arriorW

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” Ephesians 6:10 Valley Christian High School

100 Skyway Drive, San Jose CA 95111

Lindsay MarshallMA in Liberal ArtsStanford University

Warrior.ValleyChristian.netFriday, March 25, 2011Volume XXVIII Number VI

In Review:Spiritual Emphasis Week

See Page 16

See Page 11

Photo by Nick Rogers

A Peek Inside:Fiddler on the Roof

See Page 8-9

Shanti ReddyBusiness Manager

On April 8, Jeffrey Overstreet will visit Valley Christian High School for a book signing and a conversation on art, story, and the pursuit of mystery and beauty. The event will

begin at 7:30pm in the small gym. All of his

books are available for students at the Skyway Library. A good book is a rare delight, and a good fantasy book, rarer still. Jeffrey Overstreet’s Auralia Thread promises four great ones. Overstreet began his career not as an author, but as a reviewer. His book Through a Screen Darkly: Looking Closer at Beauty, Truth, and Evil in the Movies should be on every lover’s bookshelf. It’s the diary of a man’s journey through and faith, and one of the most honest and intelligent works of its kind. Overstreet knows the art of cinema, and he deftly leads his audience through the magic of good cinema, ever pushing the reader toward deeper understanding and confrontation with the complexity of art that seeks to the human experience. This sensibility makes him an excellent author. His Auralia Thread avoids the pitfalls that assail many fantasy authors because of his deep love for cinematic arts. The series begins with Auralia’s Colors. Rather than being the typical introductory book that follows fantasy convention, Auralia’s Colors surprises the reader at every turn. So many fantasy works have one fatal they are mere shadows of the greater works that inspired them. Like its title character, Auralia’s Colors refuses to be told what it should be. The Auralia Thread strikes out on its own and carves out a beautiful corner of the imaginative

The Valley Christian

Lindsay MarshallHistory Teacher

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Blood Drive Draws Record Numbers Among Students, Teachers

The Leadership class was in charge of planning, organizing, and coordinating the annual blood drive at Valley Christian High School. It took place on March 21 in the big gym. The blood was donated to Stanford Hospital, where it will be tested and given to those who are in need.

Stanford Blood Center conducts mobile blood drives throughout the Bay Area, collecting approximately half of its annual blood supply in this manner. Donating blood is a safe process that can

safe many lives. The Stanford Blood group was at Valley for the whole day and took donors according to the time they signed up for. Sign ups were made through Leadership students. “I think the annual blood drive here at Valley is great because we have the opportunity to serve people in our own community, and this simple act can save one’s life,” said senior Leadership student, Victoria Quinto.

The blood donation process at school went as followed: Registration, which approximately took minutes, was where the donors were asked to give name, contact information, and photo ID. Step two was the medical history, which

took minutes, and was where the donors answer questions about their medical history and where vital signs were taken. Step three was where the blood was actually taken, which took approximately twenty minutes. Under supervision of a licensed nurse, a phlebotomist inserted a sterile needle and drew one pint of blood from each donor. After the blood donation, the donor was asked to rest for minutes and have some light refreshments before resuming normal activities.

There are some basic eligibility guidelines that must be taken into consideration before the donor donates.

Opening on March 10, Valley Christian theater’s Fiddler on the Roof was sure to be a success. After practicing for over four months, the seventy-seven-person cast was anxious to show off their hard work. The show had multiple performances that sold out, and night after night the theater was filled with people eager to see a brilliant performance.

Fiddler on the Roof is a touching tale that focuses on Teyve, a Jewish man who strives to keep the Jewish traditions alive despite a world that is quickly forgetting them. Although Fiddler on the Roof was written almost years ago, the ideas still ring true. The value of family, the desire for love and the balancing of traditions provide a message that can still touch an audience’s heart today.

Teyve, played by VCHS counselor, Mr. Stephen Torode, is the father of five daughters who despite their father’s best attempts to get them to follow

tradition, they break tradition in order to marry the one they love, not the one the matchmaker picks out. Tevye is married to Golde, played by junior Jessica Lubke.

The father’s problems begin when the eldest daughter Tzeitel, played by senior Megan Fairchild, falls in love with a man she is not matched to. While the matchmaker, who is played by junior Megan Sola-Guinto matches her with Matt Ross’s character of Lazar Wolfe, Tzeitel is really in love with Model who is played by junior Tyler Valdez. The idea of his daughter marrying someone she is not matched to seems foreign to Teyve. Therefore, he continually evaluates his faith and is constantly seen praying asking for guidance. Teyve does not want to lose his traditions, but he doesn’t want to hurt his daughter either.

A man who helps Teyve understand is Perchik, played by junior Dillon Mena. Perchik is a radical, a man who is constantly telling the Jews that the world is changing and they can no longer cling to their old traditions. While at

Teyve dismisses his ideas, he later begins to listen to and understand what Perchik is saying. Hodel, played by senior Tayler James is the second eldest of Teyve’s daughters. She too falls in love with a man she was not matched with - Perchik.

After seeing her two sisters fall in love while not following tradition, the third daughter, Chava follows suit. Played by junior Danielle Peterson, Chava falls in love with Fyedka, played by freshman Mitchel Mayes, a man who is outside of the Jewish faith.

Due to his daughters’ strong-willed actions, Teyve must learn how to balance the ever-changing world with his Jewish traditions.

On the second Thursday the show was open, an understudy performance showcased more student talent. Seven students performed in lead rolls as understudies. Freshmen Andrea Wiggington, Alexis Garrett and Abby McLachlan played Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava, respectively. Sophomore Michael

Donors must be at least seventeen; sixteen year olds may donate but must have a signed parental consent form. In addition, donors must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and free from colds or the for at least 48 hours, and have eaten a light meal prior to donating and be well hydrated. There were also some donor deferrals such as those who have low hemoglobin (iron) or those who have recently traveled out of the country to malarial risk areas, including those who have gone on recent missions trips. Donating blood can often seem like a act, but it is one of the simplest ways to save a life.

Author Jeffrey Overstreet Plans Book Signing Fiddler Comes to Valley

Tarah DuarteFeatures Editor

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This year’s spring musical, Fiddler on the Roof, involved over a quarter of Valley Christian’s students in one cohesive, yet theatrical effort.

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2 The Warrior NewsMarch 25, 2011

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Note: The Warrior is a nonprofit publication which is published

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Valley Christian High School. Views expressed in The Warrior are those of the student writers and do not

necessarily represent the views of the school, staff, and/or its students.

All type and layouts are created in The Warrior newsroom, Room 215.

The Warrior is printed at Fricke-Parks Press, Union City, California.

Joyce ChenPhoto Editor

Jon LampkinEditor-in-Chief

Hannah LozinskiAssistant News EditorZayn Kirkendoll

A&E EditorShanti Reddy

Assistant A&E EditorTarah DuarteFeatures Editor

Taylor TantonAssistant Features Editor

Arazue ZadehSports Editor

Darelle JonesGraphic ArtistJoyce ChenPhoto Editor

Parul JandirBuisness Manager

Warrior Staff WritersRomie Asplund, Matt Faircloth

Jordan Hochmuth, Angel HollstromJamie Keener, Sarah KoenigLianna LaBerge, Jordan Lief

Dillon Mena, Brenda MuldoonTaylor Pratt, Nick Usher

2010-2011Warrior Staff

What’s Going OnIN THE NEWSDisaster in Japan On March 11, 2011, what has been called “Japan’s worst crisis since WWII” occurred. It started with a Magnitude 9.0 earthquake erupting at 2:24 P.M, 100 miles off the coast of eastern Japan. The earthquake triggered Tsunami warnings throughout the country, with Tsunamis up to 33 feet impacting coasts minutes after the earthquake struck. By March 24, 2011, 9,811 people were confirmed dead, 2,779 injured, and 17,541 missing. But, Japanese rescue authorities have yet to even scratch the surface, with estimates of the death toll being in the tens of thousands. The damage from the earthquake has caused widespread destruction and misery, with tsunamis literally wiping entire towns off the map. Videos have surfaced that depict entire towns being swept away by massive walls of water, throwing boats, cars, and houses around like small toys. The maximum estimated loss of property is valued at around 183 billion dollars. As a result of the quake and tsunami, two Nuclear power plants have partially melted down due to the earthquake shutting down electrical generators, which power pumps that keep the reactor cores cool. These meltdowns have caused explosions that released amounts of radiation into the environment, causing major damage to the plants and a few reported cases of radiation

School for Dummies By Jordan Hochmuth

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poisoning. Nuclear officials are still fighting to keep the reactors under control. Radiation levels have spiked, forcing nuclear workers to evacuate the plant. 200,000 people have been evacuated from surrounding area. The international community has stepped up to help Japan, with many nations agreeing to send financial aid, material aid, or rescue teams. The United States has sent military vessels closer to the coast to provide aid. Uprising in LibyaProtests have been going on in Libya since February 15, and the situation in the country has only worsened. The notorious dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who has stayed in power since he overthrew the monarchy in a coup, has ruled Libya since 1969. The protesters have taken up arms, and have control over the Eastern half of the country. Many soldiers and commanders have defected and joined the protests. Gaddafi continues to use deadly force against civilian protesters, including use of tear gas and live ammunition. The anti-Gaddafi fighters claim to have numbers of only 5,000, and have reported to have taken 1,500 casualties. The anti-Gaddafi forces have set up their own government in the city of Benghazi, the second largest in Libya. Gaddafi, who has a notorious human rights record, faces widespread sanctions and commendation from world leaders. On March 19, 2011, the UN Security Council approved Resolution 1973, authoizing foreign military intervention against Libya, namely a no-fly zone.

On February 11, Chinese teacher Mrs. Anita Lin took her mandarin students to Chinatown, which is located in the beautiful city of San Francisco. The purpose of this trip was to teach the mandarin students the importance of culture to the Chinese and to take a walk through a place where their culture is so prominent. Mrs. Lin took the kids in one bus and first went to the museum of Chinese heritage, where her students were able to see an exhibit that showed Americans going back to their roots and how moved they were when they saw where and how their ancestors lived. In this exhibit, they had many pictures

Chinese Students Travel to China Town in SF

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that were taken on the individual trips back to their homelands. In the back of the exhibit there was even a table with ancient cups, bowls, and the set up of how a typical Chinese family would eat their meals. After that museum, Mrs. Lin led her Chinese classes to an arch, which is well known as the entrance to San Francisco’s well-known Chinatown. At the arch, everyone saw the difference between the rest of society and Chinatown itself. There were also many pictures taken at the arch to commemorate the beautiful location at which the arch was placed. Once pictures were taken, the mandarin students made their way to another Chinese heritage museum. On the

way, there were many different stands that sold items ranging from jade bracelets to even small force activated firecrackers. Upon arriving at the next museum, the students entered and were met with a nice man who worked at the museum and gave a presentation on the oppression that the Chinese faced in America, specifically San Francisco. There were journals in the corner of a room in the museum that visitors can write in. People wrote countless stories of how their ancestors were oppressed when they first came to California and how now they are so thankful for what their ancestors went through so that they could now be where they are. After touring the entire museum, the students once again

followed Mrs. Lin’s lead and arrived at a traditional Chinese restaurant where they were able to experience many different dishes such as buns, bokchoi, and chow mein. Once lunch was over, the students hopped on the bus and returned to the Valley Christian High School campus with stuffed stomachs and educated minds regarding Chinese culture.

