The Quill • November 2022-23

In This Issue

Want to know what binge-worthy shows on Netflix these two are watching? Read the
new issue
of He Said vs She Said to find out what Cierci and Pierson have to say!

If your an avid fan of Taylor Swift and her new Midnights album, then read Haley Kyle’s
T-Swift
story on whether or not she’s still “Bejeweled”.

The Little Theater is getting a renovation and a Spring Musical is already in progress.
Find out more by reading The Limelight Gets New Bulbs by Adam Feltz.

Chief Editor: Head Design Editor:
Anna Blubaugh Gretchen Langhans

Advanced Writers: Assistant Designer:
Pierson Bryan Anna Schnelder
Norah Gustafson
Stella Hocker Designers:
Ivana Laurol Hailey Balik
Camren White
Writers: Colin Easley
Salvatore Delfino Blake Carawan
Sofia DeLuca Kevin Nguyen
Adam Feltz Sarah Neighbor
Haley Kyle
Kate Myaard
Caroline Reither
Walter Sibley
Lucy Wills
Braden Schrein
Joseph Turay

HE SAID
SHE SAID

Top WRITTEN BY:
Shows to
Binge on Cierci Yeager
&
Netflix
Pierson Bryan

DESIGNED BY:

Gretchen Langhans

HE SAID My next recommendation
would be Netflix’s hit
Without a doubt, my favorite
show on Netflix is original, Stranger Things.

Community. If you are If you somehow haven’t
watched this one already I
looking for a random can’t recommend it enough.
comedy to make you laugh, I love the slight horror and
crazy twists, especially at
Community is your show. the end of season 4. You get
attached to each character
What really makes it stand as you follow them through
out is the character dangerous adventures. This
development as the show show does an amazing job
goes on especially with the of keeping you constantly
character of Jeff. The only entertained. While the show
definitely lost its charm in
downside of Community is season 3, it redeemed itself
fully with its newest
its final season which was season. With season 5 on
produced by Yahoo and has the way in a year or two
a definitive drop in quality as there’s both time to get
well as a loss of important caught up and time to get
actors like Donald Glover. A excited for the series’ much
movie for the shows mantra anticipated conclusion.
#6seasonsAndAMovie was
just announced to give fans Well Pierson, I actually
something to look forward have watched this show,
to.
but never was able to
For me, comedy is get through it. I tried
not my cup of tea so multiple times, but the
I am going to have to unrealistic sci-fi aspect
skip past this one :)
led me away.

My final suggestion would be
Netflix’s other hit

original, Outer Banks. If

you’re a fan of adventure,
suspense, and mystery,

Outer Banks is right up your

alley. From a likable cast to
an equally hateable villain,
the fan support for this show
is unreal. The mystery
aspect really carries the plot
and season 3
promises big reveals
especially after season 2’s
big surprise ending. If you
haven’t started watching it
yet, now’s the time so you
are all caught up when the
third season drops
sometime next year.

I hate to admit it,
Pierson, but you
might be right about
this one. All the
drama sure kept me
intrigued and I fell
for JJ right away!

SHE SAID Next up, Gilmore Girls. This

In first place, I would have to is a soapy, lighthearted
series. It is all about the life
go with Grey’s Anatomy. This of Loreali Gilmore and her
daughter, Rory
is a very popular favorite, with Gilmore. We get to watch
19 seasons and counting. As Rory grow up and go from
you probably already know, it high school, onto college
is a medical drama, following while facing the struggles of
the lives of surgeons at Seattle boys, mean girls, and
Grace Hospital. Romantic parental divorce. The small
relationships play a major role town they live in, Stars
in the plot, with characters Hollow, flourishes amazing
dating multiple different friendships and lots of funny
surgeons, even if their friends stories to display. This is the
have already dated them. perfect show when you need
There is never a boring a break from all the scary
episode, whether the surgeons and sad shows out there, it
are battling personal struggles never fails to make me smile.
or working a case in the There is even a short series
hospital, it’s always that takes place after the
interesting. The only show with four, one hour
downside to this series is the episodes of their lives later
length, many great characters on.
pass away, so be ready for
heartache. Having only seen one
episode of this show, its
No one in their right mind slow pace and lackluster
has enough time to watch comedy make me hope I
over 19 seasons of a show never have to encounter
let alone still be invested in
it. It’s a definite no from me. this one ever again.

Last, but certainly not least,

How to Get Away With
Murder. Out of all the shows

I’ve seen, this definitely has
the most twists and turns. It
is about five students who
are chosen by their
professor to help her work
cases at her law office. You
get to watch as the students
take their shot in the
courtroom and the risks
they’re willing to take to
impress their professor.
Whether you’re interested
in law or not, this show is
intriguing as the students
evade law enforcement and
cover up their secrets.

I’m gonna be honest with you
here Cierci, I have

occasionally thought about
watching this one from time
to time but have never ended
up doing it. If I gave this one a
chance I might like it but due
to me never having seen it I’m

gonna have to pass.

P.S. Keep in mind The Vampire Diaries, The
Office, Parks and Recreation, and Criminal
Minds have recently been taken off Netflix

unfortunately.

