Boys Varsity Soccer celebrates District Title

Deven Smith
Staff Writer

The New Hope-Solebury Boys Soccer team beats Lansdale Catholic 3-2 in overtime, to win the school's first ever soccer AA District Championship. 
 On Nov. 4, at one PM the starting whistle blew and the game started. The game began with complete dominance by New Hope, but it was Lansdale Catholic (LC) that drew first blood with their first shot of the game off of a counter attack by Matt MacDonald. However, it did not take New Hope long to strike back, they got a goal just 82 seconds after conceding.
  Jake Jacquemot finished a rebound off of Captain Nate Bawduniak free kick to bring the score level at 1-1.
  LC then proceeded to score a second goal with a 35-yard header by MacDonald after New Hope’s keeper Ethan Datz was caught out of the goal after he cleared the ball.  However, New Hope would not give up.
  The Lions tied the game again after only 46 seconds with Nick Fest stealing the ball at midfield and kicking it upfield where it was flicked on to Nate Bawduniak who finished the ball in the bottom left corner with only a minute left in the half. 
 The second half of the game produced no goals,  but it was still full of excitement as the Lions aggressively battled it out all over the field. 
  Balls hit the post and goals were called back due to fouls or calls for players being offsides.  But the real excitement came in over time in which the team that scores first wins. 
 Captain Jake Zimmerman started off the play with a wide ball to Senior Dante Demeo who with a burst of speed prevented the ball from going out of bounds.  He then proceeded to cross the ball which was then cleared to out of the box where Zimmerman banged it into the goal to win the District Title. 

Old Saint Nick Is Here to the Eagles “Blitzin” Defense to a Super Bowl Victory

Frank Spadavecchia and Devin Bock Staff Writers After an impressive win over the 9-3, NFC West leading LA Rams, the Eagles faithful received heartbreaking news about their franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. He took a hard hit at the end of the third quarter and has torn his ACL. This injury has ended his season and dramatically dropped the chances of the Eagles’ Super Bowl dream; or so people think. The Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles is going to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl despite this hardship. Foles, a former Pro Bowl Offensive MVP in 2013, has played with the Eagles in the past and led them to success. In 2013, he led the team to an NFC East title and threw 27 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions. They ended up losing in the first round to the New Orleans Saints by a field goal, but that will not happen again this year. Things are different with this team and the whole city can feel it. All year the Eagles have been plagued with injuries including losing Darren Sproles and Jason Peters. They have kept a “next-man up” mentality all year and this injury to Wentz will not change that. Everybody has been stepping up this year and Nick Foles will do the same. Nick Foles came into the game against the Rams and secured the victory for the Eagles after Wentz went down. He threw 6-10 for completions and threw for 42 yards, including a huge 3rd down pass to Nelson Agholor to continue the march down field. For Nick’s first start of the season against the 2-11 New York Giants, he threw for 237 yards and 4 touchdowns. This was a spectacular outing and a huge moral boost for Eagles Fans. It is up to them to rally around their new quarterback and give him the support he deserves. Foles is ready; now it is time that we get ready. With the Eagles sitting at 12-2, only needing one more win for home field advantage, it appears that the offense is Super Bowl ready.

