NEWS...................................Pgs. 1 - 2OPINION...........................Pgs. 3-4FEATURES....................... Pgs. 5,8CENTER........................... .. Pgs. 6 - 7ENTERTAINMENT..........Pgs. 9,10SPORTS...............................Pgs. 11-12

Volume XLVII, Issue 1 | August 27, 2009 | Circulation 2,500 | Thousand Oaks High School | 2323 N. Moorpark Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

The IndispensibleTOHS FreshmanSurvival Guide

CENTER pg. 6

Pixar’s latest filmhas a deeper tone

ENTERTAINMENT pg. 9

Renovations:

PHOTO BY BEN LONGAWA

Students in June left a barren, seemingly treelesscampus to enjoy their summer vacations. Now,they return to a completely reinvented campus.The intricately devised landscaping with freshplants now takes the place of the old, rectangu-

lar, semi-grassy fields between build-ings. Students will also find that inaddition to the new look, newteachers will be joining the

Lancers in many different sub-jects including the new

Strings class.

BY DAKOTA JONESSenior News Editor

Lou Lichtl and DeDe Dryer willbe joining the Lancer family thisyear as the new Principal andAssistant Principal of Instruction, asthe school begins its 47th year.Formerly at Redwood Middle

School, both Lichtl and Dryer heldthe same positions there.Lichtl is taking over for former

Principal Tim Carpenter, whoaccepted the position of AssistantSuperintendent of PersonnelServices at the district office.Dryer is the new Assistant

Principal of Instruction due to BethBryant’s move to Georgia.For Lichtl, it is a return to TOHS,

as he was Assistant Principal forAthletics in 1999.“Thousand Oaks High School has

a wonderful tradition of high aca-demic achievement and co-curricularexcellence within our athletic andPerforming Arts programs,” Lichtlsaid.

School welcomes newadministration

CHRIS CASELLASWORLD HISTORY

CLINT CUMMINGSPECIAL EDUCATION

SARA PEARSONSPECIAL EDUCATION

JASON STROUSEENGLISH

MONICA MIRRASMATHEMATICS

RYAN THOMPSONMATHEMATICS

New scenery, teachers and programscreate a contemporary environment

BRINDEN WOHLSTATTARENGLISH / CAREER PREP

ANNA SOBRINOSTRINGS

For a recorded welcome mes-sage from Principal Lichtl, visitwww.tohsthelancer.org

PRINCIPALLOU LICHTL

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALDEDE DRYER

UNAVAILABLE FOR PHOTO

New Teachers

the lancer2 august 27, 2009 NEWS

newswire

PHOTO BY SEAN MCMINN

CHANGING IRECTION— Freshmen Brooke Luther (left) and Clark Abourisk (middle) ask questions aboutcampus and school policies. The class of 2013 met with Link Crew Leaders during orientation andlearned the ins and outs of high school and participated in team building games to make new friends.

Band members prepare for new challengesBY SAMIR MALHOTRAStaff Writer

Over 120 band students attendedband camp from Monday, Aug. 10 toFriday, Aug. 21.Their day started at 8:30 a.m., with

a group stretch and a short run inpreparation for the rest of the day.Afterwards, members reviewed

the marching basics, which include ablock drill, jazz running, and stepsize drills, leading into a practice

field show.They finished the day with three

hours of music rehearsal, and left forhome at 4:30 p.m.Members decided to set personal

goals as a means to motivate them-selves for improvement.“One of my goals for this year is to

play the entire field show. Last yearbecause I was new on the instrument,I really only played at the holds, theplaces where we stop marchingmomentarily,” sophomore Jenna

Wooster said.Over the course of Band Camp,

some students felt that they improvedin many areas.“Overall, I truly think that the

band has improved immensely. AsMr. Martone told us on Friday, thereare no more rookies” sophomoreDaniel Gulbransen said. “Over thepast two weeks, everyone has beenworking hard and while there are stillrough spots, we are united and we aregetting better as a whole”

BY SEAN MCMINNEditor-in-Chief

When incoming freshman ClarkAbourisk came to his orientation onFriday, Aug. 14, he assumed it wouldbe relatively useless.After all, his older brother had

already told him everything to knowabout TOHS.The morning session merely reaf-

firmed this belief as Abourisk andnearly 350 other freshmen sat in thePAC and listened to speeches givenby counselors and administratorsfrom the school.“In the morning it was a little long

and tedious,” he said.But this turned around when he

met with his senior Link CrewLeaders Erin Barber and SarahKnight.“The people of Link Crew were

really helpful and energetic.”Abourisk said.His primary concern was the diffi-

culty of finding classes in such a

large school.“[The program] helps us to feel

comfortable on campus,” he said.“And if I need to ask the Link Crewmembers something once schoolstarts, I will.”Link Crew has been helping stu-

dents adjust to the style of highschool life for seven years, answer-ing questions on all the big and smalltopics such as lockers, lunch andclassrooms.“Our leaders can give real exam-

ples of their experiences on campusthat the ninth grades students canrelate to,” Ashley Cooper, the LinkCrew Adviser, said. “The non-threatening environment that isestablished by the leaders helps toease the concerns of the ninth gradesand helps to foster new friendshipswith peers from other middle schoolsor new students.”With the continued efforts of the

Link Crew freshman have the chanceto enter high school confident intheir ability to succeed.

Link Crew guides new students

Lancer newspaper enters the internet

District enacts new attendance policy

IMPORTANT DATES

HOMECOMING10/23/09

HOMECOMING DANCE10/24/09

SENIOR BALL1/16/09

JUNIOR/SENIOR PROM5/15/09

GRAD NIGHT6/10-6/11

CVUSD has instituted a new policy thisyear concerning attendance procedures.The policy states that attendance must be

taken by teachers within the first fifteenminutes of class and submitted to Zangle.While motivating attendance by stu-

dents, it is also a safety precaution.

In the event of an emergency situation,the school will have accurate informationconcerning the locations of the students.

-Dakota Jones

For the first time, the Lancer newspaperwill expand to the internet.The website, located at www.tohsthe-

lancer.org, will allow up-to-date access toschool information.In the future the website will include

podcasts, extra stories not seen in print anddigital copies of the latest issues.The site will also provide dates for future

publications and a variety of links for moreinformation on topics discussed throughoutthe year.

Additionally there will also be informa-tion on current staff members including

their interests, hobbies and other personalfacts.Currently students can read selected sto-

ries from last year and view a welcomemessage recorded by Principal Lou Lichtl.Although the website is just in the early

stages, students are encouraged to log onand explore the site.

-Dakota Jones

For more information see page 8

Library funding provides new computersBooks, magazines and now new computers.

