The Plight of the 3-sport Athlete

By: Maddox Kinney                                           

       Tommy Meserve, one of Hermons few 3 sport athletes, is now starting to make his mark on Hermon sports. Mostly known for playing Baseball, where he starts for the team at third base, he also plays a huge role on the Varsity Basketball team as well as the Varsity Soccer team, both of which he played significant minutes. It’s safe to say, Tommy is both involved heavily in Hermon athletics, and stays very busy.       

Being a three sport athlete has its ups and downs; Tommy sees it as both. He thinks that its good to be a three sport athlete because of what it brings to him: “The benefits of being a multi-sport athlete is being able to meet new people every year and build new relationships.” It also keeps Tommy active in the school community:  “it is very good to be a multi sport athlete because it keeps you busy and not just playing one sport at a time”

Being a multi sport athlete for Tommy isn’t always this fun time or great experience because it takes time out of his personal life and it affects his life in someways negatively: “The disadvantages of being a multi-sport athlete is having very to no free time and your weekends are almost never free.”

The one thing that he is most proud of is that he represents the town of Hermon: “It feels good to be a multi-sport athlete and being able to represent my high school with multiple sports is a very good feeling. I also feel like I can leave a good impression on younger kids and on everyone that watches.” As you can see being a multi sport athlete has its ups and downs, but the best thing about it is the memories you make and how you can represent the people around you.

Sometimes, Less is More

by: Danny Fowler

Throughout high school, all students have many different decisions that they make that change the course of their high school career. One of these decisions is whether or not to play sports and if so what sports to play. Some students choose to play multiple sports as a way to be involved within their community while others choose to put all of their focus into one sport that shapes their life. Many hours a week are spent focusing on one sport to become the best possible version of themselves because they love it. Choosing just one sport requires a lot of passion and dedication but you’ll find many people who make this decision find themselves ecstatic with the results.

Recently I was able to talk to Mike Fowler and Leo Fereghetti about being a one-sport athlete and their positive experiences doing so. “Since I was little I had a passion for soccer. I decided to do one sport because I feel like it would be easier to master a sport if you play it all year round and always put that one sport first” said Fereghetti when asked about his decision behind choosing to play one sport. Fereghetti is passionate about soccer and has been his whole life. By playing only soccer throughout his life it has also brought new exciting opportunities that not many others who play multiple sports can receive. “I feel like I got more opportunities due to my dedication. I was also rewarded with things like scholarships for colleges.” said Fereghetti.  Without his dedication, Fereghetti felt as if he “would not have gotten as many opportunities” which aligns with Fowler’s philosophy on the opportunities he received by playing only one sport. “ I have had way more opportunities in the sport than before as I have started playing baseball year-round ” said Fowler. He felt as if playing one sport “ led to his abilities in baseball improving way faster.” which was a huge deciding factor when choosing to play one sport.

Choosing one sport in high school allows athletes to create lasting relationships between teammates and coaches. “ Playing one sport has made it so that I could have way closer bonds with my teammates as I spend way more time with them” said Fowler when asked about how playing one sport has impacted his relationships with teammates. Spending more time with the same teammates all the while having the same goals as each other creates closer relationships that are incomparable to ones made outside of sports. 

Many people may say go play multiple sports and if that suits you then do it. But if you look at the benefits of choosing one sport versus multiple it isn’t comparable. Creating lasting meaningful relationships, getting more opportunities, and improving your game at rates way faster than a multiple sport athlete it is a no-brainer. Realizing that sometimes less is more is the key to enjoying your sports career.

Onward Hermon!

By: Addy Waning and Quinn Bird

As spring slowly pushes its way through winter, Hermon High School prepares to have the class of 2024 graduate. With their graduation only a few months away, their high school career is coming to a satisfying end. With the start of their high school lives being thwarted by the pandemic, and having to figure out how to navigate hybrid schooling, they’ve all persevered.   The class of 2024 deserves to have their achievements featured, whether it’s academic, athletic, or anything in between. We interviewed a handful of seniors to not only discuss their accomplishments but also their high school experiences. 

Bella Bowden, a three sports athlete, has managed her sports of soccer, basketball, and tennis along with school. Juggling school work with little downtime would seem stressful for some people, but Bella speaks about how keeping herself occupied with sports and the lessons they have taught her: “Being a 3 sport athlete is something I’d never change for anything. The life skills I have gained and the relationships that I have made make me who I am today. However, it definitely hasn’t been easy playing sports year-round. I never get any time off, there has never been any room for me to consistently work, or even a lot of time of my own to spend with friends and family. Nevertheless, I have gained good time management skills that have helped me figure out how to get all the work I need done and still have some time to do other things I enjoy. I love being busy, when I have too much free time I get very bored and I feel unproductive. I know that if I wasn’t doing sports I would drive myself crazy trying to keep myself productive. I often do get overwhelmed with trying to complete my assignments on top of practice, but I have learned how to get my work done quickly and whenever I can that way after practices I have more time to do the other things I enjoy.”

Brooklyn Ball, a student at Hermon High School, is also a student at United Technology Center, or UTC. She, along with other students involved in the 2-year business leadership program will be receiving an associate’s degree in career studies from EMCC later in the spring. Even if students that attend UTC don’t pick the programs that lead to an associate’s degree, valuable life lessons and career opportunities have helped them tremendously:  “My experience with UTC has been a good one, to say the least. I am in the two-year Business Leadership Program. I have had two teachers in my two years there, and they were both amazing at what they do. I liked having two different teachers because it showed me two different teaching styles for a very similar curriculum.” 

