THE STALLIONMarch 12, 2013 marriotts ridge high school Volume VI, issue v

2013 Teacher of the Year: Mr. Ault!

The social media craze. (photo courtesy mediabistro.com)

A Review of Veronica Roth’s book, Divergent.

Ravens Salary Cap (photo courtesy of funscrape.com)

FEATURES:

NEWS:

OPINIONS:

SPORTS:

IN THIS ISSUE

mrhs Is crazy excited for crazy for you

Staff Writer Julia Sutter

The Spring Musical, Crazy for You, will be performed by the many tal-ented students at Marriotts Ridge High School on March 21, 22, 23 at 7:00pm and on the 24th at 3:00pm. “I am really excited!” said fresh-man Jordan Stepke. “Musicals are always a blast to go to in the spring.” Tickets are al-ready on sale on-line and will be on sale the week of the play at all lunch shifts for $12.00. “This is the year for Cra-zy for You,” said Ms. Liv. “I know it will be a big success.” She is hoping for many sold out shows. After rigorous tryouts, which were held on De-cember 17, 2012 and consisted of sixteen counts of a dance and six-teen counts of a song, many stu-dents returned for callbacks the next day. The direc-tor, Ms. Liv care-fully evaluated the numerous tal-ents. She looked for students that could multitask in singing, danc-ing, and acting the role. Once she had her cast, Ms. Liv decided how to put all the num-bers together to make an amazing musical. Currently, the cast has been re-hearsing countless hours for their final show of the school year. They have been rehearsing numbers, act-ing, and dancing on three different difficulty levels. The main roles were given to junior Josh Altenburg as Bobby Child, sophomore Julia Fedor as Polly Baker, and senior Ben Bott as Zangler. “I love being apart of the cast.”

Said Fedor. “The hardest part of putting the play together for me was remembering my lines and knowing where I should be at all times.” Crazy for You is not an old fash-ioned musical. “The show will be very funny,” said Ms. Liv. “The script is sharp and the music is gor-geous!” The music and lyrics were written and composed by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. The show was originally produced on

Broadway by Roger Horchow and Elizabeth Williams back in the ear-ly 1990s. The musical extravagan-za has already been performed for 1,622 performances on Broadway. Crazy for You is the classic tale of boy meets girl. The story, which takes place in the Wild West in the 1930s, revolves around Bobby Child, a well to do playboy from New York who just wants to dance despite the discouragement from his mother and soon to be ex-fiance. Bobby’s entire life is about dancing.

March 21, 22, 23 at 7pmSunday, March 24 at 3pm

Tickets: $12Purchase tickets online at:

http://www.seatyourself.biz/marriottsridge

or visit our website: http://www.mrhstheatre.org

Marriotts Ridge Theatre Presents:

Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Book by Ken Ludwig.

THE NEW GERSHWIN MUSICAL

Western Theme LunchSunday at 1:30 Tickets: $5

Served in MRHS Commons

For information, call 410 313-5568

Bobby performs K-ra-zy for You at an audition for a famous dance director but does not get the part. Bobby then goes to a worn down town in Deadrock, Nevada for his job to foreclose on a theater in the town. There in the old town of Deadrock, Bobby finds his love. But will Bobby’s actions lose his love forever when he closes the theater? To tie his loose ends, Bobby comes up with the idea to put on a show

at the theater to pay off the mort-gage. That way, he will not need to foreclose on the theater. Bobby disguises himself as the New York the-atre owner and producer to get his plan under-way. Will this plan work? Will these two love-birds live hap-pily ever after? You will just have to come to Crazy for You to see for yourself. The spring mu-sical has been a tradition at Marriotts Ridge High School ever since it opened its doors in 2005. Per-forming is all about telling a story, and this year’s spring musical will do just that. “I met a lot of great people,” said sophomore Jor-dan Travisano.

“The cast is very supportive. I am really looking forward to perform in front of all my friends.” Take time from your busy sched-ule, take a break from your home-work and join your fellow students in supporting and encouraging the performing arts at MRHS as well as your talented classmates. Come and see them perform a fantastic musi-cal!

News march 12, 20132THE STALLION

Teacher of the year: Mr Ault

Barack obamas gun violence solution

Eric WangStaff Writer

Meagan HuebnerNews Editor

Jack Watson Staff Writer

On January 25, Government teacher Mr. Ault was named Teach-er of the Year by the senior class of 2013. Each year, the senior class at Mar-riotts Ridge is asked by the SGA to vote for their favorite teachers they have had throughout their time at Marriotts Ridge, one for each past year of high school. The most pop-ular teacher voted for then dubbed Teacher of the Year and will deliver a speech at graduation in May. The awarded teacher is surprised during a class period by members of the SGA, the administration, and colleagues with cake and balloons, and is presented with a congratu-latory banner signed by the senior class. “I was surprised,” Mr. Ault said. “There are a lot of good teachers here. In a building like ours, it’s hard to pick one great teacher.” In addition to 2013 Teacher of the Year, Mr. Ault coaches volleyball

and serves as Class Advisor to the Class of 2013. Being a teacher who is very involved in the school, he gets the opportunity to interact with more students than just those that he has in the classroom for instruc-tion. In particular, as advisor to the class of 2 0 1 3 , he has g o t -ten to know a b igge r c r o s s -section of this y e a r ’s gradu-a t i n g seniors. “I’ve been with these kids from the beginning,” Mr. Ault comment-ed. Whether a teacher, coach, advi-sor, or just a cool guy, Mr. Ault has reached the students of Marriotts Ridge and has truly impacted the senior class. “You can totally respect him, but you can laugh with him, too. That’s

the best combination,” said Jackie Berges. Students who didn’t have Mr. Ault as teacher even agree. “I never had him, but he still says ‘hi’ when you pass him in the hall-ways, which is cool,” said Zuhair

Riaz. Over-a l l , t h e r e w e r e n o t h -i n g b u t p o s i -t i v e senti-ments

and remarks to be said about Mr. Ault. “I voted for him twice, even though I only had him once. Is that allowed?” joked Joy Lee. Rachel Hannon and Alex McKay both had Mr. Ault back-to-back for their sophomore and junior years, and both believe he significantly impacted their high school careers.