The library has recently upgraded to new andfunctional computers to meet the needs of stu-dents who need to work on a school computer.These new computers will have USB drives

to allow students to faster transfer data fromhome to school, when email is not available.Students may at one point be given individ-

ual accounts so that they may save their dataon their accounts instead of in public files.

-Dakota Jones

A NEW RHYTHM— Drum Line member Robin Ying (left) works withdrummers to perfect the routine.

PHOTO BY BEN LONGAWA

BYMATT LOPEZStaff Writer

Certainly, the intentionof any town hall meetingis good.

In theory, town hallmeetings are a true real-ization of our democratic

republic, a forum in whichelected officials meet with

their constituents, field their questions, and listen totheir concerns.

When dealing with health care reform, an issuethat so vitally affects virtually every citizen of theUnited States, town hall meetings would appear tobe the most efficient way to ensure that whateverbill lands on President Obama’s desk is trulyrepresentative of the people.

Yet as Congress takes its August recess, andCongressmen and Senators return to their dis-tricts to hold these town meetings, it seems asthough the only citizens being heard are those whoyell the loudest or make the most radical claims.

Take, for example, the town hall meeting of Dem-ocratic Senator Arlen Specter from Pennsylvaniaand Secretary of Health and Human Services Kath-leen Sebelius in early August.

According to huffingtonpost.com, when asked aquestion about many Congressmens’ apprehensionto completely read the health care bill before votingon it, Sebelius prefaced her answer by informing thecrowd that she has never been a member of Con-gress. Inexplicably, the crowd erupted in boos andjeers. She then went on to say that she has neverseen Congress work so hard on a bill. Boos again.

Answering the same question, Specter explainedthat Congress often has to make quick judgments.This time, the crowd went ballistic—“What?What?

Ugh!” said one man.It is strikingly apparent that the attendees of this

town hall meeting were not there to compromise, oreven to have a rational discussion about healthcare.Specter and Sebellius could have presented the mostarticulate, logical argument possible, and the reac-tion of the audience would have remained the same.

In Spector and Sebellius’s case, however, theywere at least asked a levelheaded and pertinentquestion. In other town hall meet-ings, such the one held in mid-August by MassachusettsCongressman BarneyFrank, the

q u e s -tions were not so reason-

able.Referring to the claim

that the health care bill will setup “death panels” that will judgewho is worth the cost to insure,(which is, of course, completely

false) one woman asked Frank,“Why do you continue to sup-

port a Nazi policy?”His response could not have been better

stated. “On what planet do you spend most of yourtime?” he said.

Perhaps the most appalling town hall protestorsare those who carry guns.

While the SecondAmendment undoubtedly givesthese people the right to bear arms, there comes apoint when this right must be given limits.

This is not a radical idea; although the FirstAmendment endows the people with the right tofree speech, few would argue that a citizen shouldbe allowed to shout “Fire!” in a crowded theater.

So, when William Kostric showed up outside ofPresident Obama’s New Hampshire town hall meet-ing in early August with a handgun strapped to hisleg, police were wary. New Hampshire law permitsthe carrying of unconcealed weapons, however, giv-ing the police no reason to arrest him.

While, fortunately, Kostric did not employ theuse of his gun, the conditions surroundingthe incident are nonetheless frightening.Kostric was standing with a large groupof protesters, all of whom were veryangry about President Obama’s pro-posed policy.

Being a part of such a furious mobcould have given him far greater impetus to act

on his speculated anger than if he had been alone.What more, Kostric was holding a sign reading,“It’s Time toWater the Tree of Liberty,” referencinga Thomas Jefferson quote in which he evokes theimage of “the blood of patriots and tyrants.” To ref-erence such a statement while possessing a handgunis call for alarm, and certainly not a civilized way toshow one’s opposition.

It is written in our Constitution that every citizenhas the right to speak his or her mind. But now, withso much at stake—tens of millions uninsured,Medicare and Medicaid threatening to bankrupt thecountry—disagreeing for disagreeing’s sake iscounterproductive.

Of course, dissent should not be suppressed, butif this dissent consists solely of throwing aroundwords like “Nazi” and “Socialist” with McCarthy-like fervor, it is doing nothing to help.

Civilized debate on this topic is becoming harderand harder to come by. Until opponents of healthcare reform are willing to have a rational discus-sionin a civilized setting, town hall meetings cannotbe anything more than a forum for vitriolic yellingand ridiculous claims.

EDITORIAL the lancer

3august 27, 2009

Editors-in-ChiefBen LongawaSean McMinn

Chief of StaffBen Moon

NewsMaya FriedDakota Jones

OpinionTrevor CrownGiselle Quezada

FeaturesRafael AnchetaJacob Markus

EntertainmentEmily ArndtRebecca Sylvers

CenterErin BarberMatt Young

SportsBrian KimMichael Kunisaki

Advertising ManagerElyse Nuttall

Financial ManagerNikole Swift

Class ManagerEmma Belluci

PhotographersSara KnobelMegan Vigliarolo

CopyAdam BuchsbaumCaitlin Wire

Website EditorRadu Puchiu

WritersLindsay BaffoKatie ButlerJJ DavisRachel DavisAlex JohnsonEdwin KimJon KnobelLouisa LenanderMatt LopezSamir MalholtraBen ReichRachel RiedelDaniel SchechterOlivia SundstromJacob Wissusik

J. Zimmerman

EDITORS

Thousand Oaks High School2323 N. Moorpark Rd.

Thousand Oaks, California 91360(805) 778-0947

Fax: (805) 374-1165thelancer.tohs@gmail.comwww.tohsthelancer.org

STAFF

EDITORS

theLancer

ADVISER

When labor teams stripped numeroustrees from the campus grounds in lateApril, students and teachers alike becameoutraged and upset about the suddenchange. Upon viewing the school’s re-newed appearance, however, both willadmit that the such an exquisite result wasworth a few weeks of dustclouds and cock-roaches in school bathrooms.The new courtyards offer a college-like

feel to our once jail-resembling school. Thebenches will provide more seating duringlunch and the newly inserted paved-brickfloor will spare our eyes from dirt and dustblowing in the wind.

The Lancer staff wishes that the archi-tects of our new courtyards had been ableto incorporate the campus’ friendly,

healthy, shade-providing trees into theirlandscape designs, but are ultimately con-tent with the aesthetically pleasing end re-sult of their work.The new trees will, over time, flourish

and provide more organized shade than theold trees could. The paved-brick flooringwill be easier to clean and our campus willbe in top shape.The greenery of the attractive courtyards

will continue to grow and remind studentsnot to jump so quickly to conclusions aboutchanges on campus.Students will be able to bask in the sun

and walk between hallways without gettingdirt in their sandals.Other positives that come with the new

changes made to the campus include the

new options of walking the halls parallelto buildings without constantly having toworry about maneuvering through side-walk-hogging social clicks, and walkingacross courtyards perpendicular to build-ings without jumping over puddles andkicking up accidental dust-devils.While it may be safe to say that next to

no one is particularly excited about the re-turn of the school year, the campus’ newlook will at least put a candy coating on theearly Fall, and for that, students ought tobe grateful.Those who travel the grounds of TOHS

on a daily basis ought to find new pride intheir place of work. The many stories ofstudents’ everyday lives now have a newand improved setting.

