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Job No.: 003455 Job No.: 003455

School Name: Millard West High School School Name: Millard West High School

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“Don’t be a vampire, be a vampire slayer.”“Stick together like beef and honey.”“No Lollygagging or you’re gonna make me late for supper” “I don’t want to see you guys hanging around the burger barn.”“No running by yourselves girls, you don’t know what those boys are thinkin’.”“You guys are like my siamese cat. You don’t listen.”“This isn’t a turkey trot”“Someone call the fire dept, this girl is on FIRE!”“You have the best ACT scores in Millard and you cant figure out how to make a circle?”“Don’t be prancing around like a bunch of sissies.” “Keep that tempo now.” “I’ve gone three days without making someone cry.” “I’m the best baby-sitter in town.” “

”The first race I ran I was extremely nervous. But when I was finished it felt great. The coaches kept supporting us to do well and race hard and I think that is what helped me push myself throughout the season.-Stefanie Vanderbeek, freshman

Head coach Maxwell Kurz coached the boys and girls cross country teams since the school opened their doors. Some of the most memorable moments the runners took from their years as a cross country participant were the infamous quotes their coach presented them on a regular basis.

The girls cross country team had a devastating loss last year at Districts. The seniors on the team made up about half; which meant the following year only two juniors and one senior would lead the team. What the team lost in experience, they gained in heart and determination. The girls added five new

freshmen, making the teamthe youngest it’s ever been. “I joined cross country because I’ve been running since 6th grade and most of my friends run,” freshman Camryn Larsen said. The team spent most of their practices building endurance for the long races and trying to create a tight bond amongst each other.

“Kurz really wanted usto try and stick together as a team, but especially us freshman because we’re new,” freshman Kaitlyn Johnson said. “I really like my team and I’m glad I joined.” The girls had a rocky start, but by the middle of the season, the newbies had their bearings under control and

knew how to race the courseand what to expect. “We had to primarily focus on the girl’s transition to the team,” head coach Maxwell Kurz said. “Making first varsity as a freshman can be tough and it adds pressure to do well. The girls had to accept each other as teammates which ultimately helped the team this year.”

BRINGING SE[XC] BACK. freshmen dominate the new cross country season

25 runners on the team

12 meets this season

9 freshmen on the team

2 playoff meets

1 state titleNot wanting this concoction in their hair, underclassmen pull their hair back before “bobbing for veggies.”

HOLD YOUR BREATHA mix of unfinished jello and whipped cream deters the participants’ attempt to retrieve two veggies.

DIVE IN

WELCOME TOTHE FAMILY.new XC runners become a part of the team by getting “kidnapped” and initiated by upperclassmen.

New members covered in shaving cream crouch in order to get as many skittles stuck to their face as possible.

LATE NIGHT WORK OUT

ENDUREAs a part of the cross country initiation, sophomore Celeste Ramirez forces herself to eat a concoction mixed together by the senior girls. “The worst part was eating mint ice cream with a spicy salad dressing and I think mayonnaise,” Ramirez said. “It was nasty and I wanted to throw it up right away. It had the worst after taste from the salad dressing that made your mouth burn.”

ERYN LARSEN ‘14“I love that my teammates call me ‘team mom.’ Being on cross country for three years, it is a rewarding feeling to now have a place of leadership among this great group of girls.”

SOPHIE SEALER ‘14

Senior captains

CLASSIC KURZ.

As a previous finisher at state her freshman year, junior Shea Spady came into the season strong, determined to make up for her shortened season last year. “I had a fracture in my hip last year that ended my season,” Spady said. “I was devastated.” Spady’s season was cut short again by yet another injury. “It sucks knowing I can’t participate,” Spady said. “But there’s nothing I can do besides work and get into shape.”

SMILE As Sophomore Hannah Circo runs the last stretch of the race, a small smile creeps across her face. “I didn’t even realize I was smiling,” Circo said. “I was just thinking about finishing the whole time.”

POSITIVE THINKING Plugging away on the last straight, junior Carrie Olson looks toward the finish. “I thought the team was a lot closer this year and when it came to pushing myself I just kept saying I can do it and didn’t let that leave my head.”

FINISH STRONGJunior Laura Packwood races to the finish line with determination. “We all push each other to be better every single day,” Packwood said. “We’ll always work to dominate as a team, not just individually.” Packwood finished 17th in this race, which was a major improvement for her and another great way to end the season at the last home meet.

