Durant Soccer Preps for Winning Seasons

Following the success of last year’s soccer seasons, the Durant girls’ and boys’ soccer teams have been working hard to prepare for the 2009 season. After star seniors graduated last year, both teams are dealing with replacing the talent they lost.

While some teams would not be able to recuperate from such heavy losses, the Durant boys’ and girls’ soccer teams are running full speed to score again this season.

“This year we will score more; we relied on defense last year. [I feel] this is the first chance we have for Regionals in a long time,” said girls’ coach Richard Sheffield.

Sheffield is a seasoned soccer coach; he’s been running the team since day one in 1995 at Durant. He has five soccer plaques and one State Championship in his office.

“I’d love to see States again,” he said.

As the girls face their biggest competitors -- East Bay High School and Newsome High School -- in the upcoming season, they are ready to dominate again with their speed and technical skills.

“East Bay didn’t score a goal on us once last year. We played them for 90 minutes and they did not score a single goal,” said Sheffield.

Although the team is strong across the board, what really sets the girls’ team apart from the rest is their goalkeeper, junior Megan Fox.

“She’s in a position to stand out,” said Sheffield.

As a goalie, she is in one of the most unique positions and has been known to make some spectacular, and at the same time graceful saves, according to sweeper Jessie Ross, junior.

One change Sheffield is incorporating this year is that at every home game, one team member is allowed to ask a teacher or other staff member to be an honorary coach to sit on the sidelines during the game.

“I asked my English teacher Mrs. Martin because I want her to better understand why I am always so busy,” said Ross.

If the girls continue to rely on their strong midfield and improving offense, their chances of a victorious season are high, according to Sheffield.

On the opposite end of the gender field, the boys’ team is also facing difficulties in replacing players from last year, after losing all four starting defenders.

This season the team has a lot of young, new players.

“We have five or six new starters who are young guys,” said coach Jamin Hollingsworth.

Thus, the biggest difference between last year and this year is experience on the field.

Freshmen Danny Bowers and Ben Eisenhauer are very excited to play for Durant this year. Playing since they were toddlers, both center midfielders note that high school soccer is different from playing club or league soccer.

“It’s rougher,” said Eisenhauer. “We’re playing against bigger kids who are seniors.”

Among the returning players is senior Billy Fanning, a forward who has signed to play with Florida Gulf Coast University next year. Juniors David Eisenhauer, midfielder, and Connor Bass, goalkeeper, are also some strong players who started last year. The team will need to rely on the experience of the returning players combined with the fresh talent of newcomers to win against their biggest competitor, Bloomingdale Senior High School. The team tied against BSHS in their game against them this year.

Both teams expect to see a winning season.

Bass said, “We dominated last season; [this year] we don’t have as many seniors, but we’ll still do fine.”

Durant Soccer Preps for Winning Seasons

Following the success of last year’s soccer seasons, the Durant girls’ and boys’ soccer teams have been working hard to prepare for the 2009 season. After star seniors graduated last year, both teams are dealing with replacing the talent they lost.

While some teams would not be able to recuperate from such heavy losses, the Durant boys’ and girls’ soccer teams are running full speed to score again this season.

“This year we will score more; we relied on defense last year. [I feel] this is the first chance we have for Regionals in a long time,” said girls’ coach Richard Sheffield.

Sheffield is a seasoned soccer coach; he’s been running the team since day one in 1995 at Durant. He has five soccer plaques and one State Championship in his office.

“I’d love to see States again,” he said.

As the girls face their biggest competitors -- East Bay High School and Newsome High School -- in the upcoming season, they are ready to dominate again with their speed and technical skills.

“East Bay didn’t score a goal on us once last year. We played them for 90 minutes and they did not score a single goal,” said Sheffield.

Although the team is strong across the board, what really sets the girls’ team apart from the rest is their goalkeeper, junior Megan Fox.

“She’s in a position to stand out,” said Sheffield.

As a goalie, she is in one of the most unique positions and has been known to make some spectacular, and at the same time graceful saves, according to sweeper Jessie Ross, junior.

One change Sheffield is incorporating this year is that at every home game, one team member is allowed to ask a teacher or other staff member to be an honorary coach to sit on the sidelines during the game.

“I asked my English teacher Mrs. Martin because I want her to better understand why I am always so busy,” said Ross.

If the girls continue to rely on their strong midfield and improving offense, their chances of a victorious season are high, according to Sheffield.

On the opposite end of the gender field, the boys’ team is also facing difficulties in replacing players from last year, after losing all four starting defenders.

This season the team has a lot of young, new players.

“We have five or six new starters who are young guys,” said coach Jamin Hollingsworth.

Thus, the biggest difference between last year and this year is experience on the field.

Freshmen Danny Bowers and Ben Eisenhauer are very excited to play for Durant this year. Playing since they were toddlers, both center midfielders note that high school soccer is different from playing club or league soccer.

“It’s rougher,” said Eisenhauer. “We’re playing against bigger kids who are seniors.”

