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Entertainment

Secret Santa Do’s and Don’ts

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Just as the Elf on the Shelf is the new Santa, and gift cards are the new presents, Secret Santa gifts are the new and improved Yankee Swaps. Odds are that you will be involved in at least one Secret Santa exchange this holiday season, whether it be the student/teacher gift swap hosted by student council right here at HHS, something you organized with your friend group, or even as a part of a sports team or club. If you have never heard of Secret Santa, it is not too difficult to understand. Basically, all participants write their names on slips of paper and throw them in a hat. Everyone chooses a name and buys a gift for the chosen person! Part of the fun is just wondering who could have your name and what they could be buying as your surprise. Usually, the group gets together and exchanges gifts at a holiday party complete with the Secret Santa “reveal.” These parties can be a lot of fun, and a telling test to see just how well your friends know you and the things you like. On the flip side, you may end up with a joke gift when you have put time and effort into buying something thoughtful for your person. Based on the gifts swaps I have been involved in over the past few years, I decided to create a code of Secret Santa etiquette. All you have to do is follow the tips below and not only will your gift be the best one at the party, but everyone will want you to be a part of their swap next year!

As a secret Santa, DO:

  • Take into consideration the person you chose when buying their gift. You might like that  necklace, but would the person you are buying for like it? Think about their hobbies, tastes, and personal style when choosing what to get them.
  • Consult the friends of the person you are buying for. You never know, they could have been talking about a product they really want for months, all you have to do is ask and you will be guaranteed with a successful gift!
  • Drop hints about the kind of gift you want. If you don’t want a joke gift, then say it. If there is a super cute shirt you have been eyeing at the store, you can mention it the next time your Secret Santa group is all together. People will be keeping their ears open for ideas, so if there is something you really want don’t hesitate to mention it!
  • Stick to the money limit that your group has agreed on. If you spend less, the recipient might be disappointed with the gift and feel that you didn’t want to spend the money on them, but if you spend more others might feel bad that their gifts are not as nice. Try your best to stay to the set price and look for deals so you can get more for your money!
  • Write a thank you note! Your Santa will definitely appreciate knowing that you loved your gift and took the time to say it.

As a secret Santa, DON’T:

  • Buy a “funny” gift that the person will never use. They spent money on their person and are expecting a thoughtful gift themselves. If you want to do a joke gift, buy something cheap and an actual gift to go with it.
  • Tell people who you have or try to find out who your Secret Santa is. I know it is tempting, but you will regret it once the surprise is ruined!
  • Leave buying your gift until the last minute. If you are constantly looking for ideas, something is sure to pop out at you. You never know when a great idea will strike!
  • Forget that homemade gifts are an option. If you are a great baker or knitter, I’m sure anyone would be happy to receive a batch of cookies or homemade scarf as part of their gift!

I hope these tips help you out this holiday season, and don’t forget that the most important thing is spending time with your friends, not what everyone is giving and getting. Good luck to all the Secret Santas out there!

Sports

No Wrong Price for Price

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On December 1st, Dave Dombrowski officially took over the leadership of the Boston Red Sox. Since 2010, the Sox have made the playoffs only once. They have had three different managers and many front office changes. The MLB requires you to have a dominant pitcher to travel far into the playoffs. Without one, you usually don’t succeed. That was the team’s problem in the 2015 season.

Dombrowski may have solved the pitching problem when he signed left handed ace David Price to the highest contract in the history of baseball. Price will  be paid $217 million over seven years. I think it’s a great move with Price being a top 5 pitcher in the MLB. It’s a true recipe for success, something the Sox haven’t had a taste of in recent seasons. Price adds a whole new factor into the Sox being competitive as they haven’t had a true number one pitcher since Jon Lester. Price has expressed his liking of Boston prior to becoming a Red Sox. He’s expressed how he loves Fenway and the atmosphere of pitching at Fenway.