Seniors Don Do and Nick Chiu both thought that the trip was a success and experienced Chinese culture. Chiu said, “Chinatown was a lot of fun! Visiting the different museums definitely opened my eyes to my own heritage. The food at the end was a plus too! I wasn’t expecting such an extravagant meal.”

Esteemed Fantasy Author Soon to Visit Valley

realm. The trilogy follows the story of an orphan named Auralia who appears mysteriously, whose eccentricity challenges the powerbrokers of her world, and whose generosity softens the hearts of the hardest criminals of her kingdom. Dazzled by the beauty of the world around her, Auralia weaves its colors into her whimsical gifts in defiance of a decree against such extravagance. When her magnum opus, a cloak of many colors, shakes the very foundations of House Abascar, Auralia’s audacity peels back the comfort and complacency of

everyone from ale boy to king and introduces the mystery of the creature known as the Keeper. Her brief presence changes everyone in the Expanse, from the heir to Abascar’s throne to the curse-ridden beastmen of House Cent Regus. Fantasy tends toward heavy-handed symbolism, but the Auralia Thread instead feels soaked in meaning and pushes the reader to decipher the symbols without the aid of exposition. It’s the kind of deft writing that leads the reader through a Socratic experience. The beastmen of Cent Regus, for example would be stand-ins for orcs in any other

series, a clearly evil group of enemies who may justifiably be destroyed by triumphant heroes. Instead, Overstreet introduces a moral complexity by asking if it is possible to redeem them from a curse of their own making and restore them to humanity. Overstreet writes like Van Gogh painted. He is a literary impressionist, and his understated yet vivid narrative style overwhelms the imagination. The sharp, clear narrative doesn’t waste an ounce of emotional impact. Overstreet’s gift is allowing the story and its characters to drive his novels, and the result is a fantasy series

that feels authentic and new, both familiar and strange at once. The final book in the series, The Ale Boy’s Feast, does more than just tell the end of a story; it invites the reader into the world of the Expanse with a cast of beautifully complex characters in pursuit of the mystery that calls us all. That journey into beauty and mystery, in all its mess and glory, is one of pain and joyful ecstasy. In his Auralia Thread, Overstreet has captured a piece of that journey and, holds it up to the light, like a window of colored glass for us to look through and catch a glimpse of the path that beckons us.

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1White played Perchik, Fruma Sarah was played by freshman Janet Backlund, sophomore Kelly Bailey played Golde and freshman Lindsay Trevino played Grandma Tzeitel. Each student shined in the spotlight as they showcased their hard work. Many who hear the title Fiddler on the Roof wonder, ‘what does a fiddler on the roof have to do anything with this play?’ The answer lies in the word tradition. Imagine someone playing a fiddle while at the same time trying to balance very carefully on a roof. Teyve makes this illustration in his opening monologue when he says, “you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck…” Balancing all of life’s responsibilities can be difficult. But Teyve says that he and his fellow Jews are the fiddler as they try desperately to balance the changes of the world with their traditions that represent their unending devotion to God.

From early November, when students began preparing until show time in March each person involved with Fiddler on the Roof has been extremely dedicated to making this show a success. And if the applause and continuous standing ovations that took place night after night are any indication, each member succeeded.

3The WarriorNews March 25, 2011

Depression Idol has become a yearly tradition for AP U.S. History stu-dents, with classmates teaming up to form “”bands,” and rewriting the lyrics of popular songs, making them about the Great Depression. They then performed in their class periods, competing for a chance to continue on to the next round against the other winners. At lunch on Thursday, March 10, the competition was held in the high school theater between the six win-ners who represented their class periods. The theater was packed with the bands that failed to advance cheering on their class periods, students who came to support their friends, and the celebrity guest judges, the White Boyz who were the Depression Idol winners from 2010. The Cee-Low Blues from period one kicked off the competition with group member Kevin Nguyen providing live music by playing his guitar. The next team, In Debt, did not let this competition scare them as they performed their version of N Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye,” the same song that the White Boyz won with last year. Regardless of if this song choice was a ploy to curry favor from the celebrity guest judges, In Debt certainly did it justice and raised the bar even higher. However, the next group was certainly not going to let such boundaries stop them. They took to the stage singing and dancing to “Bad Romance,” channel-ing their inner Lady Gaga by having ar-guably the most creative costumes of the afternoon. Following them were the rep-resentatives from sixth period, the Brown Eyed Bees. Perfectly in sync (or rather, n sync) they sang their version of “Where Is the Love,” with juniors Thomas Tali and Evan Stainthorp showcasing their rap-ping talents. After the Brown Eyed Bees ex-

ited the stage, the audience began buzzing over teacher Mrs. Lindsay Marshall’s announcement that “I’ve seen their perfor-mance, and I’m hoping they keep the blood and gore to a minimum.” The group suc-cessfully sang their rendition of “Down,” but their stunts immediately made Mrs. Marshall’s warning clear, and several times the audience gasped at juniors Mat-thew Lin and Ryan Rana’s risky moves. Fortunately, they all survived to finish their number, and the last group, also from eighth period, capped off the finale singing “We R Who We R.” Although lunch was over, the crowd stayed long enough to find out that the 2011 Depression Idol winners were the Brown Eyed Bees. “They all were in-volved with the performance, and they sounded good,” a spokesperson from the White Boyz said later, “but the deciding factor was their spirit.” In addition to brag-ging rights, the Brown Eyed Bees received a free pizza lunch for their victory.

Dedicated Abolitionists Spread AwarenessTarah DuarteFeatures Editor

APUSH Goes to Hollywood

Hannah LozinskiAssistant News Editor On March 9, 2011, over 500

excited students gathered at the South Hall of the San Jose Convention Center. Four Valley Christian students were among the dedicated participants at Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship.

Christopher Chon and John Park, both freshmen from the NanoTechnology Club, displayed their Engineering project; “H2Ocean.” They utilized Valley Christian’s NanoEducator to examine the effectiveness of reverse osmosis filters and how to improve their function by analyzing their operation on the nano scale.

Jae Hoon (Eddy) Kang, a sophomore from the Science Club, completed the Engineering project; “Computer Case Fan with Built-In Dust Sensor.” His design will prevent failures due to dust accumulation on the filters and fans within the cooling system of computers. His innovative design will warn the user when it’s time to clean the cooling system in a computer or other electronic device.

Mason Ivy, also a sophomore from the Science Club, displayed his Computer/Mathematics project; “Effects of Variables on Virtual Life Forms.” This computer program accurately depicts the idiosyncrasies, habits, and actions of simulated organisms in a controlled

environment. This simulation makes it possible to check the stability of harsh environments in terms of human survival.

Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship is an annual event that is open to students from the 6th through the 12th grades. This fair is one of the most highly regarded regional science fairs in California. Winners at this fair are rewarded for their efforts and are recognized for their achievements in their chosen field.

Valley Christian is dedicated to the advancement of their students with their participation in Synopsys and other science fairs. Valley Christian has set up a mentoring program with industry and academia to provide the necessary guidance to any student with a desire to participate and be recognized for their efforts. Valley Christian is anticipating many more entries next year. If you have an idea and would like to discuss it, please contact Mr. Ivy at hivy@vcs.net.

Students Compete at Synopsys Championship

Howell IvyAMSE

Eddy Kang, John Park, Chris Chon, and Mason Ivy stand in front of the San Jose Convention Center

Jae Hoon (Eddy) Kang, sophomore, is preparing to present his Engineering project

Freshmen Christopher Chon and John Park stand in front of their project

Some students were in Ta-hoe, some students were at home relaxing and some students were out of the country. But five mem-bers of the Valley Christian Aboli-tionist Society as well as Mr. Nate and Mrs. Lindsay Marshall, gave up three days of their Winter Break to travel down to Biola University to give a lecture to college students about the problem of human slav-ery. The Abolitionist Society was asked by the founder of the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola, Dr. John Mark Reynolds to come inform the Torrey students on the problem of human slavery and what his Torrey students can do. Along with Mr. and Mrs. Marshall the five students planned and presented a hour and forty-five minute lecture doing just that as well as covering how each student there got involved and what they are doing to help support the cause. Each student covered a topic related to slavery that they

could relate to. Senior Alex Ortiz talked about the statistics of slav-ery and presented some shock-ing numbers, such as the fact that there are 27 million people in slavery, more than have ever been in slavery in the history of the world. Tarah Duarte, also a senior, shared how there is a victim behind each statistic, a person with a story. She also dis-cussed how each person can use their individual talents to support abolition. Sophomore Mandy Chin spoke about how people could support abolition through what they purchase sharing that what you wear, eat and products you buy could easily be made by slaves- therefore, with each pur-chase you make you could pos-sibly be funding companies that use slaves to make their products. Kyle Stagnaro, a senior, gave a presentation about how many businesses are unaware that they are using slaves to make their products, and how it is up to the consumer to demand slave free products. Senior Mariah Gutier-rez, president of the club, talked about what the Valley Christian

Abolitionist Society is doing and what they have done to raise mon-ey and awareness. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall also lectured as well. Mr. Marshall talked about what could be instantly done to sup-port abolition as he shared phone applications that could be down-loaded that notified you of compa-nies that were not fair trade. Mrs. Marshall presented about how the movement is growing each day as more and more people are made aware, becoming concerned and are doing what they need to do to stop the problem. The group also held a question and answer time so the college students could learn more about what they heard. Even when the students were told they could leave, only a few did while more than three-fourths of the group stayed behind to talk and get more questions answered. In addition to giving the lecture, the students were able to enjoy a private three-hour session with Dr. Reynolds, sit in on a Tor-rey Honors class, see the Biola campus and visit Downtown Dis-ney.

The students have a private meeting with Dr. Reynolds

Biola students listen to the Abolitionists club’s presentation.

