

million iPhones by the end of 2008.

June 19The iPhone 3GS

is released. Apple releases iOS 3.0 along with the new iPhone.

June 24The iPhone 4 is released. The

phone’s newest redesign features a more modern

exterior.

October 14The iPhone 4S is released just nine days after Steve

Jobs passes away.

September 21The iPhone 5 is released. Sales

top five million in the first weekend after the release.

Access to 3G Networks

Video Recording Capability

FaceTime and front camera

Siri Access to 4G Networks

MOST IMPORTANT

UPDATE:

iPhone 54-inch display

1136x640 pixels8MP main camera

1.2MP front cameraweighs 112g

123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm

4.8-inch display1280x720 pixels

8MP main camera1.9MP front camera

weighs 133g136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm

Two of the largest cellphone manufac-turers in the world are currently engaged in a patent lawsuit battle. Apple sued Samsung for $2.5 billion in damages for infringing on seven patents. The jury decided that Samsung must fork over $1.05 billion to Apple, and Apple, who Samsung countersued for $422 million, will not have to pay any damages.

Samsung was found guilty of infringing on six of the seven patents, and willfully

infringing on five of those in the US. Some features that Samsung was guilty of copy-ing include the pinch-to-zoom function, the way documents bounce when you scroll too far, the grid layout of apps, the tap-to-zoom function and the exterior design of the iPhone 3GS and previous models.

Samsung claimed that Apple infringed on its patents also, but judges in the US and Germany decided that Apple had not copied anything. Samsung was found not guilty of infringement in the UK Supreme Courts, and Apple posted an apology.

RILEY MCCLOSKEY

The Maps app received a complete

redesign from Apple in the latest update. Now voicenavigation, 3D maps and

a simpler interface comprise the app.

Maps

VS

acked into a maroon Ford Expedi-tion with two Boston Terriers and their parents and younger sister, ju-nior Kelly McMullan and sophomore Erin McMullan left behind their beach life in Virginia Beach, Va. and set out for the four-day drive to Highlands Ranch to, for the first time ever, begin life in a new state. “We were miserable,” Erin said with a laugh, speaking of the drive. “We didn’t come in with a very posi-tive attitude toward the situation.” But having to leave behind their lifelong friends, their home and the only place and lifestyle they ever knew, it was hard to imagine staying positive through all of the sadness. And to make the move even harder, they had no house to look for-ward to once they got here. Instead they spent their first three weeks in Denver living in a hotel room. “It felt like we were on vacation and just staying in a hotel,” Kelly said. “It made it harder to process.” But Erin and Kelly helped out each other, with the drive and the move in general, as they have their entire life. Being one year apart, they have a special relationship that has grown even stronger through the move. “Erin is my best friend,” Kelly said. And now that they go to the same school, that friendship has grown even stronger. “In Virginia, we didn’t go to the same school,” Erin said. “I went to an academy and (Kelly) went to the normal public high school, so I think

being at the same school we are even closer now than we were then.” But before they arrived here, they had very different feelings about what they were getting into. Not only did they feel they were going to have to run away from mountain lions and coyotes, they had lots of nerves towards starting at a new school. “Walking into the school, I thought, ‘Wow, this is huge,’” Kelly said. But being so nervous, both Kelly and Erin were thankful for the com-pany of one another as they walked through a sea of unfamiliar faces. “We didn’t leave each other’s side on the first day,” Erin said. “We were really happy to realize that our classes weren’t very far apart, so it was easy to meet up again,” Kelly added. And after finding out where the bathrooms were, and that there was a Subway in the school, Kelly admits she felt a lot better. “I like it a lot more now,” Kelly said. Sharing the common interest of running cross country, they are finally on the same team. They hang out with the same people from the team. And they both agree that the cross country team has made the move easier. “I have never felt so encouraged by a team,” Kelly said. “The people on it are really cool.” As for the state in general, they both agree that it is a lot better than they expected, but it is a little bit too cold for their liking. That is what both of them agreed that they learned from moving: to not