Flyers Hope to Find Success in Roller Coaster Season

Justin Fischetti
Staff Writer

On Dec. 16, in a game against the Dallas Stars, the Wells Fargo Center erupted when Shayne Gostisbehere scored a game-winning overtime goal on a powerplay, his second goal of a game, in a 2-1 victory for the Philadelphia Flyers. This victory was the sixth in a row for the Flyers, bringing them within just four points behind the second wild card spot with still plenty of season left in the NHL.
  It is hard to believe that just two weeks earlier, the Flyers were skating to their tenth straight loss in front of a furious home crowd chanting for head coach Dave Hakstol to be fired.
  These streaks have perfectly defined the rollercoaster-like season that the 2017-18 Flyers have endured. After a decent start, a 10-game losing streak occurred that seemed to suck all the enthusiasm out of a young, rebuilding team that was hoping to compete for a playoff spot, though five of the losses came in overtime where the Flyers were able to get a point. A surprising 6-game winning streak immediately followed however, getting the Flyers right back into the thick of the playoff race with still over three months of the season left. The winning streak would end on Dec. 18 with a loss to the Los Angeles Kings, and it will be interesting to see if the team can rebound quickly from the loss.
  The Flyers currently have 35 points and a 14-12-7 record as of Dec. 19. With plenty of games against the Eastern Conference coming up - the Flyers schedule was loaded with Western Conference games early - winning games will especially be important for the Flyers playoff chances now. The Flyers though face a challenge in their playoff quest in that they are playing in the strongest division in the league; the Metropolitan Division. Despite being just four points back of the last playoff spot, the Flyers are tied for the fewest points of any team in their 8-team division. By comparison, the Flyers would be in 4th place if they were in the other Eastern Conference division, the Atlantic Division, instead.
  In an encouraging sign, many players have taken a step forward in their performance so far this season compared to last season. Center Sean Couturier has enjoyed a breakout season, with 15 goals and 15 assists; his 15 goals are already more than the 14 he had all of last season. Right winger Jakub Voracek currently leads all NHL players with 33 assists. Left winger Claude Giroux is bouncing back from a disappointing performance last season with 13 goals and 23 assists so far this season. Younger players, such as defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov as well as center Travis Konecny are also performing well. Goalie Brian Elliott, signed to a two-year contract last summer, is off to a fairly good start as well.
  When asked about Couturier’s strong start in what seems to be a breakout season, Giroux replied by saying that “I’d seen potential, yeah. He’s just a really smart player, gets open really well. For us it’s trying to build on it. We had a good chemistry early on in preseason. We just need to keep building on it.”
  With the more important part of the schedule about to begin, it will be crucial for the team to perform well if they have playoff aspirations. With how inconsistent the Flyers have been so far in this rollercoaster year, it is impossible to tell where the team will take off from here. A non-playoff year won’t be disastrous for the franchise as management continues to rebuild by developing youth, but it would be disappointing. But if the Flyers continue to get strong performances from their team leaders and the other players step it up, a playoff berth for this season is definitely a good possibility.

The return of Josh Gordon

Will Kelley,Lear Asplundh, and Mike Borys
Staff Writers

 Josh Gordon, one of the most talented NFL players throughout the past five years has finally made his 2017 return to the NFL. Gordon has had multiple cases where he has been suspended from league play and has got in trouble with the law for abusing different narcotics. His first case was in 2013, when he was suspended the first two games of the NFL season for violating NFL substance-abuse policy. Despite missing two games during the 2013 season, Gordon was still among one of the top receivers throughout the league. After a productive season for the Cleveland Browns in 2013, weeks before the start of the 2014 season, Gordon was suspended for driving under the influence of alcohol. Due to these altercations Gordon was suspended a full year from the NFL. Within days Gordon had also had altercations once again with substance-abuse policies which costed him a removal from the 2014 Pro Bowl, Later his suspension was reduced to only 10 games due to the leagues new drug policies.

Playing Sunday against the Chargers was the first time since the 2014 season. The first play for the brows was a nine-yard catch to Josh Gordon. In his first game he managed to grab four catches for 85 yards. He was obviously the most targeted receiver that game. The next game against the Packers, Gordon caught his first touchdown in almost four years. He recorded three receptions for 69 yards and one touchdown. So far, Gordon’s impact to the Browns is significant. Now that the Cleveland Browns have an elite reciever they can possibly have a better season next year. This past week Gordon helped the Browns nearly take the Packers down with a heartbreaking overtime loss. Gordons third week back he hauled in 5 receptions for a total of 47 yards against the Baltimore Ravens. Gordon back in the Browns lineup has been a difference maker. He is truly a special one of a kind talent the Browns need after a disappointing 0-14 record through 15 weeks of the 2017 regular season.

Girl’s Basketball seek a victorious season

Laura Nagg
Copy Editor

 Winter sports have been underway for a few weeks now and girls basketball is making a strong start to their season. The BAL and District champion team has been full of strong, upperclassmen athletes in past seasons. But this year it is a different story. The starting line-up consists of three upperclassman, including captain Sarah Wilson. Sarah Wilson has been playing basketball for 12 years and has committed to play basketball at Nyack University in New York on a full scholarship. She has spent countless hours practicing with her siblings, her school and club team, and on her own. She is a dedicated player to the team and will surely go far in her college career.
  The rest of the team cherishes from her skills along with help from other starters, Zoe Palau and captain Jordyn Sherman. Who have been playing together since 2nd grade and create a strong dynamic on the court. With a smaller upperclassmen line-up they look to the underclassman including Sydney Ives, Jay Covino, Rachel Saxton 
 Unfortunately, due to construction in the high school gym, the girls and boys teams this year will be unable to have home games in the high school. The girls will play three “home” games located in the UES gym this season.
  So far the girls have 3-2 record, with losses to Suburban One school Council Rock North and Stuart County Day School in New Jersey. On Thursday Dec. 14 the girls wiped the floor with a 50-19 victory against Bristol. The girl’s next game will be held in the UES gym on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. against Morrisville high school.