Students remixed popular songs with intelectual lyrics in their AP US class.

4 The Warrior NewsMarch 25, 2011

Joanna LamStaff Writer

Taylor TantonAssistant Features Editor

Photographers Capture God’s Creation at SF Zoo

Mastering the MainframeTaylor Tanton

Assistant Features Editor

Advancement in 3DTechnology Stuns

Everyone is raging about the 3DS, whether it is positive or negative. How exactly does the 3DS work? Is it worth it? You might look at the hefty price tag, a whopping $249.99 tag, and decide that it can’t possibly be worth it. It’s at least a hundred dollars more expensive than the DS Lite! However, the innovations featured in the 3DS aren’t just bells and whistles. The innovations work, and the improvements really exist within the 3DS. As you know, the 3DS has two screens just like its predecessors, but the main point is that the top screen lets you view in 3D without the pesky 3D glasses that are normally needed to see. This is good news for people who previously had to layer their 3D glasses on top of their glasses to watch movies or to even watch the new 3D television shows that are beginning to air on TV. Currently, Nintendo has kept how the 3D works under wraps, but there are very good theories out there. Sharp has something called a parallax LCD and they work similarly of how the glasses for 3D work. The glasses enable one to take two images from the image they are looking at and mesh them into one, and the brain receives both of the images and makes them into one. The parallax LCD does this effect but it does all the work. The parallax LCD is impractical for large

screens like the television because you have to be at a certain angle to make the 3D effect work, but on the other hand, for small screens such as the DS screen, it can prove to be very useful. For those who prefer playing without 3D or find the 3D distracting, there is a 3D depth slider that can be used to adjust the 3D or turn it off completely. However, it’s notable that the 3DS contends to more “hard-core” and informed gamers. Most of the confirmed titles are remakes of previous consoles or are sequels to other games. Examples would be 3DS remakes such as Star Fox 64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Kid Icarus: Uprising. Third party games have also been confirmed, and Square Enix, Konami, Capcom, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros. Interactive have announced several new titles for the 3DS. If you are not one of the “hard-core” gamers, you could still recognize some titles for the 3DS, such as Mario Kart 3DS and Animal Crossing. Despite the limited appeal, there’s still good news for casual gamers. Nintendo might repeat their success with their Wii with their family fun targeted games. Although for a non-gamer the 3DS seems insignificant, it wouldn’t be a long shot to say that advancement in 3D would be reflected in other aspects of technology as well. 3D phones, anyone?

This year, several of Valley Chris-tian High School classes went on exciting and interesting field trips. The most recent trip took place on Wednesday, March 16, and gave photo students the opportunity to go to the San Francisco zoo and take pictures of animals. Photo teachers, Mrs. Cindy Torode and Mrs. Jill Carlson, were thrilled to get to see their students ex-perience this unique outing. Students left school at about eight o’clock and arrived, by bus, at the zoo early in the morning, giving students plenty of time to snap shots of animals. However, first students split into groups before they were allowed to take pictures. All groups were told to have fun! Taking pictures of animals teach-es students how to take photos under dif-ficult circumstances. Many students ran into problems such as fences and glass cages blocking their view of the animals.

Valley Christian is home to many exceptional and talented students. With programs, such as AMSE and robotics, Valley takes academics and technology very seriously. Valley takes pride in their students and their student’s gifts. Recently, senior and AMSE member, Diane Eykholt used her talents to win the 2010 IBM’s Master the Main-frame contest. The three-part contest was designed to make teenagers and young adults see that computing is not actually as hard as it seems. In addition, IBM hoped to provide students with basic skills needed to make them more competitive for jobs in the enterprise computing industry. The best part was no experience was needed to par-ticipate. As a part-one contestant, Eyk-holt, had to download a workplace and be-come familiar with mainframes. Basically, mainframes are powerful computers used frequently by large business for impor-tant applications. Lately, mainframes have been growing in popularity and thus have required a new generation of mainframes experts. When asked why she applied, Eykholt replied, “I wanted to challenge myself because I’ve never worked with a mainframe before.” In fact, even though

In addition, all students had to deal with the unpredictability of the animals. Count-less times students leaned in for the perfect shot only to watch the animal move away. “Most importantly, taking pictures of ani-mals teaches students about the beauty of God’s creation and gives students a dif-ferent perspective on photography,” com-mented Mrs. Torode. Students took advantage of the rare opportunity. It’s not often they find themselves able to take a picture of a ti-ger! However out of all the animals, the peacocks were the most beloved. Seeing that peacocks have so much color, students couldn’t help but take pictures of the birds. Mrs. Torode confirmed that an-other zoo field trip will take place next year. Therefore if anyone wants to take a field trip to the zoo, sign up for a photo class next year. It’s an experience no one wants to miss! “My students are amazing! The images they captured were beautiful,” Mrs. Torode ended with a bright smile.

Eykholt came out victorious, she had never even heard of a mainframe before. To win, Eykholt had to send in her work with a mainframe. “Without getting too techni-cal, I basically had to familiarize myself with the software people use to work on mainframes. Then I had to use it to store, edit and send data,” Eykholt said, describ-ing the process. For winning, Eykholt, re-ceived a certificate and T-shirt. However, winners from part two and three won other prizes such as an iPad and a $100 pre-paid debit card. In addition to winning this con-test, Eykholt was also presented an award from the National Center for Women and Information Technologies. The award was given to the young genius for her aspira-tions in computing. On March 19, she spent her day at the Computer History Mu-seum for an enjoyable award ceremony. For winning, she won a day at Google and one year memberships to the Tech Mu-seum and Computer History Museum. But her favorite award was the 4th generation iPod! Since she is a senior, she knows college is right around the corner. How-ever, college isn’t something Eykholt is stressing about. She was one of the few seniors to get into Cal Poly where she is planning to major in computer science.

Warrior.ValleyChristian.net

arts andentertainment

Jazz Band Update

See Page 6

Keeping Up with the Conservatory

See Page 6

Student Spotlight: Painter Joey Pratt

Darelle JonesGraphic Artist

Taylor TantonAssistant Features Editor

Rango is one of those rare films that completely fools you into believing its ad campaign. Going into it, I expected, as no doubt did the many parents with many small children that were in the theater with me, that it would be a kids’ movie, mostly harmless with maybe a few jokes thrown in for the benefit of the adults that were dragged to see it. Even knowing as I did who was directing it (Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski), I still expected a delightful family romp full of more-or-less politically correct humor for the whole family of family fru-fru family fun. Y’know, for the whole family. I was very, very wrong. Rango (Johnny Depp) is a chameleon (and aspiring thespian) who gets separated from his family while driving through the Mojave desert. After

Nick UsherStaff Writer

Rango the Chameleon Provides Laughs, Thrills

The latest installment of the Pokemon series has taken on a new persona including a very noticeable change of graphics. While all previous handheld titles stay in a free roam 2-D perspective, 2011’s title allows the player to alter their screens to 3-D thus allowing for a whole new take on exploration. The routes are further enhanced in the Black and White versions deeming to be more challenging and a much wider variety of new Pokemon. Players’ expectations have been much more surpassed in a sense seeing as the online trials hold exclusive battle as well as Pokemon only obtainable through online play. The battles has also taken a change of battle mechanics as well. The most distinguished addition is the addition of triple battles and rotational battles. Triple battles allow both parties to summon three Pokemon at a time, and while the left and right Pokemon can only attack the enemy directly opposite of them, the center Pokemon can attack all three. As always, the players’ main goal is to challenge the eight gym leaders and challenge the Elite Four at Victory Road. And while that may be the case, the underlying objective is to catch as many as one possibly can and battle against your friends rather than non-player characters which would ultimately require some sort of strategizing.

avoiding a hungry hawk and meeting a mystical armadillo, who tells him about the “Spirit of the West,” as well as the nearest town, Rango begins journeying west, eventually meeting a desert iguana named Beans (Isla Fisher) and finding the small town of Dirt. Thinking quickly, Rango manages to bill himself as a tough-as-nails gunslinger from way out West, come in search of adventure, and is set up as the sheriff of Dirt, and quickly gets in over his head when the town’s water reserves are stolen. After capturing the robbers (who insist their innocence), he confronts the mayor (Ned Beatty), who in response calls in Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy), last of the outlaws, who runs Rango out of town. Rango returns after a vision from the Spirit of the West (Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name from the Spaghetti Western Dollars trilogy), though, and

defeats Jake and the mayor, and saves Beans, by redirecting the water (which was all going to a Las Vegas golf course) back toward Dirt, and is celebrated as a hero as mariachi owls rock out over the credits. Let me say right now, this movie is not for small kids, despite the rating. If you were thinking of taking your five-year old brother, don’t. I’m very glad that this didn’t come out when I was a child, lest I develop a crippling fear of all hats and snakes. There is a surprising amount of language in this movie - nothing major, but still more than I would have expected, and the animals feel less like cute animated kids’ movie creatures and more like gruff, grizzled, dangerous denizens of the last of the frontier towns, and the mayor, the movie’s villain, is one of the more realistic villains in an animated movie. But by far, the

most intense part of the film is Rattlesnake Jake. When I say that he is one of the most amazing, frightening villains I have ever seen, I mean it. But, intensity of the film aside, this is one of the best animated movies that I’ve seen, standing in the stable proudly along side such stallions as How to Train Your Dragon and Tangled. This isn’t a Pixar movie, make no mistake - the film does lack a certain something that Toy Story 3 had, and Rango’s journey to being a hero just isn’t as soulful as Buzz and Woody’s adventures, but this is certainly one of the best animated films of the 2010-2011 film season. The animation is gorgeous, and the general art direction is absolutely wonderful to look at. The music too is great, which is expected from a Hans Zimmer score somewhat, even with his usual habit of not actually making an original soundtrack

but just mixing things together rearing its ugly head once more. There’s an overarching sense of fantasy to the film, but not so much that the story gets lost in it, even with moving catci, a tire-proof armadillo, and other things like that. But above all, there are references galore; besides the Clint Eastwood character, Raoul Duke of the fan favorite Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, who was also played by Depp, makes an appearance. Go see it, but don’t take your young siblings, unless you want them to dream about being hunted by a laughing demonic rattlesnake outlaw!

Directed by Gore Verbinski, starring Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone, Timothy Olyphant. Runtime 107 minutes. Rated PG.

Tips & Tricks Voted “Most Creative” by the senior class, Joey Pratt, was more surprised than anyone else. When asked what he thought about winning he answered, “I really don’t know what to think because I really wasn’t expecting it.” However, Pratt was the only one, who did not expect the victory, most other seniors did not doubt his win. Everyone around campus knows Pratt is an avid Art Honors Society club member, always helping with art bake sales and attending meetings. Yet Pratt didn’t win for theses reasons; he won because he is an undeniably good artist, as well as someone who everyone likes.