Seniors seem to agree that there was no better teacher for them to award for 2013. Mr. Ault is a teach-er who offers more than just a capti-vating lesson where you leave class really thinking about what you’ve learned and discussed. “His two classes were my favorite in high school,” commented Megan Tuma. In addition to his engaging and oddly entertaining classes, he’s al-ways there with a smile, good joke, and of course, a cup of coffee. As for Mr. Ault, he has been accepting his award and many congratulations humbly, and with his ever-present sense of humor. “I’ve already been told I have plenty of time to worry about my speech,” he joked. All jokes aside, though, the gov-ernment teacher feels honored to have been chosen as a favorite among his students. “It’s rewarding because it comes from the kids. Not some politician or someone who doesn’t know me giving me the award. It’s from the students.”

In the past year, America has ex-perienced some tragedies that have brought a lot of attention to the laws regarding guns. Shootings in an Au-rora movie theatre and in Sandy Hook Elementary School have left many men, women and children wounded and dead. In order to pre-vent more shootings and deaths of innocent lives, President Barack Obama has brought forth a proposal to more strictly regulate guns. In the contents of this proposal, Obama focuses on what types of guns citizens will be allowed to own and changes to the background checks. There are also many small-er details of this proposal. According to the New York Times, during all gun purchases with the new proposal, including those by private sellers, criminal background checks are required. This means if one has any violence in his or her history, it will be nearly impos-sible to be eligible to buy a gun. On top of the background checks, many guns, accessories and bullets will be banned. All fully automatic weapons, including assault rifles, will be banned for civilians. Along with those weapons, one cannot

own an ammunition magazine that has more then ten rounds. In these magazines, no one can be in posses-sion of armor-piercing bullets. With all of these bans in place, the federal government will also be providing funds to schools to de-velop effective emergency response plans. Additional funds will be pro-vided to help create and expand a system that tracks violent deaths across the nation from 18 to 50 states. There are many executive actions of President Obama’s bill. One of these actions is to issue a presiden-tial memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns re-covered in criminal investigations. This will help lead to the source of the gun and determine if it was il-legally obtained. Relating to this action, Obama wants a report ana-lyzing information on lost and sto-len guns released. This would be extremely helpful to law enforce-ment authorities, allowing them to estimate the amount of crime activ-ity to come. With the shootings that have taken place in America over the past few years, many questions are being asked about the motives of these killers. There is reason to believe that a lot of these mass shootings happen because of mental instabil-ity. Part of these executive actions

is the start of a national dialogue on mental health, led by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The passing of this proposal has yet to happen as Congress is still looking over it.

Harris Teeter is set to host a grand opening at 5:30p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, according to Danna Jones, spokesperson for the North Caro-lina- based chain. The store will an-nounce “grand opening activities,” including specials, a week before the opening. The 48,000-square-foot Ellicott City Harris Teeter will anchor a $22 million open-air shopping center called Town Square at Turf Valley. “I think that’ll be interesting be-cause [Harris Teeter] will create competition between Weis,” said sophomore Rhoyal Davis. According to ellicottcity.patch.com, Harris Teeter spokeswoman Danna Jones says that this will be the chain’s 8th store in Maryland and that it will be looking for about a staff of 115 when it opens. “That’s pretty cool that a Harris Teeter is opening up near me be-cause I am currently looking for a job and would love to work there,”

said junior John de graft Johnson. According to bmoremedia.com, the site will also feature three to four restaurants and up to ten to fif-teen shops. Some of the shops that are rumored to open up are Petite Cellars (an up-scale wine and spirits shop), Facci Ristorante (an Italian full service restaurant), XTomate (an authentic Mexican full service restaurant), Blue Fish Steak & Grille (a sports themed American food full service restaurant), Yolavie (a yogurt shop), Beauty Sense (a nail salon), Sport Clips (hair cuttery), Subway, and Sparkle Cleaners (a satellite store). Located at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center, the new shopping center will have an out-door gathering space with a fire-place and water fountains. It will also feature all-brick landscaping and exterior. Fitzpatrick says he hopes the 100,000-square-foot center will draw people from Clarksville, Gle-nelg and other affluent communities in western Howard County.

More Shopping in hoco

Mr. Ault receiving Teacher of the Year

Newsmarch 12, 2013 3THE STALLION

Immigration reform

Adam CzarneckiCopy Editor

Richard AlfordOpinions Editor

women in combat

America is the undisputed land of opportunity, but what is disputed is the very pathway to become an American. A study shows that about 11 mil-lion illegal immigrants currently reside in the U.S. A huge effort was made toward reform in 1986, when about three million undocu-mented immigrants were granted legal status in the U.S. Nearly thirty years have gone by, and lawmak-ers on both sides of the aisle con-tinue to struggle with this defining issue. Republican Rep-resentative Trey Gowdy has said to CBSNews.com, “Twenty-five years ago, we were told this is going to be the last time we have this conversa-tion as a country, but we’re having this conversation again.” Now in 2013, President Obama has made immigration reform a pri-ority of his second term, saying on CNN.com, “This time, action must be followed. We can’t allow immi-gration reform to get bogged down in an endless debate.” Obama had been criticized before for not making significant propos-als for immigration reform during the 2008 election. Four years later in the midst of the 2012 campaign, Obama had proposed a plan that was meant to provide a pathway

to citizenship for immigrants who were brought to the country ille-gally. Now that the election is over, it seems that immigration is an is-sue that both parties are coming together on; President Obama had promised certain reforms from his re-election campaign and the Re-publicans have joined the pact after losing significant Latino votes in the presidential election last year. The framework in the Senate calls for a path to citizenship only after the U.S. border is secure. Florida senator Marco Rubio is one of the key supporters of the Senate frame-work. Rubio recently wrote in an op-ed piece, “Both sides should want this kind of common sense reform. To those concerned about illegal immigration, what we have now is de facto amnesty.” However, behind closed doors, some Congressional Republicans still remain uneasy about the idea of amnesty for illegal immigrants. Republican representative Lamar Smith has said on CBSnews.com, “By granting amnesty, the Senate proposal compounds the problem by encouraging more illegal immi-gration.” While immigration reform has been made a priority by the federal government, it isn’t so much in the eyes of the public. A recent CNN poll shows that about 39% of vot-ers consider immigration reform a key issue on Capitol Hill. It comes to show that voters care more about issues such as the economy, health-

care, the environment, and the in-fluence of lobbyists. Despite a rather small percentage of those who consider immigration reform a top priority, there are a much larger number of those who favor such policies. Another CNN

poll shows that seven in ten Ameri-cans support a pathway to citizen-ship. Given that, the lawmakers in Washington continue to work to make sure America holds the title of a nation open to people from all walks of life.

