All posts by The Hawk

Sports

NFL Playoffs: Who Will Make it to the Big Game?

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By Andrew Carroll

The field for Super Bowl LIII has been narrowed down to just four teams. In both the AFC and the NFC, the top two teams will battle for the coveted trip to the title game, set to take place Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 31-13, in the Divisional round and the Patriots took down the Los Angeles Chargers, 41-28. The victors will meet again at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City for the AFC championship. This matchup is highly anticipated because, while the Chiefs are often able to score points in bunches, the Patriots will try and slow them down with their run attack. At a meeting back in October in Foxboro, Tom Brady and the Patriots outdueled the Chiefs, 43-40. But this game will be different, and with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, I believe the Patriots will shut down the Chiefs’ high-powered offense. Yes, Kansas City has Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill and a great tight end in Travis Kelce. But New England has established a run game this season and they are continuing to dominate opposing defensive lines. Brady and Belichick have reached eight straight AFC championship games, a feat that’s practically absurd in the NFL. That’s why I am picking the Patriots to win the AFC title and head to Atlanta for their third straight Super Bowl appearance.

 In the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams will travel to New Orleans to play the Saints. This will be the second time these two teams will play each other, with the Saints winning a November matchup, 45-35, in a shootout. This game will be highlighted by the play of the two quarterbacks, Jared Goff of the Rams and Drew Brees of the Saints. The Saints will have home field advantage, but ff the Rams can control the game with Todd Gurley running the ball, they will have a chance. Their secondary will have to contain Michel Thomas of the Saints in the passing game. If Drew Brees has time in the pocket, I believe he will eat up this defense like he did in November and the Saints will defeat the Rams in another shootout. 

Featured image from 247sports.com

Opinion

Look Back to 2014: The Evolution of “The List”

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It’s been some time since I was a Christmas punk. I was a whiner and a complete brat in my formative years, a  true tinsel-time terror. I wanted this, that or whatever cheap plastic toy made in China.  My list was filled  with toys I’d end up breaking within a week (I played hard, don’t judge) and I always wanted more. Luckily, I have matured over the years and I’m no longer a whiny brat. (If I saw “kid” me, I would full force dropkick little me in the face). Thus with being a big boy now, my list has decreased to, like, some boots and a new phone. But in truth, it’s all I need. When we were kids, more equaled better, definitely quantity over quality.

When I was 14 or 15, I wanted video games and a couple of toys but most certainly not the absurd amount I once clamored for as a tiny loser. As the years went on, I mostly wanted clothes and adult stuff. Now that I’m a young strapping 18-year-old, I want very little. Which is good; I have enough things in my life that asking my parents for lots of things seems completely juvenile (I cannot stress enough how fast I would uppercut lil’ Eric) I feel the list evolves with everyone because as we are, unfortunately, destined to age, and as we do, our tastes and wants mature.

As per usual, I asked some of the fellow souls trapped in educational purgatory known as HHS what their favorite all-time holiday gifts were. Junior Sarah Powers had an interesting fave in that it was only part of the whole gift.  “There was a cow toy on a bike, and I saw the cow toy and went, ‘AHHH,  A COW TOY!’ and my parents wanted me to be happy about the bike but I wasn’t.” (I then led her to a padded room with her cow toy.)

Senior Nick Ricciarelli’s favorite gift was his Xbox when he was a young lad. “Yeah, I went pretty crazy for that.”

Senior Maya Collins’ favorite was the stuffed Minnie Mouse doll she got when she was three. She said she carried around for years and I suspect it’s still in her backpack.

My favorite response came from the mad chemist himself, Kenneth Decie. As I barged into the classroom to ask him this question, I saw that nothing had changed since I was in his class last year. The familiar smell of sulfuric acid, lithium, and red phosphorus wafted through the air. Anyway, when I asked him what gift stuck out in his mind, Mr. Decie said it was when he received the ultrasound of his son. It took me a while to mop up all the tears from the floor because that was a beautiful response. Well played, Ken, well played.