Dombroski may consider making another change and replacing manager John Farrell if the Sox start off slow in the 2016 season.  If you read my Boston Bruins article you’d know that I am not fond of their head coach Claude Julien. I’m not fond of Farrell either. His drive to beat his battle with lymphoma was incredible and everyone is happy he’s healthy. Before Farrell was diagnosed in August of last year, the team struggled. Once under the coaching of Torey Lovullo, the young Sox players and team as a whole started coming around. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Blake Swihart increased their play once Farrell was gone as well. His record as the Sox coach is 246-240, only 6 games above .500 and that’s not good.

The Red Sox have young talent, superstar players and veteran experience all over the entire roster. Outfielders Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Rusney Castillo are all under the age of 28. Catcher Blake Swihart who is 23 and wears number 23 is the best catcher the Sox have had since the great Jason Varitek was behind the plate. A true all-star came on this past season and it was shortstop Xander Bogaerts. He batted a team high .320 and had 81 runs batted in. The team’s veteran presence consists of David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval and Dustin Pedroia. In 2016 we will find out if they can put it all together to bring another championship to Boston.

 

News

Black Friday: Worth the Hype?

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Once a year, after a long day of stuffing your face with food, watching football with your family, and being thankful for everything you already have, people all over America head to the mall to trample strangers for sales on things they don’t need. This day is what we all know to be BLACK FRIDAY. Malls and stores prepare months and weeks in advance for this one day of craziness.

Shopping malls, department stores, and plazas unlock their doors in the wee hours to let in crowds of people hyped up on coffee and Red Bull. Although most of the stores and malls don’t open until midnight or even 1 in the morning, that doesn’t stop people from heading to the mall halfway through Thanksgiving day. Some people bring tents, sleeping bags, food, and anything else they might need just so they can go early and be the first in line for a store.

Jarvis Johnson from Arizona has camped out for Black Friday sales every year for the past eight years, but this year took it to extreme when he basically set up a temporary house next to a Best Buy. He began waiting in line for post-Thanksgiving sales the Sunday before Thanksgiving day. He was on Fox 10 News as the “Black Friday Shopper getting an early start”  and he gave them a brief tour of his crib. Right outside the door to Best Buy was his huge tent with a heater, a large flat screen TV, a microwave, a full-size bed, and a refrigerator.

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You might think he’s crazy, but more than six people in Los Angeles also stood outside of Best Buy nearly a week before Black Friday. These people may make you wonder exactly how good the deals and sales must be. However, studies have shown that nearly a third of items “on sale” on Black Friday are actually more expensive than usual. So if you still wish to shop in the hustle and bustle of black Friday, so be it. Just keep in mind that maybe not everything is as good a deal as you may think.

Entertainment

Review: Nuclear Plant Accident Leads to Teen’s Meltdown

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When an accident at a Vermont nuclear power plant causes a meltdown, and forces people who live nearby to abandon their homes, everyone blames Emily’s parents. Her father was an engineer, and her mother was a spokeswoman for the plant, and both were known as big drinkers. Whether drinking played a part in the accident or not, 16-year-old Emily can’t handle the accusations and scorn of people who’ve lost their homes – on top of the pain of losing her parents. So she runs away in the hope of putting distance, and memory, far behind her. She buries her feelings and fears in drugs and other seedy behavior, until she meets a 9-year-old boy who fled a rough foster home. The boy gives her new responsibility, new hope, and eventually heartbreak so big that she risks going back to her radioactive home near the plant to await her fate.

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian has a happy ending, but readers must first endure the pain and fear that Emily goes through. Despite the tragedy, or perhaps because of it, Emily finds a courage and resilience she didn’t know she had. I think many of us can relate to the sadness, confusion and fear that Emily goes through, as well as the bravery she shows, even though each of us has our own unique troubles and challenges.

