Page edited by Dimitri N.

Visit the Blazing Sun Online at: www.tinyurl/thstbs

Torrington High School Friday, October 14, 2011 Volume 17, Issue 3

Spotlight on wrestling

and basketball seasons.

Drama Club visits

Chadron, works on play.

News

New Students

Sports Previews

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

64°/37°

73°/35°

65°/40°

2 News

3 Activity

4 Opinion

5-6 Sports

7 Sports Previews

8-9 New Students

10-11 Sports Seniors

12 Lifestyle

13

14 Senior Spotlight

What is an ―Alma

Mater‖? Someone's Alma

Mater is the high school or

college from which they

graduated.

―Alma Mater day

brought unity between stu-

dents and teachers. It was

fun to do something where

everyone could be involved.

It was fun to see the staff in

their old alumni stuff and

get to know their pasts. This

showed what their futures

could be like. We will proba-

bly do this a couple more

times this year and hope-

fully keep getting more stu-

dents involved,‖ school sec-

retary Jessica Carlson said.

―I thought it was a

good thing for the teachers

and the students. It allowed

teachers to talk to their stu-

dents about the importance

of education. I decided to

wear my high school gear

because high school is where

you pick up the fundamen-

tals and work ethics,‖

teacher A.J. Gross (Pine

Bluffs) said.

―It was a pretty in-

teresting day. I got asked

lots of questions. It was also

a nice change and a good one

because it started different

interactions between the

students and the teachers—

except for Meyer wearing his

Wheatland jacket,‖ Jeff Hal-

ley said.

It wasn‘t just the

adults who enjoyed the day.

―It was fun to see

teachers dressed up wearing

their old school gear. It was

good so students could inter-

act more with the teachers,‖

senior Blake O. said.

―It was cool to see

where all the teachers went

to either high school or col-

lege. It was good that the

students could get more in-

volved with the teachers,‖

senior Matty J. added.

Collegiate gear from yesteryear invades wardrobes Jason M.

Seniors Editor

T eachers came to school wearing

gear from their high school or

college days supporting Alma

Mater day at Torrington High School on

Friday, September 30th.

Getting to know the

―newbies‖ of THS!

Allison M. Reporter

The 2011 Journal-

ism Convention ended with

a success for The Blazing Sun, as they won the

―People‘s Choice Award‖ and

coming home with a plaque

to prove it. Fellow schools

that attended the convention

voted on their favorite pa-

per, with Torrington ending

up with the majority of those

votes.

When asked how he

felt about achieving the

award, Mark M. replied

―Amazing. Words can not

describe.‖

Students Dimitri N.

and Dylan S. attended the

conference last year.

―This year‘s journal-

ism conference was overall

better than last year‘s, defi-

nitely!‖ quoted Dimitri, ―I

learned more because I actu-

ally paid attention, but the

workshops could've been

more interesting and de-

signed for students.‖

Dylan agreed that

he learned more because he

participated in the work-

shops, but thought that

more people could‘ve been

involved. The convention sched-

ule included a total of five

workshops, a guest speaker,

and a banquet all over the

course of the two days. Each

workshop went over learning

how to write better leads,

knowing how to direct a bet-

ter interview, and even learn-

ing how to improve photogra-

phy skills.

―I really enjoyed the

workshops and learned a lot,

and our group that went made

it fun!‖ said Mackenzy P.

The workshop ―High

School vs. College Journal-

ism‖ touched on the differ-

ences between the two, it was

also Nick P‘s favorite. He

learned that in college, stu-

dents don't have two stories

due in two weeks, they usu-

ally have a story due each

day. They get an assignment

in the morning and it‘s due

that same night in college.

A journalism profes-

sor at Metropolitan State Col-

lege, Mr. Gary Massaro, ap-

peared at the convention, giv-

ing a speech to the students

and advisors that partici-

pated. He told about his ex-

perience in the journalism

career, special stories relating

to his experiences, and always

quoting his main message, to

never give up because we are

all ―future stars‖.

Blake W. could say

nothing but good about Mas-

saro. ―He‘s a stud. He‘s a guy

of his knowledge, and he

knows what he‘s doing. I like

how he wants to give back to

the kids for what he‘s done. I

learned that you can succeed

at something else other than

sports.‖

Massaro ended on an

inspirational note: ―My future

stars! I wish you nothing but

the best. People you don‘t

even know are pulling for you,

so don‘t give up1‖

Journalism classes become newsworthy at conference The Blazing Sun claims People‘s Choice Award. Yearbook nabs silver star.

2011

2012

Show me your true colors! Alina Surber (below), Russell Stienmetz (bottom right), and Brian Harms flash back in time and return to 2011 sporting everything collegiate and secondary. Staff Photos

Staff photo

These cameras are complicated! Mackenzy P. (left to right), Kolter E., and Ryan L. work on their photography skills at the 2011 WHSSPA Convention and Competition.

Page edited by Shai S.

Torrington High School Friday October 14, 2011 Page 2

Getting to know the

Frosh... What do you like about high school?

Patrick C.– I love

the weight teacher be-

cause he is crazy.

Matthew

R.– Sports for show. Matt R.– Weight

class

Makayla W.–It is

really fun

Bridgette R.– Home-

room

Blake W. columnist

The deadly fruit has struck again in the

United States! Thirteen people have died consum-

ing bacteria from cantaloupe. This has been the

most lethal of food-borne illness since 1998.

It all started in September 18, 2011. Eight-

een people have died in twenty- states around Colo-

rado. This all became a problem from the consump-

tion of Rocky Ford cantaloupes, supposedly grown

at Jenson Farms at Granada, Colorado.

One hundred illnesses have been found by

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have been two more deaths in the past week:

one in Colorado and the other in Kansas.

Listeria is the bacteria that have

caused the United States all the problems.

Listeria is bacteria from the Wisteria mono-

cytogenes family that can cause listeriosis

infection. This bacteria has a long incuba-

tion period, which means it takes as long as

four weeks for people who have eaten canta-

loupe to feel ill.

Listeriosis causes fever and muscle

aches; some progress to diarrhea.

Experts note that symptoms may

include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss

of balance, and convulsions.

Are cantaloupes all right to eat?

Yes, other sources appear to be safe so far

by the FDA. The CDC urges people to throw away

any melons they may still have bearing the labels

―Colorado Grown‖, even though these might be the

best cantaloupe in the world. Can your taste buds

bring you to death?

Killer Cantaloupe: Listeria kills 23 so far in outbreak

Mackenzy P. reporter

―Good luck is bad luck,‖ was the su-

perstition of the male lead Reagen R. for the

fall musical. The 2011 fall musical being per-

formed is Hankerin‘ Hillibillies. Directed by Kris Tolman this year‘s

fall musical is scheduled to be performed the

second weekend in November, both Friday

and Saturday nights. This ―exciting, funny,‖

and ―slightly cheesy‖ musical will hopefully be

performed in the THS auditorium—if it is no

longer under construction.

In this year‘s musical two families of

single girls are on the search for husbands,

but government officials step in and cause a

fiasco. The government official Marcus will be

played by senior Reagen R., and the lead fe-

male role of Charlie will also be a senior,

Kayla B. When the introduction of the family

occurs in the first scene featuring Robbins he

gets to sing a song that is by far his favorite

scene throughout the musical.

Kayla‘s favorite scene is when she

gets to put a spell on Marcus since she gets to

be ―flirty.‖

The two seasoned performers gave

some advice to underclassmen who want to

perform in future musicals: they need to listen

to the director. He does know what‘s best.

―Make sure to show up to practice and get out

of your ‗boxes.‘‖

Hankerin‘ for some good music?

William the Conqueror won

the Battle of Hastings on

October 14, 1066

Mackenzy P. reporter

Thirty students from Torrington High

School took part in the Chardon Drama Club Trip

on October 6.

On the trip, students had the opportunity

to attend workshops to improve theater skills,

such as how to sword fight and how to do ―improv‖

situations.