Among the returning players is senior Billy Fanning, a forward who has signed to play with Florida Gulf Coast University next year. Juniors David Eisenhauer, midfielder, and Connor Bass, goalkeeper, are also some strong players who started last year. The team will need to rely on the experience of the returning players combined with the fresh talent of newcomers to win against their biggest competitor, Bloomingdale Senior High School. The team tied against BSHS in their game against them this year.

Both teams expect to see a winning season.

Bass said, “We dominated last season; [this year] we don’t have as many seniors, but we’ll still do fine.”

Scouts Pitch Deals to DHS All-Star Pitcher

A baseball flies at 92 miles per hour past home plate, into the catcher’s glove with a distinctive smack! A perplexed batter walks off, into a dugout stuffed with disappointed teammates. Repeating this process over 15 times in nine innings in order to pitch a perfect game isn’t unusual for sophomore Trey Oest.[caption id="attachment_88" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Sophomore Trey Oest is not only recognized for his pitching skills, but also for his .318 batting average."][/caption]

Oest has pitched and played first base, but is recognized primarily for his pitching skills. “I like to pitch better,” said Oest. “That’s what most of the colleges and stuff are interested in me for.”

As a sophomore, Oest is a top recruit for some of the best baseball teams such as #9 University of Florida, #12 University of Miami, and #35 University of South Florida. With a .318 batting average as a freshman at Durant last year, he’s also a valuable addition to a traveling baseball team called Chet’s Lemon Juice, which is “one of the best travel ball 18-and-under teams in the nation,” according to Oest. Additionally, he won the Rookie of the Year award as well as the highest GPA award through Durant’s baseball team.

Since last year, Oest has “gotten bigger and stronger, [has acquired] more game experience under his belt, and is one of the team leaders,” according to Durant baseball coach Butch Valdes.

It has taken over a decade for Oest to get to this stage in his career. He first dove into the baseball world by playing tee-ball when he was four years old, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, a former Detroit Tiger. “Ever since he’s played with them, I’ve always wanted to follow him and do what he did and play pro,” Oest said.

Oest is not far from achieving his ambitious dreams. Every day, he spends hours polishing his skills after school and on weekends, when he practices hitting and pitching. He calls himself “dedicated to baseball,” and admits he opts out of “a lot of social events... because every night, baseball is the main priority. And then weekends, it’s baseball [as well]. It takes up a lot of time but it’s worth it and I enjoy it.”

Oest believes this year’s Durant baseball team will “surprise a lot of people.” He said they have a strong defense and speed in addition to his and junior Logan Shirley’s strong pitching, making the team competitive for district championship and possibly even state-wide competition. Valdes concurs, saying that  the team “plan[s] on winning districts and advancing past regional [competitions].”

Off the baseball diamond, Oest enjoys fishing, spending time with his friends and girlfriend, and playing with his Beagle-Boxer dog, Buffi. His favorite memories are spent in Illinois, visiting his personal inspiration, his grandpa. He lists math as his favorite subject and Recreational Activities as a favorite non-academic class. “I’m not big into the history and science and stuff,” Oest admitted.

He sees himself “hopefully playing in the pros” five or ten years from now, but “if not, I want to go into physical therapy, [or] that type of stuff. I want to stay with the sports and that type of atmosphere,” he said.

However, with such a promising future within his grasp, Oest may be hitting with the big leagues sooner rather than later. Coach Valdes agrees. “He has great work ethics, is a fine young man, and has a nice family,” Valdes said. “If he continues working hard like he has been, he will be able to pick any college he wants.”

Scouts Pitch Deals to DHS All-Star Pitcher

A baseball flies at 92 miles per hour past home plate, into the catcher’s glove with a distinctive smack! A perplexed batter walks off, into a dugout stuffed with disappointed teammates. Repeating this process over 15 times in nine innings in order to pitch a perfect game isn’t unusual for sophomore Trey Oest.[caption id="attachment_88" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Sophomore Trey Oest is not only recognized for his pitching skills, but also for his .318 batting average."][/caption]

Oest has pitched and played first base, but is recognized primarily for his pitching skills. “I like to pitch better,” said Oest. “That’s what most of the colleges and stuff are interested in me for.”

As a sophomore, Oest is a top recruit for some of the best baseball teams such as #9 University of Florida, #12 University of Miami, and #35 University of South Florida. With a .318 batting average as a freshman at Durant last year, he’s also a valuable addition to a traveling baseball team called Chet’s Lemon Juice, which is “one of the best travel ball 18-and-under teams in the nation,” according to Oest. Additionally, he won the Rookie of the Year award as well as the highest GPA award through Durant’s baseball team.

Since last year, Oest has “gotten bigger and stronger, [has acquired] more game experience under his belt, and is one of the team leaders,” according to Durant baseball coach Butch Valdes.

It has taken over a decade for Oest to get to this stage in his career. He first dove into the baseball world by playing tee-ball when he was four years old, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, a former Detroit Tiger. “Ever since he’s played with them, I’ve always wanted to follow him and do what he did and play pro,” Oest said.