The Limelight G

Anyone who has been in the little theater recently may have noticed that it looks
just a little different. While at first it may seem like they just placed in some new
carpet, there are more exciting things going on behind the scenes. Alongside the
new carpet, a brand new speaker system and lighting rig have been installed,
and there are plans to install new seating and apply a fresh coat of paint in late
November. “We’ve had a lot of the same equipment for more than 20 years,” says
Mrs. Crumpler, the conductor for the pit orchestra and choral director. “We’re
looking forward to having a fresh look and having equipment that just works
better.”
During our previous musicals we had to work around many different technical
limitations — some of the actors had to go without mics while performing if one
of our already limited number started to cut out or squeak. In spite of the aging
technology the department was able to pull together some incredible shows like
High School Musical and The Addams Family that overcame these hurdles. This
updated equipment could make the already high quality of our spring musicals
even higher.

written by: Adam Feltz designed by: Anna Schneider

Gets New Bulbs

Following their Fall production of Middletown, the Drama Club is get-
ting ready for their Spring musical, Mary Poppins: and auditions are due
on December 7th. Auditions are going virtual, so you’ll need a video of you
performing a song 32 bars long (show your range!) as well as a monologue
about one to two minutes long. If you want to be involved, time is running
short!

Talk to Mrs. Arnett if you have more questions and for any more information.
If you want to get involved but would rather not take to the stage, you can always
join the set crew or the pit orchestra. You can find more information on either
of these on the performing arts board next to the theater or by talking to Ms.
Huelskamp.

All together, it’s quite an exciting development for everyone involved. As
a member of the pit orchestra myself, I’m particularly excited about the new
speaker system and the prospect of having microphones that don’t cut out every
15 minutes. Overall, hopes are high that these renovations will only improve
upon the quality of our musicals and plays; and I can’t wait to see that in action
in Mary Poppins.

Best Written By:
Gifts Lucy Wills
to
Sleigh Designed By:
This Gretchen Langhans
Christmas
‘Tis (almost) the season!
“The It’s time to start thinking
sentimentality about gifts for your loved
comes with the ones so you can get those
laughs you share Black Friday deals! Some
over that gift.” of the most common
people to shop for are your
parents, siblings, friends,
and significant others.
Many people are also
concerned about price so
we have compiled a list of
affordable and adorable
gifts for your loved ones.

“Christmas is the
perfect time to
express your
love.”

Parents

Our Perfect Present Picks

Parents do so much for us everyday of the year, so
Christmas is a good time to make sure they feel
appreciated! Here are some easy ideas that you can afford
and that will make your parents feel loved! Buying gifts
for parents can be scary but junior Joe Mannion says he
feels less pressure because “I know them more and they
are easier to buy for.” So don’t be afraid to get your
parents in the family secret Santa! Use these ideas to
make sure it’s a Christmas they’ll never forget.

•For the coffee lovers: Burke deluxe cold brew iced
coffee maker for $18 on Amazon!

•For the movie buffs: 100 movies scratch off poster for
$15 at uncommon goods!

•For the economically conscious but cute: Mason jar
zipper bags for $9 on Amazon!

•The sentimental classic: ‘What I love about you’
fill-in-the-blank book gift for $10 on Amazon!

Friends

Fabulous Gifts For Your Favorite Person

Your friends have your back everyday of the year so
make sure you let them know how much you love them
this Christmas! Friends are also the perfect people to do
gift exchanges with because the gifts can be all over the
place! Junior Ella Steiger prefers funny gifts over
sentimental ones because “the sentimentality comes with
the laughs you share over that gift.”

•For the pamperer: A build your own spa kit! Grab a
couple of nail polish bottles, a few face masks, and you’re
good to go!

•For the Friends lover: An “I’ll be there for you” phone

case for $25 on teepublic.com!

•The gift that keeps on giving: A week of presents! Grab
a couple of cute cheap items, individually wrap them, and
then give them to him or her on different days!

•For the music enthusiast: A mini speaker! This one
from Target is $30 and comes in 3 different colors!

Siblings
You Have To Get Them Something

Siblings can be fun sometimes, but also can be a total
pain in the butt. However, it is Christmas, so you should
probably get them something so your parents don’t get
mad at you.

•For sisters: These matching bracelets are a great way to
remind you and your sisters that you will always be there
for each other no matter what. It is only 14 dollars for
three bracelets! #deal

•For the sporty one: Merch from their favorite sports
team! For example, for the Dallas fan, Cowboys pajama
pants, on Amazon for 24.99!

•Siblings are also the perfect people to DIY gifts for too!
They can be an inside joke, a great way to save money, and
something special that you can remember forever. Junior
Kaitlin Emmerling says “she took time to make the panda
just for me for Christmas instead of just going to the store
and getting something” about her sister Ava, who made a
panda for her in ceramics class!

Significant Others
Lovely Gifts for Your Love

Finally, a category for our love birds. Sometimes, your
partner could be the easiest person to buy for, and other
times they could be the hardest person to buy for in
literally the history of the world. For wherever your
partner is on the spectrum, we have gift ideas for you.
Christmas is the perfect time to express your love for your
significant other. Junior Grant Sibley says it almost means
more as opposed to getting gifts from family members
because“It’s nice to know that they remember that stuff.”
So make sure your loved one feels especially loved this
Christmas with these ideas!

•For those who have just entered a relationship and
are looking for something lowkey but still want to show
their love, may we suggest a personalized magnetic couple
bracelet set from Amazon for $15.

•If you’ve been together for a long time and need some
new date ideas, then we suggest a 100 dates poster for $15
on Amazon.