It was festival time for Marriotts Ridge students on Friday, February 8. The school hosted not only one but two festivals. Environmental Club held their annual Eco-Fest, but this year they teamed up with the SGA’s MRHStival. Ms. Noel, sponsor of Environ-mental Club and organizer of Eco-Fest, said, “ The goal is to expose the staff, students and the commu-nity to different companies that can help be environmentally friendly. We also wanted to educate people about animals that are endangered.” By teaming up with SGA for the MRHStival, both festivals were able to attract a larger crowd. The Environmental Club was pleased with the turn out was and estimated that a few hundred people came. The goals for the MRHStival were not the same as the Eco-Fest. SGA advisor, Mrs. Patterson said, “The goal was just to offer something safe and positive for the community

to do on a Friday night that’s free.” There were games and events at the festivals to keep students and their families entertained. The main game for the MRHStival was three-on-three basketball, which was an opportunity for students to get ac-tive and have fun. The basketball games were reffed by members of the Girls and Boys Basketball teams. The Eco-Fest had members of the Environmental Club managing the stalls with different games, such as the Feed the Bats Bean Bag Toss. Other games that were played was Butterfly Needs and Low Flow Cards. The fashion club also put on a fashion show for the Eco-Fest and MRHStival. Mrs. Patterson would like to thank all the students who reffed and all the SGA officers who worked really hard. The positive attitude of stu-dents was great for the atmosphere of the festival, and both festivals hope to be back next year!

festivals at the ridge

Tamkeen NusaireePhoto Editor

On January 24th, the U.S. military publicly declared that it had ended its policy of excluding women from combat, opening jobs and direct combat unit opportunities to female troops. Now that the policy has been changed, this does not mean that all women will be able to integrate themselves into military positions within a short time span. The US military is currently in an "assess-ment phase" in which each branch of service will examine all its jobs and units not currently integrated and then produce a timetable for integrating them. A senior defense official explained, in a CNN article that "it will take a while to work out the mechanics in some cases. We

expect some jobs to open quickly, by the end of this year. Others, like special operations forces and infan-try, may take longer." According to a new Fox News poll, voters favor the new military role for women by a decisive 71-26 per-cent margin. 73 percent of women, 68 percent of men, 81 percent of Democrats, 68 percent of Indepen-dents, and 61 percent of Republi-cans favored opening combat roles to women. One of the largest gaps in support is between age groups. Voters under age 30 (81 percent) are much more likely than those ages 65 and over (58 percent) to endorse the idea. This will not be the first time that women will have been in military combat roles. In 2010, for example, there were a total of 48 women who were a part of an active military unit as a type of experiment to see if women can successfully amalgam-

ate themselves into the dangerous role of a soldier. In 2010, women were put in what was originally all male patrols in Afghanistan. They were able to build relationships with Afghan women, a population mostly off-limits to male troops. The Female Engagement Team, also called FET’s, was able to work with women in these villages to gain their trust and bring them better ac-cess to health care and education. It was experiences like these over the years that caused the U.S. military to realize the potential for women in military units. In a Fox News article, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has claimed that women have become an inte-gral part of the military and have already demonstrated their willing-ness to fight during the wars of the last decade. "It's clear to all of us that women are contributing in un-precedented ways to the military's

mission of defending the nation," Panetta said. The US will take any step nec-essary to create a type of "gender-neutral” test, as far as physical re-quirements for certain positions. There are more than 30 occupations that are currently closed to women in the Marine Corps, and this new enactment will require these posi-tions to be open to women in the near future. The U.S. government has claimed that it will not rush this process. The Pentagon has required the U.S. military to create a plan for adding women into these military roles by May 15, 2013 and is expected to complete the process of integrating women into combat units by 2016.

Features March 12, 20134THE STALLION

A Break Much Needed

The Game Returns

Nicholas SalaStaff Writer

On March 31, 2013 at 9pm, the Game continues, and fans of the HBO series Game of Thrones will journey back to the Seven Kingdoms to be mystified by a world filled with chivalry, lust, danger, and destruction. The show will air every Sunday at 10:00 pm and the season will run for ten episodes, not including reruns. The season will also premiere and end with two hour specials. After a period of seven months, filming for the third season has finally been completed. In between seasons, zealous fans and newfound fanatics have been able to read the bestselling series A Song of Ice and Fire upon which the TV series is based. The book series has been a New York Times bestseller since its original publishing in 1996. The author, George R.R. Martin, has won several Hugo awards and has been distinguished by the American Writer’s Guild. The first season

of Game of Thrones, 2011, won 32 awards out of 38 nominations, including two Emmy’s and a Golden Globe for best supporting male actor. The Game of Thrones series is set in the seven kingdoms, a land

on the inside of the Earth’s crust centered around a burning core (sun) during medieval times. The seven kingdoms are on a large island and are ruled by wardens, or liege lords. These liege lords and their lands are subjects of the king of the iron throne. The novel portrays the stories of characters of low and high birth as they strive to undermine each other and win the throne. Simultaneously, across

the sea other nations are preparing their strength to invade the seven kingdoms, including an exiled princess with dragons. Now heading into the third season, viewers can expect to pick up where the second season left off: the battle

for Kings Landing. As the army of Stanis Baratheon lies in waste, the Lanisters return to temporary power. Fans can also expect to see Jon Snow continue on his recognizance mission north of the wall and discover more about the white walkers, or dreaded undead, who are ominously marching toward the unsuspecting seven kingdoms. For a look at the first two seasons, viewers can buy the HBO Go

app that allows them to watch previous episodes and gives them access to other bonus material. In the HBO Go app, fans can watch commentary, blog their ideas about the show, or catch sneak peeks of the next episode. For junior David Park, March 31 can’t come soon enough. In an interview he said, “Game of Thrones is awesome; I can’t wait. Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) makes the show. He has such a crazy character.” While students from all grades stated “it’s awesome” or “pretty good,” one student spoke about the team behind the camera. Senior John Myers said, “They’re (producers) pretty intimate about their work.” This goes to show that a great series is not just made up of an incredible cast but a stalwart crew as well. There is no way of exactly telling whether season three will be a smash hit or a flop, so viewers will have to watch anyway. But what TV show about sword fighting, beautiful maidens, and dragons could ever be a disappointment to its viewers?