Oest is not far from achieving his ambitious dreams. Every day, he spends hours polishing his skills after school and on weekends, when he practices hitting and pitching. He calls himself “dedicated to baseball,” and admits he opts out of “a lot of social events... because every night, baseball is the main priority. And then weekends, it’s baseball [as well]. It takes up a lot of time but it’s worth it and I enjoy it.”

Oest believes this year’s Durant baseball team will “surprise a lot of people.” He said they have a strong defense and speed in addition to his and junior Logan Shirley’s strong pitching, making the team competitive for district championship and possibly even state-wide competition. Valdes concurs, saying that  the team “plan[s] on winning districts and advancing past regional [competitions].”

Off the baseball diamond, Oest enjoys fishing, spending time with his friends and girlfriend, and playing with his Beagle-Boxer dog, Buffi. His favorite memories are spent in Illinois, visiting his personal inspiration, his grandpa. He lists math as his favorite subject and Recreational Activities as a favorite non-academic class. “I’m not big into the history and science and stuff,” Oest admitted.

He sees himself “hopefully playing in the pros” five or ten years from now, but “if not, I want to go into physical therapy, [or] that type of stuff. I want to stay with the sports and that type of atmosphere,” he said.

However, with such a promising future within his grasp, Oest may be hitting with the big leagues sooner rather than later. Coach Valdes agrees. “He has great work ethics, is a fine young man, and has a nice family,” Valdes said. “If he continues working hard like he has been, he will be able to pick any college he wants.”

Former Cougar on the Prowl with Tampa Bay Bucs

The blue and gold spirit runs deep within Durant graduate Marshall McDuffie, Jr. After graduation, McDuffie pursued his dreams by flaying for Florida International University (FIU), despite a heavily publicized, life-changing athletic scandal, and this summer he attended training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A well-rounded athlete, McDuffie not only played football the four years he was at Durant, but he also played basketball and ran track.


The experience McDuffie gained playing sports at Durant prepared him to be an important contributor to FIU’s defensive backline.


“He did a nice job as free safety. He also made a big catch in a playoff game against Chamberlain [High School.] It was a great diving catch, toward the end of the game. Because of it, we ended up beating them,” said Durant football coach Mike Gottman. Gottman coached McDuffie for his senior year on the team during the 2003-2004 season.


Unfortunately, McDuffie’s past is not all fun and games. In 2006, during a game against the University of Miami, McDuffie was involved in a fight that resulted in his dismissal from the team.


According to Gottman, McDuffie was “a good kid, a good student, and never got in trouble.”


“I was very surprised he got involved [in the fight],” said Gottman. “I couldn’t believe it; that was so out of character for him.”


In a recent article by The Tampa Tribune, McDuffie’s mother, Vanessa McDuffie, spoke about the incident.
“In less than a minute, his actions caused him to lose his dream of playing football,” she said. “What happened, dismissal from the team, could’ve beaten anyone down and caused them to quit. He didn’t. He knew he did wrong. He grew into a better person.”


Though this upset McDuffie, he looked at it as a turning point and a learning opportunity. He didn’t spend his one year off the team complaining; instead, he devoted himself to his faith and his community. He went on mission trips to third-world countries, like Haiti, and spoke to young adults about not allowing your emotions to cloud your brain, which is a major factor to why he made the mistake.


“And I tell them to learn from mistakes,” McDuffie said in a St. Petersburg Times article. “Don’t stay down. Get up.”


Despite all the disappointment and shock, McDuffie triumphed through the whole ordeal, which included thousands of people having constant access to a replay of the infamous brawl on the Internet through sites such as YouTube.


After his year-long absence, FIU’s new coach Mario Cristobal allowed McDuffie back on the team. He got his scholarship back and was able to earn his degree in sports administration.


“What happened to Marshall would’ve wrecked a weaker person,” Cristobal said in an article published by The Tampa Tribune. “Look, it wouldn’t have been easy for an NFL player, especially with all the exposure out there, all the scrutiny, all the people asking questions.”

“We’re in the business of helping kids, not tossing them aside. Marshall earned his way back, even after the worst of circumstances. It warms my heart. It shows that no matter how bleak it might look in life, there’s always hope,” Cristobal said.

McDuffie has now come back full circle. At age 23, he made it to the Bucs training camp. Even though he played safety in school, the Bucs defensive coordinator Jim Bates saw potential for him to play cornerback as number 39 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McDuffie is a Cougar who succeeded in pursuing his dream.

[caption id="attachment_76" align="alignleft" width="243" caption="The Buccaneers rookie cornerback #39 Marshall McDuffie, Jr. comes from an infamous past at FIU to fulfill his dreams of playing professional football."][/caption]

Former Cougar on the Prowl with Tampa Bay Bucs

The blue and gold spirit runs deep within Durant graduate Marshall McDuffie, Jr. After graduation, McDuffie pursued his dreams by flaying for Florida International University (FIU), despite a heavily publicized, life-changing athletic scandal, and this summer he attended training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A well-rounded athlete, McDuffie not only played football the four years he was at Durant, but he also played basketball and ran track.


The experience McDuffie gained playing sports at Durant prepared him to be an important contributor to FIU’s defensive backline.