Town hall meeting antics put discussion in danger

3

The Lancer is the official school pub-lication of Thousand Oaks High School,created and produced by students inAdvanced Journalism.

The Lancer is a member of the Jour-nalism Education Association (JEA), Na-tional Scholastic Press Association(NSPA) and Columbia Student Press As-sociation (CSPA). Awards include eightNSPA Best of show awards, a 5th placenational ranking, a 1st place award fora special edition, nine NSPA All-Ameri-can awards, and CSPA Silver crowns.

The Lancer is published every threeweeks. Call (805) 778-0947 to leave amessage regarding advertising ratesand information. The Lancer reservesthe right to refuse advertising wedeem inappropriate for high schoolpublication.

Guest editorials and “Letters to theEditor” are welcome, but must besigned and are subject to editing forlength, libel, obscenity and grammar.

Campus renovations worth it

STAFF EDITORIAL

PHOTOS BY BEN LONGAWA AND GISELLE QUEZADA

ENDS THAT JUSTIFY THE MEANS— Upon arrival, returning students will be pleasantly surprised with the campus after its face-lift.

ILLUSTRATION BY GISELLE QUEZADA

MATT LOPEZ

Once the best in the world, theAmerican health care system has dete-riorated over the last several decadesinto a debacle that now plagues thenation. Nearly one-third of the na-tion’s non-elderly went uninsured forat least some portion of the last year.Even many who have insurance faceskyrocketing premiums and possiblebankruptcy if an emergency were toarise.This atrocity occurred as competi-

tion between leading health careproviders nearly ceased.Capitalism only works when the

consumer can access the best productor service at the best possible price. Inthe modern health care industry, thisbasic principle of our economy getstossed aside in search of corporateprofit.Instead of continuously receiving

the worst results of the system, theconsumer should come out ahead. Toachieve this, competition must bereintroduced into America’s healthcare system.Unfortunately, health maintenance

organizations (HMO) and providersfailed in their obligation to offer vi-able, affordable coverage to con-sumers. In response, the governmentnow must fulfill this role.Originally proposed by Senator

John Edwards during last year’spresidential primaries, a publichealth care option best fulfillsthis role by offering affordablehealth care to all American citi-zens while still following theprinciples ofAmerica’s capitalisteconomy.The public option, however, by

no means socializes medicine inAmerica. Doctors and all other healthcare employees work for profit andsimply accept the government optionas any other insurance provider.In contrast with a single-payer sys-

tem as in Canada and Australia, thepublic option supported by Edwardsand President Obama allows HMO’sto still exist while simply providinganother option for consumers.The public option will remain at a

low rate because those covered underthe system elect those who control it.By forcing HMO’s to compete once

again for customers, the Americanhealth care consumer will gain themost from the new system, as in-tended under any free market econ-omy.When the ideals of our social or

economic systems fall through, theAmerican government has the respon-sibility of providing for and protectingthe rights of American citizens. Theright to live must be maintainedwhether or not someone gets luckyenough to have insurance.The time has come for the govern-

ment to step in and repair the brokenhealth care system. Under no excusecan Americans wait any longer, thepublic option must becomeavailable now.

PRO

OPINION the lancer 4august 27, 2009

CONPublic Health Care Option

"The federal budget is on an unsus-tainable path, primarily because of therising cost of health care." So says theCongressional Budget Office, an ob-jective and nonpartisan institutionwhose function is to provide projec-tions on the economic and budget re-lated decisions of the USGovernment.Now I'd like to make one thing per-

fectly clear: I don't deny, and neitherdo conservatives in general, that thehealth care system in the UnitedStates faces some serious problems,and is in need of reform.My stance is that the problems

faced by the health care system arejust that: problems. They are notcrises of epidemic proportions, inneed of immediate fixing no matter

the consequences of such sud-den and drastic action.Furthermore, we can'tafford to fix theseproblems, not when thefederal deficit cur-rently stands at over $1trillion, and is poised tohit nearly $2 trillionbefore the end of theyear.Here are the quick facts:

-Congress is now spendingroughly 185% of what it takes

in-Our current deficit

is a staggering 13% ofour GDP-The deficit is grow-

ing at a rate of 1% permonth-The US is already

borrowing $1.8 trillion per year

Currently, the CBO projects thatHouse Resolution 3200, the compre-hensive bill for health care reform,will cost a little over $1 trillion over10 years. Much of that cost will sup-posedly be offset by reducing spend-ing on Medicare and Medicaid ($219billion saved), and by increasing taxeson higher income families, which issaid to be able to generate nearly $600billion.This leaves the "actual" cost of HR

3200 at about $240 billion. However,government projections on the costsof government programs have a longhistory of falling far short of the actualmark.Finally, the need for healthcare re-

form is not as dire as some vague sta-tistics suggest. Many politicians incongress throw out numbers like “47million uninsured”, and “1/6 ofAmer-ica is totally without healthcare.”These numbers, when offered up withso little context, are little short of out-right deceptions. Although 47 millionpeople living in America are withouthealthcare, roughly 10 million ofthose are illegal immigrants.Nearly 5 million more make be-

tween $65,000 and $75000 per year,with another 9 million earning up-wards of $75,000 per year.These higher income Americans

choose not to buy health insurance be-cause they don’t think it’s worth it,and because they believe they arehealthy enough that they don’t need it,a choice that they have the right tomake.Finally, another 9 million Ameri-

cans will be uninsured for a period ofless than four months due to switchingbetween jobs, and 3 million more areeligible for Medicare but simply havenot signed up. This leaves the numberof people without insurance, whowant it and are unable to get it, atslightly more than 10 million, roughly3% of the population.Healthcare reform is far too costly,

and for the time being, far too unnec-essary to have huge amounts of na-tional resources thrown at it, resourcesthat are desperately needed elsewhere.