What is the best part of the school year for many students? Spring break. Spring break is a break from the school year from March 29th to April 7th. This is a time used by some to celebrate the holiday of Easter, which is the first Sunday of the break. At the end of the break, school resumes with the fourth quar-ter. This break is the most popular for students to travel. Junior Michael Bernal says his favorite part of the break is “enjoy-ing the freedom to do things and the time off from academic work.”

Since the break starts at the end of the 3rd quarter, students do not usu-ally have work to do or projects to complete. Lots of students enjoy traveling over the break, with sophomore Aa-min Rasheed happily sharing, “I re-ally enjoy going to the beach with my family over the break. We go every year!” Lots of people travel, but some students enjoy just relaxing at home. Junior Furuhk Siddique con-tently says, “My family usually just stays at home, but we always have a fun time just relaxing and hanging out together.” This is such a popular time for families to spend together because

parents often have off of work for part of the week because of the holi-day. Although some students choose to stay at home, others are forced to

because of other obligations. Ber-nal states, “I would probably stay at home anyway, but I have to because lacrosse starts and we have prac-tices.”

While these practices can be skipped, but it is highly encouraged that students attend them as they help develop the athletes’ skills. Spring break is considered to be the favorite part of many stu-dents’ school year. Rasheed says, “Spring break is my favorite break of the year because aside from the summer it’s the longest time off from school.” When asked there’s not much stu-dents say that they would change about the break. Some students suggest it should be longer like winter break or even summer. This is proven when Siddique says, ”The only thing I would change is the length!”

Jason KellyStaff Writer

Preparing for the SAT

High school students find many different methods when preparing for the SATs, and these methods could determine whether a student gets a high or low score. The SAT is a test that measures a student’s academic capability, and almost every college in the United

States takes a look at a student’s score when determining his or her acceptance. The highest score achievable is a 2400, but that does not come easy. Many students turn to books, classes or tutors to raise their chances of getting a higher score. Junior Ashlie Muffoletto says, “I am seeing a tutor three times a week, working on English and math in hopes of getting a high score.” Having a tutor has its advantages, such as allowing one-on-one private

Adam Yavuzel Staff Writer

lessons where students learn at their own pace and focus on skills they need to improve. This, however, is not the only way to go. A number of students find it more useful to enroll in an SAT study class. These classes may be given by schools or by separate teachers. This method may be less expensive than hiring a tutor, but may not be as effective.

Photo courtesy of getawaytothegulf.com

Photo courtesy of wallpaperstobackground.blogspot.com

Photo courtesy of psatpreptips.com

Features 5March 12, 2013

THE STALLION

Students at MRHS are preoccupied with sport, studies, and…Twitter? Many complain about how they have too much school work and not enough time to do it because of sports or other extracurricular activities. However, students still make time in their schedules to use social media. Esther Chon, a sophomore, states, “I check and use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube every day. It is a part of my daily life routine.” Many students use social media everyday no matter many hours of homework, sport practices or music rehearsals they have. Social media plays a big role in society and has become very popular among teens and adults

as a communication device. Grace Kim, a sophomore, says, “I only use Facebook for chatting with friends, but I check Instagram and Twitter everyday practically.” Social media facilitates social interaction between people regardless of how far away they live from each other, making it an invaluable tool for communication in long distance friendships or relationships. It’s also great for keeping in touch with relatives. Social media even has positive effects on schoolwork. Students can discuss questions about homework, organize club meetings, and stay connected with school events. On the other hand, while social

media may be helpful and fun, it can be too time consuming as well. On average, people around the world use social media up to six hours a day. Social media may also be useful, but it distracts MRHS students from what needs to be done for homework or any other school-related class work. Sophomore Miranda Zeng says, “I use social media every day, but I do get distracted, and it is too time

consuming. I use my smart phone to check Facebook and Twitter whenever I want.” Sophomore Jessica Park doesn’t use much social media unless she needs something from her fellow companions. “I only go on Facebook when I need something from people like homework or money, but sometimes social media is stupid. I do no need to know if you had a bagel or not this morning.” Some students do not use social media as frequently. Junior Kelly Mathews, says, ”I use Facebook and go on it for about 4-5 days a week but not for too long.” Senior Joshua Chou adds, “I use Facebook everyday and check it twice but for a short amount of time, like 20 minutes.” Looking at MRHS students, they try their best to equal their time with school, work, and social media.

Grace ChungStaff Writer

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Social Media

Runway To the Ridge A festival of green

Green is in the air this season. Now that the feeling of love has died down with Valentine’s Day be-ing over, the next celebration look-ing to draw much attention is Saint Patrick’s Day. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on March 17th all around the world. Saint Patrick’s day is a religious day for those who live in Ireland. The day celebrates the death of Saint Patrick in the fifth century. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was kidnapped from Britain and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He returned to Ireland and is credited with bringing Christianity there.

People take part in the festivities by dancing, drinking and feasting with friends. While celebrating, one may enjoy the traditional Saint Pat-

rick’s Day meal of corned beef and cabbage. Irish music is a big part of the Saint Patrick’s Day tradition. Fami-lies and friends gather round to share and pass down stories through music. The Irish also use music to remember important events. Many students at Marriotts Ridge High School are looking forward to Saint Patrick’s Day as it is a day for students to enjoy time with friends and take part in festive activities. “I am going to hang out with my friends, and we are planning on go-ing to a parade,” said freshman Aid-en Evens. Students display their excitement by showing their green spirit and by dressing up to fit the occasion. “I am looking forward to wearing something green and celebrating,” explained junior Douglas Paulin. Irish or not, Saint Patrick’s Day is

a brings together friends and family looking to celebrate this traditional holiday.

Sarah HurlyStaff Writer

Photo courtesy of blog.friendseat.com

Designers left no stone unturned at the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Spring Fashion Week. From sheer fabrics to ruffles and leather, the runway was far from the norm. Sheer fabrics and cutouts, especially at the midriff, called peek-a-boo midriff, were a huge theme on the runway this season. The peek-a-boo midriff seen on the runway is nothing like “belly shirts,” a common fad in the ‘90s, which are often considered awkward and tasteless. This trend has a much more sophisticated look. The next biggest trend would have to be stripes. Whether it is vertical, horizontal, curved, or chevron, stripes are making a reappearance this season and are a definite must for any girl’s wardrobe. Lace, going hand-in-hand with sheers and cutouts, and ruffles made a huge statement at Fashion Week. Anything from pleats to big statement ruffles are in. All over lace was also a common trend seen on the runway. Feminine tuxedos were seen time and time again on the runway this season. While this trend may seem a little extreme and bold, a blazer, stylish and timeless, will still have the same effect, a polished, professional look. Leather is typically considered a winter fabric, but it made an

appearance on the spring runway, once again demonstrating the designers’ lack of fear when it comes to pushing the boundaries of fashion. Some of these trends seen on the runway may seem a little daring for the high school hallways, but the great thing about fashion is that it is always changing to the times and the surrounding environment. Students are encouraged to be bold and adapt the designers’ styles to fit their own, while adhering to the school’s dress code, of course. Let the Ridge be the runway.