be so judgemental of something that they have never seen before. “I had my close group of friends who I would always hang out with,” Kelly explained. “And not having a beach is a big change.” No longer having their beloved beach has been one of the hard-est parts about moving here. Kelly already misses it so much that she wants to go to college somewhere close to a beach so that it can once again be a part of her life. Even though technology cannot help with the beach situation, it has helped them with their friends that they left behind. “I miss my friends — Lauren, Becca and Savannah,” Erin said, “but we text like everyday, which helps a lot.” But the person Erin misses the most is not one of her friends, but rather her former cross country coach who she describes as “the best thing that happened” to her in Virginia. Moving to Highlands Ranch and Mountain Vista, Erin and Kelly have undergone many hardships. But through all of it, they realized how much they really needed each other as not only sisters, but as a best friend to lean on. “I probably lean on Kelly the most, because she is the older one,” Erin said. “But I definitely lean on Erin, too,” Kelly said. “She helps me out a lot.” From sharing clothes to shar-ing friends, Erin explains that many people first think that they are twins. And even though they are not, they can be seen daily walking through the halls of Mountain Vista, laughing with each other. Laughing

MVHS Transfer

Erin and Kelly McMullan make their bond even stronger as they move from Virginia to Highlands Ranch

68Freshmen

31Sophomores

Juniors

24

4Foreign

exchange students

Seniors

24

TAYLOR ATLAS

Photos courtesy of Erin and Kelly McMullan

S sters for L fe

P

he natural outdoor amphi-theatre fit perfectly with Mraz’s down-to-earth vibe. He dressed casually in a black

long-sleeved t-shirt and gray jeans, and walked around the stage bare-foot without a second thought. His shoulder-length hair was pulled back in a ponytail under his signature tan fedora. It rained lightly the entire evening, but that didn’t put a damper on the crowd’s enthusiasm. The setlist that lasted more than two hours was more than just a

Eagle EyeFEATURE 23

regurgitation of Mraz’s latest chart-topping album, “Love is a Four Letter Word.” Along with covers, he mixed in some of his older, lesser-known songs such as “Up,” “Plane” and “Details in the Fabric.” Spontaneous moments such as Mraz cartwheeling across the stage between songs or telling the audi-ence to spin around during “Living in the Moment” kept things interesting and showed that the performers were there to have fun. Opening act Christina Perri warmed up the crowd both literally and figu-ratively, playing a 45-minute set that

included her radio hits “A Thousand Years,” “Jar of Hearts” and “Arms.” She and her band returned during the en-core to perform “Distance” with Mraz and his band and received a standing ovation. With her mouth often wide open in an expression of pure enjoyment and excitement, percussionist Mona Tavakoli added a one-of-a-kind energy to the band, playing on her specially designed “MT Box,” patented after her own initials. She sported blue and white paint on her arm that matched that on Mraz’s cheek, showing the bond in the self-titled “Duo Decibel System.” In fact, the entire band’s relation-ship seemed undeniably close. Mraz didn’t wait until the end of the show to showcase each member’s talents — he did so during the second song of the set, “The Remedy.” He also dueted with violinist Merritt Lear in both “Be Hon-est” and “Lucky.” During “I’m Coming Over,” the band truly appeared to be a family as they all clustered around a seated Mraz to perform as one. Before closing with his most recent hit “I Won’t Give Up,” he thanked the crowd for sticking with him through the cold and rain and said, “This song means more now than ever.” That one song captured the essence of the entire concert — even though the weather didn’t cooperate, thousands of fans didn’t give up on Mraz and embraced the circumstances. With 7 phone calls, 23 emails and a whole lot of persistence, I was able to get an official photo pass to the con-cert thanks to Atlantic Records, Mraz’s label. Being able to shoot photos with a professional-quality camera from the seventh row of Red Rocks and learn from experienced professional photographers was an experience I will never forget. Mraz brings peace and tranquility to a world where much of music is cen-tered around partying, sex and drugs. It was clear from Mraz’s final state-ment that it was all about the love: “Thanks for being love to the world, you guys.” I would doubt that there was a person in that amphitheatre who left feeling sad about anything that night — except that the show was over. Even if only for a few hours, the show provided an opportunity for people to relax and share the love: love of Mraz and Perri, love of music, love of the people they came to the concert with, love of Red Rocks and Colorado.

Setlist for Red Rocks, Sept. 25Everything is SoundThe RemedyMake it MineLive HighOnly HumanBe HonestLuckyUpThe Woman I Love93 Million MilesIn Your HandsCollapsible PlansPlaneDetails in the FabricLiving in the MomentFrank D. FixerYou Fckn Did ItLove Looks LikeI’m Coming OverButterflySigned, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (cover)I’m YoursThree Little Birds (cover)Encore:Who’s Thinking About You NowDistanceI Won’t Give Up

Taylor Blatchford

Photos by Taylor Blatchford

For more pictures from the concert, visit

VistaNow.org.