So, whoever you’re buying for,
whether it’s friends, family
members, or your special someone,
now you have no excuses! Go out
and get the gift that they’re going
to love without putting a hurting on
your wallet. Have a Merry
Christmas and happy gift giving!

Don’t Worry Darling

What You Need to Know About Olivia Wilde’s Latest Film



The psychological thriller, Don’t Worry Darling, hit theaters Friday,

September 23rd, and you can bet all Harry Styles fans bought tickets.
However, he is not the only star you will recognize when you see this
film.

What’s it about?

The film is set in Victory, California in the 1950s. Alice and Jack
Chambers have the perfect American dream. Jack, along with all the
other husbands, goes to work on the victory project day-in and day-
out. Alice cleans the house, cooks the meals, and spends some time
with the other housewives, just to wait until he comes home and they
can do it all again tomorrow. All of her friends follow the exact same
patterns and attend all the same parties. The men are not allowed to
discuss the work they partake in every day, but when Alice begins to
ask questions, their perfect life slips away.

writen by : Cierci Yeager designed by : Anna Schneider

Florence Pugh stars in this film Wh
in t
as Alice Chambers, the wife of Jack mov
Chambers. It is Alice who begins to
break apart the perfect dystopian town
Don’t Worry Darling is set in. You may
have seen Pugh in Little Women or
Marvel’s Black Widow. Due to Pugh’s
extensive acting experience, fans were
worried that Styles would not be able
to match her ability in the film.

Chris Pine, or Frank, is the Olivia Wilde was not only the dir

main antagonist of this story, and also played Bunny, best friend to A
the creator of the Victory project. previous directing experience howev
A few other popular movies you how she was able to direct and act in
might have seen him in are Into viously won the Independent Spirit
the Woods, Star Trek, Wonder- ture on the film Booksmart, which sh
woman, and The Princess Diaries.

ho’s Harry Styles takes on his first ma-
the
vie? jor acting role as Jack Chambers, a
man who is torn between two worlds.
Touring the globe for his new album,
Harry’s House, and making history
by performing 15 consecutive nights
at Madison Square Garden has kept
Styles busy. Clearly, Harry is more fo-
cused on his music, but he has previ-
ously acted in Dunkirk and will soon
play a role in the Marvel movies.

rector of this film, but she Gemma Chan plays the wife of
Alice. Miss Wilde has had
ver, it is still quite amazing Frank. She stands by his side, ready to
defend her husband or give a toast to
a major role. She has pre- begin one of their luxurious parties.
Award for Best First Fea- Gemma Chan has also been seen
he also directed. starring in a Marvel Movie recently,
Eternals, where Harry Styles made a
surprise appearance in the
post-credit scene. Com-
pared to previous roles this
seems to be a smaller part
for Chan.

What’s happening behind-the-scenes?

Although good press can come with a well-known cast, rumors of drama behind-
the-scenes have recently surfaced. It has been said that the cast did not get along very well
throughout filming. It all began with the director, Olivia Wilde, dating the lead role, Harry
Styles. Was this a publicity stunt? Are they really in love? I guess we will never know. Al-
though there have been many breakup rumors, Olivia was just seen singing and dancing at
his concert. However, at the movie premiere in Venice, the couple did not sit next to each
other, and rumors spread as a video of Styles supposedly spitting on Chris Pine surfaced.
Again, we will probably never know the true story, but Harry’s fans are firmly convinced
this event never occurred.

Don’t Worry Darling is a captivating and exciting thriller with
twists and turns in every scene. The musical score for the film does
an outstanding job, adding to the suspense and it is so exciting to ex-
perience in theaters. Get ready to laugh, gasp, and even shed a few
tears. Go find somewhere to watch Don’t Worry Darling now!

Written By: Grant Sibley
Designed By: Blake Carawan

RUNNING.
DOWN.

RECORDS.

DESALES XC

You have all heard about the DeSales fall sports, at least
in some way, shape or form. Football games are one of the
most popular events at DeSales, and soccer games are also
largely attended. However, since football and soccer are the
biggest fall sports, their following takes attention away from
some of the other sports going on, such as cross country
(XC). While the achievements of cross country are covered
alongside the other fall sports on the morning announce-
ments, the more detailed achievements of XC are widely un-
known. In order to spread more information on cross coun-
try, this is where you can find everything you need to know
about the team’s past achievements, as well as some of the
traditions and memories that make the team what it is today.

“The DeSales school records have all been broken
since 2021, both on a grade and school-wide level”

History

The sport has been at DeSales for over 30 years, but has only
been somewhat successful, with only seven CCL champion-
ship victories and four district championship victories in 3 de-
cades. The team had a good year in 2006 as district runner-ups
and CCL Champs, but it was once again followed by few victo-
ries. It wasn’t until two years ago where cross country had a
massive surge of wins, with CCL victories in 2020-22, district
runner-ups in 2020, and District Champs in 2021. But these
are only the achievements that came from championships.

Other accomplishments have been made on a more individu-
alized level. The DeSales school records have all been broken
since 2021, both on a grade and school-wide level. The fresh-
man record was broken by Charles Rizek in 2021, with a 5K
(3.1 miles) time of 16:57. The sophomore, junior, and senior
records were all broken in the same race in 2022, with Jacob
Reash breaking the sophomore record with a time of 16:19,
Luke Aaron breaking the junior record with a time of 16:27,
and Aidan Shannon breaking the senior and overall school re-
cord with a time of 16:17. After this race Aidan Shannon went
on to break the school record two more times, with the cur-
rent record being set at 16:14, which is seven seconds faster
than the prior record set by Andy Kessinger in 1987. A good
percentage of the team have also achieved a lot of personal
records they’ve set for themselves, with junior Luke Aaron and
senior Owen Weikert both saying that this season was by far
their best yet due to the commitment they put into the sport.

