Temple Owls Start 7-0 for First Time in Team History

Thomas Muzekari

Staff Writer

The 21st ranked Temple Owls football team has started off 7-0 for the first time in team history after beating East Carolina 24-14. The Owls’ next test will be when they host the 9th ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lincoln Financial Field, in a showdown on Halloween night. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC.

 The Owls were a little under the radar at the start of the season, but the team got off to a fast start as they beat Penn State for the first time since 1941, 27-10 in the season opener. Ever since, the team hasn’t let up and has strung together six more wins. The team’s success has been anchored by running back Jahad Thomas who has 14 total touchdowns through seven games. Also, the team’s defense has been very strong, allowing just under 15 points a game.

  Temple stepped into the top 25 for the first time since 1979 after its win against UCF. “People are respecting Temple and how we have played,” Head Coach Matt Rhule said. “We have to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” he explained.

  The unbeaten Owls will look to continue doing what they have been doing when Notre Dame comes to town.

   The streets will be packed when ESPN’s college football pregame show, College GameDay comes to Independence Mall in Philadelphia for Temple’s clash with Notre Dame.

   Make sure you tune in for what should be a great game on Halloween night. The Link should be rockin’ as Temple takes on Notre Dame in a prime-time matchup on national television.

Football Team Entering District Playoffs as First Seed

Matt Kolen & Matt Fast

Staff Writers

The football team has remained undefeated over the past few weeks, jumping to 8-0, and continuing the best start in New Hope history. The team crushed Lower Moreland 55-8, and racked up 425 total yards. This came a week after shutting out ANC, a team that went undefeated in 2014. This past week, the Lions beat a physical Morrisville team, 60-0, on Senior Night.

 The Lions are looking for a battle against Delaware County Christian on Nov. 7, whoever wins will undoubtedly be the Bicentennial Athletic League champion. The Lions are also the number one seed in the District and will most likely take on Valley Forge Military Academy on Nov. 13 at home for a chance to play in the district finals.

 The highlight of the team is clearly the defense, ranking second in AA for points allowed this season. Although, the starting defense has let up far less than other teams. A lot of it has to do with the work ethic of the team during the offseason, much superior to past teams.The Lions are definitely not the biggest team, but pride the fact that “no one works harder than” them. Also, the coaches have been able to figure out the best positions for different players to excel at, and to give the team the best potential. Previous Lions have praised the team, specifically the defense.

 “They’ve worked extremely hard and are by far the best team in New Hope football history,” said class of 2014 graduate and former captain Frank Covino.

 “I wish that we were able to be as good as they are and have some of the personnel that they have now,” said Kevin Jarrett, also a 2014 graduate.

 Be sure to continue to show support for the team as they get ready to battle for the BAL and District I championships.

As the season ends, soccer kicks into gear

Bailey Jaronski

Staff Writer

As the weather is getting colder, the intensity is rising for sports teams across Bucks County and greater Pennsylvania. Sports teams are finishing up their regular season games and preparing for playoffs.

 The New Hope-Solebury Girls’ Varsity Soccer team is getting pumped, nervous, and anxious for their first round of districts.  With a record of 5-4 in the league throughout the regular season, no team is highly favored. Who wants it more will win.

 The first and hopefully not the last district game will be played on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. The location is to be determined, as is the opposing team. The team has an idea that it will be The Christian Academy but other teams in the Bicentennial Athletic League still have several games to play.

 As for the Lions, the only thing left to do is to prepare. With the remaining week of practice, players will go on long runs, visit the weight room, and scrimmage.

 Besides physical workouts, the team is also looking forward to the team bonding trip to soak up the fall season while enhancing the dynamic of the team. The team has plans to go on a hayride and participate in activities such as a corn maze and team sleepover. After all, in three weeks or so, the season could be over. For seniors it’s very bittersweet.

