the forge, volume 101, issue 5

February 27, 2015Volume 101, Issue 5 [email protected]

THE SBHS

FORGE

What’s Inside?

Sports: Lady Dons reach quarterfinals

Centerspread: the SBIFF

News: The resurgence of measles

thesbhsforge.com

King of Hearts to be announced at Winter Formal

Late last week, staff reporters Lizzie Saunders and Sarina

Wasserman caught up with this year’s nominees for the King of Hearts. Marco Arevalo, Ben Corral, Andrew Gutierrez, Max Mercurio, Gabe Reali, and Jake Sutton were all chosen by the girls of the senior class as your 2015 Prices of Hearts. Voting for the king took place on Thursday, and the winner will be announced on Saturday at the Winter Formal dance held in Dodson’s Meadow. See you there!

How do you feel about being nominated for King of Hearts?

Max: Well I didn’t really want it at first, but now that I have it I’m kind of glad and I’m pretty stoked.

Ben: It’s an honor. I wasn’t really expecting anyone to vote for me but it’s cool, it’s been fun so far.

Andrew: It’s awesome! It’s also pretty nerve wracking though because all of the princes are insanely nice guys and totally deserve the crown! I’m just excited I get to wear a sash...

Gabe: I’m super honored and excited to take part in all festivities that come along with being nominated.

Marco: Honestly I feel great about it! Getting nominated makes me feel awesome!!

Jake: I feel %$*&ing awesome man!

Do you have a date for the dance?Max: Not yet! I don’t have a date yet but

I’ve been thinking about it.Ben: I actually don’t, that’s my dilemma

right now.Andrew: I do have a date! It’s my best

friend, Sierra. She goes to Bishop.Gabe: Sadly I do not.Marco: I do not have a date, riding solo! Jake: I do! Her name’s Megan.

Who would be your dream date?Max: I don’t know...Ben: Blake LivelyAndrew: Dream date. Lady Gaga. Done.Gabe: JoJo when she was in high school.Marco: My dream date would have to

be Kim Kardashian.Jake: That’s tough, Morgan Freeman.

What song makes you bust out your best moves?

Max: “Eye of the Tiger”Ben: “Uptown Funk”Andrew: “Hideaway” by Kiesza - that’s

the jam.Gabe: “Shake It Off” by Taylor SwiftMarco: “5 Hours” by DeorroJake: Any song, I have good moves

dude.

What will you do for the talent part of the competition:

Max: I’m not sure yet. I’m thinking of a rap, but like geek rap. I was thinking of doing “Lose Yourself” but change the lyrics and do like a math type rap.

Ben: I’m still deciding on that, but probably dance, something funny like that.

Andrew: I haven’t fully developed my talent yet...idk I hope it comes out cool. It’s probably going to be a ‘surprise’.

Gabe: I’m singing a Justin Timberlake song!

Marco: I’m going to dance and do the truffle shuffle.

Jake: It’s a secret.

From left: Marco Arevalo, Gabe Reali, Andrew Guitierrez, Jake Sutton, Ben Corral, and Max MercurioPhoto courtesy of Emma Cisek

Lizzie Saunders and Sarina WassermanStaff Reporters

Madrigals struggle to raise money for trip to Italy

The Madrigal Singers are a group of some of the most

talented, highly motivated singers at Santa Barbara High School. Founded in 1968 by William Hatcher, they have toured many countries in Europe to perform choral works produced around the world throughout the centuries. This year, from June 11 to June 18, they plan to perform on a concert tour of Italy, where they will travel to Venice, Rome, Florence, and even the Vatican. However, their trip to Italy may be ruined if they do not meet their $100,000 goal.

“It’s an amazing opportunity and we’re trying desperately to raise enough money to go,” says senior Madrigal Mackenzie Monroe. “We sing on Saturdays at the farmers’ market with a donation box open. Two weeks ago, we even sang in the rain.”

Their efforts should not be taken for granted. The Madrigals are often hired around Christmas time to sing carols at various events. Additionally, they raise money through gigs, concerts, CDs, Christmas and Valentine’s Day singing grams, and mailers. With mailers, they have raised $4,745. Parent donations and previous fundraisers have contributed close to $70,000,but with the time running out the Madrigals are re-doubling their efforts

They have a donation page on the electronic donation service Go Fund Me that is shareable on Facebook, but they have only raised $1,300.

They will be hosting their biggest fundraiser, the Silent Auction, on March 7 at the Santa Barbara Carriage and Western Art Museum on Castillo Street. According to senior Madrigal Nick Blondell, one of the auctioned items will include a week-long stay at an apartment in Tuscany.

For more information about how to donate to their Italy tour, please visit their donation page at http://www.gofundme.com/k02tx4.

Marianna AlevraNews Editor

Submit letters to the editor at [email protected]!

News

Guess who’s back? Back again! Measles is back Measles, the

archaic disease that was thought to have

been wiped out in the United States in the year 2000, has recently resurged. People have been diagnosed with this highly contagious illness in seventeen states (at the time this article was written), a continuation of the large outbreak in 2014 that affected over 600 people.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this year’s major epidemic most likely started when someone who contracted the disease in foreign lands returned to the U.S. This person supposedly went to Disneyland where the disease then spread to seventy-three cases. It was believed at first that

someone from Santa Barbara even contracted the disease, however this case was later dismissed.

Measles is a dangerous respiratory infection but it is preventable. It was under control in the U.S. for several years before the 2014 outbreak, thanks to the vaccine MMR. A recent decline in immunization rates has caused the disease to spread once more. For example, in 2009 the number of two year olds vaccinated against measles was 90.6 % as compared to 93.5% in 2008.

Currently, those refusing vaccination lie in three main camps. There are those who think that the vaccinations cause autism; Christian scientists who believe prayer is the best way to remove the “illusion” of illness; and those that want

to live “naturally” oppose synthesized chemicals.

In fear, some have reacted to the refusal of immunization by proposing mandatory vaccination, citing the safety of the larger community as sufficient justification. This proposal however, is being considered by many as an infringement of rights, and dangerous to those who could be allergic to the vaccine or those with autoimmune disorders.

Whether or not there will be changes to the current system, the disease poses a threat. Those with symptoms of high fever, diarrhea, red and sore eyes, and the possibility of swelling in the neck, should seek medical attention.

Edoardo KaplanManaging Editor

ISIS killings of Jordanian pilot and American humanitarian worker outrage Jordan and the U.S.

Jordan vowed serious revenge after pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh was killed by ISISPhoto courtesy of npr.org

Strong, earth-shaking, and decisive — that’s the response

Jordan vowed after the terrorist group ISIS published a gruesome video of a Jordanian pilot being burned to death in a cage on February 3, even though Islam prohibits the burning of bodies — dead or alive. The pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kasasbeh, was captured after his F-16 plane crashed near Raqqa, Syria, during a mission against ISIS in December.