 

 

News

2018 Holiday Shopping Guide

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It’s that time of the year again! Time to buy gifts for just about everyone you know! This can seem like a pretty overwhelming task— especially if you’ve left it to the last minute—but don’t worry, there’s still time. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. (If you celebrate Hanukkah,  tuck this list away until next year)

1. Think obscure If your gift could be given to any person in the room and be fine, you probably bought a basic gift. The most thoughtful (and best) gifts are the ones that are oddly specific or obscure. Spend some time understanding the person’s interests and hobbies, and if they give you an idea, research it so you actually understand what it is. You’ll feel like you gave a better gift because of it. eBay, Amazon, and more specialized websites like Woot! are your friend here (just don’t get scammed)! With these kinds of gifts, it’s best you buy early since shipping from smaller sellers or companies can take longer than from bigger ones. Bonus points if your gift is discontinued, rare, or retro. If it comes in colors, make sure to get the recipient’s favorite (you should know what that is). Try to mix your interests and hobbies with theirs. If you’re good at buying clothes and they like movies, get a t-shirt, hat, or sweatshirt related to their favorite film. Use something you’re knowledgeable about to get them something they’ll like.

2. Quality over quantity The best gifts come in small packages. You might not have believed that as a kid, but believe it now! You might worry a small gift might look like you didn’t try, but if it’s a really good gift, the size won’t matter. Always go for the smaller, but nicer gift. On that note too, if you have to decide between giving one  expensive gift or multiple smaller gifts, always go for the more expensive one. The recipient will appreciate getting something really nice rather than just more things.

3. Buy holiday items the year BEFORE Gifts to yourself totally count as gifts. If you want to buy a holiday item, hold off until right after Christmas. They’ll most likely be discounted and save you some  money, which you can spend on another gift for yourself! Next year when you open these purchases, you’ll forget you even bought them— a surprise gift to yourself!

4. Plan ahead The holiday season is only a few weeks of the year, but the year is 52 weeks – make them count. If you see something in February, buy it. If you see something in August, still buy it. The point: buy things when you see them, or write down the idea. You can find some of the best deals during ordinary times of the year. Doing this will take the pressure off during December, and you’ll buy better gifts when you’re not panicking.

5. Wrapping is everything  A fancy wrapping job can make the best gift look better, so spend some time on this step. Is it a strange shape? Should you put it in a gift bag? Absolutely not! Bags should be avoided at all costs. Everything can be wrapped, and having gifts wrapped makes them much more fun to open! You can look up online how to wrap just about anything, and at the same time keep that obscure craft channel on YouTube alive — a win win! Gifts likes clothes can always be boxed, but most clothing stores don’t give free boxes anymore so keep whatever you get— they’re rare! Something oversized or really just impossible to wrap? Put a comically undersized bow on it. Problem solved!

6. Out of time? Ok, do you need a gift within the next week? The next day? If you have enough time, buy the gift online. Never pay for shipping unless you have to, though. Some stores let you chose slower shipping to get it free, but if you don’t have time for that just get in the car and go. Use the store’s website to find where the gift is in stock locally. If you’re really in dire need of a gift, don’t wander the mall, check out the gift ideas below. Still don’t see anything? Then gift cards are fine. Make sure it’s from a store you know the recipient will like (otherwise play it safe with cash). Remember to get something small, too, like their favorite candy or a small joke gift so there’s still something to open.

Best Gift Ideas 2018

  • A Bluetooth speaker
  • A wireless charger
  • An ornament related to something they like
  • Their favorite candy
  • A gift card to one of their favorite stores
  • A shirt with something they like (band, sport, place)
  • Something with their name on it (bonus points if their name isn’t common!)
  • Something related to an inside joke
  • An outing or activity you can do together

Buying the best gift doesn’t mean spending the most money! Now that you have these tips, everyone will want you in Secret Santa exchanges. You’ll encourage people to get more thoughtful gifts, and hopefully make the return lines in January a little shorter!