 So for now, the team must prepare for playoffs and enjoy the time left together. Before any of us know it, we will be lacing up our basketball sneakers and polishing our lacrosse sticks getting ready for the new season. Time is crucial, and we will hopefully make the most of it by diving into the next round of districts.

‘It ain’t over till it's over’ Yogi Berra (1925-2015)

Mitch Lewis
Sports Editor

On Sept. 22, 1946, a 21-year-old, left-handed hitting catcher, who stood a measly five feet seven inches, made his major league debut for the powerhouse New York Yankees. On the very same day, 69 years later, Yogi Berra bid farewell at the grand age of 90. Berra was known as one of the best catchers of his era and even of all time. He was a 13-time World Series champion, 10 times as a player, a record, and three more as a coach.
  “You can observe a lot by watching,” Berra said. He appeared in 21 World Series games, the most by any one player or coach ever. He is also one of only five players in the history of the game to win the American League MVP three times in his career and is one of only four catchers to not make a single error in a season. Yogi hit 358 home runs over his career and is the all time leader in RBIs for a catcher. He also made 18 all star games, starting 11 of them at the catcher position.
  Yogi was known for his elite knowledge of the game as well as for his “yogi-isms,” terms and phrases that he coined that he has come to be praised for, including, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” “Baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half is physical,” and “So I’m ugly, so what? I never saw anyone hit with his face.”
  Yogi possessed a reputation as a very loyal husband to his wife Carmen who he had been married to for 65 years until she passed away in 2014. Yogi had three sons, two of which played professional sports. His son Dale played shortstop for the Pirates, Yankees (Which Yogi was the manager of) and the Astros. His other son Tim played in the NFL for the Colts in 1974.
  Yogi left behind a legacy as an honorable and humble manager, coach, husband, father, friend and player. These traits even carried over into his phrases, such as, “Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise they won't go to yours." In response to the popularity of his quotes, he coined the phrase, "I really didn't say everything I said."

RIP Yogi

Respect cheerleading as a sport

Alexandra Mangano and Eliana Slater
Staff Writers

Whether cheerleading is a sport or not is a controversial topic. Most cheerleaders will immediately argue that it is a sport, which is understandable. Cheerleaders endure constant criticism and disapproval of their sport.
  “I do not understand how people can disrespect a sport they have never been a part of,” said Brooke Black, a  junior on the cheerleading squad.
   Cheerleading checks off every qualification that activities require to be considered a sport. The first requirement is that it must be a physical activity that involves propelling a mass through the air; stunting does exactly that. Cheerleaders lift and throw girls in the air frequently. Bodies weigh more than typical sports equipment, and that shows how much strength it takes to be successful in this sport.
  The second qualification is contesting or competing against an opponent. Cheerleaders spend hours of practice running through routines, stunting, tumbling, and cheering. They do this because competitions are extremely difficult and require dedication. Just like football players create plays to run, cheerleaders create routines to perform.
  The last qualification is it must have rules that govern the activity, there must be a set time, space, purpose of the contest, and the conditions under which a winner is declared. There are different rules for each level of cheerleading and for school cheerleading. Points are taken off of the score sheet for each illegal stunt performed at each level.
  Cheerleaders are often considered weak athletes. As previously stated: It requires a lot of muscle to perform stunts. Stunting also causes major injuries that are just as serious as any other sport.  After all, the injuries that cheerleaders endure are ranked second among all sports. Motions have to be sharp and voices have to be loud. Approximately 37,000 cheerleaders end up in the emergency room every year. This statistic just goes to show that cheerleading should be weighed as heavily as other sports.
  Cheerleading is a sport because it meets all of the qualifications needed to be one. While doing cheerleading, every member is physically active whether they’re throwing girls in the air or doing backflips, but it’s fun too.

UEFA Champions League gets going

Thomas Muzekari

Staff Writer

The UEFA Champions League is underway as FC Barcelona looks to defend its crown from last season.  Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Manchester City are among the favorites to win the UEFA Champions League this season. Games are being broadcasted on ESPN Networks and Fox Sports.