Emily LindermanStaff Writer

Photo courtesy of harpersbazaar.com

March 12, 2013FeaturesTHE STALLION

Senior Spotlight: A Change in Seasons

Nickname-Joey DFavorite Spring Sport- BaseballHobbies- GolfingFavorite Movie-Saving Private RyanFavorite Class-PhysicsFavorite Teacher- Ms. AllmanFavorite Social Media Site-TwitterSpring Break Plans-Lots of golfFavorite Zoo Animal- Monkey

Nickname-Matty Ice

Favorite Spring Sport-Baseball Hobbies- Dancing and Singing

Favorite Movie-Space JamFavorite Class-Forensic ScienceFavorite Teacher- Coach Lewis

Favorite Social Media Site-TwitterSpring Break Plans-Casual dates with Kevin

Favorite Zoo Animal-Penguin

Nickname-JanieFavorite Spring Sport- Softball Hobbies- Bowling and Collecting RocksFavorite Movie- Mean GirlsFavorite Class-PhysicsFavorite Teacher- Mr. DubbsFavorite Social Media Site-InstagramSpring Break Plans- Hopefully going to FloridaFavorite Zoo Animal-Lion

Nickname-EmFavorite Spring Sport- Tennis

Hobbies- Drawing and VideogamesFavorite Movie-Tangled

Favorite Class-FoodsFavorite Teacher- Mr. Frank

Favorite Social Media Site-TumblrSpring Break Plans-Going on vacation with Cami

Favorite Zoo Animal-Gorilla

6

Jake BenderStaff Writer

Emma Blaha

Matt Marinelli

Joe Dorsch

Jane Grant

OpinionsTHE STALLION

7March 12, 2013

“I would want to be with Alex Biegel because I could eat him if I needed to and he would keep my spirits up be-cause he is funny. One thing I would want to have is a boat to get me off the island.” –Troy Hensh, Freshman

I Say/You SayIf you were stranded on a deserted island, who

and what would you want to have with you?

Editorial StaffEditor in Chief: Jonathan SchonfeldNews Editor: Meagan HuebnerFeatures Editor: Andre ChenOpinions Editor: Richard alfordSports Editor: Wesley brownCOPY EDITOR: Adam czarneckiphoto Editor: Tamkeen NusaireeAdvisor: ms. Amanda Olsen

Staff WritersJacob Bender Jack Fleming Paige Furtaw Reagan Harvill Sarah Hurly Reilly Kahat Jason Kelly Moniesha Lawings Emily Linderman Amanda Miller Anthony Molinaro William Parks Brad Preller Nicholas Sala Julia Suter Stirling Symon Eric Wang Jack Watson Adam Yavuzel Grace Chung

The Stallion Staff

“I would want a solar panel stove with a big chicken, and someone to talk to.” – Mykal Manswell, junior

“My cat because he represents the emotional side of me that no one else sees, and my bed so we can cuddle

together.” – Pat Moore, Senior

“Annalise Neaman because we would have a great time together, and I

would want a cruise ship so I could leave the island in style.”

– Hannah Roberts, Sophomore

“I would bring Alex Hinkle because I would need someone to talk to, and I would bring my phone, along with signal.” –Cassie Fangio, Sophomore

“Kevin Francis because we wouldn’t ever get bored, and I would want a

boom box because we would sing the whole time.” – Alex Park, Senior

Amanda MillerStaff Writer

OPinionsTHE STALLION

March 12, 20138

Paige FurtawStaff Writer

During and after school dances, many kids complain of lame, out-dated songs, or ones they cannot dance to. The list below is what the student body hopes to hear at Prom in May.

1. Thrift Shop by Macklemore was chosen as the number one song be-cause of its upbeat tempo and cool sound effects throughout the song. Many students have this song in their music library. If it were played at Prom, the students would defi-nitely get up and dance to it! 2. Bandz a Make Her Dance by

Top 10 Songs For Prom 2013

Forget The Hunger Games!

Reagan HarvillStaff Writer

Forget The Hunger Games; read Divergent instead! With dystopian fiction made popular by The Hunger Games, Ve-ronica Roth wrote the next big best-seller, Divergent. This novel is set in the future of Chicago, where there are five dif-ferent factions: Dauntless, Candor, Abnegation, Erudite and Amity. Each faction is set by a different core value. Inside the book, there are many surprises. Since it is set in the fu-ture, many aspects of the world are changed. On a certain appointed day of each year, all sixteen-year-olds must select a faction to which they devote the rest of their lives. Beatrice Prior is stuck between staying with her family in Abne-gation or being who she really is and leaving them behind to go to

a different faction. She decides on Dauntless. After leaving her family behind, she renames herself Tris and strug-gles alongside her fellow friends to live out the choice they made, but throughout the novel, she finds out

who her friends really are. During this, Tris has been keeping a secret, a secret that needs to stay hidden because she was warned it means death. Even though it could unravel her perfect society, she has been keeping it hidden. But she

Lil Wayne is a classic. It is not a very new song, but it obviously has a lasting effect on the students to be voted into the number two spot. This would be a good song for Prom because of its message, which relates to Prom and dancing, and also because of its rhythm. 3. Harlem Shake by Baauer is a newer song to the students. It has become popular very quickly. This song is full of different beats and has a nice rhythm. It would be good for Prom because it is easy to dance to and gets everyone excited. 4. Booty Work by T-Pain ft. Joey Galaxy has been in the top choices on the radio multiple times because of its upbeat tempo and repeti-tion that is not annoying like some songs. 5. Love Sosa by Chief Keef holds the fifth spot because, as many stu-dents describe it as, it is catchy. 6. Get Low by Lil Jon