 

Sports

Boys Soccer Player Reflects on Strong Season

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By Ronan Henderson

While many believe that the fall sports season starts in late August, many teams’ quest for rings begins in late June at captains’ practice. For HHS boys soccer, captains’ practice is the ultimate tool not only for readying our skills for the season, but in getting the team chemistry right. It is during these practices when the team bonding really kicks in, from getting to know the new freshmen to finding nicknames for the many players in the program. Nicknames have become a mainstay in the HHS boys soccer culture. Some of the most famous from this past year have been Wes “Willy Ripski” Notarangelo, Patrick “Stew” Walsh, Cole “Sweener” Sweeney, Sam “Deener” Bristol, Joe “Hillary” Clinton and Andrew “Hoodie Fe” Ferreira, just to name a few. Throughout the summer, day in and day out, we left it all on the turf. From the grueling workouts with Coach Kaufman to the team runs followed by swims, we all had our eyes on one thing: winning.

The interesting thing about this team was the fact that some coaches around the league counted us out before the season even began. While some teams would use this as an excuse, we used it as fuel, picking up a big win over Rockland in the season opener and an impressive draw against Duxbury two games later. The beauty of this team was the fact that everyone knew – and embraced – their roles from the start. While some athletes may not be thrilled with sitting on the bench, the players on the sidelines for boys soccer  pumped up the team and stayed ready to have their number called at any given moment (quick shout out to Sweener and Deener #benchgang).

As the season progressed, the team picked up key wins against Pembroke, Quincy, and Plymouth South. While every win was a team effort, the defense shined for the Indians. The dynamic duo of junior Jake Heyl and Walsh, a sophomore, had opponents feeling helpless. On top of that, senior captain Sam Perkins had a great season along with fellow fullback Brendan Quinn. In the wise words of Paul “Bear” Bryant, “defense wins championships.” Another key to our success this year was the pair of senior strikers in Ferreira and Notarangelo, who played gritty and found the back of the net when we needed it most. An example of this was during the Indians first playoff game against Joseph Case High School, when Notorangelo got the home crowd pumped after scoring the game-deciding goal in a 1-0 win. In the midfield, senior captain James Clarkson was a magnet, winning all 50/50 balls within 10 feet of him all year long. To go along with that, senior Alec McArthur and junior Caleb Pongratz both enjoyed breakout campaigns. The true unsung hero of the team was junior Joe Clinton, who had never played goalie prior to the season and was a brick wall at all times. Key contributions also came from the bench.

Unfortunately, the one factor throughout the season that the team could not control was injuries. For whatever reason, the team was cursed with injuries, with up to seven players sidelined throughout the season. Sophomore Danny McDonald tried to fight through his foot injury, but was forced to miss most of the year. Rising star Conor McCann, a junior, endured a nagging back injury that forced him to miss a  number of games as well. Yours truly was also stuck sidelined eight games with a concussion, as was Joe Clinton for a few games. It should be noted though that without the excellent care of Hanover’s trainer Amy Tessitore, the team would have had even more players out. Despite the injuries, the team found a way to rise above and gut out wins. The main philosophy of the team was not to try and win the game all at once, but take it in 5-minute increments winning each five until we hit the 80-minute mark. The Indians would go on to lose to Norwell in the playoffs, ending their season with a strong 9-7-4 record.

As a team, the one thing we managed to do day in and day out was to leave everything we had out on that field. That quite simply would not have been possible without the guidance of our captains Perkins and Clarkson, dedicated players throughout their years with the program. The seniors in general were great at showing the underclassmen a strong example for years to come in the program.  Our success also would not have been possible without the time put in by Coach Rodday and other coaches and volunteers who prepared us for anything in game scenarios as well as looked after us off of the soccer field. Most importantly, it was the fans that the team had to thank the most. From the hardcore parents going to every game no matter the weather, to the students showing up and getting loud during home games, the season quite simply would not have been the same without you.

While this may be the end for graduating seniors, the Indians soccer team looks to keep this intensity going for years to come. With all of the up-and-coming talent this program has to offer, it’s no wonder they have been deemed the “young core.” As far as soccer goes, the boys will look to continue their dominant defensive unit next year and will continue to work toward a deep postseason run next season.

Featured team photo courtesy of DJ Meads Photography.  Other photos provided by author.