To Jason Mraz, fireworks, dancers or stunts aren’t necessary to put on a great concert. At Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sept. 25, all he needed was his guitar, some love and a crowd to share it with. TAYLOR BLATCHFORD

T

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Photo by Mark Maggs

Photo by Mark Maggs

Photo by Bridget Cooper

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1. Coach Ric Cash offers words of encouragement from the sidelines to the football team. “I feel engaged and invested on the sidelines,” Cash said. “When I’m there, I feel motivated to do the best I can to help the boys do the best they can.” The team has been improving this year and beat Chaparral High School in early October, a major achievement. “That game was one of the biggest victories in our history,” Cash said. “It was an indication that our hard work pays off.” The Golden Eagles play Pomona High School tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Arvada in the first round of the 5A state playoffs.

2. Anthony Frydrychowski, sophomore, cheers on the crowd during the homecoming football game. Frydrychowski is pre-paring to be part of an all-American cheer team in London this December through New Year’s Day. “It’s exciting to be able to represent Mountain Vista and the whole nation in London, especially since I am one of the only male cheerlead-ers at our school,” Frydrychowski said. “I love doing cheer, especially when the crowd gets excited. It just makes me want to tumble more.”

3. Austin Butler, junior, takes a water break during a football game. Butler has high hopes for the team as it moves into the state playoffs. “We started out a little rough, but we have been coming together as a team and pulling out some big upsets. We’re peaking just in time to give us momentum going into the playoffs,” Butler said.

Dylan Formby, junior, runs the ball down the field during a play at a football game Sept. 7. “It’s always an amazing experience,” Formby said. “I love getting to play under the lights on the field and seeing all the fans that are there for us.” Formby has been playing since fresh-men year and said he plans to continue playing next year.

Eagle EyeEPIC PHOTO 25

ee2 Photo by Jessi Wood

1

TheCritique

Powder PuffQQ

A legendary event at Mountain Vista is the powder puff game where the senior girls play the junior girls. This event during homecoming week was definitely anticipated just like every other year, but did it live up to expectations? Well, with the score 48-14 the seniors dominated, which wasn’t exactly the battle that was expected. Of course it’s expected that the seniors will win, but isn’t there supposed to be a major rivalry? I thought that the score would at least be close. There was not enough action to keep me on my seat interested in who would win.

Eight-Period ScheduleQQQQ

Starting this year Vista has been using the “block day” schedule with eight periods in order to deal with budget cuts. While it is different than what I have been used to, there is definitely an advantage to having only four classes a day. The homework load isn’t as big since you can stagger how much homework you have each night. This is definitely a plus for students who work or have sports that run late. Another plus is having longer off periods. A lot more can be done in 1 ½ hours than in the 45 minutes that we had last year. This new schedule is in favor of the student.

Hashtag EpidemicQQQ

Since being launched publicly in 2006, Twitter has gained 175 million users. This has caused a new piece of slang to be incorporated into the average teenager’s vocabulary: the hashtag. While it’s great to have it while on Twitter, it should not be used in normal conversation.

When you say “hashtag: awkward” it just doesn’t sound like you have a clue on how to speak cor-rect English. You aren’t impressing anyone when you rely on a hashtag to get your point across. Make your English teacher proud and drop the hashtag.

Political AdsQQ

Fall TV this year is not just about the new shows. With the election going on, the campaigners are definitely taking advantage of the media. Every two seconds you see a commercial bashing one of the candidates. Yes, they have the right to campaign and make people aware of what they will do in office, but should they really be focus-ing on their opponents’ platform? All I know now is that whoever is elected is going to ruin my life. The basis of their commercials is that the middle class is going to be harmed or that the other per-son is clueless about how to help the economy. I want a president who isn’t going to tear others down and worry about something other than the big picture. They need to stop bugging everyone with why they shouldn’t vote for the other candi-date and focus on what they would change.

Imagine DragonsQQQQQ

At spot number 42 on the Billboard 200, the band Imagine Dragons is making its presence known. Imagine Dragons has a similar style to Linkin Park, Of Monsters and Men and Young the Giant. Its music has been described as indie pop-rock. The song “It’s Time” is perfect for when you’re just driving home trying to jam out in your car. It’s a nice reprieve from the bubble-gum pop songs that always seem to be popular.