Eva Benjamin has been extremely involved within Hermon High School and extracurricular activities, whether she is attending Key Club meetings or volunteering around the community, she has proved that getting involved helps significantly with your high school experience: “Being involved in extracurricular activities has enhanced my public speaking skills and confidence. Additionally, I have an open mind and I am eager to try new things. My experiences have shaped me into a leader and will lead me toward success in my future endeavors.”

Alec Smith has chosen to pursue a career in the United States Air Force Academy, but before committing to this decision, he rose within the ranks of Hermon High School’s JROTC program. “JROTC gave me plenty of leadership opportunities, as well as giving me a taste of how an organization can act as a family. I learned plenty of teamwork and speaking skills which will give me a leg up on other cadets at the Airforce Academy. Overall JROTC provided me a good 1st look at what my life will be like as an officer in the military.”

Finally, Isabella Byram has recently committed to Thomas College for Women’s Soccer, which shows her hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport. This effort that she put in hasn’t gone unnoticed: “There was various work put in to make my final decision of Thomas, I first saw the campus and community when I went for a small tour my Junior year and met the coach. I was super interested in the campus and what they had to offer. This past summer I put in a lot of work behind the scenes which consisted of creating a collegiate sports profile and adding the schools I was interested in, lots of tours and visits, attending various college showcases in and out of state with multiple coaches in attendance, and signing up for Thomas’ soccer ID camp where they ended up recruiting me, I then went on an overnight in November and knew it was where I wanted to go.”

These students also talked about what made high school special for them. Whether they are a 3 sport athlete, involved with school activities, graduating college before high school, a part of JROTC, or college committed, these students have enjoyed high school to the fullest.  

Here are the summaries of these students’ high school experiences: 

Bella Bowden: “Despite its ups and downs High School has been a truly enlightening journey that has provided me with such valuable lessons and unforgettable memories. I learned so much about myself, what my passions are, and gained so many lifelong relationships with teachers, coaches, and friends. High School has truly shaped who I am and what I will become.”

Brooklyn Ball: “I would describe my high school experience as chaotic. My freshman year, I only came to school two days a week and the student body was split into two groups. Sophomore year, Covid still had a slight hold on things, but not as much. In my Junior year, I started UTC and was able to start taking college classes online and with dual enrollment. Senior year, everything has gone into motion and I just can’t wait for graduation.” 

Eva Benjamin: “ Long, but life-changing. I was an anxious freshman, but now I am a confident senior. My personal growth has been monumental, and I could never have imagined the person I would become.”  

Alec Smith: “My high school experience showed me that high school only gives you as much as you give it. I felt my high school experience was very challenging but fun.  10/10 would do it again.”

Isabella Byram: “As a senior, high school has been a time of growth, I learned so many life lessons through the academic challenges I was presented with as well as my extracurricular interests. High school is where I made some of the greatest bonds and memories with my friends, teachers, and coaches. High school has led me to discover who I am and has shaped me for the opportunities that lie ahead.”

To the graduating seniors, congratulations on reaching this milestone! Reflect on the journey, cherish the friendships, and trust in your abilities. Best of luck on your next adventure, wherever it takes you!

For Thebes

By: Addy Waning and Quinn Bird

Addy Waning: “How do you think the cast did capturing the emotion of the audience?”

Sophie Peterson: “This cast does an excellent job capturing emotion not only from our audience but the actors themselves. During Antigone’s death scene and Haemon’s reaction, the cast is always fighting tears.”

Addy Waning: “What does the cast do to practice capturing the emotions of the audience?”

Sophie Peterson: “So, so, so many rehearsal hours went into this show. With Ms. Robinson’s help, the cast was able to obtain the proper tools to have a gut-wrenching performance. Not only is this true during rehearsal, but with our theatre classes as well.”

Addy Waning: “As the Director of Movement, what were your first plans for choreography?”

Sophie Peterson:  “As the movement captain, I was tasked to run the battle and any choreography the cast was confused about. I also was able to start rehearsal early when Ms. Robinson was still making her way from the middle school. This was a great experience and the cast was so polite to any corrections I gave, as we all have the same goal in the end.”

Addy Waning: “Do you think you were able to accurately portray the theme and morals of ‘Antigone?’ Why or why not?”

Sophie Peterson: “Kristany Raymond does an outstanding job portraying the character Antigone. She embodies the message of “Do what you believe in.” I think the theme being so mature it brought more maturity out of the cast and it really brings the message to light.”

Addy Waning: “Lastly, after the performance last night, how do you think tonight’s performance will go?”
Sophie Peterson: “Last night was the best performance we’ve had. The chorus had a tendency to be very robotic when we first started the show. Ms. Robinson always said “ No children of the corn!” This was especially prevalent in the court scene, with much work and characterization, that scene has come leaps and bounds from the beginning. As the cast always says, “ Bring out your inner Gerald.”’

