All posts by The Hawk

Sports

Senior Issue: Athletes, Fans Share Special Experience

Leave a comment

By Andrew Carroll

Growing up in Hanover, a town with 14,000 people, everyone seems to know what’s happening on any given day. During the fall, Friday night under the lights is the place to be. Hundreds of fans show up to the High School to watch an event that brings the community together. That’s the first thing that makes sports here in Hanover special: the support from our community.

Nowhere was this more evident than during the 2016 season, when the HHS football team had a stellar season and went on to win the Super Bowl for the first time in 40 years. As a member of that team, it was one of the greatest squads I have ever been a part of in my life.  While on the run to the Super Bowl, we played four home games and the community came together on those Friday nights in a way I will never forget. But out of all the games we played, the most special was the Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium. When we got on the buses that Saturday morning to drive down to Foxbor, hundreds of parents, students, and fans of the team showed up to the High School to send us off. It really shows how much our team meant to the town. When we got to the Stadium and looked at our fan section, nearly the entire town was there, taking up half of Gillette Stadium. People closed down their local business to come watch the game. When we won the Super Bowl, it was amazing to see the joy it brought people and how much they appreciated what we did for the town. Hanover sports teams have won four State Championships since 2016, and that pride and support has followed us every season.

Winning is another thing that makes Hanover High School sports so special. When you play a sport for HHS, you are expected to win, and our teams have experienced a lot of success. Since the Super Bowl win in 2016, Hanover High has brought home championships in boys hockey, boys basketball and rugby. We’ve also had a handful of league MVPs and athletes that have surpassed 100 points in hockey and 1,000 in basketball.

The last thing that makes Sports here at Hanover special is the students, both those who play and those who come out and cheer for every game. As an athlete, I love nothing more than a packed fan section for a big playoff game in the gym. As a fan, making the drive down to Gallo to watch boys hockey is something every single student should try to experience. The fan sections show us that our classmates want to win and succeed just as badly as we do. The Hanover fan section is unlike anything I have ever been a part of. Whether it’s traveling to the Garden for hockey, Springfield for basketball or Beverly for rugby, the super fans of Hanover never fail to show up.

All of the things that make Hanover sports special can’t be found at every school. I truly believe Hanover High School is the best in the area for sports, with all the tremendous coaches we have and the drive to win from the students.

News

Senior Issue: Advice for Underclassmen

Leave a comment

As the school year comes to a close, we often reflect upon everything we have done and we think of how we could have improved. But what if we could give our younger selves advice, what would we say ? Obviously we can’t actually do this but we can give advice to the younger generations so they improve upon themselves and don’t make the same mistakes that we made. In speaking with many seniors, there are a few things that everyone says which underclassmen and future Hanover High School students should take to heart.

Take everything in and don’t focus too much on your future on the past, many seniors said. Even though you should reflect on your past and make plans for your future, if you are focusing too much on another time, then you’re not living in the present. You’re missing out on the life that you should be enjoying. The second most popular answer was to be yourself and don’t change for anyone or else you’re going to regret it when you’re graduating and nobody got to know the real you. When dealing with academics, make sure you challenge yourself but not to an extent where you are so stressed out that you have no time to grow as a human being outside of your academics.

Another common answer was to try new things and put yourself out there. For example, if you never played one game of basketball but think you would be good at it; work as hard as you can at it and try out for the team and you will make so many connections. Tying in with extra-curriculars,  don’t do anything because you think others want you to, do it because you want to. If you’re passionate about it and choose to put the work in then the results will be that much better. Good luck to the Class of 2018 in their future careers, whatever that may be and come back to visit !!!

News

Senior Issue: Parting Words

Leave a comment

“Friends come and go throughout high school but don’t be afraid to make friends with people younger or older than you”  –Bridget O’Connor

“Get involved with as many activities as you can because that’s how you meet new people”  -Aaron Boise

“Try in school all four years so your GPA stays up”  -Connor Morris

“Be friends with everyone, including people in different grades; they are the best people you will meet”  -Alyssa Wilcox

“If you are trying to play a sport in college, you need to work hard to keep your grades up and get good SAT scores”  -Aidan Henderson

“Join student council to make outside friends and build leadership skills”  -Lia Ehlers