Reporter Whitney Merrill reviews some of

the latest school events and pop culture topics.

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Props & FlopsPROPS to the football team for beating the #1 team Chaparral 38-34.

PROPS to having the Friday before fall break off of school.

PROPS to the first presidential debate being held at The University of Denver.

FLOPS to teachers having more classes and less time to spend with students.

FLOPS to people leaving sporting events early.

FLOPS to the Rockies for having 98 losses this season.

Hallway Talk“I just feel like YOLO is the answer to everything.”

“It’s snowing, put pants on!”

“He’s like three times my size, plus a small dog.”

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Romney Photo Robert Duyos/Sun Sentinel/MCT • Obama Photo by Chris Kleponis/CNP/MCTPowder Puff Photo by Jessi Wood • After the worst season in the Rock-ies existence (64-98), the club gets

a chance to move on. With the resigna-tion of Jim Tracy, the National League Coach of the Year in 2009, the team is left with a huge question mark at the managerial position. In the process for hiring the new manager, an ESPN senior baseball analyst reported there are two internal front-runners. Tom Runnells, the current Rock-ies bench coach, is one candidate. Throughout his career, he has man-aged the Montreal Expos and Cincin-nati Reds for a short times. He also served as the minor league manager for the Colorado farm system. Runnells has the most managerial experience out of the two internal candidates. The other inside candidate is Stu Cole, a minor league manager in the Rockies farm system for three years. Cole played in the majors for a shy nine-game span for the Kansas City Royals. Two other candidates with Rockies connections are current player Jason Giambi and former shortstop and cur-rent Regis High School baseball head coach Walt Weiss. Though there are four coaches are from the organization, there has been speculation that the hiring process could branch out to others such as Cleveland Indians interim manager Sandy Alomar, Jr. and Ryne Sandberg of the Philadelphia Phillies. With the hiring of the new manag-er, the Rockies will attempt to pick the best candidate to get the team back on track for the next season.

Rockies: Who’s Next?

After one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history in which the Denver Broncos overcame a 24-point deficit to take not only the win, but the first position in the division from the San Diego

Chargers, the team was rewarded with a much-needed break. With the momentum of the win carrying them through the bye week, the Broncos had crucial time to rest up and prepare for their week seven matchup last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. This gave the opportunity for starting cornerback Tracy Porter to recover from illness. The week of rest also aided other key players who have been bruised up during the season. Demaryius Thomas (hip), Ryan Clady (hamstring) and Chris Kuper (forearm) all came back healthy for the win ofver the Saints. Against New Orleans, Peyton Manning delivered big time at another chance for redemption against Drew Brees, who decisively defeated his Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. This time though the outcome was much different, as the Broncos surging offense faced an ailing Saints defense. With a near perfect game, Manning decisively won the showdown between the two star quarterbacks, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. The Broncos took the win, 34-14. With nine games remaining for the AFC West leaders, the team awaits a much easier schedule ahead, playing seven of the next nine games against teams with winning percentages below .500. Another key factor for Denver is that it finishes the season with two key home matchups. With plenty of action ahead, look for the Broncos to have much more success and make the NFL playoffs for the second consecutive season.

PEYTON MANNING HEATING UPAs the Broncos’ season progresses, Denver continues to get better and better

After a successful 2011-12 season, the Nuggets will attempt this

season to reach the NBA playoffs for the tenth consecutive year. The offseason for the Nuggets

improved the team, particularly the acquisition of Olympic gold medalist Andre Iguodala in the huge blockbuster trade that sent Dwight Howard to the L.A. Lakers. The Nuggets gained a defensive star and ceded two players, Al Har-rington and Arron Afflalo, to Philadelphia. In the draft, the team added two youngsters sure to play big roles: forward Evan Fournier and guard Quincy Miller. Yet, what can you expect of the Nuggets for the 2012-13 season? To be sure, another season of fast-paced offense and solid defensive play. With Iguoldala, one of the top defensive players in the league, Denver can now match up to top teams in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Lakers. The Nuggets season started Oct. 31 in Philadelphia against the 76ers. It was the first of a three-game road trip, that includes the Orlando Magic tonight and the defending champions Miami Heat tomorrow.