It is clear that ISIS never had any intention of releasing al-Kasasbeh. Jordanian intelligence assessed that al-Kasasbeh was killed on January 3, well before the supposed prisoner exchange talks began. Jordan had offered to free Sajida al-Rishawi, a failed suicide bomber on death row in Jordan for her role in the attacks in Amman that killed 60 people in 2005, in exchange. He was also part of a deal to free captive Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, who was also beheaded.

Commenting on the atrocity, Jonathan Marcus, BBC’s diplomatic correspondent said, “The cynical manipulation of this episode by ISIS shows the importance it affords to information warfare - here an attempt to create problems for the Jordanian authorities and to weaken the Arab-Western coalition, at a time when it appears to be struggling to make dramatic headway against ISIS on the ground.”

Promising harsh retaliation, the Jordanian government hanged two Iraqi terrorists already on death row (including al-Rishawi) the day after the video was released.

Jordan’s King Abdullah hails al-Kasasbeh as a martyr and hero who died defending Islam and his homeland. According to a friend of al-Kasasbeh, al-Kasasbeh came from a prominent Jordanian family and felt it was his religious duty to fight extremist groups that were “distorting the true spirit of Islam.”

Additionally, armed forces spokesman Mamdouh al-Ameri emphasized, “Our

punishment and revenge will be as huge as the loss of the Jordanians.”

Jordan joined the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS by launching numerous airstrikes. The airstrikes have been focused on Raqqa, Syria: the de facto capital of the group’s self-styled caliphate. The United States and several Arab allies, including Jordan, have been striking ISIS in Syria since September 23.

In similar news, it has been confirmed that an American humanitarian worker, Kayla Mueller, was also killed by ISIS this month. Mueller was abducted in Aleppo, Syria, in August 2013 as she left a hospital operated by Doctors Without Borders.

Until the beginning of this month, her disappearance was an iron-clad secret kept by her parents who begged journalists around the world not to disclose her name. ISIS revealed her name and said that she was killed during an air attack against ISIS by Jordan in Syria, although the intelligence community could not confirm the legitimacy of this claim. People around the world still had hope that Mueller could still be alive, until ISIS provided a proof of death to her parents via email.

President Barack Obama offered his condolences to the families of both Kayla Mueller and Lt. Muath al-Kasasbeh.


A Clarification: From the Publisher In the most recent Forge edition, dated

Jan. 30, an article concerning Freshman seminar and Health went to press in its original, unedited format, and gave the impression that Freshman Seminar and Health would no longer be required to be taken by incoming freshmen. To clarify: Freshman Seminar and Health are still required courses. For those incoming freshmen who choose the Performing Arts career pathway ( Instrumental music, choral music, Theatre), various solutions are being proposed that will help students fulfill their requirements and pursue the performing arts ( e.g. embedding Freshman Seminar in a Beginning Theatre class, or taking it online; taking Health at some point in the high school arc). We apologize for any confusion we might have created.

February 27,2015

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Editors

Emma CisekTyler GreenwaldEditors-in-Chief

Nicola FreelandLayout Editor

Edoardo Kaplan Managing Editor

Website Editor


Gabriel RealiNick Blondell

Entertainment Editors

Blake DeVineSports Editor

Beau LettieriWebsite Editor

Chris GuldenOpinion Editor

staff rEportErs

Emmanuel GonzalezMark Gross

Alonso MartinezAlyssa MendiblesLizzie Saunders

Sarina WassermanMitzi De La LuzAlexis GaytanAnaeli Zarate

Evelin CervantesSean Perez

frEElancE WritErsDavid ZevallosOlivia Harris

Pheobe Mullen

advisor

Otto Layman

Staff

The ForgeRoom 31, 700 E. Anapamu St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

805.966.9101 ex. 5031

Opinion

Teachers’ aides don’t do $!&#Teachers’ aides are

granted excessive liberties by many

teachers. Although not every aide abuses their power, the instances in which they do are far too numerous.

Many teachers assign their aides the task of grading assignments or written examinations by referring to a rubric or answer key. This is beneficial because the teacher has additional time to focus on more pressing matters; however, TA’s have the ability to grade pupils’ submissions with a bias. For example, if the TA is grading an assignment belonging to a friend of his or hers, the aide could score the paper as earning more points than deserved by marking incorrect answers as correct. If the TA is scoring an assignment submitted by a peer that the aide dislikes, that student could receive a lower grade than is fair if the TA marks correct answers as incorrect.

In addition to grading papers, TA’s are frequently charged with recording students’ scores in the gradebook that had been previously graded by the teacher of the class. This is potentially problematic as the aide could input grades in a dishonest fashion for their own personal reasons. During an interview with senior Kelsey Klinger, an aide for one of Mr. Mario’s physics classes last semester, I inquired, “Do you feel that you’ve been given too much power in that if you wanted to grade a student’s paper as better than it deserves, you could?” Klinger replied, “Yes- I don’t, but I easily could if I wanted to.” When asked the same question in a separate interview, an aide for a history class who requested the protection of anonymity replied, “Yes, and yeah, I do take advantage of that.”

Very similar to the flaws with allowing students to grade or record the quality of other students’ assignments is having them report attendance, as this provides the opportunity for aides to report absent pupils as present, and vice versa. For the most part, attendance is correctly

documented by TA’s. In response to the question, “When taking attendance, do you ever mark people who aren’t there as present?” senior Karla Sainz, an aide for Mr. Claffey’s English class last semester, replied, “No, [Mr. Claffey] always double-checks the attendance.” However, it is more than likely that there are teachers’ aides less honest than Sainz, as well as teachers who don’t allot time to review the work of their aides for accuracy.

For my fifth period during second semester of last school year, I was an aide in the Assistant Principals’ office. While there was no attendance for me to take, I was asked to input each day’s lunch detention attendance that had been recorded by hand by Mr. Warrecker into the computer system. I certainly could have marked friends of mine who had neglected to complete their assigned detentions as having attended in order to avoid their punishment of Saturday school, especially considering that I was the final person to review that list (although it could have been accessed at any time by a school official, of course). I saved myself the irritation of being constantly pestered with ‘Hey Chris, can you mark me present to detention today?’ by keeping this responsibility to myself; I lacked the incentive to abuse this power.

Yet another issue is that many teachers have recruited aides for periods during which they do not need assistance. As a result, I have been seeing these students walking around or leaving campus for the period almost daily, stating that their teacher had dismissed them- which allowed them to receive academic credit for what was essentially a free period. The aide for one of my classes last year was permitted to leave after checking in for attendance reasons every single day, without exception. On my way to the restroom, a trip I make during the period after lunch on more days than not, it is usual for me to cross paths with a friend or two of mine who serve as

aides. I frequently strike up conversation with them, and on one such occurrence I asked a pair of students (both aides) to provide answers to some brief questions. I inquired of them both, “Do you ever leave class to do unrelated things?” to which one aide replied, “All the time,” and the other, “I leave sometimes.” I continued, “Where are we right now?” and was answered with, “In the quad… I mean taking a potty break.” Of course it is the minority of teachers who allow this gross misuse of time, but we all know that this does occur. Without a doubt, it is unfair for a student to receive credit for a period in which they do literally nothing.