As soon as Pratt was able to pick up a crayon, his artistic career began. His talent seemed to come from thin air. He drew because he loved it, nothing else

involed. But as he grew, so did his imagination, creativity, and skills. Instead of using Crayola crayons, Pratt preferred painting with acrylics. Recently, Pratt has been focusing on drawing body parts, with his latest project being of a hand. Peer artist, Michelle Casibang, commented, “Joey is so creative. I never know what

he will draw next.” Neither does Pratt; Joey is always inspired by random happenings.

Being a senior is a tough job. Sometimes Pratt doesn’t have time to do it all, but he makes time for art and is completely self motivated.

Besides art, Pratt is also involved with the swim team. “I

love the water. I will swim my whole life,” Pratt promised. Pratt has been swimming since he was three, even before he began to draw. Though swimming is a big commitment, Pratt could never give it up.

In addition to swimming, Pratt enjoys building. Whenever there is a problem that needs fixing, Pratt tries to think up what he could build to fix the situation. Yet most of the time Pratt uses his inventions for himself. “Actually, art helps when I want to build something. I use art to sketch a blueprint or sketch an idea,” Pratt said.

College is right around the corner for Pratt and he plans to major in mechanical engineering. “Really I’m just going to do what God wants me to do,” finished Pratt. However Pratt is assured art will always be a part of who he is.

Joey Pratt works on an intricate piece during a class in Valley’s art studio.

6 The Warrior A&EMarch 25, 2011

A nnou n cemen t s- A cknow le d gemen t s-Applications are now being accepted for the Conservatory Major or Minor Program for Theatre, Dance, Music or Visual Arts students. The application and educator’s recommendation forms are on the Conser-vatory website and should be returned to Vicki Wagner in the Music Office. Contact Mrs. Wagner at vwagner@vcs.net or 513-2469.

Purchase tickets online for the 14th An-nual Ladies’ Tea! Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 1 pm to 3:30 pm. Go to the website and click on BUY TICKETS NOW. This year’s theme is “A Royal Wedding,” to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton the day before our tea! Wear your big hats, gloves and fancy dress. Invite your friends, sisters, moms and grand-mas, and little princesses who love to dress up for a high English tea! Volunteers and donations are need-ed – contact vwagner@vcs.net if you can help or provide gift certificates or items for the fundraising gift baskets.

The Conservatory building is on sched-ule! Check out the construction cam on the website. Furniture and décor are being selected, and phase 1 is sched-uled to open in Fall, 2011. Keep pray-ing for progress and funding.

SAVE YOUR BOXTOPS FOR EDU-CATION to benefit the jazz bands! Clip them from your grocery items and send them into the Conservatory office.

SAVE THE DATES – April 7-9, 14-16 – “Appraising Beauty” spring dance production. Tickets on sale March 7. Don’t miss this amazing dance con-cert featuring 100 of our dancers in jazz, contemporary, hip hop, lyrical, modern, African, and tap! This year’s show in-vestigates the definition and evaluation of beauty. What makes something or someone beautiful? How do societies as-sign value as it pertains to appearance? The show will inspire, uplift, challenge, and encourage you as we take to the floor and air!

Campana Jazz Festival Results – 2011 Lab Band – 1st place in the “B” band divi-sion. They received a unanimous superior rating and “Outstanding Rhythm Section” award. Latin Jazz Ensemble – 1st place in the “A” band division. They received a unanimous superior rating, and “Outstanding Rhythm Section” award. Jazz Combo – 1st place in the combo divi-sion. Also a unanimous superior rating.

Solo Awards: Bria Alexander – LaFayette Jazz Work-shop Scholarship and Outstanding Soloist Scholarship

Daniel de la Cruz – Outstanding Soloist Scholarship

Howard Dietz – Outstanding Soloist Scholarship

Brandon Mausler – LaFayette Jazz Work-shop Scholarship and Outstanding Soloist Scholarship

Ryan McCray – La Honda Music Camp Scholarship

Dimitri Morris – La Honda Music Camp

Scholarship and Outstanding Soloist Scholarship

Johanne Ramirez – LaFayette Jazz Work-shop Scholarship

Denise Tran – Outstanding Soloist Schol-arship CMEA Jazz Festival Women’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble (IZZE) and Room 107 Jazz Ensemble both won unani-mous superior ratings. ACSI Honor Symphony Serena Brown (clarinet), Drew Gallatin (trumpet), Matthew Lin (bassoon), Nick Thompson (french horn) and Co Tran (flute) were named to the 2011 ACSI Hon-or Symphony, and traveled to Patten Acad-emy in Oakland to rehearse and perform on Friday, March 4. The students are all members of Valley Christian's Conserva-tory Wind Ensemble.

Scholastic Art & Writing Competition Connor Brereton - Gold Key Award Thinh Tiffany Dang, Julian Tuyor, Margot Aknin, Clarissa Olivares, Iceis Meinel and Olivia Chui won Silver Key Awards in the 2011 Scholastic Art and Writing Competi-tion. Out of 1,400 entries, 85 Gold Key awards were given and 121 Silver Key Awards.

Upcomin gEven t s

March 24-28 – VIVID Dance Team will compete in the USA Dance Nationals Competition in Los Angeles, in the Open Division for Small Lyrical, Officers, and Medium Dance.

March 26 – Winter Guard Competition – Independence High School

March 28 – Conservatory Field Trip to Cogswell Polytechnical College, Sunny-vale

April 1 - 2 – Room 107 Jazz Vocal Ensem-ble to Monterey Jazz Festival

SAVE THE DATES – April 7-9, 14-16 – “Appraising Beauty” spring dance produc-tion. Tickets on sale.

The Valley Christian Jazz Lab Band had been practicing for months for the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, where they could show their skill and bring home a beautiful trophy. They had already won first place in their division at the Folsom and Campana Jazz Festivals, why not here as well? Well, having done so well at the other two festivals, they decided to register themselves under a higher division, which means they would be competing against better and more experienced jazz bands.

The Santa Cruz Jazz FestivalJordan Lief

Staff WriterThe Jazz Lab Band was ready for the chal-lenge. The band arrived at the festival at 10:30a.m., 3 hours before playing, to lis-ten to other jazz bands play and prepare for their own performance. On stage the audience greeted them with enthusiasm, as Valley Christian is well known. After performing, one of the three judges, who happened to be the Jazz Lab director Mr. Dave Gregoric’s old music teacher, cri-tiqued the band on what he thought could have been improved on. Then, as the final part of the competition, the Jazz Lab had to

sight read, or play a song with no practice prior to playing. Afterwards, it was time to hang out and wait for the results. On a scoring scale of one to three, (one being the best) the Valley Christian Jazz Lab was given a one from the first judge, a one from the second judge, a two from the third judge, and from the single judge who watched the sight reading ses-sion, a one. This was a spectacular score, but there were other bands that scored four 1s. Although they didn’t win, the Jazz Lab will return next year better and more expe-rienced for another great competition.

Warrior.ValleyChristian.netFeatures

Zayn KirkendollA&E Editor

A Look at VCT’s Fiddler on The Roof

See Page 8&9

Read Chapter 6 of A Clean Slate

See Page 10

VC Alumna Chasing Career Dreams

The Effects of Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow

Lianna LaBergeStaff Writer

When it comes to the fundamen-tal aspect of gaming, many can trace their roots to the classic game that revolution-ized the gaming world and the Gameboy. The popular series Pokemon, a hit in Ja-pan, made its US debut in (Date). With this release included two versions, Pokemon Red and Blue. In there small Gameboy Color cartridges was a whole new world of gaming that the world hadn’t seen. The game was so incredibly addicting that even adults were running out to get the game. Traveling around a virtual world and col-lecting Pokemon that were appealing and had strategic value just lured the minds of humans everywhere. The idea was bril-liant and popularity in the US grew rap-idly. I still remember when I received my first Gameboy Color and Pokemon Blue version. As a young 6 year old, I was just excited at the fact that my parents bought me a new game. Did I know what exactly Pokemon was? Not at all but my mind was very inquisitive and wanted to play any-thing that included a D-pad and the classic A and B buttons, which I believe was the case for about 99.9% of the human popula-tion in America. About 4 later, the new version Pokemon Yellow arrived on the scene and it was a mad rush to the stores to obtain the new Pokemon adventure to see what it was about. Showcasing what is most likely the most popular Pokemon ever made, Pi-kachu took center stage on the cover of the new game. Yellow brought a whole new aspect to the world of Pokemon, having a Pokemon follow you through all the ad-ventures you go on and having Pikachu as the starting Pokemon, where as in Blue and Red, you could choose from Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur.

Retro Column

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to know someone on TV? Well, Valley Christian High School’s 2008 alumna, Tori Bergland, is on her way! She is currently studying at Em-erson College in Boston, MA, and has been presented many great opportunities as a TV journalist. Emerson is known for being one of the top schools for commu-nication studies and located in the heart of Boston, it is a great place to learn. “Emerson College is a school that focuses on communications and the arts,” Bergland said. “I chose it because I believe it is one of the best in the coun-try. It focuses on hands-on learning, and that’s what sold me. As soon as you step on campus, you can dive right into your major.” Almost immediately after start-ing her first semester, she had the oppor-tunity to work on the Emerson Channel, a closed circuit TV network on campus. She began by co-hosting the sports show. In addition, she writes for WEBN Bos-ton, a local cable network that is run by the school. She was recently appointed as the associate producer of WEBN. Bergland has been so blessed to have been given these “chances of a life-time” and she acknowledged, “There are opportunities for anyone and everyone, regardless of major, age, or experience. I’ve had an amazing experience here. There is seriously not one thing I would change about the environment. It’s a school FULL of amazing, seriously, amazing experiences. And the best part is, they are all in reach.” On February 27, the Academy Awards took place at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Bergland had the incred-ible once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend the Oscars as a reporter for WEBN. She was able to walk on the red carpet with the movie stars and do many interviews. Bergland said, “When I was standing on the carpet, I remember looking all around me amazed at how far I’d come; from talking to communications teachers at Valley about my dreams, and finally starting to reach them.” Needless to say, Bergland was very fortunate to have this chance. It has opened so many doors to career opportu-nities, and will affect her journalistic ca-reer for the rest of her life. She claims to have known about this opportunity even before she went to Emerson.