7. No Worries by Lil Wayne

8. Do My Dance by Tyga

9. Wanted by Hunter Hayes 10. Dancing in the Headlights by Dustin Lynch

learns that the secret could save the ones she loves or it could destroy her. This book is quite good. I am a huge fan of The Hunger Games, and when I heard this book was similar to it, I had to read it. Although this

book bored me a few chapters in, I decided to read it again, and I loved it. I would recommend it for any fan of futuristic novels. Ever since this book was pub-lished by Harper Collins on May 3, 2011, it has become bigger than

ever. Roth has written a second book, Insurgent, and will soon be writing a third book to add to the series. This book will also follow in The Hunger Games’ footsteps with a movie adaption, coming out in March 21, 2014. Publishers’ Weekly stated, “For those who love The Hunger Games and are willing to brace the some-times sadistic tests of strength and courage Tris must endure, the re-ward is a memorable, unpredictable journey from which it is nearly im-possible to turn away.” “This is one of the best books I have ever read... Veronica Roth is not messing around here, folks. She has carefully crafted a world that will enthrall you. You’ll be wonder-ing which faction you’d fit in while worrying for characters that you’re reading about,” says the writer on the Chick Loves Lit Blog. Roth has written a book full of sur-prise twists with a great plot. The movie will likely be just as great as the book itself.

Photo courtesy of www.fanpop.com

Photo courtesy of www.complex.com

OpinionsMarch 12, 2013 9THE STALLION

John McClane in A Good Day to Die Hard, the fifth film in the franchise that just will not stop. John McClane is out of the country for the first time in the Die Hard franchise. He travels to Moscow, Russia, to find his son, Jack, but ultimately finds out that Jack is actually a CIA operative who is trying to stop a nuclear weapons heist. Inevitably, McClane teams up with Jack to take down the terrorists. If you are a Die Hard fan and love action, then you are going to love this movie. The action is crazy and intense with explosions that rival the ones in the Transformers movies. It feels like everything blows up. John and Jack combined rack up a considerably high body count by the end of the movie. However, A Good Day to Die Hard has such a thin and underwhelming

script that if you are the kind of person who loves action and does

not care about plot, the amount of plot in this film might be too meager even for you. A Good Day to Die Hard tries to explore the bond between father and son with some jokes and heartwarming moments, but it never succeeds. McClane drops wise cracks at every moment,

making him one of the most one-dimensional characters I have ever

seen in a film. The rest of the plot is also bad, with a twist near the end that is supposed to be a surprise I guess, but by the time it is revealed, after all the loud explosions and unfunny quips, the audience does not really care. How could A Good Day to Die

Jonathan SchonefeldEditor in Chief

John McClane Back Again

The Afterman:Descension

Stirling SymonStaff Writer

Post hard-core rock band Coheed and Cambria released their new album, The Afterman: Descension, on February 5. This is part of a double album that was started by the band back in November of 2011. During the fall of 2012, Coheed and Cambria released the first por-tion of the double album, titled The Afterman: Ascension. Not only is Coheed’s newest project a double album, it accompanies a story. Lead singer of the band, Claudio San-chez joined forces with writer Peter David to write a comic book series called The Amory Wars. The double album goes along with that story and serves as a kind of sequel. This is what sets this album apart from the others. “Ascension was concep-tually made to be a ‘to be contin-ued.” We wanted the audience to be able to digest the first half before revealing the conclusion,” says lead guitarist Travis Stever to one of the Music Network’s writer Alex Tu-lett, “but they are definitely intend-ed to work together as two parts of a whole.”

Coheed’s newest and final addition to the double album is one of vari-ety. The tracks on this album ven-ture into different genres of music faultlessly, easily capturing imagi-nation and interest. The sounds on this CD vary from pop to rock to electronic, taking on different styles. Horns could be heard in one track on the album, titled Number City. The ideas leaking from this al-bum are fresh and so beyond main-stream music. Sanchez’s songwrit-ing could be described as genius as he seamlessly blends lyric-to-lyric and track-to-track. All nine songs on this album flow together, high-lighting the album as a whole rather than just the individual songs. The first element of the double album was filled with thick riffs and heavy tones. In contrast, this second album is noticeably softer yet adventurous, taking the listener on a lyrical journey. Coheed and Cambria have really upped the ante with their writing. The innovation and creativity found on this album is one-of-a-kind, and it is not every day that this kind of inventiveness comes along in the musical world.

outside of their “everything needs to be memorized” classes so that they can actually use their thinking skills. The majority of the students sur-veyed also believe that these classes were necessary in order to succeed in college and beyond. “We should be required to complete technology and arts classes because you need you know how those two fields work just in case you decide later that you

want to major or work in the field,” says junior Trevor Piedmont. Although, some stu-dents may not feel like these classes should be requirements because some people may not need them for the fu-ture. “You should have a choice of whether you want to take the classes

because depending on the person, you may only need certain things,” says freshman Bailey Murtha. Whether technology and art class-es are a requirement or not, most colleges look for these credits to determine well-rounded students. If a student would like a solid founda-tion and to get into a good college, taking these two classes is a good idea.

Each year, students sign up for the classes they will take next year with requirements in mind. For example, Howard County students are re-quired to take a technology and fine arts credit in order to graduate. The technology classes are meant to make students use critical thinking skills in order to solve com-plex problems. Arts classes are meant to allow students to ex-press their creativity in a structured way. Ei-ther way, students had mixed feel-ings about the importance of these two requirements. Arts and technology classes should be a requirement for all students because these classes may allow students to find an inner talent that they might not have known they had. Students also need to be able to say that they have experience in all aspects of education includ-ing problem solving and creativity. These classes give students a place

The Benefits of Art & Technology Classes

Moniesha LawingsStaff Writer

Hard be so bad? Maybe it is the fact that the writer, Skip Woods, has only written poor scripts, including Hitman, The A-Team, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Or maybe it is because the director, John Moore, has only directed bad films, including Max Payne and the remake of The Omen. For such a well-loved franchise, it is a shame that the studio that sponsored the film, 20th Century Fox, just flushed all their previous, well-deserved praise for past Die Hard films down the toilet and made this garbage. With the substantial amount of films that I have seen throughout my life, I now have the mindset that it does not matter how much action a movie has. If a movie does not have a good plot, all the explosions, shooting, and loud noises can not make up for it. Overall, I have had about enough of the Die Hard franchise. It has been a good run, McClane, but now it is time to die.

Review Score: 1 and a half stars out of 5.