An unique workshop that students from

THS attending was learning what to place on col-

lege resumés, and directions about what

to do if they want to pursue a future ca-

reer and education in theater and

drama.

Seniors were eligible to win

scholarships if they entered into the con-

test that was being held at this drama

trip. Not only did they learn from work-

shops, and have a chance to win scholar-

ships, they were able to see the perform-

ance of Charlie Brown. Sophomore Eron L. had nothing

but good words to say about this educa-

tional trip to Chadron. Her favorite part

was the audition class mainly because it

helped her with what to put on

resumes and how to stage fight.

Kayla B., a senior, also

took part in the Chardon

Drama Club Trip. She enjoyed

a workshop about make-up,

since it will help with her fu-

ture career in special effect

make-up.

When the performance

of Charlie Brown went on eve-

ryone was awed during one par-

ticular scene, which was by far

Kayla‘s favorite part.

Fall musical features Hankerin’

Hillbillies on stage in November

File photo A high bar to reach! 2010‘s Bye Bye Birdie gives way to 2011‘s Hankerin‘ Hillbillies with a cast set to reach new heights.

Chadron Theatre Days

smash hit again

Photo s from Wikipedia Commons

Torrington High School Friday, October 14, 2011 Page 3

Heather M.— Clint

Landon because

he is really nice.

Who is your role model? Why? Getting to know the sophomores...

Keanu Meyer—

Taylor Swift

because she is a

singer.

Caitlin M.— Breeanna

Heil because she fixes

all my screw ups.

Bryan M.— Mr.

Law because he is

the best teacher.

Niki M.— Paris Hil-

ton because she has a

lot of charity founda-

tions.

Dimitri N. Editor-in-Chief

Heart shaped cookies? Com-

munity service projects? Hanging out

with some of your best friends? What

else could be more fun? Family Ca-

reer and Community Leaders of

America (FCCLA) at Torrington

High School are just that.

With a large sense of commu-

nity, THS FCCLA has several activi-

ties planned for the school year.

―We have already hosted a

staff appreciation breakfast in Sep-

tember.‖ said chapter adviser Alina

Surber, ―It was a free will donation

and we raised $150 for the ―Feed the

Children‖ State FCCLA Fundraiser.

Proceeds provide funding for food

programs in the state of Wyoming.‖

In addition to the worthwhile

project, the chapter has planned a

Park Clean Up for this weekend and

another fundraiser for ―Feed the

Children.‖ ―We plan to do a bake sale

this winter and another in the

spring.‖ added Surber.

―We want to better our com-

munity because we know they (the

community members) will really en-

joy it!‖ chapter secretary MacKenzy

P. commented.

Finally, the chapter also has

plans to team up with Student Coun-

cil and host a winter dance.

Aside from the community

service activities, THS FCCLA at-

tended the Fall Leadership Confer-

ence, held at the Best Western Ram-

kota Hotel in Casper. ―It was the

best conference I have ever been to

for FCCLA!‖ exclaimed Surber,

―There were several workshops in

the morning for members to attend.‖

The highly rated conference

played host to a number of work-

shops such as the FCCLA STAR

(Students Taking Action with Recog-

nition) Events. It gave members nec-

essary information about starting

and planning projects for the state

convention from March 28-29.

For the state‘s opening cere-

mony, keynote speaker Jeff Yalden

more-than-impressed the crowd.

Seen on MTV‘s longest running real-

ity show, Made, Yalden grew and

learned from his past and his mis-

t a k e s . A s a n e x t r e m e l y

―POWERFUL‖ speaker, he spoke the

language of the students and made

his message extremely relevant to

FCCLA and the work the organiza-

tion does. Yalden messages draw

from his troubling experiences in

adolescence, where he lost academic

interest and suffered from bad acne,

a stutter, and a learning disability.

This winner of Mr. America‘s ―Mr.

Personality‖ and two-time Marine of

the Year has spoken to all several

student institutions, retelling his

story of self-transformation and his

belief that success depends on one‘s

worldview of how people perceive

their place in the world. Several

commented that Yalden‘s address to

the FCCLA population was one of

the best ever.

A third workshop was pre-

sented by the State of Wyoming‘s

Corrections System. A human re-

source person from the State of Wyo-

ming provided members with infor-

mation about the corrections system.

Unlike many states, Wyoming cor-

rection facilities allow training for

people housed within their facilities.

―One even has a fish hatchery!‖

noted Surber.

FCCLA, formerly known as

Future Homemakers of America, is a

nonprofit career and technical stu-

dent organization focusing on family

and consumer sciences education.

With over twenty-two thousand

members all across the United

States and its territories, FCCLA is

one of the largest organizations in

the world. Members can compete in

an assortment of events and several

programs have been designed for

enrichment of the club‘s members.

―It‘s a fun experience,‖ added

MacKenzy, ―you learn a lot of valu-

able lessons for the real world.‖

―I am very excited about this

year,‖ concluded Surber, ―FCCLA

has some great things planned!‖

For more information about

FCCLA and its affiliations, you can

contact the chapter‘s officers: Presi-

dent Korinne J, Vice-President

Hayley A., and Secretary MacKenzy

P. as well as adviser Surber.

Shai S. Columnist

G o s h e n

County kids have

been participating in

the 2011-12 Wyoming

High School Rodeo

Association since the

first fall rodeo in

Wheatland.

Contestants

from all parts of the

state competed to

start off the rodeo

season to eventually qualify for the

state finals, then the National High

School Rodeo Finals.

In Wheatland, Logan

Milligan placed second in calf-roping

and third in the team roping with

his partner Cameron Irwin from

Buffalo.

Lane H. of Lingle placed

both days in the team roping with a

sixth place finish the first day, then

a fifth place the next day with his

partner Brice S.

The Goshen County girls

have been tearing up the competi-

tion, topping the charts in the state

standings. Paige S. picked up a

tenth place finish in breakaway rop-

ing on her first run of the weekend.

Shai S. picked up a tenth

and first place finish in goat typing

on Sunday and Monday. Michaela L.

picked up a second place finish in

the barrel racing the first day, then

a fourth place finish the next day.

Bridgit H. also picked up a

second place finish in the contest as

well, and Shai placed seventh. Shai

also finish tenth in the poles.

Michaela L. was sixth and second

place over the weekend, and Bailey

S. of Southeast finished eighth and

Bridgit H. was ninth.

The next competition was

held in Lander. Logan M. split

eighth place in the Calf roping. And

Lane Hageman and Brice S. placed

sixth.

In the Breakaway Shai S.

placed second in the contest.

Michaela L. finished third in the

Barrel Racing and Shai placing

tenth. Bailey S. placed tenth in the

Poles as well.

Next, contestants traveled to

the corner of the state to Jackson

Hole. Even with frigid tempera-

tures, contestants still competed

well. Shai S. split fifth and sixth in

the breakaway. She also placed fifth

and ninth.

In the state, Logan M. is

sitting 11th in the Calf Roping and

30th in team roping. Lane Hage-

man and partner Bryce S are cur-

rently sitting 20th in the Team rop-

ing.

Schaefer is sitting 10th in the

Breakaway roping, 12th in the goat

tying, 14th in the poles, and 19th in

the Barrel Racing. Paige Stovall is

sitting 29th in Breakaway. Michaela

L. is sitting 3-4th in the Barrel Rac-

ing, and 7th in the Pole Bending.

FCCLA ―serves‖ up donations $150 given to Feed the Children

What’s harder than kicking a

field goal? Roping a steer.

Let‘s round us up

some money to feed

those children, eh?

Page edited by Korinne J.

Page edited by Frank S.

Torrington High School Friday October 14, 2011 Page 4

Dylan Slusher Online Editor

Have some time to kill? Got an iPod

Touch? Then you‘re in for a treat.

