Tag Archives: 2015-2016

Sports

Predictions for 2016 Red Sox Season

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The baseball season is still months away, but Red Sox fans like me are ready for the 2016 season. The winter meetings,  a four-day business meeting of all MLB teams, take place in December and get true fans eager for opening day. Talks range from owners considering expansion teams, general managers talking trades and presidents of baseball operations discussing rule changes. Mostly, the Sox are at the meetings to keep improving their roster, although president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the Price signing was the last “big move.”

Now, I’m very curious to see what his definition of a “big move” is. So let’s break down the Sox roster. First base is a very interesting position because there is a a lot of uncertainty. Hanley Ramirez was brutal in left field last season so his time in the outfield is over. Hanley’s value is fairly high based on his ability to hit the baseball. The Red Sox tried to trade Hanley during this past offseason. The question going into to the year will be if they Sox don’t trade him, can he play well enough to stick around for the 2017 season? If so, then he would be able to serve as designated hitter when longtime Red Sox DH David Ortiz retires after this season. The position is Hanley’s if he’s not traded before then. Travis Shaw is the backup but could very well start for this team. He’s a great fielder and has a fairly good bat. As last season showed Shaw is a streaky hitter. He goes on stretches where he has one of the best bats in the American League but also times where he largely struggles at the plate.

At second base is caption Dustin Pedroia. We all know Pedroia for having dirt all over his jersey and working extremely hard. His production has been down in the past few years because of injuries, including a wrist injury that has affected his batting in a negative way. Dustin is still a fan favorite and one of the hardest working players in all of baseball. His injuries and age could become an issue but his work ethic will not. Backup is infielder and outfielder Brock Holt. Brock last season played every single position except for pitcher and catcher. He batted better than most fans expected as he filled in for just about anyone who can’t play on a given day. I basically would list him for every position but we will just say he plays just about everything.

At shortstop, the Red Sox have unbelievably talented Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts struggled in the 2014 season at third base and the plate. In 2015 it was the exact opposite as he moved to shortstop and was easily the best fielder the Sox had all year. He was also the team’s best hitter, with key contact but clutch hits as well. Backup would be Brock Holt.

Playing third base last season was Pablo Sandoval in his first year with the Sox. Once a very good player for the San Francisco Giants, expectations were high for both Hanley and Sandoval and both disappointed. Pablo moves well at the hot corner for a player of such a large size. But last season, he did not even come close to playing well enough to ensure his future with the Red Sox. Pablo and Hanley’s future in Boston are both uncertain but both can be major contributors to the Sox’s success if they’re able to turn around after their unproductive 2015 season.

The outfield is the strong point and the center of the youth movement of the Boston Red Sox. Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo all make up the Sox outfield. My projection to where these three will play is that Castillo will be in left field, Mookie in center and Jackie in right. Last season all three played all three positions in the outfield.

The starting pitching has improved greatly with the addition of just one player. The addition cost $217 million but should be worth every penny. David Price is the ace of the Red Sox pitching staff. Number two in the rotation should be veteran  Clay Buchholz. After Clay should be Rick Porcello, who in his first year with the Red Sox last year underperformed greatly. Not to the degree of Pablo and Hanley but expectations are high in Boston and if you don’t perform, many question marks start to surround you. Four and five in the rotation should be Edoardo Rodriguez and Joe Kelly. Knuckleballer Henry Owens could rotate in for injuries or the team could go with a six man rotation, although that’s unlikely with Price now on the team. The Red Sox added great closing pitcher Craig Kimbre in the offseason and that’s a huge addition. The rest of the bullpen is very strong with names like Robbie Ross Jr. Tommy Layne, Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara who look to have a great season as one of the deeper bullpens in baseball. Come April, Fenway will be as riveting as ever, and come October, the Sox could be World Champs.

Entertainment

Bands and Choral Groups Delight in Winter Concert

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A lot has happened in the lives of the students and teachers in Hanover High’s music program this past week. With Mr. Schnelle out because of a sudden illness, and the winter concert scheduled for Dec. 17, the bands and choral groups worked incredibly hard to make sure the show went on. Band teacher Mr. Haraden stepped in to conduct Chorale, Concert Chorus, Vox and Corporation and students pulled together to perform in Mr. Schnelle’s honor.

To kick off the evening, the freshmen of Chorale sang two fantastic Christmas carols and an arrangement written by Mr. Schnelle of “White Christmas” with Concert Chorus, reminding the audience that our Christmas may not be white this year, but will always be in spirit. Concert Chorus (the group I am a part of) then sang our two songs, including “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch!” which had everyone in the audience laughing like children. The Corporation, our all-male A Cappella ensemble, took the stage afterward, singing a hysterical mash-up of “Winter Wonderland” and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” poking fun at the lyrics and melodies (“Who the heck is Parson Brown?”) Vox, our all-female select choir, went next, performing a hauntingly beautiful a Cappella tune and a more laid-back choral version of “Santa Baby.”