 

Sports

Patriots Shut Down Vikings to Stay Atop AFC

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By Andrew Carroll

With a 24-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the New England Patriots improved to 9-3 and remain at the top of the AFC. Meanwhile, the Vikings fell to 6-5-1 and into a tie for the wild card spot with the Washington Redskins.

The Patriots offense was firing on all cylinders Sunday. On the first drive, Brady led the team 81 yards on eight plays, capped off by a one-yard touchdown run from full back James Devlin. The Patriots virtually shut down the Vikings in the first half, until star receiver Adam Thielen managed a touchdown late in the second quarter. The Patriots went into halftime with a 10-7 lead, but that lead didn’t last long. After the Patriots went three and out on their first drive, Minnesota drove down and kicked a field goal to tie it up at 10. On the ensuing possession for the Pats, Brady looked to wide receiver Josh Gordon and he produced. Hauling in a 24-yard catch to start the drive, Gordon finished off the series with a 24-yard touchdown reception. After that it was all smooth sailing for the Patriots and rough waters for the Vikings. After a punt from Minnesota, the Pats drove down and fed Devlin for his second touchdown of the game. The Vikings made a late push in the fourth quarter but Duron Harmon picked off Kirk Cousins in the end zone, basically capping the win for the Patriots.

The Pats played tough defense all day and were able to execute on offense. Brady was 24/32 for 311 yards and a touchdown, while James White had 9 catches for 92 yards. Brady rushed for his 1000th career rushing yard, a milestone many thought he wouldn’t care about, but TB1K is a new trend. Also adding to his resume, Brady threw his 579th touchdown pass, tying him for the all-time lead with Peyton Manning. Next week, Brady will likely own this record, becoming the all-time leader in touchdowns and yards.   

This win was a big one and now the Patriots travel to Miami, where they always seem to have trouble winning. If the Patriots play like this again next week they are virtually unbeatable.

 

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Elise Amendola 

Sports

College Basketball Off to an Exciting Start

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By Joe Clinton

College basketball has proven to be the sport to watch so far this winter. Whether it’s due to the crazy hype surrounding the new top recruits or the high-paced and high-scoring style of play, the NCAA has granted us the privilege of watching what amounts to a  prime time game every night.

The talk of the season has been the phenom freshmen at Duke – Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish – who are projected to be the top picks in the next NBA draft. Duke has generated an enormous amount of hype, with Barrett averaging 22.7 PPG, Williamson with 21.3 PPG and 9 RPG, and Reddish with 15.3 PPG. This team seemed unstoppable, until they lost to Gonzaga 89-87.

What I think has made this season so fun to watch is that every night there seem to be at least two or three top-25 ranked matchups going on.  We already have had a 1 vs 3 matchup in Gonzaga vs Duke, a 2 vs 4 contest when Duke destroyed Kentucky on opening night, and  a 2 vs 5 pairing as Kansas topped Tennessee in overtime. Plenty of other must watch-games have been decided in the final seconds.

I was sitting on my couch on Wednesday night and just clicked on the TV to see what was on and there they were: four must-watch games . . . on a random Wednesday night. There is no other sport like this that gives the fans these kind of games on an everyday basis. The early games featured an unranked but very strong Syracuse team defeating 16th-ranked Ohio State, 72-62, and a no. 4 Virginia team who withstood 24th-ranked Maryland in a back and forth game that ended 76-71. During the late games, no. 15 Florida State beat 19th-ranked Purdue, 73-72, on a final second shot, and 7th-ranked Michigan completely stomped over no. 11 UNC, 84-67. All of these games occurred on just your typical Wednesday night and this continues to happen every night. The competition amongst college teams every night is what makes this sport so special, and why everyone should look forward to the rest of the season.

Entertainment, News

HHS Senior Becomes Published Author

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By Lexi Rynning

Alex McFarland has always enjoyed burying his nose in a book. So perhaps it’s no surprise that Alex would be inspired to write one of his own. That book, started for a contest in middle school, has been published and is now available for purchase on Amazon.com.