 

Sports

Hanover Field Hockey: A Season to Remember

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I can honestly say that being a part of the field hockey team this year meant a new challenge and more excitement each week of the season. The regular season was full of success stories: our team was undefeated in every game we played and secured the Patriot League Championship for the second year in a row. More than that just the wins, though, every goal we set for ourselves as a team was accomplished. We tied and even beat some of the tougher teams in our league such as Hingham, Scituate, and Duxbury, and fine-tuned our stick skills as a team. I have played this sport for four years now and never before have I seen the Hanover Field Hockey program so in sync on the field or so motivated at practice. The regular season came to a close with a record of 18-0-4 and a few memorable events. Varsity head coach Judy Schneider celebrated her 500th win as a high school coach in an October game against Pembroke, and Hanover was victorious in the senior day game. Fourteen seniors will be graduating from the team this June and the underclassmen made sure everyone knew they would be missed.

The close of the regular season on October 30th was really just the beginning. As league champions, we were preparing for the tournament games to come. To the amazement of many, we beat both Holliston and Cohassett and became the Division 2 South Champions for the first time in over 20 years. Our final test came against Watertown, the division 2 North Champions. Not only does their program start in elementary school, but Watertown High School is double the size of Hanover. There was also the fact that they have been undefeated for 158 games straight. . .

Our team did not go down without a fight, however, and everyone played their hardest on a freezing November night in Canton. Coach Schneider knew what we were up against us and told us that she was just expecting everyone to do the best they could against one of the toughest teams in the state.

“Watertown can do everything,” Coach said. “They were like a college team. You normally have to concentrate on one or two people, but Watertown makes you concentrate on five or six players.”

That may have been our last game, but it will definitely not be the end of the friendships and memories forged on the turf.  I am so thankful I was able to be a part of this team and play in one of Hanover field hockey’s most successful seasons!

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Entertainment

Book Review: Teen Searches for Missing Mom in Quirky Mystery

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When 15-year-old Bee’s mother goes missing, she’s not content with her father’s answer that it’s “complicated” and not her fault. So when she gets her hands on a thick envelope of documents including emails, journal entries, receipts, and an FBI file, Bee is determined to find out what really happened. What she discovers is shocking, heartbreaking, snarky, sweet, silly and relatable all at once.

In a novel told through these found documents, with occasional interjections by Bee, we discover the answer to the title question Where’d You Go, Bernadette? We learn about a quirky family that lives in a house that must be weed-whacked on the inside, one that plans a trip to Antarctica because Bee gets straight As, one whose dinner reservations are made by a virtual assistant based in India (thus leading to the FBI file). We also learn about a creative woman who can’t recover from crushed dreams, her genius husband who throws himself into work to escape reality, and their uniquely gifted daughter who loves her family despite its eccentricities and flaws.

Written by Maria Semple, the book is a quick read. It’s hard not to be drawn into the lives of Bee, Bernadette, Elgie and the rest of the quirky cast of characters.

Sports

Fall Sports: Success Measured Not Just in Trophies

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HHS fall sports teams have shown grit and determination, overcoming injuries and tough opponents, to have memorable seasons. Below is a recap of each team:

 

Senior Flynn Posts Strong Finish at XC States

Senior Steph Flynn finished 38th out of 178 runners in the All-State Championship held Nov. 21 at Franklin Park. She completed the 5K course in 19:34.07, averaging 6:17.9 per mile. Flynn was the team’s sole qualifier for states after running well at the Eastern Mass. Cross Country Championships held Nov. 14 in Wrentham.

 

At Wrentham, the Hanover girls team finished 7th out of 23 teams in Division 5 and the boys finished 18th out of 28 teams. Flynn placed seventh in a field of 165 runners with a 5K time of 19:51.8. Freshmen Jordana Laprise, Erin Flynn and Alyssa Nee and senior Joy Replogle finished in the top 55. Nick Courtney finished 47th out of 188 runners with a 5K time of 18:16.1, just missing the chance to qualify for All-states. Juniors Will DeBoer and Nate Collins also had strong performances.

On Halloween, the team competed in the Patriot League Championship Meet at Silver Lake Regional High School. The girls finished 5th overall and the boys finished 9th.

Cheerleaders Celebrate Successful Season

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When the Cheerleading squad competed in the MSAA Fall State Competition on Nov. 22, it was the first time the team had made it to the states in almost a decade. While they may not have taken home any prizes from states, just getting to that level was an accomplishment — and a great end to a strong season.