“Being captain is a rewarding feeling. I like being in charge of all of the team huddles and getting the girls ready for meets. Next year I’ll miss how close we were as a team.”

060. Girls Cross Country FALL SPORTS .061

CANT BE STOPPED. by Eryn Larsen

photo by Emily Richards photo by Emily Richards

photo by Zoe Zimmer

photo by Emily Richards

photos courtesy of Lydia Berry

photo by Emily Richards

photo by Emily Richards

photo by Zoe Zimmer

photo by Alyssa Thielen

Coach gives his runners unforgettable words of wisdom

Joslyn Dietsch ‘17 Emma Luick ‘17, Erin Backhaus ‘17, Rachel Packwood ‘17, Joslyn Dietsch ‘17

Rachel Packwood ‘17, Olivia Behle ‘16

Gwynth Heisterkamp ‘16, Olivia Behle ‘16, Stefanie

Celeste Ramirez ‘16

Kaitlyn Johnson ‘17 Camryn Larsen ‘17

Stefanie Vanderbeek ‘17

by Eryn Larsen

Vanderbeek ‘17

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Job No.: 003455 Job No.: 003455

School Name: Millard West High School School Name: Millard West High School

The first Friday night of the school year was always one to be remembered by students. The clock struck eight, and students rushed in through the front doors. After passing breathalyzer tests and paying for their tickets, students stepped

out onto the dance floor with their friends and made memories. Senior, Jack McKenna was in for a surprise during the dance this year when friends and fellow students decided to lift him in the air to crowd surf.

“Out of nowhere, my friends grabbed me and held me up,” McKenna said. “I felt like I was on top of the world. Even though I was only up there for less than a minute, it was one of the best ways to end my last Back to School Dance.”

That night brought inalmost the entire student body from every grade level, all decked out in their most creative attire. All of the students made an effort to make the best of the night, dancing their way into the new school year.

WILDCAT RIDE.students find new ways to get crazy in the new school year

“The sequel of the movie, “Despicable Me”, inspired us senior girls to dress up as ‘minions’. We made our own goggles and bought overalls and black gloves.”

“My friends and I love the movie ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ and we thought it was a clever idea instead of the typical costumes that most people do.”

“We had to pick one costume that everyone agreed on, so we picked camo because it was a fun and cute idea that everyone liked.”

“It was pretty fun and I danced like a spaz which gave me a lot of attention. I’m for sure going to dress up and think of something crazy come next year.”

Annie Gaston ‘14, Lauren Raymond’14, Amanda Love ‘14

TAKING OVER As he dances across the gymnasium floor, junior Zachary Miller tries to pump up the crowd. Miller and a large group of students went to the dance dressed as construction workers, wearing hard hats, bright orange overalls, and vests. “This year’s dance was by far my favorite,” Miller said. “I can’t wait for my senior year’s dance so my class and I can take over the dance floor.” COUPLE CREATIVITY Seniors, Carly Zimmer and Mark Vlassakis dance the night away together. They decided to dress up as Ninja Turtles for this year’s dance. “I thought our costumes were cute and creative,” Zimmer said. “The night was really fun, but it was also sad because it was our last dance as seniors. Being surrounded by my friends and classmates made the night end in a great way.”

SUIT UP.

Getting ready was one of the most important parts before the dance. To top off the outfits to their full expressive potential, students used paint, glitter, makeup, accessories, and much more. Juniors Sydney Fahner, Laura Reher, and Paige Mueller patriotically dressed up as ‘Yankee Doodles’ for this dance. “We helped each other get ready,” Reher said. “We tried to incorporate as much red, white, and blue in our outfits as we could to make them turn out well.”

Tying the costumes in with their grade level, many seniors this year dressed up as “senioritis” by putting hospital gowns on and acting sick. “I thought it was a humorous idea to dress up as if we had a sickness,” senior Courtney James said. “My friends and I bought band-aids and went to a local hospital for gowns.By the end of the year, I feel that all seniors are going to suffer from senioritis, so this fits our class well.” Excited and ready, students headed out their doors and made their way to school for the dance.