Take a look at ―Tiny Tower‖ developed

by Nimble Bit. I can describe this little game

as one of those pointless Facebook-esque

games, but I promise, it doesn‘t involve a

farm. This game can be compared to a Face-

book game as it takes time to progress, how-

ever not near as long as some. There really

isn‘t a specific goal of the game except to

build a tower that is far from Tiny, earn a sal-

ary larger than Donald Trump, and stock

stores. There are two types of floors for the

tower: residential and retail stores, where

residents (named Bitizens) work.

There are many upgrades involved in

this mini game, which can be obtained by

Tower Bux, another, much more difficult to

acquire form of currency. If this game sounds

interesting, then you may be worried that it

will occupy all of your time during school. It‘s

quite the opposite. This game progresses over

time while your iPod is turned off (not com-

pletely off). One can chose to play this game

for hours on end, but only 5 minutes or less is

truly required at a time.

Added on, with no gold subscription, is

a Facebook like app within the game called

BitBook. This contains randomly loaded posts

by the Bitizens of Tiny Tower with witty com-

ments and humor.

One student commented on Tiny

Tower with: ―I

like the hilarious

feature BitBook,

its like Facebook,

but with pixi-

lated jokes. I also

think the crazy

costumes some of

the Bitizens wear

are hysterical.

What are

you waiting for?

Go on and

download Tiny

Tower now or is money a concern? Have no

fear! This game is completely free! Go make

the Empire State Building jealous!

Tiny Towers app amuses and amazes

Dimitri Nesbitt Editor-in-Chief

I got my first iPod way back

when I was in sixth grade. Immedi-

ately, it was the most important thing

in my life.

My iPod Nano was an incredi-

ble device, smaller than a playing

card. It had an instant music library,

games and hundreds of photos.

Then, at the end of my eighth

grade year, I was introduced to the

iPod Touch, arguably the most influ-

ential piece of mobile technology in my

life. It not only does all the things my

Nano did, but it carried all my events,

my photos, my games, my news—

everything that I needed to connect to

the complex world.

I am not alone.

Millions of people have taken a bite

out of the apple of knowledge Steve Jobs cre-

ated so many years ago.

The branches of his technology tree

affected all areas of soci-

ety. Apple revolution-

ized the music world with

iTunes and digital produc-

tion. It shook the cellular

phone markets with the

introduction of the most

popular smartphone ever:

iPhone. Apple even con-

tributed to the fashion in-

dustry with the sleek, sim-

ple designs of their ear-

buds, which now come in

incalculable colors and

styles.

But Jobs‘ legacy

will continue. As all news

networks and mediums

compare him to other inno-

vators such as Einstein and Edison, and it is

still important to think of where Apple will go

in the future without Jobs.

As the world‘s most valuable company,

Apple‘s top spot must ultimately be filled

with a very important figure. However, as

several analysts predict a plateau for the

technology giant, there is no doubt Apple will

unveil radical changes to the world.

In spite of his terrible loss, the com-

pany‘s fifth iPhone, iPhone 4S, has already

been advertised as an entirely new device.

Simpler, sleeker, thinner, and capable of do-

ing much more than any other competitor.

I encourage all to recognize the influ-

ence Jobs wielded. With him at the helm, Ap-

ple flourished, and the world was changed. It

was connected like never before with iPhones,

iPods, and iPads.

Think of Apple‘s success as a war in

technology. The army of Apple may have lost

its leader, but the war is far from over.

Appreciate the inspiration Apple has

given us. Learn from it. Be encouraged to in-

novate.

Embrace technology. And take a bite

out of the apple.

Sydney Harms Columnist

Facebook… The Social Network.

Unless you have been in a coma for the

past six years or are some old person who re-

fuses to get into modern technology, you‘ve

heard of Facebook. And although many stu-

dents will not admit it, a majority of us are

addicted to it. We check it when we wake up

in the morning, in between classes, at lunch,

after school, pretty much any time we are

free. So many of us think that Facebook is a

very safe place, we post our everyday lives

and photos all over. But is it really that safe?

Many studies show that Facebook is

not as safe as we

all think it is. I‘ll

be the first one

to admit it: I am

addicted to Face-

book. I am on it

as much as I can

be. Yes, I am one

of those who

posts status, pic-

tures, and com-

ments every single day. I think it‘s a safe

place, but after researching, I am now consid-

ering deleting my Facebook (FB) as a whole.

FB was originally created for adults to

find friends from high school and college and

catch up. But in the recent years it has

turned into so much more. Teens are getting

it and using it as a way to gossip about oth-

ers, hoping those ―others‖ don't see it. Many

post things that they would never actually

admit in person. FB is turning into a website

for us all to stalk each other and find every-

thing about one another. It‘s turning into a,

―Oh, he‘s single!‖ ―She has three kids al-

ready?‖ kind of site. Not what Mark Zucker-

berg (FB creator) had planned at all.

To create an account, we start by up-

loading a profile picture, preferably of your-

self. Then you answer a few very personal

questions, such as your name, your birth

date, your hometown, and political as well as

religious views. This is followed by more

question about your relationship status, edu-

cation, work information, hobbies, and many

more—essentially giving out your whole life

story in a not- so-anonymous questionnaire.

Then you go out and find friends to add,

which as many THS students

admitted, are not really your friends at all.

―I don't even know half of my friends! I

just accepted them when they added me,‖ jun-

ior Kolter E. said.

While some don't know half of their

friends, other say they know every single one.

―I know all of my friends,‖ educational

aide Clint Landon said, and senior Korinne J.

agreed.

Facebook is the world‘s largest social

networks with 800 million users worldwide as

of September 2011. Every day, Facebook us-

ers comment or press the ―like‖ button more

than two billion times and upload more than

250 million photos.

According to Money magazine, there

are two main problems with FB: identity theft

and the fact that it can hurt college and job

prospects. Because of how much personal in-

formation people put on their Facebooks, the

website is a very easy target for ID thieves.

See ―Facebook‖ on page 13

iPods, iPhones, iPads, iTunes all fostered by Steve Jobs

Facebook: Is it your friend or your “frenemy”?

Jobs‘ vision changed

our world.

Page edited by Sydney H.

Torrington High School Friday October 14, 2011 Page 5

Mikayla B: First Blazer to earn All-

State honors in four different sports

Oh yeah...Mikayla is nothing but smiles after earning All-State in four sports.

Nick P. Opinions editor

Is there any sport she can‘t

play?

Being selected as an All-

State athlete is a great honor among

high school athletes. Only the best of

the best are selected to this team.

One student athlete at Tor-

rington High School has earned All-

State honors in not one, not two, not

three, but four sports throughout her

high school career. This is the first

time any Blazer has achieved this

honor.

That student athlete is Mi-

kayla B.

Wait a minute—there are

only three major sports seasons. How

is it possible for Mikayla to earn four

All-State honors? She has achieved

All-State honors in two of the major

fall sports.

Mikayla has earned All-State

honors in cross country, tennis, soc-

cer, and two times in basketball.

―It‘s an honor, and there

were a lot of people that helped me

get here. I am grateful to everyone

who has helped me get here,‖ She

said about the accomplishment.

―She‘s dedicated; she will

work outside of practice; she will

work on all sports during the offsea-

son.

―She does not wait until the

season begins. She will set her mind

to something, and nothing will stop

her.

―Her goals are long term and

very well thought-out,‖ Mary Per-

kins, Mikayla‘s tennis and soccer

coach commented

As for the basketball

court, Head Women‘s Basket-

ball Coach Jeff Halley added,

―Mikayla is amazing. She con-

trols our team offensively.

She‘s our leading scorer; she's

the leader of our group, and

when she turns it on, she‘s

unstoppable!‖

Her Cross Country

Coach, Mark Sims, also said,

―She is a hard worker, a

‗100%‘ kind of young lady, try-

ing her best so she will be the

best she can be. She is also a

great student, a true competi-

tor!‖

All sports have their

own demands and obstacles to

get over, but Mikayla said the

most physically demanding of

the four is cross country.