“When I was at Valley and toured Emerson my junior year, I found out about the Oscars opportunity and immediately wanted to take advantage of it,” said Ber-gland. “As soon as I set foot on campus I was determined to get chosen to go, so I found out what organization I needed to work for. I worked really hard, and it com-pletely paid off.” At the end of 7th grade, Bergland be-gan talking to Mr. Sullivan, former Valley Christian Junior High teacher, about the idea of having the daily an-nouncements on the TV. After talking to the principal, they were able to create a televi-sion production class. It was in that class that Bergland discov-ered she wanted to pursue the media arts. “I was a rare case. I started know-ing what I wanted to do when I was in 8th grade,” the former Valley student said. She

continued anchoring when she reached high school, in addition to working in the journalism class. Bergland feels that what she has learned in Valley’s Com-munication Department prepared her for the rest of her communication career. Bergland admits that she misses being at Valley because it impacted her so greatly. She said that she “had an amazing experi-ence here.”

While at Valley, Bergland was in-volved in many different areas. During her senior year, her peers voted her ‘Most In-volved’. Tori also served on ASB as the se-nior class vice president. She was the Fea-tures Editor for The Warrior for 2 years. While in the journalism class, she had the opportunity to travel to the East Coast with the class and tour the ESPN studios, being able to see first hand what it takes to make it to that high of a level.

At Valley, Bergland talk-ed to Mr. Terry McEl-hatton, former Valley TV teacher, about the Oscars trip she could potentially go on. She remembers him always telling her that she would make it

there, which is her “greatest memory about high school... my teachers believing in me, pushing me, and letting me break boundar-ies.” A piece of advice she would give to current high schoolers looking into the commutations field is not to give up, and that “it’s definitely a hard field to work in. It’s cut-throat and competitive, but if you have the desire and passion, you’ll want to fight. Being able to communicate suc-cessfully is a rare and great gift. I would HIGHLY recommend Emerson as a place to study communications. There are a lot of good schools out there, but Emerson allows students to jump in feet first right from day one.” Bergland has come so far since high school, and her former communica-tions teachers are very proud of her.

Class of 2008’s Tori Bergland is making waves behind the camera, and in front of it.

Emerson provided Bergland the opportunity to travel to Hollywood to attend the Oscars as a reporter.

Tori Bergland is at the VCHS News Desk serving as morning anchor.

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Pokemon Red and Yellow were just the start to a major franchise

“[My] greatest memory about high school... is my teachers believing in me, pushing me, and letting me break boundaries.”

8 The Warrior FeaturesMarch 25, 2011

A Glimpse of VCT’s Production of

‘‘ ‘‘

Mr. Matt DeMerittDirector//VCHS Teacher

...With its timeless themes of the impor-tance of family, tradition, and love, Fiddler on the Roof draws the viewer in and conveys an extremely powerful and very personal message.

The WarriorFeatures March 25, 2011 9

ScenesFiddler on the Roof

‘‘

‘‘ ‘‘

‘‘

Lindsay TrevinoGrandma Tzeitzel (Understudy) //Freshman

Nick StaubSon & Bottle Dancer //Sophomore

I had such a great time being involved in Fiddler on the Roof. Having the opportunity to be an understudy was a lot of fun!

Fiddler on the Roof was a very fun show to perform. We worked hard in every performance and in the end, we all didgreat.

at the

10 The Warrior FeaturesMarch 25, 2011

An original short story byTaylor Tanton

Assistant Features Editor

Clean Slate: Chapter Six

Wasn’t it only minutes ago Scott, for the first time since he could remember, felt happy? Happy, a simple feeling, taken for granted. Now he felt broken, groggy, and crushed. Trying to remember hurt the most. Miranda stuck out in his mind the most. Put simply, Miranda was a girl, an actual girl his age, and his guy instincts flashed every time he saw her. She was someone he really wanted to know.

It was when he started to think about other things that he remembered the more important ones. Sierra. Memories flashed before him. Sierra was next to him, being her usual moody self, and a crowd of people surrounded them. A man was talking. Miller? That was it. This Miller was not only the leader of the colony, but also the man who used to be on the news. Everything had been perfect. What had happened?

The smell of dirt, sweat, and tears finally made Scott open his eyes. Not believing what he saw he pressed the palm of his hands to his eyes and rubbed. But when he opened his eyes he saw the exact same picture. Sad, sick dying men, women, and even children sat in the corners of the room, coughing and crying. The air tasted bitter and rotten, and though they were inside, the floor was made up of mud and dirt.

“Where is this?” he asked the nearest man. But the man never replied only scooted further away from Scott. Actually, he noticed, every one was keeping their distant like he was some sick, filthy animal.

Not receiving an answer from the man didn’t bother Scott. Instead he examined the shack they were in. The only windows were covered with old newspapers, which would normally allow some light through, but there was no light now, confirming Scott had been unconscious all day, and it was now night. There were a few pieces of furniture, bunks beds, tables, and chairs, but everything was very shabby and unclean.

The wooden cabin look of the shack, told Scott they were probably still somewhere inside the colony and this cabin had most likely been part of the summer camp the colony hid in. Though he could defer that much, he still didn’t know where he was. All he knew was he felt cold, hungry, damaged and he felt a slight sickening feeling creeping up on him.

“Scott?” It was Sierra’s voice. Unbelievable, even when she was nowhere in sight her voice still weaved itself into his head.

“Scott!” Sierra voice yelped. He could now tell her voice wasn’t imaginary; other people were turning toward him and the door. Sierra had found him!

“Sierra?” Scott answered crawling toward the old door.

“Scott? I’m trying to break this fat lock!” she huffed from the other side.

He waited motionless until he finally heard the crack of metal. When Sierra opened the door, she hit Scott on her way in.

“Hey!” he complained, rubbing his head. But Sierra could have cared less; she was just happy to see her brother.

She wrapped her arms around his neck until he ultimately pushed her off. Done hugging her brother Sierra took a look around. Scott watched her face twisted into an angry frown.

“You look awful,” Sierra said, not really looking at him, but at the others, silently planted to the ground.

“Thanks,” Scott sarcastically replied.

“And it smells like death in here,” Sierra sniffed.

“How do you know what death smells like?” Scott debated.

But Sierra waved the comment aside, and, with a grimace, she took a deep breath and whispered, “Did anyone explain why you’re in this nightmarish place?”

Scott shook his head no and

waited quietly for an answer, but before he could get one Miranda rushed in.

“Miranda,” Scott gasped. Sierra watched with a

disapproving scowl as the two greeted each other like happy puppies. “So you’re more happy to see her than your own sister?”

“Stop being irrational,” Scott said, rolling his eyes.

“We need to hurry Sierra, Will can only distract the guards for so long,” Miranda panted.

“Will?” Scott asked. “You’re not the only one who can make friends,” Sierra snapped. “Just tell me why I’m here,” Scott retorted. “Even the survivors from the explosion didn’t get off free without any penalties,” Miranda began, while Sierra sat annoyed in the background. “Soon after the disaster, Miller noticed that people who had survived were still dying in the aftermath. We just recently discovered the disease is due from the radiation of the attack. We call it ‘creeping death.’ Thus Miller created this building to put the sick people in.” “He believes anyone who is sick doesn’t deserve the right to live because they weren’t meant to survive the bombing,” Sierra added. “He wants everyone in here to die.” Before Scott could take in the information, a boy’s voice called from outside. Will’s voice. “We need to leave now! Grab him and go,” Will shouted. Miranda and Sierra picked up Scott to heave him out, but Scott moved away. “Go without me. He’ll know I escaped and instantly blame you, Sierra. I don’t want your death on my hands,” Scott whispered. Sierra realized there was no reasoning with him, but before she left she mumbled, “I will come back for you.”

A Look at Egyptian Cuisine

Everybody knows about the recent revolution in Egypt, but what of the daily lives of the Egyptian people? Food makes up a large part of Egyptian life and culture. According to sophomore Cassandra Matter, “They have such a variety [of food]—I was there for a month and barely had things more than once.”

In Egypt, people rarely ever eat Western food, preferring their traditional dishes. This is shown in that most restaurants only have Egyptian food with very little European food. “The only time you see more Western-type foods is in the big cities like Cairo and Alexandria, where they have fast food restaurants like McDonalds and Taco Bell,” said Matter.

As can be expected, meals in Egypt are vastly different from meals in the United States. Food is not generally eaten with silverware but with peoples’ hands. Breakfast is at around 11:00 am and is made up of boiled eggs, pita bread, beans, and cheeses, and people drink mango juice and tea. Because breakfast is served so late in the day, they do not eat another meal until dinnertime at 8:00 pm, where food is served like at a buffet. They usually eat meat with rice in addition to many other unique dishes. However, there is no salad or many fruits or vegetables because they are very difficult to find. Additionally, there are many deserts such as homemade cookies and sweet jams with pita bread. These are, Matter said, “sticky, chewy, and very, very sweet.” After dinner, people will occasionally eat a small midnight snack before they go to bed. “My favorite Egyptian food is called ‘Dolma’, which is rice wrapped in grape leaves,” Matter remembered. “It looks like a roll of rice wrapped in seaweed, but it’s delicious.”

On holidays and special occasions, meals usually are no different with the exception of larger serving sizes. Christmas and Ramadan, however, are the exceptions. On Christmas, a special dish is served called “Macorona Filforn,” a dish of macaroni, ground beef, and a lot of cheese. During the month of Ramadan, a Muslim holiday, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset to teach themselves humbleness, patience, and spirituality. As Matter put it, “They fast and hear the constant sound of Mosques.”

Overall, Egyptian cuisine is very unique and varied. From meal times to manners to holiday foods to deserts, Egyptian food is enormously different from Western food. As anyone who has ever eaten Egyptian food can say, the aroma, the appearance, and the taste are appealing, and people around the world have enjoyed it for thousands of years.

Jamie KeenerStafff Writer

Did you know there is only two verses in the Bible that serve as a command to children? It’s all about obedience. Ephesians 6:1-2 says, “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother “ which is the first commandment with a promise.” Obedience to God is key in your walk with Christ but when God asks what seems to be impossible, how do you obey? Obedience is nothing without

faith. Not just faith that believes God is real but the faith that can move mountains. If you do not believe God can accomplish what seems impossible to us, obeying Him will be a struggle. Moses had to have faith to lead the Isrealites out of Egypt “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8. God reassured He would always be with Moses and would provide for him when he led the Isrealites out of Egypt. If we live in Christ, we do not live by our own power. Battles between Spirit

Devo: Obedience Brenda Muldoon

Staff Writer

and flesh will always be won because God is working in us to give us strength and life. Holiness is not measured by strength but instead our efforts to resemble righteousness. But we must remember the source of our work, strength, and life is the Spirit of God. Why is it so hard for us to obey? Obedience through Christ sometimes seems impossible. One of the reasons is because as humans, we love to take credit for out actions and impact on others lives. Our obedience only comes from Christ strength and power that He uses through us.