 Group A is headed by two quality European clubs, Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid. Manchester United looks to regain success in the Champions League as they headline group B. Atletico Madrid looks to continue its recent success as it tries to withstand its opponents in Group C. Meanwhile, in Group D, Juventus tries to take its first step in its effort to return to the final where they lost to Barcelona last year. Manchester City can make a deep run out of this group. Barcelona looks to stay red hot in the Champions League as they will try to defend its title, first starting off in an effort to win Group E. In Group F, German club Bayern Munich will look to get back to the final, and English club Arsenal will search for success that it has not recently had in the Champions League. Last year’s champion of the Barclays Premier League, Chelsea will look to carry its success over as they headline group G. Finally, in group H, Lyon searches for success as the club makes its return to the Champions League.

 The traditional setup is in play. There are eight groups of four teams. Each team will play the three other teams in its group twice.

 The two top teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage. Once in the knockout stage, for each round, matchups will be drawn randomly based on the teams that remain. Away goals is the tie breaker that will decide when teams draw against each other. If aggregate and away goals are equal for both teams, the teams will go into extra time. If it is still tied after extra time, there will be a penalty kick shootout. Each team will play its opponent twice, like in the group stage. This will be the case until the final, when there will be one match to determine the victor of the Champions League.

Philadelphia Eagle Opener: a close loss foreshadows success

Alex Lotier
Staff Writer

It was set for Sept. 14 at 7:00 p.m. in Atlanta: the first Monday night football game of the season for the Eagles.
  Midnight green covered the city of Philadelphia. Eagles fans came by plane, train and automobile to usher in the 2015 season.
  After an impressive preseason, the Eagles shocked the league after trampling over teams with their high-power offense. After averaging nearly 40 points each game, the most in the league, the Eagles performance in the opener surprised fans. They scored only three points in the first half of the game. If it hadn’t been for some outstanding defensive plays such as Kiko Alonso’s one-handed interception in the endzone, the Eagles would have given up even more points in the first half.
  Although it took the entire first half, the Eagles offense came out strong and was able to kick it into gear by the start of the third quarter. Sam Bradford completed 21 of his total 25 passing attempts. The Eagles outscored the Falcons offense 21-6, but lost after a missed field goal in the end.
  Though the Eagles disappointed many early in the game, their second half performance showed signs of what fans thought might be to come...until the Eagles found more upset in week two.

Fantasy Football Surprises and Disappointments of NFL Week 1

Clay Asplundh

Staff Writer

When football season kicked off in New England on September 10th, fantasy footballers everywhere were convinced that this was their year. Week one saw many surprises and disappointments, and it left many owners scrambling to improve their team going into week two.  

Surprises:

Tom Brady scored 27 points in the NFL’s season opener, and he showed that he can perform as a top quarterback despite his age.

Carlos Hyde had 168 yards and two touchdowns, and he is proving to be of great value for people that picked him in the fourth or fifth round.

Julio Jones had 26 points on Monday Night Football, so he could turn out to be the top wide receiver this year.

Gronkowski dominated the Steelers, and he ended up with over 20 points on three touchdowns.

Disappointments:

Sam Bradford had two interceptions that ended up taking his point total down to 13, which was well below his projection.

Adrian Peterson had only three fantasy points and was a major disappointment to many people who drafted him number one overall.

Brandin Cooks was a major letdown as he failed to catch a touchdown after a terrific preseason Zach Ertz had only three catches for the Eagles and failed to get in the end zone.