The instrumental Jazz Ensemble started the band portion of the concert, and had me in shock at how well they put together a medley of many familiar Christmas songs. After a brief intermission, the whole Symphonic Band took the stage, with more instruments than anyone can imagine are a part of a high school band. Their set was about 25 minutes, and included “Sleigh Ride” and a Russian winter song. Listening to them had me in awe with the amount of talent that was on stage.

For the grand finale, the bands and choruses sang one last medley of traditional holiday classics titled “A Christmas Festival,” which was very well put together despite the short amount of time everyone had to rehearse together. The audience, including families of students and HHS music alumni, was very pleased with the concert and the amount of talent the school showed. As an individual performer, I was also glad I had an opportunity to be a part of such a successful music program for my last high school winter concert. I strongly advise anyone interested in watching the school’s talented musicians to come to the next show!

Opinion

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like… Spring?!

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The month of December is here, but would we know what time of year it is without the morning radio updates telling us how many days there are until the holidays? Maybe not. Lately, the weather has been more fitting for a chilly spring morning or a mild fall day. For anyone with winter dread, which seems to be a lot of New England folks still recovering from last year’s streak of blizzards , this oddly warm weather is a blessing. At least one month less of shoveling and home-bound weekends!

Yet, being young and not yet fed up with Massachusetts winters, I cannot help but wish for snow. It seems this time of year’s magic always comes more to life with a beautiful snowfall just in time for the holidays. Unfortunately for snow-lovers like me, the remainder of the month is forecast to be pretty rainy and around 50 degrees on average, according to weather.com.

My fruitless wishing for snow gets me thinking about the reason why the past few Decembers have been so green. Should I wish for snow for a less selfish reason, like the survival of the polar bears who are suffering from the detrimental effects of global warming?
I decided to do some research, and this is what I found out: according to the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA) team, the northeastern United States has gradually warmed up every decade at a rate of roughly .5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1970. Snowfall coverage has decreased, while spring has come more quickly and summer has presented increasing numbers of very hot days (www.neaq.org). As such, according to ample amounts of evidence, it is fair to say that global warming is playing an active role in our green New England Decembers.

These shocking results certainly call for action toward minimizing our footprint. Angela Fritz from The Washington Post makes it clear that the most direct cause for this warm December is tied to El Niño, the irregularly occurring climatic changes that impact the equatorial Pacific area. As a result, pressure is expected to build over North America, meaning that the continent’s regional temperatures will be above average for December. However, as Fritz points out to those wishing for a warm winter and shorts, El Niño does not necessarily mean that the entire winter will be warm.

Luckily, these warm-wishers have some good news for December at least. And for snow-lovers like me, well, we’ll just have to wait until January comes around. In the meantime, we can work on doing all we can to save our planet from the terrible effects of global warming, where lack of a pretty winter day is the least harmful consequence.

 

Entertainment

A Recipe for Holiday Fun: Gingerbread Cookies

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Is Christmas even Christmas without some good old fashioned gingerbread men? I love Christmas baking, and have many fond memories of rolling out sugar cookie dough on the counter with my mom, helping my grandmother make pies on Christmas Eve, and even making my own gingersnaps one year (it’s not like they burned or anything . . .). Whether you are left with festive memories or charred cookies, Christmas baking is a must this time of year. So throw on some carols and try this gingerbread cookie recipe the next time you have a free afternoon! I use it almost every year, and it is perfect for making regular old cookies, gingerbread men cut-outs, and even constructing gingerbread houses to decorate. Best of all, it’s pretty foolproof so even if you aren’t the most skilled baker you will still end up with a batch of delicious cookies . . . even if they don’t end up exactly the shape you intended!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg and water. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Reroll scraps.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired. Yield: about 2 dozen

Icing

  • 4 egg whites
  • 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions

  1. Beat egg whites in clean, large bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy (use only grade A clean, uncracked eggs). Gradually add sugar and lemon extract. Beat at high speed until thickened. NOTE: When dry, Royal Icing is very hard and resistant to damage that can occur during shipping/handling.

 

News

Elementary School Switch-Up: Explained

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By Kristen Plahn and Chris Acampora

Fun Fact: Sylvester School opened as a high school in 1927. It next became a junior high school, then a middle school for grades 5 and 6. The building then housed fourth graders and half of the fifth grade, before finally becoming what we have now: a school for third and fourth graders. With Center School teaching k-2 and Cedar School set up as k-4, Sylvester completed Hanover’s elementary school system.

With the aging Sylvester School becoming unfit for students, school officials had a tough decision in front of them: how to reorganize the elementary schools to best meet the needs of students. In late October, Hanover Superintendent of Schools Matt Ferron announced the new plan. In an email to parents, Mr. Ferron explained that for the next few years Center School will house grades 2-4 for the entire town while also undergoing renovations. Pre-K through first grade will be moved to Cedar.

The biggest question raised by this email is the future of the Sylvester School. “We will be working as a community in the future to determine a repurposing plan for this historic building,” said Ferron.

The switch between schools might seem complicated now, but it will benefit all parts of Hanover in the years to come.

 

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.

images.washingtonpost.com

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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