In addition, teachers’ aides are not always productive. For example, as a TA for the AP office, I was occasionally asked to return the extra milk cartons from lunch detention to the cafeteria. On especially hot days, I would enter through the back door and cool down in the walk-in refrigerator for several minutes that could have been spent actually doing my job. Furthermore, a teacher of mine would purchase treats for his class, such as pizza, drinks, chips, or popsicles, almost weekly last school year if he was satisfied with his students’ behavior. On such occasions, I would text message one of my friends who was an aide for the attendance office, and invite her to take a break from delivering slips in order to share some of the food that Mr. Thomas had brought in. Also, I am certain that I cannot be the only one to have witnessed a TA doing unrelated classwork or scrolling Instagram like his or her life depended on it. It is unreasonable to allow aides to do these things; the class is not the same as study hall. In addition, I commonly see students distracted from their work because an aide has trapped them in conversation- something I myself have participated in quite a bit.

Finally, some teachers allow their aides greater access to their personal belongings. I have seen this lead to issues such as the theft of blank call-slips. With

access to these, students are able to forge (pun intended) signatures which allows them to ditch class, leaving the attendance office none the wiser. This method allowed a classmate of mine to tap out of our biology class last year whenever she pleased.

Why is it that teachers, in some instances, allow their aides to waste so much time and abuse their power in these ways, whether intentionally or otherwise? I hypothesize that some teachers are so lenient because they are fond of their aides. After all, students seeking a position as an aide need approval not only from the counseling office, but from the teacher whose class the student wishes to be an aide for as well. If the teacher disliked that student, he or she would simply refuse to sign the slip. Of course teachers are unaware of some of the things that their aides are doing, but that is no excuse to allow them to continue misusing their time and power.

Plain and simple, if students conducted themselves in a similar fashion in academic classes, they would struggle to pass. As such, students employed as aides should be more closely monitored if they are to continue receiving credits towards graduation. Very straightforward measures could be taken to solve all of the problems with this flawed system, such as requiring teachers to double-check the work of their aides for accuracy and tracking inventory of call-slips. Without a doubt, no TA should be responsible for scoring papers, recording grades in the teacher’s gradebook, or taking attendance- that is the teacher’s job. I would estimate that the overwhelming majority of aides execute their duties as they are intended to, which has proven incredibly beneficial to teachers, but we cannot turn a blind eye towards the few aides who participate in this gross misconduct.


Bad boys, bad bathrooms Many Santa Barbara

High School students have noticed that the

boys’ bathroom located at the North end of the main hall, which was labeled ‘out of order’ several months ago, has still not been repaired nor reopened.

Quite a few of those who frequent the campus’ 200’s wing are distressed as a result of this lengthy closure because they must take detours in order to reach a functional restroom. This irritates both teachers and male students, as those needing to use the bathroom are rendered tardy on many occasions.

One of Santa Barbara High School’s Assistant Principals, David Meister, provided some insight on the topic. He stated, “the bathroom was closed because of leaking under the sub-floor”, and was informed by one of the maintenance employees via radio that work had been resumed on Friday.

The restroom was closed in late 2014 when proclaimed dysfunctional.

The process of repairing it has been determined too lengthy and complicated to be completed immediately, and thus was scheduled for Winter break of 2014. However, the bathroom is still out of commision.

Meister said the reason that the bathroom has been closed for so long is because “we had to wait for it to dry out, and now [the maintenance crew] is trying to get it re-opened.” Beneath the floor, Meister continued, “there was two feet of standing water in there. It was like a lake in there, bro.”

Our school’s bathroom facilities are equipped with excellent hardware that is more luxurious than most other school restrooms. The School District reserves a very significant portion of its budget on the restrooms; our sinks, toilets, urinals, and hand-dryers even have motion sensors so we do not have to touch nearly as many unsanitary surfaces. Although I will admit it is bothersome that the hand-dryers do not work as powerfully as others, we


are generously provided with quality bathrooms at the taxpayers’ expense.

When given such nice restrooms to use, I get irritated when I am subjected to rants about this restroom being blocked off. I find it surprising that this is such a big deal for some of you, considering the way you treat the bathrooms.

Nearly every time I go in one of the restrooms, the floor is at least partially covered by a layer of suspicious liquid. More often than not, there is toilet paper or trash on the ground and in the sinks. On occasion, I notice pieces of paper stuck to the face of the motion sensors so that the toilets do not flush preemptively, which is inconsiderate because the next person has to clean up after you in order for the toilet to flush.

In addition, I am sure that everyone has noticed that there is no shortage of vandalism in the stalls. Markings from pencils, pens, and Sharpies are everywhere; someone even put in the effort to bring black paint to school for

this very purpose (it was not spraypaint, either). Was it necessary to scratch “TRAP HOUSE” on the hand-dryer in the boys’ restroom at the English building? What about “DON’T GET EBOLA” on the toilet seat? Stop tagging the bathrooms; it doesn’t make you cool, and it certainly is not ‘art’.

To top it off, I see clumps of toilet paper on the ceiling and walls from time to time. For whatever reason, some kid is balling up toilet paper, getting it wet, and then throwing it around. Maybe that behaviour is excusable for an elementary schooler, but you are not six years old anymore. Surely nobody trashes their bathrooms at home this way. Just because you crap in the bathrooms does not mean you should treat them like crap. Somebody has to clean up after your mess, and I promise you that the custodial staff is not pleased. Show some respect for what you have been given, grow up, and cut out this nonsense.

Continued on page 5

3February 27, 2015

Features

Artists of the month: Hana Antrim, Graham Collector, Patrick Hall, and Julia Kupiec

If you live in Santa Barbara you’ve probably

heard about the Santa Barbara International Film Festival that has been going on the past couple of weeks. It’s an annual event that continues to be debatably one of Santa Barbara’s most famous event for cinema-goers. It has attracted several A-list actors, directors and screenwriters over the years including Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo Dicaprio, and James Cameron.

One of the notable events is the student filmmaking competition called 10-10-10, which 10 students only have 10 days to create a 10 minute film. It features high school and college screenwriters/filmmakers. Out of the 48 screenplays and 36 film submissions this year, only 5 film-makers and 5 screenwriters were selected from both high school and college.

Once all of the finalists were selected, each filmmaker was paired with a screenwriter to create a short film for the festival. Each student was given a mentor that specialized in the film or writing field to help them.