The Rise of The Band

By Danny Fowler and Maddox Kinney

As of last year, the Hermon High School band took on a new look as Mr. Flegel Retired, and a new band director by the name of James Zabierek (otherwise known as Mr. Z to most of his students) was hired. With the covid pandemic slowing down the band as many things were restricted or shut down the pep band had not been around for several years. But upon Mr. Zabeirek taking on the position of band director he hoped to get the pep band back up and running. With his planning and the help of his students, this was no difficult task for him as he was able to get the pep band up and running in his first year as band director. This year Mr. Zabierek has continued to push the pep band further with the help of his students, in particular lead drummer Richie Romesburg and lead guitarist Cody Oliveria.

Richie Romesburg a junior at Hermon Highschool has embraced his role as lead drummer as “ It feels like the first step to becoming a professional drummer. Helping set the mood for some amazing basketball games and just cheering on my friends on the court.” Romesburg has been a drummer for many years but has been very excited to have the opportunity to share his skills with his classmates and members of the community. Romesburg feels as if he has “support from the student section in showing off my hobby. Going from just playing for myself at home to actually being cheered on is an amazing feeling.” Romesburg has thoroughly enjoyed his time in the pep band and is looking forward to future events and next year. When asked what he thinks would benefit the band he said “Getting more people time to shine like me and Cody have gotten and getting a better drumset, cause mine has been begging to be put down for way too long now.” With little changes to the band, Romesburg sees the band destined for greatness in the future.

Cody Oliveria a freshman has also embraced an important role in the band as the lead guitarist. Oliveria is a strong supporter of the pep band and has enjoyed the change of pace from his middle school band as he says “It’s a lot more free, and there’s a lot more to do. People actually know what they are doing too. It’s a lot more lively.” These were just a few of the many things Oliveria has embraced being new to the high school band. As Oliveria is only a freshman he hopes to help Mr. Zabierek continue to grow the band. One thing Oliveria thinks the band could use is “some new instruments being added to the band” but he understands that it “requires more people and we can’t just force people to join.” This is just one of the unfortunate things that can only be solved with time and effort by fellow students. 

The pep band is a fun and exciting experience for all people involved whether you are listening to music or playing the music. Part of the enthusiasm towards the band for its members is the love of music as Olivieria enjoys “music in all aspects, so being able to play music with other people is just an experience that is indescribable to me.” For example, Oliveria really enjoys “being able to play old 80s and 90s songs with Richie as well. I haven’t had that opportunity until this school year to play with a skilled drummer like him.“ Just as Romesburg also enjoys playing with Olivieria by “taking more control and adding mini rock concerts into the timeouts of crazy basketball games.”

Overall the band has seen tremendous growth within the past two years. With Oliviera’s impressive guitar skill combined with Romesburg’s mastery of the drumset directed by the musical mastermind Mr. Zabeirek, the band will continue to flourish in the upcoming years. The pep band will grow in numbers and the rise of the band will continue.

Guitar Hero: The Up and Coming Guitarist at HHS

by: Bruce Coulter

Cody Oliveira, a freshman at Hermon High School, started his guitar playing early on in his life; he got his first guitar at the age of 12. The first time Hermon High got introduced to Cody playing was when he was in 8th grade at the boys varsity basketball game, where he performed the National Anthem. Then, just a year later at the boys soccer games he hit us with an even better performance. Not only does he shred the strings, but he is also a well rounded student, athlete, and a great person to be around.  

Being a freshman is hard for many; there are many struggles like getting bullied by classmates or just having to adjust to the way high school is: “Being a freshman in high school is nice for me because I don’t necessarily feel like the underdog since 7 out of my 8 classes have upperclassmen in them.” Being able to stand in front of not only his classmates but also the parents and other spectators is scary for most people, but not Cody. He strives for it. 

With tons of practice and determination, he has gotten a lot better over the last two years: “I would say it was a lot easier to do the National Anthem now than it was in 8th grade. Not only was I a lot more calm and less nervous, but I have progressed a lot in my skills.” Cody has put in a lot of time and hard work striving to get better.

 “Back when I did the anthem during the basketball season, I struggled keeping up playing the riff to ‘Blackened’ by Metallica, and now I can play the solo to ‘Fade to Black’ without much struggle. This time the only setbacks were my guitar setup and the cold rain.”  Cody now works towards not only getting better, but also working to have many more performances in the future along with building his confidence. Despite what others may say, Cody has always been one to continue striving and work towards his goals. 

The Good and The Bad: Hermon’s New Beat Reporter

By: Lily Deschaine

Journalists have the incredible opportunity to connect with those that want their story told. Marie Weidmayer, does just that. She has the ability to tell the stories that most people are not willing to tell.

Marie Weidmayer is a journalist from Michigan who recently moved to Maine to write for The Bangor Daily. She generally focuses on Justice and Law, but recently took on the position of Hermon’s beat page writer. Marie, says, “There’s something really fun about meeting with people and talking with them and just learning new things every day”.

During her senior year of high school, she joined a neighboring schools’ newspaper at a teacher’s recommendation. She continued with this in college, where she went to Michigan State. Marie says that the clarifying moment where she truly knew what she wanted to do was in her junior year of college. Here, she was one of the reporters to break the news when Michigan State was the first paper to announce the resignation of their president, Lou Anna K. Simon, in 2018. Marie stated that this was an incredibly exciting situation for everyone involved: “When you get that adrenaline, and you get that camaraderie, that really solidified that that was what I wanted to do” 

Writing about justice in law is not a light subject to write about. Yet, Marie does it well and enjoys doing it. While this subject can be incredibly grim, Marie found a unique way to connect these interests into her career. Something many people are unable to do: “I realized how much I enjoyed reading through the court filings figuring out how the court system works and doing all of that, but I didn’t like it enough to become a lawyer, so this was like a fun way to do some of that law stuff without going through the extra 4 years of college”. 