BY DYLAN ACKERMANContributing Writer

BYGISELLE QUEZADAOpinion Editor

There is not a better feelingthan the one I had on June 12.There is not a worse feeling

than the one I get thinkingabout August 27.Although the summer must

come to an end, and our brainsmust initiate the task of think-ing and working “produc-tively,” it still feels horrible toknow that those splendid timesof sitting on the sofa, and play-ing Zelda at my friend’s house,must come to an end.Coming back to school as a

junior doesn’t make it better.Supposedly the hardest year

of our K-12 careers, I neverimagined that the stress andthe hard work would arriveduring the last days of mysummer vacation.Juggling between those

ridiculously expensive SATcourses ($749, with a dis-count), volunteer work (ardu-ous activity, but from theheart), summer homework(summer homework?), and thewill to wake up at 6 a.m. forLink Crew (really hard), Ithought that I was going tothrow a fit.Funny thing is, those AP

courses have not even beenadded to the equation just yet.Among these things running

through my head, I realize mysister’s in Coronado, lying outin the sun. My cousin Sofia,she’s probably napping whileI finish this sentence. Every-one is still relaxing, and I amabout to have a breakdown!And during these bad times,

when I think these thoughts,and I have to juggle all thosethings, I really wish I could befive, or better yet, a freshmanonce again.Now I’m not trying to scare

anyone. I’m really not. I’msort of venting, in a way.Because let me assure you,

during the moments when mymind starts to clear back up,and I actually, legitimatelythink about it, I’m really gladI’m not five anymore. I’m ac-tually happy that I’m not afreshman again.Maybe those times of youth

and serenity were good, butthe way I see it, I’m advancingas a human being and experi-encing new things that Ihaven’t had to deal with be-fore. I’m learning and growing(not literally) simultaneously.Sure, it can get overwhelm-

ing, but I have to learn to lookat everything with some opti-mism and try to have fun withit, whenever that is possible.In fact, Link Crew was a

total blast, and my SAT classhas introduced me to new andinteresting people.At the end of the day, I am

proud of where I am.I honestly can’t wait for

what new wonders this yearbrings (even with a few slipups of stress), and I know Iwill try my best to appreciateit and enjoy it.As Mrs. Zimmerman says,

“It will all be okay.”Besides, I won’t be a junior

all my life.

T & GMonthly

Family finances affect students’ futures

BY JAMES BAUMGARTENContributing Writer

BY LINDSAYBAFFOStaff Writer

As students,we are part of ageneration thatis largely based

around material-ism. A culturerooted in reckless

spending and pursuit of earthly ob-jects seems to have seeped into the ed-ucational system.Many students see college as a

stepping stone, a transition into thereal world. Some purely want to leavebehind their pasts and never lookback. Unfortunately, troubled eco-nomic times make this much moredifficult than it has ever been. The re-cession has blindsided scores of col-lege hopefuls, affecting their futuresin ways they never knew it could.Various colleges, the University of

Southern California for instance, haveomitted grants and are now only pro-viding student loans. In addition,

these same schools have begunto eliminate courses in order tosave money leading to extremelyoversized classes.“It’s always in the back of my

mind,” senior Heather Delmansaid about the difficulty thatcomes with choosing the mostaffordable college.Delman would like to attend

an out of state school like herolder brother, but may not havethat choice anymore.As the economy grows even

poorer, family finances play aneven bigger role in where stu-dents attend college. Senior Han-nah Lassen, the third eldest offive siblings, unfortunately findsherself in this situation.“If I’m accepted into a college

that’s too expensive,” Lassen said.“My parents suggest I go to Moorparkfor two years and then transfer.”The fanancial standing of students’

families also often decides the amountof preparation they’ll have for testslike the SAT andACT. Prices of tutor-

ing courses and practice testing pro-grams are obscenely high, and areslowly erasing the line that separatesknowledge and wealth.The fact that simply earning a first-

class education is becomeing moreand more difficult is truly a reflection

of modern culture.Unless private colleges loosen their

financial grip on applicants and tutor-ing companies begin to price morereasonably, students may have tobegin paying more attention to theircheckbooks than their textbooks.

LINDSAYBAFFO

On the road to higher learning...

ILLU

STR

ATIO

NBY

GIS

ELLE

QU

EZAD

A

ILLUSTRATION BY TREVOR CROWN

FEATURES the lancer 5august 27, 2009

summer at tohs

BAND REHEARSES ROUTINE— Bandmembers practice their choreographyon the last full day of Band Camp (left).The next day, the band performed theirfirst three movements in the LancerStadium in front of a crowd of nearly100 people on Aug. 21.

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF MEGAN VIGLIAROLO

PHOTO BY SEAN MCMINN PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF ALANA MANZER

Whilemost Lancerswereworried about nothingmore than beating the heat, otherswere atschool, ge!ing ready for next year. Everyone fromdancers to cheerleaders to bandmem-

bers worked hard as they practiced and prepared in order to ensure a successful year of compe-tition.Over the course of the summer, Lancers perfected routines for the upcoming school year,pu!ing forth e ort to represent the school as leaders in their respective activities.With a summer’sworth of training, this year’s Lancers wait with stock of experience for the season to start and achance to shine in the spotlight.

CHEER PRACTICE CONTINUES OVER SUMMER—Junior Ryan Corso-Gonzalez, senior Lorna Reyes and senior CarlyO’Connor practice their routines for the cheer season in the Boys Activity Room (above).

DANCING THROUGH THE SEASONS—Fresh-man Ariana Perisco (right) works onher dancing during a July practice inthe Girls Activity Room.

the lancer6 august 27, 2009the lancerSPOTLIGHT 7august 27, 2009

EE rr ii nn aa nn dd MMaa tt tt’ ss FF rr ee ss hh mm aa nn SSuu rr vv ii vv aa ll GG uu ii dd ee

Have an idea for the next center top ic? Fil l out this

form and turn it in to room I-4 or head to our

webs ite at WWWWWW.. TTOOHHSSTTHHEELLAANNCCEERR..OORRGG

Name of submitter: _______________________

Topic Idea: ___________________________

Comments on idea:

__________________________________

Timeframe idea is relevant (optional):_________________

1`

No Gum or Cell

Phones in Class.

2Don't leave your bag orbackpack unattended to.

3Go to the bathroom before class or during break and lunch.

4

Always carry a

supply of extra

bobby pins, chap-

stick, safety pins

for clothing/

wardrobe

malfunctions, pens,

pencils and paper.

5

Get late passes from

the administration office.

6

Clubs, sports,

and extracur-

ricular activitie

s are great

ways to meet

new people and

become involve

d.7

Don't worry if you are having

a hard time adjusting, there

are many others who are in

the same boat.

8Your counselor is here tohelp; don't be afraid to talk

to them.

Start the school year off

well, good habits tend to

carry on

throughout

the year

10Don't procrastinate on yourschool work, piling on worklater only builds stress andworries.

11

Use trash cans! Yo

u will get

a detention and will

have to

do trash pickup aft

er lunch

if you get caught l

ittering

12

Don’t reveal your lock

combination to anyone &

don't switch lockers with

anyone!

13Carpool and/or make sure youget to school at least 15minutes before first class

starts. The parking lots are amob scene at 7 and 8 A.M.