 

Lions Ice Hockey club skates to its first ever win

Kel MacDowell
Staff Writers

On Nov. 6,  the new boys’ ice hockey club  won their first ever game in the school’s history against Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School.
  The team went into the game with 0-1-0, with a loss to a tough Hatboro Horsham High School team. New Hope was looking to bounce back and get their first ever win in school history, and they did just that.
  Defensemen Grayson Asplundh started the scoring off with a wild shot from the corner that found its way into to the back of the net. Senior Chris Braun helped the team out by netting three goals in the first period, to make the score 4-0. Plymouth-Whitemarsh finally scored their first goal of the game late in the first period to make it 4-1.
  The game was far from over even though New Hope was up by three for the beginning of the second.
  Early into the second period, senior Vincent Vetrano scored to make it 5-1 with help from seniors Aidan McCollum and Jay MacDowell. Plymouth-Whitemarsh responded by scoring two goals in a row, less than five minutes apart from each other, to make it 5-3. Less than 25 seconds later, a pass from freshman Mike Janora was received by Vincent Vetrano who proceeded to skate through the entire Plymouth-Whitemarsh team to score his second of the game, making the score 6-3.
  Plymouth-Whitemarsh responded three minutes later to make it 6-4.
 On the defensive side, goalie Devin Bock made some outstanding saves to keep the team’s motivation. It was only Mr. Bock’s second outing as a goaltender. Previously, Devin played as an offensive winger in a local recreational league with not a whole lot of prior experience in the game.
 Now entering the third period, Plymouth-Whitemarsh was looking for some offense to even the score. 34 seconds into the third, Plymouth-Whitemarsh scored to make the score 6-5. Shortly after that, Chris Braun & Rex Fowler netted two quick goals making it 8-5. Then Plymouth-Whitemarsh scored a goal to make it 8-6. Following that, Aidan McCollum scored the final goal for NHS, but right after that Plymouth-Whitemarsh scored another quick goal.
 The buzzer went off and the New Hope boys spilled over the boards onto the ice to celebrate the win. It wasn’t an easy game for the Lions. They came prepared and gave it everything they had and came out on top with the first ever win in NHS ice hockey history.
  Vincent Vetrano contributed to this article.

NHS Boys Soccer has a season to remember

Nick Fest

Staff Writer

The NHS boys soccer team had a year to remember. After a disappointing season last year, the boys decided to take their game to the next level. Practices were sometimes painful, but everyone stuck together because of their love for the game.

 The season started off great with five wins in five games. They had a setback against Holy Ghost, but that did not stop them from a great season. An overtime win by Jake Jacquemont against Lower Moreland boosted their morale. Nate Bawduniak, Caleb Herring, and Jake Zimmerman were other great assets to the midfield. They were highly skilled at controlling the ball and getting it up the field. Then there is Ryan Meyers, Nils Dahlin, Derek Donohue, and Nick Fest holding down the backline. This combination of these defensive studs acted as an impenetrable fortress. Ethan Datz, our goalie, was an outstanding player to work with. He was a leader on and off the field. Next, we have young players, Ben Koeppen and Davis Nagg on the outside who lit up the midfield whenever they have the ball. Lastly, up top Dante Demeo and Devon Smith, who have an outstanding total goal tally of 40 goals. We cannot forget about the coach David Bachart. He always keeps us striving for more, and pushing us very hard to become better players. This has led them to become District 1 Champions.

 Lansdale came into the game not knowing what was about to hit them, so we let them know from the start to end. Early into overtime, Jake Zimmerman did not feel like waiting any longer, as he ripped a shot from 20 yards out to seal the championship for New Hope, who rightfully deserved it. The boys entered states with an energetic tone as they took the field for the first time in states in two years. They closed that game early, breezing past Pen Argyl with a 6-1 win. 