“He did a nice job as free safety. He also made a big catch in a playoff game against Chamberlain [High School.] It was a great diving catch, toward the end of the game. Because of it, we ended up beating them,” said Durant football coach Mike Gottman. Gottman coached McDuffie for his senior year on the team during the 2003-2004 season.


Unfortunately, McDuffie’s past is not all fun and games. In 2006, during a game against the University of Miami, McDuffie was involved in a fight that resulted in his dismissal from the team.


According to Gottman, McDuffie was “a good kid, a good student, and never got in trouble.”


“I was very surprised he got involved [in the fight],” said Gottman. “I couldn’t believe it; that was so out of character for him.”


In a recent article by The Tampa Tribune, McDuffie’s mother, Vanessa McDuffie, spoke about the incident.
“In less than a minute, his actions caused him to lose his dream of playing football,” she said. “What happened, dismissal from the team, could’ve beaten anyone down and caused them to quit. He didn’t. He knew he did wrong. He grew into a better person.”


Though this upset McDuffie, he looked at it as a turning point and a learning opportunity. He didn’t spend his one year off the team complaining; instead, he devoted himself to his faith and his community. He went on mission trips to third-world countries, like Haiti, and spoke to young adults about not allowing your emotions to cloud your brain, which is a major factor to why he made the mistake.


“And I tell them to learn from mistakes,” McDuffie said in a St. Petersburg Times article. “Don’t stay down. Get up.”


Despite all the disappointment and shock, McDuffie triumphed through the whole ordeal, which included thousands of people having constant access to a replay of the infamous brawl on the Internet through sites such as YouTube.


After his year-long absence, FIU’s new coach Mario Cristobal allowed McDuffie back on the team. He got his scholarship back and was able to earn his degree in sports administration.


“What happened to Marshall would’ve wrecked a weaker person,” Cristobal said in an article published by The Tampa Tribune. “Look, it wouldn’t have been easy for an NFL player, especially with all the exposure out there, all the scrutiny, all the people asking questions.”

“We’re in the business of helping kids, not tossing them aside. Marshall earned his way back, even after the worst of circumstances. It warms my heart. It shows that no matter how bleak it might look in life, there’s always hope,” Cristobal said.

McDuffie has now come back full circle. At age 23, he made it to the Bucs training camp. Even though he played safety in school, the Bucs defensive coordinator Jim Bates saw potential for him to play cornerback as number 39 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McDuffie is a Cougar who succeeded in pursuing his dream.

[caption id="attachment_76" align="alignleft" width="243" caption="The Buccaneers rookie cornerback #39 Marshall McDuffie, Jr. comes from an infamous past at FIU to fulfill his dreams of playing professional football."][/caption]

Beacon Wins 4th Straight

By Eric Saltzman

The Blue Demon Varsity Baseball team won their fourth straight game with a ten nothing mercy of Graphics on Thursday.

Senior Justin Sims took the hill and worked five scoreless innings allowing only one walk and striking out three. Sims’ was aided by good defense from second baseman Sam Fox.

The offense was led by junior first baseman Erik Poldroo drove in three, including a two run home run in the fourth. In addition, Sims’ helped his own cause with two RBI’s.

Beacon hopes to go 5-0 when they take on West 50^th on Monday in Central Park.

Beacon Wins 4th Straight

By Eric Saltzman

The Blue Demon Varsity Baseball team won their fourth straight game with a ten nothing mercy of Graphics on Thursday.

Senior Justin Sims took the hill and worked five scoreless innings allowing only one walk and striking out three. Sims’ was aided by good defense from second baseman Sam Fox.

The offense was led by junior first baseman Erik Poldroo drove in three, including a two run home run in the fourth. In addition, Sims’ helped his own cause with two RBI’s.

Beacon hopes to go 5-0 when they take on West 50^th on Monday in Central Park.

Blue Devils Come Out Swinging!

By Kerry K. Hoss

The Blue Devils are not wallowing over last year's disappointment.  They ended the 2009 regular season with a solid 6-6 record, yet they were slighted of a playoff berth.  The Devils use this experience as their motivation.

Expectations have been high this season, as they return a talented, experienced group of players to the field.  They are currently in first place in the Manhattan "B" South Division, with a 2-0 record.  The Baruch boys are coming off wins against Health Professions/Human Services (3-1) and Chelsea Career and Technical Education (8-3). Sophomore Charles Porcaro (1.00 ERA) earned the pitching victory in both games.  He was supported by an impressive defensive cast, and strong hitting performances from first baseman Lucas Vaz, shortstop Tommy Nellen, and third baseman Diego Gonzalez.

The Blue Devils are looking forward to earning their third victory of the season.  They will face Seward Park Campus (1-2) on Friday, April sixteenth.

Blue Devils Come Out Swinging!

By Kerry K. Hoss

The Blue Devils are not wallowing over last year's disappointment.  They ended the 2009 regular season with a solid 6-6 record, yet they were slighted of a playoff berth.  The Devils use this experience as their motivation.