The Nuggets and the Year Ahead

SPORTS UPDATES AJ STOWELL

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Photo Mark Reis/Colorado Springs Gazette/MCT

Photo Nhat V. Meyer/San Jose Mercury News/MCT

Photo Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/MCT

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FOOTBALL ISN’T JUST FOOTBALL

THE UNDERDOGCOLTON O’DONNELL, #88 The ball was darting at him, spiraling and spinning with incredible speed. He jumped up. It landed in the cradle of his arms. He stopped for a split second, taking it in. Then, he ran. He ran all the way to the thirty eight yard line. For the first time, he had done it. “I didn’t believe it. I didn’t think I was gonna catch the ball when it went up, considering there were two guys on me,” Colton O’Donnell, wide receiver for the freshman football, team said. “But, I came down and it was in my hand.” “Football isn’t just football,” O’Donnell said. For him, football started in the third grade, watching the sport on t.v. and playing flag on a recreation team. But, it became a whole different game when he started to tackle. “My grandpa always wanted me to play football, and then he passed away,” O’Donnell said. “Now, I just feel like I want to play.” O’Donnell stands at about 5 feet 8 inches and 120 pounds as a freshman, not your typical meathead jock. But, size has never stopped him. “I’m not the biggest guy on the team, it’s kinda like that movie, Rudy,” he said. “He’s not the biggest guy, he’s not making

THE MUSICIANLANDON MILLS, #12 When Landon Mills steps onto the football field, he has something to prove. “You’re not good enough” “You’ll get hurt” “All you can ever do is play music” These voices stare him in the face, just like the guy across from him on the other team, peering at him through bloodshot, menacing eyes before the play begins. “That’s what drives me: I think of somebody who thinks that I’m not good enough,” Landon Mills, freshman quarterback said. “I have to show them that I’m good enough.” It has been a short two years since Mills started playing on the turf and each day is a way to make him better. “I play because I have this kind of competitive spirit that’s in me that says ‘You have to win’ and football’s the best way to do it,” Mills said.

THE TEDDY BEARTATE MCGOWAN, #79 “You get butterflies a lot, you get nervous. You get excited,” Tate McGowan, defensive tackle for the freshman team said about playing football. This teddy bear of a young man, towers over most other freshman boys. He seems intimidating. He’s a man of few words. Until he lights up, and his smile says everything. Life has given McGowan a lot of reasons not to smile and the absence of a father has been one of them. But, even when his father wasn’t, football was there. “Football is therapy,” McGowan said, “It helps a lot with getting feelings out.” This game has built McGowan into the person he is today. For him, it’s not about winning a game, but who it is making him. “(Football) has taught me never to quit.

THE VISIONARYJAESON JUAREZ, #23

A strong Christian, Mills knows that his faith also plays a big part in football. When I stand on the field before the snap, I’m praying to God,” he said. “I’ll just be saying ‘Help me get to this guy, I know he’s faster than me, help me take a good angle or use good technique. Help me to have good vision running down the field. Help me make good cuts or break tackles well.’ It’s like a conversation with Him during the whole game.” But, there’s more to this athlete than meets the eye. He’s also an avid musician, a self-taught guitarist, pianist and percussionist. And for him, music and football don’t seem all that different; both serve as a much-needed escape. “When I’m playing football, it’s like non-stop work and then music is like an alter ego of mine, something entirely different,” Mills said. Mills uses football and music as an avenue to deal with the problems he faces, at home and school. “Whenever I struggle, I just think, ‘this is one more thing that is being taken away from me and I have to overcome that and be better than that.’” Football is how he will overcome.

THE ROOKIEJACOB WOLF, #32 The noise seems to swallow up the atmosphere; the pounding of cleats on the

the biggest hits, but he’s putting everything he can out there on the field. That’s kinda how I am. Nobody can be compared to Rudy, but I give everything I can out there.” His size has never stopped him from striving to tackle the biggest guy on the team during drills, even though he knows he’ll go down. And that’s what makes this underdog such a great player. “It’s not just about winning games it’s about how much you actually care about something and how much work you’re going to actually put in. I’m not gonna quit.”