Warrior.ValleyChristian.netSports

March Madness Lives Up To Its Title

WCAL Freshmen of the Year, Brianna Visalli, dribbles past a Live Oak defender in the girls’ CCS Finals game.

Jordan HochmuthStaff Writer

Girls Softball Pushes Through WCAL

See Page 13

In less than a week, the most famous tournament in America shrunk from 68 hopeful teams down to 16 contenders. Even though your bracket may be busted, it’s hard to deny that the tournament has been exciting. As with every tournament, there were underdogs that won multiple games and reached the Sweet Sixteen. In fact, in the Southwest bracket alone there are three double-digit seeds that are still alive and hoping to be this year’s “Cinderella”. Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth, and Florida State are three of the main culprits of busted brackets. There were also some crazy endings to games, another reason why the tournament is so exciting. For example, Butler completed its upset against top-seeded Pittsburgh in a frenzied, foul-filled finish. The game appeared as if Butler had won, Pitt had forced overtime, and then Butler won again. Another great finish happened between Arizona and Texas. A rare five-second inbound penalty

was called against Texas, setting up an incredible lay-up by Arizona’s Derrick Williams, and the ensuing go-ahead free throw to give Arizona the 70-69 victory. Even though upsets and crazy finishes are fun to watch, there have also been dominating teams and players. The Ohio State Buckeyes seem like they are on a one-way track to a championship, after dismantling their first two opponents, UT-San Antonio and George Mason. Also, in the Southeast bracket, BYU’s Jimmer Fredette scored 66 points in two games to lead the Cougars to the Sweet Sixteen. No matter what happens in the rest of the tournament, two things are cer-tain. The games will be exciting to the fin-ish, and the outcome is unpredictable. Each game presents a chance for a team to take themselves one step further toward the Na-tional Championship game. In the world of March Madness, just about anything can happen during any game. So far this year, the upsets have been very entertaining, just as the next few rounds will be. However, here are my predic-tions:

Girls Take Home CCS TitleArazue Zadeh

Sports Editor It was the wearisome scrimmages, relentless drills, early Saturday morning runs, and ruthless conditioning that prepared the Valley Christian girls varsity soccer team for the Central Coast Section Championship on Saturday, March 5. But, it was the team unity, group patience, and individual knowledge of soccer that brought home the CCS title. Wednesday, February 23 was the deciding date for these Lady Warriors. It was round one of the CCS playoffs and the girls ousted their nervousness quickly. Battling the Menlo Knights, a relatively aggressive team, at Valley’s home field, the Warriors were unable to book any early shots due to the Knights’ strong back line. The first goal came at 30:25 when left-footed midfielder sophomore Colby Carson sent a perfect cross to senior Raylina Rodriguez, where Rodriguez sunk in a goal from 24 yards out. The second goal was courtesy of Rodriguez again, however this time sent from sweeper Thorbecke. The game ended in a 2-0 win, effectively pumping up the Warriors for their next match against Scotts Valley High School. Quarter-finals rolled around on February 26 at VCHS against the Scotts Valley Falcons, a particularly difficult opponent. However, within the first quarter of the game, freshman forward Kendra Stewart poked the ball past the goalie after nervous pinballing within the six-yard box. This proved to be the lone score of the entire match and brought the Warriors even closer to that CCS title. Coach Jolene Fugate commented, “Each player understood and performed their role.” She continued, “We are a tough team to beat when we execute at that level.” However, all bets were off during the semi-finals at Valley Christian against Woodside Priory. The Warriors had already knocked two teams out of CCS, and Woodside Priory was the last team standing in their way of reaching the Championship.

An important player Valley had to keep in mind was notable Priory sophomore forward Mariana Galvan. Accordingly, Fugate gave Taylor Carson the daunting task of marking Galvan and Carson executed her role remarkably, shutting down every opportunity Galvan had at the net. Although the Lady Warriors outshot Priory 12-3 in regulation play, they were unable to finish with a goal. Moving onto two ten-minute overtimes, both teams were unsuccessful in scoring yet again. So, it went to PKs. The atmosphere was heavily concentrated with anxiety and tension. This was the moment the Lady Warriors had been working toward. It was up to each simple shot and save for the Warriors to move on to the finals. With all the pressure mounting on their backs, the Warriors stayed calm. Successful penalty kicks from sophomore Andrea Zenere, Colby Carson, Ng, and freshman Brianna Visalli set the stage for the dramatic finale, after Smith made a diving save on Priory’s fourth PK. It all lay in Giordano’s hands as she stepped to the PK line, preparing for the shot that could make or break the Warriors. Giordano did not let the jitters get to her and effectively secured the Warriors’ spot at the Championships after sinking in her PK. And it all came down to 80 minutes on March 5 for the 6 freshmen, 4 sophomores, 3 juniors, and 10 seniors. After a successful season with both ups and downs, the Warriors did just what Warriors do: they fought. Until the very last second of play against the Live Oak Acorns, these ladies did not stop battling. With the intensity and pressure mounting with each CCS game, it was impressive to see the Warriors come out on the top of their division along with Live Oak. At the “last first whistle,” Valley immediately began penetrating the Acorns’ defense. Their anxiety was released after finding their comfortable rhythm of pass and play

possession. Although the Lady Warriors had the higher percentage of possession and more shots than Live Oak, they were unable to get on the board. At the start of the second half, the game took a turn for the worse. Aggressive Live Oak forward Megan Rauschnot finished a bouncing ball after questionably trucking Thorbecke. However, the officials refused to listen to the Warriors’ justifications for the play. After giving Zenere a yellow card for her “attitude,” the center referee continued play, leaving the Warriors on their toes, as the score was 0-1. Due to Thorbecke’s injury, she was pulled off the field into the trainers’ care. Thorbecke’s absence on the field left the Warriors even more nervous. But her injury only fueled the Warriors’ fire. Only two minutes later, Live Oak was whistled for tripping up center midfielder senior Christina Lopez while heading into the box. Left midfielder Colby Carson used this opportunity and drilled the 22-yard free kick over the goalie’s hand in the upper V for the equalizer. Although this was a moment of celebration for the Warriors, center midfielder Visalli did not let their 1-1 score satisfy her. She kept the

pressure up in the midfield, effectively shutting down the Acorns’ opportunities in the middle. In the sixtieth minute, after Rodriguez wrapped herself around one of Live Oak’s defenders and goalie, she poked the ball through their legs. As it was slowly getting closer to the goal, Colby Carson again found herself at the right place at the right time, burying the loose ball and securing the Warriors’ 2-1 lead. Live Oak became frazzled. Constantly sending the ball back up to Rauschnot, Live Oak was desperate for another goal. However, Taylor Carson again was assigned to man-mark Rauschnot and effectively shut her down. The exciting CCS Finals ended the Warriors’ season with a victory and CCS title. As Zenere described, “There are really no words to describe it. All of the hard work we put in finally paid off!” Their season now over, the Warriors have been celebrating their CCS Championship daily in the Valley Christian halls. Although they may not be on the same team any more, it is obvious that the 2011 varsity soccer team and their memories will never be forgotten… Especially with that CCS Championship ring!

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12 The Warrior SportsMarch 25, 2011

JV Baseball Shows Great

Team ChemistryJordan Hochmuth

Staff Writer The JV squad may not be the best baseball team on the Valley Christian campus, but they act like one cohesive working unit. This team has already had plenty of problems to deal with during this young season. Issues such as dealing with growing accustomed with new players and having older players move up and down from the varsity team have been large distractions to the young team. However, all of the teammates have found respect for each other and are all having a lot of fun playing baseball. The preseason for the Warriors was split 3-3. But every game was extremely close and the boys fought until the end. The young team had not yet been involved in a blowout. The one thing developing for the JV team over the preseason was their ability to rattle their opponents. The team is known to get loud in the dugout, cheering for their teammates with a mixture of screams, chants, nicknames, Irish accents, and high-pitched laughs. Starting off the WCAL schedule with a win would be no easy task, but the Warriors conquered the Mitty Monarchs 12-3. The offense was thriving, as hit after hit after hit poured in. Team leaders like junior pitcher Matt Goranson are making sure that the team excels in all they do, and Goranson leads by his exceptional pitching. The Warriors also have not let rain slow them down in the past week, as they still practice and prepare for their tough WCAL opponents.

Joyce ChenPhoto Editor

Following the example of the varsity boys team, the JV team has begun their season and is working hard to improve their tennis skills as well as fundamentals such as footwork. Their first match of the seasonwas on March 1 against the Archbishop Mitty Monarchs. It was played at home, but unfortunately the Warriors were not able to pull through and lost with a score of 7-0. Their next match, which was against the Saint Francis Lancers and was played at Cuesta Park in Mountain View, was unfortunately a loss as well. The Warriors once again lost with a harsh score of 7-0. With these two identical scores to remember their first two games of theseason by, the boys decided to work even harder for their next couple of games. All of this hard work paid off because they did well on their next match. On March 8, the JV boys headed to San Francisco State University where they played against Sacred Heart Cathedral and came home with an overwhelming

win of 5-2. The boys took all the skills that they learned from drilling and applied them to their games. With this newfound encouragement, the boys continued to train hard, and bring their best to each and every game that they decide to play against all of the neighboring schools in WCAL. Two days later on March 10, Junipero Serra High School came to Valley Christian and played on the Warriors’ home courts. The boys were met with a tough loss and unfortunately lost the match 7-0. But with the newfound knowledge and work ethic, the boys decided to work harder and to continue to improve as the season goes on. On March 15, Bellarmine College Prep High School came to the Warriors’ home courts to play a competitive match. Once again the boys weren’t able to pull through, but with this newfound passion to win, they won their next match against Archbishop Riordan High School which was also played on the Valley Christian High School campus. The Warriors won with a score of 5-2 and look forward to keep their momentum and to continue winning matches in their league.