A senior at HHS, Alex is a well-rounded student, participating in many after school activities including Lit Mag and Drama Club as well as excelling in his classes. Back in middle school, Alex entered a writing contest with his friends. They each wrote a story and uploaded it to a website to get other people’s perspectives.  While Alex didn’t win, he decided to keep working on the story. Inspired by his favorite author, Chris D’Lacey, he wrote What Was Missing. The story follows Madeline, whose father has fallen into a coma  after a mysterious archaeological dig releases the ‘Iss.’ In a world full of technology and dragons, Madeline joins other children in a mission to rescue their parents and save the world.

On his book, you won’t see Alex’s name. Instead, the author is listed as Draconis Solutus, which means” free dragon” in Latin. Alex originally created the pen name because of a website called Watt Pad which allows writers to express their creativity and ideas. He didn’t want his real name out on the Internet. From what I know, he plans to continue using this pen name on future books, which you can purchase from him or on Amazon for $15. Alex even did the cover art himself. He took a picture of a cardboard roll, like a paper towel roll, and used editing software to create the cool effect, then drew a dragon eye in the middle. 

Alex is currently in the process of editing two more books, The Game of Tag, which is a sequel to What Was Missing, and Project Anchorak: The Buried City. I have already read his first published book and loved it. The characters were really cool, and the plot was well thought out. He is planning to release the second book in a month or two.

Alex used so much creativity to build the world portrayed in the book and imagine what everything could be. He credits his success to the support of his family, especially his younger brother, William, a freshman at HHS, his girlfriend Megan, and all of his friends.

Sports

Pats Back on Track with Win

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By Andrew Carroll

After a bye week and a loss, the New England Patriots got back on track with a 27-13 win over the New York Jets on Sunday. The Pats had a long time to prepare for the 3-7 Jets. The big news of the game was the return of All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Pats had been without Gronk for three straight weeks and many were starting to question his health. But Gronk came ready to play on Sunday, making three catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. Gronk caught his TD on a third down and 12 to go. Brady threw a perfect pass 34 yards to hit Gronk in stride and it looked like vintage Brady to Gronk.

The game was tied 10-10 at the half, but the Pats came out in the third quarter and outscored the Jets 10-3. They got the running game going with rookie running back Sony Michel leading the charge. He rushed for 133 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. James White also had a great day on the ground with 73 yards on nine carries. Julian Edelman was back to his usual self with four catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.

The win over the Jets helped the Patriots improve to 8-3 and second place in the AFC behind the 9-2 Kansas City Chiefs. This Sunday, the Patriots have a huge matchup with the Minnesota Vikings at 4:25 pm in Foxboro. The Patriots will have to play a great game in the secondary and on offense to battle the great wide receivers and defense of the 6-4 Vikings.

Photo credit: 

https://www.patspulpit.com/2017/10/15/16479308/week-6-new-england-patriots-new-york-jets-recap-victory-24-21-nfl-afc-east

News

Students Driven to Distraction with Simulator

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By Lexi Rynning

Yesterday, I crashed four times and killed an innocent pedestrian walking in a crosswalk, all because I was distracted. It was only a simulation in which those dangerous events happened, but it could have been very real. And it was all because of distracted driving. I took part in Distractology, a program sponsored by Arbella Insurance to educate drivers about safety behind the wheel and brought to HHS by the Guidance Department. The simulation was very eye-opening to say the least. About 3,100 people are killed and 424,000 people injured from distracted driving accidents each year.

Before taking Distractology, I wasn’t aware of the number of possible hazards. Even without distractions — such as changing music, checking your phone, eating, or any number of other things we often do while driving — there are a lot of hidden hazards. I was confidently taking a left turn in the simulator, with no phone or music playing, and a car rammed into my side. A huge truck was in the way, so I took the turn without being aware of the oncoming traffic that had the right of way.

In another scenario in the simulator, I was on a highway with a speed limit of 55 mph, and I was changing my music. Most people don’t think of this as dangerous as they barely take their eyes off the road. But when I looked at my phone for just a second, I slowed down dramatically to about 45 mph and was no longer steering in a straight line. Then, a pickup truck changed lanes when I was looking at my phone. I looked up and saw him do it, but I didn’t have enough time to slow down. I slammed on my brake, but I didn’t have enough of a reaction time. I crashed into the back of the truck, and my windshield shattered. Something as seemingly harmless as skipping a song can drastically change your life.