In all, Marie Weidmayer is a great journalist at the Bangor Daily. She has already begun her journey as our Hermon Beat Page writer with a piece about Hermon’s new library permission slip cards that were given out at the beginning of the school year. She hopes to continue writing stories like this soon.

Unprecedented

The Class of 2023’s High School Experience

By Josh Sullivan

After 4 long and strange years, my classmates and I are finally graduating. The year is coming to a close and the end is in sight. The time between April break and graduation is an easy coast for most of us and a great time for reminiscing. The year was 2019. A new class was walking through the hallowed halls of Hermon High School for the first time. Little did they know that these will be some of the strangest years of their lives. 

Our Freshman year was the most normal and the most unusual year all rolled into one. The beginning of the year was a perfect high school experience. Kids from Hermon, Caravel, and other surrounding towns were coming together. We were meeting and getting to know the people we thought we would spend the next four years with. Our class took spirit week and winter carnival (despite the seniors running out of the gym thinking they won). Overall this was looking like a typical year and a fun one at that. And then we had a day at school that would foreshadow the coming years. Catastrophe struck the ceramics room. A pipe burst and the ceiling collapsed, leaving the room flooded and destroyed, and they let us out of school early. A week later Covid-19 flooded into the public sphere, the economy collapsed, and we got out of school early. The rest of that year was at home and optional. Who would have thought that you could have senioritis as a freshman?

Our Sophomore year was probably the peak of strangeness. Our class was divided into two. Friends that we had made the year before were separated. Kids with the last names A-K went Tuesday and Thursday and names L-Z went Wednesday and Friday. Everyone was wearing masks and teachers were wearing masks or face shields. You had to clean your desk when you got up and we ate lunch in classrooms. If you had P.E. that year we had to make our own workouts and didn’t do anything fun. However, this year was not a complete bummer. Sports were pretty much normal except for football, and we got free skiing at Hermon Mountain. Senior Logan Brower said, “It was a fever dream, I forgot half our classmates existed”.

Junior year was a return to normalcy, or at least an attempt. Everyone was back together again. People we had forgotten about were suddenly in our lives again. Will still had to wear masks but class was normal. Football was back, the basketball tournament was back and spirit week and Winter Carnival were back in full swing (the class of 2023 winning them both). Then, one glorious spring day, around two years after the pandemic started, we were told we didn’t have to wear masks anymore. This day for most of us marked the end of the pandemic; a conclusion to some of the strangest times of our lives.

Senior year has been a blast. This was our class’s first completely normal year. Spirit Week was another dub for the seniors and the great Winter Carnival Debacle of 2023 (see recent media on the Hermon Press regarding the situation) will go down in Hermon history. There was a full football season and the pep band was back after a 2-year hiatus. This year was what High School should be like.I figured it would be nearly impossible to recap the last four years without asking some of my classmates what stuck out for them. Ethan Hallett said his best moment was winning the dodgeball game at the most recent Winter Carnival. “The fact that I got 7 people out in a row was incredible. I couldn’t believe it”. Chad Willis said his favorite memory was getting up to a little mischief in a study last year. “I was playing baseball with a ruler and paper ball in study hall”. Deklan Jewell said his favorite memory was “last year when Zach Pyle, Braden Crouse, Ailie Erdt, and Kyle Moore and I all did the sled race and got absolutely covered in mud from head to toe since there wasn’t any snow.” What I like about these answers is that it shows what we’ve learned over the past 4 years. It shows we’ve learned resilience, and to find the good in the bad. Through all the craziness in the past four years, people focused on the normal times and the fun. So as we all go on into the “real world” let’s take these lessons that we’ve learned and use them as often as we can because that’s the most valuable thing we’ve learned here.

Soaring at UMaine

By: Logan Brower

There are students in our high schools that struggle to learn in a typical classroom environment. There are a multitude of possible reasons for why this would occur. For example, students could be prone to distraction or boredom which causes them to fall behind in class. Hermon’s SOAR program, led by Rachel Sheltra, provides an opportunity for these students to to learn and thrive outside of a typical classroom setting.

SOAR is the Student Oriented Alternative Resource program. This program currently has 10 students, which Mrs. Sheltra says provides “a lot more flexibility because there’s less students.” With this smaller class size Mrs.Sheltra is able to provide 1-on-1 teaching with students. Students involved in this program are very successful due to this more flexible and laid back environment. 

One of the parts of SOAR that is helpful to the students is the ability to go on field trips. Getting them out of the building and into new places is helpful in engaging students in a fun way. Mrs. Sheltra was “trying to find trips for different opportunities” and settled on a trip to UMaine where students could learn about Maine science and culture. On this trip the students were able to visit the Hudson Museum, attached to Collins Center for the Arts, as well as a planetarium show at the Versant Power Astronomy Center & Jordan Planetarium.

Thursday April 13, was the day of this trip. The first stop on the trip was to the Hudson Museum. The group was a few minutes early for their tour, this gave a reporter from ABC7/FOX22 the opportunity to interview Mrs. Sheltra and some students about this field trip and the program. After this they were able to take a short walk outside and enjoy the beautiful spring weather.