To qualify for states, the team finished third out of 14 teams in the regional competition held Nov. 15 at Whitman-Hanson High School. This came after strong showings at the Braintree High School Fall Cheerleading Invitational on Halloween and a third place finish at the Patriot League Championship on Nov. 8.

Field Hockey Defeated in State Semis

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Field hockey overcame a string of tough competitors in its march toward a state title, but could not get past powerhouse Watertown. The Indians lost 5-0 in the state semifinals played under the lights in Canton on Nov. 17. Watertown, which ended the season 17-0 to earn top seed and the eventual D2 North title, entered the game with a 158-game winning streak. Despite strong play by the Indians, led by senior captains Chachi Smigliani, Sam Taylor, Erika Nelson and Brielle Prouty, Watertown’s offense proved too much.

The tough loss ends a remarkable fall for the field hockey team. Their undefeated season earned them the Patriot League Fisher Division title, not to mention Coach Judy Schneider’s 500th! In the first round of the playoffs Nov. 5, the 2nd-seeded Indians rolled over 15th-seeded Bourne 5-0. Then the team fought hard for a 2-1 double overtime win against 10th-seeded Dover-Sherbon on Nov. 8, with the winning goal scored by Senior Sam Taylor. A 1-0 win over 6th-seeded Holliston at home on Nov. 11 clinched the team a spot in the division finals.

A 1-0 win against Cohasset in the D2 South Finals on Nov. 14., landed the team in the state semifinals. Senior Maura Kelly had the winning goal as time was running out in double overtime.

Football Ends Strong Season with Tough Loss

The Indians’ efforts to reach the state title game at Gillette Stadium ended Nov. 13 with a 21-0 loss over Holliston in the D4 South Final. Top-seeded Holliston scored midway through the first quarter and took an 18-0 lead into halftime. It was a tough loss for Hanover, but doesn’t diminish the success they had all season.

After an 8-1 season and their first Patriot League Championship since 2008, the team was seeded third in tournament play. The Indians knocked off sixth-seeded Westwood in the first round, setting up a matchup with second-seeded Foxboro  in the D4 South Semifinals on Nov. 6.

The game, which Athletic Director Scott Hutchinson tweeted was “one for the ages,” was a nail-biting 21-20 victory secured in the final minute. When Foxboro scored a touchdown with 58.4 seconds left, the Indians blocked the game-tying extra point kick to hold onto the win. Senior Brad Rogers scored two touchdowns in the first half, and senior Dimitry LaForest scored what turned out to be the winning touchdown.

The Indians will finish their season with the traditional Thanksgiving Day game against Norwell at home.

Boys Soccer Falls in Quarterfinals

DSC_0048Led by senior captains Jonny Ferrarini and Greg Chiarelli, the team finished the season with a 9-5-4 record and the 10th seed in postseason play. The squad beat 7th-seeded Holliston 2-1 in overtime on Nov. 6 to make it to the D2 South Sectional quarterfinals before being eliminated in a tough 2-0 loss to Norwell on Nov. 8. With a lot of young talent on the team, the Indians can look ahead to a promising season next year.

Girls Soccer Has Tough First-Round Loss

The team lost in the first round of tournament play, ending a season riddled with injuries but full of determination and teamwork. Named 14th seed with a 7-7-2 record, the squad lost their Nov. 5 playoff game to 3rd-seeded Cardinal Spellman 3-1. Led by senior captains Great Barry (goalie), Emma Devine (center back), and Kaleigh Polatta (center back),  the team played an exciting 80 minutes, but couldn’t capitalize on  enough scoring opportunities.  Hopefully, the team coached by Mike Fraser, will come back healthy and strong for next year.