NFL’s first week starts off the season

Tommy Lupo & John Sharkey
Staff Writer

It was a long wait for the season to start. The reigning National Football Conference champs Seattle Seahawks had a bitter taste in their mouths from last year’s controversial call in the Super Bowl. The inaugural week started off on a Thursday night showdown between the defending Super Bowl champions, The New England Patriots and the black and yellow warriors of Pittsburgh, the Steelers.
  After a slow start by the Patriots, Rob Gronkowski found his stride producing three touchdowns leading to the Patriot victory. Moving on to Super Football Sunday, 13 games took place across the league. The Rams stopped the 215-pound Marshawn Lynch from converting a 4th and short, giving the Rams the overtime victory.
  In addition, the Buffalo Bills looked strong and managed to edge out a win against the Indianapolis Colts 27-14. The last big Sunday news was the number one vs the number two pick showdown: The Buccaneers vs the Titans. Marcus Mariota came out firing in his debut, throwing four touchdowns, while (Famous) Jameis Winston threw a pick six on his first NFL pass. The New York Giants stomped into Dallas under the lights and had a ten point lead over the Cowboys going into the fourth quarter. Then Tony Romo drove down two consecutive times in the span of eight minutes to edge out the Giants.
  A long week one was filled with both early season promise and a fair share of upsets. To name the biggest, the 49ers obliterated the Vikings 20-9 in a Monday night battle. The Philadelphia Eagles also fell on Monday night to Julio Jones and the Atlanta Falcons. The top performers of week one were Quarterback Tom Brady and Tight End Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots, Wide Receiver Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons, and Running Back Carlos Hyde of the San Francisco 49ers. It is a long season, and every game matters, but look to see many more surprises as the season rolls on.

Dissecting the success of NH-S football

Brian Hauch and Dylan Waterman
Staff Writers

The football team has started their season off with a bang, winning all four of their games by impressive margins. The team has won three league games as well, including wins over Calvary Christian and Valley Forge, both of whom they lost to in overtime last year. The Lions are currently at the top of the BAL standings and they hope to stay in that position for the remainder of the season.
  The main reason for the Lions’ success this season has been their senior dominant lineup finally able to play the best football they have in their high school careers. Last year the roster was very similar but struggled to win games mainly due to inconsistent play and lack of focus. With no senior leadership last year, it was tough to get anything going. That is not the case this year.
  The strength of the team so far has been the stout defense, as they have yet to allow more than one touchdown per game.
  “We may not be the biggest or heaviest on the field, but we love to lay the wood and that is what counts on defense,”  Senior Free Safety Alec Coburn said. “We all know our jobs and do our jobs.”
  The offense hasn’t been too shabby either. After starting quarterback Nick Garritano went down with a back injury early in camp, Freshmen Gavin Grohndal has filled in and done a nice job. 
  Garritano’s injury has also made the Lions rely much more on their running game. Running backs Brendan Shadle and Jack McKenna have really pounded the rock in the early going. In the Sept. 18 game, the running backs tore up Calvary Christian’s defense, as they rushed for 206 yards. Of course, the offensive line deserves credit for that too.
  New Hope’s success has led to more and more fans coming out to each game and this has been a boon for the team. The student section has been a key component to New Hope’s home field advantage this year. Whether it’s shooting silly string, throwing glitter, or pouring flour everywhere (that's banned now), the fans have provided energy that fuels the players on the field.

Football Team Looking to Exceed Previous Achievements

Matthew Kolen and Matt Fest
Staff Writers

3-0. The football team had a similar start two years ago when the team won the District 1 and BAL championships, feats they have been trying to repeat since then. The team struggled last year with nearly no seniors and an inexperienced team. This year the team is looking to exceed the championship titles to become the greatest success in New Hope football’s short history.
  “We really need to focus at practice and play hard-nosed New Hope football,” Senior Captain Franco Mannino says.
  As of game three, the defense had only let up eighteen points. Only six of those were on varsity. The defense is a strong point for the team.
  The team’s starting quarterback, sophomore Nick Garritano, will be returning after an injury to his back.
  “We need to come out to practice and the games with high intensity,” Senior Captain Russell Abernethy said, adding: “but we need to take each game one at a time.”

Eagles Gripping Loss Foreshadows Success

Alex Lotier

Staff Writer

It was set for Sept. 14 at 7:00 p.m. in Atlanta: the first Monday night football game of the season for the Eagles.