“Attending public school is special because you get to experience everything with people you’ve known since you were six years old. Take the time to cherish all your classmates, as you will miss them dearly”  -Drew Zielinski

“Although everyone says it, I never believed it until it happened, but high school really does fly by. Take in every moment because you’ll be off to college before you know it”  -JP Landry

“Don’t take anything for granted because the four years of high school really fly by. Make the most of everything and enjoy the times you have with your friends!”  -Cammie Porzio

“Take your classes seriously, but don’t stress because it will all work out in the end”  -Dan Hamza

“Branch out; join one new club every year and start your own if you can. Also, go to as many football, hockey, and basketball games while you can” -Lauren Gelly

News

Senior Issue: Thanks for the Memories!

Leave a comment

Do you remember the first day of freshman year? How about your favorite class in high school? By the time you graduate high school, you will all have spent over 700 days at Hanover High School. If we multiply that number by about seven hours per day, it is easy to see that all of us will leave this school with many, many memories.

As a way to commemorate the senior class’ memorable experiences at Hanover High School, I have asked several seniors to tell me their favorite memories over the past four years. Here are the responses that I received:

Eleni Kelley: “Meeting in the parking lot on the first day of senior year”

Olivia Salvas: “The French trip to Québec with Mrs. Youngworth and all the kids who made it so enjoyable!”

Morgan Whedbee: The “field trip into Boston sophomore year to see a play”

Yasmina Berkat: “A day swallowed by fatigue, caffeine no longer effective– walking to English with Mrs. Fay!” Mrs. Fay gave her students a “20-minute nap break to excite us for the rest of the day!” For Yasmina, it was a great way to “relieve stress.”

Bridget O’Connor: “Any and all topics discussed at the “Little Women” lunch table junior year. They know who they are.”

Tori Migre: “Mr. Picardi’s period one US History class sophomore year”

Mikaela Murphy: “Working crew and as an usher for school plays throughout the years”

Will Collett: “Freshman year football”

Spencer Kubicki: “My favorite memory was playing in the marching band at Gillette Stadium with the football team. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity I got to do with my best friends in support of our great team!”

Personally, my favorite memory of high school was traveling on a field trip into Boston last fall with my French class. We ate lunch at a French restaurant called Brasserie JO, where they actually served escargot (although I was too afraid to try it!). We then went to the Boston Opera House and watched the musical The Phantom of the Opera.

Though it will be sad to say our goodbyes on June 1, it is nice to have all of these memories to take with us wherever we go.

News

Fair Exposes Seniors to Rollercoaster of Real Life

Leave a comment

At the Credit for Life Fair, HHS seniors got a taste of the financial decisions — and pitfalls — they will face as adults. After choosing a profession, students were required to visit 15 booths to calculate how much they might spend on everything from rent and insurance to cable and groceries. Students also had to decide how they would pay for it all. After making their choices, students met with a credit counselor to determine whether their budget was sound or left them with a pile of debt. Students who ended with a negative balance had to rethink their choices and try again.

Organized by HHS teachers Stacey Pereira and Brian Ciccolo, the goal of the March 29th event was to expose students to what life will be like after they leave college — and the protective cocoon provided by their parents. The fair encourages students to think about financial goals, weigh needs versus wants, track spending and limit debt, all important factors which will determine whether they will be able to thrive as independent young adults. Many 18- to 34-year-olds struggle with this; in 2015, 34 percent of them still lived at home.

The fair was sponsored by Coastal Heritage Bank, PAR Advisory Group, MA Financial Education Innovation Fund, South Shore Business Checks & Printing, and Winbrook. Many volunteers from the community and school district also supported the event. The keynote speaker was Michelle Kelly, CEO and President of Xpressman Trucking & Courier, who shared her experiences of running a business.

More pictures of the fair

 

News

Students Rally against Gun Violence

Leave a comment

Thousands of students from schools across the country left class at ten in the morning on Wednesday, March 14 to take a stand on gun violence. This national movement was meant to memorialize the 17 victims of the Parkland, Florida high school shooting and advocate for more stringent gun policies. The organization primarily involved in promoting the walkout was EMPOWER, a division of Women’s March run by adolescents. EMPOWER helped students organize walkouts at their schools by offering tool kits with information on the legal rights of students, steps to logistically organize the event, and respectful ways to ask for sanction from administration.