This year 4 students from Santa Barbara High School were selected to participate: Hana Antrim (screenwriter), Patrick Hall (filmmaker), Julia Kupiec (filmmaker), and Graham Collector (screenwriter). All 4 students are seniors and part of the Multi-Media Arts & Design Academy on campus. The films were all shown on Saturday, February 7 at the Arlington

From left: Graham Collector, Hana Antrim, Julia Kupiec, and Patrick Hall all participated in SBIFF 10-10-10Photo courtesy of Gabe Reali

Theater. Hana Antrim won for best screenplay and Patrick Hall won for best film. This was Patrick’s third year being a finalist in the festival and the second

time winning the competition. Patrick and Julia are both planning on pursuing film in college as well as Hana and Graham for writing. The winners were each awarded

a scholarship to Relativity Education in LA as well as a $500 gift card to Sammy’s Camera.

Gabe RealiEntertainment Editor

HoroscopesAries- March 21 -

April 20:Your big ego gets

in the way of many amazing opportunities. It’s time to have a reality check and realize that you are not the only person in the world and become as humble as an Aries can be, even if that means letting go of your precious pride. It’s not always the best thing to think so highly of yourself. You need to tone it down and become one of the people! Or at least tone it down while talking about yourself to others.

Taurus- April 21 - May 21:Time to stop hoarding all your food and

money! Try to give some things away, not all of it, but some, and don’t think you own absolutely everything...because you don’t! Your stubbornness will get in the way of many things that will have you lose great opportunities and even special people in your life. Let things go the way others want it to, it doesn’t always have to be all about you.

Gemini- May 22 - June 21:Let your inner child come out even if

people criticize you for it, you are who you are whether your inner child is more childish than other Gemini’s. You know exactly how your mind works and if someone can’t understand that then that’s their problem. You are as smart as they

come and some people have a hard time seeing it, but it’s fine, just be who you are and not what they want you to be.

Cancer- June 22 - July 23:Drop the act! You should stop pretending

to be tough and just show your sweet and sensitive personality. It’s okay to be a soft hearted person, especially if you love to save the precious sentimental memories or items you have collected over the years. Show it off, it is your treasure and you should teach others how to appreciate items or even memories the way you do.

Leo- July 24 - August 22:You may be able to cheer up every

single one of your friends but you still need to think about you and how you feel. It’s nice that you love to cheer your loved ones up whenever they’re down but remember even the strongest lions need some cheering up too! Instead of lying and saying everything is okay tell someone the truth about you feel, it will make you not only feel a million times better but the person you went to too!

Virgo- August 23 - September 22:You have control of everything whether

it involves you or not, but you need to take control of your own life. Don’t nit pick other people’s problems and feel like it’s your obligation to help, it’s time to focus on you. Sit down and think about ways to make you as a person better, it will feel weird at first, but thinking of yourself

before someone else but it is absolutely fine to do.

Libra- September 23 - October 22:You love love, just the fact that you are

in love with someone and they are in love with you too. It makes you feel like the luckiest person in the world. You also love to procrastinate, you and your decision making is the worst part of being a Libra. This month, make a change. Try to make a decision right away even if it’s a sketchy decision. Go with the first thing you think of! It’s fine to get something’s wrong but do not lag making the decision!

Scorpio- October 23 - November 21Let’s start off with your jealousy! Knock

it off, if someone doesn’t want to spend time with you it’s okay, you can make other plans and hang out with someone else. Try not hold a grudge that will cause you to want to run to revenge, that is not the answer! Try knitting or running, and don’t stress over the ones who have done you wrong. Remember: what goes around back around. Karma.

Sagittarius- November 22 - December 21:

Your openness will get you a lot of hate from others. Some people will love how open and friendly you are and others will hate how you have all those wonderful aspects. Try not to open your mouth unless it’s something nice to say even if it is a lie. Not everyone wants to hear the truth

so remember to bite your tongue!

Capricorn- December 22 - January 20: It’s time for you to stop being so shy!

Show how you are a true and genuine friend that can be trusted with absolutely anything. When you have off days just remember to not show your jealousy or even moodiness. Try to show that you are okay because your moodiness makes you look like an unattractive person.

Aquarius- January 21 - February 19:It’s easy to understand why you would

have a difficult time opening up with people, but it’s okay to have your secrets. You shouldn’t keep people out! You should try to be more open about yourself let people get to know you a lot more. Even if they are the closest friends or family you have, they still want to know more about you. Try to be more outgoing when it comes to yourself.

Pisces- February 20 - March 20:Try not spreading rumors about others,

especially if they are your friends. Rumors will ruin your friendship between you and that friend. Also don’t open your mouth about secrets! The person that told you a secret trusted you for a reason with that secret therefore you now need to keep it. You wouldn’t like it if someone had told a secret you told them so you shouldn’t tell either.

Alyssa MediblesStaff Reporter

February 27,2015

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Features

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.

The SBHS Psychologists

He was born on January 15, 1929. He used more force in the

civil rights movement, using a non-violent approach. He was a living example that one can change the world. This man is Martin Luther King Jr., a man well known for his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

Dr. King graduated high school at the age of fifteen and received his B.A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College. King later enrolled in Boston University in 1953. In 1954 he became the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. King subsequently organized a bus boycott in early December of 1955. This boycott lasted 382 days. On December 21, 1956, negroes and whites rode on the same buses as equals after the Supreme Court of the United States deemed it unconstitutional to segregate laws. During this time King was arrested, threatened, endangered, and subjected to personal abuse while he emerged as the leader of the first rank as a negro.

In 1957, King was elected as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. SCLC was an organization that formed to provide leadership for the Civil Rights Movement. In 1957-1968 King traveled over six million miles and spoke in places where there was injustice, protest, and action. King wrote five books and many articles. At the age of thirty-five King was the youngest man to receive a

Nobel Peace Prize. He announced that he would turn over the prize money to the Civil Rights Movement.

On April 14, 1968 he was assassinated on the balcony of a motel room in Memphis, Tennessee. King was buried at South-View Cemetery in Atlanta near the graves of his parents.

His wife Coretta Scott King, later built the King Center. The King Center was built as a commitment to the causes for which he lived and died. Today it is a educational and social change institutional. Eventually, Corretta moved her husband’s body next

to Ebenezer Baptist Church. Coretta is buried next to her husband.

“Free at last, Free at last. Thank god almighty I’m Free at last.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

So far from what I have seen here at Santa Barbara High School I have not noticed any racism. Although I have not witnessed it, I know somewhere around campus there is, but not out in the open. Perhaps people are very well aware that this school is hate free zone, and it is a civil right to live free of discrimination.

During the month of February we celebrate Black History MonthPhoto courtesy of gagop.org

Anaeli ZarateStaff Reporter

The Santa Barbara School District cares

deeply about the health of the students within their boundaries. The district strives to make sure both the physical and mental health issues that students have are identified, and that the issues themselves are resolved. Beginning in the late seventies, the district hired sixteen psychologists and assigned them to various schools (Santa Barbara High has two psychologists out of the sixteen overall). The psychologists are technically part of special ed, and their primary job is identifying students with disabilities. If

Mark GrossStaff Reporter

Things teachers do that annoy meLizzie SaundersStaff Reporter

1. Forget my name. I know you have a lot of other students, but I

can assure you, I am one of a kind. Calling me by my full name (that no one ever calls me) is equally bad.