Jaeson Juarez, one of the six team captains on the freshman team, is a purposeful leader, striving for excellence. For him, football is about the connection between community and a brotherhood. “It’s a big deal if you’re on a team like this to have a good relationship with your teammates,” Juarez, cornerback and fullback on the team, said. This sense of community is what motivates Juarez to push to the end of himself for his team. “Perseverance. I’ve learned to keep pushing,” he said. “You can’t give up when things get hard.” Statements like this one are only a fraction of Juarez’s hopes for his team. He is a purposeful team player who takes success seriously. In fact, he was one of the most vocal captains during a bonding practice after a losing streak that ended in frustration and tears. “I was just talking about how embarrassing it is when we hear people talking about how we did in the game when we know we didn’t do very well,” Juarez said. “I get frustrated when I hear that because I know we’re better than that. “Leaders need to be the ones that stand up for everyone. It’s a team effort and we need to focus on that,” he said.

turf, screaming fans, the coach’s shouting, the sounds of cameras snapping, the breathing of his opponents. Football is loud and Jacob Wolf hears it all. “I try to just listen and go as hard as I can,” he said. His quiet presence doesn’t go unnoticed. As one of the captains of the team, and kicker, punter and noseguard, freshman Jacob Wolf leads by example. This is his first year playing football and people are noticing his quick aptitude and passion for the game. The team captains usually speak in front of the entire team during practices and before games, but Wolf doesn’t say much, humbled by the experience of the boys around him who have played longer than he has. “When I do say something, it means a lot because I don’t say things just to say them,” Wolf said. For him, football is like a brotherhood where he can feel at home. It is a getaway. It’s always a learning experience and a way for him to get better. “Football is always teaching me that everything can’t be planned. In a game this season, we had a full game plan for the team and they ended up not doing what we had thought, so we had to change it during the game,” he said. “It’s teaching us that we have to be adaptive in what we do.” To Wolf, football isn’t about getting crazy, going in for a hard hit, the accomplishments or approval, it’s about the simple silence and bliss of flying. “Once you step on the field, all your problems go away and it’s just you and the other team. It’s a free environment where you can just fly around and not worry about anything.” he said. “For that two or three hours on the field, it’s pretty much heaven.”

It’s given me a lot more mental toughness. If I feel like I want to stop, I can push myself,” he said. When asked what football means to him, he answered with a usual, simple one word response, one that needed no explanation. “Life.”

Kyler Mills, #2Reece Kiser, #3Justin Le, #5Wayne Carter, #6Grant Novota, #7Tristan Morrow, #8Keegan Petau, #10Nathan Peeples, #11Landon Mills, #12William Secor, #13Nick Capocelli, #15Keaton Ruskaup, #17Adrian Griego, #20John Harris, #21Tyler Hildebrand, #22Jaeson Juarez, #23Chris Jordan, #24Jesse Wright, #25Noah Hammer, #27Jackson Lines, #28Daniel Korgie, #31Jacob Wolf, #32Ethan Jones, #33Alexander Algiene, #34Joshua Manis, #35John Granado, #36Logan Bonjean, #41Coby Petau, #42Mathew Nats, #43Patrick Lau, #44Kevin Anderson, #45Ryan Paap, #46Will Flynn, #49David Waterman, #50Sean Eisterer, #51Daniel McFarlane, #52Matt Yockey, #54Nicholas Anderson, #55Tynan Person, #56Elijah Toomey, #57Cole Miller, #58

Tyler Felske, #77Todd Hampton, #78Tate McGowan, #78Taylor Love, #80Jordan Faraci, #81Brent Wester, #82Ryan Bauch,#83Grant Possehl, #84Spencer Fairbairn, #85Nathan Foster, #86Colton O’Donnell, #88Brandon Oxley, #89Jake Maldonado, #92Gib Smith, #97Ethan Lentz, #98Bearett Long, #99Ryland Pharo, #40Javier Hernandez, # 13

Five freshman boys explain what football means to them and what it has taught them about working hard, finding purpose and growing

Photos by Gabi Capocelli

GABI CAPOCELLI

Steven Babineau, #61Braden Dougherty, #63Nick McDaniel, #64Brendan Archuleta, #68Tug Watts, #70

Creating a Team Beyond the CourtVolleyball creates a family-like atmosphere both on the court and off