Expectations have been high this season, as they return a talented, experienced group of players to the field.  They are currently in first place in the Manhattan "B" South Division, with a 2-0 record.  The Baruch boys are coming off wins against Health Professions/Human Services (3-1) and Chelsea Career and Technical Education (8-3). Sophomore Charles Porcaro (1.00 ERA) earned the pitching victory in both games.  He was supported by an impressive defensive cast, and strong hitting performances from first baseman Lucas Vaz, shortstop Tommy Nellen, and third baseman Diego Gonzalez.

The Blue Devils are looking forward to earning their third victory of the season.  They will face Seward Park Campus (1-2) on Friday, April sixteenth.

Long Island Ethics Bowl at Bethpage

On Saturday, April 10^th the Squire Family Foundation, along with Bethpage High School, hosted the first annual Long Island Ethics Bowl. The highly-anticipated event gave students the chance to explore the difficult, controversial issues we all face today.

There were a total of twelve teams from schools all over Long Island. Everyone arrived at eight in the morning for a rousing breakfast of mini bagels and muffins. Teams used this precious time to cram for any last second thoughts. Then it was time for round one: shock advertising and poverty tours.



Pairs of teams first debated the ethical issues behind shock advertising. In the scenario a clothing line produced “shocking” advertisements, a picture of a martini glass with a cow’s eye in it for example, to gain attention. It worked, but at what price? When does advertising go too far?

The next case was poverty tours. Is it right to make money off of other’s misfortune, even if it helps them in the long run?

Next up, round two. A woman sold her virginity on the internet to pay of her college loans, but also to make a statement. Technically it was legal, since the act itself would happen in Nevada, where in certain areas, prostitution is legal. Was her decision ethical?

After that case, we discussed how society uses a GDP to measure the value of a human being. Should we measure a person based on how much money they make, or what they contribute to society.

Then we broke for a much-needed lunch. We gobbled down some cookies and sandwiches, while teams went over the up-coming cases. Then they announced the six teams that were moving on to the next round. Both Bethpage teams made it.

Round Three started with the issue of guns in schools. In recent years the occurrences of school shootings have been on the rise. For this reason, people wish to be able to protect themselves. Is it ethical for people to carry guns on college campuses? Or will their presence just add to the volatility of the already stressful environment.

The next case dealt with school newspapers. How far is a school required to go to protect the integrity of its students and paper? Where is the limit of school censuring?

Once the discussions were over, the teams met in the little theater to find the final two teams. Bethpage vs. Roslyn.

So both teams got up on stage, while everyone else looked on. We had the great opportunity of having County Executive, Ed Mangano, as one of the judges for the fourth and final round.

The first case was concerned about the teaching of intelligent design in the science curriculum. Should schools teach creationism along with evolution?

The final case was called “Babies Behind Bars.” Should incarcerated mothers be allowed to raise their young children with them in prison? Well, this is the case with certain jails in Mexico. However, are these the best conditions for raising a child?

Both teams did a fantastic job digging up the ethical issues behind each case and backing themselves up with logic. It was obvious that this was going to be a close call, but no one expected the score. Bethpage199 to Roslyn 200. Just one point!

Well, even though we didn’t win this one, we won’t let it get us down. Bethpage students are now getting prepared for the Stevens Institute Ethics Bowl next month.

Long Island Ethics Bowl at Bethpage

On Saturday, April 10^th the Squire Family Foundation, along with Bethpage High School, hosted the first annual Long Island Ethics Bowl. The highly-anticipated event gave students the chance to explore the difficult, controversial issues we all face today.

There were a total of twelve teams from schools all over Long Island. Everyone arrived at eight in the morning for a rousing breakfast of mini bagels and muffins. Teams used this precious time to cram for any last second thoughts. Then it was time for round one: shock advertising and poverty tours.



Pairs of teams first debated the ethical issues behind shock advertising. In the scenario a clothing line produced “shocking” advertisements, a picture of a martini glass with a cow’s eye in it for example, to gain attention. It worked, but at what price? When does advertising go too far?

The next case was poverty tours. Is it right to make money off of other’s misfortune, even if it helps them in the long run?

Next up, round two. A woman sold her virginity on the internet to pay of her college loans, but also to make a statement. Technically it was legal, since the act itself would happen in Nevada, where in certain areas, prostitution is legal. Was her decision ethical?

After that case, we discussed how society uses a GDP to measure the value of a human being. Should we measure a person based on how much money they make, or what they contribute to society.

Then we broke for a much-needed lunch. We gobbled down some cookies and sandwiches, while teams went over the up-coming cases. Then they announced the six teams that were moving on to the next round. Both Bethpage teams made it.

Round Three started with the issue of guns in schools. In recent years the occurrences of school shootings have been on the rise. For this reason, people wish to be able to protect themselves. Is it ethical for people to carry guns on college campuses? Or will their presence just add to the volatility of the already stressful environment.

The next case dealt with school newspapers. How far is a school required to go to protect the integrity of its students and paper? Where is the limit of school censuring?

Once the discussions were over, the teams met in the little theater to find the final two teams. Bethpage vs. Roslyn.