Cross Country runners prepare for regionals, state Zach L.

Reporter editor

With the season winding

down to the last two meets, Region-

als and State, the Blazer runners

are ready for a big finish.

Strong showings in every

meet so far have prepared the team

is ready for the two most important

meets of the year.

If you ask Alex C., a.k.a.

Cricket, about how the team‘s done

so far, she will say, ―Perfect,‖ and

few others argue with her.

The team has showed strong

placing in nearly every meet, espe-

cially in Bayard, which coinciden-

tally is almost everyone‘s favorite

course to run.

There, the team had a girls‘

champion, Melissa B., and two boys

placing in the top three: Garret D.,

2nd, and Hank J., 3rd.

Also placing well were Kaylie

H., Allison M, Mikayla M., and Alex

C., placing 3rd, 7th, 10th, and 11th

respectively. On the boys‘ side,

freshmen Blazer Matty R. placed 8th

on the day.

So far the Blazer runners

have competed in seven meets this

year, with only the two culminating

tournaments left to go.

If you ask the team to look

back on the year, they all feel their

performances were solid, but their

favorite memories come from off the

course.

Matty‘s and Alex‘s favorite

memory was when they killed a rat-

tle snake in the road. Junior Mi-

kayla‘s favorite memory was the ride

back from Cheyenne.

Looking back on this season,

the team has done really well and

had a fun ride doing it, and as they

look forward to the next two weeks

they will, as freshmen Matty R. put

it, ―Go all out, ‗cuz this is where it

counts.‖

Mikayla Brower

exemplifies that Blazer

“fire.”

Mark M. Sports Editor

Rawlins 34-3: The score of the Tor-

rington Trail Blazers vs. Rawlins

Outlaws football game on October 7.

Torrington was on top for the first

time this season, taking their record

to one win, and four losses.

―It felt great winning. We

have improved over every week. Few

teams spend as much time watching

film and practicing as much as

we do,‖ Head Coach Mark Len-

hardt commented on the quickly

improving Blazer football team.

―To continue to win we need to

keep getting better and stay

healthy. Injuries are mounting

up, and we need to get better.

We also need some breaks to go

our way.‖

―Our team wanted it

more. That‘s a big part of why we

won. Eighty-four percent of peo-

ple picked us to lose, and that

fired our players up,‖ Lenhardt

said. In looking toward the next

game he said ―Riverton has the

#1 passing offense in the state.

We need to work on communicat-

ing, our coverages, and we can-

not forget about their run game

because they have two good run-

ning backs.‖

Torrington sophomore quar-

terback, Caden C., completed 10 of

18 passes for 73 yards, and also ran

for a touchdown.

―It felt awesome!‖ junior

Isaac B. said. ―We won this game

because of our line. We need to keep

getting better like we‘ve been doing.

To beat Riverton we have to play

hard, have fewer turnovers, and exe-

cute our plays.‖ Isaac racked up 158

yards rushing on 19 carries with two

touchdowns, leading the Blazers in

total yards.

Senior team captain, Ryan

L., had eight assisted tackles, with

five unassisted tackles, and scored

18 defensive points, leading the

Blazers to victory on defense.

Isaac also complimented the

skills of the players on the line. ―If it

wasn‘t for them, I wouldn't have the

yards I did, and on toss plays, Frank

made huge blocks.‖

Riverton T h e

B l a z e r s

played strong,

but not strong

enough. Tor-

rington had

the ball with

five minutes

left in the

game, down

nine to three,

but couldn't

pull away

with the win.

A few mis-

takes later,

the game was

over, with the

Blazers losing

30-3 to the

Riverton Wol-

verines.

―We didn't play badly: we

just imploded with about six minutes

left in the fourth quarter,‖ junior

offensive tackle Nick P. said. ―We

need to work on blocking more.‖

Isaac B. led the team in total

offense for the second week in a row,

with 21 carries for 141 yards and six

first-downs, but no touchdowns. On

the receiving end, he had two recep-

tions but they combined for zero

yards.

―We didn't use the opportuni-

ties that were given to us. We had a

few bad plays in the end and a few

bad play calls throughout the game,‖

senior team captain Ryan L. said.

―To win, we needed a touchdown be-

fore half time. I think that would

have totally changed the outcome of

the game.‖

On the defensive side of the

ball, Zach L. led the team with 12

assisted tackles and 11 unassisted

tackles, scoring 38.5 defensive points

for the Blazers.

―Our team has to keep work-

ing hard, watching film, and study-

ing the opposing team‘s defense. We

need to improve every day,‖a junior

wide receiver commented. ―I need to

work on my stance and I need to be

more coachable.‖

Blazers take down Outlaws, fall to Wolverines

Photo by Mark M.

Hands! Hands! Blazers put in hundreds of hours of practice during this season of ―rebuilding.‖

Page edited by Blake W.

Blazing Sun Friday, October 14, 2011 Page 6

Shai S. Columnist

The Blazers hosted the Glen-

rock Herders September 29 and fell

short in a game of four. The Blazers

fired hot in their first game winning

25-22. Then fell short from there af-

ter. 20-25, 15-25, and an intense

rally scoring of 27-29.

Avery M. led the Blazers in

kills tallying 14 points, and 16 digs.

Shai S. added 11 kills, 3 blocks, and

15 digs.

Matty J. also added 3 blocks.

Christian B. had 22 setting assists

and 18 service points, and Sydney H.

also added 11 assists. Taylor F. also

contributed 14 digs for the match.

―We played hard.‖ Head

Coach Lori Byrd said.. ―We played

well in the first and last game, but

the games in the middle are what

killed us.‖

The team agreed that the

Herders had a strong offense

throughout the match. The Blazers

were one and the same, testing their

defensive line the majority of the

game.

The Blazers traveled to Ger-

ing and Scottsbluff for their next

contests. In the first games, they

played McCook and came out on top

25-27, 25-27, and 25-14.

Next, the team faced Chey-

enne South and won again 25-1 and

25-16.

At the end of the pool play,

the Blazers played the Gering Bull-

dogs once again. They ended the day

with a loss with scores of 17-25, and

21-25.

The Blazers advanced into

the bracket play seeded number five

in the ―Gold Bracket‖.

In their first match, they

faced Ogallala. THS started out

slow, losing their first game 7-25,

but put up a fight in their next

game, losing 20-25.

Ogallala advanced into the

semi-final game, and the Blazers

moved down into consolation play to

meet Gordon-Rushville, competing

for the fifth-place game.

The Blazers prevailed (19-

25, 25-21, and 25-19) and advanced

into the fifth place game to compete

with Waverly. Waverly came out on

top with a score of 7-25, and 15-25.

Over the weekend, Avery

had 49 digs for the team. Matty J.

notched 29 kills and 8 blocks.

Shai had 37 kills, 11 blocks,

and 51 digs. Sydney H. had 7 aces,

and 40 setting assists, while Chris-

tian contributed 48. Frazier also

added 4 aces.

For the Blaz-

ers‘ last home game,

and senior night,

they hosted the

Douglas Bearcats.

They lost in four

with scores of 16-25,

25-18, 13-25, and 18-

25.

C h r i s t i a n

had 15 setting as-

sists and one ace;

Harms chipped in

eight setting assists

and one ace as well.

Murphy H. had 11

digs for the team and

Schaefer added 14, 8

kills, and four

blocks. Matty had

five kills.

The Blazers

finally pulled off a

couple of conference

wins to enhance

their record. They

beat Worland in

their first match,

held in Buffalo on

October 8, with a

score of 25-16, 25-11,

and 25-18.

Christian had 11 setting

assists, 11 digs, and 1 ace. Harms

also added 17 setting assists as well.

Schaefer had 14 kills, 10 digs, and 8

blocks. Taylor F. also added 4 aces in

the contest.