At the Hudson Museum the group was shown the Wabanaki Gallery, several displays of items crafted by Maine’s indigenous people. A large portion of this exhibit was related to the uses of local types of wood, most notably ash and birch. The students were shown beautiful ash baskets, and were given a lesson in the history of basket making within the Wabanaki culture and how it has developed over time. The students were also able to see a wigwam (a type of shelter similar to a tent) which was made of birch bark and a canoe which was made of birch bark.

After the tour of the exhibit, the students were given the opportunity to make their own versions of these Wabanaki pieces, the options were a beaded bag or a paper basket. They had a lot of fun with this craft, getting the opportunity to be creative and get hands-on experience with the creative process of these pieces.

With the time at the Hudson museum done, it was time to walk across campus to the planetarium. With this walk across campus in the beautiful weather, the students were able to see what college life really looked like. They also got to enjoy the beautiful campus along with the amazing weather.

At the planetarium the group was shown a very informative and interesting show about the speed of light. This planetarium show described the speed of light and the implications it would have on space travel, showing how theoretical spaceships using materials not yet discovered could widely explore the universe. After this show the host showed the group what the night sky would look like that night, showing some of the constellations that could be found such as Oryan and Ursa Major. Student Lindsey Lancaster enjoyed the planetarium, as it was her favorite part of the day “I really like space and stars,” said Lancaster on the bus ride back to the school after the trip.

This field trip was an amazing experience for these students. Rather than sitting inside of a classroom, at an uncomfortable desk, these students were able to go somewhere interesting. They were able to see the things they were learning about firsthand. With the museum they were able to see real examples of the art pieces made by natives rather than looking at pictures of them. In the planetarium they were able to get a very realistic view of what the night sky looks like, with the constellations traced with lines. The experiences the students received would not be possible to replicate inside of a classroom. Most importantly, the students had fun. They were able to get out of their classroom and enjoy the beautiful weather at a beautiful college campus. It was a great day for everybody involved.

Hallett’s Heroics Create Memorable Moment For All

By: Nick Fullerton

For the longest time, Ethan Hallett was looking for his “one shining moment” at Hermon High School. 

On March 16th, he found it.

At Hermon’s annual Winter Carnival event, Ethan concluded a comeback for the ages in the school’s Dodgeball competition, ousting 7 Sophomores in a row to help the Senior team to victory. It was a true David vs. Goliath moment.

“It was probably the greatest athletic moment of my life; can’t believe I did it,” said Ethan, explaining how everyone ran up to him, pushing him all over the place screaming that the result of his huge win made him “feel like a hero.”

But we can’t forget where it all started. Seniors-Sophomores, the first challenge to start off Winter Carnival. Both classes stood out on the floor, once the match began, it was like the sophomores were going against elementary students. They just breezed by the seniors, striking them out left and right.  

Down to one senior…Ethan Hallett.

At 7-1, it seemed almost impossible, but there was just 1 thing that was different about Ethan then any of the other seniors: his strategy. 

“I try to keep two balls in my hand” Ethan stated. This was very beneficial to Ethan, throwing one ball then being able to have the other one right there in his second hand; it helped him not only attack the sophomores but blocked off throws that were sent his way. 

It was clear, however, to the bystanders that the crowd swayed the momentum, especially as Ethan continued to knock out sophomore after sophomore: “I couldn’t get enough of the sound from the seniors, hearing them scream my name helped me immensely.” 

Noise was nothing other than a pump up factor, helping Ethan get from that 7-1 all the way down to 5-1, then 3-1, and finally that 1-1 scenario. Mr. Hallett had a moment that I believe all Students dream for, being that “hero” as Ethan said in his last remarks. From the two balls in the hand strategy, to the fear he put into the Sophomores as they saw their team deteriorated right in front of their eyes. Ethan was on top of the world, able to make the greatest comeback in winter carnival history.

“I’m still shaking, I can’t believe I Did it.” 

But as what seemed to be the Miracle comeback story, the moment that would be engraved into Hermon History, a picture was leaked, stemmed in controversy. It seemed to be spreading like wildfire, being talked about in the halls, sent thru text messages even starting heated arguments. 

This picture made people question if Ethan should have Won. 

As You can clearly see, Ethans Foot is over the Line, But is he Out? Does the person he hit get an extra life? What is the result of this incident? Well Ethan had some words to tell the people that have doubt or second thoughts about his Win. 

“When You shoot a three pointer in basketball, and you jump over the line after your shot, it’s still counted as a three, nothing less. So with no hesitation this should and is still an out for that sophomore, that ball was thrown before I stepped over the line and you can clearly see that in the picture, because where is the ball that I threw, nowhere in sight.” 

Despite the controversy, Ethan Hallett made a memorable moment not only for himself but for the classes around him, feeling the pressure but able to fight his way through and become the hero for his senior class.

Trouble in the Tundra

A Look at the Willow Project 

By Ryan Hallett, Anthony Crisafulli, and Josh Sullivan

The Willow project. You may have heard of it on social media, the news, or even from your mother over dinner. The Willow Project is a proposal to develop a new oil and gas field in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The proposed development area covers approximately 160,000 acres and is located in the northeastern part of the NPR-A. This project is now the biggest Oil project under consideration in the country. The company behind this project is named ConocoPhillips, and they estimate its cost at $8 billion to $10 billion.