-Haley Sona, senior -Kelsey Schense, junior

-Gwyneth Heisterkamp, sophomore

-Ethan Dougherty, freshman

photos by Jordan Housh

photo by Megan Theobald

photo by Carli Boham

photo by Carli Boham by Megan Theobald

020. Back to School Dance 1ST SEMESTER .021

Inspiration

Preparing for the dance

photo by Rachel Fabry

photo by Rachel Fabry

by Victoria Hill

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School Name: Millard West High School School Name: Millard West High School

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The annual Titan Invitational at Eagle Hills started like any other tournament for senior athlete Katelyn Strudthoff. She was in the zone and ready for a nice, quiet game of golf, her favorite sport. The first few holes of the game were fairly average for her record until suddenly her game took a dramatic

shift. She hit two hole in two’s, (double eagle). “When I got my double eagle I was so happy,” Strudthoff said. “I jumped up and down.” The experience went by so fast, and felt unreal to Strudthoff. Thankfully, her coach Kent Speer caught the whole thing on his iPad. “I usually don’t film from

that distance but I knew she was pretty good so I thought she would hit close,” Speer said. “I figured maybe I could catch something good. Never thought I would get that.” A double eagle is one of the rarest accomplishments in golf. This was actually the first one shot at the high school level in the history of

girl’s golf for the Nebraska School Activities Association. This great achievement was proudly earned by the hard working and dedicated athlete. “She wants to be the best female golfer ever at Millard West,” Speer said. “She is one of our captains and does a great job helping the other girls get better as well.”

HISTORY HAPPENS HERE. female athlete achieves rare success in Nebraska girl’s golf

What is your favorite club and why?

“My seven iron because I use it on almost every hole except par three’s and I consistently hit well with it.”-Annika Brown, sophomore

“My sand wedge because chipping is such an important part of the game.”-Teryn Koch, sophomore

“My favorite club is my pitching wedge. It is easy to hit and can be used all around the course.”-Megan Phillips, freshman

“Probably my hybird because I hit the hardest and feel really good when I hit the ball far.”-Madison Ulness, senior

Seniors represent“The younger girls view us as leaders and come to us for advice and support in practices and tournaments. It feels good to help them out.”-Taylor Carnazzo, senior

“Being a senior leader, I try to make everyone feel at home so they feel like they’re a part of the team. It helps everyone get along too.”-Caitlin Wisecup, senior

“I really like being a part of the decision making because I’m a senior. It also makes me feel good knowing the girls look up to me.”-Kaylee Joueben, senior

Before each dual, the team warmed up on the driving range. Sophomore Carly O’Keefe kept her eye steady on the ball as she peaked into full swing. “We go to the range and hit the clubs we will be using and then we go putt and chip,” O’Keefe said. “After that, we go meet the people we‘re playing and exchange scorecards.”

DRIVE Driving the ball, junior Kelsey Alexander watches as it soars towards the green. “After having two surgeries in the past year, golf is something that puts less stress on my body,” Alexander said. “Plus, it’s really fun and peaceful for me.”

FOCUS In concentration mode, sophomore Isabelle Wostoupal prepares to hit with her seven iron. “Before I hit the ball, I try to focus on what will happen,” Wostoupal said. “Once I’m ready to hit, I center my attention on watching the ball and holding my follow through.”

CHIP Sophomore Nicole Carnazzo chips the ball at her final dual of the season. “I was so proud to move up and have the opportunity to play in varsity tournaments,” Carnazzo said. “This being my last dual, I left everything I worked for over the season on the course.”

PUTT Observing her hit, freshman Alexis Christiansen looks towards the hole to review the angle at which she putted the ball. “Putting can make or break your game,” Christiansen said. “It’s definitely something that can always be improved.”

IN THE ZONE.the girl’s golf team stayed focused as they competed in tournaments and duals around Nebraska area

It wouldn’t be a true girl’s golf season without the annual TPing of their head coach Kent Speer. Every year it was tradition to get the whole team together and buy several industrial sized packages of toilet paper and other creative destructive items to destroy their coach’s front yard. The odd ritual started years before the girls were freshmen. Now, it’s a staple in the team’s bonding activities. “It’s always fun to drive by the next morning and watch his family clean it up,” senior Kaylee Joueben said. “It’s just tradition now.”

TEAM T.P. TRADITION.

photos by Morgan Coil

photos by Morgan Coil

photo by Morgan Coil

by Morgan Coil

Megan Phillips ‘17, Teryn Koch ‘16

Carigan Wiegan ‘16

Girl’s golf bonding activities

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“I started golf four years ago. Each year I’ve been able to get better alongside my team. I’ve grown to know and love not only this sport but also my teammates. I am so proud of our progress and improvement over the years.-Katelyn Strudthoff, senior

056. Girls Golf FALL SPORTS .057

Katy Mar Millard West High School