JV Boys Tennis Quickly Improves

JV Softball Steps It Up

Darelle JonesGraphic Artist

Despite having difficulties atthe start of the season, the junior varsity Warriors are beginning to recover. The path back on track started on March 16 when the girls defeated Sacred Heart Cathedral in a close 9-7. Both teams exhausted their pitching staffs as it was solely an offensive battle. Before that however, the girls faced worthy opponents who entered the season hitting the ground running. Two heartbreaking losses against Archbishop Mitty and Leland High School who proved to have their own weapons Jillian Anderson and Katie Williams respectively. Leland and Mitty were both formidable opponents for the Warriors’ squad. Due to weather cancellations, the team has had a chance to regroup and make changes in the game plan to accommodate for future opponents In their past few games, the girls have hadmuchmore confidence in theirplay. The girls’ bats have also picked up steam as their averages begin to rise. The team is young and still in the middle of learning critical softball techniques. On Tuesday, March 29th, the girls will face off against Presentation High, at Presentation. The game will mark their 9th of the year.

The old saying “practice makes perfect” is taken to heart by the JV tennis team.

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13The WarriorSports March 25, 2011

Varsity Baseball Prepares for League

Varsity Softball Digs Deep

Junior Cameron Stewart sends a winding pitch to the batter.

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Arazue M. ZadehSports Editor

Varsity Tennis Stays Positive

Zayn KirkendollA&E Editor

Boys Swim ShowsPotential

Joyce ChenPhoto Editor

The cold weather quickly fades as the warm spring weather appears. With this change of climate, boys tennis begins their season. The boys had their first gameon the first day of March against theArchbishopMittyMonarchs.Theysuffereda tough loss of 6-1, but they were able to learn a lot about their team members how each boy plays under the pressure of a real match as opposed to the many practice matches that the boys played during their practices. Two days later onMarch 3, theSt. Francis Lancers came to the boys’ home courts, and gave them some good competition. The matches were rough, and some came extremely close to winning, but weren’t able to pull through at the end. The Warriors lost with a 6-1. Freshmen Bryce McKelvie won his match against his opponent with an overpowering score of7-5,6-0.Althoughit’shisfirstyear,heis already off to a great start and looks like he’s going to have a lot to bring to the table for his team. Over that weekend, the boys went to Buchanan High School to play in the California High School Tennis Classic Tournament. It was a great time, and each

of the boys got to play multiple matches to further their skills and careers in high school tennis. Coach Donny Allen drove his team up in a school van after the match against St. Francis onMarch 3.Thiswas SeniorEvan Loo’sfirstweekendtournamenteverand he had some really good feedback to give regarding his experience. “The California High School Tennis Classic was a really good experience and I had a lot of fun playing alongside my teammates. I think we all played our best and even though we didn’t win the tournament, I still think that it was a great experience and wedefinitelyeach tookadifferent lessonhome from the tournament.” On March 8, Sacred HeartCathedral came to Valley Christian to play their match. The varsity boys were once again faced with a tough match and lost with a score of 5-2. After the weekend, they started off the week with a tough match against Bellarmine College Prep High School at the Decathlon Club. The Warriors lost with a score of 6-1. Although the Warriors’ season has not beenfilledwithmanywins, theboysare still having a great time and learning from their mistakes. They continue to work hard during their drills in practice and thus continue to improve. Their season can only go up from here.

Excited to return to their team, the Valley Christian High School varsity softball team is back, one year after winning the 2010 Central Coast Section Championship. Jump starting their season, the Warriors immediately began tryouts to ensure a well-conditioned and successful team. After losing four vital seniors last year, the Lady Warriors have become even more motivated to defend their CCS title. Although tryouts were difficult,the team finally came together. Notably,two freshmen, Kimberly Figone and Rebecca Mortenson stepped up to the varsityleveltheirfirstyearintheprogram.In addition to these two respected players, four sophomores, five juniors, and threeseniors made up this team of hardworking softball players. With this team of fourteen, Coach Alex Sanguinetti held practices, emphasizing team fitness, unity, andknowledgeonthefield.Itonlytookafewweeks for the Warriors’ WCAL season to begin. After a dominating victory against Leigh High School, the Warriors took on the

highly-competitive Mitty Monarchs. OnMarch15,theMonarchstraveledtoValleyChristian to play against the Warriors on their home turf. Although the game ended in an unfortunate loss, the girls kept their heads up and looked forward to their game againstSacredHeartCathedral.OnMarch16 the Valley Christian girls varsity team played against the very well-coached Irish. In an even match, both teams delivered both offensively and defensively. But, it was the Warriors who took home the 9-5 victory. And then, through the rain and cloudiness, they participated in a highly-competitive game against the St. Francis Lancers on Tuesday, March 22. Excited to take onanother skilled WCAL team, the Lady Warriors played to their utmost potential and walked off the field victorious, 2-0.Coach Sanguinetti was very proud of her talented team play. Astheirseasonjustbeginstotakeoff, the Valley Christian girls softball team is looking strong. Looking to pick up that second CCS title, these Lady Warriors are showing much potential and hard work in their WCAL season.

The future of the Valley Christian varsity baseball team looks difficult, butpromising. Within a three week time period, the Valley Christian baseball team has games scheduled against 5 of the top 6 teams in Northern California. This will bea tough test for the Warriors, who have the chance to prove that they are also one of the top teams in the state. The season started off very strongly for the Warriors, who used stellar pitching and timely offense to beat San Benito 5-2 and Salinas 3-2.However, they couldnot keep this momentum going, and unfortunately went on a three game skid, losing games against Los Altos, Elk Grove, and Saint Mary’sbyscoresof10-6,4-1.,and

3-0, respectively. TheWarriors were notplaying up to their full potential. Sure, they were getting some hits and striking out batters, but they didn’t do enough to win.

It was here that the Warriors did some serious soul-searching. Coach John Diatte instilled in his players’ minds that they could beat any opponent if they put

their mind to it. He also noted that the team’s struggles would eventually lead to theconfidencethey need in order to win. This was the shining moment for the Warriors. The next few games marked the Warriors’ turn around. Led by senior shortstop Matt Jackson and freshman third baseman Bryson Brigman, the offense made a statement by beating Jesuit 8-3. It was arefreshing win for the Warriors, who used this momentum in their first regular season game againstthe nationally ranked MittyMonarchs. The first five inningswere a classic pitching duel

The 2011 season looks extremely positive for the boy varsity swim team. With senior leaders Shane Fleming and Daniel Tan graduating last year, many were in question about just how goodthe team would be this year. But it looks like Valley Christian swim fans do not have to worry because the boys look very promising this year. Their potential shines through the predictions regarding the boys varsity swimming team. One Fleming may be gone, but Shane’s younger brother, Casey Fleming is still in the picture. With huge footsteps tofillinordertocarrytheloadhisbrotheronce did, Casey has been training intensely, preparing to lead the team to victory this year. When asked how the team was looking this year, Fleming replied, “Things are actually looking up for us right now.

We have many younger swimmers that are stepping up and doing their part for the team. I’m looking forward to a great, and more importantly successful, swim season this year.” Fleming and the rest of the Warriors have started practicing to take on their rigorous schedule. Preparing to swim against WCAL powerhouses the Bellarmine Bells and Mitty Monarchs,these Valley Christian Warriors are stepping up their game, both physically and mentally. With time and preparation, the Warriors are going to be a force to be reckoned with this year at all meets that they participate in. It’s an exciting season this year as the Warriors take on many competitive teams.Make sure to keep aneye out for them as they have their next meet at Serra High School in San Benito againstthePadresonMarch31.

Jordan HochmuthStaff Writer

between senior Rudee Silva andMitty’sTyler Davis. However, in the bottom of the 6thinning,seniorcenterfielderShawon Dunston Jr broke up a scoreless game with a two-run home run, providing Valley Christian with all the offense they needed. Silvafinishedtheshutoutthenextinning,and the Warriors won 2-0. Usingtheirnewfoundconfidence,the Warriors faced the Saint Francis Lancers onMarch 22.The Lancerswerealso ranked in some national polls, but that did not phase the Warriors. Silva made another fantastic start, keeping the game tied 1-1 after 7 innings. Then, in the top of the 9th, senior catcher Luis Lerma hit a leadoff double to spark a two-run rally; senior Ryan Capozza pitched a scoreless 9th,andtheWarriorswon3-1. The Warriors now know that no opponent is too powerful, and they will carry this into the rest of the season.

14 March 25, 2011 SportsThe Warrior

Taylor PrattStaff Writer

JV boys swim coach, Alex Higginbotham, work the boys hard for upcoming swim meets. They practice efficiently and get faster each time. They swim hard and fast to beat their heat. The new freshmen on the team work hard each practice and some of the newer swimmers strive to get faster.

For the boys swim sets Jonathan Nguyen said, “We just do warm up and a swim set. Sometimes we work on technique. Most of the times we do lots of swim sets.” Practices are very beneficial and they are ready for meets when they come up. When they swim, they swim as an individual trying to help the team and getting a lot of points.

The next swim meet will be with Archbishop Mitty High School and will be held at Valley Christian. In 2010 Mitty had a swimmer be the first WCAL individual champion in school history to break a time in the 100 breaststroke. They had a good season but hopefully Valley can beat them in the next meet.

Hannah LozinskiAssistant News Editor

On February 28, the Warriors varsity boys golf team officially kicked off their season by winning their first match against Sacred Heart Cathedral with a score of 216-228. With several new talents on the team, including sophomores Jefferson Morris and Matthew Ashley, and freshman Zhongxian Huang, the Warriors are quickly establishing themselves as a CCS golfing power. Braving wind and rain, the varsity team managed to keep up with and defeat

many other northern California boys golf teams at the Jesuit Tournament in Sacramento, which took place March 11-12. Samuel Guterman, a junior, led the team, shooting a 78 on the first day and a 79 on the second. Senior William Clark was close behind, scoring an 84 and a 78. “We’re a solid team. We just need to reach our full potential” Clark said after the tournament. The varsity team won their first match against Sacred Heart Cathedral on February 28, but unfortunately could not keep this momentum going, losing their next match to Saint Francis. They narrowly lost their next match against Bellarmine as

well, losing by a mere four strokes with a score of 200-196. To determine the winner of a golf match, the best five scores from each team are added, and the team with the lowest score wins. Junior varsity also had a good start to the season, beating rival Sacred Heart Cathedral 243-282 at the Fightin’ Irish’s own home course, Lincoln Park. Composed of primarily sophomores, with several freshmen and two juniors, the JV team is focused on improving their golf game and defeating the other teams in the league. On March 17, they won their match against Archbishop Riordan 220-225 and are hoping to add more wins to their record.

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Perfection in Sight

Varsity Golf Swings into Motion

The golf team regroups after nine holes of play. Jonathan Nguyen warms up before the 100.