Photo by Jessi Wood

Their central challenge is simple: Get the large white ball over the net and onto the ground. But the Moun-tain Vista High School varsity volleyball team has exceeded this basic task by creating a close-knit partnership both during and after games. The varsity players have stressed their commitment to each other as a team. They take pride in their shared kindness and support. “We have to pick each other up and reassure each other,” Gillian Wahleithner, junior, said. The team’s current emphasis on sup-port for others differs substantially from the approach which last year’s varsity team took, according to the players.“In the past, (people would) yell at each other when they got mad. Now, we calmly talk to each other, and it’s work-ing really well,” said Madi Tehven, senior. Most of the current team members also played varsity volleyball last year. Fewer than five players are new to the team. Nevertheless, the players say the nature of the team has greatly changed to become more team-oriented. “(Coach Lindsey Jaffe) always says we ride or die together, so win or lose we’re always going to be a team,” Amanda Waterman, junior, said. The team members attribute their increased support of and more effec-tive communication with one another to greater maturity. “Last year, we had a really young team. This year, since we’re a lot older

now, we’ve matured,” Wahleithner said. “It’s easier to communicate and con-nect with each other.” “I think they just finally figured it out,” Jaffe said. “Now they’re a year older, and so I think all the things that we’ve been talking about are finally starting to make sense.” Tehven also attributed the current team’s success to an increase in more open communication. “We’ve gotten along (in previous years), but (this year) we’re really honest with each other,” she said. Players also said that they are friend-ly in situations unrelated to volleyball.“We’re all best friends; we’re like family,” Waterman said. Wahleithner has also described the team as a family, and Tehven said three of her best friends are on the team. “And those best friends have other best friends that are on the team, so we work really well off the court together as well,” Tehven said. The team also makes efforts to bond with each other outside of formal practice and the required team-building activities. “We have team bonding, but we’re all friends, and if we see each other in the hall, we’ll talk to each other,” Megan Hahn, senior, said. Additionally, on the night of Oct. 3, Jaffe was unable to coordinate a formal practice due to parent-teacher conferences.“Other teams just stopped practice, but we decided to go on a hike together and then decorated our team water bottles,” Waterman said. “We just are always trying and committing to each other as a team.” Leadership and coordination for the team has come from the team as a whole, as well as the seniors. “Our seniors have really done a fantastic job of bringing everyone together—Madi (Tehven), Kat Schnei-der and Megan Hahn. They really do an amazing job of showing that leadership and being the glue that binds us all together,” Jaffe said. “But to be honest they all do an amazing job.” Wahleithner agreed that each player contributes equally. “Overall, it’s not any one player. It’s all of us utilizing our talents.”


Waterman was also singled out for her contribution to the team’s coopera-tion and success. When asked about her role, she attributed her success to her admiration of other players. “I just like to look up to all the other team players as well. You have to be a team leader no matter what,” Waterman said. The team’s bonding began over the summer prior to the 2012-2013 school year during the pre-season “summer volleyball,” a series of competitions dur-ing July and August, before fall tryouts. “Summer volleyball really helped unite us all in the beginning,” Waterman said. With six players on the floor at a time, no one mistakes volleyball for an individual sport, but the Vista varsity volleyball team has demonstrated how to bring this team-orientation to its logical extreme: a caring, supportive subcommunity that prides itself on shared kindness.

Photo by Jessi Wood

“We have a lot of individual talent, but we’re always there to support each other.”Megan Hahn, senior

“[Volleyball is] not all physical. It’s a

huge percent mental as well because you have to be really mentally tough because

it’s a game of errors.”Amanda Waterman,

junior

DYLAN INGRAM

“I think the

biggest thing is that it requires everyone to be

humble. So, not to focus on themselves, not to only care about themselves, but to put others first, and they really

do that.”Lindsey Jaffe, Coach

ee

“They really do an amazing

job of showing that leadership and being

the glue that binds us all together.”

Jaffe

Eagle Eye SPORTS30

REGIONALSat Mountain VistaSaturday, Nov. 38 and 10 a.m.

Pete Kilbane, senior, practices his swing during a late August golf match at Meadow Hills Golf Course. “The earlier matches are always more fun because there is less pressure to get a super-good score compared to later on in the season,” Kilbane said.

Photo by Jessi Wood

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Bring your payment to the MVHS bookkeeper across from the library.Or, add on DCSD Web Store on MountainVistaOnline.org.

*Jan. 31, 2013 is the last day to guarantee delivery of a yearbook. Beginning Feb. 1, 2013,all students purchasinga yearbook will be placed on an official wait list (payment will be rufunded if books are not availalble in May.)

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