New comers step up to the field

The Watchdog

November 2006 Vol. 16 No. 1 C.D. Hylton High School Woodbridge, Va

New comers step up to the field

By Heather Gioia
Features Editor

The football team and all of its success was, as normal, all the rage during the first few months of school. But word of a new team, with its noticeable spirit wear and victories soon got out as the Hylton field hockey team gained notice.

At the end of the 2005-2006 school year, a Hylton student and her parent approached Coach Felicia Mascarenas about starting a field hockey team. After a few meetings, and a lot of planning, Coaches Mascarenas and Julie Price were able to get a team together and going over the summer vacation, with tryouts, practices, and games.

Both coaches had similar goals for the game: get the girls to play, have fun, and set down the pattern for the future of field hockey at Hylton. It was noticeable in the interviews with both coaches that Price is here to set the fundamentals and have fun, while Coach Mascarenas was ready for hard work and great expectations.

“Our team is funny; it is as if we [the coaches] were to teach them everything at once, it would ooze out their ears,” Mascarenas explained, “It will take us several seasons, and off seasons, to accomplish learning most of what we need to learn. Experience comes with playing time. The off-season will be very important over the next few years.”

This season brought a lot of firsts for the field hockey team. It was its first year as a Hylton team, and during their first win against Gar-Field High School the girls scored their first goals.

“I think the highlight of the season so far was our first win. Not only was it our first win, but our first corners, and first goals. It was a first for a lot!” said Price, when looking back on its 1-0 game versus Gar-Field on September 20.

While the Hylton field hockey team is primarily made up of juniors and seniors, it was said that the defense was the one to step it up on the field this year, including: goalie Sam Cook (junior), defender Tress Stransbury (freshmen), defender Lindsey Bailey (junior), and defender Seneca Sok (junior).

“This group [of defenders] has been strong from the beginning of the season. They work very hard and have a lot of pride in what they do and have accomplished this season,” Mascarenas reflected.

“It was really exciting to start on a new team and the coaches are continuously telling us how far we’ve come in such a short period of time. We weren’t expected to win any games,” said junior Lauren Fletcher.

The team has come from nothing and has become something. Already they have two [adjust number after final game] wins under their belt and are ranked 2-3 in the district and 2-7[?] over all.

We have definitely exceeded our expectations. From the first game to the most recent game we played, these girls look like two totally different teams. It’s amazing how far they have come,” Price said.

Both coaches hope that next year the team will continue to grow and that they will be able to have both Varsity and Junior Varsity teams.

“I would like to see the speed of the game pick up [next year]. I wouldn’t mind a couple more wins under our belt either! I just want to see the program progress in a positive manner, and eventually become a powerhouse in the district,” Price stated.

Although the team has had a lot of seniors, both coaches feel that losing them will be disappointing, but the team will be able to go on.

Most of our seniors do not start each game, but the support and inspiration that they provide has been of great value to the team. They will be missed,” said Mascarenas.

In addition to the senior girls, the two senior team managers will be missed as well. Joe Scott and Jim Smith added life to the team.

“Jim and Joe were not only inspirations to the girls through their goofy personalities, but also their attitudes. The boys were always upbeat, 110% of the time and really were there for the girls. They were more than we could have asked for,” claimed Price.

Scott and Smith keep the team upbeat and energetic, plus lighten the intense atmosphere.

“Joe Scott and Jim Smith have been great. Crazy, but great,” concurred Mascarenas.

Next year, the fate of the newly founded Hylton field hockey team lies in the hands of the underclassmen. They will be looking to recruit new players in the spring.

Congratulations to Hylton’s first year field hockey team. These girls have set a path for success for all future teams.

There’s just something about tailgating

The Watchdog

November 2006 Vol. 16 No. 1 C.D. Hylton High School Woodbridge, Va

There’s just something about tailgating

Hylton students gather in the parking lot for pre-game party

By Heather Gioia
Features Editor

Ever notice the crazy juniors and seniors running around the parking lot down by the football field on Friday afternoons? Depending on what time you pass by, you may notice them sitting around eating hot dogs and listening to music. Come a little later and you’ll see the shirts vs. skins football game on the asphalt. Show up right before the game and you’ll see the crowd all bunched around, students walking around shirtless with the starts of HHS being painted on their chests and yelling, “Who has the yellow!?”

Three years ago the Tailgating Tradition was started with Jacob Grobb and Kenny Harkines, who at the time were Hylton seniors. Joe Scott and Jim Smith, underclassmen at the time, were lucky enough to be exposed to the tailgating experience and decided to carry on the newly started Hylton tradition.

“Grobb and Harkines, man, they are the men, the myth, and the legends,” reflected senior Joe Scott on the beginnings of tailgating before the Hylton-Henrico game.

For Hylton students, tailgating is all about coming out and having a good time before going into the stands to support the Bulldogs defeat another school.

“It’s a gathering,” explains senior Steven Mattos, “all are there, and it’s a time for some of the guys to spit their game.”

“Even though the games are awesome, there’s just something about tailgating that starts the night off right,” said junior Patty Tripp.