So both teams got up on stage, while everyone else looked on. We had the great opportunity of having County Executive, Ed Mangano, as one of the judges for the fourth and final round.

The first case was concerned about the teaching of intelligent design in the science curriculum. Should schools teach creationism along with evolution?

The final case was called “Babies Behind Bars.” Should incarcerated mothers be allowed to raise their young children with them in prison? Well, this is the case with certain jails in Mexico. However, are these the best conditions for raising a child?

Both teams did a fantastic job digging up the ethical issues behind each case and backing themselves up with logic. It was obvious that this was going to be a close call, but no one expected the score. Bethpage199 to Roslyn 200. Just one point!

Well, even though we didn’t win this one, we won’t let it get us down. Bethpage students are now getting prepared for the Stevens Institute Ethics Bowl next month.

Curry leads Raiders to Revenge against the Curtis Warriors

April 14, 2010 at Port Richmond High School field 4:00 pm

Port Richmond beats Curtis 9-5 to even season series to 1-1 and improve to an overall record of 2-4

It was a beautiful day for baseball Wednesday afternoon, and it was a great day for the Port Richmond Varsity Baseball team. After losing to Curtis High School 11-0 on Monday at Curtis High School field, the Raiders bounced back on Wednesday as they out dueled the Warriors to a final score of 9-5. With this win the Raiders improve to 2-4 for the season and they also closed out the first third of the season on a high note.



With 12 games left in the season, this win could be the spark that ignites the fire for the Raiders.

The seniors for Port Richmond led the offensive attack. (S) Jonathan “JT” Aponte had several hits including a double off the outfield wall and (S) Cliff Brantley continued his impressive 2010 season, knocking in a couple of base hits, stealing a base and also bringing home 2 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 9-5. The Raiders shortstop bats lead off for the team, but when ever you watch him play he’s always on base and his speed helps him beat out groundballs like in the bottom of the fifth inning. He hit a groundball to short that looked to be a short out, but pure hustle and determination led to him beating out the throw, which led to a two run inning for the Raiders.

The Raiders offense scored 9 runs on Wednesday the most they had the whole season. In the first 5 games of the season, the Raiders had a combined total of 8 runs scored. On Wednesday they scored more than they had the whole season. This really could jumpstart the Raiders. They are within striking distance of all teams in there division and if they keep playing like the way they did on Wednesday, who knows how far this team can go.

The highlight of the game was not the Raiders offense, but it was there starting pitcher (J) Thomas “TC” Curry. Besides getting two hits in the game and knocking in runs, TC also had a dominant pitching performance as well. Fellow teammate Jonathan “JT” Aponte said “He had great command in the game. He was very hard to hit and he made the right pitches in every at bat.” TC had a combined total of 8 strikeouts, 3 hits allowed and he pitched the whole game. A key moment in the game for him came in the fifth inning. With no one out, the lead off man got in from a throwing error to first. TC than tried to pickoff the runner, but it was a bad throw so the runner moved to second, than a wild pitch led to the lead off man going to third. With no one out, the score 7-5 and 87 pitches under his belt, TC started to look like he was running out of gas. The next batter he faced he struck out and the next two batters made out by pop out and ground out. He was in a jam and he got himself out of it. That is what good pitchers do and TC is a good pitcher. What’s great is, he’s only a Junior.

With one third the season done, Coach Sce and his players look towards the future with a little bit of momentum. They got there revenge on Curtis, and they scored 9 runs. There bats were hitting and there pitching was great. With the awakening of the bats on Wednesday, Port Richmond could very well be on there way to a great season. They sure looked great out there on Wednesday. Let’s just hope they continue winning and playing hard like they always do.

Curry leads Raiders to Revenge against the Curtis Warriors

April 14, 2010 at Port Richmond High School field 4:00 pm

Port Richmond beats Curtis 9-5 to even season series to 1-1 and improve to an overall record of 2-4

It was a beautiful day for baseball Wednesday afternoon, and it was a great day for the Port Richmond Varsity Baseball team. After losing to Curtis High School 11-0 on Monday at Curtis High School field, the Raiders bounced back on Wednesday as they out dueled the Warriors to a final score of 9-5. With this win the Raiders improve to 2-4 for the season and they also closed out the first third of the season on a high note.



With 12 games left in the season, this win could be the spark that ignites the fire for the Raiders.

The seniors for Port Richmond led the offensive attack. (S) Jonathan “JT” Aponte had several hits including a double off the outfield wall and (S) Cliff Brantley continued his impressive 2010 season, knocking in a couple of base hits, stealing a base and also bringing home 2 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 9-5. The Raiders shortstop bats lead off for the team, but when ever you watch him play he’s always on base and his speed helps him beat out groundballs like in the bottom of the fifth inning. He hit a groundball to short that looked to be a short out, but pure hustle and determination led to him beating out the throw, which led to a two run inning for the Raiders.