This is a very real threat in our society today and, while people are aware of the risks, many have never experienced the consequences so they think it can’t happen to them. But I can promise you it does. Anything can happen while you are the road. People don’t always follow the rules of the road, blowing through stop signs or going when they don’t have the right of way. If you aren’t 100 percent focused on the road, you won’t have enough time to react. Before going into this, I had no idea how dangerous distractions really could be. I highly recommend taking this course to gain the experience of a car crash without actually getting into one. This was a very eye-opening experiment for me, and I can promise I will try my best to never get distracted while  driving.

There are some perks you get for taking this course, which travels to schools around the state. I got a $15 gas card. You might also qualify for a discount on your insurance. I also have a shot of winning a $500 scholarship. If you do it for no other reason than to get the gas card, you will still learn something very important about distracted driving. I am very glad Hanover High School offered this program and I will be way more cautious when I am on the road.  

 

News

Profiting from Passion: Student Starts Baked Goods Business

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By Juli Cocomazzi

One of the most exciting parts of life is discovering what your passion is. Whether it be photography, painting, politics or working out, it all comes down to what makes you the happiest. Fortunately for Sophie Picard, a junior at HHS, she was not only able to discover one of her passions, but make a profit from it. Her passion? Baking.

The Baker’s Background

Sophie is a jack of all trades, finding expertise and talent in a wide range of hobbies. Her forte is undoubtedly in the arts, as she’s been an active member of the school music department since the fifth grade and has played the flute, bassoon and saxophone. She is gifted in drawing and is an avid reader/writer. Her talent even extends into the martial arts as she also practices karate. Sophie is a brilliant mind and a progressive thinker. You’ll never meet a more open-minded and accepting individual. Sophie’s love for baking started as a child when her grandmother taught her a couple of her recipes. Sophie says she instantly loved it and knew she wanted to keep going with it on her own. 

Selling The Goods

Every time Sophie baked, she would share her goods with friends and family. It’s no surprise they were always a hit. Her close friends were actually the ones who gave her the idea to sell her treats after they tasted their potential. With an encouraging amount of confidence and support, Sophie was able kick-start her baking business last week. The first product  on the chopping block was her show-stopping cheesecake brownie. For $2 a piece, she sold nearly all of them on the first day.

To make those first sales, Sophie relied mainly on word of mouth. Throughout that first day, she met people between classes and during lunch to collect their money and deliver their treats. Some satisfied customers approached her in class, sought her out during a lunch/ break period, or texted her in advance to meet in between periods. People were determined to get their hands on one of her delicious brownies.

“I didn’t expect it to go so well as it did, I thought I would only sell a couple and that was fine,” Sophie said. “It was harder to meet with people who wanted brownies during the school day than I thought it’d be. It’d probably be better to mostly sell them before or after school next time.”

With the positive feedback she received, she says she’s excited to try it again. From this first day of sales, she was able to see what went well and what could be improved upon in the future. For starters, she is going to make some more time in her schedule to prioritize her baked good endeavors and brainstorm ideas to make the selling process more efficient. She has an array of recipes she’s excited to try out. Some stellar treats she’s made in the past include snickerdoodle cupcakes, s’mores cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, banana bread and blueberry scones. With innovation and perseverance, she plans to perfect her craft and develop her business plan to meet its highest potential.

To reach a wider audience, she has begun posting announcements on her Instagram story, informing her followers of the available product and the pricing. Those who respond to her post are able to reserve the amount they desire. Otherwise, Sophie runs a first-come, first-served type of business. You can follow her at sophs_sweets17 to keep posted on her baked good drop dates.

When opportunity knocks, you answer, and that’s exactly what Sophie did. With her innate problem-solving, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills, she was able to reap the benefits of doing what she loves. She is a positive and inspiring role model for her peers and future high schoolers, and perhaps an inspiration for you to shine a new light on your own passions.