The Bureau of Land Management estimates (Photo Cred: Seattle Times) that Willow could produce 576 million barrels of oil over 30 years and the proposed development is expected to create jobs, increase domestic energy production, and generate revenue for the federal government. However, it has also raised concerns about its impact on the environment among many groups. These groups include environmental protection groups and local communities, which are concerned about the potential impacts on wildlife, subsistence resources, and the climate. It has faced opposition from environmental groups and indigenous communities who argue that it would harm wildlife and the environment.

Now, this is something you have to see from both sides. The first side is from the view of the US Government. There are 5 main points of why the project is important and necessary for the US. The first is increased domestic energy production. The project would increase domestic oil and gas production, which could enhance energy security and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign sources of energy. The next is Job creation and economic development. The project could create an average of 1,000 jobs during construction and an average of 450 jobs during the running time. The third main reason is increased government revenue. It’s estimated that the project would generate approximately $16.4 billion in revenue over the life of the project. The fourth point is considering Infrastructure development. The project would require the construction of infrastructure, including pipelines, roads, and other facilities. The last point is independence. Making and extracting our own oil decreases our dependency on the oil exports of other countries. 

Considering all that, there are many environmentalists and indigenous people in Alaska that challenge this project, and there is an extremely popular Change.org petition that has over 4.8 million signatures. (Picture cred: PBS NewsHour) One of the main concerns of opposers is the impact on the climate. By the Biden Administration’s own estimate, the amount of oil extracted could equate to 9.2 million metric tons in greenhouse gas emissions. Some environmentalist groups such as EarthJustice are taking to the courts to strike down the project. They claim that the reports done by the Bureau of Land Management weren’t done to the fullest extent. They claim that they didn’t look for an alternative (which was part of their job) and that the report done by the Fish and Wildlife Service didn’t account for the effect the drilling would have on polar bears.

The Willow project has many advocates and many critics. This project has caused a major uproar among many environmental groups and indigenous peoples in Alaska while gaining the support of the Alaskan congressmen and many local leaders. With the Willow Project being sued by Earthjustice, it’s hard to tell when the project will go underway, but one thing is for certain, someone won’t be happy.

Commotion In The Hawks Nest

An Investigative Piece on Hermon High Athletics 

By: Makena Nevells, Jacob Glidden, and Logan Brower

On January 14th, the Hermon High School Girls Basketball team played the Orono Red Riots. When fans looked up at the Hawks Nest, they saw a lonely two Hawks sitting up in the top row. This was the time where the community, fans, and staff members realized that it was time for a change. Whatever happened to the screaming and rocking of the bleachers when Hermon would make a good play? 

Until January 24th. 

Ten days later, after an email was sent out to all students, as well as a post on social media for the Hermon community, the fans finally showed up.

A packed student section, a loud band, and a community in awe of the sound that was in the Hawks’ Nest that night. 

This needs to be the norm, for ALL sports. Athletes should feel supported no matter what is on the scoreboard. So how can we make this a reality?

Hermon School Board Chair, Jesse Keith suggested that students be let into sports games for free in hopes that it would get them excited and ready to support. With approval from other committee members and continuous support from the community and students, the work for this to become a reality is getting more and more serious.

The idea, Keith says, came from when he went to the University of Maine, and students would be allowed into all games for free as long as they had their student ID’s. 

“We should want our students to participate in Hermon events, whether that be actively playing, acting, etc or by cheering on their fellow classmates.” Keith explains when thinking of the endless extracurricular activities that should be supported. 

“…For those students already actively attending events, this is THEIR school. Many students are working and saving for college, a car, gas, etc and should not have to use those savings to attend THEIR school events.” 

To have students receive Student IDs at the beginning of the school year, the process itself for the students will be relatively easy. Taking school pictures at the beginning of the year will help the students be able to go to the fall sports season games that start their regular seasons right after school begins. (Photo Credit: Brian Walsh)

“It needs to be the norm for people to show up and support, regardless of the sport.” Principal Brian Walsh says when asked how he felt about the possible change. 

Walsh also hopes that the new facility will spark student interest and get more participation in some of the fall sports that deserve to get appreciated, in order to set the standard right away. And with costs out of the way, this should be a smooth transition. 

Senior student-athlete Allie Cameron who got a hint of the excitement her Freshman year (2020) explains that the fans’ support makes an impact on the outcome of the game, “Honestly I am not sure what the outcome of the game would have been if not for the fans and student section being there”, Cameron says, even going as far as saying it was like the Cross Insurance Center atmosphere from her Freshman year when the girls made it to the State Championship. “ I think everyone should always show up and support their teams. It truly makes a difference while playing”. 

Cameron has experience in Basketball as well as Soccer, and explains how a student section for the other team is always fun as well, as it keeps the game intense and makes a playoff atmosphere.

In order to really discover how impactful free admission would be to the student section, we decided to take a poll of the student body at Hermon High School. Of the 110 responses we received, 50.9% claimed that they do not regularly attend games at Hermon. However, 77.3% of the same respondents claimed that if attendance was free they would go to games. This clearly shows that allowing students to attend the games for free would increase the attendance rate for all of our sporting events at Hermon.

(Photo Credit: Anthony Delmonico)

All in all, the goal for Hermon Athletics is to get the student section back to how it used to be. As Rick Sinclair, Athletic Director at Hermon High School said, “Now there is no excuse to NOT come and support”. 