― Our goal was to win two

matches today,‖ said Byrd. ―The girls

got the job done! It was awesome to

see them play so well together!‖

The next match they played

was against the hosting Buffalo Bi-

son.

The Blazers pulled off an-

other win 25-9, 25-16, 20-25, and 25-

18. Madden led the Blazers in kills

notching 16 and also contributed 15

digs. Schaefer added 12 kills and 11

blocks. Tarah W. had 14 kills in the

contest, and Christian had 34 set-

ting assists and 5 aces. Harms also

added 18 assists, Taylor Frazier had

1 ace in the contest.

Coach Byrd said,‖ The kids

played extremely well this weekend.

Our blocking was great and our of-

fense was fantastic. These are the

two conference wins that we needed

rolling into Wheatland.‖

Blazer girls are on a three-

game winning streak The Lady Blaz-

ers pulled off a tough win in Wheat-

land during the Bulldogs‘ homecom-

ing and senior night. Their scores

were 25-21, 23-25, 25-19, and 26-24.

Christian had 33 setting as-

sists and 20 good serves. She also

added 19 digs along . Emily had 19

digs and 10 kills in the match.

Sydney had 17 setting as-

sists; Tarah added 17 digs for the

team as well. Taylor had 19 good

serves and 1 ace. Matty had 11 kills,

and 9 blocks while Shai had 22 kills,

and 7 blocks in the match.

―The girls played awesome!

Big Conference win on the road!‖

said Coach Byrd.

This will lead up to the last

game of the season for the Blazers.

They travel to Rawlins to take on the

Outlaws this Saturday.

Blazer volleyball racks up wins heading to Regionals

Sydney H. Columnist

―Playing the finals in the 90

million dollar Rec facility in Gillette

with 5 indoor courts and seating for

1,000 people was incredible,‖ Coach

Mary Perkins said. Not many ath-

letes get this opportunity in a 3A

high school. My hope is to have more

teams in the finals next year, so our

players can have the experience of

such an amazing venue.‖

State Tennis was held in Gil-

lette, Wyoming this year and from

what Coach Perkins said, it seemed

to go well. Senior Mikayla B. won

the consolation championship again

a girl from Cody and earned All-

State honors. This All-State recog-

nized gave her four All-State honors

in four different sports at THS.

―I doubt that has ever been

done in the history of Torrington

athletics.‖ Perkins commented.

Cameron K. and Nick B.

made it to the semi-finals but could

not hold off Laramie. They got a slow

start and lost the first set. Then they

picked up play in the second set but

found it hard to win the critical

points.

―It is really hard to compete

against the bigger school,‖ Perkins

said.

Junior Josh R. lost a grueling

match to Hardt from Natrona as he

fought his way to a first set win the

tie break, only to lose the second set

6-2, and then went to another tie

break in the third set losing 7-5.

Perkins thought Josh played

the best tennis of the season!

―Number one sin-

gles junior Trae T. and senior

Halylee H. saw a tough first

round against players from

the north,‖ she said. ―Both

played their best tennis of the

season in the second round

but could not find the win.‖

Number one girls dou-

bles played with an injured

senior, Caitlyn C. She had

a severe shoulder injury the

day before we left. She played

despite the pain and managed

to pull off a second round win.

Treatment and taping were

not enough and the third

round was a lose.

Number two boys doubles –

senior Blake O. and sophomore Alex

M. drew the number one seed from

the north and lost in the first round.

The next match they won the first

set, lost the second and were even at

5 all in the 3rd but could not put

Rock Springs away.

The number two girls dou-

bles and number three boys doubles

each lost the first round and won the

second.

―Our inexperience at a state

event really showed,‖ Perkins said.

―Both these teams will be ones to

watch in the future. With only 4 re-

turning varsity players [we gradu-

ated 12 seniors last year] I was

pretty stressed at the start of the

season,wondering how we would fair.

The players worked hard and never

gave up. The

girls tied for

third place

with Rock

Spring at con-

ference; a fin-

ish I would not

have predicted

in August.‖

Ultra-busy tennis season ends with encouraging results

Staff photo

Time to step up. Blazers (from right) Christian B., Avery M., and Taylor F. prepare to return service during the Glenrock game.

Photo from Microsoft Clipart

Page edited by Nick P.

Page 7 Friday, October 14, 2011 Blazing Sun

Ryan L. and Zach L. Reporters

Losing only one senior and

coming off a fifth place finish is mak-

ing many THS wrestlers excited

about the upcoming season. ―I‘m su-

per pumped!‖ is how Head Coach

Doyle Meyer described his feelings

about the upcoming season.

Of course, losing State

Champion Thomas Carr was a big

hit to the Blazer team, but with the

younger kids stepping up and new

addition senior Zach L. to the wres-

tling team, Torrington seems to be as

strong as ever. Meyer believes the

key point scorers this year will be,

―Ryan L., Benjamin L., and Jake H.‖

Lewandowski placed second at state,

going 50-7 on the year, breaking the

Torrington High single season win

record. Benjamin finishing sixth as

a freshmen and Jake fifth as a

sophomore demonstrates that this

Blazer wrestling team is set to ex-

plode on the state wrestling stage.

Also juniors Isidro C. and

Evan P., both ranked 7th in the state

at the end of the year by Wyowres-

tling.com, hope to be big leaders in

the 2011– 2012 season. ―I‘m thrilled

to be in the room and the program.

It‘s exciting to be in a room with

such exited, determined people,‖

Charles Fournier said. The Blazers

also hope to improve on the fifth

place finish as a team at state in the

upcoming season, hoping to edge out

the always tough Star Valley and

Douglas wrestling programs.

One of the biggest topics in

the wrestling world is the change of

the weight classifications. ―The

weight classes are a healthy mixture

for wrestling. They statistically di-

vide weights so 7% of the kids are in

every weight,‖ Doyle Meyer said the

weights.

The new weights, 106

(pounds), 113, 120, 126, 132, 138,

145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220 and

285, will change quite a bit for the

wrestling season.

Junior Evan P. commented

―They aren‘t too bad. It doesn‘t

change much for me.‖

―I don‘t like them, they will

make me have to cut weight if I want

to take state,‖ sophomore Chase P.

said. ― I

don't think that it will change much.

It won‘t prevent wrestlers from cut-

ting weight,‖ Fournier commented.

Hopefully the Blazer Wrestlers will

end the season with 14 State Cham-

pions in the new weights.

The Blazer Wres-

tling schedule is very

competitive, just like

most seasons. The key

tournaments for the sea-

son are The Rapid City

Invitational and the Con-

ference Duals, according

to Meyer. Junior Evan P.

added that ―the Ron Thon

will be a real tough one.‖

The Ron Thon, hosted in

Riverton, is considered to

be an All-Class Champi-

onship, with practically

the entire state attend-

ing.

―The Ron Thon is very impor-

tant. It gives confidence to wrestlers

going into Regionals and State,‖

Fournier said. The season opener,

the Blazer Duals, is rapidly ap-

proaching, set to begin on December

3.

Blazer wrestlers look forward to success, new weights

Ready for the season! Senior Ryan L. at State Wrestling laws

year. Courtesy Photo

Avery M. Reporter

―Want a piece of us? Be care-

ful what you wish for.‖ That‘s this

year‘s girls‘ basketball motto for the

2011-2012 season.

The Blazer girls finished last

year‘s season with the consolation

title at the state tournament and an

overall record of 19-12 (11-5 confer-

ence). This year, they look to im-

prove their record.

―We want to be top three in

conference and state,‖ sixth-year

Head Coach Jeff Halley said. Coach

Halley listed seniors Mikayla B.,

Matty J., and Jenny R., along with

junior Shai S. and sophomores Alli-

son M. and Avery M. as key players.

―My goal is to win regionals

and state,‖ senior Jenny R. said. ―I‘m

really looking forward to being the

upperclassman and spending time

with the ‗family.‘‖

―Probably the bus trips,‖ sen-

ior Matty J. said about what she‘s

most looking forward to. Her favor-

ite basketball memories so far are

the team dinners and stealing the

coaches‘ bus seats. Both Jenny and

Matty agreed that conditioning is

what they are looking forward to

least.