“After this race Aiden Shannon went on to break the
school record two more times”

Tradition

The achievements set by the team, while exciting, ar-
en’t the main aspect that makes the team so great. The
five month long season, the first three being conditioning,
are packed full of traditions and team-bonding experienc-
es that really bring the team together, including the coach-
es. For example, Coach Wilson said, “My favorite tradition
is when we sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to each teammate. In-
stead of the traditional song, everyone will sing off-pitch,
out of tune, and even sing other songs. Everyone loves it,
and we always get a few stares!”. While the “happy birth-
day” song is a smaller example, the team also has larger
yearly traditions that they have, such as the camping trip
to Mohican, with Coach Wilson’s favorite memory coming
from the most recent outing to the camp ground. “It start-
ed pouring rain in the middle of the night, and two run-
ners, Peter Haggard and Phu Bui, did not rainproof their
tent. Their entire tent caved in, and they were stuck in the
rain. Every runner was awake and not coming to rescue.”

While some traditions may seem smaller than others they
are just as important and are truly what make the team
what it is today. A team favorite of tradition that has been
around for a while is definitely the pre-meet spreads. The
entire team meets at a fellow teammate’s house and plays
a bunch of games (mainly football and cornhole) and we all
have a big pasta dinner mixed into that as well. The spreads
are definitely one of the best traditions the team has to
this day, allowing a little stress relief before the meet the
next day and are just overall a lot of fun with your friends.

THIS IS DESALES XC.

Interview with senior

aidan SHANNON

In order to highlight his achievements more, I was able
to interview senior Aidan Shannon to talk about his back-
ground and how he got to where he is today. Aidan was
a student at St. Mathew and started running cross coun-
try in the fourth grade. “My fastest time was 12:43 for
2 miles”, said Aidan, “and my fastest 5k is 16:01 and
2 mile is 10:05”. When talking about his improvement,
he said “My freshman and senior year is when I had my
biggest improvements”. When talking about his record
breaks in his senior year, he talked about how he became
more invested in the sport and put a ton more effort into
running. As well as his improvement, he talked about
how his senior year was his favorite of the four and went
even further to say, “My favorite meet was cedarville this
year because we got to spend the night” and how camp-
ing at Mohican was his favorite tradition of the season.

While cross country isn’t largely discussed here at De-
Sales, the team is definitely one of the most interest-
ing. The sport itself, while pretty straightforward, takes
a lot of work to achieve your goals and the entire team is
extremely supportive towards each other, even treating
each other like family. Every member of the team I have
talked to have all told me their appreciation for each oth-
er and how excited they are for future seasons. While
we are unfortunately losing our seniors, we all have faith
in the rest of the team to keep this momentum going.

HOPPING ON TH

Colleen Hoover has done it again. wanted to share a bit of her mother's
In 2016, Hoover published her first story. She wanted to display the
truth of domestic violence that
hit, It Ends With Us. Although it was so many face; it’s not as easy as
it looks to just leave an unhealthy
published in 2016, her book has been relationship. Many say to just leave
talked about everywhere this past your abusive partner, but it’s not that
year. Whether it be by word of mouth, simple. There are still memories of
TikTok, ads, or through a Target good times and times of feeling loved
billboard, her book is known. So when that can keep you in the relationship.

she created part two, It Starts With In 2016, Hoover won Goodreads
Us, published in October 2022, people
ChoiceAwardforBestRomanceforIt
couldn’t wait to get their hands on it. Ends with Us.

Hoover has stated that It Ends With Us, There are also times when kids come
into play when making your decision.
was the hardest book she has written Hoover’s book showed that leaving
to date, and she based it on the love a bad relationship isn’t as easy as it
story gone wrong with her parents. may seem.
Hoover’s book tells several
Many want to know where she different stories in one, so everyone
got the inspiration to write such an may have their own reason for being
amazing story with so many different so attached to the book. The back
story lines. In several different and forth of her young love, to her
interviews, Hoover has said she adult years. The difficult topic of
domestic violence both as a kid and
an adult. The true strength we learn

HE HOOVER TREND

to love in the main character, truly don’t know what will come
next. This book starts with a love
Many say to just leave your abusive story that ends with one in jail, and
partner, but it’s not that simple
one dead. Heart Bones (2020), is true
Lily. The parts that go deep in details
of inmatentsy. The true beauty of proof that some love story’s start in
bringing a child into this world. The your teens and still have struggles.
hard truth that not everyone should
be a parent. The sad truth of kids It Ends With Us, has not only
fighting for their lives. These are
just a few of the possible reasons gotten the attention of readers but
someone falls in love with this story. of award shows as well. In 2016,
If romantic reads with some twist Hoover won Goodreads Choice Award
of other plots are what pulls you in,
then Hoover has other books that for Best Romance for It Ends with Us.

you enjoy. Ugly Love (2014), is proof After Book Tok got ahold of the book
and got many to read, in January
that not all love stories are easy;
some have a rocky start. Some love 2022, It Ends with Us became the
stories look more like a heartbeat,
going up and down, parts of great #1 best seller of New York Times.
love, and parts of feeling completely Not only can Hoover be proud of the
manipulated. If that gets your awards her books have earned, she
can also simply type #BookTok on
attention, Hoover’s November 9th TikTok and her books are the first
ones listed. So if you see a video
(2015), might be your next favorite about the books on your page, read
this article, see them displayed at
read. Reminders Of Him (2022), Target, or see a classmate reading

makes your nerves spark and you them, reading It Starts With Us and
It Ends With Us are definitely worth

your time.