14

Your teacher's email

&

TeacherWeb are you

r friends!

Use them to your

advantage.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY RACHEL REIDEL

FEATURES the lancer 8august 27, 2009

the Lancer Website Walkthrough

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BY SEAN MCMINNEditor-in-Chief

“I’ve always had a passion for web-site design.” This passion, fueled byhis father’s career in Internet Protocol,drove sophomore Radu Puchiu toapply for the position of the first everWebsite Editor in the history of theLancer newspaper.

In the past, the journalism program

has discuessed establishing a website,but this year, however, Puchiu plansto change this.“The class as a whole took an extra

step toward this goal of creating awebsite,” Puchiu said. “And [adviser]J. Zimmerman went to a work shop atSan Francisco State to get the wheelsin motion. I have high hopes for thewebsite this year.”

His number one goal is to keep the

website updated as he brings timelynews to the students.

“This is something the newspaperhas never had before,” he said. “It isso important that we move into thisnew part of journalism.”Puchiu believes that the website

will bring the newspaper closer to thestudents of TOHS, and connect thecommunity and student body withThe Lancer staff.

www.tohsthelancer.org

GRAPHIC BY RAFAEL ANCHETA

PHOTO BY BEN LONGAWAA NEW FRONTIER— Website Editor Radu Puchiu works on the Lancer’snew online expansion, www.tohsthelancer.org.

ENTERTAINMENT the lancer 9august 27, 2009

District 9 is not onlysuccessful as a sci-fimovie, but as a socialcommentary on theSouth African apartheid.

BY CAITLIN WIRECopy Editor

Summer sci-fi phenomenonDistrict 9 possesses all the elementsof a typical science fiction block-buster. There are no doubt hundredsof movie-goers walking into the the-ater expecting to find the watered-down plotline of Close Encounters ofthe Third Kind buffed up with mod-ernized special effects.

These people will find their specialeffects. They also will be introduced,however, to one of the most uniquecinematic experiences to hit the bigscreen in years.The film is set in present-day

Johannesburg, South Africa, wherethe government has relocated toDistrict 9 hundreds of seeminglyincompetent, insect-like aliens from adysfunctional mothership hoveringover the city.As the aliens, more commonly

referred to as “prawns,” become sub-ject to discrimination and segrega-tion, they begin to riot, and District 9quickly becomes a slum.At this point, one of the more dis-

tinctive aspects of the film begins tosurface. It presents the audience with

social commentary on racism, mak-ing several allusions to the repressionof racial groups in the apartheid.Throughout the film, signs on parkbenches and on restaurant doorsserve as warnings for the prawns:“for humans only.”The opening scenes of District 9

unfold in a series of interviews,through which the movie’s extremelyunlikely protagonist, Wikus van derMerwe, is introduced. Van derMerwe, played by South Africanactor Sharlto Copley, is selected as asmall-scale alien ambassador in theprivate security company Multi-National United’s (MNU) attempts toevict the prawns from District 9.After being exposed to a chemical

that morphs his DNAwith that of the

prawns, however, Van der Merwebecomes far more aware of the hatredthat exists between humans andaliens than he had been before.Copley dives headfirst into his role

and allows Van der Merwe to under-go enormous character development;he is established as a carefree, bum-bling, slightly selfish man, but witheach setback and each milestonecomes incredible self-realization.This realization, however, neveroccurs at any of the expectedmoments during the plot.Alongside Copley is Jason Cope,

who plays an extremely intelligentalien known to humans asChristopher Johnson. As a seven-foottall crustaceous extra-terrestrial(complete with pincers and a less-

than-pleasant exoskeleton), Johnsonis yet another unlikely protagonist,but the shaky friendship formedbetween Van der Merwe and Johnsonmanages to elicit empathy and under-standing from the audience as itdevelops throughout the movie.Documentary-style filming is used

intermittently throughout District 9,creating excitement and adrenalinewithout sending the audience throughbouts of motion sickness (those fear-ing cinematography similar to that ofCloverfield may rest easy).As far as science fiction flicks go,

District 9 is definitely not amongstthe garden variety. It is definitely,however, in the running as one of themost exciting, brilliantly executedmovies of the year.

Humans Non-HumansSci-fi segregation on the big screen

Imperfect romance: perfect filmBY LINDSAY BAFFOStaff Writer

This summer’s unnervinglylong list of deaths includes RobertNovak, Don Hewitt, and WalterCronkite, all important in shapingthe news and journalism industry.Another familiar name is EuniceShriver, sister of John F. Kennedyand mother of Maria Shriver, whofounded the Special Olympics as anational organization.Just weeks later, prominent and

long-time senator EdwardKennedy lost his long time battlewith cancer.Additionally, Billy Mays, a

well-loved pitchman of householdgadgets, passed away from anunintentional drug overdose.Les Paul, founder of Gibson

Guitars and an important contrib-utor to the rise of rock and roll,passed away from pneumonia.Steve McNair, former quarter-

back for the Tennessee Titans, waskilled in a murder suicide by hismistress in Nashville. The tragicchapter in the man’s life was com-pletely unforseen by his fansand friends.Actress and model Farrah

Fawcett of Charlie’s Angels famelost her battle with a rare form ofcancer. News of Fawcett’s deathappeared on news programsnationally, until the death of poplegend Michael Jackson almostimmediately pushed it aside.

BY MATT LOPEZStaff Writer

Up, the newest addition to Pixar’srepertoire, is without a doubt themost fantastic animated movie I haveever seen. I walked into the theaternot really knowing what to expect, asI hadn’t seen a Pixar movie since2004’s The Incredibles, but walkedout ridiculously entertained and gen-uinely touched.

Up takes a huge risk in telling anextremely mature story, especially

for a movie marketed for children.The first ten minutes of the movie

depict the main character, Carl, as hegrows up and finds love with theadventurous Ellie. A stunningly beau-tiful and wordless sequence thenshows the two as they marry andbegin to plan a trip to the exoticParadise Falls, only to have thisdream fall by the wayside as they arecaught in the whirlwind of life.Before Carl knows it, he is old andwrinkled, and Ellie has passed away.The rest of the movie consists of

Carl cleverly using thousands of bal-loons to lift his house into the air andfly it in search for Paradise Falls.He is accompanied by comic relief

in the form of Russell, an overweightBoy Scout, and Dug, a goldenretriever with the ability to talk. Yeteven these supporting characters arethree dimensional, with issues oftheir own; Russell is in dire need of amale role model and Dug just wantsto be loved.In essence, Up can be viewed in

two very different ways. On the sur-

face, it is the comedic adventureof three people trekking throughthe jungle. The way I see it, how-ever, is as the adventure of threepeople who need each other morethan they realize. Carl becomes afather figure to Russell. Russellgives Carl a reminder of Ellie’syouthful spirit. Both Carl andRussell come to love Dug.The emotional weight and mean-

ing that Pixar is able to pack into Upis not only astounding for an animat-ed movie, but for any movie at all.