At Hanover High School, seniors Mikaela Murphy and Maddy Carroll took action to organize a walkout for interested high school students. After Mikaela and Maddy sent out information on Facebook and other social media, Mikaela met with Mr. Paquette to discuss her plan to facilitate a walkout for Hanover students. Mr. Paquette helped Mikaela organize the walkout by planning to ring a bell at 10 AM, the time at which students across the country would leave class that Wednesday. Students and teachers interested in memorializing the lives of those lost to gun violence or hoping to advocate for stricter gun control policies would leave the building under the protection of the Hanover police. Those who were not interested in taking part could meet in the gym under additional adult supervision.

Unfortunately, Hanover Public Schools closed on Wednesday, March 14, due to the snowstorm that week. Though invested Hanover students did not have the opportunity to participate in the nationwide walkout, the efforts of the student body and administration to allow Hanover students to participate were truly inspiring. Not all students and staff wished to participate in the walkout or see changes made to gun laws, but those who did were given the chance to express their views democratically. There is also no shortage of footage of walkouts that did take place that day: thousands of students across the country were able to step out of class to protest gun laws or honor students who died in tragedies such as the Parkland shooting. Students in Boston, whose classes were cancelled that day, still convened to march to the State House and voice their concerns. This past Saturday, March 24, students had another opportunity to voice their opinions on the issue of gun control—cities across the country including Boston and Plymouth participated in the “March for Our Lives” rally to protest current gun policies. Though the American public is certainly not in unanimous agreement about this contentious political issue, it is remarkable to see so many individuals standing up to fight for change.

Sources:
Andone, Dakin. “What You Need to Know about the National School Walkout.” CNN, Cable News Network, 12 Mar. 2018, http://www.cnn.com/2018/03/11/us/national-school-walkout-march-14/index.html.
Carissimo, Justin, and Thom Craver. “March for Our Lives 2018 — Live Blog.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 24 Mar. 2018, http://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/march-for-our-lives-2018-03-24-live-stream-updates-today/.
Yee, Vivian, and Alan Blinder. “National School Walkout: Thousands Protest Against Gun Violence Across the U.S.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Mar. 2018, http://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/us/school-walkout.html

Featured photo from the Boston Herald

Sports

The Madness is Back

1 Comment

College basketball’s March Madness kicked off this past weekend and it did not disappoint — except, perhaps, when it came to your bracket. Going into the first weekend, there were more than 70 million brackets filled out around the world, and after just day two, none of those remained perfect. The teams picked most often to win the championship were Virginia, Villanova, Kansas, and Duke. The first weekend proved to be a historic one.

For the first time in NCAA history, a number 16 team defeated a number 1 ranked team. UMBC defeated Virginia, the favorite to win the whole thing, in the first round. Going into this game, 16th seeds were 0-135 against the top seed. UMBC not only defeated Virginia but absolutely obliterated them, 74-54. Although there weren’t any other upsets as shocking as this one, there were a total of 15 upsets in the first round. Buffalo, seeded 13th, destroyed a popular pick for the championship, 4th seed Arizona, 89-68.  Loyola-Chicago, seeded 11th, topped 6th-seeded Miami on a buzzer-beater 3-pointer by Donte Ingram.  Ranked 13, Marshall topped 4th-seeded Wichita St. led by 27 points from their star sharpshooting guard John Elmore. Syracuse’s 11th-seeded zone defense dominated  in a 57-52 victory over 6th-seeded TCU.

The second round included several exciting games: yet another thriller for Loyola-Chicago, a historic comeback from Nevada, an unbelievable shot from Michigan, a blowout by Texas A&M, another top seed biting the dust and a defensive showdown by Syracuse.

In the South region, Loyola-Chicago went on to defeat the 3rd-seeded Tennessee on yet another last-second buzzer-beater, this time by Clayton Custer. With their first two games coming down to the last second, their matchup in the Sweet Sixteen is sure to be one to watch. Loyola-Chicago will take on 7th-seeded Nevada, another Cinderella story. Nevada defeated the 2nd-seeded Cincinnati after trailing by 22 points with only 10 minutes remaining in the game. The South region has now lost its top four seeds: Virginia, Cincinnati, Tennessee, and Arizona. Loyola-Chicago and Nevada.