DESigned BY: HAILEY BALIK
WRITTEN B: CAROLINE REITHER

IS IT
CHRISTMAS

YET????

Is Cheer a Sport?

“I believe that cheer is a sport whether it is competitive, basketball, or football. I
believe that each individual practice has a meaning to it, there is a goal for each

practice.” Kate Myaard ‘26. Whether practicing stunts, jumps, kicks, or chants,
cheer leading is a lot more work than people may realize. Similar to many other
sports, conditioning is a vital part of cheer leading, so the team can be stronger
in games, competitions and practices. There are 3 types of cheer leading at Saint
Francis DeSales: Football, Basketball, and Competition that all take place at dif-
ferent times throughout the year. While the football cheer squad has around 45

girls, the basketball cheerleaders only have about half.

Written by: Sofia DeLuca

designed by: Colin Easley

I started a conversation with my
classmates, asking whether or not
they believe cheer is a “real sport”.
Here are some of the reasons behind
their answers. Joseph T. said, “Yes, be-
cause hard work and dedication goes
into it.” Ryan Cavanaugh also had a
say in what he believes. He said “Not
really, because you’re not really com-
peting against anyone else, it’s more
of a hobby”. We condition ourselves
to make sure we can safely stunt,
tumble, and run so we have endur-
ance for our cheers, competitions
and game days.
At each and every practice
cheerleaders give 110%. Just
like any other sport, they have
good and bad days. For exam-
ple, on a bad day they usual-
ly aren’t working to their full-
est potential. Motions aren’t
together, cheers are quiet, and
stunts aren’t hitting. But on
good days they cheer loud, hit
motions, support one another
and the stunts hit. Thankfully,
the good days far outnumber
the bad ones.

Competition cheer has been going on for 3 years. The first year, they
did traditional cheer and the past 2 years they have done game day.
At DeSales our conditionings consist of doing suicide sprints on the
football field, going all out to strengthen your core, and improving
the bases’ arm strength and the flyers overall body awareness. In
competition cheer there are main elements like stunting and tum-
bling. Stunting requires three girls on the floor, a back spot, and the
main and side base. While one person is the flyer in the air. The fly-
ers have to have full body awareness and always have a smile on
their face no matter what is going on underneath them. The bases
are lifting them up while focusing on counts throughout the song
or saying the words to the chant and cheer depending on the divi-
sion. Sal believes that “Yes, because there is more hard work put into
it and it’s more dedicated and it has all the qualities of a sport.” Ryan
said that “Yes, it’s a competition! You’re competing against other peo-
ple for a win.” Everyone said that they think competition cheer is a
sport but what about basketball and football cheer?

“Why do some
people think

that cheer
is or isn’t a

sport?”

“ It takes confidence, energy, ded- The real definition of a sport
ication, and school spirit to be a is: “An activity involving
cheerleader.What do you think it physical exertion and skill
takes to be a cheerleader? Kate in which an individual or
Myaard’ 26 said “Since it’s a pret- team competes against an-
ty complicated sport, I think it other or others for entertain-
involves strength, physical and ment.” What do you think the
mental. You have to be active in definition of a sport is? Kate
your community and be an out- said “A game of competition
going person that isn’t afraid to amongst teams or people
show school spirit with dedi- where you take time to prac-
cation to knowing the mate- tice and perfect your skills.”
rial.” Ryan Cavanaugh ‘26 said Ryan said “An activity when
that he thinks that you have to you compete against other
have confidence, “You have to people or other teams for a
be confident because you have victory.” So does cheer really
to be energetic in front of all fit the definition of a sport?
of the students and people.”

Is Taylor Swift
Still “Bejeweled”?

Written By:
Haley Kyle
Track One
Track Two
Track Three
Track Four
Track Five
Track Six

Designed By:
Sarah Neighbor
Track Seven
Track Eight
Track Nine
Track Ten
Track Eleven
Track Twelve
Track Thirteen

J ust like every other Taylor Swift album, her 10th

studio album, Midnights, came with so much
expectation. Midnights was released on October 21st
at midnight est. It contains 13 songs, and the
Midnights: 3am Edition contains 7 more bonus tracks.
Taylor’s fans, aka Swifties, had high hopes for
Midnights as it followed up the iconic folklore and
evermore. Many expected Midnights to be the sister
album to Folklore and Evermore but were surprised
to find out the album’s “amorphous pop sounds,”
as Pitchfork.com describes it. This essentially means
that is not the traditional pop sounding album like
1989, but rather it’s a new and revived version of the
sounds that put Taylor on the map.

The concept of the album is actually quite
interesting. Swift says that the album is “a collection
of music written in the middle of the night, a journey
through terrors and sweet dreams.” She revealed
that some of the subjects that kept her up were
“self-loathing, fantasizing about revenge, wondering
what might have been, and falling in love”. Fans agree
that she conveyed those feelings
well in the songs.