The Lady Blazers‘ coaching

staff welcomes Torrington grad and

ex-basketball player Taylor Moore as

the new freshman basketball coach.

Moore is taking over Anndee Meyer‘s

spot and will join Halley and Mike

McNamee this year, starting Novem-

ber 14, which is the Lady Blazer‘s

first practice.

Last year‘s co-captain Mi-

kayla B. said that her goal this year

is simply to win. ―I‘m most looking

forward to state and least looking

forward to the year ending.‖ Mi-

kayla is also one of the seniors this

year.

―This year, we should be

pretty good,‖ said Halley. ―We

should compete with Wheatland and

Douglas to win the conference and

regional championships, and again

with them in the state champion-

ship, because they are loaded.

―Wheatland lost one sub

from last year and has everybody

back. Douglas has their main core of

their junior class that‘s so good back,

but we have our main core of our

varsity back, as well. So we‘ll be

right in the mix of it with them.‖

The Lady Blazers will travel

to Alliance, NE, on December 1 for

their first game of the 11-12 season.

Lady Blazers’ basketball aim for top three in Wyoming

Want a piece of us? Blazers compete in basketball last year vs. Gering.

Staff Photo

Kate Fagan The Philadelphia Inquirer

NEW YORK _ The NBA has

officially canceled the first two weeks

of the regular-season schedule. What-

ever hope remained, and a sliver did

exist, was dashed on Monday night

when the NBA and the NBA Players

Association ended more than seven

hours of bargaining with grim faces

and bad news.

No further official talks are

scheduled and NBAPA president

Derek Fisher said the union was not

certain how to proceed.

The NBA issued a news re-

lease announcing the cancellation of

regular-season games through Nov. 14

within minutes of the meeting's con-

clusion. All season-ticket holders will

receive refunds, plus interest, for can-

celed games, and buildings are now

free to fill canceled dates.

Although NBA commissioner

David Stern said the two sides "will be

communicating," there has been no

further bargaining sessions scheduled.

"With every day that goes by, there

will be further reductions on what's

left of the season," Stern told reporters

outside the New York hotel hosting the

meeting.

Union president Derek Fisher

said: "We're not at a fair place where a

deal can be made."

"This is not just about dollars

and cents," Fisher said, speaking to

reporters after Stern. "It's about the

system our players are operating un-

der."

Although the main topic in

recent meetings was the split of bas-

ketball-related income, Stern and dep-

uty commissioner Adam Silver said

that Sunday and Monday's bargaining

sessions solely addressed system is-

sues like the salary cap, rollbacks,

guaranteed contracts, and taxes. Spe-

cifically, Stern said that the two sides

are miles apart on the luxury tax sys-

tem, which the owners want to resem-

ble a hard cap. The players are ada-

mant against a hard salary cap, or any

system resembling a hard cap.

The NBA estimated that two

weeks of canceled games would result

in $200 million in losses.

Stern said that future propos-

als from the owners would likely re-

flect, and incorporate, those losses.

With another work stoppage,

the NBA risks alienating a fan base

that sent the league's revenues and TV

ratings soaring during the 2010-11

season. And the loss of the first two

weeks of games will hurt workers with

jobs dependent on pro basketball's six-

month-plus season. A few teams have

already trimmed their staffs, and more

layoffs could be forthcoming.

The success of last season, on

the court, at the box office and in the

headlines, convinced many that the

sides would never reach this point.

But small-market owners were

hardened after watching LeBron

James leave Cleveland for Miami,

Amar'e Stoudemire bolt Phoenix for

New York, and Carmelo Anthony later

use his impending free agency as lever-

age to secure a trade from Denver to

the Knicks. They wanted changes that

would allow them to hold onto their

superstars and compete for titles with

the big-spending teams from Los Ange-

les, Boston and Dallas who have gob-

bled up the last four championships.

As the lockout drags on,

Stern's legacy as one of sports' best

commissioners is weakened. He turned

69 last month, and although he hasn't

said when he will retire, he did say

this will be his last CBA negotiation

after nearly 28 years running the

league.

He has insisted all along he

wouldn't worry about the damage to

his reputation and that his only con-

cern would be getting the deal his own-

ers need.

It's uncertain when that will

be.

(c)2011 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at

www.philly.com

Distributed by MCT Information

Services

NBA lockout update: First two weeks are now cancelled

Questions

1.) Where‘d you move from?

2.) What are the differences between the two

schools?

3.) Favorite thing about THS?

4.) What activities did you do in your old

school? What will you do here?

5.) Why did you move here?

Baily L.

1.) East Junior High

2.) A lot smaller

3.) Shorter days on Fridays

4.) Football, Wrestling, Track; at both

5.) Mom‘s job

Alex L.

1.) Chadron, NE

2.) Students

3.) Two times bigger

4.) Volleyball, Track; Volleyball, Track,

FCCLA

5.) Dad‘s job

Caleb W.

1.) Lincoln, NE

2.) Smaller

3.) Schedule

4.) Football; Nothing

5.) Family

Cara C.

1.) Cheyenne, Wy

2.) A lot smaller

3.) More people

4.) Track, FBLA, at both

5.) Family

Stuff

Shaylee K.

1.) Gordon, NE

2.) Different rules here, like the cell phone

rule.

3.) Mario‘s here!

4.) Nothing in Gordon. Maybe track here.

5.) I moved back.

Ashley S.

1.) Douglas, Wyoming

2.) Bigger, more teachers

3.) Teachers are nice and offer help

4.) Basketball, Soccer, Book Club; Bas-

ketball, Soccer

5.) Mom got a job

Dorien L.

1.) South Dakota

2.) Organized

3.) Teachers

4.) Nothing; Basketball

5.) No other choice

Dustin J.

1.) Springfield, Indiana

2.) No phones there, no block schedule

3.) Weights

4.) Football and Weights

5.) Dad was here

McKennan L.

1.) Chadron, NE

2.) THS is Harder,

Chadron sports are harder.

3.) Everybody likes me :)

4.) Cross Country, Basket-

ball, Track, and Baseball;

Football and maybe track.

5.) Dad got a job

Lakota P.

1.) Minatare, NE

2.) It‘s bigger here.

3.) More friends

4.) Volleyball, cheerlead-

ing, musical. I‘ll play vol-

leyball next year.

5.) Death in the family.

Whitney W.

1.) Colorado

2.) Bigger and more di-

verse in Colorado.

3.) Off campus lunch.

4.) AFJROTC, Green

Club, FCCLA, Swing

club; soccer.

5.) My mom.

Alex H.

1.) Kansas

2.) Bigger here and stricter rules.

3.) You‘re able to walk places.

4.) Cheerleading, dance, drama, FFA,

choir, art, soc-

cer; drama, art

and soccer.

5.) My mom.

Page edited by Allison M.

Page edited by Allison M.

Terry K.

1.) Alliance, NE

2.) Bigger there

3.) Classes set up

4.) N/A

5.) Moved

back

Murphy H.

1.) Mitchell, NE

2.) Bigger

3.) Some people

4.) Volleyball,

FBLA, Basketball,

FCA, Student

Council, FFA; Vol-

leyball, Basketball,

Student Council

5.) Closer to family

Devon S.

1.) Chicago, Illinois

2.) Smaller here

3.) Smaller

4.) Football

5.) Family

Sage F.

1.) Yuma, Colorado

2.) Not much

3.) People like Kylie

4.) Volleyball, Bas-

ketball, Student

Council; Volleyball

5.) Mom got a job

Seren U.

1.) Hastings, Nebraska

2.) Two stories, stairs!

3.) Art and off-campus lunch

4.) Cross Country, One-act, track, choir,

band; Cross-country, track, choir, band

5.) Dad got a job

Dillon F.