The West region was full of action during the round of 32. The 3rd-seeded Michigan was able to keep its dreams alive thanks to a last second heave by unlikely hero Jordan Poole. The 7th-seeded Texas A&M destroyed number 2 seed North Carolina, 86-65, carried by their big men Tyler Davis and Robert Williams. Xavier, the 1st seed in the West, lost 75-70 to the 9th-seeded Florida State. The West has already lost its top two seeds as the madness continues.

The East region was calm during the second round as all the favorites survived to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The same is true for the Midwest, aside from the Cinderella story  of Syracuse, who defeated a powerful Michigan State team, 56-53.

Some headline match ups of the Sweet Sixteen include Villanova versus West Virginia, both yet to be challenged in March, and Loyola-Chicago against Nevada. This March truly has been nothing but madness as more and more unlikely teams continue to survive and advance.

Sports

Patriots Make Moves, Lose Fan Favorites this Off-Season

Leave a comment

After their loss in Super Bowl 52, the New England Patriots were looking for ways to get better. This off-season figured to be tough, however, because of the number of players eligible to become free agents. The first move the Patriots made was getting offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to return to the team. After agreeing to terms to become the next head coach for the Indianapolis Colts, McDaniels shocked the football world when he decided to stay with the Patriots.  The team did end up losing defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who became head coach for the Detroit Lions.

The players on the field have changed as well. Malcolm Butler who didn’t play in the Super Bowl, signed with the Tennessee Titans, as did running back Dion Lewis. Danny Amendola joined the Miami Dolphins and left tackle Nate Solder signed with the Giants. All were part of Super Bowl-winning teams and were loved by Patriot Nation.

The acquisitions made by the Patriots were quiet, but still enough to keep them a favorite in the AFC. They traded for defensive line Danny Shelton and defensive back Jason McCourty, twin brother of Devin. To further beef up the defense, the Pats added lineman Adrian Clayborn. These moves should help a Patriots defense that gave up 41 points in the Super Bowl. On the other side of the ball, the Patriots added running back Jeremy Hill and wide receiver/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson as weapons this year.

The Patriots have been very busy this off-season and, with the draft still to come, there will likely be more moves to improve the team.

Sports

Winter Sports: a Season to Remember

Leave a comment

The number of students taking part in winter sports was higher this season than it has been in more than a decade, according to HHS Athletic Director Mr. Hutchinson. And while boys hockey and basketball had memorable tournament runs, Hanover athletes excelled in the classroom as well. The average GPA of the winter student-athletes was a 3.70 and all 18 teams earned MIAA Academic Excellence Awards. Congratulations to the athletes and coaches on a great season!

Boys HockeyThe boys hockey team had a promising season right from the start. Led by captains Connor Morris, Zach Taylor, Drew Cratty, and Paul McCabe, the team swept the league with a regular season record of 19-0-1. The top-seeded Indians cruised through the Division 3 South playoffs at Gallo, shutting down every opponent and landing a well-deserved spot in the state championship game. Unfortunately, in this year’s final at the TD Garden, the Indians fell short 2-1 to defending champ Shrewsbury. The team’s final record was 24-1-1 and the league MVP was given to Taylor, the team’s high scorer. Kevin Chandler was outstanding as goalie throughout the season. Cratty won the 2017 Jim Gormley Scholarship Cup.

Under the leadership of Coach Abban, the team’s 14 seniors have had an impressive career. According to the Patriot Ledger,  the Indians went 80-11-7 with a 15-3 mark in the tournament since these players were freshmen in 2014-2015. This group won South Sectional titles in 2016 and 2018, plus a Division 3 state title in 2016.

Boys Basketball

The boys basketball team’s quest for a repeat state championship ended in the Division 2 South semifinals, a bittersweet moment that capped a stellar season. Seeded 5th in the tournament, the squad lost to top seeded Boston Tech, 58-47, on March 7. JP Landry scored 18 points and two-time league MVP Matt Delahunt added 17. But Tech’s offense came out on top.