The Raiders offense scored 9 runs on Wednesday the most they had the whole season. In the first 5 games of the season, the Raiders had a combined total of 8 runs scored. On Wednesday they scored more than they had the whole season. This really could jumpstart the Raiders. They are within striking distance of all teams in there division and if they keep playing like the way they did on Wednesday, who knows how far this team can go.

The highlight of the game was not the Raiders offense, but it was there starting pitcher (J) Thomas “TC” Curry. Besides getting two hits in the game and knocking in runs, TC also had a dominant pitching performance as well. Fellow teammate Jonathan “JT” Aponte said “He had great command in the game. He was very hard to hit and he made the right pitches in every at bat.” TC had a combined total of 8 strikeouts, 3 hits allowed and he pitched the whole game. A key moment in the game for him came in the fifth inning. With no one out, the lead off man got in from a throwing error to first. TC than tried to pickoff the runner, but it was a bad throw so the runner moved to second, than a wild pitch led to the lead off man going to third. With no one out, the score 7-5 and 87 pitches under his belt, TC started to look like he was running out of gas. The next batter he faced he struck out and the next two batters made out by pop out and ground out. He was in a jam and he got himself out of it. That is what good pitchers do and TC is a good pitcher. What’s great is, he’s only a Junior.

With one third the season done, Coach Sce and his players look towards the future with a little bit of momentum. They got there revenge on Curtis, and they scored 9 runs. There bats were hitting and there pitching was great. With the awakening of the bats on Wednesday, Port Richmond could very well be on there way to a great season. They sure looked great out there on Wednesday. Let’s just hope they continue winning and playing hard like they always do.

21st Century: Sim City

On Tuesday, April 6^th the non-profit organization Sustainable Long Island, sponsored by the Levitt Foundation and Bethpage Federal Credit Union, gave students the opportunity to plan out the future of our very own Bethpage. Bethpage High School Senior and Sustainable Long Island representative, Colby Sim, presented and organized the 21^st Century event.

She described the people from Sustainable Long Island as “All-arounders …they do it all. … We look forward to the future, for a long lasting Long Island.”

Ms. Sim went into some of the specifics of being a “professional planner.”

She focused on an area’s assets and opportunities. She also included the crucial nature of the support of the residents, and how it leads to government support.

After Colby’s presentation, students valued Bethpage’s assets and opportunities. They listed certain issues that need to be addressed, as well things Bethpage is lacking. There was an extensive collaboration including treescaping, shopping areas, roller skating rinks, indoor sports facilities, bus stops, and much, much more.

Students then voted, using sticky dots, for the ones they liked the most. The tops ones included adding a plaza, investing in the train station and green energy, and building a karaoke bar, an outlet mall, and a movie theater.

Afterwards, kids huddled over their table-sized aerial maps of Bethpage. They utilized the 105 acres given to the county from Grumman for the majority of their building projects. No one wanted to tear down homes to build an amusement park.

Halfway through, students took a little intermission, and had some Pappardelle's Pizza. Then, the groups finished up their planning and presented their improved towns to everyone. Groups included parks, sports facilities, walk bridges connecting Bethpage and Hicksville, go-cart tracks, trees, green energy technology, shopping districts, and even Derek Zoolander’s Center For Children Who Can't Read Good.

Mr. Clark wrapped things up giving out a special thanks to Mr. Kay, Mr. H. Clark, Mr. Granieri and Ms. Yale for facilitating the event.

Keep an eye out for the up-coming Build a Better Burbs contest.

21st Century: Sim City

On Tuesday, April 6^th the non-profit organization Sustainable Long Island, sponsored by the Levitt Foundation and Bethpage Federal Credit Union, gave students the opportunity to plan out the future of our very own Bethpage. Bethpage High School Senior and Sustainable Long Island representative, Colby Sim, presented and organized the 21^st Century event.

She described the people from Sustainable Long Island as “All-arounders …they do it all. … We look forward to the future, for a long lasting Long Island.”

Ms. Sim went into some of the specifics of being a “professional planner.”

She focused on an area’s assets and opportunities. She also included the crucial nature of the support of the residents, and how it leads to government support.

After Colby’s presentation, students valued Bethpage’s assets and opportunities. They listed certain issues that need to be addressed, as well things Bethpage is lacking. There was an extensive collaboration including treescaping, shopping areas, roller skating rinks, indoor sports facilities, bus stops, and much, much more.

Students then voted, using sticky dots, for the ones they liked the most. The tops ones included adding a plaza, investing in the train station and green energy, and building a karaoke bar, an outlet mall, and a movie theater.

Afterwards, kids huddled over their table-sized aerial maps of Bethpage. They utilized the 105 acres given to the county from Grumman for the majority of their building projects. No one wanted to tear down homes to build an amusement park.

Halfway through, students took a little intermission, and had some Pappardelle's Pizza. Then, the groups finished up their planning and presented their improved towns to everyone. Groups included parks, sports facilities, walk bridges connecting Bethpage and Hicksville, go-cart tracks, trees, green energy technology, shopping districts, and even Derek Zoolander’s Center For Children Who Can't Read Good.

Mr. Clark wrapped things up giving out a special thanks to Mr. Kay, Mr. H. Clark, Mr. Granieri and Ms. Yale for facilitating the event.