2. Not letting me go to the bathroom. It is my right to go where ever and whenever, so don’t lecture me about going before class. Oh, and if I accidentally say, “can I go to the bathroom” instead of, “may I go to the bathroom” don’t lecture me about that because I obviously know if I am capable to do so.

3. Assume that no question means I know the answer. Just because we don’t

have questions right after your lesson doesn’t mean that we will get an A on the test.

4. Make inappropriate jokes. If we can’t say it, you can’t say it. And even if you’re joking some things are just off limits in school conversations.

5. Assuming we have nothing else to do besides schoolwork. We are not all nerds. If you assign over 2 hours of homework, we are not going to do it. We have lives that don’t revolve around academics.

6. Assuming we’re all scummy teenagers. We don’t all do drugs, so stop assuming the worst of your students, we are all just trying to make it through high

school.7. Getting lazy. So I did all the

homework that you assigned and now I have to wait weeks to see if I failed the last test.

8. Think we’re pals. Unless I have made it VERY clear that I like you, don’t assume that we are on any sort of friendly basis. Give me an A and we can joke around later.

9. Peace circles.You might be stupid enough to pull this one, but I’m not stupid enough to say what I want to say. I would definitely get expelled for that.

10. Ice breakers. I don’t really care about learning the names of everyone

in the class, but if it wastes more time, whatever.

11. Assign group projects. Everyone knows that group projects are unfair so why even assign them at all?

12. Giving homework on a vacation. Just why?

13. Tell the same joke every period. If people from every period of the day are talking about how funny your story was, then you’ve said it way too many times.

14. Pick favorites. Of course you are going to have some students who you just adore, but if I can decipher who they are by the way you treat them, something isn’t right.

a student does qualify, the psychologists notify special ed so the student can get the help they need.

However, not all students are sent to the psychologists because of mental disabilities. Oftentimes, students arrive at the psychologists for a variety of reasons. Some students are sent to the psychologists by counselors, others are referred by friends or classmates, and some simply walk in and sit down. The most common issues that students have are anxiety related to school, followed closely by issues relating to the subject’s peers. Other common issues are drug abuse, relationship troubles, and trouble

at home. “The most satisfying thing about

working as a school psychologist,” said school psychologist Juan Gallardo, “is seeing troubled students improve themselves overall and go on to graduate.” Mr. Gallardo also says that any students who are feeling troubled should come and meet with a psychologist on campus so that the issues you may have can be resolved.

Our school psychologists can be found above the nurse’s office, near the little gym.

Things overheard in the hallway

“What if Jose and his Korean girlfriend were like...and then like...yeah.”

“Hey, I was just talking about how I wanted to impregnate you!”

“If we are not having pizza I am not eating”

“How do girls make those towel hat things?”

“My hair looks like a sneeze”

“The smell of popcorn speaks to me”

“If I were a pasta I’d be one of those fatter versions of angel hair, like bigger than that but smaller than lasagna”

“If you had no arms would you run slower?”

“Literally everything that I do is because I’m a lazy piece of trash, and I want to be able to be lazy later.”

“Do you even want to go to college?”“Yeah because I want to have electricity

and stuff when I’m older.”

Bad boys, bad bathroomsContinued from page 3The students who do these inconsiderate

things to our bathrooms have no right to whine about the closure of this particular restroom. Although this is not the reason that the bathroom is closed, it certainly is not speeding up the process of its repair. Those of you who do things of this nature need to take better care of the restrooms, because everyone else who wants to use them after you suffers.

While it is unfortunate that SBHS boys are short one restroom, the District plans to have it up and running again as soon as possible. It is what it is, but complaining about it is not going to resurrect the facility any faster.

5February 27, 2015

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival: A Recap

Entertainment Editors Nick Blondell and Gabe Reali interveiw Ellar Coltrane of Boyhood at the Virtuosos Awards

Photo courtesy of Emma Cisek

Suzie Davis, production designer of BoyhoodPhoto courtesy of Nick Blondell

Entertainment Editors Nick Blondell and Gabe Reali gossip with Rosamund Pike of Gone Girl


Board members of the SBIFFPhoto courtesy of Nick Blondell

There’s something magical about the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, something that can be discovered at any of the events or films. The “stars” are actually quite

down to earth, and the selections are quite interesting. The independent films brought up “a lot of concepts that aren’t discussed in the mainstream media,” said entertainment editor Gabe Reali when asked about Maps to the Stars, a movie starring Academy Award winner Julianne Moore. I myself saw the screen adaptation of Jason Robert Brown’s poignant and touching musical The Last Five Years, and was deeply moved by its concept and completion. SBIFF is not only a great opportunity to learn about the power of film, but also to meet famous celebrities and ask them well-thought, down-to-earth questions. Every actor, director, and technician The Forge interviewed were more than happy to answer my questions, and we are extremely grateful for the opportunity that was granted to us by the SBIFF.

Nick BlondellEntertainment Editor

February 27,2015

6

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival: A Recap

Logan Lerman of Fury at the Virtuosos AwardsPhoto courtesy of Emma Cisek

Entertainment Editor Nick Blondell jokes around with Jenny Slate at the Virtuosos Awards


Sandra Adair, editor of BoyhoodPhoto courtesy of Nick Blondell

Damien Chazelle, writer/director of WhiplashPhoto courtesy of Nick Blondell

Hana Antrim and Patrick Hall, winners of the 10-10-10 CompetitionPhoto courtesy of Maisie Zimmerman

7February 27, 2015

Entertainment

What is Drood?: The SBHS Spring productionA CASTING

NOTICE

By William Cartwright

Greetings, friends! It is I, William Cartwright, the chairman of London’s Music Hall Royale, and I am pleased to announce that our wonderful musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood will be playing at the SBHS theater in late April and early May. This being a musicale with dramatic interludes, we cordially invite you to view our wonderful performance! The cast will be as follows:

EDWIN DROOD will be portrayed by Ms. Alice Nutting. I understand why you would be confused, seeing a woman’s name in a man’s role! However, Alice is a gifted male impressario, so it will not matter what’s under her bloomers (or trousers, when she’s on stage.) (The actual actor will be Camille Umoff.)