Silver is the New Gold

By: Lyndsee Reed

The Hermon Hawks Cheering team are no strangers to successful seasons and this one has been no different.  While they might’ve had a rough start to their competitive run, they managed to pull it together when they needed to most.  They definitely proved this past Saturday why the Hermon name has been one to respect for so many years.    

Although at the beginning of  the season it didn’t always seem that way.  Their first three performances were not their best work.  The Hawks placed third in their first showcase in Orono, with minor stunting issues and a few penalties.  The Big East competition that followed is one they presumably would like to forget.  Taking place in Ellsworth, everything that could possibly go wrong seemed to.  Barely any stunts hit, the pyramid was unsuccessful, there were more tumbling penalties, and definite timing issues.  Yet the girls managed to bounce back the next week in their own home gym, placing third again with only a miss in the pyramid. 

(Photo Credit: Midcoast Photo)

Yet all these performances have only been small battles in the overall huge war for them.  The Hawks really shined in the Regional and State competitions.  With their stunts hitting and their pyramid finally succeeding, the energy that was produced from their success was contagious.  Junior Saige Lang believes that the difference between the beginning of the season and the end of it was the growth of the team’s “mental strength and determination. I would honestly say what changed our team was the serious talks we had, and the consistency in practice.”  Having everyone on the team contribute and do their jobs, along with the added “positivity throughout”, really brought them to work harder as a unit.

And all that hard work paid off as the Hawks were crowned Regional along with State Runners-up to Ellsworth at both of the final competitions.  Although it might not have been the gold they were fighting for, the Hawks couldn’t have been more proud of the effort they put out on the floor.  Lang mentioned that this year has been one they’ve had to really earn: “Unlike previous years, we had to really work for placement at competitions.  And even when we may have not had a perfect routine, we were still proud of ourselves for giving it all we had.”  
(Photo Credit: Midcoast Photo)

The Hawks came to realize this season that it isn’t always about winning.  While that is ultimately the goal, the lessons you learn along the way and the bonds you create with teammates, aren’t something you need a gold medal to value.  Lang voiced her appreciation of those very moments throughout these last few months:  “Overall this was the best season I have ever had. I grew relationships and friendships with people that I am sure I will have for a very long time, which makes it all the better.”

The Hawks came out with something to prove this year and that’s exactly what they did.  They grabbed the silver this season, but also managed to showcase the effort and work that goes into the sport of cheering.  It’s far from easy, but the Hawks truly put in the extra effort in order to accomplish their goals.  Showing how Hermon cheering over the years has created a tradition unlike any other.

The Pep Band is Back!

By: Logan Brower

The Hermon Pep Band, a group that has been inactive for several years since the pandemic began, has made a return. Led by Hermon’s new band director James Zabierek, the pep band has been entertaining the crowd and electrifying the student section at basketball games in the past few weeks. 

Mr. Zabierek “went to (and also taught at) a rural Aroostook county school where basketball games were the biggest event in town all winter, and the pep band was always a big part of the experience of attending games as a player, fan, or musician.” This experience he had with pep bands in the past became one of the driving forces for why he wanted to bring it back. Among other reasons for wanting to bring back the pep band, it “also gives us a different type of crowd to play for. It’s a less formal environment and different demographic than the typical spring and winter concert.” This is great for the Hermon band because they are able to share music with people who may never hear them play otherwise.

Students are also very excited about the return of the pep band. Junior saxophone player Cooper Wade loves playing pep bands for the games: “It’s a very upbeat energy, it’s fun to go out and play music for people.” Josh Sullivan, a senior saxophone player, enjoyed playing in the past: “Freshman year I had a really fun time with it, doing the tournament games was really fun.” With the band now back Josh thinks that it feels “pretty good” to be able to play again.

On top of being excited just because the pep band is back, students in the band are also excited about the revitalized music catalog. In past years the band was playing songs that were old, and most of them had never heard before. With Mr. Zabierek, this was able to change: “I think it’s important to use pep band as an opportunity to let students have some input in the program and play modern popular music that they will like and will hopefully amp up the team and crowd.” Members of the band were able to make suggestions and now have a revitalized catalog including recent songs such as “Blinding Lights” by The Weekend and “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X.

This return isn’t going to stop here. Mr. Zabierek is “currently giving pep band music to some of the middle school students so they can get a head start on it.” Not only is the pep band back now, but things are looking bright for the future of the pep band as well.

From a Hawk to a Black Bear,  Saulter Continues to Fly

By: Makena Nevells 

Even as a little girl, playing on various travel and rec. programs Michaela Saulter has always wanted to play soccer at the University of Maine. Now, she has that chance. 

“Giving it my all as a Black Bear is the biggest goal I have for myself.”

In finishing her 12th year of playing soccer, continuing to play in College has always been her goal. With standards and goals set and achieved, she committed to the University of Maine at Orono, to play Division 1 Soccer, in December. With soccer being her only sport, she plays year-round, on travel teams, and at her local indoor facility Fields 4 Kids, to continue getting practice during the off-season. 

Saulter says the success and skills have not come easy. An unfortunate ankle injury during her Sophomore year created some indecision and drawbacks; hurting it again could become a more serious issue. Due to this, she lost a bit of confidence and knew she was holding back while still recovering. With her perseverance and determination, she was able to come back stronger than ever, and help the Hermon Hawks girls soccer team to a perfect record during the 2020 school soccer season. 