Keep an eye out for the up-coming Build a Better Burbs contest.

Beacon Baseball Opens Season with a Win

The Blue Demon Varsity Baseball team opened their season with a 7-2 victory over Fredrick Douglass Academy at Inwood Park.

On the mound sophomore pitcher Kai Glick provided support on the mound with five innings of shutout ball. Glick had four strike outs and only allowed two hits in his first start of the season. The final two innings senior Isaac Forman recorded four strikeouts.

“We had good pitching, timely hitting and great defense,” stated senior first baseman Justin Sims who had a two run triple in the third inning. Complimenting Sims’ offense was junior outfielder Garrison Polius who went 1-3 with two RBIs and a stolen base. In addition to pitching, Forman also added an RBI single in the 4^th inning.

“We played a great game today,” said Glick, “If we keep this up we should be a real threat latter in the season.”  Beacon has their next game on Monday against Brandies.

Beacon Baseball Opens Season with a Win

The Blue Demon Varsity Baseball team opened their season with a 7-2 victory over Fredrick Douglass Academy at Inwood Park.

On the mound sophomore pitcher Kai Glick provided support on the mound with five innings of shutout ball. Glick had four strike outs and only allowed two hits in his first start of the season. The final two innings senior Isaac Forman recorded four strikeouts.

“We had good pitching, timely hitting and great defense,” stated senior first baseman Justin Sims who had a two run triple in the third inning. Complimenting Sims’ offense was junior outfielder Garrison Polius who went 1-3 with two RBIs and a stolen base. In addition to pitching, Forman also added an RBI single in the 4^th inning.

“We played a great game today,” said Glick, “If we keep this up we should be a real threat latter in the season.”  Beacon has their next game on Monday against Brandies.

Francis Lewis Baseball looking to have an Incredible Season

By: Jaehyung Park




Be prepared: Francis Lewis High School’s baseball team, the Patriots, is expected to have an incredible season. They are a team that can comeback from a 9:0 deficit, to end up winning 10:21, miraculously. Just ask Thomas Edison High School (the team they’ve defeated), if it’s too hard to believe. The Patriots are a force when it comes to offense, as they can make a baseball game look like a football game, in terms of when looking at the final score. There is reason for optimism, to expect the Patriots to have a breakout magical year.

The Patriots have four impacting players on their team: Jonathon Boboa (SP), David Torres (SS), Ozzie Roblus (3B), and Cassandra Jabie (CF). Boboa can dial up his fastball up to 91-miles per hour and throws a changeup and curveball to go along with it. His favorite player is unsurprisingly, Josh Beckett, who is known for his blazing fastball and top-notch curveball. Boboa is currently being scouted by Arizona State College, whereas Roblus is being scouted by ASU. Torres and Boboa started their baseball careers when they were a freshman. Jabie first started in his sophomore year. Jabie’s favorite players are Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran in MLB. All four players’ favorite team is the New York Mets. If for whatever reason their pro-ball careers are corrupted/interfered, they remarked they will pursue being a federal agent or play softball for their career.

Baseball season is almost here and the Patriots are ready to compete with hopefully many contributing players on the team. Their first baseball game will be held on April 8. They will have to stay competitive throughout the season if they want to prove to Cardozo that they are the better team. Cardozo High School is competitive almost every year and is always on top, the players say. But the four players believe they have a great team, and it’s hard to not believe them.

Francis Lewis Baseball looking to have an Incredible Season

By: Jaehyung Park




Be prepared: Francis Lewis High School’s baseball team, the Patriots, is expected to have an incredible season. They are a team that can comeback from a 9:0 deficit, to end up winning 10:21, miraculously. Just ask Thomas Edison High School (the team they’ve defeated), if it’s too hard to believe. The Patriots are a force when it comes to offense, as they can make a baseball game look like a football game, in terms of when looking at the final score. There is reason for optimism, to expect the Patriots to have a breakout magical year.

The Patriots have four impacting players on their team: Jonathon Boboa (SP), David Torres (SS), Ozzie Roblus (3B), and Cassandra Jabie (CF). Boboa can dial up his fastball up to 91-miles per hour and throws a changeup and curveball to go along with it. His favorite player is unsurprisingly, Josh Beckett, who is known for his blazing fastball and top-notch curveball. Boboa is currently being scouted by Arizona State College, whereas Roblus is being scouted by ASU. Torres and Boboa started their baseball careers when they were a freshman. Jabie first started in his sophomore year. Jabie’s favorite players are Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran in MLB. All four players’ favorite team is the New York Mets. If for whatever reason their pro-ball careers are corrupted/interfered, they remarked they will pursue being a federal agent or play softball for their career.

Baseball season is almost here and the Patriots are ready to compete with hopefully many contributing players on the team. Their first baseball game will be held on April 8. They will have to stay competitive throughout the season if they want to prove to Cardozo that they are the better team. Cardozo High School is competitive almost every year and is always on top, the players say. But the four players believe they have a great team, and it’s hard to not believe them.