Volleyball Loses in First Round

The team’s tourney run ended Nov. 5 with a nail-biter of a loss against Sandwich. The 12th-seeded Indians played their hearts out as they lost 3-1 (25-22, 25-16, 26-24, 25-12) to 5th-seeded Sandwich, who had the home court advvball2antage and a boisterous crowd in their favor. Seniors Caroline O’Rourke, Kylie Chetwynde and co-captain Emily Hennessy were the team’s top servers throughout the season. The senior talent was rounded out by the setting of co-captain Melanie Armstrong and Alyssa Delahunt, the hitting of Annika Rowland and the defensive play of Emma Hardy. While those experienced players definitely will be missed when they graduate, the remaining Varsity starters, including juniors Meaghan Raab and Hayley McCusker and sophomore Taylor Scott, offer high hopes for next season.

Golfers Have Strong Showing at States

After earning a second consecutive Patriot League Championship and then finishing second at Regionals, the golf team competed in the State Championship at Crumpin-Fox Club.  Luke Smigliani had the best score of the team, which was also represented by Drew Gratty, John Carroll, Charlie Banks, Colin Cleaves and Christian Abbate. Congratulations to the team for a tremendous season!!



 


 


 


 


 

	

	
	




	
	

				

			News
		

			
Former NBA Star Tells How Drugs (Almost) Ruined His Life

		

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Former Boston Celtics player Chris Herren spoke to a gym packed with HHS students on Nov. 18 about how his addiction to drugs almost cost him everything he loved.


Earlier in the week, we watched a video in PE about Herren’s story. He talked about starting to use drugs at 18 and how it almost ruined his family and basketball career. Before the video I thought, “Just another ‘drugs are bad’ speech, we’ve already had DARE.” I was stunned when, in the video, Herren admitted saying the same thing in high school, never paying attention during this kind of speech. The video also emphasized that, despite having all he had ever wanted — a career with his favorite basketball team, a wife and kids — he couldn’t be happy because of his dependence on drugs.


In person, his message was even stronger! He started by saying that after his basketball career, he found a new passion. That passion was helping school children with talks like these. During one presentation, Herren recalled, a girl alone in the back of the bleachers raised her hand to ask a question. Everyone around her was laughing, urging him not to call on her. She eventually said that she didn’t want to ask her question since she thought nobody cared at school anyway. Herren said that girl later emailed him, revealing she has family problems due to alcohol, and that to escape from it, she cut herself. She told him that after his speech, she went to a table where all the people who bullied her sat and showed them the scars on her arms, telling them their teasing had caused those scars. Standing up for herself improved her life, Herren added; people began saying hello to her in the hallways for the first time in a long time. Herren said he was proud to hear that even one person’s life was impacted by his speech, and that even helping one person is worth it.


His talk would go on to cover many important topics like how drugs and alcohol can ruin families, relationships, and friendships. The talk took a surprising turn when someone brought up marijuana being legalized. Herren said he thought it was an awful law, exposing many people to drugs and making drugs seem acceptable.


Students seemed to take the presentation very seriously. Freshman Abby Bulman said, “I thought that speech was not only inspiring, but shows what good a person can imbue society with.”


The thing that I took with me when I left the gym after the presentation was how Herren called the people who on Friday nights can look in the mirror and be okay with themselves, and the people who feel “cool ” without having to drink,”heroes.” I left thinking how that statement is actually right–people who are comfortable in their own skin are heroes.


I think this was one of the more successful speeches about the the importance of staying away from drugs that students get the chance to hear. As Herren said, it’s more important to talk about the first days of doing drugs than the last days. When you think about it, it makes sense. It’s easy to say you’ll never be like that person in the grip of addiction, while trying not to be that person resisting the temptation at the beginning is much harder.

	

	
	




	
	

				

			Sports
		

			
Patriots Perfection Continues

		

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The New England Patriots faced some real adversity for the first time all season in defeating the New York Giants Sunday afternoon. The Giants played the 9-0 Patriots very well, as it seems they always do. Eli Manning and Coach Tom Coughlin are the only quarterback and head coach duo to stump the Pats more than once, handing the Patriots both of their Super Bowl losses in 2007 and 2012.