1.) Yuma, Colorado

2.) Bigger

3.) Lunch and Life Sports

4.) Tennis and Soccer

5.) Mom got a job

Kaylie H.

1.) Mitchell, NE

2.) Bigger, nicer, and a variety of

classes

3.) Teachers and Ag

4.) Volleyball, FBLA, Basketball,

NHS, FCA; Cross Country, Basket-

ball, Student Council, FFA

5.) Closer to family

Ronnie L.

1.) Chicago, Illinois

2.) Less drama, more

friends

3.) Off-campus lunch

4.) Baseball; Auto

5.) Brother

Ruben R.

1.) Churchill

County, Ne-

vada

2.) 2x bigger

3.) Bigger and

friends

4.) Skate

5.) Grandma‘s

Job

Veronica P.

1.) Gillette

2.) Stricter here, different

classes

3.) Sports and friends

4.) Volleyball, track, cross

country, cheerleading, ten-

nis, and basketball. I would

like to do basketball here

5.) Family

Zach L.

1.) Chadron, NE

2.) Chardron has more school

spirit, and in Torrington peo-

ple walk around like they

have to be here

3.) New classes I‘m able to

take

4.) Football, wrestling, track,

student council, baseball,

and FBLA. I‘m going to do

everything here except FBLA

5.) Dad got a job

Brian J.

1.) California

2.) This school is two stories,

and has a lot less school spirit.

3.) Electives

4.) Marching band; FBLA.

5.) Family

Jamie H.

1.) Kansas

2.) Bigger, less school spirit.

3.) Soccer

team

4.) Cheer,

dance,

band,

drama,

NHS, Schol-

ars Bowl;

Band and

Drama

5.) Family

Page 10 Friday October 14, 2011 Blazing Sun

Edited by Patrick S.

1. 7th Grade 2. Grandparents 3. Whenever I win 4. Losing 5. No 6. Andy Roddick 7. Don’t suck 8. No 9. None

1. Freshman Year 2. Mary Perkins… Whoop Whoop 3. Winning against Green River in the third set after a tie

breaker during Regionals 4. Playing the nationally-ranked girl from Laramie was

pretty bad. Haha 5. Only in USTA tournaments 6. Mr. Nick B. =) 7. Get better and better 8. Wearing my socks inside out. 9. Having my racket slip out of my hand onto another

court during state.

1. The day before practice started. Perkins encour-aged me to go out for the team.

2. Marry Perkins and Mikayla B. They are both BEASTS!!!!

3. Placing 4th at Regionals.

4. Getting hurt. 5. Not seriously. 6. The William’s sis-

ters. 7. If I can play tennis,

then you can play tennis.

8. I have a pattern whenever I served.

9. Getting hit on by a girl.

1. Sophomore year. Many of my friends were playing tennis 2. 2011 Consolation Champion Mikayla B! 3. Every time I hit someone with a ground stroke or slam 4. Losing to Rock Springs at Regionals and State 5. Just for fun 6. Troy Tulowitski. I don't watch tennis. 7. Move your feet and never stop practicing. 8. Nope 9. Getting hit in the groin by a tennis ball during warm-ups at

state this year.

1. Last year was my first year. 2. My Brother 3. Getting 3rd at State 4. Losing last year at state 5. Maybe for fun 6. Perkins, of course 7. It doesn’t matter how you do, as long as you

look good doing it. 8. Hold the racket with my right hand when I hit. 9. Nothing

1. Started when I was 3 or 4 2. Definitely my dad 3. Winning Regionals 4. Taking a 8 in our team playoff 5. Definitely, for the rest of my life 6. Dustin Johnson 7. It’s not over ‘til it’s over 8. Nope 9. Topping my first drive at state sophomore year

Edited by Patrick S.

Blazing Sun Friday October 14, 2011 Page 11

1. Started when I was young. My dad took me out to play.

2. O.G. Reich 3. Getting all conference and 2nd as a team a con-

ference. 4. Taking a ten on a hole at state. 5. Just for fun 6. Tiger Woods 7. Hydration is key 8. No 9. Getting hit in the back of the head with a golf

ball.

Taylor F.— If you

aren‘t first, you‘re

last

Kaitlyn G.— Go big

or go home Alicia C.— Stay in

School.

Getting to know the juniors...

Chloe

C.—

I don‘t have one

Annie C.— Never

give up

1. I got started when I was about four years old 2. My Grandpa 3. Making varsity all four years 4. Playing golf in the snow in Rawlins 5. Yes, forever 6. Tiger Woods 7. Get out of the way! 8. No 9. Hitting someone else's golf ball

What is your favorite quote?

Page edited by Avery M.

Page 12 Friday October 14, 2011 Torrington High School Mon-

day

Tuesday Wednes-

day

Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

What‘s coming up for THS

students as October comes to

an end . . . .

14

V Foot-

ball@ Buf-

falo

XC@ Glen-

rock

Absaraka

Conf.

15Jv/V

Volley-

ball@

Rawlins

State

Marching

Band@

Casper

16

17

Jv Foot-

ball vs.

Nio-

brara@

Home

18

THS Choir

Concert

7:00 pm

19 20 21

V Football

vs Doug-

las@ home

3A East

Regional

Volleyball

@Buffalo

1A Re-

gional Vol-

leyball@

Torrington

22

3A East

Regional

Volleyball

@Buffalo

1A Re-

gional

Volleyball

@Torring-

ton

State XC

23

24

Parent

Teacher

confer-

ences

4:00-8:00

pm

25

Parent

Teacher

confer-

ences

4:00-7: 30

pm

26 27

State

Volleyball

Tournament

@Casper

28

State

Volleyball

Tourna-

ment

@Casper

No School

29

State

Volleyball

Tourna-

ment

@Casper

School Spirit Staying at home during games

(blank) K.P. not letting us put her name in

the hot section

Hot Weather Winter Weather

Running Being A Couch Potato

Lifting Weights Messing Around in Weights

Good Grades Failing out of THS

Winning Rawlins

Daddy

Jake H. Junior

JoCo Jordan C. Senior

Mr. Automatic

Ross B. Senior

No-Show Mitchell Caitlin M. Sophomore

Carlos

Austin M. Junior

Faithy Faith M. Sophomore

Murph the Smurph

Murphy H. Sophomore

What is your best nickname?

―Champions

keep playing

until they get it

right.‖ -Billie Jean King

Page edited by Dimitri N.

Torrington High School Friday, October 14, 2011 Page 13

Dimitri N. Editor-in-Chief

Igniting Your Dreams never

felt so good!

Torrington High School‘s Fu-

ture Business Leaders of America

(FBLA) chapter is once again in full

swing with their projects. With re-

cruitment up dramatically, dates set

for future events, and attendance at

their state conference, THS FBLA is

ready to make dreams into reality.

After a successful promotion

campaign, the chapter took fourteen

members to the annual Fall Leader-

ship Conference (FLC), hosted by the

Parkway Plaza Hotel and Conven-

tion Centre in Casper.

―I had never been to a Fall

Leadership Conference before,‖ said

senior Dylan S., ―it was exciting to

see and meet new people from

around the state and learn more

about FBLA.‖

―Fall Leadership Conference

was amazing!‖ said chapter reporter-

historian-parliamentarian Kayla B.

Vice-president Caitlyn C.

agreed, adding that ―it was so fun!‖

Much like several other stu-

dent conferences, Wyoming‘s FLC

was riddled with workshops and ses-

sions, all designed for student and

adviser enrichment. One of these

workshops was for the United States‘

most successful service organization,

March of Dimes.

―The chapter treasurer, Trae

T. said, ―I got a much better sense of

what the March of Dimes was and

the history it endured since it‘s

founding. It was easier to under-

stand what we, as FBLA members,

were working towards.‖

Another highly popular

workshop discussed safety on social

networking sites such as Facebook,

Twitter, and LinkedIn, and how to

use those sites for promotional mate-

rial. It focused on privacy settings on

all sites and achieving maximum

results for anything desired.