Photo courtesy of davisclipper.com

Emma Warman works on her art project.

sPorts March 12, 201310THE STALLION

Will ParksStaff Writer

Cutting Costs

Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco hopes to stay in Baltimore

Photo courtesy of sportsillustrated.com

The Ravens must fix the issueby March 12th

Photo courtesy of sportsnewnow.com

This February the Baltimore Ravens achieved football immortality, but casualties are expected in the team’s fight with the salary cap. The salary cap is $120.6 million, and right now, the Ravens have $10.7 million left to spend. Usually this would not be a problem for the Raven’s astute general manager Ozzie Newsome, but with Joe Flacco’s record-setting $120.6 million contract jeopardizing the fate of other Ravens, things have become much more complicated. Joe Flacco was the MVP of Super Bowl XLVII, and after the season his agent stated that he expected Flacco to be paid more than any other quarterback in the NFL. Instead of bestowing their MVP quarterback with the risky $14 million franchise tag or the $21 million exclusive franchise tag, the Ravens signed Flacco to a six year, $120.6 million contract. The contract will occupy about $6 million of the Raven’s 2013 salary cap, but by 2017 Flacco’s contract will remove $31.15 million from the budget. Although this may cause problems in four years, fans are teammates are happy to keep Flacco. Unfortunately, the Ravens cannot just let go of a few third string unknown players. Unrestricted free agents include Dannell Ellerbe, Ed Reed, Paul Kruger, Bryant McKinnie, and Cary Williams. Each athlete was essential to the Ravens’ great season. Ed Reed’s seven-year, $40 million contract comes to an end this offseason, and his next contract should be much smaller. This thirty-four year old safety’s best days are behind him, but Reed provides essential leadership for the Raven’s defense now that Ray Lewis has retired. Ozzie Newsome expressed his desire to keep Ed Reed for a few more years, so it is likely that Ravens fans will see their beloved

safety next season. With Ray Lewis retiring, a reliable linebacker is essential to the Ravens next season. Both Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe proved to be talented playmakers when the defense was in trouble, but it will be hard for the team to retain them with the current financial situation. Ellerbe was signed to a one-year contract worth under $2 million in 2012, and he had the second most tackles on the team during the regular season. The Ravens should sign him after they take care of Joe Flacco, but Ellerbe will require much more money this season. Kruger was the defense’s best pass rusher last season, but

it will be a c h a l l e n g e to retain him without r e l e a s i n g other talented players. When the Ravens added Bryant McKinnie to their starting line-up at the end of the regular season, the

offensive line seemed twice as effective. Many argue that because of McKinnie, Joe Flacco was able to spend more time in the pocket and make the plays essential for winning the Super Bowl. Now that the Ravens have given Flacco such an expensive contract, protecting their elite quarterback will be a priority. Cary Williams seems to be the Baltimore Ravens’ most expendable free agent. The team has several t a l e n t e d c o r n e r b a c k s i n c l u d i n g Jimmy Smith and Ladarius Webb, both of whom suffered from injuries throughout most of the season. Corey Graham proved himself as a dependable defensive end last season, so the secondary seems viable without Williams. However, if Reed and Williams were both let go, there would be an alarming lack of depth in the secondary.

If the Ravens plan on resigning Ellerbe, Reed, and McKinnie along with Flacco then cutting two free agents will not be enough. In order to afford all four players, the Ravens will have to reduce the salaries of other team members. They may even have to cut a few important athletes from the roster. Terrell Suggs’ 2013 salary was $13.02 million. Although Suggs will be very important to the defense next year, his services are not worth more than 10% of the team’s budget. Center Matt Birk has officially retired after fifteen years in the NFL, giving the Ravens another $1.6 million to work with. Gino Gradkowski should start next season, unless the Ravens try and sign a free agent center such as Todd McClure from Atlanta or Brad Meester from Jacksonville. Because of the talent displayed by Gradkowski in the 2012 preseason, signing a center should not be a priority for Baltimore. Unfortunately, the retirement of two players and the deduction of a few salaries will still not be enough to resign all of the free agents. In order to keep Joe Flacco, Bryant McKinnie, Dannell Ellerbe, and Ed Reed, the Ravens may be forced to release important starters. Anquan Boldin could be one of the casualties this offseason. His yearly salary is approximately $6 million, so removing Boldin may allow for the signing of Ellerbe or McKinnie. After playing in the NFL for ten years, Boldin told reporters that if the Ravens did not keep him, he would retire. Like McKinnie, cutting Anquan Boldin could hurt Joe Flacco next season. Second-string receivers like Tandon

Doss, LaQuan Williams, and David Reed lack Boldin’s physicality and experience. As the NFL continues to evolve, teams are using fullbacks less and less. The Ravens could release their fullback, Vonta

Leach, and save $4.3 million. Leach is a pro bowl fullback, and losing him could affect Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce. Without Leach to aide the Ravens’ run game, Flacco

could be expected to do more. A one-sided offense will jeopardize the Baltimore Ravens’ chance of returning to the Super Bowl next season. On March 12, the 2013 NFL free agency will commence. The Ravens have successfully resigned Joe Flacco, but they cannot let go of other agents like Bryant McKinnie and Danell Ellerbe. Fans may be excited that negotiations have ended, but many believe that Flacco is not worth the NFL’s all-time largest contract. The Ravens have set the bar high by giving Flacco an average of about $20 million every year. If Flacco doesn’t impress next season, teammates, coaches and fans will be outraged. Giving up important players like Reed and Boldin in order to keep Flacco will make matters worse if he doesn’t play well. Despite this, Baltimore’s fan base is optimistic about the future. Many think that Flacco’s contract marks the beginning of a dynasty for the Baltimore Ravens.

sPortsMarch 12, 2013 11THE STALLION

Warming Up

Brad PrellerStaff Writer

The Madness BeginsTony MollinaroStaff Writer

The MLB is growing in popularity each seasonPhoto courtesy of brandsoftheworld.com

2012 marked the first time in history that the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals reached the playoffs in the same season. Is there more to come in 2013? Despite their efforts in the 2012 playoffs, both Washington and Baltimore found themselves on the losing end of a five game series. In the end, the San Francisco Giants were the last ones standing, as they became World Series champions for the second time in three years. After a disappointing first round exit that ended the Nationals’ postseason dreams, general manager Mike Rizzo and the rest of the organization have been preparing for a 2013 campaign with their eyes set on a championship. “World Series or Bust,” proclaims Davey Johnson, Nationals’ manager to the Washington Post. The two most notable acquisitions

signed are pitcher Rafael Soriano for 28 million dollars over the next two years and center fielder Denard Span in a trade with the