15The WarriorSports March 25, 2011

Jon LampkinEditor-in-Chief

Girls Swim Toward Victory

Sarah KoenigStaff Writer

Valley CommemoratesWinter Sports Teams

Freshmen Baseball Dominates

Jordan HochmuthStaff Writer

Valley Christian Athletics proved to be a threat this winter season and received honorable mentions and awards from the West Catholic Athletic League. Valley Christian teams also chose to create their own awards for commendable individuals, such as the Warrior Award; which recognizes those who showed a tremendous amount of effort, while encouraging and inspiring their teams throughout the season. The Coach’s award highlights an individual’s “coachable” attitude by following directions and leading their team. All athletes worked efficiently this season.

Women’s soccer received a number of honorable awards from the WCAL to top off their CCS Championship. Seniors Taryn Ng, Vivian Thorbecke, and Raylina Rodriguez made All-WCAL First Team, along with impressive young sophomore, Colby Carson. Freshman Brianna Visalli received honorable mention from the league. Carson and Visalli both received both sophomore and freshman Player of the Year from the league. It is remarkable for any school to receive

two of these prestigious awards. Valley Christian’s varsity girls soccer awarded Rodriguez and Carson for Co-Offensive Players and Thorbecke for Defensive Player. Senior Arazue M. Zadeh received the Warrior Award for her encouraging attitude toward her teammates. Sophomore teammate Andrea Zenere said, “Arazue is a really good friend of mine. She’s always there, always encouraging and works hard in whatever she does. Me and Kendra love her!” Junior varsity’s freshman Julianna Banuelos received the Coach’s Award and junior Olivia Bettaglio received Most Inspirational.

Men’s soccer awarded senior Justin Berding All-WCAL First Team for his outstanding defense and sophomore Jacob Grounlund and freshman Quinn Melo-Bastida were awarded All-WCAL Second Team for their effective and untouchable offense. Senior Charles Ballard received honorable mention. It only seemed fair to award Grounlund and Melo-Bastida for Valley Christian’s Varsity’s Co-Offensive Players and Berding for Defensive Player. Junior varsity awarded juniors David Hong, for the Workhorse Award and James Lundy

for the Leadership Award.Women’s basketball honored

seniors Jazmine Davis and Brianna Cotton for their outstanding offense being awarded with Co-Offensive Players Award. They also received honors from the league with Davis making First Team and Cotton making Second Team. Junior Mary Hall received the Warrior Award for her always-positive attitude and unspeakable work ethic on and off the court. Junior varsity sophomores Mary Bradley received Most Inspirational and Tanner Gonzales-Reyes with the Coach’s Award. Freshmen girl’s team Jackie Lam was awarded the Coach’s award and Monica Bodd received Most Inspirational.

Men’s varsity basketball awarded senior Jonny Parker for the Coach’s Award and was honored as Second Team player for the league. Senior Zayn Kirkendoll received the Legacy Warrior Award and an honorable mention from the WCAL and senior Brandon Hecke for the Virginia and Lynette Barrena Warrior for Christ Award, Romans 12. On the other levels, junior Kevin Endow was honored with the MVP Award for the JV team and freshman Pratik Ready with the Warrior

Award. The freshmen team awarded Randy Cruzet and Steven Ellis with the Coach’s Award. Wrestling noted sophomore, Cody Roth, as Most Improved, with his hard fought effort he was pulled up to the varsity level in the middle of the season. The Outstanding Freshman Award was given to John Joseph for his impressive basic skills in his first year of high school wrestling. Senior Ty Mauro received the 1 Corinthians 9:25 Award, which says, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Mauro exemplified an encouraging attitude toward his teammates and outstanding effort this season. Congratulations to all the athletes who participated and competed in this 2010-2011 winter season. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” God has blessed Valley Christian with such talented athletes and it is imperative to remember all the glory goes to him always.

Although many members of the freshmen team are just meeting each other for the first time, team chemistry is already present as the Warriors started their season on a winning streak. The freshmen team performed excellently in their first game, beating San Benito 9-0. After having a couple weeks to rest and practice some more, they faced their first challenge of three games in two days. However, this was no big deal for

Valley Christian, who beat Salinas 6-1 and then swept Los Gatos in a doubleheader by scores of 20-3 and 6-4. Obviously, this team is skilled in all aspects of the game, hitting, pitching, and winning. For the last game of the preseason, the freshmen team finished undefeated, beating Saint Mary’s 8-2. The first game of the league schedule was no different from the postseason. It was a show of domination by the Warriors, who beat the Mitty Monarchs 11-1.

Volleyball PerseveresArazue M. Zadeh

Sports Editor

The new 2011 track season has begun and runners are up and running, rain or shine, determined to be victorious against all the opponents they go up against this season.

The track team has already competed in three league meets and Valley is giving their opponents some serious competition. Starting off, the track team went up against Saint Ignatius at home, so they definitely had a home field advantage. Although VC had many individual victories, due to Saint Ignatius’ large size, they outnumbered VC and won the overall track meet. The next meet was against Bellarmine and Presentation, at Bellarmine’s track. Valley knew it was going to be a challenging meet, especially since both opposing schools were known for their extraordinary track teams; but Valley pushed through and came out victorious in multiple events. This was

Track Stays Strong

The girls swim team is currently hitting stride, just as they venture into the heart of their season. Swimming is a coed sport, and both the boys and the girls teams graduated important key swimmers over the summer. The boys lost high profile swimmers Daniel Tan and Shayne Flemming, where as the girls lost Jamie Walitsch. Walitsch is currently competing for the Wheaton College Thunder just outside of Chicago,

IL. The girls team this year has adopted new leaders, including swimmers like senior Myvy Ngo. The varsity team is young, and has multiple sophomores and juniors among the ranks. The junior varsity team practices alongside the varsity team, which helps them to improve technique as well as program chemistry. The girls have recently competed in meets in Roseville, and against Archbishop Mitty High School. Their next meet is March 31, at Valley Christian High School.

also the case for their third track meet of the season against Sacred Heart Cathedral. Coach Tammie Marshall has made sure to prepare her runners for all league meets by placing them in many weekend competitions, where only the best of the best compete. Long distance track team member junior Dustin Laucella took first place in the two-mile event on Saturday, March 19 at the Dublin Distance Fiesta. His long distance coach, Coach Josh Small, was very proud of having one of his own take home the gold at such a difficult event. Valley continues overcoming the odds and showing other competitors out there that they are in it to win it.

Newcomer, senior Gloria Nazloo said, “The Valley Christian track team was very supportive and encouraging and I feel like I’ve been on the team forever.” Going to practices everyday and pushing through the extremely exhausting workouts together has really brought everyone together more than anything else. And this will be a key factor to future team victories.

Morgan Rosa-DinizGuest Writer

Before their first game on March 1, the varsity boys volleyball team was underway. Taking an early start during February, the coaches began tryouts and subsequent practices. Although they have been faltering their first few games, the boys team is committed to success in their upcoming WCAL games.

On March 1, the Archbishop Mitty Monarchs traveled to Valley’s home court to take on VC’s hardworking and fearless Warriors. The Warriors had been preparing for this match weeks in advance. Although they lost, the Warriors really stuck it to them, winning 1 out of the 4 games. After only two practices, on March 3 the VC boys faced the Bells at Bellarmine’s home court. After an unlucky loss, the Warriors returned home to take on St. Francis on March 8. Always an aggressive team, the Lancers put up their blocks against Valley’s offense, leaving them unable to win a

game. After other unlucky losses to Leigh, Sacred Heart Cathedral, and Saint Ignatius, the Warriors played in an exciting match against Junipero Serra. In a back-and-forth game, the Warriors put up many attacks against Serra’s relatively weak defense. It was exciting to watch as spectators continued to cheer for their hardworking VC Warriors. Going into 5 game, Serra luckily pulled through the fifth game and left home victorious. Their next game will be at Valley Christian’s home court against Bellarmine on March 29. The whistle will blow at 6:30 so make sure to make it to Valley to support this hardworking team of four sophomores, two juniors, and four seniors. It will be an exciting match for all to see!

It’s been nothing but practice, practice, and more practice for the Valley Christian boys volleyball team as they prepare for more difficult WCAL competitors in their league. The boys team shows a great deal of potential in their last few matches of the season.

16 The Warrior March 25, 2011

“I really liked the chapel speaker because we never had anyone like

him. We needed his message!”Marlena Orthlieb, Senior

Spir itual Emphasis Week 2011

March 7-11, Valley Christian students joined together in Spiritual Emphasis Week, designed to spiritually impact students, and hopefully strengthening their faith and relationships with God. Spiritual Emphasis Week always provides insightful information pertaining to Christianity and begins the same as any chapel, with music led by the worship band. Students may gather on the floor, in the center of the gym to praise the Lord, or remain praising from their seats. This custom helps create a fervent atmosphere throughout the remainder of the chapel.

This year’s Spiritual Emphasis Week was a 5-day seminar presented by Dr. Frank Turek, on the validity of Christianity. Dr. Turek traveled from North Carolina to share his knowledge on apologetics, or defending one’s faith with Valley Christian students and teachers. He is the author of I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. He challenged the intellectual capacity of the students, stretching their minds to consider and reconsider common truths, laws, and realities. He encouraged a rational and logical thought processes, introducing

several methods to conquer doubts of Christianity. Turek covered four different points throughout the duration of the week and allowed the school to personally ask questions that had accumulated over the four days. His first point answered the question, “Does truth exist?” All of the major world religions can be funneled into three groups, theism, pantheism, and atheism. Theism consists of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, all of which believe God created the world and everything in it. Pantheism includes Buddhism and Hinduism. These religions believe that God is the universe; but consequently, the universe, and the things in it as well, is God. All of these world religions cannot be correct - only one is right. Each contradicts the other. Turek also explained that realism, “what is right for you may not be right for me,” is not logically possible. His second point considered the continually asked question “Does God exist?” After concluding that since all of the world religions cannot be correct, Christianity is the only valid one, considering how

reliable its sources are. God’s existence can be proven through creation, but ultimately faith is involved. Another one of his points covered the topic of Christianity and science. Most people will scoff at the thought of a Christian scientist - to most, this is an oxymoron. However, science does not prove everything. Several people try to argue against the case that Christianity cannot be proven through science. But there is a numerous amount of evidence. For example, the intricate design that constitutes this world, DNA, atoms, bacteria, people, points toward some sort of intelligent designer. He made it clear that there had to be someone who initiated everything in this universe. Dr. Turek stressed the imperative need for Christians to learn how to defend their faith through intellectual methods that can challenge the minds of others and consequently prove them wrong. Simply answering, “because I have faith,” is not enough anymore, but by providing some logical explanations and analytical thinking, others may start to believe the validity of Christianity.

Sarah Koenig & Romie AsplundStaff Writers

Venturing Deeper into Chapel