The Midnights album is for the fans of her
other pop albums such as 1989, Reputation,
and Lover. As a Swiftie myself, I was very
surprised when I listened to the album for the
first time. I was expecting the album to sound
more indie and alternative like folklore and
evermore. I did not like the album at all
initially, but once I listened to it more I actually
became more fond of the songs, it just took

a second to get used to
the pop sounds because
fans have been used to
her slower and folk-ier
sounding songs. “It also
wasn’t just me who was
a fan,” senior Kennedy
Melvin says, “Lavender
Haze and
Midnight Rain…10/10.”

Each song tells a
different story from her
past albums, which
leaves fans to speculate
which era each song is
from. For example, one
of the “3am Edition songs
entitled “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” is
seemingly a followup to her Speak Now song
“Dear John.” The song evokes the
complexities of an adolescent girl’s
relationship with a shrewd older man and
contemplates the harm of his violations with a
mature, nuanced perspective. The same goes
for every other song in the album, allowing
fans to listen closely to the lyrics and sounds
to take a trip down memory lane to listen and
compare the songs to her other songs in
older albums.

W
ith this in mind, my thoughts on the album
changed as a whole. Not only did the pop sounds
that I love catch me off guard but so did the
connection to other songs too. It allows listeners to
revisit her past occasions with a more evolved and
mature point of view. Fans can see how Taylor’s
perspective on her past has changed and grown,
which is such a cool moment to have.

The album was produced by the notorious Jack
Antonoff. If he sounds familiar it’s because he is.
Swifties can thank Jack Antonoff for creating some
of the most iconic songs Taylor has ever made. This
includes “Getaway Car,” “Cruel Summer,” “I Wish
You Would,” “Death By A Thousand Cuts,” and
“august” just to name a few. With the help of
Antonoff, Midnights earned more than 1.3
million equivalent album units in the U.S. through
the first four full days. Less than 24 hours after it
was released the album broke the record for
most-streamed album in a single day in Spotify
history. Swift’s album occupies the top 13 spots on
global Spotify. The top 13 songs have over 9.1 million
streams each and ten songs with over 10.4 millions
plays each. Taylor also dropped a music video for
her song “Anti-Hero,”and it got over 17 million views
within the first day.

So with all this information, I encourage
everyone to go listen to her new album Midnights.
You can speculate all you want on which song goes

with which. You can be the “Mastermind.”



IS CABLE WORTH YOUR COIN?

The battle between streaming and cable

“You can be paying Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+, Disney+
up to $70 a month Prime, HBO Max, etc. have given us a
on platforms” many of our favorite shows and movi
world see their favorite characters in
their hand. Within the past few years,
services, each claiming to be better th
have popped up everywhere with new
advantages to each. The battle betwee
ing services trying to gain the trust an
the world and to be the spotlight of pu
happening right before our eyes. Mos
ten, cable is still being purchased ever
streaming. Everyday new things are b
taken off, and being moved to other p
and the battle is never ending between
forms and cable TV.

Unless you’ve been living under a ro
know the big three: Netflix, Hulu, and
They have so many benefits you may n
if you would rather use cable, like You
DirectTV, and Spectrum TV instead o
streaming services. Over the past year

+, Amazon have been massive spikes in turning away
access to from cable services and projecting money
ies to let the on streaming. If you don’t know the differ-
the palm of ence between cable and streaming, it’s that
, many new on cable there is a live feature where you can
han the last, record things for later, while on a service
w shows and there is the entire show or movie right there.
en stream- These platforms are ever-changing with new
nd money of aspects being added everyday. For example,
public view is Disney+ now has a mature setting to turn on
stly forgot- for your child and Netflix might be putting
ryday over ads on the shows but lowering the month-
being added, ly price. Watch parties are a new feature on
platforms, many platforms where you can watch the
n these plat- same show or movie with your friends si-
multaneously while being apart. Many plat-
ock, you forms are using this feature to meet the cus-
d Disney+. tomers’ demand.
not have
uTubeTV, Written By Kate Myaard
of many Designed By Kevin Nguyen
rs, there

“Every day, new Cable also has many benefits, like its in
things are being channel capacity or if you don’t have fa
added, taken off, and speeds then you’re better off staying wi
being moved to oth- YouTube TV also has on demand movi
er platforms”
watch on their own site.



Now, you’re probably wondering whi
better, and the answer really depends o
personal needs and which shows you w
watch. If you have Netflix, Hulu, Disn
amount+, and Peacock you would be p
monthly price of $35.96 with each plat
eraging a price in between $4.99 to $14
platforms also offer different packages
different sound or video qualities and
tent that would up the price. Let’s com
to what you would be paying for cable,
is $49.99 a month or YouTube TV whic
monthly. The problem with cable is tha
trum offers their TV service with their
while on YouTube TV you would also b

ncreased for your own internet connection to
ast internet watch. The average price you would be
ith cable. paying for streaming will differ based
ies you can on different packages and what services
you want.
ich one is
on your The battle between cable and
want to streaming services will never end with
ney+, Par- new marketing strategies trying to pull
paying a the viewers’ interest everyday. Stream-
tform av- ing platforms even make their own
4.99. These productions that help induce profit.
s that have Whether you use many streaming plat-
more con- forms or just stick to cable you know
mpare that you’re getting your money’s worth with
, Spectrum the mountains of content you will find
ch is $64.99 on both.
at Spec-
r internet,
be paying