JOHN JASPER, choirmaster, will be portrayed by gifted vocalist Clive Paget, a rakish individual who you should not trust a woman around. He will wine and dine them, and eventually...well, you know. (Aaron Linker)

ROSA BUD will be portrayed by the lovely Deidre Peregrine, our young ingenue! Her voice could make the angels weep, and she has led many men and women to tears as well, due to her awful personality. (Meredith Lemert)

NEVILLE LANDLESS will be played be the newest member of the Music Hall Royale, Victor Grinstead. He was cast in this role due to his manly baritone voice and probably his facial characteristics (he plays an Indian.) (Irving Soto)

HELENA LANDLESS is portrayed by Janet Conover, a fiery actress who is older than she would like to admit. This will be her eleventh role at the Music Hall Royale. (Rio Salazar)

THE REVEREND MR. CRISPARKLE will be portrayed by Cedric Moncrieffe, an actor usually accustomed to playing villains of Shakespeare. He is extremely excited to appear in his first singing role (that is why he has hardly any singing in the show.) (Nick Blondell)

MR. NICK CRICKER will play Durdles, a grave digger/tomb-maker. His son, MASTER NICK CRICKER, will portray Durdles’ sidekick, Deputy. Mr. Cricker has become very paranoid, and hopes to make sure his son will play no lead roles while at the Music Hall Royale. (Blake and Bradley Devine)

The young Angela Prysock will portray THE PRINCESS PUFFER, an opium dealing London low life, in her most challenging role yet. She is known for truly “becoming her character”, and has thus become quite the drug addict. (Shug Cvitanic)

The characters of BAZZARD and

WAITER are insignificant, and are therefore portrayed by Phillip Bax. (Spencer Glesby)

Finally, the MAYOR THOMAS SAPSEA will be played by James Hitchens, commonly known for his public lewdness and overall alcoholism. He wishes to know how many women in the audience are single, and if they are, he’d

like to speak with them. (Alessio Morello)The Cast also includes: Hailey Simmons,

Sable Layman, Sarina Wasserman, Kendall Christensen, Lizzie Saunders, Mia Valdez, Hannah Robinson, Andrew Gutierrez, Nolan McCarthy, Cooper Umoff, Ben and David Zevallos, and Cai Norton. The Chairman is portrayed by Quique Hernandez-Black.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood will be opening later this SpringPhoto courtesy of Beau Lettieri


Movie review: Kingsman: The Secret Service “Manners

Maketh Man” is the unofficial

byline of Matthew Vaugn’s latest film, Kingsman: The Secret Service. However, the men in the film must be very bad, for while their suits are incredibly well tailored, their manners are completely awful. That is, though, on purpose; Kingsman is what it sets out to be: a crass, action-filled spy romp, and it ends up being one of the best films of the new year.

The whole premise of the film is very simple: a young man from a challenged family is recruited into a secret spy agency which uses code names straight out of Eliot. Eggsy, the main character, is the protege of Harry Hart (a quite funny Colin Firth), and soon discovers a plot to “cure the world” by the criminal mastermind Valentine (a lisping, perfect Samuel L. Jackson). Hijinks ensue, and a hilarious popcorn movie is thus created. Taron Egerton, who is terrific as Eggsy, is new on the film scene, but will certainly be around for some time. His turn as the gymnast turned spy is one for the ages, and his chemistry with Firth and Jackson is top-notch.

When discussing Kingsman, one cannot forget about the violence that is strewn throughout the film. The film is extremely violent throughout, but there is one scene that is filled with a perfect

mixture of blood and guts. So be warned: this is not for the faint of heart!

Rounding out the cast are Michael Caine and Mark Strong; the former as the head of Kingsman, and the latter as its technical genius. Mark Hamill (the original Luke Skywalker) has a cameo as an environmental scientist, and Sofia


Boutella as a femme fatale with deadly Oscar Pistorius legs. They are both quite good, but the film would not be anywhere without Matthew Vaugn’s direction. Hyper-intense sequences of insane action are extremely fun, and overall, the film leaves one with in a happy mood. It also ends with an extremely sexual joke. It’s

basically the dirtiest, sexiest, and funniest James Bond film of all time (it just happens not to be a Bond film).

Kingsman: The Secret Service is rated R, for a bunch of violence, blood, butt jokes, and fun.

Colin Firth plays Harry Hart in Matthew Vaugn’s Kingman: The Secret ServicePhoto courtesy of collider.com

February 27,2015

8

Fun & Games

The Forge is looking for a cartoonist! If you are

interested, send us an email with a sample of your artwork

to [email protected]

Submit letters to the editor at [email protected]!

9February 27, 2015

Boys Tennis starts off season strong Heading into this

season, the Santa Barbara boys tennis

team holds high expectations coming off of a year in which they won their 14th straight Channel League title and reached the second round of the CIF Division 1 playoffs. This was despite the fact that the Dons were forced to adapt last season by giving some younger players significant playing time.

“This year, we start off not knowing what to expect since we have a lot of new players on the team,” said Santa Barbara head coach Greg Tebbe. “So far, our guys have came out prepared, in good shape, played very consistent, and competed with smart tennis.”

Most recently, the Dons picked up a 17-1 road victory over Arroyo Grande in a non-league matchup on Wednesday afternoon. Santa Barbara was led by it’s singles tandem of Jackson Powell and Taggart Mills, who both went 3-0 on the day. The doubles teams of Jordan Rodnick matched Logan Lender and Miles Hale paired with Harry DeBoer each went 3-0 respectively.

“Today, I thought we were really consistent in making our shots and were really focused on the court,” chipped in Powell.

Before this, three doubles team went 2-0 for Santa Barbara during a season opening 11-7 victory over Cate at the SBHS tennis courts on Tuesday afternoon.

In this match, the Dons won six out of nine doubles points and five out of nine points in singles.

The doubles teams of Jordan Rodnick with Logan Lender, Harry deBoer paired with Taggart Mills, and Jake Sutton matched with Tyler Greenwald all grabbed two wins. In singles play, Powell won both of his matches and Miles Hale went 2-1 for Santa Barbara.

“One thing I try to do in these early matches is experiment with different doubles teams,” added coach Tebbe. “With these pairs, I not only look at their results but how they are doing on the court with each other. Although it takes a while to figure out, much of it is finding people who get along on the court.”

When asked what he hopes to learn from these early matches, Powell responded: “Just how well we can fight out on the court for every point. We have the talent but we have to prove it by battling hard out there.”

In this match, the Dons got off to a fast start as they won their first 10 matches. This led to coach Tebbe putting in his subs, which allowed the Rams to close the gap in the final round.

“In these early games, you get to see the players who may perform better in practice as opposed to a real match when they get nervous under pressure,” commented coach Tebbe. “For this purpose, I get to see who might be a better singles player versus who might play

better with a doubles partner.” Santa Barbara (2-0 overall) hosted

Palos Verdes in a non-league matchup yesterday. This capped of a busy first week for the Dons, who played three consecutive matches versus Cate, Arroyo Grande, and Palos Verdes. Santa Barbara travels to Pepperdine to face Viewpoint on Tuesday.

“Regardless of how good we are, my main goal every year is for the team to improve throughout the season. This year, our team goal is to win Channel League which is going to be tough because Dos Pueblos is really strong and San Marcos has got some good players,” concluded coach Tebbe.


Santa Barbara’s William Belfiore reaches for the ball during Tuesday’s match-up versus Cate.