Animated movies are beginning to look

USED WITHPERMISSIONOF UP OFFICIALWEBSITE

BY ADAM BUCHSBAUMCopy Editor

It is nice to see a truly original filmfor once. (500) Days of Summerbrings to the table a clever script,good acting, and inventive, evenquirky approaches. The film takes atired, often stale genre and turns itinto a refreshingly different kind ofromantic comedy.The movie is about two people,

Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom(Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and the highsand lows of their crazy, modern rela-tionship over the course of 500 days.Tom is a would-be architect reluctant-ly working away at a greeting cardcompany as a writer when Summercomes along, and Tom can't help butfall for her. Hard.From there a relationship blossoms.

Summer is practical; she feels truelove is a myth and is therefore onlyinterested in the fun of romance. Tomis a romantic; he feels Summer trulyis “The One,” and therein lies the cen-tral conflict.

Days probes this relationship withwit, charm, and subtlety. The movieemploys a narrative device wonder-fully; the movie often strays out ofchronological order. Day 1. Day 20.Day 9. Despite this, the script man-ages to stay easy to follow. The idea isto capture the fleeting, quick, some-times dizzying structure of relation-ships, often with comic effect. Weremember our relationships randomly,not in an organized chronologicalmanner. By flitting around the 500days like this, the relationship feels all

the more real.The romance is not only

charming and fun to watch ,but also insightful intowhat a relationshipmeans. Aside from all thecharm, the connectionbetween Summer andTom feels genuine.Deschanel and

Gordon-Levitt are greaton screen, and everyscene feels like it couldbe real. They have greattimes, they have badtimes. When rejectionhits, it actually stings.Problems occur. The rela-tionship is believable.

Days has a quick, easypace that never feels slowor sluggish, probably dueto the director's musicvideo background. Themovie also has a uniquesoundtrack, using lesswell-known songs to setand accentuate the mood.Throughout the movie,

clever filming devices aretossed in, such as split-screensthat may seem gimmicky at first butultimately become original, effectiveways to tell the story.All the while, the supporting actors

provide comic relief and someoneelse to focus on besides Summer andTom, though ultimately the movie iscentered on the duo.It's intelligent, fun, honest, and

sometimes heart-wrenching. It cap-tures what a relationship means with a

goodmix of wit,drama, and insightthat is extremelyengaging. It really is a dif-ferent kind of romanticcomedy. The relationshipisn't perfect. The movie ishonest and candid. That alonemakes (500) Days of Summer good.

Sad summerfor publicfigures

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BY TREVOR CROWNOpinion Editor

With their newest full length re-lease, Thrice has successfully and en-tirely reinvented their sound,progressing musically and delvingeven deeper thematically than on pre-vious albums. And while this is fan-tastic news for any and all loyalThrice fans (myself included), it actu-ally isn’t news at all.The group has been making monu-

mental advances in sound and themefor over ten years now; listeners havecome to expect nothing less than per-fect innovation.Released on Aug. 11 (earlier than

originally planned, due to an internetleak of material) exclusively throughiTunes, Beggars is as diverse a ten-track album as I’ve ever heard.Lead vocalist and lyricist Dustin

Kensrue, who possesses a vocal rangeand versatility that is scarcely paral-leled by any other front-man in mod-

ern music, ranges hismelodies on the CD fromintoxicatingly smooth (“Cir-cles,” “The Great Ex-change”) to coarsely cried

and hard fought (“TheWeight,” “All the World isMad”). Perhaps even moreimpressive than his sheervocal gift is his ability toconsistently craft impactfuland relevant lyrics.Kensrue’s songs often po-

etically portray Biblical and mythicalevents or reflect on the shortcomingsof modern society, while also purvey-ing a message of hope throughcourage and general good.

Beggars’ lead-off track, “All the

World is Mad,” expresses grave con-cern for a culture deeply rooted invain and false images, stating that,“Our vanity has set wretched fires”and that, “We can’t medicate man toperfection again/We can’t legislate

peace in our hearts.” Otherlyrical gems on Beggars in-clude “Wood and Wire,” thefirst-person narrative of aninnocent man condemned to

the electric chair, and thealbum’s title track, which ex-plores the idea that all

earthly possessions andachievements are only al-lowed to exist by some formof grace (“If there’s onething I know, in this life, we

are beggars all”).Lead guitarist—and budding pro-

ducer—Teppei Teranishi showcaseshis immense talent and creativitythroughout the album, particularly in“Circles,” which features a fluid gui-

tar element that one might expect tofind on an Explosions in the Skyrecord.Drummer Riley Breckenridge pro-

vides freshness and life for the releaseby employing the use of unique timesignatures throughout, while hisbrother Eddie, the band’s bassist,rounds out songs by making themforceful and driving.Overall, Beggars has only served to

solidify Thrice as a progressive pow-erhouse, and a model for any band tolearn from. The group has done whateven many of their most die-hard fansdoubted they could do; they grew asmusicians and matured as artists.

ENTERTAINMENTthe lancer10 august 27, 2009

BY MATT LOPEZStaff Writer

The bouncing riff that starts offthe song “Lisztomania” sets the tonefor the rest of Phoenix’s WolfgangAmadeus Phoenix: bubbly, poppy,and fun.Formed in 1999 in France,

Phoenix has finally found success inthe United States, with the ex-tremely infectious “1901” findingairplay on alternative rock stations.And, indeed, “1901” is the perfectsingle for the summer, with a catchy“hey-hey-hey” chorus that begs tobe sung along to while driving.The rest of the album continues

with an engaging dynamic, oftensetting up soft-spoken and easygoing verses only to explode withenergy when the chorus hits.The verses of “Lasso”, for exam-

ple, begin with a simple drum andbass beat; halfway through, thedrums speed up and the rhythm gui-tar plays a few licks. Suddenly, thecymbals crash, the drums roll, andthe guitar speeds up in a soaringchorus. This vigor typical ofPhoenix falters only during “LoveLike a Sunset” a rare seven minuteinstrumental.In the end, Wolfgang Amadeus

Phoenix is full of life, an exemplaryalbum for any summer.