With winter around the $10. You can also get a
bundle package that has
corner, people are get- written by: brayden schrein skis, boots, and poles
for $44 or a snowboard
ting excited for blow- designed byCamren White and boots bundle for the
same price. Ski boot siz-
ing off steam on the es range from child size
7 to adult size 17, and
slopes. Skiing is a great ski snowboard boot sizes
range from child size 9
way to enjoy those cold to adult size 15. The one
time bus fee is $130.
temperatures. Whether Turning in the checks
for bus money is a first
you’ve skied before or come, first serve basis so
act fast. The capacity for
not, DeSales offers you the bus is 60 people.
an opportunity to join
To actually go to
in on the fun. SnowTrails, you must
Ski club starts in Jan- either get a season pass
or a lift ticket. The stan-
uary and ends in early dard once-a-week pass
February. Mrs. Sharritts is $325, and the standard
once-a-week pass with
cluband Mr. Brimmer are equipment rental is $415.
A lift ticket is a fee you
the club advisors and pay each trip. One lift
the club hits the slopes ticket is $59.

at SnowTrails in Man- for What is SnowTrails?
sfield every Friday, and SnowTrails is a ski lodge
has 5 trips each year. and resort that regularly
They leave the park- features skiing, snow-
ing lot of the school at boarding, and snow tub-
ing. During the ski club
around 3:15 and each season, you can go in-
side and warm up in the
trip is about 5 ½ hours the lodge at any time. In the
long (excluding bus main lodge, they have
rides which are about freshly made food and
an hour each), meaning snacks as well as drinks.
that you are skiing un- The lodge is a fun place
to hang out with friends
til about 9:15 pm when dub during the trips and
the lifts close down and warm up.
they pile back on the
bus. DeSales’ 2023 season

There are two
packages for students

with varying pric-

es between $210

and $330 for the

trips. You can ei-
ther ski or snow-

board, and free les-

sons are provided.

Renting gear is also

a possibility instead

of having to buy your

own. A pair of skis or

a snowboard to rent

is $35, a pair boots is

Ski club sign ups are Here are a few:
now over, but you
can still ski without Mad River
being in the club. Mountain. Locat-
You can get a season ed in Zanesfield,
pass or lift tickets this is Ohio’s
at SnowTrails, but largest ski resort
there are also oth- that features 24
er skiing and snow- slopes and trails.
boarding resorts in This is a very
popular ski re-
Ohio. sort in the area.
Brandywine/Bos-
ton Mills. Locat-
ed in Peninsula,
Ohio, they are a
pair of sister ski
resorts located
about a 5 min-
utes drive from
each other. If you
buy a lift ticket,
it is valid at both
resorts and have
similar attractions
and slopes.

WAR IN UKRAINE

WRITTEN BY: GRANT SIBLEY DESIGNED BY: CAMREN WHITE

During recent months, The media started to slow cover-
the war between Russia and age of the war after the Russian
Ukraine has done nothing capture of Chernobyl in north-
but worsen. While things ern Ukraine, close to the Russian
are starting to go better for border. Russian soldiers cap-
Ukraine, the war is just as tured and then looted what they
bloody as ever. While you could from the abandoned pow-
might know that the war er plant. Then the troops pulled
hasn’t ended, you might not back closer to the border, where
have heard any information they then pushed south of Cher-
about the war in months. nobyl towards the city of Kyiv,
Most of the media stopped where some of the most brutal
covering the war around a battles of the war began. Rus-
month or two after it started sia pushed through with superi-
due to the lack of drastic or or forces and heavy armaments,
new developments that came but using guerilla tactics, hastily
with the war. Lately, how- made bases, and weapons sup-
ever, the media has picked plies by allied countries (such as
up coverage again due to the U.S.), Ukraine managed to
Ukraine victories and the hold off the attack long enough
new Russian draft. Regard- to the point where taking Kyiv
less of that, there is still a lot was no longer beneficial for Rus-
of the war that was left in the sia. After this loss, Russia fo-
dark. Here’s everything you cused more on the South East
need to catch up and under- front, where Russia steamroll-
stand the war just a little bit ed Ukrainian forces and began
better. to take several towns and even a
couple of cities,

such as Luhansk, Kherson, and Donetsk. Over the next few months, Ukraine was able to take
back a little bit of land, but overall the front was at a standstill. Around a month before all of
this happened (around mid-January) The United States started sending support in the form
of weapons to Ukraine. One of these weapons is known as the Javelin Missile. The Javelin fol-
lows the same principles as a rocket launcher, that is, shooting a projectile out of a large tube
to deal explosive damage, but instead of using dumb-fire rounds, the Javelin shoots a “smart
missile” capable of locking onto targets and correcting its course mid-air. This missile became
extremely important in the war as a whole because of its effectiveness against air targets,
which were at first, a major problem for Ukrainian forces. Using the Javelin, advanced artil-
lery, and home advantage, Ukraine was able to push back Russia from the southern region of
Ukraine.
Unfortunately, Russia has several pieces of equipment that have caused major problems for
Ukraine. Here are some of the most important advantages that Russia has:
Russia has extremely advanced cruise missile technology. This cruise missile technology has
been one of the primary weapons of choice, mainly to destroy Ukrainian supplies, but civilian
areas have also been struck by these missiles.
Some of the most advanced artillery in the world. Artillery has been a primary choice along
with the cruise missiles and has been used to hold back Ukrainian soldiers/vehicles.
Top of the line AA (anti-air) weapons capable of shooting down fighter jets and flying projec-
tiles along with Radar that can sense incoming projectiles from around 40km away.