Photo courtesy of Marianna Alevra

Rising Athlete: John Jensen

Santa Barbara third baseman John Jenson is ready for a big junior year seasonPhoto courtesy of John Jensen

This spring season, be on the look out for John Jensen making a

huge impact for the Santa Barbara High School baseball team. Whether he is fielding balls from the “hot corner” at third base or getting big-time hits, the junior is expected to have a breakout year for the Dons. Last season, Jensen was called up to the varsity squad to replace an injured

player during a tournament in Arizona. It was his outstanding play there that immediately caught the eye of coach Fred Warrecker, who decided to keep his name on the varsity roster. In addition to playing for SBHS, the third baseman competed on the Chicago Cubs U-18 scout team this summer. The star player hopes that this will help him get recruited to D-1 college baseball teams such as UCSB, USC, and

UC Irvine. John hopes his quest for a chance to play at the collegiate level will start with a Channel League title this year.

When did you first start playing baseball and who or what inspired you to start?

I started playing baseball when I was about four years old. My Dad really inspired me because back when he played, I would go and watch his baseball games. My father was the one who taught me the game in my own front yard. We would always play wiffle ball, where he would pitch and I would bat. That really sparked my interest in the game.

Do you have favorite baseball player? If so, who and why?

My favorite baseball player is the Dodgers’ left-handed ace Clayton Kershaw. He is a very humble guy whose already won three Cy Young awards and an MVP. I just admire the way he carries himself on the field and you can tell he is a leader.

What aspect of the sport of baseball do you enjoy the most?

I really enjoy the fans and the energy that comes when you do something well. The roar of the crowd really fires me up. Also, your teammates are right there supporting you in the same way and it is just an awesome feeling.

Who has contributed the most to your

individual success throughout your career?

The coaches contribute a lot and most notably Fred Warrecker at the high school. Coach Warrecker teaches baseball but also instills the knowledge on how to be a good person in the world by being a great man. Overall, Fred has really groomed me to become a better player and a better man.

What has SBHS baseball done for you rather than playing club or attending another high school?

What Santa Barbara High School baseball does for you is that they really teach the sport of baseball but also make it important to have a good future in life. They tell you to always keep your head up when things aren’t going your way by “flipping the page” and moving forward.

What are your hopes and goals as you enter into your junior year season at Santa Barbara High?

I really want to win the Channel League title and bring Santa Barbara High back to the top again like they were in the past. Individually, I want to have a good average and drive in a lot of runs. Most importantly, I hope to have a great time with my teammates because this only happens once in your lifetime so I want to make the best of it and hopefully go all the way this year.

Tyler GreenwaldEditor-in-Chief

SportsFebruary 27,2015

10

Boys Lacrosse gears up for first season as recognized CIF sport

The Santa Barbara boys lacrosse team is ready for it’s first season as a CIF sport.

Photo courtesy of Mitch Klopp

This spring sports season, the boys lacrosse team at

Santa Barbara will begin its first year as a recognized CIF sport. The boys team has 15 players on the squad and will compete in a 17-game season.

The Dons are under the direction of Mike Terry, a first-year head coach with an extensive background of lacrosse on the East Coast. On the field, Santa Barbara has the luxury of playing with Will Beithtol, a sophomore defenseman. Beithtol made the West Coast Stars Sectional team during the summer. Also expected to make a notable impact is sophomore midfielder Max Kyle.

“Last year, they were a club and were able to play free and relaxed. This year, we’re playing more of a focused and up-tempo game,” said coach Terry. “Our team is not very experienced, a lot of them are first or second year players, so we want to just go out there and compete and play to the best of our abilities.”

At the beginning of this year, a large number of parents got involved with convincing the school district to help develop local high school programs. As a result, our school district partnered up with the Santa Barbara Lacrosse Association which paid for the funding and successfully rounded up teams for both boys and girls.

“Our goal is to give the people of the local area an opportunity to play lacrosse in their own backyard. With this in mind,

we wanted to put Santa Barbara on the map as a place that is growing lacrosse,” commented President of the SBLA, Rick Lehman. I would not doubt that in the next year or two that this event is going to grow tremendously because more teams are going to want to come here.”

The Santa Barbara Lacrosse Association’s goal is for every kid in the local area to grow up playing lacrosse in their P.E. classes at school. The SBLA is partnering with the local school district to offer free after-school lacrosse at the local junior high schools. They have also donated sticks, goals, and balls to the P.E. programs at the junior high.

“I love the sport,” chipped in Kyle. “It’s a mixture of every sport combined and you have to be smart, and you have to be fast and quick, however, it’s not for everyone.”

Thanks to the Santa Barbara Lacrosse Association, now all three public high schools have both CIF boys and girls lacrosse teams this spring. On October 1st, each of the athletic directors in the local area met to discuss a new D-2 CIF division of lacrosse. This division would include Thatcher, Cate, Santa Barbara, San Marcos, Dos Pueblos, and Laguna Blanca.

“This year, we expect to win all of the rivalry games in Santa Barbara. This includes San Marcos, Dos Pueblos, and Laguna Blanca. Hopefully if things work it, we’ll make the playoffs,” added Beightol.

Last year, the Dons played their inaugural season against other programs by virtue of “Independent CIF” team status. It was a trial-year for the team as they played their games on the football field.

At the start, the squad began with a handful of veteran players. Nevertheless, by the season end, the team had attracted many new athletes. Santa Barbara

ended the season successfully with a record roughly equal between wins and losses.

“I’m excited for the sport because it is relatively new to the west coast and could hopefully draw interest from kids that want to get out there and try something different,” concluded Athletic Director Joe Chenoweth.

Blake DeVine Sports Editor

Dons advance to Quarterfinals of CIF Playoffs An easy

demolition over Royal followed by

a gratifying road win against Sunny Hills has placed the Santa Barbara boys basketball team into the quarterfinals of CIF Division 2A playoffs.

On Friday night, the Dons will host Hart High School at J.R. Richard’s Gymnasium. Santa Barbara finished the regular season as Channel League champions for the third consecutive year behind the coaching of David Bregante and recorded a record of (27-4 overall, 7-1 league); all of which was seemingly enough to award the Dons the 2nd seed in CIF playoffs.

Behind a spectacular 39-point performance from junior forward Bolden Brace, Santa Barbara satisfied an erupting home crowd and dominated Royal 81-52 last Friday. Senior guard Chris Wagonhurst and junior forward Nick Busch also served as offensive contributors, combining to drop a collective 18 points at 9 apiece.

The following game was a matchup against an aggressive Sunny Hills in which the Dons secured a 57-50 win on the road, thus marking their 11th straight victory. Junior center Ben Clay led the way with a double-double production, sinking 21 points and snatching 14 rebounds. Brace added 15 points and Busch tallied 11.

“In that game, Nick Busch did a really good job playing defense on their

guys,” said Brace. “Also, Ben Clay really stepped up in that game, and scored a lot of points for us.”