  Lewisburg, the defending state champions, stood in the way of the semi-finals. They knew this was going to be a tough game, but they knew the team had it in them, as they had come so far. The game was even, but New Hope could not convert any of their chances. Lewisburg took advantage of their chances by putting three goals away to seal a victory against a solid New Hope team. Regardless of the score, New Hope put up a good fight. This year has been a remarkable year for the boys, and it will never be forgotten.

 Senior Ryan Meyers shared a  thoughtful message with his former teammates, “I am very proud to be part of this championship winning team and I wish them the best in years to come.”

  Fans like Matthew Benda had something to say about this season, “I am going to miss the enjoyment of New Hope boys soccer on a Monday night, nothing better.”

  Jack Gawason and Adam Somers contributed to this article.

Cavs and Warriors to face off in Christmas Day Matchup

Thomas Muzekari and Vince Vetrano

The Cleveland Cavaliers (19-8) will travel to Oakland, Calif. for a Christmas Day Finals rematch with the Golden State Warriors (22-6) on Dec. 25.

 The last time these two teams met was last June in their third straight Finals meeting. The teams had split the previous two championships, but last year the Warriors came out on top, largely due to the addition of Kevin Durant, who was Finals MVP. Lebron James became the first player to average a triple-double in a Finals series, but it wasn’t enough, as the Cavs lost in five games.

 Golden State has the second best record in the Western Conference, only behind the Houston Rockets (21-4). The Warriors have four all-stars on the court from last year’s championship team. They are led by Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, who are both averaging over 25 points per game. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are the other two all-stars on the court for the Warriors. Green leads the team with 7.2 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, while Thompson is averaging the third-most points on the team with 20.7 a game.

 Cleveland, meanwhile, has the second best record in the Eastern Conference right behind the Boston Celtics (23-6). Kyrie Irving, who was the Cavs all-star starting point guard, left last summer to join the Celtics after requesting a trade. The Cavs did get an all-star point guard in return, though, Isaiah Thomas, and also another key player in Jae Crowder. Thomas has not played yet this year due to a hip injury. The team also signed Dwyane Wade last summer from the Chicago Bulls. Wade, a 12-time all-star, has reunited with his long-time friend James, who he won two championships with in Miami back in 2012 and 2013. Lebron James is the leading scorer for the Cavs with 28.3 points per game; he is also averaging 8.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists.

 The game-time for this Finals rematch between these two powerhouse teams is 3:00 pm. It will be live on ABC.

Roaring Eagles Lead the League

Frank Spadavecchia and Andrew Purdy                  

Staff Writers

The Philadelphia Eagles have taken the entire NFL by storm. For a team that has struggled in the past, to becoming the number one team in the league. The Eagles are 10-1. Carson Wentz is at the front of the MVP race with a record setting 28 touchdowns in the first 11 games of the season. Wentz’s 28-5 TD to interception ratio is a top the NFL and his play has been backed up by the rest of the team’s play.

 With the early emergence of the 5-0 Chiefs, a 4-1 start for the Eagles was completely overlooked. However, with the rest of the league thinning out, the Philadelphia Eagles have emerged as the best team in the league with a shocking 5-1 odds to win the Super Bowl which is the third highest of any team in the NFL as stated by ESPN. A defense that took a major hit at the cornerback position has proved to be one of the strongest units in the entire league. The Eagles have a total of 16 interceptions and a plus 8 turnover ratio with a total of 25 turnovers. After a shocking injury to the Eagles” newest acquisition Ronald Darby, many fans felt the injury was a massive blow to a promising season. Along with an early injury to Ronald Darby the eagles have had to win without All-Pro Left Tackle Jason Peters, as well as Linebacker Jordan Hicks.

 Even with all of the success on the field some of the best moments in the eagles season have taken place off the field. During the offseason Eagles Quarterback Carson Wentz took some time to take his Wide Receiving core out to North Dakota where the group bonded in an effort to forge new relationships. Offseason acquisitions such as Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith have given Caron Wentz trust-worthy targets on the outside. Another midseason acquisition in Jay Ajayi has proven to the Philadelphia fan base that this is the year the Eagles will contend for the Super Bowl.

 This Eagles team is firing on all cylinders and at a pace which no one could have seen coming. They have the best record in the league and have been improving each and every week despite injuries. Across the NFL, important players have been injured or suspended and their teams have fallen off the map. The Eagles, however, have fought through turmoil and are a battle-tested team poised to make a serious run this year.