The radar mixed with AA guns have been used to defend from Ukrainian aerial weapons/planes.
Fortunately though, Russia has two major weaknesses: their soldiers and their vehicles. There is
overwhelming evidence that Russian soldiers were barely trained before being sent into combat.
When it comes to their vehicles, an overwhelming amount of Russia’s vehicle arsenal comes from
the Cold War. Due to the massive production of military equipment during the Cold War, Russia
has since ceased a lot of military production to save money and reduce wasting these old vehicles.
A prominent example of this is the T-72 tank, which was mainly produced 40-50 years ago. De-
spite being extremely outdated and outmatched, this is the primary tank of choice when it comes
to the Russian side of the war. Using this weakness, Ukraine has been able to use more modern
tech to dispatch these antique weapons and push back as much as possible.
Now it’s time to get all of the more recent information, as most of the previous information is
now months old. Ukraine has been able to take back a whopping 1,000 square kilometers of cap-
tured Russian land and is now fighting a good amount of the war on both the border and inside of
Russia itself. “I think it’s obviously best”, junior Brandon Heil stated after being asked his opinion
on the recent Ukrainian resurgence, “The invasion was pretty unnecessary and the whole thing
could’ve been avoided. I’m just happy everything is somewhat going back to how it used to be.”
This is because Ukraine was able to push through enough of Russia’s military that they have been
put into a ...

Russia will be drafting 300,000 random
civilians to go and fight in Ukraine.

... “tactical retreat”. On September 21, around a day after this retreat took place, Russian
president Vlademir Putin himself broadcasted a chilling announcement. The President
of Russia stated that due to the substantial loss of Russian forces, Russia will be drafting
300,000 random civilians to go and fight in Ukraine.
“I don’t think it will go well for Russia based on Ukraines tenacity in the war so far”,
Brandon once again stated. A day after this announcement was released, all flights out of
Russia were completely booked, and 1 million Russian civilians fled the country. As of to-
day, November 22, the tide of the war has changed drastically. Ukraine has almost com-
pletely pushed Russia out of the country, with very little territory being held by the invad-
ers. Along with this, NATO, a conglomerate of countries across the world who is allied
with Ukraine, has stated that they will do whatever it takes to defend their territory and
their allies. However, this does not mean the war is over quite yet. Russia is still putting a
large amount of force on Ukraine’s forces, and the only thing the defending forces can do
is push back as hard as they can while the world carefully watches.
Keeping up with large situations like this is important for everybody to do. For exam-
ple, it helps raise awareness for people who might not know what is happening, and it
can give people more information on how to help with the war in any way they can. Due
to the gravity of the situation it’s good for people to be aware of new developments so
they’re aware of what’s going on while also using the info to help their community make
better decisions. While this news is hard to come by today, it’s best for everybody to put
at least a little effort into keeping up with these events.

STALLION
COMMITMENTS

COMMITMENT ISSUES? NOT FOR THEM.

WRITTEN BY:

Sal Delfino

DESIGNED BY:

Sarah Neighbor

LACROSSE

Men’s and Women’s lacrosse has been thriving for the last decade. Men’s
lacrosse has won three state championships, five regional championships, and
has been regional runner up’s five times. Women’s lacrosse has won two state
championships, four regional championships, and been regional runner up’s
twice. With having this much success, players have come through the lacrosse
program that have been truly amazing at the sport. Some of those players include
Gabby Mahaffey (2021), Sophia Finotti (2019), Abbey Dop (2018), and Emily Krak-
er (2017 2016). A notable player includes:

COOPER SIMPSON

Cooper is committed to Cornell University and is graduating from DeSales in ‘24.

S - What was the recruitment process like?
C - I would say that no one person will have the same process as another; there will be twist
and turns for everybody. For me personally, I was blessed to be contacted on 9/1 (The date
you can legally be recruited for collegiate lacrosse) by many amazing schools. I discussed my
goals with my family and deliberated on what Universities I wanted to visit. Throughout the
month of September I took visits and finally decided that Cornell was the place I wanted to
be.
S - What made Cornell stick out among other colleges?
C - One of my personal goals within my recruiting process was to be able to graduate with a
good degree and a bright future ahead of me. I wanted to play at a high level program, with
a family tradition; similar to what we have here at DeSales. When I visited Cornell, it was evi-
dent that they were able to offer what I was looking for. From the moment I stepped on cam-
pus I felt welcomed by the staff and students.
S - What will you miss most from your time at DeSales when it is done?
C - I will definitely miss all of my friends, teachers and the relationships I have built during my
time here at DeSales. I will miss the late night study groups and the faith based education as
well.
S - Who and what inspires you?
C - I am inspired by my friends. The people I am blessed to be around are smart, hardwork-
ing, driven, supportive and loving.
S - What do you think is your best quality as a student athlete?
C - I would say my best quality as a student athlete is my ability to balance the academic
side of my life while being an athlete. This quality has allowed me to be able to excel in time
management skills and taught me how to maintain social relationships throughout it all.

Pictured: Cooper Simpson

Pictured: David Mcclelland