BY EMILY ARNDTEntertainment Editor

Five months ago, when my friendinvited me to the Jonas Brothers’World Tour, I was ecstatic. I’ll admit,being a 17-year-old Jonas fan mayseem a little strange, but from theirgood looks to catchy summer-timesongs, it’s hard not to love them. Infact, the majority of concert attendees(aside from parents) were around myage.To be honest, I’ve never considered

the Jonas Brothers to be extraordinar-ily talented. They’re a group of attrac-tive brothers who have succeeded inbecoming the next Backstreet Boys orN’Sync – boys think they’re lame andgirls hang Jonas Brothers posters intheir rooms secretly hoping one day tomarry them.Despite their average musical abil-

ities, their innocent Disney Channelimage makes them perfect targets ofteenage girls’ obsession.After hearing their latest album,

Lines, Vines and Trying Times, I wasless than impressed. Only a few songsreally stuck out after a listen-through.So I was expecting the concert wouldbe just another over-the-top produc-tion, full of screaming girls, annoyedparents, and obnoxious, ‘Marry me,Nick!’ signs. Nonetheless, I hadlooked forward to the night formonths, and my friend and I madeshirts with song lyrics on them.After three opening acts: Honor So-

ciety, Wonder Girls and a fabulousJordin Sparks, the crowd eagerly an-ticipated the entrance of the Brothers.No words can describe the volume

of the screams that erupted when theboys came up from below the stage.It was like standing next to a rocket

ship as it took off, only worse.My friend suggested I bring

earplugs, but I figured it couldn’t bethat bad. It was.I couldn’t hear my voice. I couldn’t

hear my friend’s voice. I could barelyhear the boys singing. But, it all addedto the experience. Seeing them infront of me was infinitley better thanseeing them on television. Needless tosay, I found myself scream-singingalong to every song.To my surprise, the Jonas Brothers

sang an even mix of new songs andold classics. Starting off with their lat-est single, “Paranoid,” they made theirway through about 14 songs. Nickgave a touching speech about his bat-tle with diabetes during “A Little BitLonger” and Joe leap-frogged over

the mic stand during “Much Better.”With flashy lighting and a rotating

360 degree stage, the atmosphere onlybenefitted them. After Jordin Sparksreappeared to perform her newestsong “Battlefield,” with the Brothers,the concert came to an end, with“Burnin’ Up” as the final song.Looking back on the concert, one

thing sticks in my mind: The JonasBrothers really know how to put on ashow. They know how to get a reac-tion out of a crowd. They know theiraudience and can make them feel wel-come and special.Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the

concert. After a long night of dancing,screaming and singing, I found thatyou’re never too old to love the JonasBrothers.

Never too old for theJONAS BROTHERS

BY REBECCA SYLVERSEntertainment Editor

Cobra Starship’sHot Mess incor-porates the band’s typical blend ofaddictive hooks and danceablesynth-laden instrumentals into aparty-ready mix released just intime for the tail end of summer.Despite the unquestionably light-

hearted sound, Hot Mess is moreearnest than the band’s prior re-leases, but never dares to take itselftoo seriously.“Wet Hot American Summer” is

a quintessential anthem for summerromance, while “Fold Your HandsChild” brings a refreshingly somberchange of pace. Singer Gabe

Saporta pays homage to disco in“Living in the Sky with Diamonds.”Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl’s

Blair) lends her voice on the leadsingle, “Good Girls Go Bad,” whichis well on its way to becoming aroaring mainstream success. Rhyth-mic claps and sing-a-long cho-ruses make “Hot Mess” and “NiceGuys Finish Last” undeniablycatchy as well.Saporta croons about the most

vapid of topics, from his own ap-pearance and sense of humor to theconcept of ‘good girls’ and ‘badboys,’ but it’s just the kind of mind-less fare fans have come to cravefrom Cobra Starship—perfect tobob your head to.

BY ALEX JOHNSONStaff Writer

Everyone has heard of rock n’roll legends like Kiss orAC/DC, butthis summer, a legend in the makinghit the network. Taking its namefrom cult classic movie A Clock-work Orange, Billy Boy on Poisonreleased its album Drama JunkieQueen on July 7, 2009.The band, fronted by 17-year-old

David LeDuke, hails from the localLosAngeles rock n’ roll scene, witha distinct L.A. garage-rock sound.

Billy Boy on Poison played on LateNight with Jimmy Fallon, and itssingle “On My Way” made its ap-pearance on many radio stations.Linking back to its musical roots,

Billy Boy pays homage to the grittybeginnings of what is now rockmusic. The album is reminiscent ofthe The Strokes’ Is This It, TheVines’ Highly Evolved, and ArcticMonkeys’ Whatever People Say IAm, That’s What I’m Not.Keep an eye out for Billy Boy on

Poison, because it is about to hit thebig leagues.

Thrice continues its legacy of progress with Beggars

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BURNIN’ UP THE AUDIENCE — Playing in front of thousands of adoringfans, the now infamous teenage boy band extentuates their popular-ity. Through a combination of catchy lyrics and idealistic morals, theband appeals to teenagers worldwide.

USED WITH PERMISSION OF THRICE.NET

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“The Jonas Brothers are like the newN’Sync: an unstoppable teen sensa-tion” - junior Sam Fennessey

“They create pointless music, butthey are some of the best role modelsthat teenagers can look to becausethey are so innocent and involved inthe world. They aren’t like LindsayLohan or the guys on MTV. They arethe classic honest Hollywood icons.”-junior David Galinato

“They make me cry for humanity.” -senior Jamie O‘Quinn

“You never hear that they soundgood, only [that they are] good-look-ing” -senior Alex Hui

“Overrated little boys who write sim-plistic love songs that lack substanceand only reach simple minds” -senior Caroline Ball

“The Jonas brothers are a joke.” -sophomore Josh Anderson

“They’re like Regina George [fromMean Girls]; everyone hates them somuch, they love them” -sophomore Alana Manzer

“I’ve been to four of their concerts,and I own all their CDs—I’m a hugefan” -freshman Sara Levine

“I went to the August 7th concert inLos Angeles. It was an incredibleshow. I loved the way they utilizedsound around the stage. They playedall their hits and new songs as well.” - senior Katie Canet

ReactRR ee aa cc tt

Origin: Irvine, CaliforniaGenre: Alternative RockMembers: Dustin Kensrue

Teppei Teranishi Eddie Breckenridge Riley Breckenridge

Year Formed: 1998

ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLIN WIRE

the lanceraugust 27, 2009SPORTS 11

Bollar, Cortes contend for quarterback

RBY JJ DAVISStaff Writer

Cross country team has been vigor-ously training over the summer toreach the top of the MaramonteLeague. The boys team finished topten in the nation last year, while thegirls finished in the top half of theMaramonte League. Both teams ex-pect to finish in the top three this yearand make it to state. The girls teamhas sophomores Kalin Padberg andMelanie Joerger, with strong leader-ship from senior Rachel Adams.“Our hardest workout was at the

top of a ski resort, which we ran mul-tiple times. That’s really where theteam came together,” senior captainKevin Joerger said.Both teams traveled to Big Bear for

intense training at high altitude to im-prove their physical and mental stam-ina and bond as a team.While the girls are striving to finish

top of the league, the boys have higherexpectations as they try to advance tostate. To overcome the graduation ofrunner Sean Gildea, the team looks toJoerger for leadership.“Even though we lost a lot of run-

ners, a ton of young ones will have to

step it up and take varsity spots,” Jo-erger said.While Joerger gives leadership and

experience to the team, senior DJSmithers, juniors Matthew Garvin andMarco Godinez and sophomoresTommy Lopez and Kevin Ho con-tribute talent and boost morale.The national title gained last year

might be far off, but the boys teamplans on training hard to finish top in

state. Coach Shawn Morris has highexpectations for teams both having atop finish in state.“We have a very young team but a

lot of experience will be gained beforeand during season,” Morris said.The team is excited and ready to

run right through Maramonte Leagueand head for CIF and state.“We can do some pretty spectacular

things,” Morris said.