 Midnight green covered the city of Philadelphia. Eagles fans came by plane, train and automobile to usher in the 2015 season.

 After an impressive preseason, the Eagles shocked the league after trampling over teams with their high-power offense. After averaging nearly 40 points each game, the most in the league, the Eagles performance in the opener surprised fans. They scored only three points in the first half of the game. If it hadn’t been for some outstanding defensive plays such as Kiko Alonso’s one-handed interception in the endzone, the Eagles would have given up even more points in the first half.

 Although it took the entire first half, the Eagles offense came out strong and was able to kick it into gear by the start of the third quarter. Sam Bradford completed 21 of his total 25 passing attempts. The Eagles outscored the Falcons offense 21-6, but lost after a missed field goal in the end. Though the Eagles disappointed many early in the game, their second half performance showed signs of what fans thought might be to come...until the Eagles found more upset in week two.

Russian Grand Prix almost here

Joseph Tebben
Staff Writer

The 2015 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix is an annual auto race that will be taking place the weekend of Oct. 9 at the Sochi Autodrom.
  One year after the race that was called one of Formula One’s most boring ever, fans and drivers hope for a more excitement this year.
  American driver Alexander Rossi, who made his F1 debut in Singapore and raced in Japan for the Manor Marussia team, will not be racing this weekend due to a commitment to race in another series.
  Spanish driver Roberto Merhi, who drove every race for Manor Marussia before Singapore, will return to his seat to race in Russia.
  Italian driver Alexander Rossi will return to his seat for his home race in Austin, two weeks after the race in Russia. He will also race at the Mexican Grand Prix in Mexico City, Mexico and the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  Spanish Driver Roberto Merhi will return at the end-of-season Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Cross Country gets motivated

Julianna Slominski, Jack Slominski, and Sam Lombardi
Staff Writers

With returning members and new runners alike, the cross country team is working toward a victorious season.
  Head Coach Clarke, Coach Kunkel, and Coach Kramli are anticipating a winning season. The head coach’s motto is, “If you train with the slow and sluggish, then you will become slow and sluggish.”
  Preseason consisted of speed drills, distance runs, and grueling athlete-run exercises. On a typical day there were double practice sessions to build up a high base mileage. The hot temperatures didn’t hinder the athletes’ training. With careful guidance from the coaches, preseason was a huge success.
  This year, captains Jake Dupont, Hannah Singer, and Bradley Neumann are keeping the team motivated and leading by example. Hannah took a break from cross country her junior year but has returned with a promising start this year. Bradley  continually improves his 5K time. His personal record is now a staggering six minutes shorter that of his freshmen year time. The last of the three captains, Jake, has been to the state competition for the past three years and is looking forward for the chance to qualify again.
  At the Abington Invitational on Sept. 12, Julia Mycek ran an impressive 5k with a time of 20:04 to claim sixth place overall in her race. Joshua House impressed everyone with a time of 17:51 to claim 27th place during his 5K. Josh typically averages under six minutes per mile.

Revamped Cheer Squad Boosts Spirit

Russell Abernethy, Matt Smith, and Nic Patino
Staff Writers

With a new school year and a new season of fall sports, the NH-S cheerleading squad has undergone a major  revitalization.
  Last year the squad only consisted of seven cheerleaders. Since then the number has jumped to seventeen. The differences between the squad this year and last year’s have been night and day. We are witnessing a wave of school spirit unprecedented by any previous cheer squad, and players and fans can’t help but notice from the white outs to the hashtag banners hung on the bleachers at games.
  Katie Tangradi, junior captain of the squad, said the sudden change in mentality amongst the cheer community, “really has to do with the change of coaches. They bring a whole new spirit to the squad.”
  Junior Captain Taylor Gundlach claims that “it has to do with the daily practices after school.”
  NH-S school spirit has been drastically boosted thanks to the cheerleaders this Fall season.
  The squad cheers at every home football game and some away games as well.