Coming into Sunday’s game, the Patriots  were already banged up and missing some key factors. They only added to that list in their big win. Deion Lewis, Nate Solder and now Julian Edelman all are injured and won’t be playing for quite some time. Lewis and Solder are on the injured reserve, making them ineligible to return this season. Edelman suffered a broken foot in the second quarter of Sunday’s showdown and has a chance to return this season as he will underwent surgery on that broken foot Monday.


Even without these key offensive players, the Patriots’ offense was still very elite in Sunday’s game. Danny Amendola sparked the Pats with his unbelievable punt return for a near-touchdown before he was accidentally tackled by his teammate Duron Harmon. With just under two minutes left in the game, New York was ahead 25-24. Tom Brady and the Patriots needed to storm down the field and get into field goal range for kicker Stephen Gostkowski. The Patriots’ first three passes were incomplete and then they were faced with a 4th and ten on their own 20 yard line. Amendola got open and got the Patriots a game-saving first down. They then stormed down the field and set up Gostkowski for a 54-yard field goal. Before the kick I thought to myself, when was the last time Gostkowski had to kick a game winner or even a big time kick to impact a game? On November 30, 2014, the Patriots were in Green Bay taking on the Packers. Down 10 points in the 4th quarter, Gostkowski missed a 44-yard field goal that then gave the Packers the ball back with great field position. The Patriots ended up losing that game 26-21.


So as Gostkowski lines up for this field goal against the Giants Sunday, outside and weather being cold, there were many similarities to the last time he missed in Green Bay. I was unsure if he would hit such a pressure kick. The snap was great, the hold was good and the kick was up and in. Gostkowski sealed the victory for the Patriots and ended the conversation about whether he can make big time kicks.


The Denver Broncos are 7-2 and seem to be the Patriots’ only real competition in the AFC. With Peyton Manning having an injured foot, and showing it in his play, this should be the last year of his career. Manning isn’t making basic NFL throws that need to be made. The Patriots should have no trouble beating the Broncos, even if the game is in Denver.  If all goes to plan, the Patriots should be the number one seed in the playoffs and it’s certainly not easy to beat the Patriots in Foxboro.

	

	
	




	
	

				

			Opinion
		

			
Pray for Paris, Remember All Victims of Terror

		

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Last Friday night, horror struck in France’s capital city on a scale that shocked the world. Terrorists bearing AK-47s and wearing bombs on their chests attacked at least six sites around the city. When all was said and done, 128 people lay dead, including a young man visiting from his home of Martha’s Vineyard, and countless others were left injured and traumatized. The attacks were the work of ISIS, a terrorist group based in Syria. Eight fully armed ISIS militants were positioned at strategic locations in Paris that night, and seven of them were killed in the ensuing  violence. ISIS assumed full responsibility for the attacks in an attempt to create fear in the western nations.


Rather than fear, however, ISIS is being met with a desire for justice and revenge. The French President Francois Hollande described the bombings as an “act of war,” and are in fact the most violence Paris has seen since World War II. The American government offered their aid and condolences to the French, and Obama said, “This is an attack not just on Paris, not just on the people on France, but an attack on all humanity and the universal values we share.” Despite the tragic events that took place just a few days ago, the world has united in support for Parisians. Landmarks such as the Empire State building in New York City, Tower Bridge in London, and the angel de la Independencia in Mexico were lit up with red, white and blue lights in the pattern of the French flag on Friday night. The hashtag #pray4paris was created and circulated around the word on every social media imaginable in a matter of a few hours. In addition, many Muslims have taken to using the tag #notinmyname to emphasize that only a small percentage of followers of their religion are willing to kill for their beliefs. Rather than the terror they hoped to unleash, ISIS has been met with strength and resiliency from human goodness.


In the wake of events such as this terrorist attack, it is important to remember that bombings and shootings such as this one occur almost daily throughout the Middle East. Families lose their homes in a second, and mothers rarely live to see their children grow old. Thousands of refugees are fleeing the war-torn region looking for safety, some never finding it in their dangerous journeys across mountains and seas. It is easy to lose sight of the big picture: that the terror we are experiencing now has been increasing for years in the Middle East.