With her family and friends surrounding her, Saulter gives thanks to her Father for always wanting the best for her and pushing her when she was younger. With this motivation, she was able to have a positive attitude every time she stepped out on the field. Balancing skill, attitude, and motivation, she attracted the eyes of many different colleges, including Husson University, The University of Southern Maine, Maine Maritime Academy, Bryant University, and Franklin Pierce University. With a difficult decision to make, it came down to the best fit for her, taking into consideration the lifelong friendships she has made, her family, and her life always being in Hermon, she decided to stay close and live out her dream of playing D1 at UMO. 

“I’m looking forward to becoming a better soccer player overall and that’s exactly what playing at the next level will do.”

Even though College Soccer will be different, Saulter is up for the challenge, and  looking forward to the opportunities it is going to give her while using her experience as she has played soccer her entire life. With a positive attitude and outlook, Saulter will put being a Hawk behind her, and become a Black Bear, living her dream of playing soccer.

The Coyotes: A Franchise in Ruin? 

By: Meah Curtis, Ryan Hallett, Ryan Shorey, and Logan Brower

The Arizona Hockey team, formally known as the Coyotes, is being kicked out of their stadium. The city of Glendale, where the coyotes reside, decided not to renew the operating agreement past the 2021 – 22 season. This is a massive hit for the Coyotes, who are consistently at the bottom of the standings in the NHL. The aforementioned operating agreement caused the Coyotes to move out of their stadium immediately, and into ASU’s Mullet Arena (Arizona State University) stadium. But why did the Coyotes get downgraded from a proper NHL stadium to a mere College arena? Are the coyotes in financial trouble? 

 “The Coyotes spent the previous 18 years at Gila River Arena in Glendale before the city cut ties with the franchise following the 2021-22 season. A dispute between the city and the team over tax delinquencies and unpaid rink charges in early December of 2021 set in motion the city’s decision not to renew the agreement.”  (Via Sportsnet.ca) The City of Glendale, where the arena is located, has not been receiving the proper payments from the team to keep the arena. And from the data and tax receipts, the team has not made nearly enough profit to maintain using the stadium. 

When looking at comparisons with other teams, both in the National Hockey League and other teams located in Phoenix, It can be seen that the Coyotes are at the bottom of the list in nearly every category. It could be shocking to see the differential between the Coyotes and the other teams in Phoenix, however, this appears to be relative to the sport’s popularity on a general scale as opposed to a reflection of the people of Phoenix’s interest levels specifically. While the Coyotes seem to compare pretty well with some of the other teams on this list, especially looking at the Florida Panthers, they still tend to fall behind. The comparison with the Minnesota Wild, a program that sits right around the middle of the league in terms of value, is the big key to showing how far behind Arizona truly is. While it may fall on similar ground with other teams sharing a similar market size, you don’t have to go halfway up this list before the difference becomes clear: the Coyotes just aren’t bringing in as much revenue as other NHL teams.  

The Arizona Coyotes have been known to struggle with finances since being a team in the NHL. In 2009 they got dragged into bankruptcy court under their owner Moyes. In the years following this, they had lost $70 million and were on track to lose $45 million more in the season 2008-09. After the court had calculated the liquefied assets that the Coyotes had left over from their bankruptcy report, the NHL filed a $61 million lawsuit against Moyes. Moyes ended up owing creditors of the Arizona Coyotes $10 million. All this debt originated from the Coyotes originally being based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and making the move to Phoenix, Arizona. In Winnipeg they were sustaining the team and when they moved the problems started. The income from merchandise was down along with the attendance. Due to low attendance, they had too big of a stadium for the number of people buying tickets. So eventually the debt year after year piled up on owner Moyes until he was forced to file bankruptcy. 

After the Moses lawsuit, the Glendale City Council voted to pay the NHL $25 million to manage the stadium until they could find a new owner. This went on until 2014 when Andrew Barroway served as the majority owner until 2019. This is when Xavier Gutierrez took over ownership. The Coyotes were still struggling with making rent payments for their current stadium which seats 14,198 to a smaller stadium that Gutierrez pushed for. He is building a stadium to seat 5,000 people so that the Coyotes can potentially max out the capacity of the building every night. This will ensure that they can pay rent on the stadium because they will not have extra space to pay for that they are consistently not using.  

The Coyotes spent the previous 18 years at Gila River Arena in Glendale before the city cut ties with the franchise. Team owner Alex Meruelo plans to build a $2.1 billion hockey arena, adjoining entertainment, and a residential complex on 46 acres of city-owned land at Rio Salado Parkway and Priest Drive, just west of Tempe Town Lake, on a site long used as a landfill. The team would have preferred to stay at Gila River Arena while building their new rink, but in August of 2021, the city of Glendale leaders threatened to lock the team out of the building after the Coyotes failed to pay the city and state $1.3 million in taxes. They kicked out the Coyotes from the arena, opting out of their joint lease agreement with the team.

The current arena holds 5,000 seats and two NHL regulation-size ice sheets. The Coyotes will have three times fewer seats than any other NHL team at Mullett Arena. But, the Coyotes are hoping to draw eyes playing in the Mullett Arena, as the team becomes the first NHL team to share an arena with an NCAA team since 1928.