Additionally, the opening

session featured keynote speaker,

Kyle Scheele, from Missouri. Scheele

talked about originality and being

one in a million. ―Don‘t live your life

being a copy of another person. Be

original. Be one in a million.‖

Scheele quoted.

Concluding another success-

ful Fall Leadership Conference, the

chapter is ready to implement their

knew knowledge for the rest of the

year. One of the major programs

THS FBLA will be presenting will be

the Business Achievement Awards,

an assortment of recognition levels

for the things members do within

their chapter. Also, the 2nd Annual

FBLA Halloween Social was resched-

uled to Saturday the 22nd.

―People should join because

it is fun and it is extremely helpful,‖

added Broberg, ―It helps in prepar-

ing for the future. FBLA applies to

so many aspects of the world and

helps the world in round.‖

―Everyone should join FBLA

because it is a great way to meet new

people and make connections,‖ con-

cluded Caitlyn, ―It is very useful be-

cause it prepares all of us for the fu-

ture.‖

―Facebook‖ cont‘d from page 4 We don‘t just risk our IDs on FB. Rumors suggest that when

people play games on FB, they risk contracting nasty computer vi-

ruses.

If risking ID theft and computer health weren‘t bad enough,

FB posts can impact our academic and employment prospects. Twenty-

one percent of colleges check students‘ FB walls before accepting them

into their college and forty-five percent of employers check up on their

employees‘ FB sites.

After asking students around THS if they feel safe on Facebook, many

gave the responded ―Yes!‖ cheerfully. Others were not so sure if it was

very safe.

―I don‘t put things on FB that I don't want the world to see,‖

Nurse Wendy Lewindowski said. ―I have my son‘s birthday on there,

and that is about it. I do not use it in a stupid way, and I know every

single one of my friends.‖

After learning about some of the problems with FB, some stu-

dents were shocked, and others weren't even bothered by it.

―That‘s really creepy that people can find where you live and steal

things from you,‖ senior Tarah W. said. Korinne

disagreed with Werner, ―It doesn't bother me that peoples identities

are being stolen, because it can happen from many different places,

not just FB.‖

―I do not trust Facebook at all,‖ teacher Kristi McGuire said

about not having Facebook. ―I don‘t like that fact that one person can

post something that everyone can read while it is only meant to go to

one person. I just hate Facebook. I would rather just talk to someone

face-to-face.‖

―I personally don't think a husband and a wife should have

Facebook accounts unless they have one together,‖ teacher and parent

Brian Harms said when asked why he doesn't have a FB. ―Everyone

says it‘s all private, but it really isn't. I think it is damaging my stu-

dents‘ education because the amount of time that people, especially my

daughter spend on Facebook is astronomical.

―However, I do think it decreases cell phone use. I just don't

see the fun in Facebook.‖

Blazers ‗Ignite‘ their dreams at FBLA Conference

By Alex Pham Los Angeles Times (MCT)

LOS ANGELES — Social games

juggernaut Zynga Inc. has an-

nounced a slew of new products

aimed at diversifying its business

beyond Facebook and reaching even

more consumers than the 142 million

people who currently play its games.

In its first major announcement

since declaring in July its intent to

go public, the San Francisco com-

pany said Tuesday that it plans to

launch a site separate from Facebook

where players can congregate and

play its games.

Dubbed ―Project Z,‖ the initia-

tive is significant because it repre-

sents a major push by Zynga to di-

vert players away from Facebook,

whose 750 million active users have

formed a rich pool of customers for

Zynga. The new site would import

players‘ Facebook contacts so users

won‘t have to re-invite friends, offi-

cials said.

―Project Z is a Facebook Connect

-enabled platform, giving you a tai-

lored environment just for games,‖

John Schappert, Zynga‘s chief oper-

ating officer, said at a news confer-

ence.

The move to expand beyond

Facebook‘s site appears to have the

social network‘s blessing. Facebook‘s

head of games, Ethan Beard, was in

attendance at Zynga‘s announce-

ment.

Neither company would talk

about how Zynga would share reve-

nue from the players who migrate to

Zynga‘s site from Facebook. Zynga

currently shares with Facebook 30

percent of the sales it generates from

games played on the popular social

network.

Zynga also declined to disclose when

it would launch the new site — ex-

cept to say it would be ―soon‖ — or

which games would be available on

it.

The company, which has

held off on its initial public offering

of stock amid the stock market con-

vulsions, also unveiled four new

games — ―CastleVille,‖ ―Hidden

Chronicles,‖ ―Zynga Bingo‖ and

―Dream Zoo.‖ It also formed an um-

brella franchise called Zynga Casino,

which will encompass its popular

Texas HoldEm poker game, ―Zynga

Bingo‖ and future casino games.

Zynga put the spotlight on

―CastleVille‖ at the news conference,

calling it ―Zynga‘s most beautiful

game to date.‖ When launched it will

join Zynga‘s popular suite of ―Ville‖

games, including ―FarmVille‖ and

―CityVille,‖ which attract 114 million

players a month, according to

AppData.com, a site that measures

traffic on Facebook.

With higher production val-

ues and more sophisticated game

features than those in Zynga‘s first,

simplistic titles launched four years

ago, ―CastleVille‖ boasts music

played by a 75-piece orchestra, ac-

cording to Bill Jackson, the game‘s

general manager. The story-driven

game also will have graphics that

look more like Hollywood animated

films than the cartoony style preva-

lent in its current lineup.

Overall, Zynga‘s lineup of new prod-

ucts is designed to cement the com-

pany‘s current dominance in the rap-

idly growing market for social

games, said company Chief Execu-

tive Mark Pincus.

―We‘re committed to one vi-

sion, one mission that hasn‘t

changed, it won‘t change,‖ Pincus

said. ―We want to be the biggest

macro bet on social gaming.‖ ©2011 the Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles

Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by MCT Information

Services

Zynga to move games beyond Facebook platform

Torrington High School Friday, October 14 , 2011 Page 12

Every year, we try to feature a bit of

information about each of our seniors:

here‘s the class of 2012‘s edition!

THE QUESTIONS:

1) What‘s your favorite memory?

2) Most embarrassing moment?

3) If you could change one thing

about THS, what would it be?

4) What high school accomplish-

ments are you proudest of?

5) What will you miss about high

school?

6) What are your plans after high

school?

7) Advice to underclassmen?

Chaz H. 1. Johrdan Stone in drama class.

2. Tripping up stairs

3. New rules

4. Graduation soon.

5. Friends

6. Marines

7. Do not be annoying

Anthony G. 1. Chemistry junior year with Ms.

Hayes

2. Falling up the stairs

3. Cops allowed

4. Passing all my classes (so far)

5. Sports events

6. Go to UW and become a history

teacher

7. Grow up, freshman!

Kara H. 1. Chris Anderson and Johrdan Stone

2. Tripping up stairs

3. Annoying underclassmen

4. Making it to my senior year

5. Honestly, nothing

6. Go to college in Las Vegas.

7. Don‘t be annoying and be nice to

teachers

Jamie H. 1. Ell-Saline High School– preparing for

prom. Coming up with ideas and deco-

rating with my friends.

2. I am too awesome to be embarrassed.

3. The location. Closer to food. The boys.

(lol)

4. Making NHS

5. My friends; the feeling of being relaxed.

It only gets harder from here.

6. Go to college and major in Psychology.

7. Get out while you can (hahaha) Get in-

volved and stay active in school

Alex H. 1. My junior prom

2. Sitting on a trash lid and having

your friend sit on you so I fell into the

trash can.

3. Block scheduling

4. Making it ―Cheer, Dance‖ through it

all.

5. Every friend.

6. Going to EWC and getting my de-

grees and masters.

7. Don‘t be afraid

Page edited by Jason M.

Life is either a

daring adven-

ture or nothing. —Helen Keller