Coached by Mr. Hannigan, the team went 17-4 in the regular season and finished with an overall record of 19-5. Delahunt scored his 1,000th point and he, Landry, Aaron Boise and Jake McInerney were named Patriot League All-Stars. This was the team’s first season in Division 2 South after winning the D-3 South title last year. The captains were Matt Delahunt, JP Landry, and Aaron Boise. Eight seniors – Landy, Delahunt, Boise, McInerney, Jeremy Openshaw, Liam Flynn, Dan Hamza and Aidan Henderson – are graduating this year. But their legacy, combined with a pool of younger talent, will hopefully keep the program just as competitive.

Girls HockeyThe Cohasset-Hanover girls hockey team fell in the first round of Division 2 action to the Norwood Mustangs, 3-2. Led by captains Alyssa Wilcox, Morgan Lundin, Kate Mccarthy, and Lindsey Beiche, Co-Han was seeded 21st after finishing the regular season 8-8-5. Norwood, the 12th seed, won a hard-fought contest. Hanover’s Jacqui Manning, Anna Tedeschi, and Lily Tobin were named League All-Stars. The Scholar Athlete was granted to Morgan Foley and Lundin was given the Sportsmanship Award.

Girls BasketballAfter graduating several strong senior players last year, the team went through some rebuilding this year. Led by captains Taylor Scott, Lauren Gelly and Bridget O’Connor, the team fell short of qualifying for tournament with a record of 6-14. Scott and Janey Devlin were named Patriot League All-Stars. Though the team will lose its senior captains after this season, the remaining three starters and juniors Devlin, Erin Flynn and Kathryn Fallon will look to be leaders for next season.

Wrestling

Led by captains Rian Boutin, Cade Frucci, and Steve Zinke, Hanover wrestlers formed a joint team with Norwell for a solid season.  They competed with heart and sent several athletes to state competition. 

Though Boutin was sidelined this season with an injury, he and other seniors had memorable careers at HHS. His personal highlight was a gritty overtime win at the Cohasset tournament last year when he cracked open his head during the match.

Gymnastics

Although the team was very young, Hanover gymnastics proved that age did not matter this season. Captains Abby Stone, Julia Leskow, and Kaylee Harris led the team to a league title with a record of 12-0-0. Freshman Kaylene Boutin was an all-around all star, along with sophomore Hannah DeRice on floor, bars, and vault. The team broke the school record score of 136.95, held since 2003. With such young talent, the program will have nowhere to go but up.

Swimming and Diving

Led by captains Nick Jones, Brittney Champagne, Frank Gavin and Chloe McKee, the team sent several athletes to the Division 2 state tournament. Hanover’s top finisher was Lauren O’Sullivan, who placed 5th in one-meter diving. Jones finished 10th in the 100 individual medley. Danielle Taft earned 12th in the 100 free and 13th in the 100 back. Taft also combined with Channing Miller, Kelly Taft and Sarah Gavin in two relays. Next year’s swim captains will be Olivia Reddish, Lauren O’Sullivan, Danny Greene, and Danielle Taft.

Indoor TrackHanover debuted its first indoor track team this year, giving members of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams an opportunity to compete yearround. Indoor track is definitely a unique experience, with a shorter track translating to more laps, and a festive air in the arenas where the meets are held. Led by Coach Barrett, the inaugural team was small and struggled to compete against larger, established teams. Still, the athletes trained hard and built the foundation for future success. Captains were Alyssa Nee and Nick Courtney.

Skiing

Some people may not be aware that HHS has a ski team, but though the squad is small, they have fun on the slopes every winter. The team practices and takes part in weekly meets at Blue Hills, and travels to larger contests at Ragged Mountain three times a year. While the team, led by Coach McRae, did not send any skiiers to tournament, members improved their personal performances throughout the season.

News

‘Spread the Word’ Campaign

Leave a comment

Partnership in Art students, led by Mrs. Curley, asked the student body and faculty at HHS for help to Spread the Word to End the Word. By signing a chain link, HHS pledged to show respect, value, accept, and include everyone. The links were attached together and hung in the cafeteria March 7 to show how embracing our differences connect us all.

“Hearing the R-Word makes people with intellectual disabilities, and those who love them, feel like less valued members of humanity,” Mrs. Curley said. “Be an advocate for respect and inclusion by joining us in the on-going campaign to stop the use of the R-word and pledge Respect for everyone.”

Together we can create a community of acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities, and for everyone.