Minnesota Twins for Alex Meyer, the Nationals’ top pitching prospect. Soriano, a right-handed closer, filled in as a closer for the Yankees in 2012 after losing Mariano Rivera and recorded 42 saves. Soriano

is the likely candidate to become the Nationals’ closing pitcher over Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen, who shared the role as closer last

season. The Baltimore Orioles have had a very quiet offseason. The most notable moves include extending manager Buck Showalter’s contract until 2018 and resigning outfielder

Nate McLouth to a one-year deal worth two million dollars. The Orioles’ strategy seems to involve staying together and growing as a team. “Every year we have our sights set on a World Series,” claims Matt Weiters, Orioles’ catcher, to the Baltimore Sun. “That can be a feasible goal.” Notable offseason acquisitions for the rest of Major League Baseball include pitcher Joel Hanrahan being traded to the Boston Red Sox, pitcher Zach Greinke’s six-year 147 million dollar deal with the Dodgers, brothers BJ and Justin Upton to Atlanta, and all-star outfielder Josh Hamilton’s five-year 123 million dollar signing with the Angels. On every MLB team’s radar is the Washington Nationals as well as Baltimore Orioles. Both teams have a legitimate chance at reaching the World Series, which raises the question; could there be a “Battle of the Beltways” World Series?

Wes BrownSports Editor

Change has come upon the Marriotts Ridge Football Program. Coach Minard has stepped down as head coach and Coach Lewis will take over. Minard has been coaching Varsity football for two years as well as coaching Varsity Lacrosse. When

he originally came to MRHS, he coached JV football, but he offered to help with Varsity until the right person came along to take over. “This is good for the school,” Minard said. “It brings another coach who is in the building for the players.” Although the talent level of the players hasn’t been high compared to some other schools, Minard is proud of their work effort. Coach is proud that his team was able to fight and get the seniors two wins in their final year. In the

Change at the Top

Powerhouses. Buzzer beaters. Cinderella stories. Bracketology. March Madness is right around the corner. Some call March Madness the greatest basketball tournament in the world mostly because the players are not motivated by money, but by school pride and the desire to be remembered. Junior

basketball player RJ Bryant said, “I love the heart of all the players in the tournament; it’s how I try to play when I get on the court.”

The tournament divides 64 teams into four regions where they compete through four rounds to narrow it down to the Final Four. Although the four number one seeds are usually picked to dominate, this season, the number one ranked team has been knocked down four times, so anything is possible.

One of the other great

aspects behind March Madness is “doing research and trying to fill out the perfect bracket,” said ecstatic senior John Myers. Bracketology has become an increasingly popular endeavor, as it is now a vehicle for harmless competition amongst friends. From office pools to pools with a group of friends, everyone wants to fill out the winning bracket. As of the standings in week 17, the number one seeds are looking to be Indiana, Gonzaga, Duke, and Michigan. According

to ESPN bracketologist, Joe Lunardi, the bubble teams for this year’s tournament include Temple, Kentucky,Villanova, Ole Miss, Baylor, Arizona State, Indiana State, Southern Miss, St. John’s,Boise State, Maryland, and Alabama. This crazy year of basketball can only get crazier during the tournament. The official bracket will be released on selection Sunday, March 17. Good luck!

previous three seasons, the team was not able to corral a single victory. When asked why the change, Minard referenced “a variety of reasons.” “[Stepping Down] frees up time to coach and watch my son,” he said. Coach Lewis had expressed interest in the job and that’s when Minard felt “ the timing was right.” Minard will continue to coach Varsity Lacrosse and will help Coach JV football with Coach Sageman next season.

“I still can and want to help build the program up,” Minard said. “All the other coaches are returning, so it isn’t a major overhaul.” Coach Lewis will now be head Football and Boys Basketball coach. He returned to the head Boys Basketball coach this year after a two-year absence. Maybe he can make an impact on the field like he has on the court.

sPorts March 12, 201312THE STALLION

Closing out the Season

Jack FlemingStaff Writer

The winter sports teams here at Marriotts Ridge are now done with their 2012-2013 seasons. The Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball, Cheerleading, Wrestling and Ice Hockey teams all had tremendous seasons. The Boys Varsity Basketball team had a great regular season record. The boys ended the regular season with an 11-11 season. The Mustangs’ success came from the return of head coach Lewis. Lewis played a very important role in the teams success this year, as well as great play from every single player on the roster. The Mustangs had a very memorable season; sophomore Alex Caffes says his favorite memory of the season was “ beating Centennial at home in front of a big crowd.” The Mustangs were in the playoff mindset. “The season went very well and we look to do well in the playoffs and go far,” says senior Sean Harrison. The Mustangs great season came to an end on February 28th against Largo High School with

a score of 70-63. The Girls Varsity Basketball team season had a slow start to the season, but the Lady Mustangs really picked up the pace and started playing harder and winning games. “This was a fun season and I’m glad I was a part of this team,” says senior Zoe Stukenberg. Head coach Reier is proud of what her team did this year. “This season was good, and I’m sad to see it end. It was a good season,” she comments. The girls lost in the playoffs to Calvert High School, but the team ends their season with their heads held high. The Varsity Girls Cheerleading squad had an absolutely amazing season, making it all the way to states and placing

6th out of more than 80 cheer teams competing. “We had really good competition from the other schools in the state of Maryland. It was great to do so well in the states competiton,” says junior Caroline Corbliss. Coach O’Brian is very proud of the girls’ performance in the state competition. “This team deserves everything they got this

year. They worked so hard for this and I am so proud of them,” she adds. The Girls Cheer squad is very happy with the way they closed out their season. The Varsity Wr e s t l i n g team is p r e p a r i n g to send

some athletes to regionals. The Wrestling team finished the season with a strong record of 7-4, beating

big schools like Centennial and Howard. Junior Andrew Blalock says, “For JV, Counties is looking good and for Varsity, Regionals is looking really good. We have a lot of kids going to Regionals. Head Coach Conley is proud of what his team did this year. Everyone worked extremely hard and I’m proud of everyone on the team.” The strong Wrestling squad here at the Ridge had a fantastic season. The Ice Hockey club’s great season ended with a great, hard-fought battle to the Glenelg Gladiators in overtime. Junior goalie Dylan Schoen says, “It was a disappointing loss, but we had a great season, and we will keep our heads up and start preparing for next season. As the winter sports season officially comes to an end, student-athletes look forward to working hard in the off season to start preparing for next winter.

The Boys Basketball team wraps up a great season.