BY BEN REICHStaff Writer

The 2009 Lancer football team isready for another run at the Marmonteleague championship, but there is onequestion the team faces: who will beunder center on Sept.11 against Valen-cia High School?The graduation of two-year starter

Ian Shultis left a gaping hole in thequarterback position and created abattle between senior Bobby Cortes,and juniors Avandre Bollar and Jack-son Lucht.The three competed throughout the

summer ending in a two-player con-tention between Cortes and Bollar.With only one week to go before

the season opener, Head Coach andOffensive Coordinator Mike Leibenhas yet to announce his decision onwho will start between the two com-peting quarterbacks.Both bring athleticism and great

arm strength to the field as returningvarsity members.Additionally, the availibility of two

other quarterbacks will add to theteam’s depth as it will be able to re-cover from any injuries to the starter.“As always our offensive and de-

fensive line will be the best part of ourteam,” senior Lucas Clifford said.“And we can beat anyone if we playup to our potential.”

Big Beartrainingties crosscountrytogether

WhileJamaicanspr in te rU s a i nB o l ts h ow e doff hisspeed atthe 2009World Championships inBerlin, NFL coaches musthave been dreaming abouthaving a wide reciever withthat kind of velocity. Thedownfield threat would benearly impossible to guardagainst, just as a sidelinescreen could send him straightto the endzone.In regards to Bolt’s potential

in the league, Pittsburgh widereciever Hines Ward said thathe would favor a player “withquickness and great route-run-ning ability over speed.”And that got me thinking,

what would the ideal wide re-ceiver be like?What combina-tion of athletes would be puttogether to form the mostthreatening wideout of alltime? It seems like Bolt’sspeed is an obvious choice, butwho else would be included inthis super-receiver?Naturally you’d need great

hands, and for those look nofurther than arguably the bestplayer in football right now:Larry Fitzgerald. He camedown with a nearly backwardsdiving catch during the play-offs that earned him the nick-name “Sticky Fingers.”Before and after practice,

Fitzgerald catches extra passesfrom every conceivable angleso that no matter what happensduring the game, he will havealready made that catch duringhis practice.AsWard said, route running

and agility is extremely impor-tant, probably even more sothan speed.And if there is any-one on my team that I want toturn on a dime for the cutacross the middle, it would beJerry Rice.His ability to make those

tough turns while under pres-sure from the defense was vir-tually unparalleled as he madea legendary career with quar-terbacks Joe Montana andSteve Young.Size is also incredibly im-

portant in a contact sport suchas football.Bump and run coverage

challenges the receiver, andthe average size of corner-backs is slowly but surely in-creasing. To fill this aspect of aperfect wideout, I wouldchoose Terrell Owens. Hisheight (6’3”) and weight (224lbs) are both impressive andwould certainly assist in fight-ing for the ball downfield.But perhaps the most im-

portant facet of any footballplayer is their mental strength.The late Steve McNair has tobe the number one pick forstanding strong week afterweek. He played a full gamejust a week before undergoingsurgery for an already ruptureddisk in his back. Then, just sixweeks later, he ran twice in hisfirst drive since the operation.

SEANMCMINN

USED WITH PERMISSION OF ELAI FRESCO

HIGH POINT AT THE PEAK — Cross country runners recently trained at high altitude during its annual Big Bearretreat. “We are working very hard as a team and we are showing a lot of improvement early on in the sea-son,” senior captain Rachel Adams said.

FOOTBALLCROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL BOYS WATER POLO

FALL SPORTS

UPCOMING MATCHES

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VSept. 11 vsValencia

Sept. 3 atCalabasas

Sept. 16 atOak ParkInvitational

Sept. 10 vsOaks

Christian

Sept. 10 vsLutheran HS

(Orange County)

Sept. 11 atConejo ClassicTournament

GRAPHIC BY SEAN MCMINN

MYSTERY MAN — Three quarterbacks originally competed for the starting position, but Coach Mike Leibenhas narrowed his choice down to senior Bobby Cortes and junior Andre Bollar.

Fall Sports Preview

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A strong medley of seniors spearheads the boys squad, including Dylan Ackerman,Christian Brock, Colin Wheatly and Brian Woodruff. Coach Giles envisions a leaguechampshionship but expects a tough battle for first against Agoura and Royal.

This season’s lineup is currently without a set quarterback to replace graduated IanShultis, but a strong offensive and defensive line should ensure a deep run into CIF justas the team did last year. Seniors Bob and Richard Mullaney and Lucas Clifford andjunior Ricky Minyard will propel the team in their contention for a league title.

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Girls varsity tennis aims at a top four spot in Mar-monte League with a full roster of 28 players. Led byreturning senior Tara Erb, sophomores Veronica Linand Kathryn Stueckle and freshman Allison Ho, theteam looks to Westlake as its primary competition be-cause of its newest nationally ranked player.

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Depending largely on its underclassmen, thegirls varsity golf team expects to be a majorcontender in its difficult league. Sopho-more Stacy Mann, junior ViktoriaCummings and newly transferred fresh-man Esther Cho will guide the team asits leading players.

Though the boys team does not expect another na-tional appearance with the graduation of SeanGildea, Asher Lober, and Andrew Snyder, a CIFtitle seems well within its grasp. Senior Kevin Jo-erger and his sister, sophomore Melanie Joerger, willlead the young boys and girls varsity teams.

With only two returning varsity players, senior Katie Deamer and junior Kayla Frisoli,girls varsity volleyball hopes to exceed expectations and place first in the MarmonteLeague according to Coach James Park. Nine seniors graduated, so the newcomers mustquickly fill the gaping shoes of four of the six starting positions.

SPORTSthe lanceraugust 27, 200912

PHOTO BY BRIAN KIM

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PHOTO BY BRIAN KIM

PHOTO BY BRIAN KIM

PHOTO BY BRIAN KIM

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