At the beginning of the season -- with the loss of 6’6 center Jack Baker and speedy guard Noah Burke -- there were not exceptionally high hopes toward the season as there was in previous years. But with the obtaining of the Channel league trophy, and impressive CIF advancement thus far, it is evident that Santa Barbara has exceeded the caliber of play that was expected of them.

“Ben Clay has been a big part of our success this year. He really stepped up as our new big man when we lost Jack Baker,” added Brace.

The Dons starting five includes Brace, Busch, Clay, Max Henderson, and Chris Wagonhurst. Brace, who, after holding a subtle shooting role on the team last year, has emerged into a much more prominent position as he is now the primary scorer and leader on the team. Clay has also stepped up and is now a significant player who does an avid job of grabbing boards and posting up in the paint. Busch transferred from Bishop Diego to add size to lineup. He is a versatile player who attacks the basket while also serves as a dangerous threat from the perimeter. Wagonhurst and Henderson run the offense and constantly provide a strong effort on both sides of the floor.

If Santa Barbara wins on Friday,

they will advance to the semifinal round where they would face against either Colony High School or Redlands East Valley for chance to play in the CIF championship game.

When asked about the teams’ goals and expectations as they progress further into the CIF playoffs, Brace responded: “We like to take it one game at

a time but I think the ultimate goal for our team is to win CIF. This game on Friday is going to be pretty crazy, the team that we are playing has a lot of height and skill.”

Bolden Brace leads the Dons into tonight’s CIF Quarterfinal matchup versus Hart.


Sports

11February 27, 2015

Rendon’s OT header leads Dons past Redondo Union

A spectacular diving header in double overtime

by forward Ignacio Rendon capped off a back-and-forth defensive affair to pace the Santa Barbara High boys soccer team past Redondo Union in a riveting 1-0 decision at Peabody Stadium on Friday night.

An impressive defensive performance had rendered the game scoreless up until the second overtime when a beautifully-placed corner kick by Jorge Garcia-Torres connected with a hustling Rendon who knocked it into the bottom right corner for the game-winning goal in the first round of the CIF Division 1 playoffs.

“Jorge hit a great ball in and at those moments in the game you look for someone with the will and the desire to get on the end of it and that’s exactly what [Ignacio] did,” said coach Todd Heil. “He had the desire to throw his body in front of the ball, and now we are all standing here with a win because of that effort.”

The miraculous finish was met with a thunderous roar from the crowd and a swarm of praise from Rendon’s fellow teammates as he himself sprinted down field with a hand up in celebration.

Throughout the majority of the game, the Dons dominated offensively but were unable to capitalize on numerous attempts in both halves. Santa Barbara’s particularly young defense was efficient in limiting the amount of offensive opportunities as the

Seahawks tallied a total of only 4 shots on target compared to the Dons’ 12.

“It was definitely a team effort,” said Rendon. “The defense did their part, the midfielders did their part, and the forwards did their part and it was because we played as a team that we were able to battle throughout the entire game.”

However Santa Barbara could not have done it without the contributions of Brandon Sanchez. The speedy midfielder was phenomenal in setting up the offense and creating opportunities in the box. Worryingly Sanchez precariously limped off the field while grasping his left hamstring late in the first overtime which seemingly didn’t stop the Dons from taking the victory. Sanchez joined in on the celebration after his injury was deemed to be a simple cramp.

“We went at them hard,” said Sanchez. “Going in we didn’t know how they played and they didn’t know how we played. We just kept firing at them and testing their defense hoping for a possible rebound or corner kick and that’s exactly what we got in the end.”

Redondo Union was aggressive straight from the kickoff as the Seahawks were able to get into striking range early and a hand ball set them up with a free kick about 4 feet out less than a minute into the game. The ball was ripped right toward the upper left hand corner but goalkeeper Angel Cervantes dove and

knocked it away with his fist. Cervantes played a fantastic game in the net coming up with a couple clutch saves and was rewarded with a shutout win.

This gratifying victory advanced Santa Barbara into the second round of the CIF Division 1 playoffs. The squad wrapped

up their season on Wednesday night with a 3-1 loss at the hands of Santa Margarita. This marks the second consecutive season in which the Dons (17-6-3 overall) have fallen to the Eagles in the second round of the playoffs.

Dons forward Celso Laguna goes for a juke past a Redondo Union defender during last Friday’s CIF playoff match.

Photo courtesy of Blake DeVine


Santa Barbara breezes by San Gabriel 65-27 in CIF OpenerBehind an impressive

29 points and 12 rebounds from Amber Melgoza,

the Santa Barbara girls’ basketball team defeated San Gabriel 65-27 in a CIF Division 2AA first round playoff game at JR Richards Gymnasium on Friday night.

“After winning CIF last year, I feel like we have a lot of pressure on us to do well again this year,” said Melgoza. “Tonight we executed really good defense and showed that our team is playing together one game at a time.”

Kimberly Gebhardt grabbed nine rebounds and had a team-high six steals for the Dons. Jada Howard finished with a double-double while compiling 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jocelin Petatan scored 12 points while Freshman Cassandra Gordon added nine points.

“I thought Kimberly Gebhardt had a super game tonight with all of her steals. She is really a general out there on the court while communicating to all the other kids,” added head coach Andrew Butcher.

From the beginning tip-off, Santa Barbara completely blew open the game with ball-hawking press on defense and effective fast-break offense. The defending CIF champs outscored the Matadors 15-3 during a notable opening quarter.

“It was a good effort but we gotta clean some things up,” commented coach Butcher. “Too many unforced turnovers and our half-court offense really struggled at times. If we could get those two things better we’ll have a good chance to do well

next game.” During the second quarter, Melgoza

picked up her third personal foul and was forced to sit out the remainder of the half. The Dons had jumped out to a 23-6 lead when the star junior went out and finished the first half with a 30-12 advantage.

When asked the most vital factor to his team’s victory, coach Butcher replied: “Having Amber on the court helps but I thought the press was just real strong tonight. It was very disciplined, we were

covering our zones and trying to let them make mistakes.”

In the second half, Santa Barbara never looked back and continued to use their pressing defensive to full effect over San Gabriel. The Dons added to their 18 point halftime lead by taking a 42-19 advantage into the fourth quarter.

“The main things we work on everyday at practice are defense and press-break,” chipped in Melgoza. “This press allowed us to control the ball up there tonight. It

also caused San Gabriel to feel pressured and turn the ball over really easily.”

Most recently, Santa Barbara (22-5 overall, 6-2 league) defeated Chino 60-52 to advance to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 2AA Playoffs. The Dons hit the road to face Summit on Saturday.

“We have got a lot of experience and we are pretty confident out there. Every game is a new challenge and at this point, the teams we play get pretty good,” concluded coach Butcher.


Santa Barbara’s Amber Melgoza pump fakes a shot versus San Gabriel during last Friday’s CIF playoff matchup.Photo courtesy of Blake DeVine

SportsFebruary 27,2015

12

the forge, volume 101, issue 5

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