Students have their own words to describe Hylton tailgating, from awesome to chaos and memorable to fantastic, along with ridiculous.

“Awesome,” said junior Kelly Ziegler, “because lots of people go, it’s a high energy atmosphere, and there’s food!”

Others described the environment similar to a party or just a fun get-together. Some enjoyed going just to watch the crazy students run around in chaos.

“Ridiculous, because things happen and you’re like ‘why did that just happen?’” explained senior Nadia Guevara.

All of the students get something different out of tailgating, but all enjoy the environment of being around friends after a long week of school and just being able to let lose and go crazy. Some students come for the people. While others come for the free food.

“There’s so much more than [free hotdogs],” senior Lizzie Erickson laughs. “There’s free soda, and free chips and free fun!”

The tailgating atmosphere is different from any other one students experience in school. It has got the high energy similar to a pep rally, but does not have the class competition of who is going to win the most class spirit points. Anyone is welcome, and it is highly recommended by the students that attend that you do come out and join them.

“Dawg! That’s just what [the students] do! For free food, that’s why,” junior Harry “Freaking” Hicock, said. “I first showed up to get away from school stuff.”

Students respectfully request that teachers do not start joining them in their social gathering.

“We wouldn’t have the freedom; the freedom would be gone,” said junior Sean Dorland, “I’d go to the games, but not tailgate, because it’d be boring.”

For students, tailgating is a student-only event started by the students, and a Hylton tradition. A lot of the students have mixed feelings about other schools starting to tailgate to their football games.

“I think that other schools are trying to do like us, but they can’t. One, because our students are way more involved, and two, their football teams aren’t as good as ours, so they don’t care as much,” junior Justin “J-hall” Hall explained.

The seniors who now run the tailgating show at Hylton— Scott, Mattos, and Jim Smith— all find it flattering that the other schools are imitating them.

“They got nothing on us!” Scott exclaimed, “we went up and challenged the OP tailgating crew to a friendly tailgate football game; they refused vigorously.”

This year’s seniors have faith that the juniors will carry on the torch next year.

“I have to be honest,” said Scott, “I don’t know [how this years juniors will do next year].”

Hylton tailgates every home game, and local away games, such as Osbourn Park, Gar-Field, and Forest Park. Tailgates normally start around 4:30 P.M. and run until right before kick off. Events have consisted of hot dog eating contests, water balloon fights, and good clean fun. Each tailgate is a different experience and another high school memory.

The Mission: Operation Turkey

The Watchdog

November 2006 Vol. 16 No. 1 C.D. Hylton High School Woodbridge, Va

The Mission: Operation Turkey

By Heather Gioia
Features Editor

Operation Turkey—collect cans for the hungry or cut open a turkey? Or maybe purchasing feathers for our teacher’s turkeys to see who get the most?

So what is Operation Turkey? It is a collection of canned and boxed goods that will be used to feed the homeless and financially deprived on Thanksgiving.

Operation Turkey is sponsored by ACTS, and they perform this operation every year with the assistance of Prince William County Schools, such as Hylton High School, and The Boy Scouts of America, who run the Scouting for Food aspect of the operation. The whole program runs from August 15, when ACTS sends out letters asking for assistance from different organizations, to November 22, when all of the Thanksgiving baskets are delivered to families.

Operation Turkey has been around for years now. In 2005, they collected enough food donations to feed nearly 1,400 families. ACTS food pantry says that their goal for this year is 1,500 families.

The goal cannot be reached without everyone’s help. Many students do not really understand the importance of Operation Turkey. While the majority of students here at Hylton may experience the happy environment with fresh turkey and green bean casserole on the table each Thanksgiving, there are those that are not so lucky, and are happy for the smallest things. Families sit hungry every night, but Thanksgiving is the one time of the year that everyone can help to make a difference in someone’s life. It is the opportunity for everyone to look into their cabinets and pull out that can of baked beans that dad bought last week (and therefore not expired) and bring it to school to drop in the bags FBLA have provided in each teacher’s classroom.

“Operation Turkey is a way for students to give back to the community and a way for them to understand that there are less fortunate people out there, especially in their own county. We always ask the question at Thanksgiving, ‘What are you thankful for?’ Well what if you don’t have anything to be thankful for?” explained Jennifer Long, history teacher.

Still confused about how it all works? Starting the week of October 16 all Prince William County Schools began collecting food for Operation Turkey and continue until November 23. After that, food was collected and brought to the ACTS sorting sight for Prince William County Schools, and there the food was sorted out by food type. A few days before Thanksgiving, each of the food items, including turkeys, will be placed into a bag, and delivered to those families in need.

Some teachers, such as Long, understand the importance of Operation Turkey and did what they could to get students to bring in food. Long, for example, provided extra credit points for each can a student brought in. Her students were allowed to bring in a maximum of 50 cans each to earn 100 extra credit points.

Operation Turkey is not something to be ignored as it has been at Hylton in previous years. No one knows what tomorrow holds for them or their family. So open up your pantry and pick out some cans.